She Runs by the Seashore

On a warmer-than-usual early December day, I paced my 15th half marathon at the Rehoboth Seashore Half Marathon. It was a success: My pacing time was 2:45, and I crossed the finish line with a time of 2:44:33.

I have really been enjoying the 2:45 pace, which is a little faster than a 12:35 mile. When pacing, I wear a pace band that has the cumulative times for each mile marker so that I can keep myself on track even if the mile markers are a little different than what’s on my watch (at any longer race like a half marathon or marathon, I usually end up with slightly over the distance on my watch). And yes, I carry the sign the entire time — people always ask!

I’ve fallen into the 2:45 groove and can stay consistent at this pace. This was the third consecutive year I’ve paced the 2:45 finish time at the Rehoboth Seashore Half Marathon, and I also paced 2:45 at the Coastal Delaware Half Marathon in April in both 2022 and 2023. The races have different organizers, but they are both paced by a Beast Pacing team. I have been pacing the Rehoboth Seashore Half since 2018 (and I ran it before that). I used to pace 2:30, but now, that’s closer to my race time.

I made the drive to Rehoboth from my house, which is about an hour away, the morning of the race, Dec. 2. I drove there in a short-sleeve shirt, but I also brought a tank. I was between the two Beast Pacing shirts, and I ended up choosing the tank, mostly because it was a better fit (I got the shirt several years ago and my size has changed). However, the tank was a good choice for me. I run hot, and it was 54 degrees at the start according to Garmin Connect.

This race offers race-morning packet pickup — something that seems to be a rarity for longer races these days — which was super quick and easy, since I had to be to the start an hour early to meet the other pacers. I made sure to get there before 6 a.m. and picked up my race bib, shirt and a reusable bag, and then I got my 2:45 sign from the pace team leader.

This was also a BibRave partner race, and I promoted the race as a BibRave Pro (I already had a free entry as a pacer). I was able to meet up with two other BibRave Pros before the start — Bill, who was pacing the marathon, and Kevin, who was running the marathon. Then, I got to see Janelle, who ran the half like I did, during and after the race.

I also met up with some Eastern Shore Running Club friends who ran before the race, and we got a photo.

The course starts by the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand and takes runners down the main street, Rehoboth Avenue, before heading into a residential area and along Silver Lake. After two miles, runners make their way up the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk and north to Gordon’s Pond.

At about Mile 4.5, the half marathoners turn around and the marathoners continue on the Gordon’s Pond Trail. This meant that for the first part of the race, I was with or pretty close to the 5:30 marathon pacer. We were doing our own thing, but we did run side-by-side for a mile or so.

There are two turnarounds on the half course, which allowed me to see multiple friends on the course.

As I ran, I did not struggle to hit the paces and felt pretty good. At each mile, I announced that we’d made it to that mile and that we were on track with our pace. However, I could feel some fatigue, which was likely at least in part due to a higher-than-usual-mileage the previous week because I had extra days off for Thanksgiving. It was also humid. Either way, I was not worried about not being able to hit the paces.

There were a few people who ran with me for several miles. It wasn’t all the same stretch of mileage, but it’s always nice to have people who are able to continue keeping up the pace and to know that you are helping them meet their goal. There were some others who joined near the end, in the last mile or two.

After heading back through town and through Grove Park, runners went onto the Junction and Breakwater Trail, which is paved and on a shoulder at first and then becomes crushed stone. Somewhere around Mile 9 of my half, the marathon winner passed me. Since there’s a turnaround a little after Mile 9.5 of the half, he then passed me again on the way back. The winner, Phillip Duncan of Omaha, Nebraska, ran a super impressive time of 2:25:12, according to the results.

Despite the shock of thinking about how fast he must be going to run about 23 miles in the time it had taken me to run about 10, I continued along as the finish got closer. I hadn’t had a problem with my shoes any other day, but the bottoms of my toes hurt — I knew it wasn’t a real injury-type-of-pain, but it was still annoying. Once I finished running, they were fine.

The end of the race is always the most challenging part of pacing for me. You don’t want to speed up or slow down too much, but you also don’t know exactly what it’s going to say on your watch. My watch said 13.27 miles. It’s a weird feeling when you get to about 12.5 miles and for 13.1, you’d have 0.6 left, but for just a little more (13.27), you have 0.77 left.

It might not seem like that little bit makes much of a difference, but when you’re trying to come in at a certain time rather than just give it all you have, there’s more to think about.

I also feel like my body wants to speed up at the end of a race, even if I know I shouldn’t. I was able to keep it not too far out of range — 11:57 pace for the last 0.27. That also allowed people to come in for about another 26 seconds after me and still be under 2:45 (if they started with me).

Jack, who I know from participating in races in the Rehoboth area, was the finish line announcer and announced my name as I crossed the finish line, which was fun.

After the race, I enjoyed the extensive post-race buffet, which included mac and cheese, cole slaw, meatballs, waffle sticks, bacon and more. I talked to one runner on the course about there still being bacon left for us at the end, and there was. (Plus, most of the marathoners and some half marathoners were still out there, too, so I knew there would be — this race is super friendly to all paces.) Along the way, I got to see some local running friends and runners I know from social media. Someone recognized me from the 50 States Marathon Club on Facebook, too, as I posted I’d be at this race.

I got to hang out with Corinne, who I met on Instagram first and then first met in-person earlier this year at the Ocean City Running Festival, at the post-race party, and afterward, we had brunch at Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats.

The post-race party includes DJ Petch and lots of dancing and singing in a crowded tent. It’s a fun way to celebrate the accomplishment of completing a half marathon or marathon. Runners and guests with a wristband can also get up to three Dogfish Head beers.

It was a fun morning! Unless something changes that I’m not aware of, I plan to be back at this race to pace the 2:45 group again in 2024. Registration is at its lowest rate for the first 12 hours it’s open, and this year, that will be Jan. 8 from 8 a.m.-noon. Here’s the website.

I will also be pacing the 2:45 group at the Coastal Delaware Running Festival Half Marathon on April 14. Sometimes I will see the same people at both races — maybe I’ll see you there!

Splits

Mile 1: 12:03
Mile 2: 12:24
Mile 3: 12:30
Mile 4: 12:13
Mile 5: 12:31
Mile 6: 12:19
Mile 7: 12:39
Mile 8: 12:38
Mile 9: 12:05
Mile 10: 12:23
Mile 11: 12:15
Mile 12: 12:43
Mile 13: 12:32
Last part (watch had 0.27): 3:15 (11:57 pace)

Finish time: 2:44:36 / 12:24 pace on watch; 2:44:33 / 12:34 pace on results

Read my BibRave review — and write your own — here.