Congrats!
A half marathon is a really neat effort since almost any healthy person can run one if they train for it, but very few could ever run one without a substantial amount of prior distance running. If you complete one at a running pace, that’s proof of the many miles you have run in the past.
I ran one single formal half in 2004 and was 1:52 or thereabouts, but I don’t think I have hit that time more than once or twice since. My times are likely around 2:00 or 2:05.
I like the statement **shiftless **made: “The problem with events like this is that when you look around, all you see is people who are at least as athletic as yourself.” I don’t know if that was intended to be taken literally, but it can be–as you are running the last hundred yards, you are surrounded both front and rear by your fitness equals, who you could beat or be beaten by on any given day depending on any number of factors. Kind of a cool concept.
And yes, there are always those amazing folks who are running six minute miles all the way through, but I don’t have to prove anything to anybody but me. These days I just do it for fun, not for times. When I hit my 50th a few months back I made a point of going to the gym and running a half on the indoor track. I sure hope I can still do so on each coming birthday.