Battle with the Blue Dragon

So I was registered for the Blue Ridge Marathon 2013 and had my unfortunate knee accident which canceled both Blueridge and the Disney marathon.  Disney was a bust but the race director of Blueridge is much cooler and let me carry over my registration.  So long story short between the ice storms,longer healing from my knee than I thought, and my hectic schedule my training suffered and I had to down grade to the half.  

Funny thing about half marathons people ask you why you aren't doing the full? Only half? I tell people that I am running the local Cooper River Bridge Run and they say "wow! You are running the whole thing?". It's a 10k!  Just over 6 miles is long but half of a marathon is "just half".... So 13.1<6.2...

So my wife had school so I took the kids and my parents from wonderful Goose Creek Sc to beautiful Roanoke Va, but first.. Let me take a selfie

6 hours of minivan hell!!!

It actually wasn't that bad. 

We stayed at the beautiful Hotel Roanoke.

Which the old black and whites make it look like a horror movie setting

You can check out anytime you like... But you can never leave!

I highly recommend the Roanoke Hotel. It is less than a half mile from the start and the hotel is awesome.

So the perfunctory packet pick up...

The pre race feast!

So went back to the room to chill

Then off to explore the city 

I would be lying if is said I slept well, I had already decided that I didn't care about times. I was here to I've fun and just finish. But first... Let me take another selfie

My Ink n Burn gears shirt, salomon twin skin shorts, and my trusty hoka one one Stinsons. The twin skins would prove to be a god sent, no hot spots, no chafe, best shorts ever!

My Stinsons however gave me a blister on my right big toe 

I violated the first rule of run club and tried something new for race day.

Epic bison bar for breakfast. No stomach issues at all, bought some other flavors, tasty but pricy about 3.50 a piece.

First we all hang around doing nothing

Then we get into our corals

I got an F... F for slow!

And we were off

Up

Up

Someone let a bear on the course!

Then an evil witch appeared.

And Roanoke she says is the name of her star...

Short trail section for the dirt dogs

As we started the descent down the back we encountered some friendly natives serving Moo-mosas!

Not a real horse but...

Real champagne and OJ!

Then back down

More hills.

My Sherpa Savior! 

The guy in blue is Chuck who blogs as "Disneydaddy". He was a lifesaver. I had ran with one of the 10kers down the back of the first mountain and I probably over did it a bit. Chuck was my guide and  travel companion for the rest of the run. He knew every turn, twist, and water stop. We saw his lovely family twice, wife son and daughter. He really did help me to dig down deep after I started getting bad leg cramps. I am endebted to him for his knowledge of the route and his support. Ironically guess what was in my bag from the expo that is didn't even see until the day after...

Should have looked first 

The pipes were calling

Fear the reaper? 

The money shot! My first official half marathon. 

In the hotel afterwards

Went back later that night and took a pic of the finish line. 

Had a really great time! Best race ever! For a small race they had more volunteers and neighborhood food stands set up. 

There was water, Gu Brew, gummi bears, bud light, Sam Adams, champagne, mamosas, pretzels, bananas, coke, and oranges! It was a freaking buffet! I didn't even need to carry anything. I did have a handheld but ended up filling it at the stops only to empty part of it to get colder refills.

Final thoughts. Loved the atmosphere, loved the crowd! Will be going back next year to do the full. For the record this was my first official half marathon... Everything else will be easy street after this... Thanks for reading!