Zel, in the grande scheme of your running career this will just be a blip for you. I think you are awesome and you're my hero. For real. Have always admired you.
~~~~~~~
Traci
I think if you can even out your splits in training, you'll do better in the HM....which in my experience means....MORE MILES! HOWEVER........BE NICE TO THOSE KNEES!!!
SheCan
(((((( Zelanie ))))))))
I know you don't want to hear it, but congratulations on another HM. This is really how the race experience is, is just dealing with whatever happens that day. And some days really suck. It sounds like you handled it with grace and as best as you could. Personally, you are so super fast, I wish I could have your PW as my PB.
Also, talking about the stomach issues, I swear there's something about races that really trigger them. I normally have no stomach problems at all. Come race day so many times my stomach is just churning. Sometimes I wish they could subtract my bathroom time outta my finish time. And that's from someone who generally has no issues that way. Its no wonder if you are already prone to GI issues, that racing would make it worse. I am sorry, and I do hope you figure it out.
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
This is really how the race experience is, is just dealing with whatever happens that day. And some days really suck. It sounds like you handled it with grace and as best as you could.
+1
Youth Has No Age. ~ Picasso / 1st road race: Charleston Distance Run 15 Miler - 1974 / profile
Mmmmm...beer
Heat and GI issues can make for a really bad race, that's what happened to me at RnR last Sept and I ran 11 mins off my PR. It's going to happen from time to time, just have to keep training and you'll rock the next one.
I'm glad your friend is ok!
-Dave
My running blog
Goals | sub-18 5k | sub-3 marathon 2:56:46!!
Thank you guys for all of the incredible kind things you have said! I'm sure that I don't deserve half of it, but I appreciate it all the same!
As far as training goes, I don't think I'll second guess my plan too much. There is no perfect plan. But adding longer race-paced work (or long runs with some pace work, even if it's not exactly at race pace), would be a good idea for the future, as would hill work.
I think the main thing that happened was that I psyched myself out and then lost my nerve. The stomach cramps could have been a result of that, actually. I do think the water played a part here. I am really not used to drinking while I run, and I was drinking early and often for this one.
I think my new race motto will be "cool as a cucumber". I'm tempted to go run a 10K or something like that without a watch (or, more realistically, with the watch set to a screen that provides no useful information so that I can see my splits later). Just pay attention to how I feel, and see what happens.
The official photos aren't out, but one guy has some free unofficial photos up. This is the only one that you can really see me in, since I'm shorter than everyone around me. It's right before mile 5, and you can tell things aren't looking good. Head down, feet barely coming up off the ground. I'm #255. Nobody is really looking all that happy, though, as you can see.
Wow, everyone is pretty much sucking wind in that photo. It looks hot.
Dave
uʍop ǝpᴉsdn sǝʇᴉɹʍ ʇI
I was just going to say the same thing! Great minds think alike.
Curious, I went back and looked at my race photos from my half - I was mugging for the photographers at the mile 5 mark but the conditions were cool. Based on the one still image it appears everyone in your photo looks heat-stressed.
The photo tells the story. Everyone in that shot looks very uncomfortable for mile 5.
Life is good.
The photo tells the story.
Bam.
Every now and again you will get a bad race shot that shows you looking worse than you actually feel, but not eight people at the same time.
I think this mystery is solved.
race obsessed
Z,
Good job in rough conditions. I can say first hand I feel ya on the blow-up and GI issues. I can say that I have walked in a race it isn't a joy, so congrats for keeping at it!
Zel so sorry to hear about the bad race, it happens, however your training rocks and you are very inspirational. I have all the faith that you will rock your PR. Don't take any one race to seriously, live, learn and move on.
Ron's PRs 5K 24:14 (12/07/2013); Half Marathon 1:53:33 (5/26/2013)