Heroes Half Marathon (Dirt Road Half Marathon)

9/16/12 I woke up at 5:30 am and only getting a few hours sleep after getting back from UGA game . Wasn't really in the mood to run a halfm but needed the 13 miles to finish up my first 100 mile week . Got to race on time but feeling ill after some gels I took . Didn't have time to warm up but was gonna let my first mile of race be my warm up . I was very curious about the course cause the website said it was 4 miles on dirt roads , 1 mile on trail and 8 on road . I emailed the director and he told me that the dirt roads are packed hard without much gravel so I took a chance and registered . I was looking for a half to run my marathon goal pace ( 5:45 ) .
Before the start they had a helicopter fly over which was cool . We start the race and I led from the start . Going through the trails at first with a 6:00 first mile then we hit the dirt roads . Man oh man at the gravel on the roads. I had to watch nearly every step cause it's not fun stepping on s rock with running flats on . I was hitting some miles at 5:35 to 5:45 at times . Finally hit pavement after 4 miles . We ran around Atlanta Motor Speedway then hit dirt roads AGAIN !!! . Feeling comfortable and didn't wanna rush the pace . I wanted to but trying to hold back . At a turn around on the gravel road I nearly hit the dirt sliding . At mike 12 I think I ran 5:35 but last mile I had to run back through the trails again which I slowed to a 5:56 last mile . Finished with a 1:14:50 which I was happy about . I hated it was a hilly , rocky course cause I didn't wanna struggle to hold a 5:45 pace but I needed to get the legs dialed in for that pace . Afterwards I did a 5 mile cool down at 6:45 pace .
The race was part of the Wounded Warriors Project and was glad to take part in the race to help support our fallen troops . The coolest thing of it all was part of my overall award is that I got to fly in the fly over Huey Helicopter . I was able to take a passenger with me whom it was Asa Peed who works at Run Fit Sports . We flew over Atlanta Speedway . Awesome day plus breaking 100 miles for first time with 105 .
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/223507391