Summary

Just not my day. Garmin time of 2:14, didn’t bother to get the official print out to see the seconds.

The Race & the course

NCR Half Marathon. There is also a full and full relay. The race started at Oldfield's School, a private girl’s boarding school. After a quick loop around the school property, the race runs downhill to the NCR trail, a rail trail. After that, pretty simple, run north on the NCR trail until the turn around just about mile 7, then run back. The finish was on the NCR trail, which meant no return trip heading uphill.

Picture of the school from their website, not sure if you can fully see just how hilly the area is:

The NCR trail (not my picture):

Training

This was a disjointed training cycle. I joined the McMillan website in late August or early September. When selecting my plan, I remembered looking at 2 and thinking one looked too easy and less than what I’ve done in the past and the other looked challenging. The first 4 weeks on the plan  went reasonably well. Then the plan threw you into the deep end of the pool. After nothing at HM pace, the last week in September called for 3 x 2 miles at HM pace. I skipped it for a 10k. Then it got insane, stuff like 5 x 1 mile repeat at 5k pace. Um, no. I asked about the plan, was told I picked the advanced, so I dropped down to level 3 of 4. It had less quality, lots of 30-45 minute easy runs and then 5 x 1 mile repeats at 5k pace with 1/2 mile recoveries one week (which I did 4 x 1200). I just did not click with this plan at all. I don’t think I hit the paces for a single workout over the 12 weeks, aside from when I did the Baltimore half in place of a long run. That said, I did have a few 3 x 2 mile workouts that while slower than the plan, were faster than my current half PR, so I felt like I was in a decent place for the race.

Goals

A was PR, anything under 2:05:41. At this point, since it’s been 2.5 years, I was about ready to see if the time was recorded to the 1/100th of a second. Just anything under it.

B under 2:08:57. I ran most of this course in April. Only difference was that the spring race finished up the evil hill. I figured no ending hill should give me at least 1-2 minutes.

C under 10:00mm pace.

Pre-Race

This was the first year for the half marathon. Last year there were less than 300 in the full and maybe 100 in the relay. This year event sold out at 700 people. Parking was at a satellite lot unless you carpooled. School buses were shuttling runners from the parking area to the school. It is about a 2 mile trip on country roads with no shoulder and hardly enough room for a school bus. I see why this area can close separately from the rest of the county in bad weather. Thos roads would be scary in snow or ice. I got to the parking lot at 7:30, got on a packed bus that left at 7:45. Got to the school a little before 8. I had a bag I was going to put my jacket & long pants in, but decided to wait until after I hit the port-a-pot line. I got in line probably around 8:10, I did not get done until after 8:30. There were 9 (I think) POPs. 9! Not enough for 700 people, plus family, friends and volunteers, especially since everyone is trying to use them before the races started (8:30 for the full & relay, originally 8:45 for the half). Once the bathroom trip was taken care of, I went into the gym, took off my jacket & pants and checked my bag. I decided to keep my gloves. At this point, after standing in the line for 20+ minutes, I was freezing. My feet and hands were numb. I had on capris and a light long sleeve over a tank. Made my way back out, thinking 8:45 start, they decided to delay it until 8:55. Made on last trip to the POP, got in line with about a minute to spare.

The Out

The race started with a loop around Oldfields School, mostly downhill, then down the road to the NCR trail. For the initial part, I just didn’t want to kill my quads with the downhill. My feet were still pretty much frozen and my fingers hurt. Since there are very few landmarks on the NCR trail, not much stood out. Somewhere around mile 3 I wound up behind a guy who was really breathing heavy, I had to get past him. Then in mile 4, the fun started. I was peeking at my watch periodically, trying (and failing) to stay around a 9:30 pace. I glanced at my watch and saw 8:55. Even though I felt ok, I told myself to back off a bit. And then looked and no speed. Next glance 3:50 pace. OK, WTF is going on here. Then 7:30s. Yet, it didn’t feel that fast, I’m fairly certain it wasn’t, but no clue what it really was. My watch chimed for mile 5 at least 1/10 of a mile early. I was also starting to feel a little rough at this point. It never felt hard, but it sure wasn’t feeling easy. When I saw the turnaround, I decided to eat the Gu I had with me to see if it would give me a pick up. Went a tiny bit past the turnaround to get some water. Was just around 1:09 at the turnaround/mile 7. Knew any chance at a PR was likely gone, and was thinking just get under 2:10.

And Back

I think it was between miles 7 and 8 I decided to take off my gloves and stuck them under the straps of my sports bra. By this point, the crowding had eased. I felt like I had a pebble in my one shoe. I didn’t feel like stopping and taking my shoe off, so I would slow to a walk and try to shift my foot around. At some point, I put my gloves back on. My hands weren’t cold,they weren’t staying where I put them and I didn’t want to lose them.

Mile 10 is where thing really took a turn for the worse. I started feeling my stomach sloshing around. GD Gu. I’ve never been 100% sure if the stuff upset my stomach or not, now I am sure it does. Last year, I basically burped up shot blocks from 10 miles, I blamed the combo of those plus Gatorade at each water stop. Today, I did not have Gatorade near the Gu. I felt like crap from mile 10 to the finish. Around mile 9, I had started walking the gap between the full and half mile markers. Past mile 10, I was walking every half mile. And hoping that would keep my stomach from having a total revolt. Finally came around a corner to the end, had nothing in me to finish strong and it was good I didn’t bother since some lady decided that would be the ideal time to cross the finish area with her kids in tow.

Post Race

Here’s where the course & venue changes really showed. The finish was just under a mile from the start. However, it was uphill, no shoulder and super narrow. So I got on the bus and sat for several minutes. Got no reception on my phone. The bus then made a tight turnaround and went uphill. That was dicey. People were on both sides of the road. The bus was scraping tree branches on the side of the road. Got up to the school, collected my bag, changed clothes and then decided to see what food might settle my stomach. Grabbed a bag of potato chips, then went outside to get in line for the bus back to the parking area. This was easily another 10 minute wait. Slow ride back to the parking. Cars were parked near the finish area and the bus had hardly any room to cross a one lane bridge & make a turn.

FInal Thoughts

Despite the full being a long term race, there were some definite growing pains due to the addition of the half. I wasn’t a fan of the new start area--to me, the benefit of an indoor venue pre-race is indoor plumbing. There was none (well, there was, we just couldn’t use it) and there just were not enough POPs for the crowd. While I liked the lack of finishing hill, I think the logistics need to be worked out--maybe the finish needs to be moved back so there is more room at the end. 

I don’t know what to say about the race other than it wasn’t my day.

Wow, this sounds like some very difficult logistics for the race, not sure I would like that. I’m sorry you had a rough day. Were you taking the Gu plus Gatorade? I have done that before and my stomach was rocking and rolling! Lots of discomfort that shut me down. I try to use something beside GU, and always follow with water. Congratulations on sticking it out! And a 2:14 isn’t too shabby.

Docket, thanks.

Hog & OFR, I did the full (no half option) last year and the parking was a total non-issue. I don't know if it was doubling of participants or the change in venue, or maybe a combo of both. Last year the race started & ended at a different school. That school was on more main roads, so I think the buses moved a bit faster. I also think the people walking on the roads also slowed things down this year. Post race they were given instructions to stay to the left, you know, facing traffic. No one listened. On the bus ride back, there were to oblivious people pushing strollerrs with their back to traffic in front of the bus.

I tend to only hit the water stops if I am having a bad race. My fastest halfs, I may have stopped once, if that. Definitely done with Gu.

I did the full and pretty much echo everything you said. I boarded the 7:45 bus also thinking it should give me plenty of time to hit the porta-potty. Wrong. I stood in line 30 min. I didn't start till 8:50 but figured since I had a chip it didn't matter. Wrong again. Got my printout afterwards and my start didn't register because evidently they shut the mat off in-between starts. WTH?  I had to show them my garmin so they could enter my time manually. As you said, with the size of the field doubling, they need to work out the logistics. 9 port-a-pottys ain't gonna work. At least the weather was perfect.

Oh wow, I figured the start line was active the whole time, although I did see people from the half walking over it while waiting and waiting. Had I known my race was going to suck as much as it did, I would have just waited to go until entering the trail or used the indoor plumbing at Monkton Station.

I've read in the past 50:1 ratio for POPs, but that is for events. At races, I would think you need to up that a lot, since all the use is coming before the race. I wonder if they keep the same set up for next year? Oldfields just doesn't seem to be conducive to a lot of people. Those roads are not meant for that much traffic.

You sure had a rough training cycle and race. I remember you saying about picking the wrong plan. Some of those workouts sound insane. No good mentally when you can never hit the paces. Then your Garmin issue.  I've almost thrown mine during a race once....well in training too. Way to go for sticking it out and getting it done. You'll have better races in the future!

When the Garmin started going nuts, I was right by the river and really considered throwing it in. I've had it glitch at the start of runs often. I've had issues with Garmins in races before, but it was always in the same spot by Baltimore Police headquarters.

Sorry it was so rough.

Are you going to continue to use the McMillan site?

Nope, cancelled it this morning. I just did not click with the plans at all. Even workouts I considered a success were at slower paces than the plan called for.

Plus, I came to the conclusion that despite not having PRs to back it up, I felt way better in races in early 2016 after following the Hudson half plan (loosely). I probably was in PR shape then, but just had a string of shitty luck. Gale force winds for goal half. Short course at back up half. Flooded course complete with ducks swimming on it at a 5k. I've already penciled in the dates in my Hudson book for a spring half. Now just debating between 2.

LRB, this is a 2 mile bus ride. It sounds like they got a surge in registrations at the end.

I find if I start taking water or Gatorade, I've checked out.

Arimathea, there were 3 points for the buses. They were running to and from a business park about 2 miles away where people were supposed to park to the school and then from the end of the race back to the gym. In theory, you could also go from the end of the race to the parking area if you didn't check anything. Registration was capped at 700.

To the credit of the race, they already promised more POP next year.  I used fig newtons and on-course munchkins for my full, may have to get the fig newtons again, although typically I start eating & drinking when things go south.