2009 Indy Mini-Marathon
This past weekend, I was among some ~35,000 participants in the 34th running of the Indianapolis 500 Festival Mini-Marathon. The event is the largest half-marathon in the United States, and overall, the fifth largest running event in America.
Photo Courtesy of OneAmerica 500 Festival. Browse Photo Gallery.
The weather on Saturday was a runner’s dream, with overcast skies and temperatures in the 60’s. I hadn’t run competitively since my Cross Country days in High School, and have always wanted to get back to the shape I was in at that time.
I’m a firm believer in constantly setting and achieving goals, and that’s what I set out to do with this race — I wanted to prove to myself that I could do something I set my mind to. I knew I could finish the race, but I didn’t know how much punishment my body could endure and what type of pace I would be able to sustain.
Needless to say, I completed the 13.1 mile half-marathon in 2 hours, 13 minutes and 25 seconds. The most remarkable achievement was not that I finished the race, but that I did so without any prior training!
Photos Courtesy of Brightroom Event Photography. View Event Photos.
For my own records and for the truly interested, here’s a breakdown of my results:
| Division | 5 Mile Time | 10 Mile Time | Runner’s Time | Gun Time | Average Pace | Placement In Gender | Placement Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male 30-34 | 0:47:00 | 1:38:35 | 2:13:25 | 2:22:03 | 10:12 | 8,568 | 13,421 |
There’s a certain point when the fatigue, distance, and stamina all take its toll on your body, and I immediately felt the effects as soon as I stopped running and crossed the finish line. I could feel my hips throbbing in pain, my knees became sore, and my tired feet just didn’t have any cushioning left. It’s already a day after the race, and I’m still feeling the effects and suffering through pain.
Looking at the split times you can see I was averaging a consistent ~9 minute per mile pace up to the 10 mile mark, but then my pace dropped nearly two minutes for the final 5K “sprint”.
Now that I’ve completed my first half-marathon, I can definitely see myself running competitively again. Perhaps this race will be the first of many more to come and — who knows — maybe a full-length marathon will be in my sights in a few years’ time? Until then, I’m reminded by the saying that pain is just weakness leaving your body.
2 Comment(s) — Spread the Gossip.
Mom says,
Atta Boy, way to go…….wish i was there to have cheered you on! i even think i see you in the picture of the crowd………….YOU ROCK!
~ Sunday, May 3rd, 2009 at 11:48 PM
Brittany says,
We were right behind you!!!!!! That is sooo funny great job :) Joe and I almost died.
~ Friday, May 8th, 2009 at 9:11 PM
