Rock n Roll DC Half Marathon - Split at mile 12

My Experience - 3/5

The 'Capitol' morning

This one's on me, not on the organizers or the race in particular. I knew I would screw this one up before I started for DC. After the debacle at Colonial half, it was much more than expected. I signed up for the marathon, and till the last day I was hoping for a miracle to make me good for it. The good part about this race was that I could change my mind to do a half instead of full till the last moment, or till the point where half and full runners go different ways (that's mile 12 I guess).

The expo was great. After collecting my bib and shirt, I was there for almost an hr, collecting and tasting freebies from one end to other. I also visited information desk for the route. I confirmed again, at which latest point I could decide which one to run - half or a full, even though I knew the answer.

I hate to get my car in DC so I chose train and I was there by early morning. I left my car parked in one of far away metro stations in Virginia. The sun was not yet up. I reached the national mall near Smithsonian. The Washington monument and the capitol building were shimmering in lights. After some time the sun appeared in the back drop of Capitol, the color of sky changed. It was beautiful. The weather was good too, a little windy but a good 48F, pretty good for end of winter race.

Runners on Arlington bridge

The race started in waves at 8 am. Running in the roads around national mall was a new experience. We passed the Washington monument in mile 2 and took a U turn after passing the Arlington bridge in mile 3. I started with my usual 10:30 pace. I knew the niggle will come soon, but I tried to avoid that thought as much as possible. We ran next to Potomac for one mile, and then turned into the city. As I reached mile 6 there was a winding road on left side going up. The curved road was a hill. I started walking on the hill as I wanted to delay the niggle on my knee as much as possible. After the hill I maintained by speed around 11:30 pace, which was a minute slower. In a very small way I was still hoping if I could make it a marathon, and make it marathon #3 rather than half # 6.

One thing you need not to worry about in Rock'n roll races is the support along the way. There were so many people supporting, then there were bands and cheer squads, so it was a good run.

Then came the deciding moment. No, not the split mark but the niggle. I felt it at mile 8.5 and immediately started walking, but it did not subside. It turned into pain. I started to run walk now. After mile 10 I was clocking 15 min mile. And I did not mind, I knew the pain was coming, and it came. I definitely needed some good rest before Paris Marathon.

The split point was near mile 12. I saw red color marathon bibs going both sides, so I signaled a volunteer, who saw my bib and shouted "Marathon that way", and then I took the other way where half marathoners were going. My mile 12 and 13 were exactly like the previous race clocking 16 min mile.

The finish was Anacostia Park. There were two different lanes for marathon and half marathon. I saw few fast marathoners finishing the race as I was reaching the finish line. The finisher medal was really beautiful. Just that it had 1/2

marathon engraved on it.

I may do this race again sometime in future. It was a good race but just not my day. 

The finisher medal