Today, in Council Bluffs, my friend Jen and I took on the Gambler Half Marathon. We have been running together for months and thought we were prepared for anything. But we were not prepared to run in pouring rain! It was insane! Puddles, mud, water dripping on my eyes and down my body...but the temperature was a comfortable 55 degrees. I started in shorts and a rain coat but stripped the rain coat at mile 2 (and drove back to get it later). In these running events, I try to find someone to follow...but there really wasn't anyone. I followed a guy for a while but he was running too fast (7:20 minute miles). So I had to slow to my pace and run alone. At one point I turned around to see nobody and I could see someone way ahead of me. I was running all alone. Thank goodness for my music wrapped in a Baggie to keep it dry!
The course was mostly flat, kinda scenic, out and back. I liked the course. The weather may have messed with the organizers, I don't know, my my friend Jen (who got third place!) didn't know where to go at the end due to poor markings. She thinks she may have gotten off course with another guy. The police and volunteers didn't seem to know where to tell her to go either. Awards were not handed out either because of a computer clitch and the weather.
I was happy with my results: unofficial 1hr39 min 7:35 min mile average. And best of all...my garmin is really waterproof.
Now onto one more scheduled spring half marathon before the fun Chicago marathon training begins!
