Long Run Sunday

I've spent so much time over the last few weeks focusing on these new speed milestones I've reached. Especially how I've managed to reach them without killing myself. I've only felt like I expended significant effort on the day I ran that new best time. Not so much on any other normal day of running.

I'm now at the beginning of a half marathon training program. So my long run today was a mere 4 miles. I made a conscious effort to take it slow and easy and it felt so good. I always do this. Get preoccupied with speed. Even when it's my long run of the week, if the distance is relatively short, I feel compelled to run it at faster than "easy" pace. Today I didn't and it was so comfortable and so effortless.

So, about that half marathon. I haven't actually registered for the San Francisco Half Marathon, but I did already commit to another event in town that weekend, so I know I'll be there. I should probably go on and do that. The fee goes up from $65 to $70 on Tuesday.

I found this:

Registration is open to participants running under a 6-hour Marathon Pace (13:44 minute miles), a 3-hour 1st Half Marathon Pace (13:44 minute miles) or a 3-hour & 30-minute 2nd Half Marathon Pace (16:01 minute miles).

I'm curious to know what exactly is different about the two Half halves that the 2nd Half allows you an extra 30 minutes. I'm gonna guess it has something to do with hills, but I'm too lazy to analyze the course. But it also seems strange that, if the second half is that much more difficult than the first, they'd limit the marathon pace to the same limit as the first Half half. I would think they'd allow a slower marathon pace to account for the more difficult second half. And, if you're that slow that you'd be close to the limit, how would you know if you could make the time on one but not the other?

I know I want to run the Golden Gate Bridge, so I'll be running the first half anyway. And I expect to be more around the 2-hour mark. I'm guessing the first half is gonna be a lot more crowded. Wouldn't everyone want to run the bridge? What would really suck would be if the terror alert level is raised at that time.

CODE ORANGE ALERT: In case of a Code Orange alert, issued by the US Department of Homeland Security, the Course would feature an out and back on the Great Highway instead of crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. Again this would only happen in case of a Code Orange alert.

Okay, reading further I see this part that gives me pause:

STARTING TIMES will be between 5am and 6:35am for the full marathon and first half marathon. The 2nd half marathon starts at 8:15am....

That alone makes me really want to do the second half. Especially since I know I'll be occupied for a good chunk of the previous evening and I'll be having to come up to San Francisco from San Jose. Nah. I really want to run the bridge.

Alright, I just registered for the first half Half. w00t!