Amish Country Half Marathon

I finished my 2017 racing season with the same race from the end of 2016.  For whatever reason, the Amish Country half in Berlin felt much more difficult this time around.  I had a slower than usual time at it last year and wasn't expecting a lot going in.  I was only looking for a good hard run and the burning legs afterward. 

I got to Hiland High School in plenty of time for the race start.  It was cool again this year but without the rain.  I toyed with the idea of not wearing my Columbus Marathon jacket, then decided to keep it since there was a breeze.  Overall, I was thrilled the weather was cooperating.

Miles 1-5: My data from my GPS watch got deleted so I don't have splits for this one.  We started out with a lap on the track before heading south and hitting some country roads.  The hills here felt much worse than last year, particularly the downhills in the first two miles.  It just felt like we were going too fast.  This despite the fact I ran with the 1:45 pace group for most of the race.  I remember my splits were all over the place as they were last year.  I wasn't feeling bad by any means but this is a tough race to pace.  The views, however, are really cool.  There's no traffic to worry about and many of the Amish are out to see the race.  It's really a nice experience.

Miles 6-10: Miles 6-7 are tough.  I mean really tough.  The hills continue and there is one that seems to go forever.  It's also one thing to up a hill, it's another to go up one that winds on the way up.  It kills the quads.  Then you get the downhill that almost feels worse.  I was still with the 1:45 pace leader during this section.  Several other runners and I were going back and forth which seems pretty pointless now.  We headed east as we continued on our loop course, then turned north a mile or two down the road.  The section heading north is hilly but not as bad as the previous section.  The problem is that your quads are already destroyed by this point.  I was trying to hang in for a 1:45 finish.

Miles 11-13.1: You know what's coming if you read last year's post.  The loop finishes with a long and gradual uphill along State Route 39.  This makes up for the relatively flat portion we just finished.  We go up, then get a nice downhill, then a steeper uphill to the school.  I was done by the end of this and knew I would be just shy of my goal time.  We headed to the school for a finish lap around the track and I hit the mat in 1:45:39.  That's not a bad time and it was good enough for 37/222 overall.  I did enjoy the race and may even run it again next year.  It's a great way to burn off the Thanksgiving dinner!

Things are looking similar to the past year as I am taking a break after this race and getting back to it at the Ohio Northern University Indoor Half Marathon at the end of next month.  In the meantime, I will be back with this year's review and thoughts.

Next race: ONU Polar Bear Indoor Half Marathon- Ada, OH