Race 31 - Museum of Aviation Half Marathon

Race 31 - Museum of Aviation Half Marathon, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia

The Day Before

I love this part - leave work early on Friday to head south on I-75 to Macon.  It really does feel like playing hooky from school as a kid!   I needed to get to Macon by the time my grandsons got out of school.  Made it just in time with a couple of bottles of Yoo-Hoo.  This is the third year in a row where I spent the night at my daughter's house for this race.  Jen and I where both signed up to do the half.  As usual, we all headed out for their favorite Mexican restaurant for the pre-race carbo-loading meal : )  As usual, it was good.

The Day of the Race

Up early, coffee, eat a little and head down to the Museum of Aviation which is right next to Robins AFB where the race would take place.  As always, they have the museum hangar opened and it is heated so with the temperature hovering around freezing outside we were able to stay warm until the race started.

One of the neat things about this venue - aircraft all over the place!  Not what one typically sees prior to a race.

Jen & me in front of a C-130

I believe they had about 1200 people for the marathon, half marathon, and 5K.  The marathon started at 8:00 and the half at 8:15.  The picture below is the starting line for the marathon with  the old Air Force One - again, not your typical starting line.

At the starting line - Air Force One (retired)

At 8:15 the half started.   Except for the very beginning, this race was never crowded.  We exited the Museum property onto the base within a couple hundred yards.  We passed many Air Force buildings in the first 4-5 miles and then made out way towards the runway.  The scenery changes drastically when you get to the runway.  (click on photos to enlarge)

Robins AFB runway

backside of the runway

backside of the runway

we had to cross the tarmac around mile 9

Yep, the back side of the flight line was pretty much what you would expect for the back side of a flight line. After that we made out through the base golf course, horse stables, a camping ground, and finally through base housing.  

Update on the Knee

This race was a test of my left knee that I hurt during Soldier Marathon back in November.  I have taken it easy on the knee, have had no pain at all in the last 4-5 weeks.  Last weekend I did 14 miles, walking, no running, and everything felt great.  So my plan for this race - jog 1.5 minutes, walk 3.5 minutes.  I did that for the first 5 miles and everything felt okay.  Then, around mile 6, a little twinge, a little tightness.  I really thought it would go away.  It did not.  The same exact pain in my left knee that I had in Soldier Marathon, I have again.  The pain steadily got worse from mile 6.  I need to make an appointment with the Sports Medicine Doc and try to get to the bottom of this.

On a high note though, my daughter Jen got a PR today 2:14!   : )