Greer Earth Day Half-Marathon Recap

Greer Earth Day Recap-Greer, SC Saturday April 21, 2012

A week after a great race in Duncan Park and a few days after a good speed workout, it was time to compete in my second half marathon (first on the roads) the Greer Earth Day half.  This didn't start off as smooth as the course was changed in the hours before the race so my map was no good, but close.  This was was part of a trio of races to be run, the 10k to start an hour later and the 5k an hour and a half later.  Our race was to go at 7, but at 6:55 in the start area after explaining one more small change (which was appreciated, going around and over a busy Rail crossing as opposed to stopping), it was explained that due to a large number of 5k signups, we will start 20 minutes late, so some more water and strides later, came go time.  I started off on a good pace telling myself for the first quarter mile 'don't get sucked in, don't get sucked in' to those who went out fast.  It was warm and humid but not overly so.  As we made our way through Greer, I was holding well at around a 7:30 pace, and was conversing with someone who asked what time I was hoping for, all I wanted was to go faster than my Croft time of 1:58, he wanted 1:41 and informed me that I was going to hard (I had him polished off by mile nine).   I kept my steady pace down Highway 101 to Higway 80, where it was flat and straight for miles and it looked like the road would never get to our turn at Highway 14.  We did get there and start the ascent for town and the mile 8 water stop, that water was like manna from Heaven, unfortunatly  what got on my shirt (along with the sweat) made it start to stick.  Keep going and I am passing a person or two here and there.  Get past mile 9...Mutt's that would be a good meal after the race is over.  On toward mile 10 and another water stop....WHAT NO WATER!!!  Keep on truckin' head into downtown, I know this part, we are getting close, mile 11...turn and just over a mile to go, another waterstop, get up the hill and it's go time...I have another runner catch me and we encourage each other to pick off people one by one and get to the finish, we pass about three people reminding each other we are almost at Glory!  Glory came.  1:43:57


Dan