Asbury Park Half Marathon

This year's AP half was an "uneventful event" for me. I didn't get to see my running pals before or after the race for some pre and post race pics, which bites. I told my husband and son to stay home b/c my son is just getting over being sick and I thought rest was best. So I had no family to cheer me on throughout the course. Pity party, pity party!

The "expo" in Convention Hall wasn't all that great. I was a bit dizzy after the race and just needed FOOD, and I get in the expo only to find Jersey Mike's subs, water and gatorade. Thanks Jersey Mike's for donating subs, that is awesome, but for a vegetarian like me, a turkey sub isn't gonna make the cut! Where are the bagels? Apples? Bananas?

Like I said, I was a bit dizzy and my eyes couldn't adjust to the lighting(or lack thereof) in the expo after running with the sun in my face for over 2 hours, but I didn't see any food but the subs. And the woman who checks for your yellow wristband before entering the expo(without it you need to pay $10 to get in) was NOT HAPPY when I said I left my wristband in the car. Hello lady! Can't you see I just ran this race? I am wearing my race bib and Tilly medal and I have encrusted sweat all over my face and neck and I don't smell too pretty....now just let me in the expo before I pass out!

I grabbed a water, looked around at the vendor tables for a freebie granola bar/cereal bar/energy bar -SOMETHING-but to no avail.

Oh, I also forgot to mention that I got to the race at 8:13...it started at 8:30. YIKES I AM NEVER THIS LATE TO A RACE! I ran to the bathroom line, somehow got in and out and to the back of the pack for the start with a minute to spare.

I parked in front of Asbury Lanes, which is looking pretty sad from the outside.

                                                           Here I am after the race!

Here's my bib and medal. Kinda hard to take a pic of yourself!

Overall the weather was AWESOME for running and I somehow clocked in at an average pace of

9 minute 43 second miles, finishing the race in 2 hours, 6 min and 49 seconds according to my Garmin.

I seriously have no idea how I ran that fast(this is fast for me, the fastest half I have ever done). I didn't train this fast, I didn't get to this race telling myself I was going to kick butt, and I didn't do anything different before the race. I ate my Luigi's pizza the night before and had my Luna bar on race morning, just like I always do. Well I am NOT complaining, I am just shocked that I cut 5 minutes off my best race time, which was last year's AP Half.

Thanks to Casi for keeping me running every weekend. She ran this race with her son, which makes me teary-eyed. That's so cool, I can't wait to do that with my guy one day! It was so cool to see my other racing pals on the course and screaming and waving at each other, and to see my friends' families at different points of the race cheering and taking pics.

Now to focus on the Long Branch half which is like 2 weeks away, and then.....PHILLY FULL!