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akern
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Joined: 31 May 2002
Posts: 17149
Location: CTU
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 Posted: 04/04/04 - 17:11 Post subject: Spirit of St. Louis Half report!
Short version: I ran, I finished. 2:06:33 according to my watch.
Long version:
All in all this was a great experience! When we got there in the morning it was about 40 degrees with a slight wind. Walking to the start line and waiting I was freezing. That was actually the only point in the whole thing that I was regretting getting myself into this. Once I hopped into a crowd of thousands of strangers I warmed up.
The start was rough. The Gallow walkers were out in full force. It was really horrible. Don't even get me started! The first mile was packed. Pretty much elbow to elbow to people. The marathoners and the halfers started at different starts and at some point during the first mile we all merged together. That was a pretty neat scene. I fully intended to track my splits but when I finally passed the 1st mile marker my watch said 15 minutes something!! I was stupified, but I'm almost certain that marker was way off because I think I hit mile # 2 at 19 something. Anyway at that first mile I didn't even bother. Most of the mile markers were somewhat confusing. 
About mile 7 my legs started to go numb. They didn't hurt just felt like they were made out of concrete. Somewhere arond this point I took my first drink of water. I was running along and the sun was just so, that my shadow was running in front of me. I remember thinking: "Do I really run like that? What a dork!! 
Mile 9 I was fighting a bad case of the belly sloshes. I decided to drink again and this time instead of water I was handed a cup of Powerade (or some kind of ade) and it tasted so good I swilled the whole cup down.
I thought I would have trouble about mile 10 but not so much. I knew I was close so I just kept on trucking. Mile 13 was the worst but only because you keep anticipating the end. I'd pick up my pace because I'd think around this corner is the end and it wouldn't be.  They played that trick on me all the way around the block. I was in a fog when I finished, I think I was numb all over. I felt completely awesome until about half-way home, then I started getting really tired and just wiped out. Its felt just like I've had a hangover for the last few hours.
I also want to say how very cool my family is. Keith and Nichole were really great about getting up so early, standing in the cold waiting and cheering me on. When I got back they had a present for me, a new hat and a coffee cup! 
I'm not sure what my chip time was, or when they will have results. My number was 4223 if anyone's looking. Keiths got me all paranoid about whether I stepped on the mat both times.  I'm sure I did really.
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Cappy
Excelent
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Joined: 16 May 2002
Posts: 27368
Location: Spreadsheetylvania
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Posted: 04/04/04 - 17:15 Post subject:
Congrat's on finishing. Great report
 to Keith and Nicole
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elkid
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Joined: 18 Nov 2002
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Location: hiding out in Philly
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Posted: 04/04/04 - 18:09 Post subject:
Way to kick ass and take names at your FIRST HALF!
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rolling rock
The Pinball
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Joined: 15 May 2002
Posts: 16218
Location: unknown zone
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Posted: 04/04/04 - 18:45 Post subject:
way to go Akern
great job on your first half.
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GaRebelRunner
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Posted: 04/04/04 - 19:32 Post subject: Re: Spirit of St. Louis Half report!
| akern wrote: |
Keiths got me all paranoid about whether I stepped on the mat both times. I'm sure I did really. |
Great race and report.
I always worry about my time not showing up when I cross mats. I stutter step whenever I go over a mat to make sure I hit the thing at least two times.
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runaroundsue
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Location: supporting GREENer pastures
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Posted: 04/04/04 - 20:19 Post subject:
true dat!!
The start sucked......gotta like the announcer "don't worry about pushing to the front....results are based on chip time". I was thinking, "hey, I'll go back to bed for an hour.....and start whenever I feel like it.
Mile markers??????? WTF.....even when you could find some....you didn't know if they were for the marathoners or 1/2ers. As I passed mile 5 there was a timer that yell "35 something". Obviously, the times being yelled were for the marathoners only. I was suppose to pace run this thing.....how can I without markers. At mile 6....I say "forget it, Im racing"
I also felt there was not enough water stations..maybe for the 1/2--but there was a pretty large gap between stations in the beginning....not good for the full people.
but the worst in my opinion was having 3,000+ 1/2er converge upon the back of 1,000 marathoners in the first mile. You just get settled in from the squeezed start and wham!!!!
I also travelled 7 hours to get my hiney kicked by a woman that can kick my butt back home in WI
sue
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cherylpf
crazy cat lady
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Joined: 14 May 2002
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Posted: 04/04/04 - 20:39 Post subject:
ROCK ON ACHEY AND SUE!!!!!!!  Job well done! 
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BamBam
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Posted: 04/04/04 - 22:01 Post subject:
| cherylpf wrote: | | ROCK ON ACHEY AND SUE!!!!!!! Job well done! |
AMEN SISTAH!!!!!
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kattzoo
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Joined: 28 Feb 2003
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Location: Happily at the back of the pack
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Posted: 04/04/04 - 22:45 Post subject:
Great runs, both of yoiu!! I hope you loved your first half. You rocked!
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robp
Pyromaniac
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Joined: 26 Jul 2002
Posts: 16242
Location: Waiting in line at the beer store...
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Posted: 04/05/04 - 07:47 Post subject:
Excellent job Akern and Sue! Sounds like a real zoo at the start of this one....
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akern
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Joined: 31 May 2002
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Location: CTU
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Posted: 04/05/04 - 08:09 Post subject:
Akern
bib number: 4223
age: 28
gender: F
overall place: 1422 out of 2888
division place: 45 out of 96
gender place: 654 out of 1789
time: 2:06:34
pace: 9:40
Here's the official results. I was robbed on that extra second!! 
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PackerBacker
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Posted: 04/05/04 - 08:29 Post subject:
Great job Akern. Sounds like an "interesting" race that you nailed.
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copteacher
Adjunct
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Joined: 08 Jun 2002
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Location: Teaching in the Halls of Justice
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Posted: 04/05/04 - 09:14 Post subject:
well done. kudos to Keith and Nicole.
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pokychick
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Posted: 04/05/04 - 11:10 Post subject:
Woohoo! Congratulations akern on your 1/2 half!
and yes it is wonderful to have family support. 
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TriBob
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Posted: 04/05/04 - 11:37 Post subject:
Great debut!
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