Fredrick Half Marathon-race recap



Ready to go!!





The Fredrick Half Marathon is my official 5th Half Marathon in 2011! OMG Have a I really run 5 in 5 months? I am crazy and didn't realize it until just now. I have been wanting to do this race for sometime now and was a little unsure about it. To be honest I don't know anyone who has run it. I have read about it, seen pictures on FB and have read other bloggers race reviews but all of them were blah. So that lead me to believe this little city as going to be blah. It was beyond what I expected. I didn't expect to see such friendly faces on the side of the course. (granted everyone who comes to watch a race is friendly but the people who lived in the neighborhoods are who I am talking about) The skyline was full of old churches and buildings. The parks were beautiful (exception of the high school where someone was cutting grass and trying to kill me), the old homes were amazing and the water stops with GU were plentiful.

The weekend before this race was the Island to Island Half in Ocean City Maryland and I ran that with a couple second PR. I was thinking running a back to back even would be like the National Half Marathon and the Cherry Blossom 10miler for me. Smooth, simple and PR filled. WRONG!!!!!! The week leading up to Fredrick I started getting the sniffles and it went into a full on cold. Cough, headache, chest full and nothing but non stop blowing of the nose. OMG how am I to run a half marathon if I can't even walk to my car from my house 25feet with out getting out of breath? Well I took very good care of my self, drank plenty of water and go tons of rest. It still meant for a long 13.1 miles for me. I didn't set a PR but I did finish the race in 2:18. Not bad since every few miles I would be sucking on a Halls to get me threw it. I did at one point around mile 3 or 4 walk for a while but that was because someone had the bright idea to cut the grass. Didn't this grass cutter man get the memo that people are running a half marathon and some might not be able to breath? Geesh some people.  

 


Corral for the 2 hour finish. I didn't finish in a PR of 2 hours. Oh well.





Mile 1-2

around mile 3 we ran past a Costco

around mile 4 or 5



Fredrick skyline





A garage sale in the middle of a half marathon. I had to take a picture!!!

 mile 6

One of the best signs I have seen in a long time

squished on the side of the road or known as the gutter

Some where along the course around here mile 8 or 9 is where I saw MM. I was so happy to see her because I wasn't feeling so well and really needed someone to tell me to push my self. We spent the next few miles chatting and catching up. I really haven't gotten a chance to talk to her and catch up for a while. I like to talk to her about somethings when other friends are not around. This was also just 1 day from when I found out I had skin cancer so it was hard for me to want to talk about that to any and everyone. I was more worried, scared and some what ashamed. I am not sure why I was feeling ashamed but for some reason I was. It's not my fault my mother is a red head, fair skinned woman or my father is blond with light color skin as well. Nothing to be ashamed but that was what I was feeling in that moment.

walking right threw the middle of the auction on our way to Katie and MM's cars

tractors ready for auction.



Finish line and people gathering to watch the last few half marathoners come in.



Finish line festival

Super cute picture of MM and I (too cheap to buy these over expensive pictures)

Sweet medal and half zip shirt

Found some fellow Half Fanatics at the beer stand. Go figure?!?

We finished the Half. Hooray!!!

All in all for me the race was pleasant. I got to spend some time with a couple of girl friends, meet some new friends and enjoy a new city via my running shoes. This race is part of what they call the "double". This means if you run the Fredrick Half Marathon and the Baltimore Half/or/Full Marathon they will give a 3rd medal. The race company who puts on these 2 events knows how to make bling. This past year I ran the Baltimore Full Marathon and got a HUGE and I mean HUGE medal. Granted it was the 10th anniversary but the Fredrick Half I have now hanging is not that far off of the big bling from last year.

Since I run this race and plan to run the Baltimore Full this fall I will get to collect a medal. Below is a past medal they have given out for the "Double".