Race Recap: Oshkosh Half Marathon

My first distance race of the year was Sunday for the Oshkosh Half Marathon. I was really looking forward to this race as I had done the relay last year and I only knew the second half of the course. It's a really flat course and my first shot this year to get a sub 2 half. I was hoping that today would be the day, but I didn't really have any nerves and I was going into this race knowing I would be able to PR.

The one thing I liked about the packets for this year was you got to choose your Spring Bag color for the race, but they had no purple so this what I chose. I hate that MSE use Zorrel as the fabric on the tech shirts just feels really weird, and the shirt design leaves alot to be desired!

I traveled it alone for the 15 minutes it took to get to the race and I just pulled into a parking lot nearby as I was later than I wanted to be. I left my phone in the car so I was hoping I would be able to find my peeps. I headed straight for the porta potties and as I got close Kim popped out from one. I wished her good luck and hoped I would be able to find the rest of the group later. I also spotted my aunt and her twin that were walking the race and talked to them for awhile and I spied the rest of the group. Matt & Brian were running the relay and Kim & Rachel were supposed to run the relay but instead just ran the race together.

I lined up right behind the 2:00 hr pacer so I would keep myslef back at the start. Someone asked if she was going to walk the aid stations and she said every other they would walk through. So at the second aid station I eased ahead of the group right before the trail section. You had to stop to get onto the trail as there was a bridge only 2 people wide for the access point from the cemetary. Once we got onto it I was happy to see it was not flooded, which I was expecting due to all the rain we have had. I then spied Kim & Rachel ahead and was hoping at some point I could catch up to them. Once I did I spooked Rachie with an ass grab she will not soon forget!!

I stalked them for most of the race and it helped me keep the pace even. I could feel it catching up to me at about 7.5 miles and the thoughts started creeping into my head to take a quick walk break, but I did not want to lose sight of my goal. I managed to talk myself out of it and by that time I had 4 miles left so I just kept chugging. Finally the turn for mile 12 came and the wind was at our back for the straightaway heading back to the finish.

I crossed the finish line with a time of
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1:57:53     BOOOOMM!

Overall:                           487/1119
Gender:                           190/630
Division (30-34):             38 /118

This is the only photo of myself I can grace with you since I ran like the wind and the photographers could not get me!!

So far, 3 races this year......and 3 PR's. I am loving it! Although I am looking forward to having a couple fun races now that I have hit some of those tough goals.

Hard work does pay off, just keep workin!!
And writin that shit down makes you push for it even more!