A weekend of football and a half marathon PR!

Friday consisted of my legal research & writing class followed by LOTS of studying & writing a draft of my first legal memo, so by Saturday I was ready to have a little fun. Our friends Marc & Jessica are big fans of the Michigan Wolverines (usually they come over and watch the game or we’ll go over there and watch… hubs is also a superfan). They had some extra tickets to the game on Saturday and invited us!

pretty good seats

these crazy kids 😉

the only one not wearing a Michigan shirt- like a true fan (in fairness, I had a Michigan hoodie on but got hot)

I kept thinking how amazing the weather was and how I hoped it would carry over into Sunday for my half marathon. Football games are great and all that, but let’s be serious, the races are where the real fun’s at!

I won an entry to the Capital City River Run held in Lansing from Refuel With Chocolate Milk . Michigan friends, if you aren’t a fan of them on FB give them a quick ‘like’- they hold monthly contests for really cool races!

Anyways, what is really cool about this is that I also won an entry from them last year for the very same race, which became my first half marathon.

finish picture from last year

I was in a very different state of mind at that time last year- I was using running as a coping mechanism for my father’s death. The first time I crossed the official line at 13.1 (actually 13.3) miles was not just signifying a personal best for me- but it was in honor and dedication of him, for always teaching me to go after my dreams. This was a very personal moment for me because I actually felt like I could feel his presence, encouraging me when I struggled, and sharing my joy when I succeeded. It was truly an amazing day.

I was also in a different place because I was still relatively new to racing. I didn’t know what my limits were (not to say I totally do now, by any means), but I took ‘newbie’ precautions- that is, I stopped at every porta-potty and walked through every rest station. The course is always long (pet peeve of mine, but it’s not like I’m BQ’ing so I adjust purely for my records), so I ran 13.33 in 2:07:58,  which equated 13.1 around 2:05:58, and I was immensely happy with that at the time.

But as I started racing more, things started to change. Running became less of how I cope and more of who I am. I learned about conditioning myself to not have to hit every aid station, or not even use the bathroom at all during a race. I relished in the feeling of pushing myself to the absolute limit…. and watching it stretch me just a teensy bit farther. I knocked 17 minutes off of that very time at my second half marathon in DC. So as I approached this race, I felt more prepared but still uncertain in what I wanted my expectations to be. I wanted to do better than my first time…. but did I have it in me to pull of a PR? I wasn’t so sure.

My speed work has been shoddy at best, and this is half marathon #2 of 3 I have this month, so I was concerned about overdoing it and risking injury. I decided to just go by how I feel, and make my main goal be beating that 2:05:58 time. Ideally I wanted to be sub 2.

(I apologize that this will be wordy with limited pictures. apparently when you are really trying hard in a race it is difficult to stop and take pictures. at least for me)

I lined up in between the 9 minute & 8:30 pacers and the race took off. I knew for a fact I started out way too fast, but for some reason I just couldn’t slow down. I think in my mind I rationalized that I would push hard now, so if I had to slow down or take a break later, it would compensate. I have no idea but I ran the first 5k at a 7:36 average and I knew it was too fast. Whoops. But I kept going.

Everything was actually going really well. I was worried, because my average pace was hovering just around or under 8 flat, and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to hold that for 13.1 miles. I started to feel hungry just before 5 miles, which is very early for me, and I found it odd. There was nothing I could do about it, so I took my first GU.  This is when the first nightmare happened- I couldn’t figure out which volunteer was giving out water! I understand the school of thought to have an every-other system (every other volunteer had water, Gatorade, etc)… but when you are just trying to pass through an aid station and have to ask 3 people who has water, that takes time away! I then stopped and took my GU, and saw the 8:30 group pass me. Well no way was I letting that happening! A couple quick jaunts and I was caught back up & slightly ahead of them again. Everything was still going good, and I crossed the 10k mark just a few seconds shy of 50 minutes even. Holy canolli, I thought to myself….. this is crazy, even for me! 

And just about the 7.5 mile mark is when I crashed. I don’t know what caused me to stop, fear, low energy, something… but I actually stopped and started walking. I watched the 8:30 group come and go. I texted Nate that I was walking and didn’t feel so great, and wasn’t sure how things were going to go. He told me to take my time and just do what I needed. I probably only stopped about 20 seconds and I picked up again. I ran next to a girl and we chatted a bit about how we both had probably gone out too fast. She looked at me and said ‘you’re doing great though! keep it up!”, I shouted some encouragement back to her, and found my stride again. I wasn’t looking at my time at all at this point, but in my head I knew I didn’t want to give up all the hard work and effort I’d put in the first half, so I kept going. I did stop at an aid station and drank water because I was sooooo thirsty (another odd thing for me because I was pretty hydrated).

The course usually winds through MSU but because the race director couldn’t get an agreement established with them, we had to take some long, boring residential streets instead. This. Was. Brutal. There were hardly any spectators out, no aid stations, just so boring. And LONG. I just kept plugging away, as best as I could. I also took another GU because my stomach was actually growling at that point. SO weird for me.

I crossed the 10mile mark around or just before 1:20, and I realized I could still possibly pull a 1:55, which would be a respectable time for me. I put a little pep in my step and convinced myself it was just another 5k. WRONG. The course was actually 13.54 long! I texted Nate that I had 5k to go and promised myself I wouldn’t stop or walk for the last 5k. Well I saw the distance register 13.06 at 1:47XX and I looked up to see no finish line in site. Expletives ensued out of my mouth and my body actually stopped and started walking. I made it about 3 steps before a guy ran up next to me and said ‘come on iron woman!! just a little extra to go!” and winked, so I knew he understood my frustration with the course length. That pushed me to keep going and I ran as fast as I could while simultaneously telling myself ‘please don’t die’ in my brain, until I finally saw that finish line. I pushed as hard as I could and finally crossed, total 13.54 at 1:51:22,  actual 13.10 at 1:48:04, average pace 8:15.

VERY glad to be finished

After I have had some time to contemplate, I realize now that I haven’t been eating enough food and that is why my body was so hungry during the race. I also noticed a direct correlation with my shoddy speed work since the time frame that my food intake has gone down. Time to focus on fueling myself so that I can not only make the distance but continue incorporating speed without depleting all of my energy sources at the same time.

This race was definitely bittersweet. It wasn’t just like I ran along the whole time like ‘la la la I love running… 8:15’s are no big deal”. I honestly can’t believe I still managed a PR with all the issues I had. I can’t believe I ran 13.54 miles at an 8:15 pace, including when I stopped and walked. I also am not thrilled the course was so long, but I guess I’d rather it be too long than too short.

Looking back to almost a year ago, it is almost crazy to think that I’m still that same person toeing the start line of her very first half. Since then, I’ve ran a handfuls of 5/10’k’s, a FULL marathon, and 2 other half marathons, in addition to a relay and 1 miler.  Even after all this time and mileage of running, I’m still learning about myself; still struggling with those fears of the unknown, challenging my limits and finding out what works. It’s a continual process. But still one that I’m forever grateful to be on!