login
 Run
Comments: Well I got through the starting gate and just put it on cruise. I was running pretty fast for me - I usually average about 14 min miles but I think I got to the first mile marker at about 11 min. I knew if I didn't slow down I wouldn't have the gas to finish the entire race. I hated that people were passing me - people who I knew weren't in as great a shape I was in - but I had to slow down. But I just didn't know how. Then I met my angel. His name is Bobby. An IT manager at a Houston company, married with kids. He'd trained for the 1/2 at a pace. And Bobby was steady Eddy. He ran at the same pace no matter what. At mile 2 we decided to stick together. We were running 13 min miles. Still fast for me but I was at sea level and my legs felt great. And Bobby and I kept that pace. When I started tearing up hills or blazing on the downhills Bobby would say - hey you're messing up my pace. Today I finally learned what running is all about. Trusting your legs to do what they need to do when they need to do and not a minute sooner. So I kept that pace and before I knew it we were at mile 7. Now when I ran the Boulder Bolder in May I walked around mile 4. Just couldn't run it anymore. But with Bobby I ran this whole 13 miles, NEVER stopping to walk and never dropping below 13 min miles. I hit a wall around mile 9 and Bobby sped up but I kept going at my pace and finished under my 3 hour time goal. And here I thought that the four hours for the course wasn't going to be enough! Man. I know it seems silly but I've never averaged under 13 min miles in a race before! Not even a 5K. And because of Bobby I didn't start out too fast and I had enough to make it the last 5 miles still feeling good. I felt good, relaxed and wonderful the entire race. I never once felt a cramp or uncomfortable. Woo Hoo. I did it. What would you do differently?: Well, finding Bobby was a special thing. He helped me to keep a good pace without going too fast or too slow. Made we re think running alone! I wish I could have stayed with him all the way but I didn't do too bad. Nothing really. I did everything right, made my goal time and felt like I could swim or bike afterwards. All was good.  Post race
Warm down: Ate Oreos. The people ran out of finisher's medals - bummer. But hey i know I finished. What limited your ability to perform faster: Um training. Practice. My big butt???? Event comments: Overall this was a good race. And the goodie bag - my Lord I'll have enough post-its for life! It's so heavy it's gonna count as luggage on my way home. Thanks to Bobby for getting me through this race and thanks to all who cared. Woo Hoo. I'm a runner! Boy Howdy! Last updated: 2007-10-22 12:00 AM
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
View profile
Add to friends
Go to training log
Go to race log
Send a message
View album
CONNECT WITH FACEBOOK
United States
3M Half Marathon & Relay
40F / 4C
Sunny
Overall Rank = /
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 0/
Well, if you read my log then you know about my crazy partying on 6th street in Austin two days before this race. So on Saturday I was a good girl. Woke up and did a quick run. I think it's good to exercise the da before the race. Went to Whole Foods, bought some Naked Juice and some wholesome stuff, oh and a little cheesecake and that was my pre-race meal - WF Tarragon Chicken and Mild Pablona Cream Soup with a carmel pecan cheesecake on the side. As great as I felt the next day that might always be my pre-race meal. It seems that the pasta meals always give me heartburn and leave me feeling bloated the next day. Not so this hodgepodge of good stuff. Got to bed around 10 p.m. Woke up at 4:57, packed my stuff, took a shower, ate a bananna and hit the door. I lfet my keys in the room because I really thought that I wouldn't finish the race in time to come back to the room and check out before noon. My goal for the race was under 3 hours. I had ran 10 miles in 2:37 in training and I was worried that I wasn't going to make my goal. And then I met an angel.
Drove to the race site and tried to find a place to park. All the streets were blocked off but finally parked at Dave and Busters. Walked to the start line. Ran a 5 minute warm up. And all felt well. My hammy didn't act up. Drank Naked Juice. It was see your breath cold. But I had my running shorts on. And a light jacket. Then lined up for the start of the race. Geez, there were 5,200 runners. Crazy. It literally took seven minutes for me to cross the start line.