When the alarm went off, I jumped out of bed ready to take on the day.
Really, don't laugh. I did.
breakfast.coffee.train.
If you read my report from yesterday....
You didn't read my report from yesterday? Well, you just plain suck.
Go back and read it. I'll wait.
OK, now that we're all on the same page.
This race has been my nemesis.
2009: Bad food day before the race, left me in a disastrous situation on race day.
2008: I did IM before the race and was emotionally drained. I didn't train for the the race AT ALL. My legs were ok, but lack of nutrition training cost me in the last 5k.
2007: Do I have to continue? REally?
Anyway, this year I was focused on finally getting a respectable time.
Until I decided to practice my stop, drop & roll exercise on a very short easy run, which left me with a 2nd degree sprained ankle, 2 swollen & cut up knees, and various bruises throughout....3 weeks before race day.
Sigh, I would once again take part in a sufferfest. A sufferfest is any time a half marathon takes longer than 2:30. Look it up.
Up until the little *accident*, everything was going great. And I thought I would be able to close in on my half mary PR. It would be a stretch, but I thought I could get there.
Then I missed both my 11, 12 & 12 mile long runs, 2 tempo runs and a speed day. Not to mention, I had to take almost a week off completely.
sigh....MY NEMESIS RACE STRIKES AGAIN.
Still with a 10 mile run under my belt (albeit a sssllllloooooowwww) 10 mile run, I decided to throw caution to wind and just go out and give it everything I had.
Based on my strong record of failings at this race, I knew that all I had to do was beat 2:38.
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What the heck? Let's just try it.
So here I am, putting on my big girl pants ------------------------->
I get in the car.
I get on the train.
I start walking.
A guy starts walking next to me asking me about the course.
Little does he know that I know this course INTIMATELY as I've spent almost 20 hours on this course over the years.
You tend to pay attention to details when you're slogging along.
He asks what the course is like.
I respond, assuming that he is a local: Not bad. Tough hill at mile 4 but it's short. After that, it's pretty much flat.
He says: Great because it's my first marathon, and I'm from Austin.
I stare at him blankly....possibly blinking, trying to decide how to eat my words.
"You'll do great", I say and beat it out of there.
I head to corral 1 to see if I could find Eric. No such luck.
I drop my gear bag off at the gear drop and head to corral 8.
The AVERAGE corral.
As I look around at all the AVERAGE runners, I think "these people don't look average. They look really fast."
At this point, I must fill you in on an important detail. Mr. Tea made a request of me. He said that as soon as the gun goes off....
he wanted me to yell.....
RELEASE THE KRACKEN
which, of course, I thought was BRILLANT.
So the *gun* goes off, and I YELL RELEASE THE KRACKEN. Some people smiled but everyone took 2 steps away from me.
Ok WHATEVA.
every party needs a pooper that's why we invited you, party pooper....
I'm running along with the fast people.
And everyone is passing me.
EVERYone.
But that's ok. I HAVE A PLAN. That I have not yet put into action.
la la la....we're out running a half marathon.
Things are going along well. My pace is too fast, but I figured that I would slow to a virtual stop at mile 4, as I started the climb....the longest .25 miles in the whole entire world.
Nutrition is spot on, mostly. RNR had the nerve to put water stations at every 2 miles which meant that I had to adapt my every 3 mile GU plan. But, I was doing well.
In fact, I was doing really well. I kept staring at my garmin. I really just want to break 2:30.
WHOA B!TCHFACE what are you talking about breaking 2:30? As of this morning, we're just trying to beat your previous record.
Ok, 2:30-2:38....c'mon look....we're pacing to a 2:28 finish. That would really make my day.
But so would a 2:37, right? That's still a PR.
Really, could we talk about this later? I'm trying to run.
The arguing went on for awhile when we decided to just keep running whatever felt good.
The course was rolling hills, so I could really pick up speed on the downhills. My pace was fine, but
but
but
I couldn't stop thinking about my last race....where the last 5k was horrible with cramping in every part of my body.
What if it happens again?
It won't, I rock.
But it could.
No, it won't.
But, I didn't do my long runs.
Who's awesome?
I'm awesome.
One mile at a time.
AT mile 6, I BECAME QUEEN OF THE HALF MARATHON. NOTHING COULD STOP ME. NOT ONLY AM I GOING TO BEAT MY COURSE RECORD BUT I'M GOING TO BREAK 2 HOURS TOO! I AM THE BEST RUNNER IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD.
At mile 6.1, I thought I was going to throw up. I can't do this. I still have 7 miles to go. that's more than I've done so far. People are STILL passing me. What's wrong with these people? Don't the see they are HURTING MY FEELINGS???
I almost started crying.
Not really. I'm sensitive, but not THAT sensitive.
At mile 8, I'm thankful I wore my SUPER SPEEDY CWX tights because if I can't actually BE fast, I should at least LOOK the part.
You accomplish that by wearing CWX tights and not smiling.
I did both.
My race photos should certainly be entertaining.
At mile 9, I realize that people are walking, and I am PASSING THE SUPER AVERAGE PEOPLE!! ME! I'm passing people! It's not a swim. It's not a bike.
IT'S A RUN, AND I AM PASSING PEOPLE!
SUCKAS
At mile 10, I start thinking about those damn cramps again.
Jut keep moving, don't worry about it. Do you really feel any kind of cramp coming on?
Well my butt hurts.
That's different.
My feet hurt.
You don't get feet cramps.
Then, all of a sudden I was at mile 11.
Then, 12....then I realized the course had changed and instead of finishing on an uphill....
WE ARE GOING TO FINISH RUNNING DOWNHILL.
I start running, as fast as I can for the last mile. I look at my watch and realize that 2:32 isn't going to happen, but I could sneak in just under 2:34!
I cross the finish line with an official time of 2:34:03.
I want to see Eric get his sub 2:50 marathon, but the exit line was so long that by the time I got all the way around and back to the finish, the clock read 3:00. He would have finished by now, I think.
And THAT my friend is how you make peace with your nemesis. I'm still a few years away from a half mary PR, but each race is a step in the right direction....except (historically) THIS particular race.
But next year, it is SO on with this race.