…sort of! So, at this point in my running career, I’ve competed in eight half marathons and two full marathons. My PR in the half marathon has been 2:08, and my goal has always been to break two hours.
Well finally, this weekend on my long training run, I did it!
Sure, it wasn’t an organized race, but I’m so ding dang proud that I’m going to count this as a new PR! 🙂
It was a gorgeous fall day here in Nashville. Crisp air, crystal clear blue skies, leaves falling, and birds chirping.
I set out on Saturday morning not even going for a PR. My idea starting out was to keep roughly a ten minute pace. However, after the first few miles, I realized how great I was feeling, and I noticed a progressive negative split.
So around mile 7 I decided to have a go at breaking two hours!
I was really pleased with the progressively negative split:
Mile 1: 9:48.18
Mile 2: 9:24.08
Mile 3: 9:30.00
Mile 4: 9:29.64
Mile 5: 9:23.03
Mile 6: 9:11.82
Mile 7: 9:00.32
Mile 8: 8:57.16
Mile 9: 8:46.46
Mile 10: 8:39.41
Mile 11: 8:30.11
Mile 12: 8:23.97
Mile 13: 8:15.90
Last .1: 0:53.90
Honestly it was just such a confidence booster to finally break that two hour wall. Not that a sub-two hour half marathon is that spectacular or anything, but it just reminded me I can do this. And maybe, just maybe, one day I can qualify for Boston.
Realistically, though, my next big running goals are to repeat a sub-two hour half in an official race, and to break a 4:30 marathon. My marathon PR is 4:55, so I’ve got my work cut out for me on that front.
What are your running goals? Whether it’s a PR, a new race distance, a bucket list race, or something else, what do you want to achieve as a runner? Or cyclist/triathlete/etc?
Until next time,
xoxo Charlotte
WOW! Brisk half. With those negative splits, you were pretty much jogging the first 5 miles. Now you have to figure out what you did right. I once had a training run like that and the only thing different I did before heading out was eat a tuna sandwich. Guess what I ate on my way to my next race. Keep it up!
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BTW: I’m a believe that non-race achievements count .Maybe more than race achievements because it’s clear you did it for yourself.
BTW2:I thought I was the only person who said ding dang.
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Your half is quicker than my 10k…
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Dang…I could maybe run 13 miles in a couple days?? That’s a lot of miles 😱
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