2009 Mardi Gras Half-Marathon

I woke up at 4:45AM to make it to New Orleans and the start of the race which was at 7AM.   The weather was perfect.  A little chilly but not too cold for running.  I arrived at the starting line with a few minutes to spare so I tracked down a bathroom in the Superdome for one last pit stop.  

After a few short introductions a local middle school band played "America the Beautiful" as a Coast Guard helicopter flew low overheard.   I thought the choice to play "America the Beautiful" instead of the National Anthem was odd but whatever.  I figured the band didn't know how to play the National Anthem. 

The race started promptly at 7AM.   I started off behind the 4 hour marathon pacing group.   Their average was 9:08 minute miles.   I was running around 200 yards or so ahead of them.   Will Jones, my triathlon coach, instructed me to treat this race as a training day and to keep my heart rate below 110.   That's almost walking for me and I wanted to have a good showing so I unfortunately did not stick to the plan for the race.   I hung just in front of the 4 hour pacing group until around mile 4 when I peeled off to go to the bathroom.   It was a false alarm and by the time I got back on the course the 4:15 hour marathon pacing group was passing.   I stayed with them until mile 9 when the real emergency hit.

Just after the mile 9 aid station I had to stop at the row of port-o-joy for my usual race gastric funtime.   I thought that I planned my meals perfectly from the night before so I wouldn't have any gastric distress but I guess I was wrong.  I spent the next 18 - 20 minutes in the most wonderfully smelling port-o-joy on the planet (not).   Oh well.   No PR for me on Sunday.   I finished the race keeping my heart rate as low as possible to recover what was left of my training day.

The crowds were thick as I crossed the finish line at 2:15 minutes.   I would have surely broke 2 hours on Sunday if I wouldn't have had any gastric distress.  Hopefully I can get it under control for IMNO.   I want to have the perfect day there.

Only 9 more months to Kona!  I can't wait!