Goodyear Half Marathon and 10K Review

I had a great time at the Akron Marathon Goodyear Half Marathon And 10K. I have competed in this race just once previously and completed the 10K that year.  This year I ran the half marathon. 

The race starts very early at 6:30 am.  I don't love getting up at 4:00 am but it is nice to get on the course and running before the sun and summer heat start really start to heat things up.   Participants arrive at the race location while it is still dark.  It is nice seeing the sun rise over the Goodyear Proving Track.  Weather was fairly pleasant with temperatures in the 60's.  The humidity was high with just a slight breeze.

My strategy for this race was to start a little faster on the first mile around the Goodyear test track and then settle into a nice easy comfortable pace around 8:15 -8:30 pace using the race more as a marathon training run. Even though the course was hilly, I felt strong and ran easy and loose. Knowing that the last two miles were down hill I focused on getting through mile 10. After that I really let loose and pushed the pace. I ran mile 12 in 7:31 and mile 13 in 7:25 pushing hard through the finish. I crossed the finish line in 1:46:40 averaging an 8:09 pace. It wasn’t my fastest half marathon but I’m really pleased about how I felt and how I finished.

It was great to see so many Team ER members and running friends on the course today. Thank you to the great people at the Akron Marathon and to all of the volunteers who got up early this morning and helped put on a great race