Rhett

Hot Air Balloon Half

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Location:

Lake Havasu City,AZ,

Member Since:

Sep 29, 2008

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Boston Qualifier

Running Accomplishments:

23 marathons

6 Bostons (2007-2011, 2017)

3 Half Ironmans

2 Ironmans

3 50 Milers

1 Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim

Marathon PR:

     2:59:00 St. George 2008

     2:58:03 Boston 2010

 1/2 Marathon PR:

     1:25:41  Havasu Half 2009

     1:24:09 Painter's St.George 2010

 Half Ironman PR:

      5:25:02  HITS Havasu 2014

5K PR:

       18:23  LHC Turkey Trot 2014

        18:22  LHC Turkey Trot 2017

50 mile PR:

        7:56:14 Avalon50 2016

Short-Term Running Goals:

Break 3 hours again

Doing it a Boston would be sweet!

It was sweet!

UPCOMING RACES

 

Long-Term Running Goals:

Have fun!

 

Personal:

Married

4 kids

Optometrist

 

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Salomon Sense Pro 4 Lifetime Miles: 320.00
Salomon Ultra Pro Lifetime Miles: 387.00
NB 1500 V6 Lifetime Miles: 219.00
Adizero Pro Lifetime Miles: 57.00
Hoka Clifton 8 Lifetime Miles: 346.00
Brooks Ghost 14 Lifetime Miles: 343.00
Brooks Ghost 14 #3 Lifetime Miles: 163.00
Inov8 G270 Lifetime Miles: 20.00
Race: Hot Air Balloon Half (13.1 Miles) 01:29:49, Place overall: 1, Place in age division: 1
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.0013.100.000.000.0013.10

HOT AIR BALLOON HALF

Before you start reading this blog, you should know that this is not a real race and I was the only participant. :)

This weekend is the Hot Air Ballon Festival in Havasu and it started this morning with a mass assention of balloons at about 7:30. I decided I would run my own personal half marathon and try to do it at my goal pace (6:52) for my upcoming marathon.  I had to drop off some stuff for my son at the high school on the way to the race, so I was a few minutes late for the 7:30 start. Luckily the race organizers waited for me before they started.  After warming up my legs with some active stretching, the race started.  The first couple miles felt difficult for marathon pace and I was have trouble settling in on a nice consistant pace, but I finally started to find my groove about mile 4.  After going around the island once I crossed the London Bridge which was packed with race watchers (actually people watching the balloons) cheering me on.  I headed out London Bridge which goes along the lake until the halfway turn around were I was at 44:38, just a little ahead of goal pace. 

I turned around to head back toward the London Bridge and there must have been 40 to 50 balloons up in the sky over the lake. It was really pretty.  Nice of them to all be up there in honor of my race. On mile 8, I lost my focus and had my only mile over 7:00 for the race.  I regained focus quickly though and was back on pace as I crossed back over the London Bridge where I had a nice pick me up from the even larger crowds that had gathered to see the finish of my race.  Then I just had one more time around the island.  I was now having to work a bit, but all my splits were in the high 6:40s as I pushed through to the finish to win the inaugural Hot Air Balloon Half in a time of 1:29:49 (AP 6:51). 

I would like to thank all the Balloon pilots for their efforts in making this race so fantastic and scenic, and all the spectators who came out to cheer.  As the winner and current champion, I think I will start training hard so I can defend my title next year. 

Seriously though, I wasn't sure if I could hit my marathon pace for 13.1 especially with no taper or carb load or anything special.  I'm hoping to continue to improve over the next 6 weeks and be able to maintain that pace for a whole marathon.  Only time will tell, but this gives me the confidence that it is possible.

Sketchers Sonic Miles: 13.10
Comments
From Smooth on Fri, Jan 16, 2015 at 12:37:03 from 71.219.132.183

CONGRATULATIONS Champ!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE your "race" report! Huge smile on my face just picturing you racing with such happy thoughts with great spectators and all. Sounds absolutely PERFECT!!!

AWESOME time and performance, definitely a confidence builder. Great work, Rhett!

From LeMire on Fri, Jan 16, 2015 at 13:02:58 from 73.48.38.68

Great race report & nice time. Sounds like you are in pretty good shape & putting in the mileage required to break 3 hours. Stay healthy!

From Burt on Fri, Jan 16, 2015 at 13:51:06 from 174.17.89.12

You are a silly boy (said with British accent.)

From Toofdoc on Fri, Jan 16, 2015 at 20:30:00 from 64.134.234.59

Next year I am going to sign up for the race... Or maybe just show up and see if the "race director" will let me run. Great job. That was a fun read. I am kinda sad I will miss all the hot air balloon action this weekend:(

From Rhett on Sat, Jan 17, 2015 at 07:50:42 from 24.121.0.8

Smooth, it was funny how much it felt like a real race with all the people out and about for the balloon festival.

Jeff, hopefully all goes well for the next 6 weeks and I'll have a shot at 3.

Burt, when your running a half all by yourself you have to be a bit silly.

Blake, you better sign up early for next years race, I hear it is almost sold out. Luckily I know the race director and I think I can pull some strings for you.

From Hillbilly Runner on Sat, Jan 17, 2015 at 16:26:31 from 208.87.234.180

My run wasn't nearly as nice or fast.....Great report and run. Man you're "Fast"

From Rhett on Sat, Jan 17, 2015 at 19:30:40 from 199.117.154.54

Thanks HBR. I just hope I can put it all together on the real race day.

From Tom Slick on Sat, Jan 17, 2015 at 19:58:29 from 69.171.160.204

First place overall, first place in your Age Division, super splits....I can hardly wait to read your upcoming marathon race report.......

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