Runs4Sanity
In short, I got my arse kicked royally (or at least in my head I did). Goal A was to beat my PR of 1:56:38 while Goal B was to finish under 2 hours..... neither happened.
Temperature was 61 degrees and the sun was coming up and out, things started out good, not a lot of people to zig zag around and I was feeling pretty good. Just after mile 1 a friend found me and we started chatting about running, our kids and stuff like that I noticed my pace was slowing down but told myself it was probably a good thing. Around mile 4 she decided she'd move ahead a bit, but ended up chatting with some other friends and I passed her. I had a chocolate gu just before mile 5 and washed it down with some water. They had water at just about every mile marker which was consistently .1 miles ahead of my garmin and then mile 7 came up really soon, my garmin was at 6.83 when mile marker 7 came up. At this point I could feel myself tiring, I felt like I had a magnifying glass between me and the sun (I hate the sun by the way). Instead of drinking water, I was pouring it on me to stay cool.
Around or just before mile 8 someone's dog got loose - her name is Sadie by the way, a beautiful brown and white bully breed who has no self-preservation whatsoever - and I was scared she was going to get hit so I stopped and tried to get her to come to me (I stopped my garmin too), she was too excited and had no interest in being caught but after 25 seconds or so she ran back to her owner and I was back to running. I lost my groove at that point, the groove that was slowly waning anyways but it was officially gone.
From mile marker 9 to every mile marker after that I walked for 30 seconds to even a minute at one point around mile marker 11 on my garmin. At this point I am pretty sure I had poured a gallon of water on myself, I was drenched in water and still felt like crap. The right arch in my foot was crying in pain, most of this course was on that old, sidewalk type of concrete and it was hurting.
I tried thinking of a few people to push me on, but I just felt like I had hit a wall and my spirit had abandoned me. Really, it was all more mental than anything except for the pain in my arch, I just don't like the sun which is why I run at 3-4 AM but that doesn't help me prepare for races that are held during daylight.
Anyways, I finished and saw the clock saying something like 2:01:40 or whatever but they won't have the actual results until Tuesday (so I heard). I will go off my garmin for now which said finish time of 2:01:33 with an average pace of 9:14 min/mile. Warning: my splits were all over the place this time.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 9:06
Mile 2 - 9:41
Mile 3 - 9:18
Mile 4 - 8:56
Mile 5 - 8:59
Mile 6 - 8:53
Mile 7 - 9:10
Mile 8 - 8:53
Mile 9 - 9:29
Mile 10 - 9:23
Mile 11 - 10:21
Mile 12 - 9:36
Mile 13 - 9:46
.1 - 9:46
There are no pics (sorry) and when I get the official results I'll edit this report. Also, while I was dying my son ran a mile or 10 laps on a little concrete circular pathway that was .1 miles in total length - yay Dorian!
*Do It For Yourself, Do It Because They Said It Was Impossible, Do It Because They Said You Were Incapable*
PRs
5k - 24:15 (7:49 min/mile pace)
10k - 51:47 (8:16 min/mile pace)
15k -1:18:09 (8:24 min/mile pace)
13.1 - 1:53:12 (8:39 min/mile pace)
26:2 - 4:14:55 (9:44 min/mile)
Chit chattin' is for the checkout line at the grocery store.
I know , she started running with me and I have this issue where I feel so rude if I don't talk a little to person running with me that I know. That is why I am so glad she decided to talk with others, otherwise things would've been so much slower.
Are we there, yet?
And for psyching out the competition. If you can chit chat while they're huffin' and puffin', they might decide they're running too fast and slow down.
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
Former Bad Ass
I felt like I had a magnifying glass between me and the sun (I hate the sun by the way). Instead of drinking water, I was pouring it on me to stay cool.
Yeah, that's how the sun feels, ugh. Good job! You need to learn to adjust race pace for weather and it sounds like you had a bit of a warmish weather for you. But still, good job overall.
I like to evade chit chatting with my music. Sorry? No can hear you. Bye.
Damaris
I know, we actually have never talked other than FB and at first I half expected her to push me because before her pregnancy and giving birth she was one of the top females in our area for 5ks, 10ks and half marathons and had even ran 2 Bostons. I think she is still struggling with self-confidence trying to get back into running, also at mile 3 her husband showed up with their son and paced her the rest of the race.... he works with a lot of races behind the scenes and runs them too, so I am sure he pushed her at her low points. I've never "chit chatted" with anybody during a race dang it, and I had really built myself up for kicking ass dang it.
Still aggravated, I guess today just wasn't my day for a great PR.
Lol, that didn't happen to either of us but she's got more experience with racing than I do and more confidence with it.
I haven't gotten to that level yet but will keep that in mind as I have been working on running race pace for a given distance comfortably if that makes sense.
I do seem to be able to yell at volunteers with relative ease though, "WHICH WAY?! WHICH WAY?!
1. Chit chattin' is for the checkout line at the grocery store.
2. Dogs can generally take care of themselves.
Sorry things didn't work out better you. They can't all be great days. Someone smarter than me can probably look at your training & make some suggestions. The only thing I would say is to pick races earlier in the season. Late May in your area is likely to be warm, which might not be as big a deal for 5k/10k, but has a huge effect on HM or longer.
Dave
Based on what I know about your next race, that should not be an issue.
It might be for you though. Have you seen that thing?
This was a spur of the moment race, I signed up like a month ago after seeing this same friend sign up for it, I figured since my other 2 half marathons earlier this year fell through I would take this one as I don't plan on any summer races. I haven't been training for getting faster, my focus has been more mileage and going longer but I guess I really felt like I had more in me.
2. Dogs can generally take care of themselves. Sorry things didn't work out better you. They can't all be great days. Someone smarter than me can probably look at your training & make some suggestions. The only thing I would say is to pick races earlier in the season. Late May in your area is likely to be warm, which might not be as big a deal for 5k/10k, but has a huge effect on HM or longer.
on my way to badass
Still waiting for the perfect race picture. 5K PR-33:52 , 10K PR 1:11:16, First HM 2:42:28
At half marathon pace, even from the beginning isn't really conversational for me, at least not for more than a short phrase or two. Also, I need to focus maintaining effort and conserve energy. It's no wonder you slowed. I would have let her know up front I was racin' not out for a jog and chat. (I'd have also let the loose dog get away though, I don't worry about being nice during races).
Heat can be rough in the spring. Weather is unpredictable and there's no chance to acclimate.
Sounds like if nothing else, this race was a good learning experience. And for all that, you weren't really too far off your PR. Hope the next one is better.
I agree, for me, chit-chatting and racing don't mix. If I'm talking I'm wasting energy! It wasn't your day, but I think your time is very respectable, all and all.
Life is good.