Country Music {Half} Marathon

For the last few years I've had to be in Nashville the weekend of the Country Music Marathon for my job, promoting the Powerstep products I love at the marathon's Expo. Each year I had the little voice in the back of my head saying you're already here, you should be running. 

This year my sister Angie nudged me into signing up for this race, and I'm so glad I did! It hadn't been too long since my last half marathon, but it had certainly been a long time since I really trained for one. 

The Country Music Marathon & Half Marathon are part of the Rock 'n Roll race series. I had never done a RNR race before and looked forward to the live entertainment along the race course. Truly, every mile and half or so there was a stage with a live band playing country music. And I don't know if it's because it's a RNR race or if it's just because Nashville is a friendly, fun-loving city, but there were spectators throughout the entire course.

We ran through a college campus, and students were out early with music, signs, and offers to take a selfie with them (or a keg stand). We ran through residential areas where neighbors were having picnic breakfast with other neighbors. We ran down streets where people had set up their own water stations or offered orange slices. Everywhere there were signs, funny ones, encouraging ones.

Really, the people make this race.

I was a little concerned because Tennessee is a hilly state, but the course was mostly rolling hills. There was a fair amount of downhills for all the uphills, including a long, gradual downhill as we headed back toward downtown. 

Wait. Not miles 10-12. There were no downhills. Or maybe at that point in the race it just felt like everything was more of a struggle.

But overall the course was really great, especially the start down the middle of Broadway and the finish is always fun (though I was disappointed there was no clear Finish banner, just the timing mats. We finished and the lady next to me asked, was that the finish? Wasn't really clear.)

Three of us ran the race (me, my sister and her friend), and all of us finished within 10 minutes of each other. It wasn't a PR for me but I was only off my personal record by a couple minutes.

Half Marathon #6

Finish Time: 2:25:04

Avg pace: 11:04


I'd definitely do this race again!