I have never trained for and run a warm weather race after going through a winter training cycle in Nebraska.  So I did it this year.  Went out to Cali last weekend and ran the Surf City Half Marathon in Huntington Beach.  Oh, and I raced it with my brother.

That was the real reason for this little trip.  He is getting married this Spring.  We have not hung out together in a long, long time.  So this was what we ended up doing.  Only in my family would a vacation include racing a half marathon.  We had planned this awhile ago, and my training for it went decently well considering the conditions I trained through around Lincoln in December and January.  But like I said, the mission was to spend some good quality time with my little brother.

Mission accomplished.  Between some good eating and seeing some of the sights of LA (never been there before), we were just able to hang out.  Sunday morning was race day and since this is a running site I will get to that first, and get to the life stuff later.

The race started on the Pacific Coast Highway right outside the Hyatt in Huntington Beach.  The course followed the highway north, before it dived into some residential areas and then returning back to the coastal highway.  From there you kept going north until the turn-around at just past eight miles.  The last 8k or so doubled back south (into the sun, but with a tailwind) to Huntington as a ridiculously long straightaway.  Fortunately you were distracted by set after set of waves that were big enough that you could occasionally feel the break in your chest.

I had a really good set of miles through about 9.5, then wheels fell off a bit.  Not sure why, my training was solid and it was nice weather.  But that is how racing goes.  The nice part was the last 4 miles I had Scott to keep me company.  He was not having a great race either and decided to fight another day and run with me.  As he said in a text later on, “there is no one else I would rather feel like shit during a race with”.  Amen dude.  We finished together after suffering through the last part of the race together, so that was nice.

Like Scott said in his journal update, every time you race or run, try and learn  about the sport.  It can teach you so much.  Whether about life or running, I tell my runners that you can get something out of every run and race.  So here are my life lessons:

-plan as best you can for the course, but if it is not what you expect, freaking deal with it.  That was the case with this course.  It was harder and hillier than we expected.

-enjoy the experience and the process of getting fit

-enjoy time with your family and friends

So Scott, it was a great weekend. You are a wonderful brother.  Lets do it again son.  Maybe this fall in Chicago.

SPLITS:  Missed some mile markers in the crowds (we started after the full marathoners and caught large numbers of them)Mile 1-5:40

Mile 2- 5:34

Mile 3- 5:49

Mile 4- 5:46

Mile 5 and 6- 11:15 (5:38 average)

Mile 7 and 8- 11:21 (5:40 average)

Mile 9- 5:49

Mile 10-6:42 (pit stop for bathroom)

Mile 11- 6:02

Mile 12-6:04

Mile 13 and the .1- 6:50