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26.2 with Donna - Half Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer - RunHalf Marathon


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Jacksonville, Florida
United States
26.2 with Donna
28F / -2C
Sunny
Total Time = 2h 00m 59s
Overall Rank = 626/4563
Age Group = M35-39
Age Group Rank = 52/140
Pre-race routine:

Woke up at 4:15, had a purple gatorade and a clif bar then went down and froze my rear off waiting for transportation from the hotel to the start line.
Event warmup:

Heh, "warmp-up" that's a funny yet elusive word from the race. My warmup was getting on the bus after standing outside the hotel in a long line of racers in 25 degree weather for 45 minutes. I did nothing to warm up for the actual running other than a few futile attempts at stretching at the start line.
Run
  • 2h 00m 59s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 09m 14s  min/mile
Comments:

PR! Despite doing everything wrong! Let's see. I was sick as hell for the week leading up to the race. My training log shows how little running I've done since Disney marathon on 1/8. I ran a couple miles two days before the race in downtown Jacksonville and thought I was going to die. Then spent half the day before the race in bed with a terrible headache! Woke up early race day morning and stood outside in 25 degree weather freezing for 45 minutes waiting for a bus. Lots of people are livid about the transportation situation, it wasn't great but it's done and you've got to move on and concentrate on the race. Got to the race site barely in time for the race, realized I forgot my Garmin back in the hotel room. Just awesome. I didn't bring anything for a sweats bag, just planned on ditching my pants and sweatshirt along the route. So no Garmin, and the race pace groups were all Galloway run/walk. That's not my thing, although everything else had gone so wrong that I almost thought I'd try it. The final failure on my part was at mile 2 when I ditched my pants and left my nutrition in the pocket. Doh!
I have to admit though, running purely by feel wasn't too bad, and I ended up leapfrogging with the 2:00 pace group the entire 13 miles miles. They'd walk and I would pass them, then they'd start running again and overtake me. Between the pace group and the clocks running at most mile markers I didn't really need my Garmin and knew pretty much how fast I was running. I'm very surprised at my results. My previous fastest half was about 2:06 and change and I blew that out of the water. I felt good running until probably mile 11-12 at the big bridge with the climb and the wind. That killed me. I made up some time though after the bridge at the final turn towards the finish line. I could see the finish line, so I cranked up the pace (and passed probably 20-30 people). But it was deceiving and what looked fairly close was probably almost a half mile away! I cranked up the pace way too soon, but held on although I thought I would die.
What would you do differently?:

Let's see. Wear warmer clothes and bring a sweats bag for them. Not have to wait outside for 45 minutes for a bus. Bring my Garmin. Not be sick leading up to the race. Not accidentally throw away my nutrition at mile 2. How's that for list?!
Post race
Warm down:

Post race was a disaster. I pushed so hard getting to the finish line that I thought I would collapse. Since I didn't bring a sweats bag I was stuck in my sweat-soaked clothes. Volunteers were great, they helped me get wrapped up in a space blanket. Then on the walk over to the race village from the finish line several asked if I was OK. I must have looked real bad. Finally at the race village I got some Panera chicken noodle soup, but my hands were shaking so bad I couldn't even hold the cup without spilling on myself. At that point a medical volunteer saw me and insisted that I get into their tent. And guess what? My wife was there too, having been pulled in because she was in rough shape. I now know what hypothermia feels like. I wish I could have gotten a core temp reading to see where I was at. I'll try and post a picture my wife took, she says I looked real bad. After warming up enough, we got out and headed strait for the bus back to the hotel for a very long, very hot shower.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Sickness and weather. I won't say lack of Garmin because I'm wondering if not knowing how fast I was running helped my mind get over it. I think if I knew my pace was hovering around and below 9 minute miles I would have slowed down for fear of exploding in the last 3 miles.

Event comments:

I would do this race again, if I happened to live closer to FL than MN. We flew down for the race because Mayo was doing a medical conference that my wife attended, and therefore was paid for by her office.
I thought the race was very organized, great volunteers and plenty of resources (water stations, GU, all that stuff). The pre-race transportation was a disaster, but for some reason I'm just not all that bent out of shape about it. I'm sure that will be rectified next year. I'm happy with the race.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2011-12-11 12:00 AM
Running
02:00:59 | 13.1 miles | 09m 14s  min/mile
Age Group: 52/140
Overall: 626/4563
Performance: Average
5 mile - 46:26 7 mile - 1:04:50
Course: Nice course, a big loop that took us up and over a nice big bridge (though windy on the return), out onto the beach for a couple miles (awesome sunrise, very well packed sand for running), then back through beachfront houses, back to the highways to return to Mayo.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2012-02-13 8:46 AM

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Expert
1544
100050025
Alexandria, MN
Subject: 26.2 with Donna - Half Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer


2012-02-13 10:54 AM
in reply to: #4044173

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Expert
1439
100010010010010025
Tallahassee
Subject: RE: 26.2 with Donna - Half Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer
GREAT post...so U R the person who brought the frigid temps to FL.... lol  All the way from MN to FL for some warm sunshine...yikes...
2012-02-13 1:20 PM
in reply to: #4044173

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Veteran
576
500252525
Maple Grove
Subject: RE: 26.2 with Donna - Half Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer

Great job, Eric!! Woohoo, PR! i think it was actually warmer here in MN than there. It sounds like you did a great job of blocking out the surroundings and just running by feel, and it seemed to work well. I think I would be afraid to give up that control.

Good luck with your training this spring and summer. It looks like you have some fun races planned.

Ryan

2012-02-13 2:25 PM
in reply to: #4044970

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Champion
10018
50005000
, Minnesota
Bronze member
Subject: RE: 26.2 with Donna - Half Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer
Way to do on the PR!  Some day when you have a better setup (nice temps, right nutrition, not wearing a costume, ha ha) you will kill the 2 hour mark for sure.   Much of the success in a long race is in the execution.   Good job!
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