Sweet Home Alabama...state 20!!

Alabama was my 20th state to run in and I did it two years and two days after my back surgery!  Last year I ran Delaware the weekend of my surgery anniversary and I have to admit, I like doing a half on this anniversary!

So, December 10, Camden and I got out in the chilly and windy weather and ran the back half marathon of the Rocket City Marathon.  After having finished a full marathon 6 weeks earlier, I was very happy to only be running half!  Our race did not start until 9 and we were able to wait inside until it started, so that was nice.  Real potties and chairs...and Camden even found a pool table.  

Camden is not a fan of cold weather running!  He definitely has lived his whole life in Charleston, SC!

As noted, I had just come off of running a full marathon and felt good about my training.  Since pulling a muscle in the spring and having run two halfs while recovering, my half times had gotten very slow.  But I thought this would be the day to get it back to a normal slow, but fast for me!  And it happened!  This was the second time I had run a half after a full, and both times I felt strong during the half.  For the first half of the half, I had an average time of 10:26 min/mile and the second half only slowed to an average of 11.02 min/mile. I was under 2.5 hours and had negative spit my last mile.  So overall, I did good for me!

Camden had a time of 1:54:49 with a 8:46 min/mile.  He listened to a podcast the whole time!  He was happy with his time.

This race had been recommended by a man I met when running in Mississippi.  He said it was a good race and there were lots of Christmas activities in Huntsville.  He was right on both!  And the race was interesting in that if you chose to run the half, you could either run the front half or the back half of the marathon.  The race website described the second half as more scenic in that you ran through the space center and the botanical gardens.  It also started later so you didn't have to get up as early.  Good thing too because 5 minutes into our 15-minute drive to the start, I realized my air Pods were at the hotel.  Since I had given us a time cushion, I had time to go back and get them.  We were a little anxious about time at that point, but we got there in plenty of time to catch the shuttle to the starting line, go to the bathroom there, and play some pool!  

The race itself was a chilly and windy start, but the sun came out a little and I was taking off my top layer after a few miles.  It never got hot, which was nice, but a short sleeve shirt was more comfortable most of the race.  The racecourse was good with not too many hills, and they weren't too steep on the back half at least.  You did have to make adjustments in your mind when you saw the mileage signs as they were labeled for the full.  But looking at my watch kept me straight.    

Running through the US Space and Rocket Center

Jazz hands are normal when running!

What did confuse me was when I got to the 26-mile marker.  I had the half on my brain and thought I only had .1 left.  And then I saw a 13-mile marker painted on the ground and realized I had another .1mile left!  And the end of the race was a ramp into the building!  At least it was not as steep as the end of the MCM!!  As I ran to the finish, I ran right past an older runner.  Should not have even thought I was fast and passing people at the end because they were announcing that a 74-year-old man was finishing his full marathon.  Very humbling!  I am just going to think that he did the early start and really didn't finish a full in the same time I did a half!!  

After the race we were treated to PT's using massage guns on our legs!  Also, they had food like pizza, cookies, bagels, Coke, water and bananas!  One disappointment was that the selfie station that we used during the expo didn't send us our post-race picture.  

After heading the hotel for a quick shower, (the lady at the hotel had given us a very generous late check out!) we made one last photo stop at the space center to show off out medals!

Medal pictures complete, we got in the car for the 8 hour drive home.  Normally I stay the night after the race, or only drive home part of the way, but this had to be a quick trip.  But to get to number 50, some states will be like that!