Race Report - Marshall Half Marathon

I had big plans for this race, my third half marathon.  It was going to be the first half marathan that I ran the whole way, rather than using a run/walk interval method.  Based on the pace of my training runs, I thought it might be possible to run a PR.  But once again my plans were not to come to fruition (which seems to be a running theme for this year...  Mayhap I need to quit making plans...)

I woke up yesterday with a bad case of pre-race jitters, and spent most of the day with a feeling of "oh god what have I gotten myself into".  I was more nervous for this race than i was for my first half (this same race in 2011).  And I think it was because, having done this 2 times already (Nov. 2011 and April 2012), I knew just how long 13.1 miles is and how hard it can be to actually complete the race.  In my case, it's all mental.  I'd done it twice before, and that combined with a decently strong training cycle leading up to the race should have told me that I was totally capable of doing it again.  But thinking you can do it (and hearing from tons of supportive friends and family that you can do it) is very different from actually doing it.

So as I pulled into the parking lot this morning, I gave in to the voices of self-doubt in my head and nixed the plan to try to run the whole way.  I just didn't feel ready for that today, so I set my watch for 5 minute run intervals with 1.5 minute walks, and nervously headed for the start line.

The race rules say that ipods and headphones are not allowed, and last year I followed that rule, but noticed that quite a few people did not.  I had some trouble with the no music thing last year, so this year, I broke the rule and brought the iPod along (and once again, others did the same; I'm guessing there were more runners with than without).  My original plan was to only use it when I thought I needed the extra pep that the songs can bring. But as nervous as I was before the start, I knew I was going to need it for the whole thing.  I was busy getting it set to the right playlist and getting it zipped back into my pocket when the gun went off and it was time to run.

The first three miles were easy and seemed to take no time at all to run.  And other than my sunglasses fogging up every time I switched to a walk, I had no problems and was feeling awesome.  But by about mile 4, as I exited Harris Riverfront Park, my right hip started to feel a little sore.  It was also starting to get a little warm, so I stripped off my arm warmers, and kept plodding along.  At around 6 miles, the course enters a park and you have to run on a crushed gravel path/trail.  Normally, I love trail running, but there's something about the crushed gravel that makes this extremely difficult.  It was the hardest part of the course for me last year, and wasn't that great this year either.  Not long after the mile 9 marker, I exited the park and was back on the road - with a slight incline and a nice little jaunt through a slightly scary underpass/viaduct.  And then at mile 10, there's the dreaded (at least for me) wrong way turn, sending you away from the stadium and the finish.

And here's where the race kind of fell apart for me.  My hip which had been hurting since mile 4 really started to let me know it wasn't happy with me. And not to be left out, my left foot started to hurt and give me problems.  So here I was with 3 miles to go, physically tired and sore.  And I made the mistake of looking at my total time on my watch, and while I was under 2 hours at the 10 mile point, I wasn't far enough under to meet my time goal, so I kind of mentally gave up too.

In mile 11, I walked through all of one run interval and part of the next to give the foot, the hip, and the brain a little break.  Allowing myself to walk a bit extra took some of the pressure off and I was actually able to enjoy the last mile.  So much so that it didn't even seem like a whole mile. Ok, so maybe the marathoners coming toward me telling me I was looking good and almost done may have had something to do with it.  And the people along that last stretch who told me they liked my sparkle skirt/outfit certainly helped too.


2012 Marshall Half Marathon Medal

I crossed the last street and at the corner smiled and waved at my parents who were there waiting for me, and headed into the stadium.  I entered the football field to a yell of "Go Sparkle Skirt Girl!" and I picked up the pace and headed around to finish in 2:29 and change. (2:29:06 on the garmin, 2:29:22 officially).

I didn't run the whole way.  I didn't meet my time goal.  I didn't run a PR.  But I finished.  And even with though it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, I had fun.  I ran the best race I could.  And that in and of itself is a pretty big accomplishment.

Official results

Race Report - Pumpkins in the Park 5k

I ran another 5k this morning.  Yet another attempt in my 2012 quest to run one in under 30 minutes.  I had been unsuccessful all year:

• Flying Pig 5k - 32:51
• CDR 5k - 31:29
• Pumpkin Run 5k - 32:02
• Spooktacular Scott Teays 5k - 31:06

I was beginning to think it was never going to happen; that I had given up speed in exchange for distance.  They say that long slow distance makes long slow runners.  Don't know about the long part (although I'm fairly tall, I think I'd be that way anyway, running or no ;-) ), but the slow part is pretty accurate.  I know, I know, speed and slowness are relative to the runner.  My slow is another runner's fast; my fast is another runner's slow. But however you look at it, as I've spent 2012 training for 2 half marathons (one in April, one in 2 weeks) and for the 60 mile Komen walk, my pace has slowed down and my 5k time went from 29:17 (my PR) in Dec 2011 to 32:51 in May 2012 (actually not my PW - that would be 36:something in Sept 2009). 

At the beginning of the year, fresh off the 29:17 PR, I set a goal for 2012 to get under 27 minutes before the end of the year.  I thought it would be easy. But as the year progressed, and reality set in, I've revised that goal - it now stands at finishing in under 29 minutes before the end of the year IF I could meet the goal of once again being under 30.  One minute at a time, right?

So I set out this morning for another attempt.  It was a cool, damp, grey and kind of dismal morning.  But I did my best to cheer it up by wearing my super fun green sparkle skirt and some rather awesome black and white striped tights.  I was wearing fun clothes, therefore the race was going to be fun.  Who can have a bad day while wearing awesome striped tights?  Not this girl!

I was totally relaxed and had no real expectations for the race, other than to finish (finishing under 30 would just be icing on the cake; after so many "failed" attempts, I'd given up on pressuring myself).  The race itself was also fairly relaxed; it was a popsicle stick race so there were  no numbers and no chips - you just run and grab a stick as you cross the finish line. 

I found a good position for the start and started well, with a good, but maybe slightly fast, pace.  I took a peak at the Garmin and was kind of surprised at how easy the pace it said i was running felt.  But since i was only a half mile in, I slowed it down a tad.  Easy at mile 0.5 is not always so easy at mile 2.5.  But I kept it pretty steady, and felt really good most of the way - mile 1 was awesome (9:31mpm);  mile 2 was ok (9:41); I picked it back up in mile 3.  I was well on track for a finish in under 30, and maybe, just maybe, in under 29:30...




heading for the finish line

But with about a quarter mile to go, potential disaster struck - my shoe came untied.  Obviously, I had 2 choices - stop and tie it or let it go and hope i didn't trip.  Might not have been the wisest choice, but I chose the second.  I was so close to the finish and so close to my goal that I was just going to go for it with laces flapping.  But for safety's sake because of the flapping laces, I decided against the all-out sprint for the finish I had been saving up energy for and just ran to the finish at the same pace.  Didn't see the official time on the clock as I grabbed my stick, but I stopped the Garmin at 29:37!!

 



Happy finisher on the Capitol steps

Success!! Finally got my under 30 finish!  Without the untied shoe, I could probably have gotten under that even more elusive under 29:30.  But you can add up the if's all day (if I'd trained harder; if my shoe hadn't come untied, etc...) but they don't change the facts.  I ran the race i ran....

And it was awesome!

Race Report - Spooktacular (and slightly sparkly) Scott Teays 5k

For the last 8 or so weeks, I've been training for my next half marathon.  It's been a pretty great 8 weeks, with some really awesome runs.  I've felt great the whole time.  Until this week.  This week I felt a little burned out and just wasn't feeling much like running.  I skipped one day all together and shortened the other days by as much as half.  It wasn't pretty.  But tomorrow is a new day and a new week, and a new opportunity to run some good miles.   Now on to my race report:

I'd been looking forward to this little 5k, put on by one of the local elementary schools, for a couple of weeks.  Not because I was excited to run it.  Nope.  Because it was my first opportunity to wear my nifty green sparkly skirt.

I knew it was supposed to be chilly on Saturday morning, so on Friday night as I was planning the rest of my outfit, I decided I'd wear a long sleeve winter running shirt that just happened to be the same shade of green as the sparkly skirt. And I just happen to have a pair of grey running capris with green accents (same shade as the shirt.)  I was going to be sparkly and very very green.  After sending a pic to my far-away running buddies to confirm that no, you cannot have too much green, my outfit was set. 

Saturday morning was chilly but sunny - a beautiful day for a run.  I arrived at the race and got signed in and went thru all my pre-race rituals and headed to the start line.  Since the race was for a school to bring awareness on the need to fight childhood obesity and how to raise healthy kids, there was a 1k race for the kids as well as the 5k.  The kids raced first.  It's always so much fun to watch kids run.  They do it with such joy and excitement.

318 - Dad's birthday!

The kids' excitement rubbed off on me, and by the time the 5k started I was super happy and looking forward to the run.   I had a goal in mind, but wasn't taking the race too seriously - taking a lesson from the kids, I was out there just to have fun.  And I did.  I was wearing a super fun sparkly green skirt, it was a beautiful fall morning, my bib number was my dad's birthday (love it when I get numbers that have personal meaning) how could I not?

I kept a fairly consistent pace and was feeling good for the first 2.75 miles.  Towards the end of mile 3, I started feeling overheated (my nifty green shirt is way too warm for 50 degrees) and had to walk after one of the short uphill sections - my heart rate was higher than i was comfortable with (on this particular day being hot + hill, even a small one, wasn't a good combination for me).   It didn't take long for it to come down to a manageable, comfortable rate and I was running again, just a bit slower than before.


Greeted by Bree when I got home

I crossed the finish line to the cheers and encouragement of the kids.  It was so much fun to hear them cheering not only for me (who they didn't know) but for their parents, their friends' parents, or their teachers.  I heard a lot of "here comes so-and-so's Mom....  Go Mom!!)  and "look it's my Dad....  Go daddy!!" and "there's Mrs. whoever - go go go!!"  as I was cooling down and watching some of the people finishing after me.  There should be a kid cheering section at the end of every race !

This was the first race in a while where I was actually having a good time (the other 2 5ks I've run lately were both mostly miserable).  This race reminded why I do it.  It reminded me that running and racing can actually be fun.  I didn't meet my time goal, but I did run my fastest 5k of the fall season. And I had fun.  It was just the race I needed.

Race Stats: Spooktacular Scott Teays 5k

October 20, 2012

Finish time:
31:06 (garmin); 31:08 (official)

Splits:
Mile 1 - 9:48
Mile 2 - 9:50
Mile 3 - 10:29
Mile 0.1 - 8:35

Place:
40th overall, 15th woman



Mostly Wordless Wednesday

A few of my favorite things:

Race Schedule for end of 2012 - early 2013

trying to keep get my scattered self under control and make a list of my upcoming races.  Just so I know when and where I need to be to run my little butt off.  :-)

1. October 20, 2012  - Spooktacular Scott Teays 5k
2. October 27, 2012 - Pumpkins in the Park 5k
3. November 11, 2012 - Marshall Half Marathon
4. December 8, 2012 - Run Run Rudolph 5k
5. December 9, 2012 - Winter Series 5k
6. January 6, 2013 - Winter Series 8k
7. February 3, 2013 - Winter Series 10k
8. February 24, 2013 - Disney Princess Half Marathon

Wonder which of those I should wear this in?????:

Race Report - Pumpkin Run 5k

So today was the Pumpkin Run 5k.  I'm beginning to think 5k's don't like me anymore. Or maybe it's that I don't like 5k's anymore - nah, it's not either one of those.  I could make excuses and say that I've been busy, I got sick, it was too hot, it was too rainy... blah blah blah.  

The truth of the matter is - I've been lazy, with the attitude of "it's 'only' 3.1 miles, it'll be easy".   Yeah, not so much.  To run that 3.1 miles at the paces my brain wants me to be able to run requires work.  Work that I have been too lazy for and have neglected to do.  And without the proper training and prep work, the brain may think I can run a 5k in under 29 minutes, but in reality the body says, "um  no.  How 'bout 32 minutes?"

I went to bed early-ish last night so I'd have plenty of rest; I hydrated well (lots of grape powerade and Mickey D's sweet tea - maybe not the best choices, but they're my favorites); I ate a good dinner.  The alarm went off this morning and I was up and out of bed and ready to run.  I was trying not to pressure myself into running at a certain pace or trying to finish in a certain time, but that darn under 29 minute thing has grabbed a hold of my brain and just won't let go.  I knew it was highly unlikely, but you never know, it could've been possible.  But today wasn't the day.

The race started right at 8:00.  Temps were somewhere in the 60's, skies cloudy - nice running weather.  I started off at a nice comfortable pace (a little over 10mpm, which was too slow for under 29 goal) and I kept it up for the first 2 miles.  Felt good and was having a really good run for most of those 2 miles.  But somewhere towards the end of mile 2, my stomach started to hurt.  It wasn't bad at first, but the farther I ran, the worse it got.  My pace slowed and I started to run/walk.  (Which took me down mentally - I really don't like to walk in a 5k.)  Eventually I started running without walking again, and I even attempted a fast finish to try to stay under 32, but didn't quite make it.

Part of me is disappointed in my time (32:02 on my garmin, 32:05 officially) but another part of me is just happy that I had the opportunity to run and that I finished.  Trying to make that second part stronger than the first, but it's difficult - I want that under 29.  I want it bad.   I'm confident that I'll be able to do it someday, and someday soon.  I've got 4 weeks until my next 5k.  I'm putting my laziness on the shelf and I'm going to work and train so I can get there and give my best honest 100% effort in the attempt.

Of course, I'll be training for my next half marathon at the same time.  Can I effectively train for both the speed of the 5k and the distance of the half?  Good question....  I'm sure there are some running experts out there that say it's a bad idea to try.  But I'm a rule bender.  And I have a feeling that I'll gain some speed as a side effect of the strength and endurance i'll be building as I train for distance.  I  may not make the under 29 at the next 5k, but I'm thinking (wishing? hoping? dreaming?) that I'll do it before the end of the year.


Pics of today's race, taken by the Herald Dispatch
Gallery: Pumpkin Run 5K - The Herald Dispatch
(I'm in the middle of the 9th picture in the gallery.  ;-) )

Cone Fest 2012

Spend most of the day today at a slalom skateboarding event

Joseph Kyle Smith ripping through the cones

Roller Girl Leah Devine tries out the course

 

Lucas - gonna be a force to be reckoned with as he gets older

 

Dennis Blevins and Joseph Kyle Smith go head to head



Marc takes a run on the course

All pics taken be me at the Kentucky Fried Cone Fest at Ashland Kentucky's Poage Landing Days