Somerset Stampede race results and review - The Cliff Notes Version

I am going to keep this short and sweet.

Half marathon + 4.20 miles.  ran 2 miles w/u, 13.1 race and a 2.10 mile c/d.

For me, this race was awful.  The hardest I have had in a long time.  I lost focus early on and could never regain it.  The hills kicked my butt, the sun annoyed me, my hip was sore, etc...  I didn't expect it to be this hard after coming off the Run thru Hell.  I had a successful race on an extremely hilly course, so why would this race be any different?  Well it was.  My pace was all over the place, I struggled up the hills and couldn't wait for it to be over.

I ended up running my slowest half marathon (not including trail half's) in 3 years!!!  Not only that, I ran this course 4 minutes slower then last year.  WTF?!  Since this is such a small race I snagged first in my age group with a finish time of 1:44:24, 7:58 pace.  Clearly this was not my day.  I ran my marathon pace for this half and felt awful the entire time.  Oh well, you can't be 100% all of the time.  I just chalk it up to being a good hill training run for Dances with Dirt. 

Official Results:
Finish Time: 1:44:24
Pace: 7:58
AG Place: 1/10

Half Marathon and Nascar weekend!

I have another half marathon this weekend.  This will be my 3rd year running the Somerset Stampede.  It's a small and inexpensive race (only $20!) that offers two distances; a half marathon and a 5K.  The course is made up of challenging hills out in the country, dirt roads, a horse trail and finishes at the Somerset Beach Campground.  My current PR for this course is 1:40:02.  My goal is to break 1:40:02 but I would be thrilled if I could come out with an overall half PR by breaking 1:37.

It just so happens that this race fell on the same weekend of the Nascar race out at MIS (Michigan International Speedway).  We attend every Nascar race at MIS (June & August).  It's nice being able to enjoy the lake that my in-law's live on yet being within 12 miles of the race track.  I am off work Monday so I can get in another hilly 6-8 mile run before heading home. 

Fun & training going hand in hand. 

Somerset Stampede Half Marathon Results

This was my second time running this race. I completely forgot how difficult this course truly is! Picture 13.1 miles of never ending rolling hills and you've got the Somerset Stampede half. Although, it is difficult, it's one of my favorites! It is a smaller race as I think most run the 5K.

I earned a new half marathon PR. It's nothing to write home about, but a PR nonetheless. I was 3 seconds away from breaking 1:40 too. oh well, I am not beating myself up over it. My time last year on this course was 1:46 and some change!! So to run this over 6 minute faster, I'll take it.

Finish Time: 1:40:02
Pace: 7:38
2nd out of 12 in my age group
3rd female overall
21st out of 134 overall

They actually had people out on the course taking pictures this year. I look forward to their web site being updated with them so I can score a couple and add them to this post.