BAA Half Marathon - race day recap

I have to be honest. As much as I can talk about this race all day, I have been stalling in writing this recap since I got up. I realized I'm afraid I'll forget something from what ended up being a very, very special day. The memories will only fade the longer I wait, so here I go!

I should back up a bit. My last week of training went pretty well. I did a 12 miler last Sunday and I went great up until mile 8 where I got CRAZY hungry. I felt like, if someone walked by me with a pizza, I'd probably mug them. Gimme your pizza and no one gets hurt! Anyway, that was the point where I was due to take a Gu (energy gel, vanilla flavor only). The fact that it tasted so delicious, like it never had before, told me I wasn't properly fueled. I blamed it on a longer than normal time between food and start and also on being fairly low on fuel due to a stomach bug the day before. Miles 8-10 we're an absolute slog, which resulted in some "what was I thinking, I can't do this" tears. Then I "rubbed some dirt in it and walked it off" as the husband and I say and ran the remaining 2 miles. I finished in just over an 11 minute pace. Not the 10:42 I hoped for, but it was promising that with proper fuel, I would be ok on race day.

The Friday before the race was the last of the BAA's training clinics. It was somewhat of a course overview and then a Q&A with last year's winner, John Korir. Wow. What an awesome guy. Unless I showed you a video of him talking, I can't express how much he loved running. He just beamed with it. It was really inspiring and his message to all of us was: Don't be afraid. Trust your training and just run.

It's very basic, but how many people struggle with that? I do. I felt strangely calm after and was pretty amped up. Maybe I wouldn't have a crazy time, but I wasn't afraid of the result. Mostly I just love the course and couldn't WAIT to get out there and run in what felt like a giant herd of people. I missed out on this for a while when I ran closer to a 12 minute mile. I would be left behind and runs would be very solitary. Now, it's not so much the company, conversations are very limited, but the sound of dozens of footfalls behind you. It's so simple. So back-to-basics. Just people running and smiling. Prior to Sunday, I had run over 20 races (this actually surprised me when I counted them up), but this was the only one where I was SO excited and not afraid at all. You'd think I would be since it was my longest distance, but I just couldn't wait.

Saturday was a rest day and I thought I was going to lose my mind. I had all this anxious energy and nothing to do with it. Of course I needed to save it for Sunday, but I was climbing the walls. I did a quick shake-out run, which was enough to warm up my muscles to get a good stretch. I've been struggling with tight calf muscles (especially on the right side) and it was also starting to be a quadricep issue on that side. The rest of the day I watched tv and followed the Ironman World Championships in Kona live online. What an amazing race that was!

Sunday I woke up at 5:45 and ate my plain bagel with jelly and peanut butter. I usually eat only whole grain bread, but I can't have all that fiber on race day. I need easy to digest and burn carbs! I washed it down with 16oz of coconut water. I love that stuff. Gatorade does well for me during long hot races, but pre-race, it's too much for my stomach to handle. Most likely it's the sugar. It was so weird. I'm normally so nervous before any race, long or short, that I gag while I eat my breakfast. That's part of why I eat so early. I need to be done at least 2 1/2 hours before the race to digest and let the nausea pass. Sunday, I felt completely normal. I think a small part of it is that I'm used to being up even earlier for work. I think most of it was that I just couldn't wait to get out there. I love this race, I loved training and I love the BAA (Boston Athletic Association). I was intimidated by them the first time I ran it, but I learned that they are really about all runners, of all abilities, going out, being active and doing their best. During the clinics, they express how appreciative they are of every single person coming out to run with them. They especially thank the runners doing their first half with them and ease their fears that the cutoff time of 2:30:00 may possibly be just a suggestion and that they want everyone to finish and get a time.

At about 6:45am we left to take the orange line down the the Forest Hills station. From there we took a shuttle bus 1.5 miles to the start. We were there by about 7:30, race time it at 8:30, and had plenty of time to get our bearings, stretch and use the porta potties. Of course, at 8 I figured a second try would be worth it, waited 25 minutes in line, then realized I HAD to go at that point and was IN the porta potty when I heard the national anthem being sung. D'OH! Not the first time that's happened, but I thought 30 minutes would be enough! I flew out of there and sprinted up to the finish line. Nothing like that to ruin the calm and get the heart racing. I excuse-me'd as close as I could get to the 10 minute pace (how exciting is that?! A 12 minute short distance miler belonging up there?) and stretched my calves again. I had said goodbye to the husband earlier, who would most likely run an effortless sub 2 hour race. I can't be jealous because he has done so much to help, push and support me over the last 3 months (and really the last 15 years!).

Within a few minutes, the gun sounded. Then we waited another few minutes just to walk towards the start. I wasn't even sure if that was our gun or the wheelchair gun. We started running and there you go! It's race time! I normally have a very hard time at first. It takes a while for me to get in a groove and I am usually plagued with self-doubt for the first few miles. That is especially hard in a 5K when at the point I snap out of it, I only have 1.1 left and I'm pretty tired then! This time was different. I was just kind of in love with the race at this point. Does that sound silly? Cheesy? Stupid? I just can't think of another way to describe it that that really fits better. I grew a lot as a person and a runner while training. A lot of that I credit to my trainer for keeping me in check and really pushing me. I wasn't worried about the time because I knew it would be a decent time at worst and I also knew the pace/time wasn't the most important outcome. I started the race so happy and so calm that I wasn't sure it was me!

I had a definite strategy that I practiced during training. I called it the hydration station hop! Haha. There would be water or water and gatorade every two miles. All I had to do was run two miles. 13.1 is overwhelming. 2 miles is not. I cannot, at this point, run and drink. I swallow too much air and get stupid crazy cramps. I lose much less time walking to drink and then picking the pace right back up without trouble. All I had to so was run two miles. Times were at every mile and were clearly marked. By mile two I was slightly faster than race pace (by a few seconds) but felt okay and knew I'd lose time in miles 6 and 7, aka the first big hill. I carried my own vanilla Gu that I knew I could tolerate and took that at mile 4. Although, I was thrown off a little since the 4 mile station was at about 3.5 and I almost didn't take my Gu then. I took about 10 steps from the station and realized it was mile 4's table, but early. You have to take about 8oz of water (but not Gatorade because that's too much combined sugar) with Gu. I had only drank about 4oz and I like to take the Gu and then drink. Whatever...I figured if that was the biggest glitch, I was ok.

At that point, we ran over the Route 9 over pass, turned around at 4.6 miles and headed back to Franklin Park where we had started. Although we weren't halfway done, it was still comforting to be headed in the direction of the finish while I still felt good. Right before mile 6, Lululemon had a cheer station and a DJ was there, which was a nice surprise! I pepped up a little and managed to distract myself. I got to the water table at mile 6, which also had Power Gel, and still felt good, I was hitting my pace and alternately not believing it and emptying my mind so I wouldn't ruin it. At this point the run had been joyful. Again, maybe that's cheesy, but it was! I loved it! I felt lucky and so grateful to be healthy, strong and more fit than I have ever been (even if I still feel like I have a lot of work to do!). In hindsight, based of the rapidly warming temps (67 at race start time and that is already too hot for this salty super-sweater, never mind an hour+ later) and my waning energy, I should have taken the second and last Gu then and used the Power Gel for my planned mile 8 fuel. Well, really I should have brought 3 Gu packs, but I had only grabbed two and a back up Power Gel from mile 6. I was afraid to take a gel I had never used before because my stomach is so sensitive. Instead, I took more water and willed myself to just run two more miles to the station at mile 8. Mile 6-7 was the first big hill and fairly tough. I was happy I stayed pretty strong and steady and passed quite a few people then. Mile 7 was pretty fun. There were many people along the Arborway in lawn chairs and on blankets, hanging out with their families and cheering us on. One guy was sitting all alone, yelling an endless stream of personalized encouragement at us. Just past him was a line of 3 or 4 young kids waiting for high fives. Every high five they got resulted in a very excited "WOO!" What I loved was that there was this little teeny toddler boy, shyly standing about a foot back from the older kids with his hand out, hoping for a high five. I made sure to get him too and he waved his hands with such excitement that he almost fell over. Glad he didn't!

I got to station 8 and that's when I started to hurt. My right calf had been tight the whole time and by 8 it was also my hamstrings and my right glute. It felt like someone was punching me in the butt! It hurt! It also happened that mile 8-9 was going back up the overpass into Forest Hills. It was hot. HOT! And the entire mile was up and over the overpass...rough, crackled concrete where you felt like you were running, no, death-marching, up into the sun. It really felt like that! I had been running with the same big pack of people the whole time, which had been comforting, but every single one of us deflated half way up the climb. I tried to push it and a few tried to follow. We got about 3/4 up and the walk-monster got us. I walked to the top and eased into a run on the way down. Downhills usually help me to get my momentum back, but I felt like I was being beat up at this point. I was starting to get a little weary and feeling like the 4-5 miles I had left was so long. This was the first point I felt like this and I tried to push it out of my mind. I got to mile 9 exhausted. I was also super hungry, just like on my last long run. I ate closer to race time, but it wasn't enough. Next long race, I'm going to practice with a solid fuel, maybe Cliff Shot-blocks. I took some Gatorade, which I hadn't planned, and hoped for the best. It sat okay and I think it helped with the hunger.

Heading to mile 10, we enter Franklin Park again. Thank you to all the spectators there! Crowd support was good all along, but this was a really tough patch. I should have felt good coming off a 1/2 mile downhill, but I felt awful. I felt completely overheated and was desperate for water. I think part of the reason I sweat so much is that I am not an efficient cooler. I'm hoping that will change as I get more fit and lose more weight. What was great about this awful patch was my mind frame. I just decided I'd run as much and as fast as I could and it would be good enough. I wasn't stressed and the voice that told me I was too slow and not good enough was completely absent. Did I outrun it? Was it gone for good? Mile 10 was at a switch back and heading towards 11 was downhill. I lost a lot of time on mile 9 at the overpass and 10 being a bit uphill. I made up some at 11 but I knew what was waiting. The nice easy downhill at the start was mile 12 on the way back. Almost a whole mile of a fairly decent grade uphill. I thought I was tough. I though I could gut it out. Maybe if it was in the 60s I could but it doesn't matter because it didn't work out like that. In reality, mile 12 kind of punched me in the face. We were a group of struggling walk-joggers up this hill. Everyone was trying so hard to run but only going about 30 seconds before the heat, incline and distance got to them. I saw many people meet up with their kids, friends and family and started to feel alone. I knew I had the husband and a friend at the finish, but I started to get sad. I was only half way up the hill. I turned that sadness into fuel and did a super slow jog up the rest of it. I just wanted to get away from there. I think that mile was about a 13 minute pace. Yikes!

At that point we ran into the Franklin Park Zoo and found mile 12. Glorious, glorious mile 12! Only 1.1 left, although it felt like 1.1 was an unfathomable endless distance at that point. It was REALLY hot at this point. I'd bet it was about 80 since it was close to 11am and the high got to 87 that day. In the zoo I remember running by a giant parakeet aviary, seeing mile 12 and a zillion spectators/zoo-goers and then completely shutting down mentally. All I could think about was not stopping and breathing normally. I stared at my feet and hunkered down. I was already past the 2:20:00 crazy fast goal I set. I had a mile to go and 6 minutes to get to my 2:30:00 secondary goal. I knew that was unlikely as well. At that point, other than the last resort just-finish-goal, I HAD to finish at a sub 12 pace. I worked too hard to fall back into that. I don't care if I worked hard mostly at running faster at shorter distances, I was training for faster longer races as well. I just didn't have the experience.

I came out of the zoo and really dug in. I had been able to hear the finish area announcements for the last mile and it was making me crazy. I knew the finish was on the track in the stadium and when I saw the stadium looming in the distance, I was a bit dismayed. I knew it was less than a mile, but it looked so far away. I buckled down again, focused on my feet and blurred my mind. I literally counted to 10 over and over until I reached the chute leading to the stadium where some kind guy yelled, "go aqua shirt girl! You're killing it! 500 meters to go!" As kind as that was, I ran FOR. EV. ER. and then someone told me I had 450 to go. THEY were wrong as well because I saw the 400 remaining mark over a minute later and I was running much faster than that at that point. I love that the BAA knows we need to know how much is left. I have to say that signage, staffing and the volunteers were top-notch for this race. I just loved it. I can't say enough good things about it. Halfway down the chute I felt like my heart was going to explode with happy and running and exertion and adrenaline. I was finishing my race and it was a 100% respectable effort! Was it fast? No. Did I try my hardest, enjoy it and have a good attitude the whole time? Absolutely! I had never had a race where I was so positive.

I rounded a corner and realized I was about to enter the stadium. I hadn't thought of it, but how exciting is a track finish in a stadium?! In the distance, I saw the gun time was about 2:38:00, which meant my net time was about 2:34:00 and I had only a couple of minutes to book it 200 meters to get in under a 12 minute pace. I sprinted through the finish, stopped my watch around 2:35:00 and knew I did it. Did I have a breakthrough? In some ways, yes. I thought a breakthrough would be great cool weather and a 10 minute pace, but I had no idea how much I'd learn about myself in the 2 1/2 hours I was out there. I tried to put it in words above, but I'm not sure I really did. I guess, how I feel is that, even though it was only an 11:52 pace, I am excited for what's to come. I know what effort I can put out in major pain and super hot uncomfortable conditions. I also realize that I'm still getting fitter and losing weight. At some point all of this will come together.

I ran across the finish line and just felt happy. I smiled at everyone as I scanned for the husband. I saw him just outside of the stadium track where we were exiting and ran towards him. I don't know what came over me, but I just started to cry. It was very emotional. The whole training had been an emotional test. I constantly felt on the verge of not being capable of what I was doing, but somehow, just scrapping by. I had plenty of encouragement, but my inner voice was always the loudest and my biggest critic. Maybe it knew to let up on race day? It never had before. For the first time, I ran a race where, even though I struggled, I never said "I can't" and knew I was doing my best. I actually enjoyed the whole race, pain and all, and lived in the moment.

I pulled myself together and the husband gave me some Gatorade and a fruit leather, which I ate in about two bites. He seemed to understand exactly what the tears were about without me having to struggle for words. Then a race photographer took a picture of us together, so I'll be sure to share the picture of me with sweat, tears and snot on my face! Listen, it's not gross. It's part of running!

My official time was 2:35:25. It's a 35 minute PR over my first attempt where I was injured and walked almost all of the last 6 miles. I wish I had run in the 10 minute mile range, anything sub 11, but I'm really okay with it. Sub-12 was the biggest deal.

Here's the big lesson. Like John Korir said, don't be afraid. Just try. It doesn't matter what happens, you will learn so much about yourself. Getting to the start line sometimes takes more courage than running the entire race!

I'm sorry, Officer...was I speeding?

It's recap time! That means I should have been posting more often, but was busy running, eating, sleeping and generally being a waste of space. Oh, and working, which contributes to my desire to make the couch cushions as flat as possible on my off hours. I should mention that my work schedule is kind of weird. I work Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 6am to 7/8pm. Most days are physically, mentally and even emotionally tiring, sometimes exhausting, but I still have workouts to do after all of them. My speed workout is always on Thursdays, but it always ends up okay.

Anyway, Sunday was long run day! I had a 7 miler, which is the furthest I've run since 2009. I was dragging when I left the house. I just didn't feel like it. I had a lot to do later that day and I just wanted to get it over with. It's hard to feel like that when getting it over with is going to take 75-90 minutes!

It ended up being a great run. It was overcast and in the low 70s and felt like it could rain at any minute. I was a little disappointed it didn't. I ended up feeling really strong and ran what I felt was a good pace. I wasn't sure what that pace was until mile 6 because I got a little lost (haha...yeah...) and I didn't know where any of the other miles were. I actually had fun and it was a beautiful course. I ran along part of the Emerald Necklace (the BAA Half Marathon mentioned on the link is the one I am training for) and used Jamaica Pond as a loop to turn around and head back. I can't believe I had never run down to the pond before! You really forget you are in the city. There's dirt to run on! The sad part is that so much of the string of parks have been chopped up and separated that it's hard to follow them from one end to the other. I don't meant streets intersecting. I understand that it's necessary, but I'm talking about having to dart across four lanes of angry traffic on Rt 9 (Huntington Ave). Crosswalk? Pedestrian light? Not so much. There might be a crosswalk wayyyyy down at the next light, but I can't really see from where I emerge.

After making it across, I run over to a streetlight to re-tie my shoes (I'm a bit compulsive about how tightly my shoes are tied). I put my foot up on the base of a light post and notice a Boston Police cruiser had pulled up next to me waiting to turn and the guy is giving me a weeeird look. I'd like to thank my broken filter for allowing me to blurt out:

"I'm sorry, officer...was I SPEEEEEDING?!"

(smile...quizzical look...burst of laughter)

"Sheesh...what's so funny?!"

(shaking of the head...driving away)

I know, I know...my blistering 10 minute miles are a lot to process...

Anywho...I finished mile 6 and saw I was just under 63 minutes. I was killing the 10K pace from last Sunday in a training run! I finished 7 at 1:15:43 and a 10:49 pace. My 10K pace was 11:07. Both courses were very hilly.

I point this out to give all of you beginners some encouragemet. I worked for SO LONG to run a sub 12 pace in a 5+ mile race. Last summer was the first time I did it with a 58:45 5 miler. I KILLED myself to take 15 seconds off my mile pace. As excited as I was to improve, I was highly discouraged at how little I got for the massive amount of work I put in. It was enough for me, for a very long time, to just finish the whole thing without walking (or even walking too much).

This summer has been a string of breakthroughs and I am still surprising myself. I think I'm surprised because I finally stopped worrying so much about it. Instead of running and running and hammering and hammering, I learned that I needed to get stronger, not just run more. I have never had a strength workout with my trainer where I haven't been at least a little sore the next day. She's pretty awesome. Not only does she know the perfect workouts to make me stronger and have a more balanced strength, but she catches tightness and possible injuries before I really know it's occurring. She is also so far into my head that she deserves an award. It's been crucial in getting me to do some pretty crazy workouts without me #1, realizing what's coming and #2, flipping the F out! I look back on that interval workout I wrote about in July as a major turning point. I left that day knowing something was very different. When I did my next run, I realized that I was freed from a suffocating case of doubt.

Monday was a strength and yoga day, that I did on my own since my trainer is out of town. I'll see her on Friday. Tuesday was a 4 miler that I did in 38:20!

Holy crap.

I was worrying about running anywhere in the 10s and I pulled out a 9:35 pace. My first mile was even an 8:56! I know the difference in my workouts compared to before, but this all feels a little out-of-body. I had a crazy, vivid dream about running an upcoming 5K in 28 minutes. I woke up so excited, thinking that I had really run that race. I was a bit deflated when I realized I hadn't.

Today I did the first 5K in about 29 (if it was an official race, I'd PR by 3:30). The first 3 miles I did in 28. I need to do another 5K soon. For some reason, with the shortest distance race I run, I get to the start line and turn into Choke-a-saurus Rex. I run 32s, 33s, 34s. I haven't tried a flat course since I started really having breakthroughs. It's time!

Camp Harborview - Harborthon 5K race recap

The 3rd annual Harborview 5K, supporting Camp Harborview on Boston's Long Island, was this past Thursday. I love this race. I was lucky enough to have friends tell me about it the first year and have returned for the next two. I can't recommend it enough. Now, before everyone looks at the price and freaks out ($45 is normally a lot for a 5K), this is what you get:

• a race t-shirt, with sizes for men and women! Who doesn't love race t-shirts?!
• a ferry ride to and from the race from either Long Wharf in Boston or Marina Bay in Quincy.
• entry to the hilliest, most surprisingly challenging 5K I've done in this area. In about a month I will start saying, "it's hilly, but it's not that bad..." I'm lying, but only because my brain knows I need to believe this so I will sign up the next year. I'll sign up the next year because it's SO MUCH fun!
• post race food. Runners love free food! The first two years it was catered by Pit Stop BBQ, which was fantastic. This year it was by b.good. I was not sure what to expect, but they had burgers, chicken and veggie burgers with pasta and potato salad and grilled corn on the side. I really like their food. Everything is always really fresh and healthy. Even their burgers are lean.
• even more than free food, runners love FREE BEER! Harpoon was the sponsor the first two years and Sam Adams was this year. They gave everyone 4 free beer tickets, which is very generous! 1 or 2 tickets is pretty standard. Also (ssssssh!), maybe...I heard...if you ask really nicely if you can have more beer after you have run out of tickets they will say, "what kind would you like?"
• entertainment! The first two years there was a DJ and that was fun, BUT this year they somehow got Rubix Kube, an awesome 80s cover band to play. Saying they are a band is a bit of an understatement. It's a show with crazy 80s outfits, dancing and awesome personalities.

Did I mention the amazing view and sunset thrown in for free? Beyond all of that, the money went to help fund camp stays for city kids. I can't say the food, beer or entertainment will be the same next year, but I can say they have listened to runners and made improvements every year. Last year they ran out of beer at 8:30 and there was a stampede for the ferries at 9pm. This year they joked about it at the start line and promised it wouldn't happen again. Ha!

Before I get into how I prep for and approach a race, just remember that everyone is different. You need to find what works for you. There is one exception. Don't do anything different on race day! NOTHING! I'm serious. Practice eating your pre-race meal and/or snack ahead of time. That includes what you eat and when you eat it. Don't wear new clothes. Don't even wear clothes you have worked out in, but haven't actually run in. Warm up the same and stretch the same.

To be totally honest, I signed up for this race in May and then forgot about it. I was already seeing my trainer twice a week and running anyway. We were doing sprints and incline workouts so I knew I'd be prepared, even without a specific plan. I was also a little distracted by the excitement of my brother's wedding coming up and for the half marathon. This really isn't the best plan and I was really lucky that what I was already doing worked out well.

The day before the race I make sure I'm not doing too much and I'm careful about what I eat. My stomach is pretty sensitive, especially when I get nervous, so I try and stick with fairly bland food. I had chicken, potatoes and broccoli for dinner. If it's a morning race, I don't have any alcohol since I get dehydrated easily. I've learned that if I am even a teeny bit dehydrated, I get tremendously bad stomach cramps. It's not even a side stitch. It feels more like a hot poker to the gut. Since this was a 6:45pm start, I had one glass of wine with dinner and made sure I drank a lot of water that night.

If I run the day before, I take it easy. The "hay is in the barn" as many runners say. This is not the day for a hard workout. I like to get out there and run just to keep things loose and to be able to stretch my legs when they're really warm at the end (I also stretch after I warm up but before the bulk of my real runs). It also helps me mentally. I'm not really sure why, but I start to get anxious the day before. It's kind of silly since I know I can finish the race and I'm also not in a position to win anything.

The day of the race, I eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on white bread about 3 hours (no less than 2 1/2) before the race and drink a lot of water up until the last hour. I can't handle food much closer and I also have to eat low fiber food. No wheat bread on race day! I may have a small snack about an hour before, but I didn't need it this time. I actually like energy gels for this snack. There is no need for a gel during a short race like a 5K, but they work well for me before hand. It's a simple carb that's easy to digest and easy to burn (make sure you have some water with them!). Like I said before, you have to find what works for you. I'll do pretty much anything to avoid a stomach ache.

We were scheduled for the first ferry, which was at 5:30. We live fairly close, but we still left an hour to get out of the house, get to the subway, take the train and then walk down to the wharf. Keep in mind that I am really getting nervous now and will make The Husband double check everything and then juuuuust as we are almost out the door, I will decide I have to pee just one more time. We got there almost a 1/2 hour early, but we could take our time and not stress about missing the boat. Read: I wouldn't take out my anxiety on The Husband by snapping at him. They actually let us board and leave early, so we got to the camp by 5:45 and had an hour to warm up, stretch, check our bag and use the restrooms. One note on restrooms: if you are wondering if you should go again, just go. What's the worst that can happen? You don't need to go? Someone might notice you were just hanging out in there for a minute? On the flip side you can end up running with a full bladder. Or WORSE. The lines were so long before my first half marathon in 2009 that I used the porta-potty and then immediately got back in line to wait again. At the very least it kept me busy so I didn't flip out. Was that too much bathroom talk for you? No? Good. We get a little obsessed with bodily functions in the hour or so before the gun goes off, so you should get used to it!

I found my place at the start line. I felt like I did every other time. Nervous and praying for a breakthrough. The best way to describe this feeling is that it's like diving into the water from a height juuuust a little too high for your comfort level. You know it's safe, you know you can do it and you KNOW it will be fun, but you're a little frozen. Then, you start to lean forward. You try not to think, but you know the only way to do it is to just jump without thinking about it. That second between the lean and the jump is what it feels like. That's the only way I can describe it. It's anticipation and excitement and fear all at the same time. It's the feeling that something absolutely amazing can happen, but the fear that you will waste it. The only hint I had that I would have a breakthrough was something my trainer said before the crazy speed interval workout I did last week when I set the mph lower than we both knew I could handle. "What are you saving it for?"

I was hoping to run under an 11 minute mile (normally it would be sub 10 but this course is a beast), but I know from experience that if I start that far back, I tend to to not push it like I should. I started between the 9 and 10 minute milers knowing that it wouldn't be too fast for me to keep up long enough for it to thin out and for me to evaluate my pace. In the last week or so I had learned that I can really run much faster for much longer, and can deal with more discomfort, than I really had even considered. When I say discomfort I mean the lungs burning, tired legs kind. Please don't run through an injury! I had some muscular aches from an earlier workout that week and knew I'd be fine, but if it was joint or bone pain, or more severe, I'd reconsider. I also forgot my watch, which is funny, because friends have been telling me to stop using it for a while. I haven't been able to push myself while wearing a watch because even if I feel fine running faster, my brain screams YOU DON'T RUN THIS FAST!!! YOU MUST WALK NOW!!!

I'm glad I knew the course and could make a plan. The first mile has 3 steep hills, the third of which is quite long. I knew if I could make it over that last hill without a stomach cramp I could speed up later. I also knew that my #1 biggest enemy is my own negative mental chatter. I've tried replacing it with positive affirmations, power words, ANYTHING and failed. This time I tried just counting my footsteps until I was out of the danger zone. It was perfect. I think it worked for me because it took a decent amount of concentration to run and count that fast. Also, counting is continuous, so there was no chance for the mean monologue to start up again. I came up over the third hill and felt just barely on the safe side of no stomach cramps. Just a little further was mile 1 and the water table. The mile clock said 12 minutes, which I knew was good because it took about a minute for me to get to the line. That put me at about 11 minutes and I knew I had a lot left in me. I also had to re-tie my sneakers. I'm seriously a little crazy about this. They were too loose and I was losing support, but it doesn't take much to make them too tight either. I had relaced 3 or 4 time before the start and had a feeling I wouldn't be happy. I ended up with them a little tighter than I'd like, but it was less annoying than the sliding feeling of before. Off I went! Mile two is out and back. You run a slight downhill and then a gradual uphill for half a mile, and then turn around and run back down and back up. Part of the way back up is mile 2. I felt okay but really tired. I walked for about 10 seconds at the water stop to drink and get my head together and then started running again. I haven't managed to be able to run and drink without getting stomach cramps. If it's cold out, I may even just skip water in the 5K altogether. At this point I was really happy there was only about a mile left! I was now 21 minutes and change in, so I covered mile 2 in about 10:30. Mile 3 was tough. I forgot that the uphill extended further than I remembered and I was dragging. I just started counting again and moving my legs as fast as I could. I wasn't worried about cramps at this point because I knew I had less than 10 minutes to deal with it. Of course I got one immediately! I ran as fast as I could for the last 10th of a mile and saw the clock somewhere around 34 when I finished. My trainer and I both wanted a sub 34 and I was pretty sure when I got my official time from the timing tag it would be. I was already so happy because I accomplished a couple of things. I did not allow negative chatter. I chose to push myself and be uncomfortable to reach a goal. I guessed I beat my best on that course by about 5 minutes and was only short of my PR by about a minute. That PR was on an absolutely flat dirt road and it was cold out (I'm much better in the cold). I ended the race feeling like I couldn't have done more. THAT has NEVER happened!

My official time was 33:38 and a 10:50 pace.

My previous best time on that course was 38:39. I improved by 5:01!

My actual 5K PR is 32:30 under perfect race conditions. The extra minute it took me is fine with me! From the conversations I overheard that night, it seemed in line with how many other people did.

The biggest thing I win is the experience. My trainer has set an attainable, but rather challenging time goal for my half marathon. I now have a much better idea of my ability and the effects of my workouts. Does that mean I always want to workout? No. I almost named this blog Couch Barnacle. Am I taking my sweet time writing this entry because I have a tempo run next on my to do list? Probably...

Check out the link to the race above and the camp. There were many campers at the race that night and you could hear them screaming before the boat even docked. They do this every year. They line up along the dock and high-five and thank every runner that gets off the boat. That's 1200 thank yous and these kids MEAN them! They line up along the course to cheer us on and by cheer, I mean sing, dance, scream, chase you, yell encouragement...they're awesome and so appreciative of us being there. I also appreciate the sponsors and how generous they are. I can't wait for next year!