Remember the time I ran a half marathon, and then was supposed to write a recap, and then never did?
So, it's been over a month since the last half, and I have had no desire or time to write about it. But I figure, before I recap what I did last weekend (Read: RELAY), it would make sense to recap races of ye old days.
Halfway through this training cycle, I got pretty sick (read: bedridden for days) and then decided that right now my life was too chaotic to follow such a strict plan. So, I made the decision to run this half, just to run. No real time goals but to finish.
So, here goes. 13.1, under-trained and without expectations.
Tacoma City (half) Marathon, May 4, 2014
Time: 2:05 (9:31 pace)
Shorts, S/L T, Arm sleeves, Compression socks
Mile 1 9:12
Perfect weather. Nice and drizzly. Amazonian lady in green tutu motoring on in front of me. Lookin fierce and swinging her arms like she means bidness
Mile 2 9:21
Amazon lady walking with some 'tude. Also, her tutu is in my way.
Getting warm, roll my arm sleeves down to my forearms
Mile 3 9:17
Slight decline and onto the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Not as scary as I thought. Can barely tell I am running next to the edge, where a 200 ft plunge into the icy cold water awaits. Theoretically...
Oh! At end of bridge I see John with his giant bazooka camera! Personal photographer, Yay! Rip off arm sleeves and throw into his lap. He doesn't notice (Foreshadowing*)
Mile 4 10:07
Uphill off the bridge onto the over pass. HATE. Quads burn. Burnnnn.
Mile 5 9:34
Run random Tacoma neighborhood. Feeling pretty sluggish. Who said this course is flat. Lies! Rolling small hills throughout. Stupid big hill at mile 4 already did me in. This is going to blow.
Mile 6 9:23
Halfway point. Pass the "Halfway House" giving out shots of PBR. Am tempted to stop. Am so thirsty!
Mile 7 9:13
Bo-ring. My music is stale, my body is tired, and these shot bloks are stuck to my teeth. Cavities, anyone?
Mile 8 8:48
Oh, wait! Downhiilllllll!!!
Flat. Flat, boring and windy. HEY! There's John again! WHEE.
Figure if I can pick it up to a 9 min pace for the last 3 miles, I can beat my last half time.
Mile 10 9:52
Well. Nope. That won't be happening. I can't get my legs to move any faster.
Wind out of my sails. I'm losing my motivation. My legs feel like lead and I'm so thirsty.
Also, how many overpasses do they want us to run over? C'mon!
Mile 11: 10:05
Being passed by full marathoners. This doesn't feel fantastic.
Mile 12: 10:15
Passed by a stroller. This doesn't feel fantastic.
Mile 13: 10:12
Ending as we run up an overpass.
Are. You. Shitting. Me.
Mile 14 (.01): 7:49
THE END. Round the corner after the steep overpass and see John again! Personal photog! I could get used to this. Paparazzi!
Aaaand, done. DONE DONE DONE.
Also, really this pace actually makes no difference but it makes me feel better seeing these numbers
So, there you have it. Rather uneventful, wasn't it? My biggest learning from all of this - You will run exactly how you train. If you hit those paces on your training runs, do your speed work and honor your rest days, most likely you will be able to conjure up what you need on race day. But, if you don't push the pace and all of your runs are easy and "slow", your race day will reflect that. That being said, life happens, and sometimes we don't have control over which direction it will take us, and we just have to be prepared to go with the flow.
This race wasn't my best, but my favorite part of this race was seeing my friends at the start/end and being able to celebrate our accomplishments together. Runner friends are the best!
*Apparently he did not notice I threw the arm sleeves in his lap, so after the race we had to park near the bridge, walk down to the pedestrian walk way and look for them. We found them at the bottom of the hill, sitting in a mud puddle. Down the hill, which meant, Yes.. after running 13.1 miles, I had to trek all the way back up the hill to the car.
