On the Run: Rock CF Rivers Half Marathon 2013

This is the 3rd year of the Rock CF Rivers race on Grosse Ile and I've run it every year.  I love it!  It's so well-organized in all respects, the shirts are great, it's not crowded, I can keep warm in the high school before the race starts, and there are plenty of bathrooms (mostly real inside bathrooms with actual soap and sinks!).  It also raises a lot of money for cystic fibrosis, which is really cool.  What's the downside?  No post-race bananas!!!  Wah-wah!  Ah well, I can't have it all.

It was a little chilly this morning - around 27 degrees - but thankfully there wasn't too much wind.  And honestly, it was pretty much perfect once I got going.  This is such a nice course.  There are long stretches along the water, spots that take you by gorgeous homes, and at one point you even run through the Naval Air Station hangar.  Everyone along the course is super friendly and supportive.  My favorite was the guy in the full Spider-Man suit encouraging me on around the relay exchange point! 

I wish I felt better about my race.  I should, considering I ran it almost 7 minutes faster than the same race last year.  However, I had a lot of negative self-talk going through my mind as I ran (started too fast, uneven pace, why did I sign up for a full marathon??)  Then when I was done and saw my time, I was frustrated that it wasn't a new half marathon PR for me.  I placed 5th in my age group and had hoped for better.

BUT, not every race can be a PR, right?  Or put me in the top 3 in my age group.  And maybe every race isn't going to be the best one ever.  On the bright side, I improved from last year's time on this race, I kept pushing myself when my mind was telling me to slow down, AND I chicked a lot of dudes.  Oh yeah, and I got to see Spider-Man.  That, my friends, is not your everyday occurrence.  

Time 

1:33:20

Pace 

7:07/mile

Fuel 

Vanilla Chia Pudding (this recipe, minus the cocoa), banana

Tunes

Off to the Races / Lana del Rey 
It Gets Better / fun. 
The Man That Never Was / Rick Springfield 
 Paris (Ooh La La) / Grace Potter & The Nocturnals 
Get Ready / Mayer Hawthorne 
Back in Your Head / Tegan and Sara 
Babel / Mumford & Sons 
Run Right Back / The Black Keys 
Sixteen Saltines / Jack White 
Never Go Back / Grace Potter & The Nocturnals 
We Found Love / Rihanna 
Ain't Messin 'Round / Gary Clarke Jr. 
Work Around It / Them Swoops 
I Will Wait / Mumford & Sons 
Can't Hold Us / Macklemore & Ryan Lewis 
Heart Attack / Raphael Saadiq 
Better Left Unsaid / Otto Vector 
In My Head / No Doubt 
Blue Orchid / The White Stripes 
Runaway Baby / Bruno Mars 
Young Blood / The Naked & Famous 
Back & Forth / Foo Fighters 
Blood for Poppies / Garbage 
We Come Running / Youngblood Hawke 
Where Have You Been / Rihanna 
So Good / B.o.B. 
The Antidote / St. Vincent

 Next race: Martian Invasion of Races, Half Marathon - April 13th