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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Old Man River Half Marathon

In pictures...
At the start - 5k and half marathoners starting together made for a slightly crowded start
I tried not to start out too fast since the 5k crowd was pushing the pace. I kind of felt crappy for this race - cold and hungry and tired.

I ran with my (much faster) friend Celeste for the first 8 miles.
 Celeste's last half marathon was a 1:29, so she was kindly holding back and sticking by me early on. I lost her at a water stop and she ended up finishing ten seconds ahead of me in 1:30:16, which is slow for her!

Quite possibly the worst finish line picture ever! 
I finished in 1:30:26, a PR and first in my age group. Celeste was first in her age group, too!
My revolting face should tell you that this wasn't just an easy run for me. You know how some days just aren't your day? I felt like that. Cold, hungry, grumpy, etc. And my cute Santa socks let my feet slide around like crazy, so I could feel blisters forming on the tips of my toes.
Total let-down: there was nothing at the finish but bananas and oranges (I hate bananas and oranges are too hard to eat) and I was starving. This was big for a local race - 900 people - so I thought that was odd. And last year they had a pancake breakfast!

This was a good race for me to get under my belt because I have never run a long distance under 7 min/mi pace. That seems too fast for me - it's all mental - and it's good just to have done it once so I can get over that mental barrier.
Do you have running mental barriers, too? Like, "I'll never break a 2 hour half" or "I couldn't run double digits" or "Girls don't run sub-20 min 5ks"? For me it's seeing a pace under 7 - scares me! What's yours?

11 comments:

  1. The question is, "is there a weekend you are not running a race?"

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  2. Congrats on the PR and the first place age group award!

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  3. Wow! You're speedy!!! Congrats on a great race!

    Sort of going through my *mental* barrier 5 weeks out from my marathon. Breaking 3:40 seems "too fast" for me. An 8:20 pace for 26.2. Yikes!

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  4. You still knocked out a great time, even when feeling blah. Think of the next time you toe the line and feel good!

    For me, it's thinking I can run a sub-8 pace for a marathon. Somehow I can't quite believe it, and yet, if I can run a straight 8-min. pace, I should be able to pull a sub-8 out, even if small.

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  5. Congratulations! what a great running year you have had!

    Lately anything under a ten MM has got me freaked out. I know I used to run them...but every time I look and the Garmin says even just say 9:40, I get a little panicky that I'm doing something wrong. Ah well, back to coaching next month, and I am sure he will change it all up!

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  6. Congratulations!!! that is fast!!!!!

    For me seeing an 8 on the garmin instead of 9 or 10...I hyperventilate if I see an 8

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  7. I am just amazed at your speed!! That's so great, congrats!! My biggest barrier was getting sub 2. I've done that, but now have been struggling to go sub 2:10. I think if I ever go under say, a 4:15 full marathon, I'll die at the finish line.

    Great job on your speedy finish!! AWESOME!!!

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  8. Congrats on the PR, you are running amazing this year! Crazy that anyone out there is faster though you, haha

    Not sure what my mental barrier would be, maybe when I get healthy it would be able to run a 7 min half half marathon would be my goal.

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  9. Great race! We got lucky with the cool weather. Before and after has been HIGH humidity and 20 - 30 degrees warmer.


    My line in the sand is a sub-3 marathon. I'll try it again at the RnR New Orleans.

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  10. I hate it when I am just not feeling it. However, for not feeling it, you did very well!

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  11. dang mama you speedy! congrats on the PR!

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