Beginners and Beyond

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Baltimore Half Marathon (Read 59 times)

Half Crazy K 2.0


    Summary

    I ran the Baltimore half marathon, finish time 2:17 something. I made the race day decision to treat it as a long training run with a fast finish.

     

    Background/ Training

    Three years ago, during this race, I swore I would never, ever do a fall half again. I would overheat on long training runs, which would turn into death marches. Then it was humid race day and I spent the section on 33rd Street trying to decide if walking off the course to meet DH (several of the roads run from the city to county). Only reason I didn’t was it would be a bigger pain in the ass to get my car then finishing the death march. My no fall halfs, ever, lasted 2 years. I did one last year, it was humid again, and then decided since training for a half was in the tank, a late fall full would be a better idea.

     

    I started with a Daniel’s plan, but then switched to the McMillan on-line plan. I was really struggling. The workouts were hard. I was not hitting the paces on anything and was feeling rather discouraged with the whole thing. I learned this week I picked the most advanced plan. Oops.

     

    Overall, my mileage has been at my higher end since July. That said, I felt like the lack of long runs with quality would be an issue.

     

    Goals

    I had so many different thoughts about this. When I decided to do this race,the initial thought was since it was 12 weeks after the start of the 1st plan, if all went well & weather cooperated, a PR would be the goal (2:05:40 or less). And if I did that, I’d switch the half on 11/25 to the full. Next was a course PR (2:12), even if it is different from the last time. Then it was run the workout as planned--13 miles with a fast finish last 2-4 miles. After sweating my ass off yesterday just walking a mile to run some errands while my car was serviced, I pretty much knew conditions would not be ideal.

     

    Pre-Race

    This race starts at 9:45. This is so the marathon winners finish before the half. It also means massive road closures. I drove past downtown, picked up light rail for an easy 15 minute ride in. I got there about an hour early. The bathrooms were open at Camden Yards, so I stopped in there first. I then sat and watched the marathon leaders for a while before heading into Harbor Place to use their indoor plumbing. I had on a throwaway fleece, I kept it til the start, but it was not really necessary. 

     

    As in the past, the corrals were merely suggestions. I was in corral 3. New this year, some spectators decided the corrals gave them a better view of the full. Every year the race organizers claim the corrals will be enforced. Every year, they aren’t. In addition to the spectators, there was such a mix of numbers that it was impossible to really know you were in the proper corral. Race bibs start with 10, 20, 30, etc. 10 indicates corral 1, 20 corral 2, etc. The random spectators also made me wonder about security.

     

    Miles 1-3 10:25, 10:50, 10:08

    I mentally divide this race into sections.First section is downtown to Patterson Park. Since I had made the decision to treat it as a long run, I also was going to run at a pace that felt comfortable and did not make me weave all over the place. My Garmin went a little crazy in the first mile due to the buildings. Lots of walkers, despite MANY messages in multiple places that they needed to start in corral 5. I did see 2 women running with cans of Miller light in mile 3. Between miles 3 and 4, the half and full courses merge. I feel bad for the marathoners as it is really crowded. I started hitting the water stops at mile 3. I usually skip them, but figured with the warmer day, it could hurt. Plus, it’s so congested around them anyway, trying to run through there in the later corrals is nearly impossible anyway.

     

    Miles 4-6 10:15, 10:17, 10:52

    The climbing begins. Mile 4 was the first unofficial beer and drink stop. Looked like they had some sort of shots, mimosas and Natty Boh. I passed. There was also a guy handing out Cowtails, I grabbed 2 for later.  Somewhere in mile 4, a lady was standing on the sidewalk on a phone. The part of the conversation I heard was something about grabbing a blade and cutting his bitch ass . Um, ok. Welcome to east Baltimore, hon. There was also a sign up by Johns Hopkins Hospital made by Penn State fans that said Mile 17, Michigan still sucks. I’m a bad wife, I didn’t tell them to shove the sign for DH, At JHH, is the turn onto Washington Street, which starts the long ass hill. Nothing steep, just never ending. Somewhere around mile 6 is the final relay exchange point. It looks like they tried to section off a lane for the runners coming in. Lots of people around that area. I also wonder how screwy the race result are going to look. There was a mat somewhere before mile 6. It looks like they tried to set up comes to funnel runners to half the road. Wasn’t working. When I went by, I went over the edge, but everyone on the left side of the road totally missed the mat. WHY?! There are 10,000 in the half, plus 3-5,000 in the full. Why on earth are you trying to funnel them onto one side of the road.

     

    Mile 7 & 8 10:29, 10:37

    Lake Montebello. I look forward to this, because it is a loop around a reservoir and it is flat. Today there was also no wind. Ah.There was music, which was a nice pick up. I will not embarrass myself by saying what was playing that gave me a boost. Exiting the lake, there was a total pain in the ass out and back uphill section. It appears they had a high tech cheater detector.  There was no mat at the top, but some sort of camera that picked up a split. I was feeling ok, but enough with the hills already.

     

    Miles 9 & 10 10:42, 11:04

    33rd Street. This section is probably the most challenging section mentally. After all the climbing in the first half, followed by the flat lake, the false flat of this road is just cruel. Mile 9 was the Munchkin mile, I grabbed one. There was a runner down in this section, assuming overheated. EMTs were getting there as I went by.

     

    Miles 11-finish 10:34, 10:17, 9:43, last .23 7:53 pace

    I think of this part as the almost done section. The course was changed this year, mainly because finishing in the baseball stadium only works if there is no baseball being played. The organizers decided it made sense to finish at the harbor instead of needing to make last minute changes (which happened in 2014) to the race start times. The new course meant the turn on Maryland Ave would be the road I’d be on though the finish. There was a cop somewhere in mile 11 who was really into his course marshalling--lots of motivational yelling & gesturing. The crowding in the course never really let up. If anything, in these final miles it was a little worse. Lots of walking. Lots. It was a challenge for me to keep running. There were still hills. Which I really made an effort not to curse yet another fucking hill--probably best to keep my f- bombs to myself while wearing a charity shirt which is also where I work. After what was the final hill, I started a street countdown. Ok, there’s Monument, get to Fayette and then you can really push it. Ok, there’s Fayette, Baltimore, Pratt should be coming up. Shit, I forgot Lombard Street. Ok, now there’s Pratt. Made the turn and kicked it up to the finish. It probably shows I ran this not at race effort that I did the last .23 in under an 8mm pace.

     

    Post Race

    I actually got food! This is the first time in four that I actually got food at the end of the running festival. They had multiple tables with snacks and water. I grabbed more Cowtails. I then went into Harbor Place ad bought a slushy cherry lemonade and a bagel dog. A nice touch was that Baltimore City Police were handing out the race medals and were in charge of the snack tables.

     

    FInal Thoughts

    While I would have liked to have been faster, given the absolute crap my long runs have been, I felt this was the first long run I was actually able to execute. Given the warmer conditions and crowding, I felt I ran the smartest race I could.

     

    Being the 4th time I’ve done this race, there are some little details I noticed that make me wonder about the race’s finances. Past shirts have been 4 color printing (red, yellow, black & white) to incorporate the MD flag. This year’s only had 2 color. There used to be free parking for the expo, this year it was $5. Minor details, but just makes me wonder.

     

    Here's a picture of Cow tails, no clue if these are national. It's caramel with a confectioner sugar center. They are really good, hence my taking them where ever they were offered.

    Coastal


      Great RR.  Really enjoyed reading it.  I've never seen a Cow tail not attached to an actual cow so don't think they are a thing in the PNW, or in my tiny slice of it anyway.

      Docket_Rocket


        Great job on the race.  Glad there was no death march this time and that you decided to have fun with it.

         

        Never seen those cowtails but we have something similar in PR in little pieces. Yum.

        Damaris

         

        As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

        Fundraising Page

          Nice job, glad you were happy with the outcome. So are you doing the full later in the fall - which one?

           

          No I have never heard of Cowtails, and I've been around. However it looks like if you slice them up, they turn into a candy we had called Bullseyes.

           

          Dave

          Half Crazy K 2.0


            DavePNW, same company. Goetze's is in Baltimore.

             

            As to the full, sticking with the half for NCR on 11/25. That course is way more conducive to a PR. I'll decide after that if I want to do a President's Day full.

            GinnyinPA


              Nice race report. Given the crowding, it doesn't seem like a PR was likely even if it had been cooler.  I never heard of cowtails either, so thanks for the picture.

              Docket_Rocket


                Nice job, glad you were happy with the outcome. So are you doing the full later in the fall - which one?

                 

                No I have never heard of Cowtails, and I've been around. However it looks like if you slice them up, they turn into a candy we had called Bullseyes.

                 

                 

                OK, those are the ones we have in PR but I think they have another name.  Nom Nom.

                Damaris

                 

                As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

                Fundraising Page

                Cyberic


                  Did what you said: grabbed a beer and sat down in my La-Z-Boy for the read. Good read, too. I enjoy RRs, and I enjoyed yours Smile

                   

                  The crowds is something I do not experience much after the first mile as I'm a bit faster than average. But in Boston, in a crowd of people my speed, I felt what it was like, and I hated it. And the way you describe it, it was worse for you with the narrowed road section with the mat and stuff. I need my space. I guess we all do.

                   

                  Glad you're happy with your race, as that is a huge thing! Disappointing races lead to existential questions. Bleh!  Happy races, on the other hand, make us hungry for more!

                   

                  Speaking of hungry, needless to say I had never heard of a cow's tail before, but they look/sound delicious!

                   

                  Beer is half empty.


                  Booyah!

                    I was there also--you ran a smart race in the heat, me not so much, I stayed on my goal pace and paid at the end.

                    By the  time I hit 13.1 I was already feeling the heat and the 1/2 hadn't even started yet. Hills were brutal, yes.

                    I am planning on running the NCR race also, it is flat and should be cool, i don't see how you wouldn't PR there.

                    Nice job today considering the conditions, go enjoy a kupkake.

                    PR's:

                    5K- 20:15 (2017)   HM- 1:39:38 (2012)    FM- 3:26:53 (2016)

                    Half Crazy K 2.0


                      Coastal, thanks. You are missing out on the caramels.

                       

                      Docket, I did some important research. Any chance the caramels are called Bullseyes? Never heard it before, but that's what they were called on the Goetze's website.

                       

                      Ginny, I'd be surprised if the Cow Tails aren't somewhere near you. They probably ship better than some other Baltimore specialties such as Berger cookies

                       

                      Cyberic, thanks. Hope you enjoyed your beer.

                       

                      Softball Guy, thanks. I actually thought conditions were better than 2014, last time I ran it. I did not adjust that day and paid dearly. Having done the half, I don't think I could do the full knowing that is the 2nd part. Is it really brutal around the zoo? Hopefully weather is nice for NCR, I'm looking forward to only needing to run down the hill from Oldfields School and not back up it.

                      zzyzx


                        I've seen cowtails in gas stations all over the country.

                          I've seen cowtails in gas stations all over the country.

                           

                          I suppose I probably have too, but never noticed it, and now I will see them everywhere. My wife has already expressed her astonishment that I claim to have never heard of them.

                          Dave

                          zzyzx


                            I know I've seen them in Seattle for that matter.

                             

                            But I also roadtrip a lot and in my younger days I used to live off of gas station junk food.

                            LRB


                              The cow tails I had growing up were in pieces like the ones DaveP posted.

                              Coastal


                                Now I will have to check out a gas station and try one.

                                .

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