Goal: beat 10 mile pr of 1:06:14
Result: first female in 1:03:57
results link
Second Sole Youngstown gave me the opportunity to race at this event. I love racing in Youngstown and I heard that the course is beautiful, running through Mill Creek park for the majority of it. I decided not to taper and came in with a 70 mile week, a short track workout of 6x600s (ranged from 2:07-2:01) and a short 5k tempo at 6:17 average. I wasn't sure who I might be racing, but I figured that a couple Second Sole ladies would show up. I was right! Sara and Molly from the Canton store raced.
I warmed up three miles, did drills and a last minute pre-race pee and tried to stay warm by running a couple of circuits around the Second Sole building. At the starting line I asked Molly and Sara what their race goals were. It turned out that they were using the race as a workout, where they went out around 7:00 average for the first half and then dropped to goal half pace for the second half. I knew I couldn't do this and realized I might be pushing by myself for a good amount of the race. I didn't ask what the goal pace for the second half of the race was, but I figured it was fast enough that they might catch me. I definitely didn't want this to happen!
The race started on a nice gradual downhill. All races need to start this way. I went out at what I thought was a reasonable effort and was in third place overall. Really?! I didn't have my watch but I knew I wasn't going that fast. By the time we turned onto the all purpose path into Mill Creek, a fast masters runner named Todd caught up to me and I decided I would pace with him. He turned out to be a perfect pacer and kept the miles smooth all the way to the hills in mile six. We also had a friendly Second Sole employee with us on a bike. After Todd dropped me in mile six the bike guy stayed with me and I realized he was supposed to pace the lead female.
The first five miles had a nice net downhill with some rolling hills scattered throughout. These miles felt good, yet honest and Todd kept starting up a conversation, which I haltingly tried to participate in. I was moving pretty fast for me and had a hard time talking! We came down to the five mile clock at 31:26, which is a 6:17 average. I tried not to get too excited and refused to mentally double that time. I knew there were hills lying in wait in the second half. Sure enough the hills started as soon as we turned around. There were some good rolls in mile six and seven and I watched Todd fade away in front of me. He ended up with very close to even splits while I averaged about 6:28 pace for the second half. I went very slowly up the hills and then worked hard on the downhill and flat. I tried to stay positive and be as honest with my effort as I could. I grabbed water at the 7 mile water stop and waved hi to Doug from Boardman. Seriously, this is what I refer to him as! I was starting to really hurt on the last big hill approaching mile 8. The bike guy let me know that was the last big hill and as we passed the 8 mile marker, I started to feel pretty good. The next couple of miles are a gradual uphill as we come back to the finish line. I looked behind me once to make sure Sara and Molly were not right on my tail. I couldn't see them so I figured I was safe to bring it into the finish smoothly and not overwork my kick. When I came off the path into the neighborhood there was a half mile left and I started to work a little harder. I took a hard right turn to the finish line and when the clock came into view I realized I was barely going to be under 1:04 so I started to move with a couple hundred meters to go. Just barely made it in the 1:03s! This is about a two minute pr so I was thrilled! I was looking forward to Cap City and taking down my half marathon pr.
Cap City Half Marathon/USATF Half Marathon Championships
Goal: "A" 1:21:56 "B" 1:23 "C" just pr (sub 1:24:42)
Result: 1:27:56
I'm keeping this short because I don't want to dwell on it too much. I'll be honest, I'm only writing a blog about it because my pics are dope. I sure look like I'm in good shape. That counts for something right? Um, no it doesn't! But seriously, my Team Ohio uni is really cute (see below). Thanks Oiselle and Fleet Feet Sports!
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| Staying warm in the starting area. Photo credit: Salty Running |
I had to leave our home relay meet a bit early to book it down to Columbus in time to get to bed at reasonable hour. I shared a hotel room with my awesome teammates, Amanda, Scott and Jeff. I got an okay amount of sleep, probably six hours worth. I woke up just after 5 a.m. and was pretty excited. I honestly had no fore-warning of the race carnage I was to become. I'm thankful for that! After a light breakfast of cornflakes and coffee (and some star sighting in the elite athlete lounge) I changed into my uniform and pulled out my last pair of beautiful Virratas. I was hoping they would bring me luck, a pr and a respectable performance at my first ever national championships.
I warmed up for two miles with Amanda. I really felt fine on the warmup, though my watch was not accurate so I decided to turn off the gps and just split my miles. The only slightly concerning thing was that I was just getting my period. This hasn't been problem in the past so I thought nothing of it. I was able to use our hotel room for one last pre-race pee and then I booked it down to the starting line to do some quick drills. There were lots of guys milling around but not many women. I kept wondering when all the women would show up. We were on the starting line with our fingers hovering over our watches before I realized that this was all of us. A very tiny field of 26 women. A feeling of dread swept over me during the countdown to the gun. I was standing awkwardly at the back and was certain I was going to get swept into a very uncomfortable and very long sprint. Sure enough everyone took off at a crazy pace and not wanting to drag along behind with my lonely self, I hung onto the back of the pack. I knew it was too fast but I figured I could settle down in a bit and hang out with one of the slower ladies. I passed the first mile clock in 5:58 and really started to panic. My race plan was to strictly stick to a 6:15-6:20 pace and I already felt like I was in over my head. I passed the two mile clock in 12:10 so my second mile was still too fast. I saw Shari and her daughter cheering at this point and waved and smiled, trying to look like I had things under control. It honestly was so nice to hear people cheer, even when I was completely over this race.
I watched as the one lady who I was near faded away during the third mile, which I slowed down to about a 6:30. It was all over after that. I kept trying to convince myself to bring the effort back up but even when a lady passed me at mile six I couldn't summon the energy to pick it up and go with her. By mile 8 we came back into the square and I could see my hotel. I wanted to drop out so badly and I was oh so close to doing just that. Each clock showed an increasingly slower time and I was sure I was running in last place. Cap City men and and even a few women from the regular field were flying by me like I was standing still. Instead of dropping out I let myself completely cash it in. I fell into about a marathon effort and told myself to imagine a full marathon ahead of me. Easing up on the effort worked and I got past the mile where it was easy to drop out. I went through the motions of taking water and my Gu Roctane but I didn't feel like that helped much. It did help to have a few turns and hills. The worst part of this race was the long, flat straightaways. I felt like they would never end. At about mile 11 point something I was passed by a couple of Cap City men who were running 1:22. I latched onto them and told myself that I wasn't going to keep running 6:50 to finish. I just needed to work for a little over a mile and I would have this horrific ordeal over with. So my last mile was one of my faster ones. I actually felt fine coming into the finish. I welcomed the final uphills and turns that broke up the relative monotony of the course. I saw John and Shari at the finish, where I'm afraid I was quite shell shocked and kept saying "That was so bad."
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| See? Somehow this is a good pic. I'd take a pr over a good pic any day. |
After the race I tried to cheer in Amanda but somehow missed her. I kept waiting as people streamed in over the finish line but I finally went back to the hotel. As it turned out, none of us had a good race. Amanda was just as disappointed with her time as I was with mine. Before I went back up to the room to take a consolation bath, I introduced myself to Esther Erb (Atkins). I am a huge fan of her and love following her training log on running2win.com. She was so friendly and of course asked how I did, which I wasn't prepared for!
This race was a huge lesson. I do not belong in a national championship field. I don't think anyone with a pr in the mid 1:20s belongs in a field like that. If Team Ohio is offered entry into this race next year I will come back and run in the regular Cap City field where I'll have plenty of company from people at my pace.
Oh and this just in: I'm going to have a coach starting in June! Becki Spellman will be guiding my summer training and hopefully beyond.
