Being Monumental in Indy

State No. 29 was certainly monumental.
I ran the Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon last weekend. A nice FLAT course on a cool morning. After struggling the first few miles with what felt like lead legs, a quick porto-potty break and some energy gels finally got me into gear. I finished the race with my fastest half marathon time all year, and I would have come in at least 5 minutes faster if I hadn't had to take that break!
Note to self: take care of business BEFORE the start. ha ha.
This was a quick up and back trip, with a half marathon thrown in for good measure, so I didn't get to sight see as much as I usually do. However, I got to catch up with three friends, so it was a rich weekend.
I had lunch the Friday I arrived with my friend April. She works downtown so we could easily get together, since I stayed downtown near the convention center. We walked around a bit after lunch and she showed me the canal that runs behind the state capital. It's a nice area to walk and exercise.

Ducks enjoying the canal

Next, my running friend Tricia arrived from Cincinnati for the race. She and I had never met in person, but knew each other through an exercise/running group on Facebook. It was nice to finally meet her. She was running the full marathon, as was her friend Paula, whom I also met.

Paula, Tricia and me at the race expo

Tricia and me

Ready to #BeMonumental

At the expo

It was an early start for the race, but since my hotel was just a block from the start, I didn't have a hard time getting up and getting lined up.

Setting up the start

Soldiers and Sailors Monument by night

State Capitol at night

Good morning, start line!

Here we go

The half marathon ran almost entirely downtown, but did go out into some of the nearby neighborhoods. It was a nice, flat course and really nice. It was chilly that morning, and not a ton of crowd support, but not the worst I've ever experienced.

The Soldiers and Sailors Monument

Along the route

Some running humor

Race images

 As I got closer to the finish line, probably three to four miles out, I began "targeting" runners. I'd find a runner ahead of me and run to catch up to him or her, take a walk break, then find another one ahead of me, and so on. I think that is why I finished so well. I had good energy at the end.

Finished

Finisher's cap and medal

How every half marathon should end

I had dinner Saturday night after the race with my friend Rosie and her boyfriend, Lynn, and we had a great dinner at a Scottish restaurant in the Mass Ave neighborhood. We had run through that area earlier that day and it was a cool, funky area.
I was up and out the next morning, so it really was a quick trip -- barely 48 hours in Indianapolis. I wish I could have seen a little more of the city. There were two museums I had wanted to check out.
It just means I'll have to return and have another monumental time.