A SPECIAL half-marathon

So on Sunday I did my 3rd 1/2 in 4 weeks but it was special because I did it with DS!

We started off doing R3/W2 and did our first few K in 7 min/K pace ... we were doing AWESOME ... hit 10K in 1:15. Then at around 12K we hit a hill ... and then at 14K the ascent to the finish started. It was pretty well ALL uphill from there (stated 6% grade) including a HILL at 2K to go. The marathoners weren't happy with the hilly finish.

DS got TONS of applause ... people were blown away by him. In fact at the turn around hill a marathoner was coming up to him and I was trying ot encuorage him on ... the marathoner said "Hey guy, I'm having a bit of trouble can you run me up the hill?" How sweet is that? And then told Connor that he was awesome and that his kids never did anything like this! Connor was (I'm pretty sure) the youngest one out there today!

This was the first of this race ... it was in support of two charities in Hamilton - City Kidz working with inner-city kids and Joy and Hope of Haiti building schools and orphanages in Haiti. The organizers were hoping for 3000 runners in all events (5,10, 1/2 and full) and it looks like they got them! Way cool!!!!!

The lead marathoner did it in 2:22. Lead in the 1/2 was 1:04. Total purse for this event was $7000 ($1200 for the winner of the full and $600 for the winner of the 1/2) ... not bad for an inaugural event eh? A local running store was the organizers.

DS and I did it in 2:55! I was expecting a 3:30 finish.

Check out this link ... it has an elevation chart for the 1/2. HOLY MOLY!!! http://www.runnerschoice.on.ca/newsletter/2007-11-06.htm

Here's a pic of Connor and I coming into the finish ... how cool is that?!?