Cellcom Green Bay Half Marathon - RunHalf Marathon

Splits:
8:44 (took forever to get going and get around people - mostly because I forgot to try - d'oh!)
8:13
8:13
8:17
8:26
8:20
8:26
8:05
8:23
8:36
8:22
8:28
last lil hellacious bit 9:30

Well, the absolute best thing I can say about this run is that I definitely had NOTHING in the tank left at the end. My legs were completely shot as I finished. I was done, done, donezo. Like Gonzo but with the word done because that creates the word donezo, made popular by those pesky trustfunders on Laguna Beach. But popular catch phrase notwithstanding, I'm still pretty disappointed. And I'm mostly disappointed with just how crappy I felt after the run - my legs were cramping and buckling, I felt like any wrong step would cause them to completely seize up. It was really weird. I've never felt like that before and it's really bothering me because it doesn't feel like it's a day/condition/fluke thing - it feels like it's a strength thing. So argh.... I have some work to do. I've been doing my long runs around a 8:45/8:35 pace and that's been feeling relatively easy so there's really no reason I couldn't go 8:15s here.

The run started off great though! I caught up to schwimmycoach right away and gave her fanny pack a tug (man, that sounds terrible typed out). Mile 1-7 were easy peasy cheesy wheezy. I felt fantastic. And since I normally negative split all of my long runs, I felt like I was gearing up to have a great finish time. I get to mile 7 and the song that always makes me think of my dad pops into my earbuds. It juiced me up and I started picking up the pace gearing up to start gradually kicking it in to the finish - 8:05. Fantastic! But then I just couldn't keep it up through mile 8 and my pace fell back a bit. I get to mile 9, walk in order to pop another gel and just couldn't get going again (because yes, I totally walk the aid stations if I'm drinking or taking something. Seriously - how in the world does anyone drink water while running? I try and it goes like this "::suck air::... ah, crap, no water... ::suck air again:: ... crap, no water... tip cup, SPLASH! coughcoughsputtersputter... aw crap....") So get going again and sigh.... just couldn't pick it up.

When I got to mile 12, I was pretty sure I was going to have to walk the final mile. I looked at Lambeau field as a giant evil demon in the shape of an Australian toilet bowl. And that was perfectly appropriate as I was feeling like - well, play madlibs here and fill in the blank. (don't ask me why it's australian in shape, I just assume since the water flushes backwards that their toilet bowls are on the quirky side too - quirky like they have yard lines and goal posts..... sure)

I crossed the finish line and must have looked out of it because some guy grabbed my arm and asked me if I was ok. Yes, fine, but can I please borrow someone else's legs?

channel my inner kenyan a bit better.

Walked quickly through the finishers area and totally forgot to get a finishers photo. After the pasta dinner, my group of friends had worked out finishing poses for the photo and we were all under strict promises to each other to do our silly poses. I didn't even realize I forgot to do it until about 30 minutes later! Oops! (I made up for it by breakdancing in the parking lot later on)

My legs were imitating jelly fish on acid so I just tried to keep moving. I probably should have jumped in the massage line but I kept thinking it would pass.

I headed over to the fence by the final bit of the course to wait for djdavey to come in and Oh Emm Gee! He comes sprinting in at 3:02!!!! I was jumping up and down, I was so dang proud of him - he threw down a truly amazing race. We all headed over to the back of the lot and grabbed some pavement to stretch and chill and wait for the others to come in . Schwimmycoach came blazing in and looked fantastic. Super proud of her as well. Saw sgoehner in the final bit of his run (another fantastic run!) TallTriDad sauntered over after taking a nap (? he claims he went to his car but I have a feeling he went and got another 5 miles in) Saw jszat come in but didn't catch him afterwards. (yet another stellar race)


Not enough strength training. Mental fartage. IT band injury a few months ago also really limited my ability to get ready but blurg - I can't really use that as an excuse. It just is what it is.


Not super happy with the run effort but this was a fantastic overall experience made so by great, great friends so giant thanks to them!