soneevda: RACE: OUC Half-Marathon @1:49:06, Orlando, FL

[Update: click HERE for the 2008 OUC Half-Marathon post.]

This morning I ran the OUC Half-Marathon for the fourth-straight year.

I woke up tired, thirsty, hungry, and a little hungover. I hadn't been training regularly this season and hadn't run since the Deland Thanksgiving Ten-Miler. I got to the race with just enough time to get my race packet, transfer my ChampionChip (I didn't forget it this time!), and line up. I didn't stretch.

So with excuses out of the way, I have to say that I had an okay run and a great time afterwards.

This half-marathon was more like two races for me. I knew that I wasn't going to be "racing", but I still managed to find some naivety to believe that I could run it in sub-8 pace, which I did for the first 8 miles. Serving as my pacers were Local 6 anchorwoman Wendy Chioji (who also ran last week's Deland race) and the guy I finished last year's OUC with.

It was at Mile 8 that my lack of training and my ill preparations showed itself: both my calves started to cramp. I took walk breaks at every water station and was sure to take fluids anytime they were offered. My walk breaks became more frequent as the race went on. I didn't feel embarrassed because I was taking care of myself and I recognized that. I just encouraged those around me and kept smiling. I still managed to keep the latter miles sub-10.

I was happy to finish sub-1:50 and to have escaped blisters and immediate knee pain (though I am expecting some level of paralysis in a couple days).

The endorphins that come with just having run 13.1 miles was so invigorating. All my worries evaporate, and my face naturally pulls back into a huge smile. The level of self-confidence sky rockets, as does my level of consciousness of everything around me and my level of appreciation for "being there". I went over and said hi to last-year's-pacer guy then made the walk to my car.

I grabbed my camera and took a few [obligatory] Sweaty Ceddy pics:

A girl stopped by and asked me about the race, trying to figure out whether or not her friend had finished. I told her that her friend probably did. We walked back to the finish line area together, and we had a good rapport. Having a conversation like that with a complete stranger just makes me feel incredible and hopeful.

I saw a lot of people that I knew -- some people from Space Coast Runners and Running Zone, some people from Orlando FrontRunners and Walkers -- and it was a big, healthy (and needed) dose of community for me.

Here's my friend Tracy, who won her age group (she was the sixth female overall for the half-marathon!):

And here's a couple pictures of the OFRW group. My friend Herb (yellow) was second in his age group for the 5k (another year, another OUC award for him):

I found Wendy Chioji at the beer tent and was very happy to get my picture taken with her:

And I also found some nice beer t-shirts in the beer tent: