Haas Blog: 'Well That Was Disappointing'

By Mark Haas

Well that was disappointing.

I set a goal for the Denver Rock'n'Roll half marathon, and I came up really short (or slow).

I was over-confident in the training I put in. I thought I was ready. I got too aggressive wanting to post a time I could be really proud of, and I didn't even come close.

My original goal 4 months ago was to run 1:40, but after running 1:37 at a mostly downhill course in September, I foolishly decided to reset the goal to 1:35.

I figured if I stayed between the 1:30 and 1:35 pace groups I'd have no problem setting a new PR.

I lost sight of the 1:30 group pretty quickly, and was passed by the 1:35 group somewhere around mile 6 or 7.

I ended up being so gassed I fell short of the original 1:40 goal, coming in just under 1:42 and 7 minutes slower than what I wanted.

I probably sound over-dramatic right now, but I put the goal out there so I want to acknowledge that I came up short, and not make any excuses for why it didn't happen.

Training with Runner's Edge of the Rockies was still a great experience, and I think I'll stick with them. I'm eying a full marathon in Philadelphia in November on the Broncos bye week, and I'll continue to run races here in Denver when they fit my schedule.

And I'll keep chasing new PRs. It keeps me motivated, keeps me focused and keeps me honest.

Congrats to all the other finishers today, the Colorado running community is a great one and it's fun to be a part of.

Mark Haas is a sports anchor/reporter for CBS4. Read his bio or follow him on Twitter @markhaastv or on Facebook.