Beginners and Beyond

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Pittsburgh Half Marathon Race Report (May 5th, 2013) (Read 78 times)


Queen Of The Race Report

    So, almost two months ago I ran a race.

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    I know. But, in my defense, I was getting married and doing other shit in the meantime. SORRY ABOUT IT.

    So. It’s been forever, and this probably won’t be the best race report, but I have to say something about it so I can move on with my life and write about, I don’t know, married person things. Which, apparently, includes food and cats and crafts. That’s basically my life now.

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    But, Frank and I got up at 5am and drove to collect Ben, who was also running the race. I thought I’d be adorable and wear this:

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    Oh, and also this, which was a shower present from Juli:

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    Heck YES I will run for wine. ALL of it.

    But then I realized that maybe people thought Ben was my Mr. P when we were walking along and starting together. When I said this out loud, he (a little too enthusiastically) said “OH NO, I’M NOT, NO.” He then walked a little too close to the curb, which was as far away from me as possible.

    Frank deposited us somewhere, we peed in a magical port-o-pot that had no lines (Seriously, every time I run a race with either Sandy or Ben, we have this amazing timing that puts us right where we need to be with minimal waiting. It’s somewhat stressful, because ARE WE LATE? but we are never late, for some reason.), and waited to go.

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    And yes, if any of you are wondering, SPOILER ALERT, Frank took this picture and STILL went through with marrying me on June 1st after all. AMAZING isn’t it?

    So, the gun went off, and I was off.

    I spent the first whatever amount of miles just thinking “who cares, just get through this, and you’ll get married, and you’ll have a break, so who cares if you get a PR, and maybe your knee hurts, and also things.”

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    Hey, you’re right, it’s not. Whatever.

    But, the first three miles went something like this:

    Mile 1: 8:53 Mile 2: 9:38 Mile 3: 9:42

    This was sort of surprising since we started towards the back of the pack, and I did a lot of dodging people. But, I’d take it.

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    Mile 4: 9:37 Mile 5: 9:37 (couldn’t do that again if I tried) Mile 6: 9:47

    Around this time, as I have in the last few races, I tried to decide if THIS WAS THE RACE I would not walk at all….

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    Around this time, I started to maybe regret my life decision of wearing a shirt with a saying. I got a lot of

    “HEY RUNNING BRIDE!”

    and

    “HEY CONGRATULATIONS!”

    And that was nice. And I am sort of an attention whore that didn’t get enough attention as a child, so I’m making up for that via running and blogging about it.

    However, I also got a lot of taps.

    *tap, tap* Hey! Marriage is a walk in the park compared to this!”

    Ha.

    *tap, tap* HEY! CONGRATULATIONS!

    Oh. Thanks!

    Actually, after a while, whenever anyone even remotely bumped me or looked at me, I just said “thanks!” Like. They could have been saying “GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY YOU FAT COW,” and I would have said “thanks!”

    So, anyway.

    Mile 7: 10:14 (water break) Mile 8: 9:44 Mile 9: 9:47

    Around this point, as has happened in the last two times I did the Pittsburgh Half, I realized this race is sort of HARD. I mean. 13.1 miles is hard. But. The course feels harder every year I do it. Is that because I’m old? I’m only 29.

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    Yup, that again. Actually, in conflicting turns of events, the week before the wedding I went out with a few friends, and GOT CARDED. HECK YES I DID.

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    BUT. THEN. The other day, Frank and I were doing self check-out at Wal*Mart and the sign SAID they were supposed to card anyone who looked under 40. FORTY. I was not carded.

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    ANYWAY. RUNNING. RACES.

    Mile 10: 10:10 (that’s cool, right?) Mile 11: 10:05 Mile 12: 9:55 Mile 13: 9:14

    I knew it would be close, and I could MAYBE PR before the wedding, and wouldn’t that be magical?

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    So I ran that last bit as fast as my chunky legs would carry me.

    I did it! PR!

    2:08:34!

    To think. My goal used to be 2:10. I’m sort of wanting to SOMEDAY MAYBE hit 1:XX:XX, but that might be a bit much for me. I can’t decide if it’s attainable. I mean, sure it is. But. I enjoy running. I don’t enjoy speedwork. I DO it. But I hate it. I fear that training hard enough to take 8 minutes off of a half marathon might make me hate it. So, for now, I’ll just chip away at it and see where that gets me.

    Garmin Stats, including my apparently jet-pack jaunt back to Wheeling because I forgot to shut the damned thing off:

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    Here are some amazing finish photos (as usual):

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    After the race we had an issue where I don’t understand directions or where Frank wanted to meet me, so I finally found him after some Marco Polo action and we waited in Ben.

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    I look a little drunk, but ok.

    We collected Ben, and went back to his house to shower and wait on Sandy, who was running a leg of the relay with her fetus. When she was finished, we went and ate the heck out of some Indian Food. The End.

    And here are some photos of the medal:

     

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    Here’s the shirt (I love it!):

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    And here’s my updated race rack.

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    Boom. Race Report Done. Next Race: Presque Isle Half Marathon, July 21st. I might actually see if Frank wants to go early on Saturday and hit the beach for a bit. Who knows? We are married now.

    Blog: http://runstaceyrun.tumblr.com/
    Contact Info: LiveJournal/DailyMile/Twitter: staceyloobug
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/staceypurpura

    PRs: Marathon: 4:54:31 | 1/2 Marathon: 1:58:24 | 10K: 1:01:45 | 5-Mile: 46:04 | 5K: 27:01 | Longest Run: 26.2 Miles
    43 Races: (21) 5Ks | (2) 5-Milers | (3) 10Ks | (16) Half Marathons | (1) Full Marathon

    redrum


    Caretaker/Overlook Hotel

      Congrats!  Nice to see the pussy cat pics again.

       

      I was looking for the nudes and you didn't disappoint.  Indeed the cats are all nude.

       

      Big grin

       Randy

        The kittys are fantastic storytellers.  Missed them.  Congrats on the PR, and good luck on your lifelong race.

        “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” - T.S. Eliot


        Antipodean

          Better late than never. I love your kittycats. Great run & PR, too!

          Julie

           

          "It's not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves."

          ~ Sir Edmund Hillary

            I was very excited to see your post, because the one other time it was one of the most entertaining RR's ever. And then this, WTF? Kidding! Another entertaining RR, and congrats on the PR! You should post here more often, not just RR's. Or get the cats accounts, and they can just post on their own while you are at work or something. And on the shirt - I guess it should have been expected that anything incredibly clever and/or adorable (e.g. running in a costume) at the starting line would become an albatross over 13 miles. But admirable anyway I suppose.

             

            P.S.: maybe you do not come around here enough to know that I am the last person you should ever take training advice from. But I cut 13 min off my HM time without any speedwork whatsoever, just by basically doubling my weekly mileage volume. Not sure if that would be any more desireable to you. And looks like you have run a billion HM's, and I have run 2, so it's pretty funny that I would even say anything. But I guss that's what the interwebz are for.

             

            Congrats again!

            Dave

            Docket_Rocket


              Awesome RR, as usual, Stacey.  Congrats on the PR and the nuptials!

              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


              Hip Redux

                Ha, you crack me up.   Great job on the RR and the race and the wedding!

                 

                BTW - the part about getting tapped by folks made me think of this:

                 

                 

                daisymae25


                Squidward Bike Rider

                  Congrats on the PR and the wedding, and love your report, as always. Smile

                  kristin10185


                  Skirt Runner

                    I friggin love love LOVE your RRs!!! Congrats on your marriage and your PR, in order of importance not chronological Smile

                    PRs:   5K- 28:16 (5/5/13)      10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13)    4M- 41:43 (9/7/13)   15K- 1:34:25  (8/17/13)    10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14)     HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14)     Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)

                     

                    I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to


                    Queen Of The Race Report

                      I was very excited to see your post, because the one other time it was one of the most entertaining RR's ever. And then this, WTF? Kidding! Another entertaining RR, and congrats on the PR! You should post here more often, not just RR's. Or get the cats accounts, and they can just post on their own while you are at work or something. And on the shirt - I guess it should have been expected that anything incredibly clever and/or adorable (e.g. running in a costume) at the starting line would become an albatross over 13 miles. But admirable anyway I suppose.

                       

                      P.S.: maybe you do not come around here enough to know that I am the last person you should ever take training advice from. But I cut 13 min off my HM time without any speedwork whatsoever, just by basically doubling my weekly mileage volume. Not sure if that would be any more desireable to you. And looks like you have run a billion HM's, and I have run 2, so it's pretty funny that I would even say anything. But I guss that's what the interwebz are for.

                       

                      Congrats again!

                       

                       

                      Haha! No. Seriously. This was a lame RR. I'll try to work on it. I'm also going to attempt to be around here more often. I swear. With the wedding behind me, I have a void to fill, right? Right. Re: cutting off time: I run about 30 miles a week consistently, because that's about all I have time for. I could maybe add 5-6 miles here or there, but I don't know that it would be helpful, to be honest. I really DO need to work on the tempos and the speedwork. I JUST HATE IT.

                      Blog: http://runstaceyrun.tumblr.com/
                      Contact Info: LiveJournal/DailyMile/Twitter: staceyloobug
                      Facebook: www.facebook.com/staceypurpura

                      PRs: Marathon: 4:54:31 | 1/2 Marathon: 1:58:24 | 10K: 1:01:45 | 5-Mile: 46:04 | 5K: 27:01 | Longest Run: 26.2 Miles
                      43 Races: (21) 5Ks | (2) 5-Milers | (3) 10Ks | (16) Half Marathons | (1) Full Marathon


                      Queen Of The Race Report

                        Ha, you crack me up.   Great job on the RR and the race and the wedding!

                         

                        BTW - the part about getting tapped by folks made me think of this:

                         

                         

                        1) I'm now watching all of Arrested Development with my husband to get to the new season on Netflix.

                        2) I am like this EVERY DAY. I'm a weird toucher. I have a larger personal space bubble than most. It's amazing that I run so many races, because I hate being around people.

                        Blog: http://runstaceyrun.tumblr.com/
                        Contact Info: LiveJournal/DailyMile/Twitter: staceyloobug
                        Facebook: www.facebook.com/staceypurpura

                        PRs: Marathon: 4:54:31 | 1/2 Marathon: 1:58:24 | 10K: 1:01:45 | 5-Mile: 46:04 | 5K: 27:01 | Longest Run: 26.2 Miles
                        43 Races: (21) 5Ks | (2) 5-Milers | (3) 10Ks | (16) Half Marathons | (1) Full Marathon

                        Zelanie


                          Hey, congrats on the PR!  I love your RR and the kitty pix!

                           

                          I think sub-2 is totally doable for you without speedwork.  I think the biggest challenge of a half marathon isn't the ability to run fast, but the ability to hold a pace over distance.  And to me, that means more miles as the biggest priority.

                           

                          Or maybe I just think that because I like running more miles way more than I like doing speedwork myself. Smile


                          Trail Monster

                            Congrats on the PR! You've improved a ton since I started catching your reports! Sub-2 is probably closer for you than it is for me now. Nice work! And congrats on the wedding too.

                            2013 races:

                            3/17 Shamrock Marathon

                            4/20 North Coast 24 Hour

                            7/27 Burning RIver 100M

                            8/24 Baker 50M

                            10/5 Oil Creek (distance to be determined)

                             

                            My Blog

                             

                            Brands I Heart:

                            FitFluential

                            INKnBURN

                            Altra Zero Drop

                            Supersono99


                              I always love your RRs! This one was no exception. Congrats on becoming Mrs PR and Mrs P. is it a coincidence that your last name starts with p-urrrrrr? I think not.