Lucky 13.1 1/2 marathon

I've never gone to bed dreading having to get up for a race the next morning. I've been nervous before, but that's not what I was feeling on Friday night before this race. I had the day off of work on Friday, and had such a lazy day. I did almost nothing all day, and it was so nice! Thinking about waking up to go run a 1/2 marathon the next morning was the last thing that I wanted to do. I wanted to sleep in another day, and relax again. Luckily I got out of bed when my alarm went off Saturday morning, and off to my 6th 1/2 marathon I went.

I got my new cute strappy tank in the mail Friday, so I did what I shouldn't have done and wore it for the race...

When I left for the race it was sprinkling some, and windy. Some pretty strong thunderstorms had come through the night before, and there was a fair amount of debris in the road from all the wind. The exit ramp I had to take for the race was partially blocked by a tree that had fallen by the side of the road. When I got to the race location it was still raining and windy. I was glad I grabbed my rain jacket before I left because the rain pelting against my face was not a good feeling. The rain was just leaving the area, so the race started about 5 minutes late which gave the rain time to stop before we started.

This race had a 5k option or the 1/2 marathon. I think there were only about 150 people running the 1/2 marathon. I wish there would have been a separate start for the 1/2 marathon and the 5k because I definitely started out too fast. It kind of turned out to be a blessing in disguise though. I've been really bad about doing my Galloway intervals during races, so when I started getting tired 2 miles into the race I started to run intervals. I got passed by a lot of people on my walk breaks, but I was okay with that because I kept reminding myself that this was a training run and not a race for me. Soon everyone settled into their pace and I didn't really have anyone right in front of me or behind me.

The scenery was nice. It reminded me a lot of the smaller 1/2 marathon I ran last month that I really enjoyed. One thing that bugged me about this race was that the road was open to traffic. I understand that 13 miles (or 6.5 since it was out and back) is an inconvenient amount of road to close for a couple hours, and there weren't that many cars on the road, but it just made me nervous. I wear headphones when I run, but I usually run on trails where I don't have to worry about cars. Another thing that bugged me were the roads we ran on. Some of the roads were in really bad condition, and the different terrain was hard on my feet.

There were a lot of big potholes that you had to either run off the road for, or run over to the other side of the road. This isn't the race's fault though since they have no control of the roads in the area.

The race went by fairly quickly considering how much I was not enjoying it at the start. I remembering thinking at mile 3 about how happy I was going to be when I finished in 10 miles, and then not long later I was done. I think it helped that I downloaded some new songs to listen to while I ran. Good music always gets me through my long runs!

This was about 9 miles in. Definitely not as hot as the last 1/2 a few weeks ago!

Hardly any other races to be seen...

The second half of the race I started passing a lot of people. I went back and forth with one girl who seemed like she might be close to my age group for about 1/2 a mile. After the last water stop I got a second wind and left her behind. There were a lot of people I passed that had nothing left to give. I was glad I'd started my intervals early because they helped  me keep going until the end. I ended up finishing the race in 2:17:38, which is my second best time to date.

I thought the race shirt was cute. It's a tech shirt, and it's not white! I like the play on words with the 'run strong' instead of 'live strong.'

After the race I went home and made myself a homemade dole whip with pineapple sherbet and juice!

Not quite as good as Disney, but still pretty yummy!

My next race is the weekend, although it's just a 10k this time. My next longer distance race is my marathon in August!

Hospital Hill Run 6/4/11

My 19th race and 5th half marathon is in the books. It was a horribly hot and miserable race, but I did it! I actually took more pictures this race so I could do a proper race recap, so without further ado here is my report...

It all started at packet pickup on Friday afternoon. I usually don't pick up my packet early for races that are over 15-20 minutes away, but there was no race morning packet pickup, so I didn't have an option. There was an expo this year though, so it made having to drive downtown a little bit more worthwhile. First stop at the expo was to pick up bibs. My brother and Sister in Law came into town for the race, and my Sister in Law that lives here also ran the race, so we had lots to pick up!

After grabbing the bibs we had to go pick up the rest of our stuff. Hospital Hill has some of the best race goodies. This year there were tech shirts and reusable water bottles before the race. After the race you get finishers flip flops and your medal of course. Here's a couple pictures of the pre-race goodies.

I saw on the Hospital Hill Facebook page that you could sign up at the expo for next years race at a discounted rate and you'd also get a free gift. I plan to make this race (in any distance 5k, 10k, or 1/2) an annual thing, so I signed up for the 1/2 again for next year. I got a visor for signing up, and only had to pay $39 for the race. Considering the awesome race swag you get for running this race I thought that was a steal, especially since there were people paying $45 to run the 5k at the expo. Here is the visor I got! I've been needing one really bad, so it was a great freebie!

After getting all the race stuff it was time to look around the expo for a bit. First stop was the bondiband booth. I LOVE my bondibands. They are awesome at absorbing sweat and water, I have pictures from the race to prove it! I got 3 new bondibands, a blue 13.1 band to match my half fanatics shirt (pictured later on), and the other 2 below.

I stopped by the garmin pacers booth to get a pace band to wear for the race. I heard it was a tough course, so I thought 2:15 would be a modest goal since my PR is 2:10 on another hilly course... If I only knew what the hills in my future were really like, I would probably rethink that decision.
I also signed up for a new 15k race in the fall. It was $10 off and you got a free gift for signing up. I had been holding off on signing up since I thought the price was a little high at $40, but $30 seemed a lot more reasonable. I like that it's a 15k, not a distance you see often. This is the gift I got for registering.

After looking around a little longer nothing else caught my eye, and so packet pickup fun ended.

I went home and laid out everything I would need for the morning. I didn't want to forget anything since I had to get up so early in the morning!

Ok, fast forward to about 6:50 Saturday morning. Race day is finally here!
We got to the race plenty early, but made the mistake of not getting into the starting chute until the last minute. My best attempt to get into the starting area near the sign that designated the 10 minute/mile pace runners was to stand outside the actual starting area near a fence someone had opened up. I think this race would benefit from having corals. Last year the 1/2 started 15 minutes before the 5k & 10k, so there weren't as many people crowded into the start area at one time. Here is my view of the start, and the people behind me. There were 7,600 runners this year!

A few minutes before the race was set to start, the wheel chair athletes were sent on their journey. Right after 7AM the rest of us started. It was slow getting to the start line, it took me over 2 minutes from where I was standing to cross the starting mats. Here is everyone in front of me about a 1/4 mile into the race.

I was trying to run slower than usual so I wouldn't lose steam too early, and still managed to run my first mile in under 10 minutes. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep up with that pace, and tried to slow down even more, especially with the first hill coming up fast. Shortly after the marker for mile 1 was hospital hill, the hill that the race is named after. I am fairly certain this was the only hill that I ran up in it's entirety the whole race. I shouldn't have pushed myself up that hill so early on. I managed to keep a good pace for about 4 miles, and then my energy started draining fast. This was around the time that the 2:15 pace group passed me, and I gave up on that goal. It was super hot, and humid. At every water stop I grabbed 2 cups of water, one to drink and one to pour over my head. I would cool down for a couple minutes and feel good, but then I would start getting hot again all too soon. The rest of the race was kind of blur from that point. I was pretty miserable, and just wanted to finish the race. I was very thankful for all the people who were cheering us on with their garden hoses to cool us down and bags of ice. The spectators were so awesome for this race!
Here are some of the pictures I took during the middle of the race. There were several bands along the course, this was the only picture that you can kind of see the band in.

I ran behind this couple for awhile. Their shirts said "13.1 days to go."

Fast forward to mile 11 now. I was really struggling at this point, which is not normal for me. After running 4 other 1/2's and numerous double digit training runs, my stamina and endurance is pretty good. I saw this billboard for the race that motivated me to keep pushing through the pain.

When I got to the next water stop I poured 2 waters over my head and ran through the sprinklers. I felt like a drowned rat, but it was so hot. I didn't really care that my outfit was soaking wet, and had been soaked for several miles. The cool water was so refreshing. Check out how awesome my bondiband is! I don't know how I managed a smile for this picture, maybe I was thinking about the fact that there was only another mile to go...

Shortly after the last photo and the 12 mile marker I was faced with trinity hill. I remember it being awful last year, and it didn't disappoint again this year. I took this picture about half way up the hill...

I made it to the top and was ready to run the rest of the way in. It was finally all downhill to the finish! Unfortunately I got a horrible cramp in my side and had to do a really pathetic jog/walk for the last half mile. It took all I had to run the last 1/4 mile through the finishers chute. I was in so much pain trying to run with the cramp in my side, but didn't want to stop and walk in front of all the people watching. After 2:25:24 I finally crossed the finish line. It wasn't my best time, but I'm pleased with it. I've heard people talk about how they have a 1/2 marathon PR, and a HHR PR. This course is definitely not a course to PR on, but it is a course for those who want a challenge. After crossing the finish line I got an ice cold wet towel, water and my medal. Once I found everyone else, I got my flip flops and we got our post race BBQ, which I wish I could have enjoyed. Eating a meal after the race wasn't as appetizing as it initially seemed. The BBQ was good, but I was only able to eat a few bites.

Finisher Flip Flops

 

We saw this guy as we were walking to the car. He runs a lot of local races, and carries the Flag for the entirety of them all. Google Strides of Pride, he has a website about what he does!

Even though the race was tough, hot, hilly, and pretty miserable, I actually had a great time. I can't wait to come back next year and try to beat my Hospital Hill time. Now that I know what to expect I can train better for next year.
Here are some pictures of the medal this year. This year along with the medals for the next 2 years are supposed to fit together to form a super awesome medal to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the HHR in 2013. I'm hoping I can run the 1/2 the next 2 years in order to complete my collection!

My medal hanger is starting to fill up. All the medals on the left are from my 5 1/2 marathons, the others are from shorter distances and one of my age group awards.

Running with the Cows 5/14

This week has definitely brought extremes in weather for spring to my area of the country. For most of the week it was really warm. Highs were in the 90's, and it was very humid. I had to move my last run before this race to the morning because the evenings were just too hot! Within the last couple days it started getting cool, and this morning it was in the low 40's and very windy when I headed out for the race. My usual half attire calls for a running skirt, compression socks, and short sleeved shirt. I wore my usual, except I decided to change the short sleeved shirt to a long sleeved one. I was glad I decided on the change, but once I warmed up, it didn't feel as cold as it was.
This race was about 10 miles away, in a very stereotypical Kansas setting. Once I got off the highway there was basically nothing but fields and a few houses until I got to the church/school that was hosting the event. They promised scenic views, and this was definitely one of the more scenic courses I've run. I got to the race earlier than I normally would since they were planning to close the road, and I really didn't want to try to navigate around unfamiliar roads right before the race started. I spent some extra time warming up since it was quite chilly, then waited inside for the start of the race. I was kicking myself for not having my camera, there were so many stereotypically Kansas parts of this race that I would have loved having a picture of. The first funny thing was the actual cow at the start of the race. It was actually only a calf, but still super cute and totally something you would only see in Kansas. Obviously since this race is called running with the cows, there were cows everywhere (real and fake.) After the race began, we started on our journey 6.55 miles out and back. I had to laugh once I saw the first stretch of road because this race was advertised as being flat. When I think of flat, I think of running in Florida. This race was definitely not flat like I imagined. There were a lot of rolling hills, which are better than the steeper ones I usually train on, but still not what I consider flat. The first half of the race flew by. There were plenty of aid stations with very energetic and peppy volunteers. I was very impressed with all the food along the course at these stations. I saw oranges, bananas, pretzels, and candy. I was running at a great pace and feeling strong through the first half of the race, despite the wind. It was so strong across the fields that it would almost take your breath away. For the first 6 miles I ran at a pace of 9:30/mile and was feeling really good. Right before I got to the turn around I started feeling sick to my stomach. I tried to keep pushing, but eventually had to stop and walk. I ended up walking a good portion of the second half of the race. I was determined to finish, and felt a lot better when I walked, so I speed walked as fast as I could. People probably thought I was crazy because I was walking and dancing along to my music. Most people who were walking by then were exhausted an hobbling along. I know I would have PR'd if I would have kept my pace through the second half of the race, but I didn't come into the race with any time goal, and this was meant to be a training run for me more than a race.  I ended up finishing in 2:18:49, which is still faster than my first 1/2 marathon that I ran last November, and obviously faster than my princess time since I played all along that course. Needless to say, I'm very happy with my time, and to make it better, taking it easier to second part of the race helped me from being sore afterward!

I'll definitely be back to run this race again next year. The price was very reasonable, and the race was very well organized. Where else can you get a cowbell at the finish of a race instead of a medal?

This race also helped me join the half fanatic ranks (I'm #1065!) I ran three 1/2's in 77 days, and have 2 more in the next 35 days! I never thought running 1/2's would be something I enjoyed so much.
I think that's it for this installment. Only 3 weeks until my next half, and I promise to have more pictures from that race!

Rock the Parkway!

This morning was my third 1/2 marathon to date. I usually don't get nervous before races, but with my right knee bothering my lately I was really nervous about not being able to finish. My last run before the race was on Thursday, and I managed to step off a curb weird to irritate my knee even more. This morning when I woke up my knee was feeling pretty good, so I decided to go ahead and try to run for a five minute PR. I had made myself a pace bracelet last night with my split times for a 2:15 half, and a 2:20 half. I didn't end up using the bracelet much, but it was nice to see how my pace and time were in relation to those finish times when I did look.
Today ended up being a beautiful spring day, but this morning was quite chilly. I ended up in a running skirt, a short sleeve shirt, and compression socks. I used a cheap pair of knee high socks with the toes cut off to keep my arms warm before the race. (FYI Target usually has cute pairs on sale for less than $1!) I was still a little cold before the race, but a lot of people were way over dressed with non-throw away clothes. Once I got in the starting chute around other people I warmed up and tossed my arm warmers right before the race started. The first mile was really tight. I had to run on the grass to pass people, and there was a really sudden turn that was hard to navigate as well. I missed the first mile marker completely so I have no idea how the weaving affected my time. There were pacers for this race, so I started behind the 2:15 pacers. I ended up doing so much weaving that I lost them behind me sometime in the first couple miles. I've been training with the Galloway run/walk method, and I fully intended to do that method during the race. It was so tight at the beginning that I didn't want to stop and walk, and by the time people were spreading out I felt like I was getting into a good groove.
The course was great. Lots of rolling hills, but nothing too steep or hard to manage. There were a fair amount of spectators throughout the entire course, which was always a nice pick me up. I wore my Princess 1/2 marathon shirt, and several people saw my shirt and cheered for me specifically. Once I started getting father into the course I noticed that I was running less than 10 min/miles. I was still feeling pretty good, but wasn't counting on it lasting the whole way. Around mile 8 I started feeling a twinge in my knee, and that gradually got worse until the finish. Luckily it wasn't bad enough for me to stop running completely.
When I got to mile 12 I looked at my watch and saw that I was just under 2 hours. I realized that I was not only going to make my 2:15 goal, but I was going to beat that goal by several minutes. The last mile was basically all downhill, which really helped because I was starting to hurt bad. I ran most of mile 12. Once I got to mile 13 I saw that I was just under 2:10, and knew if I kept pushing I could finish in 2:10. I pushed hard, and it hurt, but I pulled it off. My official time was 2:10:00.0!
I was too tired to be excited about my over 10 minutes PR at the end. The race literally took all I had, but it was totally worth it. I would highly recommend this race to anyone in the Kansas City area, or anyone looking for a medium sized half to run. Very well organized, reasonably priced, and a great course.
I give Rock the Parkway 2 thumbs up!