Today was the Inaugural Loudoun Half Marathon and as expected the Ashburn Area Running Club did a fabulous job in putting this first-time race together. I first heard about this new race at the Reston Ten Miler and decided that I wanted to add it to my race calendar, mainly because the race proceeds were going toward the local high school track and field programs. Since it would be a convenient local race, I hoped to see a lot of friends running in it.
Yesterday afternoon Bill and I stopped by the high school where the race was starting and finishing, for packet pick-up and had an easy-breezy time.
I love, love, love the shirt design, but it’s too short and too wide. I like it when shirts are available in a ladies cut, but for this race I had to get a unisex small. It’s very comfortable so I’ll probably wear it around the house a lot.
In fun MRTT form, we had a designated time and location to meet for a pre-race photo. I’m not sure how many other ladies might not have known about the meet-up, but at least one mom from our local chapter isn’t in the picture.
After leaving the paparazzi, Bill and I went in search of porta potties and couldn’t find any… That’s because the stadium restrooms were open with very short lines, which was very cool!
After finding our Cruiser friend Jerome, we headed to the start of the first annual Loudoun Half Marathon with about 375 other runners as the sun was starting to rise. It was an absolutely glorious morning, with temps promising to hit the mid-80’s later in the day. It was around 62° when the race started and the temps stayed right around there the entire race.
A half-hour after the start of the half marathon, the 8K racers were scheduled to start. We asked one of the 8K runners to take a picture of the three of us just before our race started.
We stepped into the sea of runners and I held my camera up and took a picture in front of us…
And behind us; and then we were off!
Bill, Jerome, and I hung together for the first mile which was pretty much up hill the whole way.
Around the two-mile mark the sun and sky looked really cool, so I snapped a picture while on the run.
Jerome and I continued to run together for about three miles, and he surprised me when he said we were on a pace to run a sub two-hour half. I really had no goals for the race except to hopefully finish under 2:15.
If you remember, one of my running goals for 2014 was to do just that… run a sub two-hour half marathon again! Jerome pulled off to the side of the course shortly after mile three and said for me to go on, and that he would catch up.
With it being a first time race, and with a start time of 7:00 AM, there weren’t a lot of spectators out cheering us on. About six high school girls had three signs staked into the ground just before the water stop around mile six. They cracked up when I pulled off onto the side of the course to take pictures!
There was another large group of students around mile eight, and just before the third water stop. They were thrilled that I stopped to take a picture of them, and they went nuts cheering!
I continued on at my steady pace of around 8:20’s to 8:40’s (Mile 1 was a 9:07 and Mile 2 was a 9:10, but those two miles wouldn’t fit on the screen shot). We were directed off of the streets and onto the W&OD Trail at mile nine, and I was happy to be back on my beloved and very familiar trail. It was good to be on familiar territory, but sometimes that has its drawbacks, because I knew that the next two miles would be a steady uphill climb. I had been running alone for many miles, but shortly after getting on the trail I saw my MRTT friends Lisa and Ashley up ahead. Seeing them gave me something to focus on and work toward, and I eventually caught them around mile eleven.
Race splits and course elevations charts…
With about a mile to go, we were turned onto the gravel trail that runs parallel to the W&OD Trail, and Jerome caught up with me. He said something about this being my come-back race and pushed me the last mile. I finished right behind Jerome in 1:54:34 (8:45 pace, and 4th out of 17 in my age group) and only ten seconds behind my MRTT friends!
I didn’t realize it at the time, but the Loudoun Half Marathon was a PR half marathon for me! I’ve run many faster halves as the first half of a full marathon, but never as an independent race. Today I shaved two minutes off my 2002 Virginia Beach Rock ‘N’ Roll Half which was run on a very hot and humid day.
After the race I had the great pleasure of meeting Kim from Kim Runs… Becoming a Runner. After she commented on one of my posts yesterday, we realized that she would be at the race cheering her husband on, so we decided to try to meet after the race. It turned out that Kim’s husband Rick and I worked together for a short while at Worldgate. What a small world! Kim’s next race is the Nike Women’s Half in DC in two weeks.
After our little meet-up we headed over to grab some food. There was a great assortment of bagels, granola bars, bananas, cookies, and candies. Since I gave up sweets for Lent, I buzzed right past much of the table.
But this! I could have eaten six cups of mandarin oranges, but in the spirit of sharing, I kept it to one.
We said our thank yous and goodbyes to some of the members of the Ashburn Area Running Club, as well as the volunteers, and left the festivities to get home.
Heading home we passed the cone pick-up crew and they weren’t even a mile into their 13.1-mile job. And at the pace they were moving, they were going to be out there for a while! This is just another sampling of the many things that go on in organizing a race, and something that most racers don’t even think about.
Today I met two of my 2014 goals… I ran a sub two-hour half marathon and I had another blogger meet-up. Even though we didn’t run together, it was great meeting one of my new running blogger friends!
So what did I think of this race? I thought it went extremely well for a first-time race. Heck, I thought it went really well compared to any race! I have a feeling that it will become a big annual race for our community.
- Questions:
- Have you ever had run an inaugural race? If so, how did it go?
- What’s the weather like where you live?
- Did you race this weekend?
Good for you on having a personal best!
Thanks, Janet! I’m sure it was the running company that I had yesterday that gave me the boost! 🙂
Hi Deb and congratulations on a great race, and especially your half marathon PR! I enjoyed your race report and the pictures are really great!
Just wanted to share one clarification: Our friends at =PR= Running did not put on the race. It was organized and produced by the Ashburn Area Running Club. Yes, =PR=’s timing company, Commonwealth Race Management, was our timing provider, but the AARC is a separate organization. Naturally, we have a very close partnership with =PR= Running, and several of our members are employees or trainers for them.
We’re so glad you enjoyed our race! BTW, I agree about the t-shirt; we have already decided to offer women’s sizes next year! Thanks!
-Ed T., VP, Ashburn Area Running Club
Thanks, Ed for helping me understand who put the race on. It makes sense now, and I just made the corrections. Please let me know if there are any other inaccuracies I should change. BTW, where and how will the photos taken along the course be shared?
Wow- congratulations on a PR! The unexpected ones are the best 🙂
Seems like a really well run race for its first year, especially with a few hundred runners!
Hope you got to take it easy for the rest of the day and revel in your speedy time!
Abby recently posted…Work Free Wednesday movement
Thanks, Abby! It was fun; and yes, all the sweeter since I had no expectations!
Please let it be known that this was not a =PR= race. They timed it and were a huge help with out them it would of been extremely difficult to put on, and the race was not organized by them in anyway. Instead it as organized by the Ashburn Area Running Club. Who yes was originally created by =PR=. Now though we our own entiy who will look up to, and fondly a, our founders.
Though I love =PR=, AARC is my life’s blood and work and they really should be recognized for all the hard work that they put in.
Truly thank you for the best review we could ask for..
See you out on the trail!
Hey Conan! Ed just explained that AARC put on the race and I made the necessary corrections in my blog post. You guys did an amazing job, and I want to credit the appropriate group! Sorry for the mix-up on my part. See you on the trail soon!
Hmm looks like I should of read all of the comments, as Ed beat me to the punch.
Thank you for making the update and including the link.
To answer your question about the photos. Look for them on SmugMug mid next week.
Thank you again!
I believe in giving credit where credit is due, so of course I made the corrections as soon as my mistake was pointed out. You guys did an amazing job; and quite honestly, I don’t know how you pulled off such a smooth event in the first year. From the runner’s perspective, it ran like a well-oiled machine!
Great job on your sub 2!! I thought of you this morning with the great weather! 🙂
Becky recently posted…First Car Memories
Yes, Becky, my half marathon weather was much better than yours was two weeks ago!
Congrats on the PR! Great weather for it. The timing of this race didn’t fit for me this year-I hope to do it next year. Love the MRTT photo too!
Deborah recently posted…It was Hot, it was Sweaty, it was Hard…The Revovle DC Blogger Ride
Thanks, Deborah! It was a lot of fun, and I sure liked seeing my MRTT friends up ahead “pulling” me along!
Congratulations on the PR. All the more fun since it was a race for which you didn’t have an aggressive time goal. I completely missed your finish since it was just before Rick’s and I was focused on “orange tank” and hadn’t switched to “lavender shorts” in my mind! It was really great to meet you yesterday. Hope we run into each other again soon 🙂
Kimberly Westrich recently posted…“You look like a runner”
It was great meeting you, too, Kim! I’m glad Rick saw me after the race and we were able to meet.
Great job! I was tempted to do this race but I’m a little guy shy with inagural races! I ran the GW Parkway 10 Miler yesterday, always a great race. Not a PR by any means, but I just love the course and Pacers always puts on a good race!
Sue @This Mama Runs For Cupcakes recently posted…Reebok Spartan Race Giveaway!
HaHa! After the DIVA Half last fall, I’m not surprised you’re gun shy about inaugural races! 😉
Looks like a great race and perfect weather!! Congrats on your PR and crushing two goals at once!
Courtney @ Don’t Blink. Just Run. recently posted…Face The Music Friday #29
Thanks! And the beautiful spring weather sure didn’t hurt! 🙂
Congratulations and awesome time! You killed it. And I had to laugh because the very first thing I want after every race is oranges and lots of them! 🙂 Looked like a fun race, was it hilly?
Flower recently posted…Church of the Long Run, Shalane Flanagan is awesome!
Woohoo!! Congrats on your PR. You rocked it! You are rocking your 2014 goals so far, too!
That race shirt is cute, but its too bad its so boxy. Your prerace picture of everyone warming up on the track is really funny to me for whatever reason. Did you notice the guy in front of you at the start had on a Ragnar Florida Keys shirt? You should have asked him to tell you all of the Ragnar secrets!
What a job it would be to pick up (and put out)cones for a race! Last year I ran the Inaugural Hokie Half with you and I thought they did a great job!
Meagan recently posted…Weekly Workout Roundup – April 7 – 13
I didn’t notice the Ragnar shirt until I was editing the pictures, but I did see him at one point in the race. I was working too hard to talk at that point, though!
Do you follow my DebRunsFIT account on Pinterest? I just created a Ragnar Board for pinning Ragnar related blog posts and links. I’ve got four things on there so far. Take a look at it if you want. It’s got some good info already.
The Hokie Half was a great inaugural race, wasn’t it! 🙂
I do follow your Pinterest account, but I can’t remember the last time I got on Pinterest. I will have to check out your Ragnar board!
Debbie from Live From La Quinta just ran Ragnar in California. So far she has written three blog posts and has one more on the way (what to pack), so I’m pinning those. If you want to get really excited about our adventure, read her posts! I also pinned the Ragnar Blog article about budgeting that I sent to the team already.
Debbie — great summary and congrats on your PR!!!!!!! I’m so happy for you. I’m sorry I missed this one, so maybe next year 🙂
Beth
I’m bummed you missed it, too! When’s our next race together? Ragnar? Hint, hint, hint!!! 🙂
I’m a new member of MRTT and just stumbled upon your blog. I smiled reading this recap because I take Jerome’s yoga class on Sunday mornings and I remember talking about this half with him before class started. Also, I met Kim at packet pickup this past Saturday at PRR for the Mother’s Day 4-miler and we figured out that I have chatted with her husband, Rick on occasion at Lifetime. Such a small world!
That is such a small world! Jerome is a great friend, and we’ve known each other for about twelve years. And thanks for stopping by my blog. 🙂
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