Derby Festival Half Marathon Day

I won't bore anyone with my usual back complaints.  We were all worried about the rain forecast, it was on again off again.  At six am leaving for the bus, it was definitely on again.  Really, it was a light sprinkle then nothing through Iroquois park.  I kept getting cut off by a dude doing the relay, who wove back and forth on the curves always wanting to be on the inside, without looking at who he is cutting off.  Someone needs to write a manual on race etiquette.  After exiting the park, for awhile I got right next to spitting girl.  She was having some issues and spat alot in my direction (if only I had that etiquette pamphlet I could hand her.)  The rain came down a bit but felt good after the warm run through the park, then let up coming toward Churchill Downs.  Being the documentarian nerd, I pulled my camera out. When would I get the chance to be on the inside track at Churchill with the horses practicing?   As I entered the tunnel going under the track to the infield "Dog Days Are Over" by Florence and the Machine came on my shuffle.  It was almost like I was in the Truman Show and someone was playing the soundtrack to my life.

The dog days are over

The dog days are done
The horses are coming
So you better run
Run fast for your mother, run fast for your father
Run for your children, for your sisters and brothers
Leave all your love and your longing behind
You cant carry it with you if you want to survive
The dog days are over
The dog days are done
Can you hear the horses?
Because here they come

I crossed the finish line at 2 hours and 14 seconds, but my chip time was 1 hour 55 minutes.  I think I had a good run, despite the pains and my legs not wanting to work faster than they were already working.  The Marathon runners and the Mini runners split maybe around mile eleven, and I thought "They still have fifteen miles to go!!  What the hell am I doing?"  

I hope I haven't got myself in over my head.

Keith Labelle- my NYC partner in madness and speed freak, finished in 1:36.  Awesome!
Mary Beth O'Brien - My corrall race partner
Churchill Downs -the horses are coming so you better run
The finish line- check out that clock!