dragitoff
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2007
Saturday's race was one of the funnest things I've ever done as a runner! I finished the Albany Half-Marathon with a new PR. I demolished my previous race and non-race PR's! My previous race PR was 2:10 and my non race PR was 1:57.34. I ran Saturday's race in 1:56.23 which was good enough for 148th place overall, 105th in the men's division and 5th in my age group!
I was so happy for my results, but the coolest thing was a guy asked me at mile 7 if he was on pace to finish under 2 hours. I told him yes because I was currently on pace to finish in around 1:55. He said good. It was his first race of any kind and he didn't have a watch to even know how long he'd been running. I offered to pace him for the rest of the race if he could keep up or I didn't slow him down. I promised him if he stayed with me, he'd finish in under 2 hours.
As we're running he proceeds to tell me his story how he just started running 3 months ago and only decided to run this half 3 weeks ago to challenge himself. He had some personal issues that lead to a desire for a major life change so he started running.
He then told me he had never ran more than 10 miles and only did that the Tuesday before the race! He pushed himself through the rest of the race and I kept trying to talk to him and offer encouragement. When we finally turned the last corner (and coincidentally passed the 13 mile marker), we could see the finish line. I asked him if he had anything left for a final kick. He said "GO!" and we did. His kick had just a little more than mine and he crossed the finish line a few seconds before me.
We both PR'd. He commented to me during one of the tougher stretches how he knew God had put me on that course just for him that day. He said he would have struggled to finish and possibly wouldn't have if I hadn't encouraged him and helped him. I knew exactly what he meant. I feel that God has blessed me with exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed it, even if it wasn't how I envisioned things or the time I though it should have happened.
This guy said I encouraged him, but he has no idea what he meant to me that day. He pushed me, the runner of over 2 years. After we both crossed the finish line, I heard him yelling, "Hey, where's my running buddy?" I caught up with him and gave him a quick hug and congratulated him on his finish! He thanked me and we both went on our way.
It was a great ending to a fun race. It's my first distance race that didn't end in pain. I was certainly thankful for that!
I was so happy for my results, but the coolest thing was a guy asked me at mile 7 if he was on pace to finish under 2 hours. I told him yes because I was currently on pace to finish in around 1:55. He said good. It was his first race of any kind and he didn't have a watch to even know how long he'd been running. I offered to pace him for the rest of the race if he could keep up or I didn't slow him down. I promised him if he stayed with me, he'd finish in under 2 hours.
As we're running he proceeds to tell me his story how he just started running 3 months ago and only decided to run this half 3 weeks ago to challenge himself. He had some personal issues that lead to a desire for a major life change so he started running.
He then told me he had never ran more than 10 miles and only did that the Tuesday before the race! He pushed himself through the rest of the race and I kept trying to talk to him and offer encouragement. When we finally turned the last corner (and coincidentally passed the 13 mile marker), we could see the finish line. I asked him if he had anything left for a final kick. He said "GO!" and we did. His kick had just a little more than mine and he crossed the finish line a few seconds before me.
We both PR'd. He commented to me during one of the tougher stretches how he knew God had put me on that course just for him that day. He said he would have struggled to finish and possibly wouldn't have if I hadn't encouraged him and helped him. I knew exactly what he meant. I feel that God has blessed me with exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed it, even if it wasn't how I envisioned things or the time I though it should have happened.
This guy said I encouraged him, but he has no idea what he meant to me that day. He pushed me, the runner of over 2 years. After we both crossed the finish line, I heard him yelling, "Hey, where's my running buddy?" I caught up with him and gave him a quick hug and congratulated him on his finish! He thanked me and we both went on our way.
It was a great ending to a fun race. It's my first distance race that didn't end in pain. I was certainly thankful for that!