Callaway Gardens Half Recap

It is always so pretty at Callaway Gardens.  It was a chilly 28 degrees but warmer than last year.  The sun was shining with little wind - just about perfect!  You begin by circling one of the golf courses.  Today, it was dazzling in the sun with a heavy coat of frost.  We were warned about icy bridges, but the ice was gone once I reached the first one.  There is a point around mile 4 that is just take-your-breath-away beautiful.  On one side is a large reflective blue lake and on the other are green towering pines.  You then cross over a lovely bridge.  It's moments like these I could care less about pace or finish times.  I am here.  I am healthy.  It is sunny.  I am outside.  It is spectacular.  It is why I do what I do.

This is a hilly course so the plan was to keep myself in check during the first easy miles so I could manage the hard ones later on.  Early in the race, I felt in control and my pace was conservative.  I usually calculate my finish time at 4.4 miles by multiplying my time by 3.  It gave me a 2:04.  Good enough!  Then... the big hills began.  I was so intent on climbing one long mountain hill,  I forgot to do my next calculation at 6.6 miles -- when I would typically double my time.  Around mile 8, I estimated it was now going to be closer to 2:06.  (I ran 2:07 last year so I feel good about it.)  But, I gave up on the math.  It was wearing me out as much as the hills.  This race is like childbirth.  You block out the tough parts and then do it again (and again).  I always forget how hilly it truly is.  In fact, it is THE hilliest of all my half marathons.  How do I forget that?

Yes, it feels tough, but I'm OK until mile 10.  Uh-oh!  What's that?  Oh, it's my left IT band singing the blues.  {The Thrill is Gone...The Thrill is Gone Away...}  Now why would it do that?  It hasn't sang in ages!  Also around this point, you turn into deep woods on a narrow bike path which is severely buckled.  It seems worse each year and is now a safety hazard.  There are so many tall humps - what feels like every few yards - and none of them are marked.  With it being sunny and deep in the woods, you've got that disorienting dappled light making them extremely hard to see.  It is during these miles that I lose more time, trying to be extra careful and stretching the old knee several times.  I do this weird high step march for my IT band/knee.  It's not an all-out stop but it's pretty close.  I had to do this at least 3 times, maybe 4.  This section might as well be on mountain trails.

A Beautiful Place to Run Even in Winter

For the last mile, you pop out of the woods and back on the road, which is still in the woods but the pavement is back to smooth and wide.   My finish time was 2:09:24 (unofficial chip - gun time was more).  Not what I was hoping for (is it ever?) but I relished every step, even the hurdles over the bad pavement and the ridiculous-looking marching steps to help my knee.  It's what I do.  And, I'll do it again and again.

The after party (very loosely speaking) is just Gatorade, water, apples, bananas, cookies and granola bars.  Sufficient.  It is held in their summertime circus tent.  I swear I kept getting a whiff of elephant poop.  It couldn't have possibly been us stinky runners...

An odd thing is they give no overall, masters etc. awards.  The winner, for example...they gave him an age group award and then made an after comment about his win.  "The first place male in the 30-34 age bracket is John Doe.  Be sure to congratulate John because he also won the race".  Weird.  Pull him out of age group and reward him for winning!!  Jeez

All this being said (I know I've gone very long for me!), it makes my 2nd Place Age Group Award all the more special.  Hard earned.  I realize my time would not even be anywhere near the ballpark of an award at a larger race.  But *ahem* I participated and therefore had the opportunity to place.  

So, I spent the weekend just doing what I do.

Did anyone else race or do something fun?  

I'm linking up with Tara @ Running 'N' Reading for the Weekend Update.  

Please visit Tara and all the other participating bloggers!