The Cowtown - Half Marathon - RunHalf Marathon

So it should be stated that I went into this run woefully under trained. First, I got sick in December, for 12 days. So it took me a good 2 weeks to get my HR and pace back to where it was before I got sick. That was one strike against me. Then two weeks into January I hurt my left foot running. Weird injury. So we had to back off the miles and the training all together. Instead we went for short runs, and more frequency, along with less speed work. While my right foot still hurt (1.5 months later), I can run on it, and I have been able to deal with the pain. Oh yeah, and my longest run 1.5 months before this race, was the 8 miles I did the weekend before. Yeah.

Started out feeling OK. I was keeping my HR 150-160 BPM as my coach planned. He thought I would keep a 10:30 mm. I was having a rough day I guess, because I was keeping around a 11:00-11:30 mm in that HR zone. Oh well.

I also planned to walk the aid stations. Which should have been around a 9/1. The aid stations were not 1 mile apart. So after I realized that 1.25 miles into the race, I switched to a 9/1. This is a hilly course though, and I did have to walk up some hills just to keep my HR down.

I stuck to the race plan and kept my HR down. I needed to use the restroom really bad, but I didn't want to wait in the VERY LONG lines for the port-o-johns. I saw a washateria, went inside and used their restroom. When I left, there were a couple of men outside... English was on not their first language. Although one was able to ask me, "would you like to earn some money?" Uh, no... thanks... I need to finish the race... and I ran off.

So right after that, about 5.50 miles in, I turn a corner and start running up a hill. BAM! There is acute pain coming from my right foot. What? That's the good foot? The pain is really bad. I can barely put any weight on my foot or bend it. I have no clue what I did. I was just running like I always do. The pain was on the inside, but on top of the foot. Hard to explain.

I start limping and I have other racers asking me if I need help, if I am OK, etc. I say I'm fine... no worries. I keep limping, hoping I can work it out. One lady was kind enough to walk with me and talk to try to take my mind off it. I finally told her I was going to sit down to try to see if I could rub it out.

So I sat on the curb and pressed/rubbed on the painful area. But it didn't hurt when I did that. Odd. I figured it probably wasn't a stress fracture then. Just an odd pain.

I decide to do what I can to try to run. Walking was a no-go since I really couldn't bend my foot. I figured out if I ran on the outside of my right foot, I could manage. Of course it messed with my stride, made my left knee start hurting, etc. I was seriously worried I wasn't going to finish. There was no way I was making it another 8 ish miles in the pain I was in.

I kept pushing through, and finally after 2 miles it seemed to work itself out. Good! I then ran normally. Cool. WOW.

Miles 7.50-10 were pretty good. Then at around mile 10 the pain returned. Not as bad and I could run with it. So I kept running and walked when I needed to. Although walking hurt more, but I would walk to get my HR down.

Finally in the last .50 mile it was hurting pretty bad, but I was so pissed I just pounded it out till the end. Once I stopped walking on it was pretty bad.

Now, 2 days later it still hurts. Great. Now both my feet are freaking messed up and in pain for IM training. My body hates running. I swear.

Avg HR: 151 (recovery zone for me)
Max HR: 168 (I was allowed to let my HR go up to 160-165 the last 3 miles and I did push it the last 2 miles, thus the 168)




You know, training more wouldn't have fixed this issue I don't think. The pain came so early on in the run, I don't think it was lack of miles. I had logged a fair amount of miles in training, just not long runs. Overall the rest of me felt fine. If my foot hadn't done what it did, I'm pretty sure I would have been on pace for a 2:30. Now, even 2 days later I'm not sore from the race.

Crossed the finish line and couldn't find Jonny or Veronica. Hobbled around. Got some food and my shirt. Borrowed a couple of phones, finally got Jonny to pick up his phone after a couple of tries and found them.


Right foot pain.


Overall a good race. They did much better this year with where the food and race t-shirts were placed. Although it was a challenge for non-racers to move around to be with racers. Much improved over last year though.

I like Cowtown and will be back in 2013!