Colonial Half Marathon

If you decide you need to add some serious hills to your training or if you think that you are awesome at hills then you need to head up to Williamsburg and do the Colonial Half Marathon. This race will kick your butt and send you home limping and crying. Once again, I put my legs up to the challenge of a hilly and difficult course.
This race starts at 1pm so it's kind of hard to get in the rhythm that this is going to be a serious race with some difficult hills. The good thing is that by mile 1 you know that things could get rough. The first 3 miles are a challenge, it's a constant up and down and sometimes the down can be quite steep and your shins and feet really take a pounding. After the first 4 the hills weren't as steep but they were still there.
The last 5k were the hardest for me. I could feel the fatigue setting in (I felt last weeks races on the legs) and I really slowed the pace down. I wish I had been stronger on this part of the race. I wish I could have pulled it together and really powered through the hills. Even the very end was up a stinking hill. I will be better prepared next time for this race.
In retrospect, I liked the course. I would love to run it again.......knowing what's ahead of me. Also, after all the races I've done in Virginia this past year............I've realized I need to get stronger on the hills.
The race was really well organized. The course was lonely but I knew exactly where to go on the course as all times. All in all it was a good running day. Got in a solid 18.5 miles...........but I am done with hilly courses for quite some time.