Not quite Darth, but close. The Chambersburg Half Marathon is one race that will always have a special place in my heart and means a lot to me as it was my first right here in my hometown of Chambersburg, PA. The last time I ran this race a year ago I was but the learner barely running 3+ months averging 22 miles a week. Lot has happened since than as I progressed as a runner in the past year with the highlight finishing my first marathon at MCM last October.
I remember this race from last year like it was yesterday. A cold, rainy, and very windy day and not best conditions to run a half marathon let alone your first race. This was the farthest I had run to this point, 13.1 miles finishing in a respectable 2:14:01, 24 out of 27 in my 35-39 AG for my first race. I remember my whole body hurt after the race that day, but a good hurt reveling in my accomplishment of racing my first half marathon.
Fast forward a year later my how things have changed. Averaging 45-55mpw and doing more quality runs than I did in the last year, I felt better prepared for the task at hand this time around. Originally when I started my training cycle I had set a goal of 1:45. That was the goal I had hoped for in my last half marathon last fall in Virginia Beach, but fell short of that goal for various reasons. As my cycle progressed my running & my fitness vastly improved, I decided a 1:40 was a good possibility and the goal I would aim for. A goal that would be a challenge on this rolling hill course, but a course I have become all too familiar with and know like the back of my hand. This would be a goal that would have a lot of meaning to me if I could accomplish it on the hometown course returning to the scene of my first race. More importantly it will set me up well for my next marathon later this spring.
Race day arrived and I was as nervous and excited as I was a year ago. I was wide awake a good hour before alarm went off thinking about the race. Alarm went off, took my pup for a walk, ate my oatmeal, and got ready to head out to the race. Race was a short 5 minute drive from the house starting at the local middle school. Picked up my bib and my race shirt, hit bathroom one last time, and warmed-up to get ready for the start of the race.
Ready for the big race day!
It was a beautiful sunny day with temps in high 30's at the start. Big difference from the weather conditions for last year's race. I lined up at the front as I toed the line awaiting the start of the race. Since it was a local race with no chip timing I was not going to make same mistake as a recent 5k and lose some seconds by not starting upfront on my finish time. Race started and I was off.
Mile 1-3 - I definitely had a strategy I was going to plan to follow running slower than my plan HMP to start off. Runners were passing me left and right, but I was running my race. Feeling really good my pace was faster than I had intended finishing mile 1 at 7:13. I knew I had to slow down a bit with mile 2. This is a very hilly course to say the least as the up-climb started to rise heading to mile 2. I was able to slow it down to 7:42 at mile 2 marker and figured next mile would be even slower too as I climb the biggest hill of the course at 800+ ft elevation. Having the benefit of running this course every week there were no surprises here. Made me feel good motoring up the hill passing a few runners with a look of astonishment as I sped past them to the crest of the hill. The biggest hill behind me for now (we would see this one again when course loops back) hit mile 3 at 7:58 my slowest mile to date, but looking good for my 1:40 goal time.
Mile 4-6 - Leading up to mile 4 lot more downhill which would help me make up some time. Hit mile 4 at 7:31 as a result with some small rollers leading up to mile 5 and 6. Got into a groove with a nice cruising pace with mile 5 at 7:46 and mile 6 at 7:44. As I hit mile 6 I was feeling very confident about my goal time.
Mile 7-9 - Past mile 6 there is a small up-climb and then hardest part of course in my opinion with a out and back road leading to mile 7& 8. It's all downhill going out down Sollenberger Road and tough part is the up-climb back. Thanks to the huge downhill hit mile 7 at 7:40 before up-climb to mile 8 began. After mile 7 marker this is when some vicious wind started to whip in. Majority of course runs along open farmland and wind kicks up really bad at times. This was one of those times and lasted thru mile 9. Hit mile 8 at 7:58 thanks mostly to out and back up-climb, but had some good downhill as well. Lost lot of time leading up mile 9 as this was part of race where wind was at it's worst. Hit mile 9 at 8:21 by far my worst split at this point. It did not get me down as I was still tracking well to my goal time of 1:40.
Mile 10-11 - The wind died down thankfully, but this was when the course loops back to the biggest hills once again with some good up-climbs to the crest of that same hill. Even with the big up-climbs I gained some ground hitting mile 10 at 8:03. I got to the crest of the big hill (I really should give this bad ass hill a name-lol) and much better going downhill than going up. Cruised downhill at sub7:00 pace and raced up the next hill. One of the volunteers commented to me as I sped past her I made this look easy. That made me feel good and even more determined to get up this last hill. Crested this next hill and sped to mile 11 at 7:40 pace.
Mile 12-13.1 - With the biggest hills behind me for the final time of the race it was time to drop the hammer and finish this race strong. I knew I still had a shot of 1:40 even with the problems I faced with the wind a few miles back. Thankfully from this point to finish course was mostly downhill. Pushed the pace as I ran these last couple of miles over small rollers. Hit mile 12 at 7:32 and with a mile left to go I gave it all I had left. Last half mile up to middle school is a slight uphill and sped to mile 13 at 7:25 pace. The finish line was in sight and knew at this point 1:40 was not happening, but I was going to finish as close to that goal as I could. Kicked it up a notch to finish strong at 1:41:21 which was same time as my Garmin read.
Although I did not hit 1:40 I am very happy with new shiny PR knocking it down another 12 minutes. Definitely a PR to be proud of and one I trained really hard for. Just going to have to hit that 1:40 next time. Excited about the end result and what it means for my upcoming marathon later this spring.
What a difference a year makes from 2:14 to a 1:41 time finishing 61st overall of a field of 323 and 5th in my very competitive 40-44 AG. My running has definitely come full circle and can't wait to see where the rest of the running year takes me.
Thanks for reading and all your support!
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