half marathon #9 done!
this was the first time i was going to do the same race for the second time. i ran the sfm full last year, and then the half this year, but they weren’t the exact same races like this one. i ran healdsburg last year and PRed by almost 3 minutes, so i was really looking forward to running it again. i remember it being the most beautiful course and just enjoying running through all the vineyards on a crisp fall morning.
this year i ended up not going up to wine country the day before, which meant a very early wake up call for me… the alarm went off at 3:30am. i did my normal pre-race routine – coffee, toast with peanut butter, got dressed and was in the car before 4:30 for the 90 mile drive up to healdsburg. the drive wasn’t bad, i had the music cranked but there were some very foggy portions i could have done without. i made it to the parking spot near the start in great time, before 6am, and then took the shuttle to a pretty empty start. i ran into katie soon after who gave me my bib and chip, and then amy showed up not too long after. most of the time was spent talking and visiting the porta potties, because everyone knows i have to use them 3 times before every race – kind of a pain!
i remembered a majority of the course from last year, and i remember it being all rolling hills so i was ready for that. i should have taken a closer look at the elevation chart from my garmin last year though to remember just how many rolling hills there really were.
i also remembered it being really cold at the start last year (really cold in california terms = in the 40s), so i came prepared this year with gloves and arm warmers. we watched the sun come up over the vineyards and then headed to the start line. katie said she would run with me so i told her what my loose goals were, what my PR was and told her we would go from there. i wasn’t sure how i was going to feel. i had put a lot more miles in this last week than i have in a few weeks, plus my quads were feeling the LT run from thursday night. after a few minutes of being delayed we were off!
immediately i noticed that my feet were pretty much numb! it was pretty cold out and it took a while to get warmed up. the first mile or so is downhill and then the biggest hill of the course is in the second mile. katie and i chatted for a minute then we both turned our music on and i got in the zone. she would point out to me funny costumes and things the first couple miles and make sure the pace was ok, but other than that we were just running along right next to each other.
mile 1 – 7:54, mile 2 – 8:13, mile 3 -8:02
mile 4 is a pretty big steep downhill and we definitely took advantage of it, and mile 5 we went by the first real spectator spot where katie’s husband was and got our pic.
mile 4 – 7:41, mile 5 -8:02
i was feeling pretty good here and we were starting in on my favorite part of the course. it winds through some back roads of the wineries and you can never really see too far in front of you which i love. you could see vineyards for miles though, and there were spots where the mist was just laying on top of them… it was really beautiful. i tried to enjoy the scenery even though i was pushing pretty hard. i threw my gloves off somewhere in here, i am glad i stocked up on 75 cent target gloves for all these races 
mile 6 – 7:57, mile 7 – 8:04, mile 8 – 7:58
we were holding really consistent for a while, and then my legs just started getting tired right around mile 10. there were a couple of bigger hills in these miles and i could feel them taking their toll but i just kept trying to focus on getting over each hill, because then there would be a downhill. we saw katie’s husband again around mile 10 and i also saw holly who was working a water stop! she yelled my name and it definitely made me smile seeing her out there.
mile 9 – 8:08, mile 10 – 8:12
around mile 11 we wind back out on the main road and we have to pretty much stay in the bike lane, which proved to be a little difficult. there were definitely some slanted portions which can take their toll on your legs, but we just kept running along and getting closer to the finish. i was pretty tired during mile 11 but was able to starting picking it up again for the last couple miles.
mile 11 – 8:16, mile 12 8:06, mile 13 – 7:57
we rounded 2 corners and saw the finish line! katie started taking off and put her hand out behind her for me to catch up, so i reached out and did and we crossed the finish line at the exact same time! we ran the entire race together
last .15 – 1:10 (7:25 avg)
garmin results:
13.15 miles/1:45:38/8:02 avg pace
official results:
13.1 miles/1:45:37.8/8:03 avg pace
overall: 195/1938
women: 66/941
age group: 19/229
we got out medals and posed for a quick pic, i was very happy! 2nd fastest half marathon on a tough course!
i seriously can’t thank katie enough, she totally kept me on pace and pushed me when i needed it. i really wanted to slow way down a couple miles in there towards the end, but she kept me on track and kept me going. there was no way i was going to start whining and slow way down with her there. it was definitely something new for me since i have never “raced” with someone. i have “ran” many races with my friends for fun, but had never pushed myself hard with someone. it was great to have her there and i hope she will run with me someday again in the future
a couple minutes later amy came in and we all discussed our races and of course posed for a pic.
amy and i did a slow 2 mile cool down. i had wanted to get in 17 total for the day, but i figured a hard 13 miles was more of a workout anyways and 15 was close enough!
cool down: 2.0 miles/19:26/9:42 avg pace
i picked up my free wine glass but didn’t taste this year. i was tired and wanted to go home! amy and i took the shuttle back to our cars and i made the 90 mile drive home. i felt good, just tired, but a good breakfast and some coffee helped that.
i am really happy with this race. although it wasn’t a PR, it was pretty close, and my PR was in the middle of eugene training when i had been consistently doing higher mileage. this week was my first real high mileage week back, just 2 days after my first hard workout back, and on a much tougher course. i am really excited to tackle the next few weeks of big training for CIM and this race definitely helps give me a confidence boost.
i ended october with 166.8 miles which includes cowtown marathon and recovery from it, so not too bad. after not tearing myself away from the computer watching the nyc marathon coverage this morning, i finaly made it out for a slow, stiff 4.2 mile recovery run (39:05/9:19 avg pace) this afternoon to finish off the week with 51.4 miles.
CONGRATS to all the racers out there this weekend!
Awww! You did this race beautifully! I wished I had gotten you a PR, but man, those hills were relentless! I had a blast with you and yes, I think we have many more races together in our future! We meshed well! So excited for CIM!
I am so glad we finshed together, too. It meant a lot that we both pushed each other on that course and crossed the finish line together! Congrats on #9! Have an awesome week!
Nice race report aron! You girls really rocked the race! Kept the pace great! I can't wait to 'run' CIM with you! Its gonna be so much fun! Great job ending out October and way to end this past week with 51! you rock!!! xoxo
Congrats! Awesome time given the race. It is so helpful to run with someone who is a bit faster. It teaches you that you have more in you than you think! Funny, my speedster friend is named Katie, too:)
Congratulations! What a great race and a great time! I really can't imagine driving myself 90 miles home after a hard race… I can barely imagine being a passenger! And I have the 3 potty rule before races too, in Bellingham I didn't have time for the 3rd, and although the race turned out great, I felt like I had to pee the WHOLE time!
Number nine? Is that all? LOL
Congrats on a great race!
Great job Aron! Really strong race. I think you are really on track for a fast marathon next month. Yay! Keep up the great work.
Congrats girlie! You two did great!!! and congrats on waking and driving 90 miles each way by yourself. I give you mad props for that too
what a blistering pace! congrats on an awesome race!
AWESOME JOB! those hills look so tough. wow you did so great
Nice race report! Great Job! You have quite the race schedule!!
Yep, I most definitely must run this race! That is great that you had a buddy to keep you on pace and help you get such a great time. The course looks beautiful!
Great job! Sounds like an awesome, beautiful race! I live in New York, so I get to watch "live" and it is such an amazing experience!
Awesome job – sounds like a fun race!
God you are fast! Congratulations. Sounds like a beautiful course.
awesome job aron! great time and sounds like a fun race…
Great job! Awesome report!
I remember your race report from last year & being sooo jealous of how BEAUTIFUL the venue looked!
Congratulations
Nice work. We serioulsy need to race together some day..we would be stride for stride…well not really I am pretty sure I am much taller than you. My Half was really 13.37 miles…UGH!! Oh well I was not close toa PR anyhow.. but I did win, got to love the SMALL town races..
AWESOME! congrats on a very well-run race!! and lovely report as well
Great job at the race – it sounds like you had the perfect racing partner!!
Fantastic! Great race!!! Congrats!
Congrats! What a great race.
Holy crap – the hills?! That is nuts.
great report; sounds like an awesome course and it looks like it was beautiful!!! Congrats on a great race.
Great job on a tough course. Wooot!
Congratulations!! Killer time on a hard course and an almost-PR! WTG!
Great job girl!!!!!
Woohoo, I'm glad you're happy with that race! It sounds like you ran a great one, especially since you're in the middle of training and it looks like a doozy of a course!
Great job girl! That course looks like a tough one, but good prep for CIM….keep up all the hard work! I'm definitely going to have to do this race this next year
so glad you finally had a race that just felt really good for you. You make is sound GORGEOUS too!!
So did you like running the same race consecutive years? I think running some of the same races each year can be fun because you get to know the course but also new races are exciting!
So glad you had such a great race! That is a super speedy time on a tough course–very impressive! Also, the course sounds beautiful! I'll definitely have to add this one to my list
Congrats, girl!
Great job A!
You were close to a a PR, but you will pr at CIM! 
another nice report and I wish I could have come up to run it. Maybe next year. I love the scenery in wine country, it always makes for great races. 
Great recap. Sounds like you did a great job! Ouch those hills look brutal. And how great that you guys finished together! Another victory.
Nice race report and great job! Sounds like it was a tough course and you nailed it!!
Great recap. Sounds like you did a great job! Ouch those hills look brutal. And how great that you guys finished together! Another victory.
Great report as always Aron – and what a great time for such a hilly race! You must be feeling pretty confident about your training – it seems to me you're exactly where you should be. Good going girl – well done!
Sounds like such a great race Aron, it must have been just beautiful out there! Glad you had Katie to push you through the race. It looks like Healdsburg is your race…congratulations!!!
Awesome race and great finish time. If's so gret having someone push you when you need it. Love that about running buddies/girlfriends in general.
Very nicely done! Sounds like a beautiful (but hard) course!
Hey we could meet in Eugene!! We could help eachother BQ.. LOL!
Of course by then you will have already qualified and run Boston. Oh well..
HUGS!! I will be hitting you up for info on the course and re-reading your race report once I know if I am going to run that race..
nice race! sounds like a very fun time!
nice race! sounds like a very fun time!
Congrats on your race!!
It certainly does seem that you do better on hilly courses, and with someone pushing you. Great to hear the excitement is back in your running!
Ahh, so glad to hear the race was just as good as last year. You did great!
Congrats on the race, Aron!
Fun times, I remember it being really fun last year.
I also remember the hills, way to rock em.
You totally ROCK, CIM better watch out!
Great Race Report and Great Job too! I have a lot of trips to porta-potties before the race.
Congratulations Aron! I can't imagine a 1:45 1/2 marathon. You put it out there like it's no big deal. It's a BIG DEAL. How fun that you had someone to "race" with too. I always enjoy having someone hang with me in races.
Way to go girl! It sounds like such an awesome race!
Way to go girl! It sounds like such an awesome race!
Congrats on a great race Aron!
Congrats on an awesome race on a tough course!
Great job girl. You kicked some butt! Love all the pictures
Glad you had such a great race! Plus an excellent finish time on a very tough course! You are amazing!! Congrats!!
CJ
I just saw your blog and wow! that race looks like so much fun!!! I've always wanted to go out to cali and do one of the vinyard races.
congrats on a solid half! that elevation chart looks like a party
loved all the pics and glad you had a good time. well maybe minus the 3:30wake up?
thanks again for all the support before/during/after nyc!
Great job with the race. Your pacing was well done.
When I hear you talk about the bay area and the wine country I kind of miss it.
GREAT JOB!!! What a great time and avg pace!! I'm glad you posted the elevation chart too….man, this is a toughie! Way to kick it's booty!
I know this is an old post, but I'm rather behind. I've been lurking on your blog for awhile, but it's finally time to come out of hiding… I just wanted to say, wow… driving 90 miles to a race! That's some dedication. And a big CONGRATULATIONS on your second fastest time.