1:29:44

He did it!  Bob ran a sub 1:30 half marathon.  To put that in perspective, Bob ran 13.1 miles at a pace of 6:46 per mile.  That's fast.  For all of us back in the 8 to 9 minute pack, that pace is blistering and HE FREAKING DID IT!

A few months ago, Bob set it in his mind to do something.....set an athletic goal.....and see if he could do it.  He decided to attempt a sub 1:30 half marathon.  This was a big step for him considering 1:38 was his previous PR, and shaving 8 minutes off his time was going to be a challenge.  So he printed out a 12 week training plan, put it on the fridge (so sexy) and got to work.

Watching him move through his training plan brought a lot of smiles to my face.  The journey to a big goal like that is full of ups and downs.  Its full of days feeling like lightning, and days feeling like a drenched rat.  Its fraught with moments of "YES, I CAN," and "OOOOOO, maybe I can't."  

Trust the process......stick to the plan.

As speed and time picked up he started to waiver on his stretch goal of sub 1:30 and re-evaluate targeting just a PR.....say 1:35.  Then his Dad bought him some wings.  

Nike Vaporfly shoes (similar to the ones Eliud Kipchoge wore to run an under 2 hour marathon) showed up and it was just the umpf he needed to reignite the stretch goal.  So he wrote it, claimed it, and hit the start line ready.

I kissed him on the morning of the race and sent him with the Las Sendas group while I went to the 10k start line with Grandma, Grandpa, Matt, and Katie.  It was such a joy to be back in the racing game.  I am so ready to be over this mono thing and onto the next thing!

 

Our group had a wonderful run together and we crossed the finish with Katie right around the 1 hour mark.  I hid in the finish line, pulled up the tracking APP, and sat praying and watching the time, and praying that he would do it.  When I first opened the app he was at mile 10.2 holding a 6:45 pace.  Every update I got told me he was doing it.  The time hit 1:29:00 and I looked and strained to see him.  At 1:29:38 I saw him down the road and new it was going to come down to mere seconds.  He was pushing, but he was SO CLOSE!

The guy didn't hesitate and ran across that finish at a smooth 1:29:44.  His excitement was amazing and so awesome to see! With the help of an incredible pacer, named Elijah, who as Bob said, "had a mustache so bad he had to be fast," Bob hit his mark.

He rang the PR bell loud and proud and finished his Star Series races on a high note! Incredible goal, incredible effort, and incredible guy.