Awesome job! :sohappy: Seriously, congrats on making it through. Really tough race today.
I thought about you and GoofyRacer11 this morning...we should have tried to meet up.
Okay, so obviously I also ran the Cleveland Half this morning (my second year in a row running this race). As Mad Stich said, it was HOT. I think it was mid-low 60s at the start, and when I finished it was in the low 80s.
Last year it was cool and misting out, which I hated at the time, but now I realize how nice that really was. I was simultaneously thrilled and concerned at split point (mile 12ish) for the half and the full...thrilled I wasn't running the full and really concerned for those that were. I saw 2 guys carried off the course on stretchers and probably 3-5 ambulances actually ON the course, I'm assuming trying to get to people.
This was by far the most difficult race I've run so far (it was my 4th half), and I think that was due entirely to the conditions.
So onto happier things...loved being able to use Cleveland Browns stadium again before and after the race (real bathrooms!), fantastic volunteers and course support - better than last year, because of the weather I'm sure - and love the medal, obviously.
The best part was that my mom was a volunteer at the finish line - her job was to escort the male 10K and female marathon winners to get their official photos/do their interviews - so she saw me finish and gave me my medal! Very cool.
My time last year - also my now old PR - was 2:34:53...this year's time was 2:18:56. :sohappy: I think I could've come in closer to 2:10 if not for the heat, but considering the conditions, I'm pretty happy with it. It's still a new PR for me.
I'm pretty sure I want to try the full next year, but we'll see! I definitely want to do the half again, if nothing else.