Quick Summary:

A refocus attempt after marathoning led me to pick a very competitive and fast half marathon course. I mostly trained through this, having taken two days unexpectedly off due to life and weather, I felt a little refreshed for the race and wanted to see where I was in my fitness and mental aspects.

Goals:

1st Strong race!

2nd Low 1:2x

3rd PR

Finish time:

1:23:50 - 2:39 PR

101st Overall - 12th/434   40-44

7,000 total runners

Long Report:

Having trained for 24 weeks for a major marathon attempt and completing it, I have spent the last 2 months trying to get re-energized.  I have been running and training nearly every day but lack the verve and shear drive that I had during my marathon training.

In an attempt to really re-invigorate myself I picked a known, fast and competitive half marathon to work towards.  Because of my mentality of late I did not want this to be a goal race, but rather a 'lets see where I am and see about kicking some butt.' type of race.

The Tuesday prior to the race was a rather hard interval session which involved a mulch course with switchbacks, hills and really technical terrain. Running this with my coach and teammates really makes you work and want to work.

Warm-up + 10x100m pressure + 100m jog between + 800m recovery followed by the same at 200m and 300m + cool down. around 9 miles worth of pain and torture. Not only am I exhausted but I have a rather nasty blister in which to race on.

That stings... A lot (pre-race)

No worries, I can handle it.  The course is a net downhill with a couple of minor flats and blah hills.  Fast and easy!  To boot my hotel is literally 300m from the race start line and I am able to warm-up hit the hotel for restroom and last minute necessities and then jog to the start ready to go in less than 5 minutes.

3M race goodie bag...  ankle support and stuff...  love the 3M

Mile 1 – 6:15 – 44F – 7mph wind

This race pulls in serious runners and it is not long before the line is jam packed, I give some ground and let them file right ahead of me.  The race starts with a rush, but pace wise for me I take it a fairly conservative 5:56, I have plenty of time and a lot of miles to go. By the end of this mile an unknown friend pops beside me and asks who I train with, he recognized my shirt, and low and behold he has also trained with my coach.  A quick chit chat and we decide to stay together making the next hour a perfect check and balance for each of us.

Mile 2 – 6:04

The fastest mile of the race, it is early and we have had one of the quickest downhill portions. The lead pack has strung out, unlike most races though the field is still rather dense and we have at least a dozen other runners near us.

Mile 3 – 6:22 - 3 mile split-  18:41

A large sigh from both of us as we carefully relax and the first few slightly flat areas crop up.  Odd thing with downhill races, when you level out it feels like a hill.  When it is a hill it feels like the start of a mountain.

Upon seeing the split time, I note my last untapered 5k was an 18:40.

Legs feel good, nice spring and breathing, I am not even taxed.

Mile 4 – 6:22

More of the same, a few minor downhills, flats, and bumps.  My buddy and I start passing a few folks and checking each other if one or the other falls back.  We swap and trade positions, nothing to worry about.

Mile 5 – 6:25

The first little hill feels a little taxing, recall I mentioned hills feel a little like mountains? I remind my buddy to relax as I see and hear him tense.  Or maybe it was me, regardless we both relax and take it in stride.  At this point I have begun to leave him a little more and his response to catch up is slowing.  The first time it creeps in my mind that not only are we the same age bracket, but I may be more fit.

Mile 6 – 6:22 – 6 mile split – 37:50

The 6 mile split clock ticks away and I am a little surprised at the timer.  I have not raced a really good 10k in a long time, though I expect I should be in the 36's. I push it away as my buddy catches back up.

He mentions my form still looks good. I hope so since this is only half way into the race.

We both discuss current physical condition, I mention that I am starting to feel training fatigue set in.  My spring is starting to go. He mentions calf fatigue...

Mile 7 – 6:21

We both spend this mile and the next fairly quiet, in myself I am starting to calculate fatigue vs. distance.  I am not worried, but I am thinking.

Mile 8 – 6:15

More downhill and less flats and hills lead this to be one of the fastest miles of the race. Leg wise I very much appreciate this mile, I can coast and rest a hair. If I recall the next mile or the one after starts the largest hill of the course. I note, I am no longer springing off my forefoot on every step, midfoot and some heel is coming into play.  Crap...

Damn near mirror image

Mile 9 – 6:20 - 9 mile split 56:36

Having never raced a 9 mile distance the split timer might as well be in Greek. This deep into the race and I can't think through the math, nor do I want to.  It doesn't matter, the only thing that does matter is that my buddy has found a resurgence and I am starting to have a time putting rubber to the road. The jelly legs have started and this is the first time I have the thought, he is in my age bracket and I better damn well keep him in striking distance.  I have a mean kick!

Mile 10 – 6:40

There it is, the hill. It is not horrible, it is just perfectly timed. My legs feel a bit like mushy lead, we have turned and the morning sun is directly in my eyes and my running partner is pulling ahead consistently.

I can't see and need to either squint, look down or sideways to get any relief. Unfortunately all of that leads to me not focusing on my goal, which is directly ahead in the sun.

Mile 11 – 6:34

Still in the same hill! It wasn't this long on the map or the elevation chart,  Where the hell is the end? To boot the damned road is straight and has been straight. Still into the sun, still uphill, still have mushy lead legs.  I hate this, why the hell do I race?  Oh I am pissed and disgruntled at myself.

Two damned miles to go, stick with it.

Mile 12 – 6:24

The road finally turned and on a flat.  Two for one, no damned hill no damned sun and  I can finally see... unfortunately I see my partner 400 meters ahead and he takes a turn downhill.  As I head toward the downturn I know I have better downhill speed, if I can just get my legs to move. I gain on my partner but he keeps regaining his lead.  75 meters + or - really doesn't cut the cake. At this point with a mile left I simply can not make up the growing lead he has.

Mile 13 – 6:21

Mile 13... fight off everyone else that I can and keep my effort. I am so close I can taste it. Depending on the hills I think I am tapping in the 6 min/ mile range, but every flat or bump slows my pace down.  I can't push. I want to push. Pissed has given way to 'damn it'. Finish with even effort, don't give up...

As I start the last half mile I enter the very last hill.  yes... ending up a rather steep hill then slightly flat to the finish.

Mile 13.1 - 6:26

After that hill I have no kick as I turn the final corner at the 13 mile mark.  I know I should kick, it is only 160 meters, but I just can not muster the mental strength nor physical grunt to fly.  I could catch the guy right in front, barely and the guy 5 seconds behind is no threat.  I finish, strong but not an 'OMG death face'.

Post 13.1 -

I am tired, not exhausted, not passing out. But that was a solid effort and I do feel a little wobbly on my feet.  I meet up with my partner and we talk a little. I finished a little over a minute behind him and find out he routinely runs negative splits, that race was a 10 sec per mile faster last half. which is exactly why I could not close.

I was hoping for a 1:21-1:22 given the course, but ended up just a little shy.

Overall good race.

Finish time and temp: 47F

1:23:50 - 2:39 PR

101st Overall - 12th/434   40-44

I did not expect to place knowing the quality of the field in this race. As a note the first 4 finishers were in the 1:07s, first 10 were 1:10 or better. Masters winner ran a 1:16 and first two women were 1:13s.

My time wouldn't even touch the first 10 women.

It was a joy to run in that field though I was pissed in the last miles, I am overall pleased with my performance. Maybe given the right race, right conditions, right training and right taper *maybe* I can be in the sub 1:20s... until then I train.

Post Race

This was the first large race of any distance that I traveled to and stayed overnight without my family.  And though it is in a way a relief to be able to do whatever I want or need  to get ready, I sure did miss them.

Especially the night before at my one person pre-race dinner and the lunch after at my post race meal. But I did attempt to share...  the wife liked the images, but it was not the same.

Roasted garlic & Goat cheese with black pepper

Angus burger with Bluecheese

Black Ale and American Brown Ale

Wow, that is a seriously fast field!  My husband did a half that was the local championship race and I was amazed at how many people finished sub-1:15!

Great job.  What's up next now?

Running this with my couch and teammates really makes you work and want to work.

You run awfully fast for someone carrying a couch.

Nice race, congrats on the PR!

Good strong consistent effort.  Congratulations on the PR.  Did you eat both burgers?

Nice racing and congrats on the PR

Thanks all!

PAD if I recall correctly we are not meeting today. (but I may go out a little earlier and just run easy miles around the area.)

That is a great RR Slymoon. Congrats on the PR and on the strong race.

I am always so impressed by your training and racing. You seem to have quite a high tolerance for intense training. I can't wait to read about your next marathon, you will crush your already excellent PR. Well done, Sly! You're a beast!