Country Music Marathon & Half Marathon 2010

This morning, I ran in the 11th Annual Country Music Half Marathon.  11 years ago (has it been that long?), I ran in the inaugural marathon and most years since, I've run in the half marathon.  I took the last two years off, instead strolling down to Belmont Boulevard with J.P. to watch the race.

The weather forecast was grim, so grim in fact that the race organizers put in place a contingency plan that would require marathoners running less that a 4 hour 25 minute pace to be diverted to the half marathon at mile 11.  Fortunately, the rain held off until my sister, Tracy (her first and according to her, last, half marathon), and I finished the race.  Severe thunderstorms on the horizon and a tornado watch did result in the marathoners being forced to stop the race early and walk to the finish line. 

The start of the marathon/half marathon was emotional for me, as it always is.  It's an amazing feeling to be in a corral, near the starting line, looking around at the line of runners stretching behind and in front of me.  30,000 runners registered for today's race, a record number for the event.  As the race began and I turned my ipod on, I was reminded of how much I love to run. 

The highlight of the race for me was seeing J.P., Jude and her parents on the way back up Belmont Boulevard, just past mile 7.  I had missed them on the way out and was a little disappointed.  Jude was holding J.P. and we she saw me, called my named and pointed me out to J.P., my spirits soared.  I saw several other friends along the route.

Good run, overall, although it was a little slower than I'd planned, due mostly to how crowded it was.  I finished right at 1:48, when I'd been hoping to run it in 1:44 - 1:46.