Ocala Half Marathon - RunHalf Marathon


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Ocala, Florida
United States
Citrus Road Runners
45F / 7C
Overcast
Total Time = 2h 40m 38s
Overall Rank = 255/302
Age Group = 25 - 29
Age Group Rank = 7/8
Pre-race routine:

Woke up at 4:40 with a leave time of 5:30am. Ate oatmeal from a package instead of my normal instant plain oats. It ended up being way to sweet for me and I threw half of it away. Instead bought bread at the Crispers on location and ate 3/4s of a multigrain sandwich loaf.

Race start was delayed for 15 minutes.
Event warmup:

Did a short 10 minute warm up with some stretching. Made the last minute decision to shed my top layer and tossed to to family just seconds before the start. Ended up running in spandex shorts and a short sleeved top with gloves. Good decision for the most part. When the wind picked up it was chilly but overall it wasn't terrible.
Run
  • 2h 40m 38s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 12m 16s  min/mile
Comments:

I was really uncertain how I would perform at this race. I only had 3 "long" runs prior to this race of 5, 6 and 7 miles. I knew I could cover the distance but was not hoping for anything near my PR pace.

Race goal was to run a Galloway 2:30/1 interval for as long as I could. I set the watch but forgot to reset the # of intervals and it ended up stopping at 2.63 miles. From that point on I had to depend on my Husband who had his watch set correctly. However it did give me some good mile data that is interesting to look at.

First 6 miles were relatively uneventful. We tried to chase down two men (Pace booty if you will, for me anyways) but lost them at the out and back section. The back half was a mental game for me. My left leg was killing me because of the constant running on a banked road. Tried as best I could to run in the middle of the road but traffic was heavier than I would have liked in some areas. I knew I would finish but the cold was starting to break me down.

I ended up only 1:11 off PR pace and honestly surprised. It is partly due to having my husband run with me who pushed me the entire way to keep going. Probably would have slowed down a tiny bit without him. I really pushed the last mile and a half in an attempt to get closer to the PR area. However that is where the wind really picked up. Looking at the data my heart rate really surged during that final push.

Overall this race will take me just a tad bit longer to recovery from but honestly I couldn't have asked for a better result considering the circumstances.
What would you do differently?:

Train Better. My "A" race was back in November, and I havent trained well since then. Training wasn't bad but definitely not on point. With more adequate training, I know that I could have smashed my PR. This race taught me that I an consistent in my new speed and that my PR back in November was not a fluke.
Post race
Warm down:

I walked approximately half a mile to get the heart rate down. I immediately changed shirts for some warmth and then started stretching. The weather was unbearable at this point and all of our spectators were wrapped in blankets. After looking at the results, I drank a bottle of Recoverite and immediately headed for some lunch.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Adequate training.

My nurition intake was good for the course and the weather. Carried a bottle of Heed and took in about half. I ate two of DH's shot bloks and took two gels, one at mile 5 and the other at mile 10. I am trying to work through what Half Iron nutrition is going to look like and what my body can handle. Mentally, I needed that much nutrition but know that my last half was done on water and 1-2 gels.

Event comments:

Overall the race was good and the organization went well but I was not fond of this course. I wouldn't completely cross this race off of my list but it is definitely not my first race that I want to sign up for again. Very convenient location for having a ton of family come watch us run.

For me, mentally this would be an extremely tough marathon course as they had two loops of the same stuff and an even longer out and back section. Decent course for seasoned runners but I wouldn't recommend this course for first timers.




Last updated: 2010-02-01 12:00 AM
Running
02:40:38 | 13.1 miles | 12m 16s  min/mile
Age Group: 7/8
Overall: 255/302
Performance: Average
Average HR- Max Hr- First 2.63 miles I have data for Galloway 2:30/1 intervals. However I forgot to reset the Number of Intervals and it switched to Mile data after that. Good thing DH was running with me and set his watch right. For reference I have included the Mile data for the mile splits. Technically it should Read Mile 2.63, Mile 3.63, Mile 4.63 but instead I just rounded up Mile 3- 12:18 Mile 4- 12:24 Mile 5- 12:06 Mile 6- 12:21 Mile 7- 12:31 Mile 8- 12:20 Mile 9- 12:15 Mile 10- 12:50 Mile 11- 12:14 Mile 12- 11:53 What was left LOL- 12:12 pace for .48 miles
Course: I loop with a small out and back section. Florida "hills" but mainly flat and really manageable. All paved roads but limited to 1 lane or less than one lane in some areas. Lots of back road and plenty of scenery. Most of the running was done on the right side of the road which was fairly banked. Reeked havoc on my left leg.
Keeping cool Below average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 2
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
Good race? Ok
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 3