Having run this race as my first half marathon exactly one year ago, I knew what to expect of the challenges of the course and of the possible weather conditions. But clearly, I train on very very flat terrian. This is known as being a relitively flat course so why did I feel like I was running uphill the entire way?
It was a chilly 40F at the start and overcast - perfect racing conditions for me. I was well rested and carbed up so I knew I had a chance at meeting my time goal of 2:15 which would give me a PR by 14 minutes. We lined up according to pace per mile, me with the 10:00 group and my dad with the 11:00 group. We were 3,500 strong and pressed shoulder to shoulder. I prepared myself for a slow first mile so you can imagine my surprise when I clocked a 9:54. 10:15 was my goal. Pull back, I thought to myself, don't go out too fast.
The first waterstop was a mess, almost like the poor volunteers weren't quite ready for us yet. I decided to skip it. The next few miles passed in a blur while the crowd thinned out and we found our rhythm.
Mile 2: 9:30
Mile 3: 9:22
Mile 4: 9:26
At mile 5 I took my first gel and inhaled as much water as I could without choking or stopping. I knew it was early in the race but I thought if I could hold on to that pace, I would shatter my time goal.
Mile 5: 9:48
Mile 6: 9:44
At mile six, we started the long stretch up High Street and the entire thing felt like I was running in a wind tunnel. I swore and cursed the sky. Wind bites. But I decided no amount of wind was going to stop me. I made the wind my bitch and kept plugging away.
Mile 7 & 8: 20:51 (forgot to hit the lap button)
More uphill, more wind. more swearing. Somewhere around here I had to stop and walk for a minute and catch my breath. My heart rate had gotten too high and I needed to regroup.
Mile 9: 9:49
Mile 10: 10:42
Porta potty stop and a quick walk break at mile 10. Only 5k to go. People around me were talking about a 2:10 finish time. I knew I just had to hang on and that 2:10 would be mine. I wanted 2:10 more than I wanted a 2:15. Time to kick it into high gear.
Mile 11: 10:27
Mile 12: 9:22
Mile 13: 8:56!!!!
Finish: 2:10:42
I finished strong and gave hi-fives to little kids in the final stretch. I crossed the finish line knowing I'd given it everything I had and was completely spent. I sat down on a curb with a banana and waited until I was sure I wasn't going to throw up before I went back to the finish line to cheer my dad to his PR of 2:23.
When I ran this same race last year, the main goal was to finish. 13.1 miles was a distance I'd never covered before so no matter what I would be happy at the end. This year, I've done the distance (and then some) so it was all about the time. I woke up Saturday morning unsure if I would be able to hold a 10:15 pace for the entire race and ended up really surprising myself with what I was able to do out there. I know there are things I still need to work on (hills and endurance) but running a 2:10 is a 19 minute improvement in 1 year. Who knows what I'll be able to do one year from now!
Showing posts with label PR. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PR. Show all posts
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Happy New Year!
I tend to think of my running life as being divided into two parts. The first part was way back in high school when I ran cross country, but really only as a way of keeping in shape for my true love (swimming).
My second running life, as you may know, began in the summer of 2004. My first and only goal that summer was to run around the lake one time without stopping, the equivalent of 1.2 miles. It took me about 8 weeks to get that far but I did it and I will never forget how proud of myself I felt that day.
My second running life, as you may know, began in the summer of 2004. My first and only goal that summer was to run around the lake one time without stopping, the equivalent of 1.2 miles. It took me about 8 weeks to get that far but I did it and I will never forget how proud of myself I felt that day.
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I shy away from comparing times from my two running lives. After all, I was much younger and thinner in high school. Every PR I keep a record of now only applies to my second running life because never in my wildest dreams could I imagine that I'd ever run close to my high school times ever again.
But something amazing happened on New Years Day. My BIL and I (acting goofy above) ran the Resolution Run 5k. My dad (wearing the goofy hat on the left) came along with sis and my mom as the most supportive cheering section on earth. Despite all the wind and the cold, BIL managed 2nd in his age group with an official time of 20:46 (sick) and I came along in 27:34, which works out to an average pace of 8:53. When I peaked at my garmin at the first mile marker I thought for sure the course was short. There's no way I was running that fast! But at the finish line I knew I had done it. Breaking my previous second running life PR by almost 1:30.
I have no idea where that burst of speed came from but I'm riding it all the way.
I have no idea where that burst of speed came from but I'm riding it all the way. As soon as I got home, I dug though some old boxes to find my high school PR. I just had to know how far away I was. Finally, I found that flimsy piece of paper given to my by coach after my last race and I knew. In my junior year, I ran a 25:25 and now, believe it or not, my goal is to blow that away.
This is the thing I love about running. Every day is an opportunity for a PR. Before the race, I told my BIL I wanted to run a sub-30 again but I was pretty sure that wasn't going to happen. After all, it was cold and windy and starting to snow and my lack of mileage has been so discouraging. But I reasoned to myself that I'd never run this race before. I'd never run any race on New Year's Day before so whatever happened, I was running a course PR, right? I was going to run a PR for New Year's Day, right? Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine a 27:34.
.
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And, to be honest, it's not the actual time that I'm happiest about. For most decent runners, this is still pretty slow. But for me, it's knowing that with a little hard work and sweat, I may be able to do something I never dreamed I'd be able to do. Something that seemed out of the question when I was struggling for weeks to get around that lake just once. This (dare I say it), even more so than the marathon, gives me hope...
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Here's to a healthy and happy 2008!
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis
It was cold this morning. I mean, low 20's with a windchill factor in the 'teens. So I bundled myself up, secured my jingle bells to my shoes and headed downtown along with 1,500 other runners and walkers, dogs and little kiddies. Santa hats and elves hats were everywhere!
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The horn sounded at 10am but there was no starting line (and no chips) and mass confusion at the start so I didn't know when to start my watch. Oh well, I thought to myself. Fun run. Fun run. Fun run. But the competative side of my brain took over and knew I'd be slightly dissapointed in myself if I didn't finally break 30:00. I got tagngled up in a group of three baby strollers whose mothers had lined themselves up with the front runners at the 3rd row. Geesh. Fun run. Fun run. Fun run. I got out of the congestion eventually and hit the first mile marker in 9:23. When I came across mile two in 18:30, I knew this was going to be the day. All I had to do was hang on.
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My lungs were screaming from the cold and I blew snot bubbles practically the entire way but I came across that finish line in 29:01 feeling strong, a full 1:45 faster than I ran it last year. I smiled at the volunteer who took my bib and handed me a bottle of water. I felt fantastic but looked like hell - my face was beet red and I'm sure I had dried snot all over my face. And I wonder why I never seem to meet the man of my dreams at these things! I found a place on the sideline and cheered on the other runners as they came through the finish shute, just happy to be around other runners again. I send a text to my BIL to tell him how fast I was. He wrote back Awesome! How do you feel? to which I replied Now I know what it must feel like to be a Kenyan.
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Erm. Not quite.
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What a fantastic way to spend a December morning!
Monday, October 22, 2007
Columbus Marathon - Race Report
I spent most of the morning on Saturday at the expo checking out all the cool stuff and the cute boys. Runners are dead sexy. I didn't want to leave but my dad was itching to get back home and watch the game. "But dad," I wanted to say "these are my people!" It felt so refreshing to be in a room full of other people with the same passions, obsessions and determination that I seem to be so hooked on.
Sunday morning came very early but in no time we were on our way to the starting line. We parked and made our way through the mass of porta potty lines and jittery runners bouncing up and down. 15 minutes before the gun went off, my bladder decided it needed to empty so I tried to get to an empty porta potty but all the lines were at least 10 people deep. I decided to wait until we got going and find one later. I never did find one and ended up just holding it/forgetting about it until I got home at 3 in the afternoon!
The marathoners and the 1/2 marathoners ran the same course for the first 5.5 miles of the race which meant that dad and I got to start off together. The first 3 miles were effortless and crowded with runners, but not too congested. There was overall good cheer and clapping as we passed by bands and family on the side. At the turn off for the 1/2 marathoners, I gave my dad a hi-five and told him to give 'em hell. I kept a pretty steady pace and was dead on track for a 4.55 finish time. I'd even managed to bank a minute or two, which, in retrospect was probably a rookie mistake but I'll get to that!
At the 1/2 point I was feeling great, even had a 1/2 PR. However, the niggling little burning sensation in my right foot that had plagued me since mile 4 was less of a whisper and more of a ROAR. The ball of my foot felt like it was on fire and every time it hit the ground it tingled - and not in a good way. Other than that, my legs still felt fresh and my breathing was controlled and steady. I had no problems with any of the hills and I thought I surely was going to meet my goal.
Miles 12-17 were a slow and steady uphill, one straight 5 mile shot up High Street. While there was still spectator support, the runner field had dropped off considerably with the 1/2 marathoners already finished. I started breaking the marathon down into achievable chunks. Just get to mile 17. I knew I had a friend waiting for me there and I wanted to look good when I passed by. At this point, I was still dead on pace, almost to the second. I saw my friend at the top of that very long and gradual hill and I wanted to do cartwheels I was so happy. Her sign said "Your feet hurt because you're kicking so much @ss!" There was a huge crowd of people at this corner and everyone started cheering my name and giving me hi-fives as I approached.
If the race had ended there, I would be over the moon. But, I've learned, the marathon has a way of bringing you to your knees if you aren't prepared.
The niggling little pain that was screaming from the ball of my foot had now spread to both feet and by mile 18.5 I was walking. I was pissed. I watched the 5 hour pace group pass me by and I just shook my head in frustration. I walked to the next water station and just happened to see the mother of a kid I'd gone to high school with. She recognized me and saw how bad I was hurting. She handed me water and walked with me until I was able to pull myself together and start running again. Her words of encouragement couldn't have come at a better time and for that I praise God. I don't know how I would have continued if it hadn't been for her kind words!
Mile 20.5 and I saw another group of my friends which was a huge boost. By mile 22, I was sure there's got to be rocks in my shoes so I actually sat. down. on. the. curb. and. take. off. my. shoes. and. socks. Nothing there! It's all in my head, or feet or whatever.
Mile 23 and I saw two girls puking on the side of the road.
Mile 24 and I was walking again. The pain in my feet was intense. A girl cheering on the side looked me right in the eye and said "YOU CAN DO THIS. YOU ARE 2 MILES FROM YOUR MARATHON!" I started sobbing then. Running seemed impossible. Two miles. Two miles. I picked up my feet and made them move.
I round the corner to the finish line and saw my family waiting on the side. As soon as I saw the FINISH banner, I'm bawling again. I had been fantasizing about that moment every day for the last year and there it was. Right there in front of me. I gave it everything I had to the finish line. So worth the pain and frustration of the last 8 miles. So worth all the long hard runs in the heat and humidity of the summer. So worth everything for that moment. I crossed the finish line with my hands in the air crying my eyes out thanking God for this gift, a staggering 5 hours and 32 minutes after I started.
While I'm pretty disappointed that I missed my goal time by 33 minutes, I treasure every moment of the experience (well, maybe not my aching feet!) and will most certainly absolutely do this again next year, hopefully closer to my goal! While I was struggling back around mile 23 or so, I said to myself "No regrets." I have absolutely no regrets for how I trained, for how I ate, for how I made it to the starting line. I have no regrets for how I made it to the finish line, even though it was really freakin' tough there at the end. However, now I have the experience of all that to work with, I know first hand what kind of monster I'm dealing with and will put in the work required to make the 2008 Columbus Marathon even better.
Thanks for taking the time to read my rambling report. I'll try and post some fun pictures soon and stay tuned...more races are already in the works!
Sunday morning came very early but in no time we were on our way to the starting line. We parked and made our way through the mass of porta potty lines and jittery runners bouncing up and down. 15 minutes before the gun went off, my bladder decided it needed to empty so I tried to get to an empty porta potty but all the lines were at least 10 people deep. I decided to wait until we got going and find one later. I never did find one and ended up just holding it/forgetting about it until I got home at 3 in the afternoon!
The marathoners and the 1/2 marathoners ran the same course for the first 5.5 miles of the race which meant that dad and I got to start off together. The first 3 miles were effortless and crowded with runners, but not too congested. There was overall good cheer and clapping as we passed by bands and family on the side. At the turn off for the 1/2 marathoners, I gave my dad a hi-five and told him to give 'em hell. I kept a pretty steady pace and was dead on track for a 4.55 finish time. I'd even managed to bank a minute or two, which, in retrospect was probably a rookie mistake but I'll get to that!
At the 1/2 point I was feeling great, even had a 1/2 PR. However, the niggling little burning sensation in my right foot that had plagued me since mile 4 was less of a whisper and more of a ROAR. The ball of my foot felt like it was on fire and every time it hit the ground it tingled - and not in a good way. Other than that, my legs still felt fresh and my breathing was controlled and steady. I had no problems with any of the hills and I thought I surely was going to meet my goal.
Miles 12-17 were a slow and steady uphill, one straight 5 mile shot up High Street. While there was still spectator support, the runner field had dropped off considerably with the 1/2 marathoners already finished. I started breaking the marathon down into achievable chunks. Just get to mile 17. I knew I had a friend waiting for me there and I wanted to look good when I passed by. At this point, I was still dead on pace, almost to the second. I saw my friend at the top of that very long and gradual hill and I wanted to do cartwheels I was so happy. Her sign said "Your feet hurt because you're kicking so much @ss!" There was a huge crowd of people at this corner and everyone started cheering my name and giving me hi-fives as I approached.
If the race had ended there, I would be over the moon. But, I've learned, the marathon has a way of bringing you to your knees if you aren't prepared.
The niggling little pain that was screaming from the ball of my foot had now spread to both feet and by mile 18.5 I was walking. I was pissed. I watched the 5 hour pace group pass me by and I just shook my head in frustration. I walked to the next water station and just happened to see the mother of a kid I'd gone to high school with. She recognized me and saw how bad I was hurting. She handed me water and walked with me until I was able to pull myself together and start running again. Her words of encouragement couldn't have come at a better time and for that I praise God. I don't know how I would have continued if it hadn't been for her kind words!
Mile 20.5 and I saw another group of my friends which was a huge boost. By mile 22, I was sure there's got to be rocks in my shoes so I actually sat. down. on. the. curb. and. take. off. my. shoes. and. socks. Nothing there! It's all in my head, or feet or whatever.
Mile 23 and I saw two girls puking on the side of the road.
Mile 24 and I was walking again. The pain in my feet was intense. A girl cheering on the side looked me right in the eye and said "YOU CAN DO THIS. YOU ARE 2 MILES FROM YOUR MARATHON!" I started sobbing then. Running seemed impossible. Two miles. Two miles. I picked up my feet and made them move.
I round the corner to the finish line and saw my family waiting on the side. As soon as I saw the FINISH banner, I'm bawling again. I had been fantasizing about that moment every day for the last year and there it was. Right there in front of me. I gave it everything I had to the finish line. So worth the pain and frustration of the last 8 miles. So worth all the long hard runs in the heat and humidity of the summer. So worth everything for that moment. I crossed the finish line with my hands in the air crying my eyes out thanking God for this gift, a staggering 5 hours and 32 minutes after I started.
While I'm pretty disappointed that I missed my goal time by 33 minutes, I treasure every moment of the experience (well, maybe not my aching feet!) and will most certainly absolutely do this again next year, hopefully closer to my goal! While I was struggling back around mile 23 or so, I said to myself "No regrets." I have absolutely no regrets for how I trained, for how I ate, for how I made it to the starting line. I have no regrets for how I made it to the finish line, even though it was really freakin' tough there at the end. However, now I have the experience of all that to work with, I know first hand what kind of monster I'm dealing with and will put in the work required to make the 2008 Columbus Marathon even better.
Thanks for taking the time to read my rambling report. I'll try and post some fun pictures soon and stay tuned...more races are already in the works!
Saturday, September 15, 2007
The Big 2-0
Hal told me to run 19 miles this morning. But did I listen? Nooooooooo!
The weather was cool, my legs felt great. I told myself that if I felt horrible at 19, I'd stop, no bones. But if I got to 19 and I felt like I had one more mile in me, I was going to go for it. More for the psychological benifit than anything else.
When I got to mile 15 and I wasn't dead, I knew I was going to go for 20. The last 5 miles were anything but pretty but it was too late...I already had my heart set on 20. There was more walking than I would have liked but in the end, I got it done in 3:59:33, slower than I would have liked but I'll take it. 20 miles is 20 miles after all and that's what I did today.
Took the planned marathon outfit for the run and I think my shirt is too big. =(
The weather was cool, my legs felt great. I told myself that if I felt horrible at 19, I'd stop, no bones. But if I got to 19 and I felt like I had one more mile in me, I was going to go for it. More for the psychological benifit than anything else.
When I got to mile 15 and I wasn't dead, I knew I was going to go for 20. The last 5 miles were anything but pretty but it was too late...I already had my heart set on 20. There was more walking than I would have liked but in the end, I got it done in 3:59:33, slower than I would have liked but I'll take it. 20 miles is 20 miles after all and that's what I did today.
Took the planned marathon outfit for the run and I think my shirt is too big. =(
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Fartlek
I've been feeling rejuvenated after Saturday's 18 miler which, if you think about it, is an insane thing to say. I never thought anything would feel good after running 18 straight miles in a row but golly, here I am.
It's still on the hot side in my little corner of the globe but thankfully the humidity has taken a vacation for the last few days. In order to prove to myself that I still have something resembling "speed", I decided to run a fartlek this afternoon. I haven't done much speed work in my training, and none at all in the past few weeks. Getting the miles in at all has been difficult enough without running them hard. Today's only rule was that there were no rules. I ran hard when I felt like it, and easy when I didn't. I ended up doing close to 1/2 mile repeats with the pace being close to 9:15mpm.
I was feeling so good and determined by the end of my run that I decided to run the last mile "all out." Stupid? Probably but my pace has been so slow lately I felt the need to prove to myself that I could still run "fast". Lo and behold, my last mile clocked in at 8:13. Still not setting any land speed records but that's pretty good for me. Don't get me wrong, I still got passed during this mile by some guy who looked like he was out for a Sunday jog pushing his kid in a stroller, but I was still pretty daggon pleased with that time.
As I type this afterwards, I'm spent. I couldn't ever imagine running 26.2 miles at an 8:13 pace. But then again, I never thought I'd say I feel rejuvenated after an 18 mile run either.
Life's funny like that!
It's still on the hot side in my little corner of the globe but thankfully the humidity has taken a vacation for the last few days. In order to prove to myself that I still have something resembling "speed", I decided to run a fartlek this afternoon. I haven't done much speed work in my training, and none at all in the past few weeks. Getting the miles in at all has been difficult enough without running them hard. Today's only rule was that there were no rules. I ran hard when I felt like it, and easy when I didn't. I ended up doing close to 1/2 mile repeats with the pace being close to 9:15mpm.
I was feeling so good and determined by the end of my run that I decided to run the last mile "all out." Stupid? Probably but my pace has been so slow lately I felt the need to prove to myself that I could still run "fast". Lo and behold, my last mile clocked in at 8:13. Still not setting any land speed records but that's pretty good for me. Don't get me wrong, I still got passed during this mile by some guy who looked like he was out for a Sunday jog pushing his kid in a stroller, but I was still pretty daggon pleased with that time.
As I type this afterwards, I'm spent. I couldn't ever imagine running 26.2 miles at an 8:13 pace. But then again, I never thought I'd say I feel rejuvenated after an 18 mile run either.
Life's funny like that!
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