Beginners and Beyond

1

RR - Lake Sammamish Half Marathon, 3/10/2018 (Read 33 times)

    I did not plan on posting an RR, but was just going to add a few additional comments in the dailies about it. Then it got completely out of control, and I pretty much gave myself no choice but to it give it its own thread.

     

    In December I hurt my back, my hamstring, and my hip, and was basically a mess. Took a couple weeks off, and started to build back up at the beginning of the year. I've been able to get to decent mileage, 50-60mpw, but have not gotten any speed back. Everything has been slow - easy paces, speed paces, the lot. So despite my PR of 1:35 last May, and my 3:23 marathon in October (7:47 pace), I set a goal of 1:40, targeting mid-upper 7:30s pace. I had not run 1:40+ since 2014, but this was going to have to do. And nothing in my training over the last 2 months suggested I could even hit that. Holding out hope for race day magic, and maybe would be able to speed it up if it was there.

     

    Course was flat. It was a clear, sunny day, but 29 degrees when I got there. My warmup felt really, really cold; ran it in my jacket & pants. Raced in long sleeve tee, shorts, and gloves, which ended up being pretty comfortable. Midway through the race maybe short sleeves & no gloves would've been better, but not really an issue.

     

    First mile was slow - a lot of congestion, as there were nearly 1400 people and the course was a standard asphalt multi-use trail. Things opened up after the first mile, but my body did not want to go faster than mid-7:40s. I was reluctant to push it too hard, since my goal was just a round number pulled out of the air anyway. And anyway - I haven't run a half in 6 months, and I had trouble regaining the muscle memory as to what HM effort should feel like.

     

    Around mile 5-6, the asphalt turned to gravel. I thought this thing was going to be asphalt all the way, so figured it wouldn't last long. Anyway, my other concern was that the mile markers started to diverge pretty dramatically from my watch. From 0.2 to 0.35 to 0.4. WTF? I was not happy. My pace was not getting any faster, slowing a bit if anything...didn't I just run a marathon at this pace? The race was getting longer, and based on my time at the mile markers I was actually looking at around 1:45. Ugh.

     

    IDK about you all, but while I am racing I pretty typically think about what I'm going to post on the forum about it. And I could only think this one was going to be an embarrassment. But it was around mile 7-8, while in a pretty dark place, that I came up with just posting "15 miles with 13.1 @ MP". And decided this was just going to be a strong marathon training run. Amazingly I instantly felt better about the race, and more relaxed overall.

     

    Then around mile 9, the gravel finally turned back to asphalt. Yes there were 3-4 miles of fucking gravel. The asphalt brought some spring back in my step, both literally and figuratively. By mile 10 I felt I had some gas left in the tank, and started to push it a little. I started to pass people, continued to pick it up, and passed more people. Markers were still way off from my watch through 11, and thought I was looking at a 13.5 mile race. I did not see a Mile 12 marker; when I saw 12.5 on my watch, I was mentally prepared for a mile to go. Then my watch hit 13, still thinking I was looking at 1:44-1:45, but then right away I see the 13 mile sign. Wut??? I pour it on to the finsh, and end up seeing 1:41 on the clock. Last 3 splits 7:33, 7:24, 7:10. Finishing strong and passing a ton of people was a lot of fun. So it ended up feeling like a pretty good day.

     

    Chip time 1:40:52
    AG 9/90
    Even with a PR, I would not have placed, as #3 M50-59 ran a 1:24.

     

    Up next: Eugene Marathon, 4/29

    Dave


    delicate flower

      Overall a very good performance, Dave!  It's hard to figure out race pace and feel when you haven't been able to train at that kind of intensity.  Definitely a good day considering the aches and pains you've had to deal with lately, especially your back.

       

      3-4 miles of gravel had to suck.

      <3

      PleasantRidge


      Warm&fuzzy

        It's pretty impressive when you can just go and throw down a sub 1:41 HM, after the last few months you've had.  I want to be like you when I grow up.

        Runner with a riding problem.

        Docket_Rocket


          Nice job!  Sounds like the course was tough but looks like you have improved a bit since the injury.  Hoping you get your speed back soon (I'm sure you will!)

          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

          GinnyinPA


            Did any of the other runners comment on the mile markers being off? Or was that an issue with trees blocking signal?

             

            Great job. It's always nice when there's enough left in the tank to push the pace the last couple of miles.

              Thanks everyone.

               

              Did any of the other runners comment on the mile markers being off? Or was that an issue with trees blocking signal?

               

               

              Other runners I talked to had the same problem. Which doesn't mean it wasn't a signal issue, since presumably everyone is connecting to the same satellite. IDK. Guess I should have asked people who had run it before whether that was typical - this has been a very popular annual race for some time. I had been wanting to run it for a couple years, because I thought it'd be a fast course, but the schedule never worked out. I knew it was flat, did not know about the gravel (not sure that is a completely accurate description, but it was definitely unpaved).

               

              Something I was looking forward to when I signed up was the shirt - I've seen them around a lot at other races, they do a nice looking long sleeve tech tee. And I could use more LS shirts. But instead, this year they gave away hoodies. Which ordinarily would be considered a big step up I guess, but I never wear hoodies, so I was kind of disappointed.

               

              Also, this was a point to point race. Usually IME it seems you park at the finish & they bus you to the start. But for this, you parked at the start and they bused you back from the finish. The start was at a mall. A big one, and not one I'm super familiar with; stupidly I did not make a very good mental note of where I parked. I knew where it was in relation to the start, but that was not exactly where we got dropped off. So I actually had to wander around for a pretty long time to find my car. Heh. That was pretty annoying, because by then I was getting cold again (they had a gear check but I didn't use it) and really just wanted to get home.

              Dave

              Docket_Rocket


                You should have worn that hoodie.

                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

                LRB


                  Climbing out of the darkness when you feel you're underperforming is a feat in and of itself.

                  onemile


                    Climbing out of the darkness when you feel you're underperforming is a feat in and of itself.

                     

                    +1 it's a lot easier to give up

                    and I would have been super annoyed at the gravel

                      It's pretty impressive when you can just go and throw down a sub 1:41 HM, after the last few months you've had.  I want to be like you when I grow up.

                       

                      This ^^^ sums up exactly my thoughts.  That gravel would have pissed me off.  Mental toughness has been demonstrated.

                       

                      I lost my car once at an event.  Worst 20 minutes of my life.  Good to know I'm in excellent company.

                      Half Crazy K 2.0


                        That's a great result given your injury issues. 1400 people on a multi use path sounds like a huge bottleneck. I'd be thrilled with a hoodie--the half I did in November did hoodies the year before and I was really looking forward to another. Instead they "upgraded" for a unisex Under Armour 1/4 zip.

                           unisex Under Armour 1/4 zip.

                           

                          I would so much rather have this. The Victoria Marathon gave away good quality New Balance 1/4-zips. I really like it, and could use another one. I had another race that gave them away but they were more like mock-1/4-zips - cheap tech shirt material, with very minimal neck coverage when zipped.

                          Dave

                          Half Crazy K 2.0


                             

                            I would so much rather have this. The Victoria Marathon gave away good quality New Balance 1/4-zips. I really like it, and could use another one. I had another race that gave them away but they were more like mock-1/4-zips - cheap tech shirt material, with very minimal neck coverage when zipped.

                             

                            The logo is on the back and just seems kinda slapped on there.  The sweatshirt was way better.

                            Runshortii


                              That's a great job considering the injuries and lack of focused training. The gravel sounds annoying.