Beginners and Beyond

12

Savin Rock HM RR - a little redemption (Read 81 times)


delicate flower

    A month ago I ran a hilly HM and finished in 1:53:56, which is over 17 minutes off my PR.  I had a very bad day, and a winter of flat treadmill running did not prepare me for a hilly HM.  I was done three miles into that race, and it was just 13 miles of painful suck.  So, I've spent the last month wondering what went wrong and if my fitness had really taken a big hit over the winter.  I had not gotten over that race.

     

    I've got marathon #4 on May 25 and today was a tune up.  Maybe a bit early for a tune up race, but I wanted to run this one.  I ran it once, in 2012, and finished in 1:48:03.  So I knew what to expect with the course but I forgot how tough it is.  4 miles of flat, 5 miles of rolling hills that lead up, 4 miles of downhill and flat.  It's not the toughest course, but it's tough enough and it makes you work.  Given the course, I knew I would not PR today (1:34:51).  However, my plan was to go out at PR pace anyway (7:15) and see what happens.  I knew I'd slow down when the hills hit.  If I blew up and had a repeat of a month ago, so be it.  I'd need to reassess my running if that happened.

     

    I lined up a few minutes before the start and spotted RA's own Ntown Kevin.  I introduced myself and wished him luck, then got the hell off the front row and settled in a few rows back.

     

    1.  7:12 - A little breezy headwind so I tucked behind a group of five.  Wind was really not an issue today but I wasn't going to chance it.

    2.  7:09

    3.  7:11

    4.  7:10 - Feeling good these first four miles.  In a groove.  Ahead of PR pace and I could have kept this going on a flat route, but alas....

    5.  7:31 - here come the hills.  I just wanted to survive the next five miles with some gas left in the tank.

    6.  7:47

    7.  7:34

    8.  8:05 - Miles 8 and 9 were the slowest the last time I ran this.  Same deal today, but at least today my pace was a minute faster.

    9.  7:59 - The last of the hills.  I'm through the hard stuff.  No repeat from a month ago.

    10.  7:23 - Starting to get very tired.  The five miles of rolling hills did a number on my legs and I could not get my early speed back.

    11.  7:36 - It's flat but I am slowing down.

    12.  7:44 - Still slowing but I am trying not to.  My legs are done.

    13.1  7:47 - Finished the race running on fumes!  Clock read 1:38:25.  Collected my medal, two bottles of water, chatted a bit with Kevin (he rocked it), then headed home.

     

    Finish time 1:38:26 according to Garmin.  Still waiting on official results and placement.  I'm not too worried about placement...I'm just happy that I ran a strong race.  If this was my PR course, I think I would have PR'd today.  I felt that good and strong.  I still have a ways to go before my "hill legs" are back though and I am working on that.  I've got 9 more weeks until my marathon and it feels like I am right on track with my training.  This HM course has more elevation gain than the marathon I'm doing.  It still boggles my mind that I had such a bad race a month ago, but I'm happy that it appears to have been an anomaly.  I mean, how does that happen?  I'm glad to put that one behind me once and for all.  Next race is a "quarter marathon" in two weeks (6.55 miles).

     

    Here's the profile on my log to give you an idea of the route.

     

    Race trinkets!

     

     

     

     

    werd

    <3

    LRB


      Nice way to redeem yourself Boon!

       

      What did you take in the way of hydration/carbs on the course, and did you take your usual pre-race gel in the corral?  Also, what did you do for a warmup?

      Pinktastic


        Way to go, Phil!  I knew last month's race was just a fluke!   Congrats on a strong race today!   Looking forward to your marathon RR!

        But The Smile That I Sent Out Returned With You.

           

          13.1  7:47 - Finished the race running on fumes!  

           

           

           

          Well then you certainly didn't leave anything out there! Nice race. Way to go out aggressive, just because why not, knowing (1) this was not a goal race, and (2) in a half, how bad can you really blow up anyway.

          Dave

          outoftheblue


            Sweet redemption!  Great job and that should be a nice confidence boost as you go into the final stages of your marathon training.

            Life is good.


            delicate flower

              Nice way to redeem yourself Boon!

               

              What did you take in the way of hydration/carbs on the course, and did you take your usual pre-race gel in the corral?  Also, what did you do for a warmup?

               

              I took a gel about 10 minutes before the race, then took another gel at mile 6.  That was all for in-race fueling.  I took two cups of water total from water stations.

               

              My warm up was my standard warm up:  1 easy mile with some strides up to HM pace.  I finished my warm up 20 minutes before the start, then stood in the bathroom line for 15 minutes.

               

              FYI, it was partly sunny and 30 degrees at the start.  I wore shorts, long sleeve tech shirt (Hartford Marathon), light gloves, and a fleece hat.

               

              Results are up:  1:38:23 official.  60/415 OA, 15/56 AG.  My placement percentile is much higher on flatter courses.  Need to run more hills!

              <3

              Brrrrrrr


              Uffda

                Great job Baboon. Smile

                - Andrew


                SheCan

                  When I read RRs like this, it makes me wanna be fast. You did absolutely fantastic-- way to rock out those hills and (hopefully) go for the PR.  What a great race, and awesome shark booty to bring home!

                   

                  EDIT-- I just saw you didn't quite make the PR, but still, some times you just have to try for it.  You rock!

                  Cherie

                  "We do not become the people who this world needs simply by turning our backs on anyone we don’t like, trust, or deem healthy enough to be in our presence. "  ---- Shasta Nelson

                  Jack K.


                  uʍop ǝpᴉsdn sǝʇᴉɹʍ ʇI

                    That is a great time on those hills, Baboon. The RR I am waiting for is coming shortly after May 25. Well done!

                    happylily


                      Now, some annoying well-intentioned people will tell you that you started way too fast and that that is why you ran your last miles on fumes. But I will say to those people: Look at that finish time, who the heck cares about the darn splits!  Congrats, baboon! Way to kick your demons out of the way!

                      PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

                              Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

                      18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

                      Zelanie


                        That's great news!  You are definitely ready for a new HM PR on a better course! Smile  Glad you had the guts to go out at that pace just to get a feel for it, without letting the last race get you too rattled.  And good job on those hills!

                          Vouching for the legitimiditidedness of those hills. They were no joke.

                           

                          Solid race, man. Hope I see you out on another CT course in the near future. In the meantime, good progress towards VT city...

                          Come all you no-hopers, you jokers and rogues
                          We're on the road to nowhere, let's find out where it goes


                          Hip Redux

                            Excellent!  Smile

                             

                            Glad the weather held for you too!

                             

                            workinprogress11


                              Great job!  It must be quite the confidence booster going into your marathon.  Congratulations!

                              runwell3


                                Great job Phil!  Your experience at Colchester will only make you an even stronger runner...it's a super tough course for a February half, especially coming off a lot of tm training.  The sloppy conditions on mi. 6 & 9 did not help the mental struggle much either, but you pushed through to a very respectable time & now you're beginning to reap some of the benefit.  Good luck at Vermont City...my fingers are crossed for you to BQ there.

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