This race was not a planned race but rather a last minute "Hey, I think I want to run that, too!". Having moved to a new area just a few months ago, I hadn't planned any local races because I wanted to get my bearings. I was also waiting to hear news about the Boston Marathon so I wasn't really looking for a race. However, I get antsy if I don't have a race to look forward to. So many in my new running group were signed up for the San Jose Rock & Roll Half Marathon this year. I ran the RnR in San Diego a few years ago and though it was fun, it was just too big and too expensive for me. SJ RnR was not on my list. But everyone kept talking about it and I needed something so I signed up about two weeks before the race. I had told one friend that I wasn't going to sign up (price was close to $120 for this half marathon!?) unless I found a promo/discount code. I found one that made the race half price so that seemed like a good deal.
Anyway, the days leading up to the race were warm and the forecast for race morning was more of the same. With an 8am start, I knew I'd be melting in the sun halfway through. I started thinking about a costume and just running it for fun. The day before the race, I put together an Elvis costume that I wore for the race.
I have to admit, RnR is not all terrible. They do a lot of things really well in a race, esp for such a large race. When I registered I had a momentary lapse of reason and thought maybe I could pull off a new PR so I entered 1:39 as my estimated finish time. This put me in Wave 2 which was a pretty nice place to be when there are 20 or so waves, each starting 1 minute apart. I think it was 1 minute apart, maybe 2. There were still waves waiting to start when I passed the start line after the first loop. That had to have been several miles into the race...
Race morning, my friend Cheryl picked me up and we drove the 15 minutes to the race start. This is another thing I loved about this race: it's close to home! With an 8am start, she picked me up at 6:30am and we had more than enough time to park, use a hotel restroom, snap photos, etc. I didn't get out of bed until 6am. I love that.
I saw Deena Kastor at the start line. She was also in Wave 2 but a few people back. She's a very tiny woman -- if it weren't for her DEENA sign, I may not have even seen her. She was pacing the 1:45 group with another runner. The day before, she ran a blistering 5k in under 16 minutes. She's my age. I yelled to her and waved. She looked a little confused but smiled. Maybe she wasn't expecting a strange female Elvis?
The race began fast. It always does. Cheryl had moved into Wave 2 so we started together. We have similar running strategy and have for years: start fast, hang on to finish. Secretly, my only goal really was to beat her (!!!) and since she had just run the Big Cottonwood Marathon two weeks earlier, that wasn't going to be a problem. That marathon sounds like a nightmare for those of us who don't enjoy running downhill. The descent and elevation of that race is insane.
Cheryl and I parted ways just a few blocks in. I started fast and she was more conservative, for once! Around mile 3 or 4 I caught up to a guy from the local running group. He was representing Race Guards so he was easy to pick out. He and another Race Guard were holding what appeared to be a very steady 8:00 pace. I never got up to him, but kept him within 30 yards for miles. What a treat to have someone to pace off of! That was really my goal for the race, aside from beating a friend who had just run a brutal marathon: maintain a 8:00 pace.
It was around mile 9 that we came to a narrow section due to cheerleaders and other spectators. This caused me to fall behind my pacer but a mile later I came up on another guy from my running group and followed him all the way to the finish. Finish line goodness: saw a friend from SF so we waited together for Cheryl to finish, lots of good eats and drinks, cold beer at the running group meetup spot, a fancy brunch afterwards with Cheryl and her family, and really just a fun morning. I was so very pleasantly surprised.
Good about this race: location, flat course, lots of cheering sections along the course, route takes you through some beautiful San Jose neighborhoods, finish line party in the park, the fun of dressing up for a race... I could see this being a huge PR race if I had trained for that. Maybe next year!
Bad: nothing. I've already signed up again for 2017!
Mile Splits:
1- 7:41
2- 7:45
3- 7:49
4- 7:51
5- 7:55
6- 8:05
7- 8:13
8- 8:05
9- 8:20
10- 8:07
11- 8:17
12- 8:31
13- 8:14
Official Finish: 1:47:35
My watch, of course, had the course at 13.6 miles and my pace an average of 8:05. Of course, that doesn't matter since it was a timed event with a marked course, but it makes me happy to know my effort was a little better than what the official time says. Though, I'm happy with a 1:47, too!
Showing posts with label events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label events. Show all posts
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Sunday, May 03, 2015
Pacific Northwest Marathon
The Pacific Northwest Marathon on Saturday, May 2nd, in Eugene, Oregon was finally the one! I ran a Boston Marathon qualifying race and made my goal! Amazing.
This was a race I was really excited to sign up for. I have run the Eugene Marathon and loved it. But since the year I ran it, they had moved it to the summer and it looked like they would continue to hold it in the summer. Well, knowing how I don't run well in the heat, I was really happy to see this new offering in Eugene during the Spring. And since it was the inaugural race, they offered the marsthon for just $60. Sixty bucks! You can't beat that price.
Training kicked off well. I've enjoyed following the Hansons plan for the past year and knew that it was the plan that I would follow again. Something about those tough and long tempo runs sandwiched between days of other long runs really gives me confidence. I was training well and even kicked it up a notch after I ran Roaring Run Half Marathon in January and finished in 1:41 (a new PR). Another PR at the Portland Shamrock 15K (1:12 on a challenging course!) in March sealed the deal. I was going for it. I started following the 3:30 marathon workout.
Now, I knew a 3:30 was a bit of a stretch but I questioned whether that was just a mental block. Like, I hadn't run a marathon faster than 3:52 and in my mind, I first had to run a 3:50, then a 3:45, you know... baby steps to reach my Boston time of 3:45. Yet, I had a great HM time and thought I should at least try. If nothing else, training for a 3:30 would leave me with a 15 minute cushion for those later miles that are always so tough for me.
In the weeks leading up to the marathon, family life started to get messy. A new opportunity for Mike meant that we would likely be moving to an unknown, unfamiliar area and all the stuff that moving a family entails is a lot of work and so stressful. I started finding my runs to be an even more needed outlet. I really began to give my runs and the quality of those runs priority. I needed them for my mental state!
The week of the marathon was not one of my best and more relaxing tapers. We told our extended family that we are moving faraway to another state. I did not drink fluids obsessively, like I always do to hydrate well before a big effort. I did not abstain from alcohol. Nothing tastes better to me after a hard day's work than a cold beer. Two a night felt like a good amount. I did not get to bed early. I went out one night with friends to hear another friend's band play. I did not always make the best decisions regarding what I ate. A huge plate of tater tots all by myself? Sure! I painted the patio on my hands and knees. I weeded the entire yard, including all the ivy sneaking in from my neighbor's yard. I spread an entire trailer load of bark. I spent hours packing up things, organizing, anything to declutter our house in preparation to list it. I helped move out furniture that had sold at our garage sale and on craigslist. I prepared out house to be listed for sale Thursday morning. Race day was Saturday.
Thursday, I was tired. Like, just plain physically and emotionally exhausted. I had a few minor freak outs. Most notably to the young gas attendant when he asked how my day was going. I'm pretty sure he didn't ask anyone else that that day. He cleaned my windows and that made my day a little better. I appreciated that and thanked him.
Friday, I limited myself to one hour first thing in the morning to tidying up the house. I made beds, cleaned the bathrooms, changed the linens on my bed, cleaned up the kitchen... basically spent an hour working furiously, but then that was it. I got a pedicure, picked up the kids early from school and took them out to a nice lunch, and spent the afternoon in the hammock listening to the kids play on the patio with one of Meredith's friends. It was all very relaxing, and peaceful. I started to actually think about this marathon and what my strategy should be.
I decided I would copy my friend Kelly and run the first 20 at an "easier" pace. The last 6.2/10k I would pick it up if I could but the earlier 20 would give me just a little in the bank that I could use in the end, if needed. So my plan was to start at an 8:30 pace for 20 miles. I ate a lot of pasta and bread at dinner, gulped down more electrolytes, laid out my race stuff, and got into bed at 8pm. I was fast asleep before 8:30pm and did not wake again until just before my 4:30am alarm. I think the physical work all week had taken its toll. Thursday and Friday nights were SOLID sleep nights. I rarely have those before a race.
My friend Evelyn came over just before 5am race morning so we could drive together. It was her first marathon and that just makes me giddy. She's a trail runner and has run up to 18 and 20 mile races but road racing a marathon was new territory for her. We stopped by Starbucks to get some coffee and then headed down to Eugene.
We had an hour to get ourselves ready, use the port-o-potties, meet up with friends, etc. before the 7am race start. Temperature was perfect for me. A little cool when I stripped off my warm clothes, but I knew a mile into the race I would appreciate having worn a tank top and shorts. I carried 4 GU packs in my belt and carried a 20oz sport top water bottle. I do this on longer warms and/or warmer days so I'm used to carrying the weight and shifting it from one hand to the other.
Race morning was perfect. When I saw that it was optimal temperature for me, and that my GPS watch was actually going to work, and that my iPod was actually going to play music for me... well, it looked like my stars were aligning. Yay!
I started too fast. I fell in behind Kelly because I knew she'd be running 8:20s for the first 20 miles. It was race morning and I was excited so ignoring my 8:30s plan for her faster pace sounded perfectly reasonable. Before the race I had talked to a Corvallis friend whose plan was to run 8s and she was trying to convince me to run that pace with her. We had both run the Portland Marathon last October and finished within a minute of each other. Since we had both been training with the Hansons 3:30 plan, she thought I should man up and run with her. In the end, she finished in 3:36. So anyway, when she passed me at mile 7 or 8, she told me I was running 8:05s. What!? I knew Kelly had started fast but I wasn't paying that close attention to what that actually meant. I began to step it down a notch.
My splits:
1- 8:05
2- 8:02
3- 8:10
4- 8:06
5- 8:06
6- 8:06
7- 8:02
8- 8:10
9- 8:17
10- 8:21
11- 8:23
12- 8:19
13- 8:23
14- 8:18
15- 8:17
16- 8:18
17- 8:20
18- 8:23
19- 8:17
20- 8:25
21- 8:26
22- 8:45
23- 8:55
24- 9:07
25- 9:17
26- 9:10
27- 5:25 (.63 miles)
TOTAL 26.63 miles, 3:43:56 (official was 3:43:50)
I felt really strong and confident until mile 22. Miles 0-8 were pure excitement and joy to be running and just trying to find my pace. Miles 9-15 were run solely to get the miles done, enjoy the river view, and do the turn around. Mile 16-23 were run with this woman Kate. She told me she was very competitive and since I caught her from behind, I think it really helped her because she stuck with me until mile 23 when I stopped every so briefly for a cup of Gatorade (she went on and finished a little before me -- I think she realized her goal of 3:40 may not happen unless she gave it all she had). I could feel my calves tightening and knew I hadn't had enough electrolytes. Each GU made my stomach churn for a mile so I stopped taking them after the third one. When I "stopped" for Gatorade (honestly, I wouldn't even call it a stop... it was a pause), I stumbled. I started to fall forward so I grabbed the cup and kept running. At that point, I knew I had better not stop no matter how hard it got. And it got hard.
Mile 24 was misplaced. A woman came charging up behind me at that marker and asked me if my watch was reading the course long, too. At that point, my watch read 24.79 miles. Soon after, we crossed mile 25 and my watch read 25.30. Mile 24 was in the wrong spot. The entire course read long on my watch. So when I crossed mile 25 in 3:30, I knew I had 15 minutes to get in under my goal but I didn't know if I needed to cover 1.2 miles or 1.8 miles because my watch was reading the course long. It was crazy.
A Corvallis friend who is an incredible runner came running towards me around mile 26.3 (by my watch). She stayed two feet ahead of me, encouraging me the whole time. She only ran with me for less than a 1/4 of a mile, but it made a huge difference. When she peeled off she said, "Girl, you've got this! It's just one loop on the track. That's all you have left. ONE LOOP OF THE TRACK." And I picked it up, got one last encouragement when I passed another runner at the last corner ("Go for it! Finish strong!"), and finished as strong as I could. I saw Kelly's friends cheering and snapping photos on the side and that made me smile. I watched the clock the whole time as I passed under the finish.
With so many Corvallis runners there, it really felt like a party at the finish line. Everyone ran so well, many ran BQs and PRs. Female friends swept the podium. It was really great! Reflecting back now a day after the race, I really enjoyed it and appreciate all the effort that went into making this race happen. I hope it returns next year for others to enjoy.
** Official results have my time at 3:43:50 with an average overall pace of 8:30. When I plug those numbers into a pace calculator, I get a distance of 26.33 miles. I guess that's legit but I would have preferred a slightly shorter race.
** Best part of this race: running it with so many friends. Corvallis had a very large (and fast) contingent show up from our HOTV running group. My dear running friend Evelyn ran her first marathon and that's always exciting. I was happy to be a part of that experience. And, of course, my long time running friend Kelly was there and ran a fantastic race. She's always pushing me and I know for a fact that it has improved my running.
This was a race I was really excited to sign up for. I have run the Eugene Marathon and loved it. But since the year I ran it, they had moved it to the summer and it looked like they would continue to hold it in the summer. Well, knowing how I don't run well in the heat, I was really happy to see this new offering in Eugene during the Spring. And since it was the inaugural race, they offered the marsthon for just $60. Sixty bucks! You can't beat that price.
Training kicked off well. I've enjoyed following the Hansons plan for the past year and knew that it was the plan that I would follow again. Something about those tough and long tempo runs sandwiched between days of other long runs really gives me confidence. I was training well and even kicked it up a notch after I ran Roaring Run Half Marathon in January and finished in 1:41 (a new PR). Another PR at the Portland Shamrock 15K (1:12 on a challenging course!) in March sealed the deal. I was going for it. I started following the 3:30 marathon workout.
Now, I knew a 3:30 was a bit of a stretch but I questioned whether that was just a mental block. Like, I hadn't run a marathon faster than 3:52 and in my mind, I first had to run a 3:50, then a 3:45, you know... baby steps to reach my Boston time of 3:45. Yet, I had a great HM time and thought I should at least try. If nothing else, training for a 3:30 would leave me with a 15 minute cushion for those later miles that are always so tough for me.
In the weeks leading up to the marathon, family life started to get messy. A new opportunity for Mike meant that we would likely be moving to an unknown, unfamiliar area and all the stuff that moving a family entails is a lot of work and so stressful. I started finding my runs to be an even more needed outlet. I really began to give my runs and the quality of those runs priority. I needed them for my mental state!
The week of the marathon was not one of my best and more relaxing tapers. We told our extended family that we are moving faraway to another state. I did not drink fluids obsessively, like I always do to hydrate well before a big effort. I did not abstain from alcohol. Nothing tastes better to me after a hard day's work than a cold beer. Two a night felt like a good amount. I did not get to bed early. I went out one night with friends to hear another friend's band play. I did not always make the best decisions regarding what I ate. A huge plate of tater tots all by myself? Sure! I painted the patio on my hands and knees. I weeded the entire yard, including all the ivy sneaking in from my neighbor's yard. I spread an entire trailer load of bark. I spent hours packing up things, organizing, anything to declutter our house in preparation to list it. I helped move out furniture that had sold at our garage sale and on craigslist. I prepared out house to be listed for sale Thursday morning. Race day was Saturday.
Thursday, I was tired. Like, just plain physically and emotionally exhausted. I had a few minor freak outs. Most notably to the young gas attendant when he asked how my day was going. I'm pretty sure he didn't ask anyone else that that day. He cleaned my windows and that made my day a little better. I appreciated that and thanked him.
Friday, I limited myself to one hour first thing in the morning to tidying up the house. I made beds, cleaned the bathrooms, changed the linens on my bed, cleaned up the kitchen... basically spent an hour working furiously, but then that was it. I got a pedicure, picked up the kids early from school and took them out to a nice lunch, and spent the afternoon in the hammock listening to the kids play on the patio with one of Meredith's friends. It was all very relaxing, and peaceful. I started to actually think about this marathon and what my strategy should be.
I decided I would copy my friend Kelly and run the first 20 at an "easier" pace. The last 6.2/10k I would pick it up if I could but the earlier 20 would give me just a little in the bank that I could use in the end, if needed. So my plan was to start at an 8:30 pace for 20 miles. I ate a lot of pasta and bread at dinner, gulped down more electrolytes, laid out my race stuff, and got into bed at 8pm. I was fast asleep before 8:30pm and did not wake again until just before my 4:30am alarm. I think the physical work all week had taken its toll. Thursday and Friday nights were SOLID sleep nights. I rarely have those before a race.
My friend Evelyn came over just before 5am race morning so we could drive together. It was her first marathon and that just makes me giddy. She's a trail runner and has run up to 18 and 20 mile races but road racing a marathon was new territory for her. We stopped by Starbucks to get some coffee and then headed down to Eugene.
We had an hour to get ourselves ready, use the port-o-potties, meet up with friends, etc. before the 7am race start. Temperature was perfect for me. A little cool when I stripped off my warm clothes, but I knew a mile into the race I would appreciate having worn a tank top and shorts. I carried 4 GU packs in my belt and carried a 20oz sport top water bottle. I do this on longer warms and/or warmer days so I'm used to carrying the weight and shifting it from one hand to the other.
Race morning was perfect. When I saw that it was optimal temperature for me, and that my GPS watch was actually going to work, and that my iPod was actually going to play music for me... well, it looked like my stars were aligning. Yay!
I started too fast. I fell in behind Kelly because I knew she'd be running 8:20s for the first 20 miles. It was race morning and I was excited so ignoring my 8:30s plan for her faster pace sounded perfectly reasonable. Before the race I had talked to a Corvallis friend whose plan was to run 8s and she was trying to convince me to run that pace with her. We had both run the Portland Marathon last October and finished within a minute of each other. Since we had both been training with the Hansons 3:30 plan, she thought I should man up and run with her. In the end, she finished in 3:36. So anyway, when she passed me at mile 7 or 8, she told me I was running 8:05s. What!? I knew Kelly had started fast but I wasn't paying that close attention to what that actually meant. I began to step it down a notch.
My splits:
1- 8:05
2- 8:02
3- 8:10
4- 8:06
5- 8:06
6- 8:06
7- 8:02
8- 8:10
9- 8:17
10- 8:21
11- 8:23
12- 8:19
13- 8:23
14- 8:18
15- 8:17
16- 8:18
17- 8:20
18- 8:23
19- 8:17
20- 8:25
21- 8:26
22- 8:45
23- 8:55
24- 9:07
25- 9:17
26- 9:10
27- 5:25 (.63 miles)
TOTAL 26.63 miles, 3:43:56 (official was 3:43:50)
I felt really strong and confident until mile 22. Miles 0-8 were pure excitement and joy to be running and just trying to find my pace. Miles 9-15 were run solely to get the miles done, enjoy the river view, and do the turn around. Mile 16-23 were run with this woman Kate. She told me she was very competitive and since I caught her from behind, I think it really helped her because she stuck with me until mile 23 when I stopped every so briefly for a cup of Gatorade (she went on and finished a little before me -- I think she realized her goal of 3:40 may not happen unless she gave it all she had). I could feel my calves tightening and knew I hadn't had enough electrolytes. Each GU made my stomach churn for a mile so I stopped taking them after the third one. When I "stopped" for Gatorade (honestly, I wouldn't even call it a stop... it was a pause), I stumbled. I started to fall forward so I grabbed the cup and kept running. At that point, I knew I had better not stop no matter how hard it got. And it got hard.
Mile 24 was misplaced. A woman came charging up behind me at that marker and asked me if my watch was reading the course long, too. At that point, my watch read 24.79 miles. Soon after, we crossed mile 25 and my watch read 25.30. Mile 24 was in the wrong spot. The entire course read long on my watch. So when I crossed mile 25 in 3:30, I knew I had 15 minutes to get in under my goal but I didn't know if I needed to cover 1.2 miles or 1.8 miles because my watch was reading the course long. It was crazy.
A Corvallis friend who is an incredible runner came running towards me around mile 26.3 (by my watch). She stayed two feet ahead of me, encouraging me the whole time. She only ran with me for less than a 1/4 of a mile, but it made a huge difference. When she peeled off she said, "Girl, you've got this! It's just one loop on the track. That's all you have left. ONE LOOP OF THE TRACK." And I picked it up, got one last encouragement when I passed another runner at the last corner ("Go for it! Finish strong!"), and finished as strong as I could. I saw Kelly's friends cheering and snapping photos on the side and that made me smile. I watched the clock the whole time as I passed under the finish.
With so many Corvallis runners there, it really felt like a party at the finish line. Everyone ran so well, many ran BQs and PRs. Female friends swept the podium. It was really great! Reflecting back now a day after the race, I really enjoyed it and appreciate all the effort that went into making this race happen. I hope it returns next year for others to enjoy.
** Official results have my time at 3:43:50 with an average overall pace of 8:30. When I plug those numbers into a pace calculator, I get a distance of 26.33 miles. I guess that's legit but I would have preferred a slightly shorter race.
** Best part of this race: running it with so many friends. Corvallis had a very large (and fast) contingent show up from our HOTV running group. My dear running friend Evelyn ran her first marathon and that's always exciting. I was happy to be a part of that experience. And, of course, my long time running friend Kelly was there and ran a fantastic race. She's always pushing me and I know for a fact that it has improved my running.
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Portland Shamrock 15k
Official: 1:12:16
Pace: 7:46
* F40-44 division place: 16/467
This race has been a favorite since I began running races. Sure, some are serious and racing but overall there's such a party, festive vibe to this race. If you don't dress up, you feel kind of silly. And I love that there is a race for anyone and everyone. With 35,000 participants, it's also a very large race but you never feel squished because there are so many different race options and pace groups. I love this race!
The 15k challenge is also one of my favorite races, ever. It's a tough course but that's what is so great about it. When you crest the Terwilliger hill you feel like a million bucks. Before the race this year I met some friends at a Starbucks downtown. A girl standing near us told us it's all downtown after the bagpipes. I hadn't made that connection before (I always think "down hill after Chart House") but smiled during the race when I heard the bagpipes as I came around the last dip and curve in the road before reaching the Chart House.
A friend asked me the day before what I planned to do for this race. She was trying to figure out what pace she and her husband would do. This was their first Shamrock 15k. My response, "Something like 7:30s on the flats, slower for the hills, and then bring it home with everything I have left." And that's exactly what I did.
I mentally break the 15k down into three sections. The first 3 miles are around downtown and get you across Burnside. Once across Burnside, you start to climb Broadway but it's still fine until around Pioneer Square. I wanted to do this first part in under 23:00. The second part is the hilly section. It pretty much feels like you are climbing from Burnside to the Chart House. There are some relief blocks and the top of Terwilliger is more rolling than climbing, but the hills do feel endless. I figured 25:00 for this section. Right after the Chart House, you pass Mile 6. I was under 48:00 so I knew I was looking at a new PR with the downhill finish and if I could maintain a good pace. I have to say though, I'm not great at downhills. In fact, I tend to "brake" which causes my pace to slow and allows others to pass me. And some of the downhill areas are fairly steep. Once it started to flatten out again at Naito Parkway, I decided to step up the pace to something I could maintain. I crossed the finish feeling very strong.
My official time was 1.5 minutes faster than last year. A 7:46 pace is what I ran the Roaring River HM in just a few weeks ago so to run that pace with these hills felt awesome. Who knows what I might have done if the course had been more flat!
Weather: WET. I waited 10 minutes before getting into the corrals because I was wearing a cotton t-shirt and thought it best to stay dry as long as possible. I was soaked by the time the race began. It poured most of the race but did start to let up toward the end. Still raining, but not quite so heavy. A little wind south of Burnside (always!) and some really large puddles that you just had to plow through. I don't know how I didn't chafe!
In all, a favorite that will continue to be a favorite!
Pace: 7:46
* F40-44 division place: 16/467
This race has been a favorite since I began running races. Sure, some are serious and racing but overall there's such a party, festive vibe to this race. If you don't dress up, you feel kind of silly. And I love that there is a race for anyone and everyone. With 35,000 participants, it's also a very large race but you never feel squished because there are so many different race options and pace groups. I love this race!
The 15k challenge is also one of my favorite races, ever. It's a tough course but that's what is so great about it. When you crest the Terwilliger hill you feel like a million bucks. Before the race this year I met some friends at a Starbucks downtown. A girl standing near us told us it's all downtown after the bagpipes. I hadn't made that connection before (I always think "down hill after Chart House") but smiled during the race when I heard the bagpipes as I came around the last dip and curve in the road before reaching the Chart House.
A friend asked me the day before what I planned to do for this race. She was trying to figure out what pace she and her husband would do. This was their first Shamrock 15k. My response, "Something like 7:30s on the flats, slower for the hills, and then bring it home with everything I have left." And that's exactly what I did.
I mentally break the 15k down into three sections. The first 3 miles are around downtown and get you across Burnside. Once across Burnside, you start to climb Broadway but it's still fine until around Pioneer Square. I wanted to do this first part in under 23:00. The second part is the hilly section. It pretty much feels like you are climbing from Burnside to the Chart House. There are some relief blocks and the top of Terwilliger is more rolling than climbing, but the hills do feel endless. I figured 25:00 for this section. Right after the Chart House, you pass Mile 6. I was under 48:00 so I knew I was looking at a new PR with the downhill finish and if I could maintain a good pace. I have to say though, I'm not great at downhills. In fact, I tend to "brake" which causes my pace to slow and allows others to pass me. And some of the downhill areas are fairly steep. Once it started to flatten out again at Naito Parkway, I decided to step up the pace to something I could maintain. I crossed the finish feeling very strong.
My official time was 1.5 minutes faster than last year. A 7:46 pace is what I ran the Roaring River HM in just a few weeks ago so to run that pace with these hills felt awesome. Who knows what I might have done if the course had been more flat!
Weather: WET. I waited 10 minutes before getting into the corrals because I was wearing a cotton t-shirt and thought it best to stay dry as long as possible. I was soaked by the time the race began. It poured most of the race but did start to let up toward the end. Still raining, but not quite so heavy. A little wind south of Burnside (always!) and some really large puddles that you just had to plow through. I don't know how I didn't chafe!
In all, a favorite that will continue to be a favorite!
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Roaring Run Half Marathon
Today's race feels extra good. A new official PR for a race time I feel like I've already hit twice in recent years. At the Eugene Marathon in 2013 I passed the halfway point in 1:42. At the Cascade Half Marathon last year my phone measured the course long and had my time at under 1:42. Twice, yet neither was official. Today, it was official and this makes me so happy!
Official time: 1:41:47
Pace: 7:46
Division Rank: 1
Overall: 35/156
Official time: 1:41:47
Pace: 7:46
Division Rank: 1
Overall: 35/156
Monday, October 20, 2014
Nike Women's Half Marathon San Francisco
Last year I ran the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco. I met five girlfriends from Carlsbad there for a girls' weekend of fun memory-making that included the race. They all ran the half marathon, some together but most individually.
This year we decided to try our luck again with the notion that if we got in we'd run it TOGETHER. Nike had decided to make it a Half Marathon event only so it'd be perfect for the six of us to experience together. Unfortunately, our group was not selected.
Several weeks after the disappointing news, I was at a Neighborhood Block Party that our old neighbors in Portland were having. Another friend from the old hood who also did not get in and asked if I was going to try for the Second Chance drawing. Who?What?Where?When?How?? I hadn't received this e-mail from Nike Women's that she spoke of. She forwarded it to me on the spot. The window frame was really short so quick decisions had to be made.
I immediately texted my girlfriends in Carlsbad. Some were not interested and that was understandable. The Second Chance would not be a group entry; everyone was on their own. Three of us decided to throw our names in again. Only two of us got in.
Melanie and I began to make plans for our much-smaller and shorter girls' weekend in San Francisco. Her kids have the two weeks following the race off from school so they were going to make it part of their family vacation. We decided to meet up Saturday to do the expo, stay downtown together Saturday night and run the half marathon together. She had started training for her first marathon (Carlsbad Marathon in January 2015) so the Nike Women's HM fell perfectly into her training schedule. We would run the race as a training run for her. I had just run the Portland Marathon two weeks earlier so a slightly easier pace (for me) sounded perfect. It would also give us 2 extra hours to hang out and catch up. I miss my Cali friends!
I flew into San Francisco Friday afternoon. I rode BART into the City and hopped off at the Mission & 16th station. Another old neighbor (from the same hood as the Neighborhood Block Party I mentioned... It really was a good time on our street during that time of our lives!) lives in the area where the Mission and Castro neighborhoods merge. She has a one bedroom apartment with her 12 year old daughter. She had made arrangement for her daughter to be at her dad's (he's another friend who lives just a few blocks away) so I could stay at her place and we could go out. This night was so much FUN. It was so great to just hang out with my friend, drink too much, dance too much, and just have a good time. We didn't stay out late but I was pretty exhausted when we got back to her place. I remember taking off my boots and laying down right where I was in the living room and falling fast asleep.
Saturday morning Melanie's husband dropped her and their two kids (6 and 8) off a block from where my friend's apartment is. He does Ironman events and is currently training for Arizona. A two hour run in Golden Gate park was the least we could give him. Melanie, her kids, my friend, and I enjoyed a very leisurely breakfast without him. After eating we said our goodbyes and Melanie and I took the kids on the trolley into downtown. We must have eaten really slow because soon after getting to our hotel her husband pulled up to pick up the kids. The rest of the afternoon Melanie and I spent going through the expo, shopping at the Nike store, getting lunch, and just hanging out. Our hotel was 1/2 a block from the race start, Union Square.
The friend in Portland who told me about the Second Chance drawing also got in. She and her husband made it a very long weekend in San Francisco to celebrate their 18th anniversary. We met them for dinner Saturday evening and bored her husband with our running talk while we consumed our weight in pasta.
Finally! Race morning!
This year we decided to try our luck again with the notion that if we got in we'd run it TOGETHER. Nike had decided to make it a Half Marathon event only so it'd be perfect for the six of us to experience together. Unfortunately, our group was not selected.
Several weeks after the disappointing news, I was at a Neighborhood Block Party that our old neighbors in Portland were having. Another friend from the old hood who also did not get in and asked if I was going to try for the Second Chance drawing. Who?What?Where?When?How?? I hadn't received this e-mail from Nike Women's that she spoke of. She forwarded it to me on the spot. The window frame was really short so quick decisions had to be made.
I immediately texted my girlfriends in Carlsbad. Some were not interested and that was understandable. The Second Chance would not be a group entry; everyone was on their own. Three of us decided to throw our names in again. Only two of us got in.
Melanie and I began to make plans for our much-smaller and shorter girls' weekend in San Francisco. Her kids have the two weeks following the race off from school so they were going to make it part of their family vacation. We decided to meet up Saturday to do the expo, stay downtown together Saturday night and run the half marathon together. She had started training for her first marathon (Carlsbad Marathon in January 2015) so the Nike Women's HM fell perfectly into her training schedule. We would run the race as a training run for her. I had just run the Portland Marathon two weeks earlier so a slightly easier pace (for me) sounded perfect. It would also give us 2 extra hours to hang out and catch up. I miss my Cali friends!
I flew into San Francisco Friday afternoon. I rode BART into the City and hopped off at the Mission & 16th station. Another old neighbor (from the same hood as the Neighborhood Block Party I mentioned... It really was a good time on our street during that time of our lives!) lives in the area where the Mission and Castro neighborhoods merge. She has a one bedroom apartment with her 12 year old daughter. She had made arrangement for her daughter to be at her dad's (he's another friend who lives just a few blocks away) so I could stay at her place and we could go out. This night was so much FUN. It was so great to just hang out with my friend, drink too much, dance too much, and just have a good time. We didn't stay out late but I was pretty exhausted when we got back to her place. I remember taking off my boots and laying down right where I was in the living room and falling fast asleep.
Saturday morning Melanie's husband dropped her and their two kids (6 and 8) off a block from where my friend's apartment is. He does Ironman events and is currently training for Arizona. A two hour run in Golden Gate park was the least we could give him. Melanie, her kids, my friend, and I enjoyed a very leisurely breakfast without him. After eating we said our goodbyes and Melanie and I took the kids on the trolley into downtown. We must have eaten really slow because soon after getting to our hotel her husband pulled up to pick up the kids. The rest of the afternoon Melanie and I spent going through the expo, shopping at the Nike store, getting lunch, and just hanging out. Our hotel was 1/2 a block from the race start, Union Square.
The friend in Portland who told me about the Second Chance drawing also got in. She and her husband made it a very long weekend in San Francisco to celebrate their 18th anniversary. We met them for dinner Saturday evening and bored her husband with our running talk while we consumed our weight in pasta.
Finally! Race morning!
Wednesday, October 08, 2014
Portland Marathon
Yesterday I ran the Portland Marathon. It has been on my bucket list since I first began racing 12 years ago. Two babies, two out-of-state moves, blah, blah, blah... it was a race I just never got around to doing.
Almost a full year ago my sister-in-law decided to sign up to run Portland. It would be her first marathon and she was nervous and excited about the idea. I thought it would be a fun bonding experience. We met 14 or so years ago but I still couldn't tell you much about her. It's one of those relationships. I thought training for a marathon together could start to change that.
Then a couple of friends from California decided to also run the Portland Marathon. All good, until my SIL moved to the Bay Area several months ago and then two weeks before the race my two friends also bailed (due to injuries). Not that I really need someone to run a race with me, but it is always fun to share a race with a friend or two.
So, that's the background as to how I found myself at the starting line of the Portland Marathon yesterday. Two months leading up to race day I dealt with a cranky ankle. More specifically, a really sore Achilles. I adjusted my running form to run more comfortably. I avoided hills, both up and down, and stuck to flats as much as possible. I also wore shoes with more arch support. Anything to decrease stretching the Achilles seemed to help. It still hurt to run, but after a mile or two the pain would subside enough to run. I figured this might hurt really bad after the marathon (and it does!).
Marathon morning: I decided to stay at my mom's house in Oregon City for the weekend with the family. The kids have their own room and for things like this Mike will sleep on the sofa until I leave so I can get a good night sleep (he tends to snore). I don't sleep well at my mom's house because the mattress is simply too firm for me but I got a pretty decent night of sleep before the marathon. When my alarm sounded at 4:30am, I was wide awake and ready to go.
I arrived downtown pretty early, maybe 5:45am for the 7am start. Parking is a breeze at that hour. I found on-street parking (meters are free until 1pm) on the same block as a Starbucks just two blocks from the race starts. Of course, my corral was around the corner so maybe 5 blocks away but not an issue with the crowds.
Two years ago I ran the Portland Half Marathon at this same event. Shhh. It wasn't my bib but a friend's who was injured. We're in the same age/sex division so I didn't feel too bad about running it for her and snagging 3rd in my age group. Anyway, so I knew the first 11 miles of this course well. It's blazing fast, even with a good climb early around mile 2. I set a half marathon PR at this race two years ago and I know that yesterday I could have done it again. Easily.
I hung out at Starbucks chatting with a couple of different people, drinking a smaller coffee than usual, and using the restroom. About 30 minutes before the race start I headed back to my car to get my race things, lube up, apply sunscreen, etc. Once that was done, I did an easy jog over to my race corral.
The B and A corrals are right next to each other. No one is checking bibs so there were many runners with bibs that indicated were in the wrong corrals. There are also a gazillion port-a-potties between the two corrals, but about three gazillion runners lined up for them. I had just used the restroom at Starbucks but got in line anyway for one last go. At 6:58am, I was still in the port-a-potty line. Good thing I've gotten pretty good at going quickly!
Upon leaving the port-a-potty area, I headed into corral B as my bib indicated. I think it starts with the 3 hour marathoners so I started walking down the block to find my 3:45 pacer. I had decided that if I started with the 3:45 group, I could probably run the whole thing in with them. Maybe pick it up at the end, but at the very least finish with them. Unfortunately, I was unable to find them. Maybe I registered for a faster time that put me in corral B and the 3:45 group were the first in corral C? I don't know but I didn't have time to figure it out. The race was starting and I was standing smack dab between the 3:35 and 3:40 groups.
I love running in Portland but I don't love running on the city streets. I found myself starting at the ground directly in front of me as we began the race and headed into Chinatown. Before the race began, I realized I had some garbage in my pocket that I needed to throw into a trash can. It wasn't the kind of garbage I wanted to "throw to the curb" so in Chinatown I jumped up onto the curb and tossed it into the can. I then stepped back down into the street but must have stepped wrong because I was sent reeling. Visions of my recent trip on a Seattle street immediately came to mind. I don't know how I managed to catch myself from face planting right then and there but I did. Nothing hurt so I forced myself to push it aside. This was about .75 miles into the race. Can you imagine?
Pretty much right from the start I found myself behind two girls and a guy who were clearly running together. They looked like they were all business with a clear agenda. They were running an even pace. It wasn't a hard pace so I fell in step with them and ran with them until they pulled away around mile 15 or 16.
I did some snooping around to see how they did. I saw one later around mile 21 but wasn't able to catch up with her. Anyway, from what I could find they were all from Houston. The girl I talked to is a very experienced marathoner and ironman (it was tattooed on her back, right above the waist band). She and the other girl's husband were pacing the other girl. Their goal: 3:38 to get her under the 3:40 she needed to qualify for Boston. It would have been a big PR for her, too, if they had succeeded. Unfortunately, they all finished together around 3:48. I felt bad for her because I know how disappointing that can be. But, I was also happy to see that even if I had managed to stay with them I would have still missed that 3:45. I'd still be kicking myself today if they had finished under 3:45.
Not many costumed runners at Portland. The one guy who will always stand out was the one in a Gingerbread Cookie costume. He must have been so hot! I saw him on the out & back portion of the course and he was miles ahead of me. However, I passed him before the 13 mile mark so he was falling flat fast. I chuckled when I passed him and heard him squeal, "Hee hee hee. You can't catch me!" Clearly I did.
This race was the first time I didn't carry any fluids. And although it was a warm day, I don't think it hurt me. I drank from every single aid station and I think it was adequate. Early on, I didn't stop but grabbed and drank as I went. I need to practice this because I kept getting water and ultima up my nose. Later on, I simply stopped, guzzled, and then moved on. I don't think much time is wasted doing that. I alternated between water and ultima in the first 10 miles but after that I took both. I also took 4 Gu gels and 8 salt tablets over the course of the marathon. I still ended the race with my legs covered in salt. Yuck.
"The Bridge". Not as bad as people make it out to be. I didn't stop and walk until mile 23. I slowed going up and over the St. John's Bridge, but I wouldn't call it hard. Even with it's placement within the miles (17 is at the very top of the bridge), it still wasn't difficult. Immediately following the bridge, there is a big dip and then another climb. Those hurt a little.
Overall, the course starts fast. I think it's a fast HM and all the marathoners and half marathoners start together. I'm not a fan of the industrial areas of Portland and quite a few miles are spent in this area. Once the marathoners split from the half marathoners around mile 11, we started climbing. It was never hard but a slow, steady climb. There's one relief near Montgomery Park and a few flat miles running on Hwy 30 (yuck!), but there's a good incline from mile 11 until you crest the bridge at mile 17. I was not expecting any of that. Once over the bridge, it's up and down for a little while. You flatten out along the bluff near the University of Portland but that's pretty short. At mile 22 you run down the steep street that passes the Adidas campus. Then a little more flat before climbing to get over the Steel Bridge. The final stretch running along the waterfront and into the finish chute is also an incline. Overall, more hills than I was expecting. Maybe if I'd started with the 3:45 group then the hills wouldn't have been an issue? Who knows. The last mile was torture but running into the finish area is pretty cool. The crowd is deep and wildly cheering for everyone. Loved that.
Will I run Portland again? No.
Crowd support good? Awesome.
Organization good? Top notch. Portland does a fantastic job, just wish the course was more scenic.
Weather? Beautiful but too warm for me. It was 62* at the start and we were in full sun about an hour in. I just can't run in temps that high. I envied all the men who were removing their shirts. I wasn't dripping with sweat, it was pouring off of me. After I finished and found a Starbucks restroom to clean myself up in, I saw I had chafed in places no one should ever chafe in. Ouch.
Overall, I ran strong until the last few miles and am pleased with my effort. It took me years to get under that 4:00 mark. This past year I have done it several times and I think it's becoming my new "sure thing". I still hope to make 3:45 my "sure thing" but I'm happy with how I've progressed as a runner. I'm more consistent. I'm stronger. I now have no doubt a 4 hour is in the bag.
OFFICIAL FINISH TIME: 3:58:23 (9:05 pace)
Almost a full year ago my sister-in-law decided to sign up to run Portland. It would be her first marathon and she was nervous and excited about the idea. I thought it would be a fun bonding experience. We met 14 or so years ago but I still couldn't tell you much about her. It's one of those relationships. I thought training for a marathon together could start to change that.
Then a couple of friends from California decided to also run the Portland Marathon. All good, until my SIL moved to the Bay Area several months ago and then two weeks before the race my two friends also bailed (due to injuries). Not that I really need someone to run a race with me, but it is always fun to share a race with a friend or two.
So, that's the background as to how I found myself at the starting line of the Portland Marathon yesterday. Two months leading up to race day I dealt with a cranky ankle. More specifically, a really sore Achilles. I adjusted my running form to run more comfortably. I avoided hills, both up and down, and stuck to flats as much as possible. I also wore shoes with more arch support. Anything to decrease stretching the Achilles seemed to help. It still hurt to run, but after a mile or two the pain would subside enough to run. I figured this might hurt really bad after the marathon (and it does!).
Marathon morning: I decided to stay at my mom's house in Oregon City for the weekend with the family. The kids have their own room and for things like this Mike will sleep on the sofa until I leave so I can get a good night sleep (he tends to snore). I don't sleep well at my mom's house because the mattress is simply too firm for me but I got a pretty decent night of sleep before the marathon. When my alarm sounded at 4:30am, I was wide awake and ready to go.
I arrived downtown pretty early, maybe 5:45am for the 7am start. Parking is a breeze at that hour. I found on-street parking (meters are free until 1pm) on the same block as a Starbucks just two blocks from the race starts. Of course, my corral was around the corner so maybe 5 blocks away but not an issue with the crowds.
Two years ago I ran the Portland Half Marathon at this same event. Shhh. It wasn't my bib but a friend's who was injured. We're in the same age/sex division so I didn't feel too bad about running it for her and snagging 3rd in my age group. Anyway, so I knew the first 11 miles of this course well. It's blazing fast, even with a good climb early around mile 2. I set a half marathon PR at this race two years ago and I know that yesterday I could have done it again. Easily.
I hung out at Starbucks chatting with a couple of different people, drinking a smaller coffee than usual, and using the restroom. About 30 minutes before the race start I headed back to my car to get my race things, lube up, apply sunscreen, etc. Once that was done, I did an easy jog over to my race corral.
The B and A corrals are right next to each other. No one is checking bibs so there were many runners with bibs that indicated were in the wrong corrals. There are also a gazillion port-a-potties between the two corrals, but about three gazillion runners lined up for them. I had just used the restroom at Starbucks but got in line anyway for one last go. At 6:58am, I was still in the port-a-potty line. Good thing I've gotten pretty good at going quickly!
Upon leaving the port-a-potty area, I headed into corral B as my bib indicated. I think it starts with the 3 hour marathoners so I started walking down the block to find my 3:45 pacer. I had decided that if I started with the 3:45 group, I could probably run the whole thing in with them. Maybe pick it up at the end, but at the very least finish with them. Unfortunately, I was unable to find them. Maybe I registered for a faster time that put me in corral B and the 3:45 group were the first in corral C? I don't know but I didn't have time to figure it out. The race was starting and I was standing smack dab between the 3:35 and 3:40 groups.
I love running in Portland but I don't love running on the city streets. I found myself starting at the ground directly in front of me as we began the race and headed into Chinatown. Before the race began, I realized I had some garbage in my pocket that I needed to throw into a trash can. It wasn't the kind of garbage I wanted to "throw to the curb" so in Chinatown I jumped up onto the curb and tossed it into the can. I then stepped back down into the street but must have stepped wrong because I was sent reeling. Visions of my recent trip on a Seattle street immediately came to mind. I don't know how I managed to catch myself from face planting right then and there but I did. Nothing hurt so I forced myself to push it aside. This was about .75 miles into the race. Can you imagine?
Pretty much right from the start I found myself behind two girls and a guy who were clearly running together. They looked like they were all business with a clear agenda. They were running an even pace. It wasn't a hard pace so I fell in step with them and ran with them until they pulled away around mile 15 or 16.
I did some snooping around to see how they did. I saw one later around mile 21 but wasn't able to catch up with her. Anyway, from what I could find they were all from Houston. The girl I talked to is a very experienced marathoner and ironman (it was tattooed on her back, right above the waist band). She and the other girl's husband were pacing the other girl. Their goal: 3:38 to get her under the 3:40 she needed to qualify for Boston. It would have been a big PR for her, too, if they had succeeded. Unfortunately, they all finished together around 3:48. I felt bad for her because I know how disappointing that can be. But, I was also happy to see that even if I had managed to stay with them I would have still missed that 3:45. I'd still be kicking myself today if they had finished under 3:45.
Not many costumed runners at Portland. The one guy who will always stand out was the one in a Gingerbread Cookie costume. He must have been so hot! I saw him on the out & back portion of the course and he was miles ahead of me. However, I passed him before the 13 mile mark so he was falling flat fast. I chuckled when I passed him and heard him squeal, "Hee hee hee. You can't catch me!" Clearly I did.
This race was the first time I didn't carry any fluids. And although it was a warm day, I don't think it hurt me. I drank from every single aid station and I think it was adequate. Early on, I didn't stop but grabbed and drank as I went. I need to practice this because I kept getting water and ultima up my nose. Later on, I simply stopped, guzzled, and then moved on. I don't think much time is wasted doing that. I alternated between water and ultima in the first 10 miles but after that I took both. I also took 4 Gu gels and 8 salt tablets over the course of the marathon. I still ended the race with my legs covered in salt. Yuck.
"The Bridge". Not as bad as people make it out to be. I didn't stop and walk until mile 23. I slowed going up and over the St. John's Bridge, but I wouldn't call it hard. Even with it's placement within the miles (17 is at the very top of the bridge), it still wasn't difficult. Immediately following the bridge, there is a big dip and then another climb. Those hurt a little.
Overall, the course starts fast. I think it's a fast HM and all the marathoners and half marathoners start together. I'm not a fan of the industrial areas of Portland and quite a few miles are spent in this area. Once the marathoners split from the half marathoners around mile 11, we started climbing. It was never hard but a slow, steady climb. There's one relief near Montgomery Park and a few flat miles running on Hwy 30 (yuck!), but there's a good incline from mile 11 until you crest the bridge at mile 17. I was not expecting any of that. Once over the bridge, it's up and down for a little while. You flatten out along the bluff near the University of Portland but that's pretty short. At mile 22 you run down the steep street that passes the Adidas campus. Then a little more flat before climbing to get over the Steel Bridge. The final stretch running along the waterfront and into the finish chute is also an incline. Overall, more hills than I was expecting. Maybe if I'd started with the 3:45 group then the hills wouldn't have been an issue? Who knows. The last mile was torture but running into the finish area is pretty cool. The crowd is deep and wildly cheering for everyone. Loved that.
Will I run Portland again? No.
Crowd support good? Awesome.
Organization good? Top notch. Portland does a fantastic job, just wish the course was more scenic.
Weather? Beautiful but too warm for me. It was 62* at the start and we were in full sun about an hour in. I just can't run in temps that high. I envied all the men who were removing their shirts. I wasn't dripping with sweat, it was pouring off of me. After I finished and found a Starbucks restroom to clean myself up in, I saw I had chafed in places no one should ever chafe in. Ouch.
Overall, I ran strong until the last few miles and am pleased with my effort. It took me years to get under that 4:00 mark. This past year I have done it several times and I think it's becoming my new "sure thing". I still hope to make 3:45 my "sure thing" but I'm happy with how I've progressed as a runner. I'm more consistent. I'm stronger. I now have no doubt a 4 hour is in the bag.
OFFICIAL FINISH TIME: 3:58:23 (9:05 pace)
| 5 Km: | 25:03 Pace: 8:04 |
| 10 Km: | 50:21 Pace: 8:06 |
| 8.9 Mi: | 1:10:54 Pace: 7:58 |
| Half: | 1:46:40 Pace: 8:08 |
| 17.5 Mi: | 2:27:16 Pace: 8:24 |
| 21.1 Mi: | 3:02:06 Pace: 8:37 |
Friday, July 04, 2014
Monday, June 16, 2014
Vancouver USA Marathon
Yesterday I ran the Vancouver USA Marathon in Vancouver, Washington. I signed Mike and I up many months ago because I thought it would be a fun way to spend Father's Day. He would run the Half Marathon and I would run the full 26.2 miles. Since the HM starts 2 hours after the marathon, I figured he would "catch up" to me around mile 7 or 8 and then we could finish together, him "pulling me in" since I know from marathon experience that those last miles are a killer for me.
I had just started ramping up mileage and was running really strong when I was involved in a car accident on 4/9. I knew at that point that my goals for this race needed to be adjusted. It would be weeks before I could really run again. I knew several weeks lost in training would require new goals.
Goal one: Get to the starting line. I had to reclaim my healthy, active life. I missed me during those weeks immediately following the accident. I was unhappy, angry, and recovering from injuries sustained in the accident. My top goal was then decided. I didn't care if I had to walk the whole 26.2 miles, I wasn't going to change to the HM and I wasn't going to opt out altogether. At times, people thought I was crazy and rushing my recovery, but I needed it for me.
Goal two: Once I started getting back into training and knew my body was going to be okay, I realized that my Hansons training was going very well. Maybe due to my strong desire to be at the race? Paces were spot on. Distances were covered. I felt really good. I wasn't able to do any strength training (and I still haven't done any yet, post-accident), unfortunately, but everything with running was going really well. Goal two was to run a new personal best.
Goal three: Run so well that I qualify for Boston. That would be a 3:45 finish for me. My previous best was a 3:53:50-something at Eugene. I knew it would be a stretch to knock almost 9 minutes off my time, but I also knew running was going well and I wanted it more than anything.
Goal one: check!
Goal two: check!!
Goal three: will have to wait for another day, and that's okay.
I'm so thrilled to have not only made it back to the starting line but also to run as well as I did. The last 5 miles were quite painful with bad cramping from my ankles to my butt. I suspected I might have issues when I began sweating profusely at mile 2. Mile Two! Yikes. I didn't notice anyone else around the 3:45 pace group sweating like I did. Was it extra humid? I don't know. All I know is there was a lot of sweating already happening. I carried nuun in my hydration bottle and sipped from that the whole race, even filling up again around mile 16. There were aid stations every two miles so I just made sure I was drinking at those intervals, at a minimum. Still, the cramping was pretty bad in those last miles. Down hills were the worst!
Mike dropped me off at the race start. I had just enough time to use the Hilton's restroom and check my gear. I found the 3:45 group and was happy to see an old friend from our Portland neighborhood also in the group. We were both hoping for BQs (note: neither of us got that today -- she ran a 3:45:52 or something). I ran with the 3:45 group for the first 6 miles. They were running just under 8:30 to "bank some time" before the hills that start at mile 14. Around mile 6, they started to slow and I moved slightly ahead of them. They remained just a few steps behind me for the next 13 miles. When I hit the hill around mile 19.5 or 20, my pace started to fall. Splits from my watch:
1- 8:23
2- 8:35
3- 8:18
4- 8:24
5- 8:23
6- 8:32
7- 8:18
8- 8:17
9- 8:23
10- 8:25
11- 8:22
12- 8:28
13- 8:17
14- 8:25
15- 8:38
16- 8:35
17- 8:52
18- 8:23
19- 8:47
20- 10:23*
21- 9:10
22- 8:45
23- 8:50
24- 9:07
25- 11:03*
26- 10:50
Note: First half is pretty flat and straight. Second half has lots of turns and hills, most noticeably at miles 20 and 25. (*)
Once I hit the hills, I had a hard time maintaining a good pace. The first hill is pretty long. My legs were cramping and this part of the race has a lot of turns, some pretty sharp. If it weren't for the cramping, I probably could have finished a lot stronger and with an even bigger PR. Mike caught up to me around mile 21. The 3:45 group had just passed and I was cramping going down a hill. It was really nice to have him there beside me for the remainder of the race. I stopped a few times to catch my breath and tray to shake out the cramps, but I know I would have stopped more if he hadn't been there, encouraging me all the way.
Hansons Training Method: I love this way of training! I worried a little about the long runs and only running a max of 16 miles in a single run. However, I repeated to myself many times over the weeks to trust the training. I really think it made a difference in how I felt on this run. Until the late cramping, I felt really strong and it felt comfortably hard. I'm looking forward to training with Hansons again for the next marathon!
Chip Time: 3:52:16
Pace: 8:52
Age Division: 16 / 61
Place Overall: 226 / 757
Sex Overall: 78 / 364
20.7 mile split:
2:58:44, 8:38 pace
I had just started ramping up mileage and was running really strong when I was involved in a car accident on 4/9. I knew at that point that my goals for this race needed to be adjusted. It would be weeks before I could really run again. I knew several weeks lost in training would require new goals.
Goal one: Get to the starting line. I had to reclaim my healthy, active life. I missed me during those weeks immediately following the accident. I was unhappy, angry, and recovering from injuries sustained in the accident. My top goal was then decided. I didn't care if I had to walk the whole 26.2 miles, I wasn't going to change to the HM and I wasn't going to opt out altogether. At times, people thought I was crazy and rushing my recovery, but I needed it for me.
Goal two: Once I started getting back into training and knew my body was going to be okay, I realized that my Hansons training was going very well. Maybe due to my strong desire to be at the race? Paces were spot on. Distances were covered. I felt really good. I wasn't able to do any strength training (and I still haven't done any yet, post-accident), unfortunately, but everything with running was going really well. Goal two was to run a new personal best.
Goal three: Run so well that I qualify for Boston. That would be a 3:45 finish for me. My previous best was a 3:53:50-something at Eugene. I knew it would be a stretch to knock almost 9 minutes off my time, but I also knew running was going well and I wanted it more than anything.
Goal one: check!
Goal two: check!!
Goal three: will have to wait for another day, and that's okay.
I'm so thrilled to have not only made it back to the starting line but also to run as well as I did. The last 5 miles were quite painful with bad cramping from my ankles to my butt. I suspected I might have issues when I began sweating profusely at mile 2. Mile Two! Yikes. I didn't notice anyone else around the 3:45 pace group sweating like I did. Was it extra humid? I don't know. All I know is there was a lot of sweating already happening. I carried nuun in my hydration bottle and sipped from that the whole race, even filling up again around mile 16. There were aid stations every two miles so I just made sure I was drinking at those intervals, at a minimum. Still, the cramping was pretty bad in those last miles. Down hills were the worst!
Mike dropped me off at the race start. I had just enough time to use the Hilton's restroom and check my gear. I found the 3:45 group and was happy to see an old friend from our Portland neighborhood also in the group. We were both hoping for BQs (note: neither of us got that today -- she ran a 3:45:52 or something). I ran with the 3:45 group for the first 6 miles. They were running just under 8:30 to "bank some time" before the hills that start at mile 14. Around mile 6, they started to slow and I moved slightly ahead of them. They remained just a few steps behind me for the next 13 miles. When I hit the hill around mile 19.5 or 20, my pace started to fall. Splits from my watch:
1- 8:23
2- 8:35
3- 8:18
4- 8:24
5- 8:23
6- 8:32
7- 8:18
8- 8:17
9- 8:23
10- 8:25
11- 8:22
12- 8:28
13- 8:17
14- 8:25
15- 8:38
16- 8:35
17- 8:52
18- 8:23
19- 8:47
20- 10:23*
21- 9:10
22- 8:45
23- 8:50
24- 9:07
25- 11:03*
26- 10:50
Note: First half is pretty flat and straight. Second half has lots of turns and hills, most noticeably at miles 20 and 25. (*)
Once I hit the hills, I had a hard time maintaining a good pace. The first hill is pretty long. My legs were cramping and this part of the race has a lot of turns, some pretty sharp. If it weren't for the cramping, I probably could have finished a lot stronger and with an even bigger PR. Mike caught up to me around mile 21. The 3:45 group had just passed and I was cramping going down a hill. It was really nice to have him there beside me for the remainder of the race. I stopped a few times to catch my breath and tray to shake out the cramps, but I know I would have stopped more if he hadn't been there, encouraging me all the way.
Hansons Training Method: I love this way of training! I worried a little about the long runs and only running a max of 16 miles in a single run. However, I repeated to myself many times over the weeks to trust the training. I really think it made a difference in how I felt on this run. Until the late cramping, I felt really strong and it felt comfortably hard. I'm looking forward to training with Hansons again for the next marathon!
Chip Time: 3:52:16
Pace: 8:52
Age Division: 16 / 61
Place Overall: 226 / 757
Sex Overall: 78 / 364
| 7.6 mile split: 1:04:04, 8:26 pace |
2:58:44, 8:38 pace
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Cascade Half Marathon
I knew the Cascade Half Marathon in Turner, Oregon (near Salem) would be a great race for me. The last time I raced that distance was in October 2012, so well over a year! It's my favorite distance to train and race so I was super excited to be running it again. I had also been running strong -- both in terms of pace and overall mileage. I started a running streak in November (the day after Thanksgiving, the 29th) and I really think that has a lot to do with my improved running.
Anyway, lots of strong miles and no injuries gave me the confidence to run Cascade well. My previous best was at the Foot Traffic Flat HM in 2011. Finish time there was 1:44:57. The thing about that race though is that the course measured short on my watch. So although I had this great new PR for the distance, I didn't really feel like I had earned it. I don't remember how far short it was, but I know my finish time would have been another minute, at least.
The Cascade HM is an awesome race. It's the perfect size for me with only 429 HM finishers. The route is flatter than flat and has very few turns. The race is in a very rural part of Oregon so nothing but wide open country. There was considerable fog and the start temperature was 32*. A little cool, but otherwise perfect running conditions for me.
The first half of the race I paced off two high school aged boys. They were tall, lanky and easily ran the 7:30-7:40 pace. They were probably members of the local high school xc team, the group that benefits from this race. Last year the school was able to purchase several new pieces of gym equipment. In a town with population 1853, I can see how this race is a huge event and huge fundraiser. I love that.
The boys (I called them my "show ponies") started to lose me at the turn around point. At this point I also noticed that my watch was not measuring the course the same as the mile markers. It appeared to be long. I've raced enough to know how to run the curves. I do everything possible to run the shortest distance and in a race with so few people, this was very easy to do. At the finish line, however, my watch had the course at 13.4 miles. And I started my watch 5 seconds into the race so I really probably had something just over that. Crazy.
The second half of the race was run equally strong and consistent but the pace did slow a little here and there. With just over 1.5 miles to go, Paula Harkin (owner of Portland Running Company) passed me. I knew she ran a 1:40 last year and was probably on pace to do something similar so that kept me moving along. I'm not going to lie: that last 1/2 mile was tough. Throughout the race I repeated to myself: Be Fearless. Be Confident. Those words kept me running a "comfortably hard" pace throughout the race. Yet, you wouldn't know the last bit was tough because I crossed the finish line at a 7:20 pace. Crazy.
I know it's almost impossible to race a distance the exact distance they say it is. It just isn't. And I've run in races that have been long (Del Mar Iron Girl's 10K showed up as 6.54 miles on my watch -- .34 over!?) and since I run as much as I do, I know during the race when a course is long.
The Cascade HM course was long. And I find this so frustrating because I had been running so strong and came into this race ready for a new PR. Yes, it was a PR even with the official time but not the 1:42 I wanted so badly. According to my watch, I made my goal and ran a under 1:42! But, not officially. Boo.
After the race I approached a woman who had out-kicked me in that final stretch to tell her Good Job. She had passed me right before the turn-around and I saw her in front the remainder of the race. I could see she was slowing beginning around mile 8 or 9 so I made it my mission to catch up and pass her. I did just that somewhere late in the race but then her kick at the end was stronger than my kick and she flew past me, finishing just 7 seconds before me. Later I learned she is in my division. Oh, that stings! Especially since that was the second race recently where I've been out-kicked in the final stretch. At the Corvallis Fall Festival 5K, a woman in my division came flying out of nowhere to beat me by 5 seconds. Ouch.
Overall, I loved this race. I love the ease, simplicity, route, seeing a school benefit... It's very well done and with a cap of 1,000 participants total, I can see word spreading about this fast and flat course and it's popularity increasing. I think it already has after Runner's World profiled it. Next year I'll need to be sure to sign up as soon as they open for registration!
Official finish time: 1:44:26
Pace: 7:59
Division Place: 5
However, I'm taking this race off my own watch. I killed my previous best and am super happy with my efforts, even if the official time doesn't reflect it. New PR for me!
Cascade Half Marathon: 1:41:14
Pace: 7:47
Fuel Notes: one GU gel 10 minutes before race start, one ShotBlock around mile 7, no water
Anyway, lots of strong miles and no injuries gave me the confidence to run Cascade well. My previous best was at the Foot Traffic Flat HM in 2011. Finish time there was 1:44:57. The thing about that race though is that the course measured short on my watch. So although I had this great new PR for the distance, I didn't really feel like I had earned it. I don't remember how far short it was, but I know my finish time would have been another minute, at least.
The Cascade HM is an awesome race. It's the perfect size for me with only 429 HM finishers. The route is flatter than flat and has very few turns. The race is in a very rural part of Oregon so nothing but wide open country. There was considerable fog and the start temperature was 32*. A little cool, but otherwise perfect running conditions for me.
The first half of the race I paced off two high school aged boys. They were tall, lanky and easily ran the 7:30-7:40 pace. They were probably members of the local high school xc team, the group that benefits from this race. Last year the school was able to purchase several new pieces of gym equipment. In a town with population 1853, I can see how this race is a huge event and huge fundraiser. I love that.
The boys (I called them my "show ponies") started to lose me at the turn around point. At this point I also noticed that my watch was not measuring the course the same as the mile markers. It appeared to be long. I've raced enough to know how to run the curves. I do everything possible to run the shortest distance and in a race with so few people, this was very easy to do. At the finish line, however, my watch had the course at 13.4 miles. And I started my watch 5 seconds into the race so I really probably had something just over that. Crazy.
The second half of the race was run equally strong and consistent but the pace did slow a little here and there. With just over 1.5 miles to go, Paula Harkin (owner of Portland Running Company) passed me. I knew she ran a 1:40 last year and was probably on pace to do something similar so that kept me moving along. I'm not going to lie: that last 1/2 mile was tough. Throughout the race I repeated to myself: Be Fearless. Be Confident. Those words kept me running a "comfortably hard" pace throughout the race. Yet, you wouldn't know the last bit was tough because I crossed the finish line at a 7:20 pace. Crazy.
I know it's almost impossible to race a distance the exact distance they say it is. It just isn't. And I've run in races that have been long (Del Mar Iron Girl's 10K showed up as 6.54 miles on my watch -- .34 over!?) and since I run as much as I do, I know during the race when a course is long.
The Cascade HM course was long. And I find this so frustrating because I had been running so strong and came into this race ready for a new PR. Yes, it was a PR even with the official time but not the 1:42 I wanted so badly. According to my watch, I made my goal and ran a under 1:42! But, not officially. Boo.
After the race I approached a woman who had out-kicked me in that final stretch to tell her Good Job. She had passed me right before the turn-around and I saw her in front the remainder of the race. I could see she was slowing beginning around mile 8 or 9 so I made it my mission to catch up and pass her. I did just that somewhere late in the race but then her kick at the end was stronger than my kick and she flew past me, finishing just 7 seconds before me. Later I learned she is in my division. Oh, that stings! Especially since that was the second race recently where I've been out-kicked in the final stretch. At the Corvallis Fall Festival 5K, a woman in my division came flying out of nowhere to beat me by 5 seconds. Ouch.
Overall, I loved this race. I love the ease, simplicity, route, seeing a school benefit... It's very well done and with a cap of 1,000 participants total, I can see word spreading about this fast and flat course and it's popularity increasing. I think it already has after Runner's World profiled it. Next year I'll need to be sure to sign up as soon as they open for registration!
Official finish time: 1:44:26
Pace: 7:59
Division Place: 5
However, I'm taking this race off my own watch. I killed my previous best and am super happy with my efforts, even if the official time doesn't reflect it. New PR for me!
Cascade Half Marathon: 1:41:14
Pace: 7:47
Fuel Notes: one GU gel 10 minutes before race start, one ShotBlock around mile 7, no water
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Nike Women's Marathon San Francisco
Official Finish Time: 4:14:10
Pace: 9:43
Overall Place: 873 / approximately 32,000
Division Place: 77 / 433
5k- 27:58
10k- 55:21
15k- 1:25:05
21k- 2:00:39
25k- 2:23:29
30k- 2:53:54
35k- 3:26:26
40k- 3:59:55
I went into NWM for the experience. I knew it would be a race unlike any other -- and it was. From the race expo (which is nothing like any other race expo I've been to) to the craziness at Niketown to the race itself. This race was not like the others. I knew it would be a great experience and fun.
I had no expectations or time goals for NWM. I remember being asked just one week ago while running with a local woman what my finish goal was. I had nothing. I told her I was running for the experience and looking forward to a weekend in San Francisco with my San Diego girlfriends. It was going to be an awesome weekend, with a marathon thrown in.
NWM was my 3rd marathon in six months. I knew the course would have hills but I still wanted to run a decent race. I had incorporated hills on all my training runs but was ill-prepared for the onslaught that is the San Francisco course. Very little of this course is flat. You are constantly climbing or descending, both of which were severe at times. It felt like a roller coaster.
I had imagined how I might run this race. I was going to start slow (9:10-9:20 pace), pick it up after the course splits around mile 11 and finish strong. I wanted to enjoy the whole race environment, take in the views, feel the others' energy. I didn't wear a watch or listen to music. I wanted to take it all in and a slow start would allow me to do that and still finish strong. It didn't work like that.
I began the race at a comfortable 9:10 pace. The weather was a cool but comfortable 50. For me, this is perfect. There was heavy fog so not much to look at (this was the case nearly all the course) but I imagine the views are spectacular as we made our way along the marina and around the bay. The hills along the course were more than I expected so when mile 11 came along I thought I should keep it slow until the halfway point. Quite honestly, I had to fight the urge to take the right turn with the Half Marathoners. I would have been perfectly happy finishing. However, I hadn't pushed the first 11 so I would not have been happy with my HM time. This thought kept me left and on the path of the marathon.
After the split, we continued to climb into Golden Gate Park. There were some rollers and I was not recovering well from the hills in the first half of the course. At mile 13, I decided I need to keep it slow until I hit the Great Highway. I knew at that point it would be a flat approx. 4 miles out and back. This was not the case.
Around mile 15.5 for us, we merged with the half marathoners. This does awful things to a runner when you are knee deep into the miles with a long way to go and the girls beside you are hammering it home because their finish line is around the corner. For a moment I wish I had known (and taken) this short cut. Ha! I could have taken the split and merged back into the marathon and skipped about 4 miles. Of course, this is not something I would ever do but it's always a thought that runs through my head after 15 miles of running.
Mile 18 began a dark period. Did you know the bottoms of your feet can cramp? They can. And did. Everything began to hurt. I hadn't stopped until this but did stop for a minute. When I did, I considered stopping altogether. I could barely stand and at that point feared that a medical person would see me and pull me aside. It was better to keep moving forward, no matter how slow the moving forward became.
The dark period subsided and I was able to continue at a decent but slow pace. I'd have to confirm on a map, but around mile 19 began more rolling hills. Not anything to complain about but they were coming late and that always makes them feel hard. The turn around at mile 21 was at the bottom of a hill. It was at this point that I unloaded. My bottles were empty and I had taken my last GU. The fuel belt came off, my gloves were thrown into the trash, my handkerchief was left alongside the street.
After the turn around climb, we began a gradual descent back to the Great Highway straightaway. I watched the runners I passed who were making their way up that same hill. Some had stopped to stretch, some looked absolutely miserable. I felt sorry for them because I figured most had no idea how long that climb is or of the steeper hill at the mile 21 turn around still to come.
The finish was flat and didn't feel as long as it did on the way out (remember mile 18 was dark?). There were spectators cheering, surfers crossing to get to the beach and the fog was beginning to lift along the coastline. I could barely make out the finish line (due to fog) but once I saw that I felt energized again. The streets were lined with people in those last few blocks, at some points they really narrowed the course. It made the finish fun to see all the people out cheering us on. One older man, in particular, stepped out and gave me encouragement. I don't know if spectators know just how much that means to a runner, esp. in those last miles. I'll never forget the preppy gentleman in a bright yellow sweater.
Finish line: Very well organized with reusable water bottles handed to you immediately, the firefighter and Tiffany necklace waiting, other firefighters posing for photos, mylar blankets handed out, gift bags with food, and then gear checks beyond that. Cell service was crappy so I worried I wouldn't find my friends who had all run the half marathon, but eventually service worked for 30 seconds and I was able to call one friend.
This was a great race experience. It is not a PR course. It isn't a typical race. It's hillier than you're going to imagine. It's an expensive race. And a weekend in San Francisco is not cheap. I don't need to do it again. It's a bucket list item that has now been checked off. However, it is (and was) a fabulous girls' weekend -- with a marathon thrown in!
Pace: 9:43
Overall Place: 873 / approximately 32,000
Division Place: 77 / 433
5k- 27:58
10k- 55:21
15k- 1:25:05
21k- 2:00:39
25k- 2:23:29
30k- 2:53:54
35k- 3:26:26
40k- 3:59:55
I went into NWM for the experience. I knew it would be a race unlike any other -- and it was. From the race expo (which is nothing like any other race expo I've been to) to the craziness at Niketown to the race itself. This race was not like the others. I knew it would be a great experience and fun.
I had no expectations or time goals for NWM. I remember being asked just one week ago while running with a local woman what my finish goal was. I had nothing. I told her I was running for the experience and looking forward to a weekend in San Francisco with my San Diego girlfriends. It was going to be an awesome weekend, with a marathon thrown in.
NWM was my 3rd marathon in six months. I knew the course would have hills but I still wanted to run a decent race. I had incorporated hills on all my training runs but was ill-prepared for the onslaught that is the San Francisco course. Very little of this course is flat. You are constantly climbing or descending, both of which were severe at times. It felt like a roller coaster.
I had imagined how I might run this race. I was going to start slow (9:10-9:20 pace), pick it up after the course splits around mile 11 and finish strong. I wanted to enjoy the whole race environment, take in the views, feel the others' energy. I didn't wear a watch or listen to music. I wanted to take it all in and a slow start would allow me to do that and still finish strong. It didn't work like that.
I began the race at a comfortable 9:10 pace. The weather was a cool but comfortable 50. For me, this is perfect. There was heavy fog so not much to look at (this was the case nearly all the course) but I imagine the views are spectacular as we made our way along the marina and around the bay. The hills along the course were more than I expected so when mile 11 came along I thought I should keep it slow until the halfway point. Quite honestly, I had to fight the urge to take the right turn with the Half Marathoners. I would have been perfectly happy finishing. However, I hadn't pushed the first 11 so I would not have been happy with my HM time. This thought kept me left and on the path of the marathon.
After the split, we continued to climb into Golden Gate Park. There were some rollers and I was not recovering well from the hills in the first half of the course. At mile 13, I decided I need to keep it slow until I hit the Great Highway. I knew at that point it would be a flat approx. 4 miles out and back. This was not the case.
Around mile 15.5 for us, we merged with the half marathoners. This does awful things to a runner when you are knee deep into the miles with a long way to go and the girls beside you are hammering it home because their finish line is around the corner. For a moment I wish I had known (and taken) this short cut. Ha! I could have taken the split and merged back into the marathon and skipped about 4 miles. Of course, this is not something I would ever do but it's always a thought that runs through my head after 15 miles of running.
Mile 18 began a dark period. Did you know the bottoms of your feet can cramp? They can. And did. Everything began to hurt. I hadn't stopped until this but did stop for a minute. When I did, I considered stopping altogether. I could barely stand and at that point feared that a medical person would see me and pull me aside. It was better to keep moving forward, no matter how slow the moving forward became.
The dark period subsided and I was able to continue at a decent but slow pace. I'd have to confirm on a map, but around mile 19 began more rolling hills. Not anything to complain about but they were coming late and that always makes them feel hard. The turn around at mile 21 was at the bottom of a hill. It was at this point that I unloaded. My bottles were empty and I had taken my last GU. The fuel belt came off, my gloves were thrown into the trash, my handkerchief was left alongside the street.
After the turn around climb, we began a gradual descent back to the Great Highway straightaway. I watched the runners I passed who were making their way up that same hill. Some had stopped to stretch, some looked absolutely miserable. I felt sorry for them because I figured most had no idea how long that climb is or of the steeper hill at the mile 21 turn around still to come.
The finish was flat and didn't feel as long as it did on the way out (remember mile 18 was dark?). There were spectators cheering, surfers crossing to get to the beach and the fog was beginning to lift along the coastline. I could barely make out the finish line (due to fog) but once I saw that I felt energized again. The streets were lined with people in those last few blocks, at some points they really narrowed the course. It made the finish fun to see all the people out cheering us on. One older man, in particular, stepped out and gave me encouragement. I don't know if spectators know just how much that means to a runner, esp. in those last miles. I'll never forget the preppy gentleman in a bright yellow sweater.
Finish line: Very well organized with reusable water bottles handed to you immediately, the firefighter and Tiffany necklace waiting, other firefighters posing for photos, mylar blankets handed out, gift bags with food, and then gear checks beyond that. Cell service was crappy so I worried I wouldn't find my friends who had all run the half marathon, but eventually service worked for 30 seconds and I was able to call one friend.
This was a great race experience. It is not a PR course. It isn't a typical race. It's hillier than you're going to imagine. It's an expensive race. And a weekend in San Francisco is not cheap. I don't need to do it again. It's a bucket list item that has now been checked off. However, it is (and was) a fabulous girls' weekend -- with a marathon thrown in!
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Fall Festival 5k
Official Finish Time: 23:15
Pace: 7:29
Division Place: 3/33
Overall Female Place: 10/202
The Fall Festival 5k is a small, local race with a 9:10am start. The course is run all around the OSU campus. Stormy weather last night left us with some wet conditions, including rain, for today's race. Solid race for me but not a PR. I thought I might be able to pull off a PR today despite having just run my last long run for NWM two days ago (22 miles!) but my legs were tired. I started much too fast and half a mile into the race I could feel the tiredness in my legs. I decided a PR was not going to happen today about a mile into it but thought I'd hang on the best I could for something around 23 minutes. I finished in 23:15. I was totally out kicked in the last block of the race which was disappointing but I feel good knowing I gave it my all to the end. Fun and fast! Love 5k races!!
Pace: 7:29
Division Place: 3/33
Overall Female Place: 10/202
The Fall Festival 5k is a small, local race with a 9:10am start. The course is run all around the OSU campus. Stormy weather last night left us with some wet conditions, including rain, for today's race. Solid race for me but not a PR. I thought I might be able to pull off a PR today despite having just run my last long run for NWM two days ago (22 miles!) but my legs were tired. I started much too fast and half a mile into the race I could feel the tiredness in my legs. I decided a PR was not going to happen today about a mile into it but thought I'd hang on the best I could for something around 23 minutes. I finished in 23:15. I was totally out kicked in the last block of the race which was disappointing but I feel good knowing I gave it my all to the end. Fun and fast! Love 5k races!!
Thursday, July 04, 2013
Foot Traffic Flat Marathon
Finish time: 4:01:20
Pace: 9:12
Age group: 13/33
Women: 79/233
Overall: 198/441
Third time running the Sauvie Island Flat but my first time running the full marathon event. Great course and fantastic race! I hadn't been able to train much with the busy months of May and June so I pretty much piggy backed off my Eugene Marathon training (April race). I definitely was not prepared or well-trained for this race but still felt pretty good and had a great time. A chunk of miles (9 to 22?) were run alongside another woman. It was nice to have some company!
I got to the race start late. I was actually in my car when the race started. I scrambled to get my stuff together and ran to the start line. Not an ideal way to start a marathon. The weather had been hot but race morning wasn't bad. It did warm up as the morning went on but it wasn't as hot as I was expecting. Still, I stopped at probably 10 of the (13?) aid stations to drink a cup and pour another water cup on my bandana. I even carried fluids so it was definitely a warm race for me.
But, I do love this race. I love starting a long holiday weekend with a great accomplishment like this! And again, no watch for this race either!
Pace: 9:12
Age group: 13/33
Women: 79/233
Overall: 198/441
Third time running the Sauvie Island Flat but my first time running the full marathon event. Great course and fantastic race! I hadn't been able to train much with the busy months of May and June so I pretty much piggy backed off my Eugene Marathon training (April race). I definitely was not prepared or well-trained for this race but still felt pretty good and had a great time. A chunk of miles (9 to 22?) were run alongside another woman. It was nice to have some company!
I got to the race start late. I was actually in my car when the race started. I scrambled to get my stuff together and ran to the start line. Not an ideal way to start a marathon. The weather had been hot but race morning wasn't bad. It did warm up as the morning went on but it wasn't as hot as I was expecting. Still, I stopped at probably 10 of the (13?) aid stations to drink a cup and pour another water cup on my bandana. I even carried fluids so it was definitely a warm race for me.
But, I do love this race. I love starting a long holiday weekend with a great accomplishment like this! And again, no watch for this race either!
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Monday, December 03, 2012
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Sunday, October 07, 2012
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Saturday, June 09, 2012
Sunday, June 03, 2012
Ojai 2 Ocean Marathon
a dork at the start line -- oh wait! that's me
.
cool "recycled materials" finisher's medal that doubles as a bottle opener
.
that bike path is the course!
.
at the finish with friends
.
This morning friends and I ran the Ojai 2 Ocean Marathon. The race starts in the mountains of Ojai, runs along the bike path for much of the course, and ends 700' lower at the Ventura Pier. It is an amazing race! The first half is almost all downhill. Not a steep decline but a beautifully slight downhill that feels awesome. Around mile 15 it flattens out and remains pretty flat all the way to the finish line. The first 5 or 6 miles are run around Ojai and the last 5 or 6 are run along the beach. This morning it was lightly misting at the start and around 53*. It continued to mist until around mile 10, stopped, and began again when we were closer to the ocean around mile 19 or 20. The temperature around the finish line at 10am was about 57* thanks to the marine layer. Perfect race conditions all around! My race was a good effort. I held back initially because I didn't want to start off too fast. The bike path's downhill sped me up a bit but I was still doing great until my right leg began to cramp. Not just the calf or the quad, but the entire leg from quad to my toes. Ouch! That started near mile 24 and continued with me until the finish. I had hit 20 miles at 2:57 so I was hoping to finish under 4 hours even at a slow pace but my pace got slower and slower until the cramping left me doing a run-walk to the finish. I missed a new marathon PR by less than a minute!
Finish Time: 4:06:00
Average Pace: 9:23
Overall Place: 478 out of roughly 1000 (the race is capped and had sold out)
Sex Place: 191 out of 409
Division Place: 61 out of 132
I'm pleased with my effort. Being so close to a new PR and not getting it is heartbreaking but that's what makes the challenge fun. I knew I'd be somewhere in the middle of all places. This year's race was only the second running and there were twice as many runners this year as last year. It's a Boston Qualifier and I know competitive runners with Boston on their minds will be flocking to this race in the years to come! There was definitely a more serious crowd here today than in other races I've done recently.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)