Kirkland Half Marathon 2026

I anticipated this race would be a tough one, and I was right. Post-race, I have some mixed feelings about my performance, but we'll get there.

Armed with my new fueling strategy and a plan for dealing with the nagging pain in my lower legs, I went into race morning feeling confident that no matter what happened, I'd have another half under my belt.

That plan was KT tape and calf sleeves. It paid off!

Nick picked me up around 6am and we made our way to Juanita Beach Park in Kirkland. It was clearly going to be the gorgeous day I feared it would be—sunny, cloudless, and already nearing 60°.

I hadn't realized just how perfectly my sleeves matched my shoes!

We arrived an hour before the start, which meant we got prime parking inside the park and had plenty of time to use the bathroom, prep our vests, take in the view, and get mentally ready. We opted to join the second wave, and Nick lined us up at the very back of the corral. Our strategy for the day was to start together but run our own races.

We took the first mile nice and easy. I had checked the course map and knew the first big hill was between the first two miles, but I was not prepared for a second, shallower hill to follow right after. In fact, my biggest blunder in preparing for this race was misreading the elevation map, because while I knew to expect some steep climbs, I had ignored that there were also going to be numerous smaller climbs throughout. 

Running that first hill was a mistake, because it definitely burned some energy too early, and we walked the smaller hill that followed. I ate my first gel at mile 2. I was feeling okay, but couldn't quite find a rhythm, and running felt harder than it should have so early on.

All this is to say, by mile 4 I was feeling pretty gnarly. At this point, it was hot. We were running on asphalt for these first four miles and although the route was pretty and interesting, I couldn't be distracted. I hit the mental wall early, literally thinking to myself I don't want to be doing this, I want to be done.

We walked/drank just before mile four, and somewhere between there and mile 5 we got separated. I did pause at mile 5 to drink more and looked back, but at that point Nick was far enough behind me I couldn't see him, so I just kept going. I had hoped to finally hit my stride, but the second steep hill started at 5.3 and I didn't even bother trying to run it. 

Smiling at mile 5 before I realized a giant hill was right ahead of me.

The reprieve at mile 5.3, finally.

At the top, I came to the trail portion of the race, and I immediately felt better. I knew I had reached the long flat stretch between mile 5.5 and 10, and wouldn't see another hill (up or down) for awhile. Nick caught up to me while I ate gel #2 at mile 6, but we ended up separated again. I saw him once more at mile 7.3, where I stopped to use the bathroom, and he told me he was running 15-minute intervals and to go ahead and run without waiting for him.

I ran the rest of the race solo. I was finally starting to feel okay around mile 8, because I knew I only had five to go and the dark little voice in my head that was telling me to quit finally shut up, although I did text Elizabeth that I was dying at this point. 

This was around the time I noticed I was a full mile behind my usual pace, which was disheartening but not that surprising. I ran the hills of my last 10-miler in Hansville on-pace, even with walk breaks, but it was markedly hotter at the Kirkland Half and my legs were also way more tired.

I really have no idea what mile these were taken at, but somewhere around 6.5 and 7 I think.

I ate my last gel at mile 9. I was drinking electrolytes and spraying water on my face and back at nearly every mile. For all the difficulties of this race, my fueling strategy really did seem to be working, and my legs didn't hurt at all (other than expected fatigue on the hills).

I spy Nick behind me! I had no idea he was there during the race.

Mile 10 surprised me with yet another little hill, and I knew I wasn't on track for an exceptional time, so I walked it. Then started a series of downhills, which I let myself run full-out, until about mile 12.2, where we were dumped back onto a busy road and I could envision the long slog back to the park and around to the finish, so I walked there, too.

Trying to capture the grade of the hill at 11.

I know all this walking sounds like I felt defeated, but at this point I knew I'd be finished soon one way or another and I wasn't feeling bad or down, just hot and tired. I powered my way through a twisty and narrow final tenth of a mile and into the finish. 

2:23.

I truly felt I had just run a Florida race, but with hills. The heat was scorching, the breeze was non-existent, and I just wanted to be in the shade.

But! I really wanted to capture Nick getting through the finish, and I didn't have to wait long. 

After we'd cooled down and eaten bananas, we got our feet into the icy water of Juanita Bay and drove toward downtown Kirkland for some brunch at Cactus.

I can see why this course is so popular—in better weather it's probably a perfect race, but the combination of heat and hills took its toll on me and I had a rough day. Still, I'd be up for running this race again in slightly better conditions!

As for those mixed feelings on my performance...I'm going to save those for a later post.

Ali