Ups and more Ups and just a few more Ups! A Race Report.

So today was the Blue Ridge marathon and half marathon.  I was doing the half (13.1 miles).  This is the first year for this particular race.  I have a friend, Karla, from high school days when we rode horses at the same barn.  We reconnected through Facebook, and she had signed up for this race.  So we planned to meet up this morning pre-race. 

We decided to start the race together and see how it went.  The race started downtown in front of the art museum.

My support crew:

The race started promptly at 7:30 am.

The first mile was just fine.

And then we went up Walnut Avenue.

And up to the top of Mill Mountain.

And I was huffing and puffing.  The humidity + hills had my asthma going just a tad.  Not too rough though.

Karla said she hadn't done any hill training - but she is a powerhouse. 

She wasn't even out of breath!

The race ran past the star towards the Blue Ridge parkway, and then the half marathoners split off for another hill as the race doubled back.  We wrapped around the star and then went down the old Mill Mountain Road.  Altogether, the significant hills were from mile 1 to just past mile 5.

I know so many people that have been injured high-tailing it back down old Mill Mountain Rd.

So I tried not to run too hard.

Meanwhile, my support crew was loafing on the job:

At the bottom, things flattened out into the greenway, briefly, and then into the rolling hills of Old Southwest. 

Fun houses, crowds, and chatting with Karla.

It's always nice to run with someone positive and upbeat.

Then at the tail end of the race, into downtown again.

Karla and I (me a little rough around the edges), rounding a curve:

I hate running in a hat, but I thought it'd be raining.

I guess running in a hat is insurance against the rain?

I don't know an official time yet, but when we crossed the finish line it said 2:13.

Yes, that is a personal worst (but not by too much).

But I've never run a half over Mill Mountain before.

And carrying so much extra weight.

And chatting the whole way.

So it was all good.  And excellent training towards NYC.

After the race we walked around the farmer's market:

And grabbed some brunch to refuel.

And the twins fought over my medal.

I don't know for sure, but I think they were slightly impressed.