Mesa Half Marathon (1:31.58)

I had excessive hopes for the Mesa Half Marathon. Sadly, they didn’t completely come to fruition, but it surely wasn’t the worst race ever. The final time I ran the Mesa Half Marathon, I set a half marathon PR of 1:22:03. I haven’t needed to come back again as a result of, actually, I didn’t know the way I might really feel operating a lot slower. I’ve run different races (together with Carlsbad) a lot slower, but it surely hasn’t affected me. I feel I simply had a psychological block on that form of race.

Earlier than the Mesa Half Marathon

If I’m being sincere, it’s been a demanding few weeks at work. I labored a lot that I solely took two hours of PTO for 2 days of trip. The climate domestically has been okay, not nice. It’s been cloudy, windy, and chilly. (Severely, how did I survive Northeast winters?) Anyway, Phoenix had good climate for having fun with the solar.

I received to Phoenix on Thursday. I relaxed most of Friday and even loved a while doing actually nothing however mendacity down (significantly, when will we get that?). I ended up shopping for the largest pancake I’ve ever seen in my life and had that for each lunch and dinner. I didn’t even end half of it. This might have been a mistake and why I felt drained and torpid. It’s not like I tried to eat the complete factor and there wasn’t any loopy toppings or filling, but it surely was a variety of pancake.

I picked up my husband on the airport after which went straight to mattress. With work, I haven’t slept nicely the previous week and didn’t get the sleep I desire (simply tossing and turning each nights earlier than the race). So I awoke the morning of the Mesa Half Marathon drained. Some folks can operate on little sleep, however that’s by no means actually been me,

My husband drove me to the Mesa Half Marathon begin. New for 2025 have been the buses shuttling runners again to the Mesa Half Marathon begin, with buses on the end to take you to the beginning. I feel it was a mistake, and there was a lot visitors. They needed to delay the beginning by about quarter-hour. The truth is, when visitors was backed up over three miles on the freeway, Tim drove up so far as he may and simply dropped me off. I ended up operating about 1.6 miles to the beginning, and it was one of the best ways. I positively made higher time than anybody sitting within the automobile line.

The climate for 2025 was unseasonably heat. It was round 55 levels once we began and 65 levels once we completed…not terrible, however not cool.

I talked with a few buddies, then lined up, and we have been off at 6:45 a.m.

Mesa Half Marathon Race

The primary 4 miles of the Mesa Half Marathon are probably the most downhill, dropping about 10–20 ft. It’s not big. When folks suppose the Mesa Half Marathon is tremendous downhill, they often don’t understand the primary half of the Mesa Marathon is downhill, after which it progressively turns into flat. My first mile was 6:52, and I ought to have identified when that felt like a attain that it was going to be a tough day for me.

I made a decision to only maintain on so long as I may. Was it the neatest thought? Most likely not. One other factor I noticed was how dehydrated I used to be. I appeared again and realized I had most likely solely had about half my normal water consumption. There’s a variety of little issues I look again and suppose: I most likely may have accomplished that higher.

The subsequent few miles glided by with out a lot word. I may really feel my physique working more durable than I would love. I ran a 6:43, 6:46, and 6:47. I knew I used to be probably not going to have the ability to maintain that tempo for everything of the race, however I didn’t need to give it up but. So I simply stored plugging alongside. I hit the fifth mile in 6:52, and that’s the place I started to really feel it.

The subsequent few miles have been 7:01, 7:02, and seven:03. I crossed the midway level of the Mesa Half Marathon in 44:58. My physique simply felt drained, like I used to be combating with myself each step. Simply maintain plodding alongside, I informed myself. Don’t cease and stroll. In case you cease and stroll, it’s sport over. I needed to inform myself that a number of occasions.

I attempted to eat a gel round mile seven, however I simply wasn’t feeling it. I’m unsure if it was dehydration or my abdomen, however my physique simply didn’t need to devour something. I made a decision to not drive it. If it was a marathon, I might have pressured myself to take it however for the half, I made a decision it simply wasn’t value it.

There are a few small hills from miles 8–10, and after a principally flat course for eight miles, they really feel like mountains. Is the Mesa Half Marathon hilly? No, it’s one of many flattest halves I’ve ever run—it simply feels that approach since you’ve been on a flat or barely downhill course for therefore lengthy.

Mile 10 was my slowest (7:14). I assumed, Effectively, if I simply keep this, I’ll be underneath 1:33. However I stunned myself and was in a position to choose it up a bit. I ran a 7:09, 7:07, adopted by 6:59.

The Mesa Half Marathon merges with the 10K. Since we began late, we didn’t cope with as a lot 10K visitors as in earlier years, and for that, I used to be glad. I hate when programs merge, it’s no enjoyable for the folks operating quick or the folks operating slower. Plus, the chance of colliding is excessive.

The final two miles felt like a blur. I bear in mind considering if I can simply maintain it round 7 min tempo, I could possibly be underneath 1:32. I powered to the Mesa Half Marathon end line and crossed in 1:31:58.

Mesa Half Marathon Ideas

On one hand, I strongly consider I’m in sub-90-minute half marathon form—I simply haven’t had the day but. I’ve accomplished exercises this coaching cycle I couldn’t fathom earlier than. However, I’m proud of how briskly I did run given the day and that it was my day. If I had no clue about time, I might have thought I ran a 1:35 based mostly on how I felt. Would I do the Mesa Half Marathon once more? Perhaps. I hope they determine the bus state of affairs for subsequent yr. I loved the race and I loved a brief trip away.