It's Getting Exciting Around Here!

I'm starting to get excited, y'all!

Just two weeks until I run my 2nd ever half-marathon!***

Here is my brief half-marathon history:

During the fall of 2012 I started training for my first 1/2 marathon - The Zooma Florida Half.

I set a goal of running it in 2 hrs 11 minutes (10 minute miles) and trained HARD to work up to that pace.  

And I was sooo there! 

About 5 weeks before my race I even ran a 13.1 mile training run in 2:15:34!

Two weeks later I ran a 14 mile training run in 2:23:32 - That's a 10:10 pace on a long run! 

Yep!  I was gonna make my goal time!  No doubt about it.

BUT Then...

Just two days after that 14 mile run, I fell during my tempo run and broke my hand.

Which meant that not only did I miss out on the last 3 weeks of training - but I had to go under general anesthesia which I have subsequently learned completely drains you of strength.  I'm not kidding!  I am just now getting over the effects of the general anesthesia I was under at the beginning of December!

The Dr. didn't want me to run.  I was still at the point that I had to keep my hand elevated to relieve swelling, and any sweat could potentially travel down the pins that were in my hand and lead to a bone infection.

But I had paid $100 for this stinkin' race - and dedicated the last 4 months of my life to training for it, so race I did.

Fortunately, it was an unusually cold day - so, no sweat!  And I was able to raise my hand above my head enough during the race to keep it from swelling.

However - I could not overcome the effects of the surgery and my lack of training.  I ended up running out of steam half-way through and my final time was 2:26:04.

Mind you, I was extremely proud of that time - heck, I was extremely proud that I finished at all!

Now, here it is - one year later - and I'm headed for my second half marathon.

For the past several days, I've been agonizing over what pace I should run.  Should I go for the 2hr 11 min. that I was training for my last half-marathon?  Even though I haven't been targeting that pace in the past 2 months?  Even though my weight is up?

Hmmmm... I finally decided - no.  Last year's goal was last year's goal.  This is a new year, and I have to work with what I've got.  

So, I revised my goal to 2:15

And guess what?  The Celebration Half Marathon has a pacer for just that time!  Her name is Nancy and she happens to be the same age as me.  I'm not sure what that means, but it's got to be good!

I ran with a pacer for the first half of the Zooma 1/2 Marathon and I loved not having to look at my watch or worry about my time.  Plus, her name was "Rain", and you have to be cool with a name like that!


Have you ever run with a pacer?
  
Any tips or advice?
  
Also, if the pacer was pacing Full Marathoners, did you feel awkward as a Half-er?  I don't want to feel like the red-headed stepchild of running!


***Have I mentioned that immediately after the Half-Marathon my husband and I are hopping on a ship for a Bahamas Cruise?!  Some of my excitement might be related to that (ha!)