Long Branch Half Marathon 2013

  The Long Branch Half-Marathon has been my Spring ritual for about five years now. Held on the first Sunday of May, and snaking along the Monmouth County coastline, it almost signals the start of the "Shore season" for us Jerseyans.
   Although I run with about equal intensity all year long, I start thinking about the Long Branch Half in mid-December, and all of my workouts through the winter and early-Spring have that in mind.
   Last year, I had broken a string of progressively getting slower, by reversing the clock by about two minutes and clocking a "50's decade' best of 1:31.55. I knew matching it would be tough, but that was my "A" goal this year. My secondary goal was matching my "V Dot chart" projection of 1:33.12, and I didn't want to go any slower than 1:35, no matter the circumstances.
    Ideally, I like to precede the half with a 5-K sometime in early-April, to test out the legs and lung capacity, and get that feeling of pre-race jitters again after a winter of just training runs. Unfortunately, due to the seven-day a week nature of being a health club owner and Personal Trainer, I was unable to squeeze it in this year.
   My other issue has been my Achilles. With chronic tendonitis, I felt that another race may set me backwards, training-wise, for a few days, which I couldn't afford to do.
   So, I approached the start not having raced since October, but with a solid base of  intervals, outside "tempo" runs, and a few (not unbearable) 10-mile treadmill efforts.
    Last year, I was lucky enough to meet up with a couple of guys in the first mile who were maintaining the exact 7-minute pace I was looking for. We supported and pushed each other through the first 10-miles, at which time, fairly, it was each man to himself.
   I looked for them at the start this year, to no avail. When the gun sounded, I tried to pace with a few others, who, perhaps because of the stiff cross-wind, settled back into 7:15 pace, slower than I wanted.
  I was off on my own by the fifth mile (split of 35:30), and, maybe because of the slower start, felt strong from five to ten, which I hit in 1:11 and change, just a minute off last year's pace.
    I slowed down just slightly in the 11th mile, then hit a wind tunnel on Brighton Ave. (approaching the oceanfront), that sent me, seemingly, in reverse.
    Somewhat frustrated at this point, I chugged out the final 1 1/2 miles down the (Hurricane Sandy-damaged) boardwalk. But, I don't feel I ever reached the near-unconscious level I have put out when I am nearing a time of place goal.
    Final time: 1:34.01, 133rd out of 5300-plus finishers, and fourth out of about 200 in the 50-54 age-group.
   Slightly disappointed, yes, but very appreciative I can still do this sport at a somewhat high-level at my advancing age. In five years, I am sure I will wish I could hit a 1:34!
    Satisfying for me was that one of the members of our club who I coach in running, aged 61, knocked seven minutes off his time from last year to post a phenomenal 1:49.30!
     Also extremely gratifying was the half-marathon debut of my son, Max, age 16. Despite running a school track-meet the preceeding Friday (3200 and 1600-relay), and seven miles with his team the day before, as well as starting three minutes behind the field due to circumstances beyond his control, he finished, very comfortably, in 1:54.13. He mowed two lawns later that afternoon, and is already planning his next 13.1-mile effort.
    It's a great source of pride, passing along my love of running to others, and it allows me to think outside my own race efforts, as well. That said: next year: 1:33, or below!