The Celebration

Then it was time to relax and celebrate the race. As is tradition, we first visited the Art Museum steps to run to the top a la Rocky, snagged a few photos at the top, and then visited the actual Rocky statue to take some more pictures. Our final stop was the finisher's party to grab an ice cold Michelob Ultra and listen to our friend's band who happened to be headlining the race.

Looking Back

The official times have now posted and they actually shaved another second off so my official new PR is 1:38:16, more than 7 minutes faster than my last PR. I smashed my goal to break 1:40:00 and gained a lot of confidence for future races. I've been checking Athlinks every day and can't wait to claim the new PR on my profile

[spacer height="10px"]

This race was a true representation of just how much of an impact a little speed-work and strength training can have, not only in my PR, but in how well I've felt post-race. I can walk normally which usually is not the case and the soreness in my legs is more like the pain you get after a tough workout. My IT-Bands, which are usually screaming after a tough race, haven't been an issue at all after Philly.

[spacer height="10px"]

I've only recently started to view myself as a serious runner, especially after last year when I started to take training more seriously. With each race, I feel like I'm learning more about myself and my goals, and even after Philly, I feel like I have plenty more to improve. I'm thrilled with the results, don't get me wrong, but I'm even more excited about seeing how far I can go in the future.