Half marathon weekend

I ran a half marathon this past weekend.

What is a half marathon?

A half marathon is a road running event of 13.1 miles and is half the distance of a marathon.

The race I ran was held in North Park, about 20 minutes outside of Pittsburgh. At 8:30 a.m., about 2,300 runners lined up at the start of the race. Not everyone that lined up at the start was running a half marathon. Saturday’s race, called “Just A Short Run”, also featured a 5k, 8.1 mile run, and a 30 kilometer race. The race raised money from everyone's entry fees for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. 

My sister and I (both wearing blue) just before the start of the race.

Before I knew it, the race started and everyone began running and cheering. It was an exciting feeling to begin the race that I had been anticipating since I signed up for it a few months ago.

The beginning of the race.

The first three miles of the race were very crowded with people, but it was fun because everyone was full of energy and excitement. After three miles, the runners who ran the 5k got to run through the finish line but those who were running the 8.1 mile run, half marathon, or 30k had to keep on running.

Hannah finishing her 5k race. Her time was 28:07, so she had a 9:04 pace. 

After hitting the 8.1 mile mark, the crowd of runners eased up and it was much easier for me to pass people and run at a quicker pace. My thoughts during the race ranged from thinking about how cold it was to what I would be eating for lunch.

Soon enough I had only a mile left. I ran as hard as I could and crossed the finish line, happy to be done and wanting some warm coffee.

Me, just after crossing the finish line.

My time was 1:41:32, so my pace was 7:44. I ran with a running watch that kept track of my pace and miles. Because I weaved through the crowd, my watch showed that I had actually ran 13.5 miles, so my pace was truly 7:31.

After the race I stretched my achy legs, grabbed a water, and lots of free snacks that were provided for all of the runners.

Post-race snacks.

My sister and I both received medals for placing in our age groups but we were just excited to head out to lunch to get some fuel and then go home for hot showers!

Hannah and I after the race with our medals.

Overall, I had a great time running my third half marathon this weekend and I'm looking forward to running more road races this spring!