...especially considering this course!
Rolling hills, surprise hills, hills from start to finish! Sure the race finished downhill, but we had to run up what felt like one hundred hills to get there!
PJ and I got to the race really early. Like 2 hours early-my fault. On the bright side it gave us time eat some bagels, stretch, use the restrooms and get our nerves in order. On the not so bright side, PJ had to get up earlier which he wasn't too happy about ;) We parked the car and hopped on the shuttle which brought us close to the start line. We waited in the gym and stretched and waited for the race to start.
Both of us had been battling little pains throughout the week so we were nervous that they would only get worse as we ran since we had both taken the prior week off from running. Luckily, we both ran without pain!
The course started out in a residential area, running through side streets and neighborhoods. Then after about 2 miles we transitioned onto a trail. This is where me and PJ split up and I lost my sweatshirt (I'm always paranoid I'll be cold, but I ditched my sweatshirt in the woods almost immediately). It was perfect running weather.
The trail was really fun to run on. There were some potholes but it was mostly smooth and not without hills! The trail lasted until about mile 6 (I think?) where I had gel #1, then we were back on the road.
On both the trail and the road there were people playing guitars and singing and even one guy hula hooping, wearing rollerblades, and playing the violin! It's times like these where I wish I ran with my camera!
Around mile 5 my left IT band started giving me a little pain. I thought I was finished. I thought by mile 8 I would be done because usually when I start to feel a little tug, it's all over soon thereafter. To help my leg I fixed my stride by landing mid-foot, quickening my step and straightening up my upper body. When I did this, all I could think about was my job and how I have never been more thankful for a job in my life. This seems kind of random but because pretty much all I talk about in my spinning classes is extension from the mid-section, I knew exactly what I needed to do. Once I extended my upperbody, my lower body followed and I could feel my butt and hamstrings working! Success!!! Once I fixed my stride, the pain was gone and it didn't bother me for the rest of the race! After I hit the mile 8 marker I pulled over and gave my left hip a good crack (my sister and I have determined that I'll need a hip replacement by the age of 40) and I had my second gel. It was smooth sailing until mile 10.
This is where things got kind of difficult. I looked at my watch and saw that I was running a 9:15 pace. This was not ok! Not at this point! So I got out another gel and sucked it down! I retuned to a 8:40 pace. At this point in the run there was a turn around where peolple who were ahead were running back towards me. I really hate that. It's like, you think you're doing great, then you see hundreds of people running back past you and it's really kind of discouraging. It took a mile to get to the turn around where they had some spectators and water. When we made it back onto the main road it the homestretch. I had one more mile to go! I saw PJ just before I turned right to head onto the last leg. It was a great pick-me-up!
Once I turned the corner I thought it was time to pick up the pace. I was much too quick to assume I was almost finished... because then came another damn hill. I actually laughed out loud when I saw it because I really thought I was over the hump! I got over the hill and started to speed up. Then came the downhill. I ran as fast as I could at that point and crossed the finish line at 1:55:59 (my PR)! I immediately saw my Mom and Dad. I was so happy they made it and that they were right at the finish line!
We watch PJ finish, took some pictures and my parents headed home. PJ and I stuck around and ate some pizza and had some cookies (excellent post-race fuel!), then waited for the shuttle to head back to the car.
Today I feel great! A little tired and I have a pair of sore hip flexors, but otherwise I feel really good! Not unlike everyone else who runs races, I can't wait for my next one! I'm not sure when my next half will be, but I'm so happy to know that I can still do it!
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