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Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon - Run


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Tampa Bay, Florida
United States
Bank of America
Precipitation
Total Time = 00m
Overall Rank = /
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

Woke up at 4am, ate some oatmeal, watched some lighting, watched the weather report with Jess (Tri Take Me Away) and tried in vain to find a weather report that said "Rain will have stopped and road will be dry by 6am). Luckily it was still pretty warm out, so I didn't worry to much about not having brought warmer clothes. Finished gather our stuff and piled into the car.
Event warmup:

Got stuck in the pre-race traffic trying to get downtown, so Jess decided to take off a "No Parking" sign that had been placed on a meter and part there. The spot ended up being very close to the Hyatt, which as great for using actual bathrooms prerace. Walked the several blocks to the start, at at 5 minutes to start time, took a gu. Almost immediately after finishing the gu, heard the race was postponed by 30 minutes. Doh! Hung out with Chris and Jess until the start, when Chris zoomed away to kick some serious 1/2 mary butt.
Run
  • 00m
  • 13.1 miles
  •  min/mile
Comments:

My plan for this race, helped formed by Mike Ricci and my cardiologist, was go sllloooooooooooow. This was the be a zone 1/zone 2 effort, tops. As Mike pointed out, I don't want to be a February champion, and really, I scheduled this race as a way to get me motivated for something after my surgery. I suppose it's not very realistic to be setting PRs two months after heart surgery! In a way though, I guess this was a PR -- I've never had a heart that was capable of running 13 miles, regardless of the time. So, umm..yay me.

Started off running with Jess -- we had some HR data malfunctions that finally seemed to settle down around the first mile. I was having a hard time keeping my HR down in z2 (humidity? race excitement? Running in sunlight for the first time in like, 3 months? I don't know), which slowed the pace a lot. I was also trying to do an 8:2 run/walk, which I hoped would both save my knees and keep the HR down.

We ran into (heh. pun intended) Lane (Cavu9) around...I dunno, mile 2? Yay! Lane is there! (also saw many other wonderful BTers... Renee, Max, Wendi and Mike, Jean, Rick, Trixie-- along the way. So fun to see friends on the course!) Lane was using this as a training run and didn't mind plodding along at my slow ass pace, so he joined up with us. Now, I've been working the z2/8:2 dance for about a month now, and figured that it's really hard to screw it up... keep your heart rate within a zone, and walking every 8 minutes. As they say...it's not rocket surgery. It wasn't until I was running with other people that I realized: my walk pace is faster than my zone 2 run pace!!! Every time 8 minutes would come along, I'd walk and then be like "Hey, where'd everyone go?" So, so weird. And slightly depressing: I could have walked the whole damn thing quicker!

Jess and Lane and excellent race buddies, and we had a grand ole time chatting and running and hanging out. About two hours into the run, I felt my knees start creaking a bit, and by mile 9 my right knee was toast. If this had been a training run, I would have stopped -- once the ITB pain sets in, it doesn’t go away, but I was 4 miles away from my goal, and I sure as hell wasn't going to not finish, especially since my heart was fine! So, I tried playing little mind tricks ("Your knee does not hurt. Jess's knee hurts, and you're just having sympathy pain"), and tried to run/walk through it. Found myself picking up the pace a bit around mile 11 -- really wanted to be done, and the knee hurt less the faster I went. (or so it seemed at the time). Once I hit mile 12, I was done. My gait had visibly changed and I was sooooo close to the end. I said a little prayer of thanks to the Gods of LT Interval Training, and took off. I was hitting LT (my current LT is 196), stopped once for a time-scheduled walk break, and then sprinted at LT into the finish. Jess estimates that we went from a 12:30 min/mile pace to a 9:30 pace. My HR crept up into z5 near the end of that, but I figured Mike R would forgive me a little finish line sprint. I stayed in z2 the rest of the race -- no, really, I did!

What would you do differently?:

I would do a few longer training runs. I think my knees hurt so much simply because they weren't trained to be working for so long. My longest training run was 2 hours, and my race time was 2:40 -- that's a significant difference for my lame-ass knees.
Post race
Warm down:

Beer! Haley and Aaron were at the BT sign with cookies and beer. I very quickly got cold and hungry, and after giving and getting many hugs, and raising a toast to the fact that I had just finished a half marathon and *didn't even die*, we headed back the race hotel so I could use a shower there and change into warm/dry clothes. We then went and ate some breakfast and headed back out to watch the marathoners come in. It can't be said enough: Haley and Aaron are SO AMAZING for spending the whole morning out there. I wish I had been comfortable enough to not bail on them right after I finished, but I just couldn't do it. I was glad I was able to go back after I changed and ate and spend some time with the BT jock straps ever.

It was great to watch the marathoners come in -- there is something very emotional about the finish line of a marathon, and y'all better believe I'll be on the other side of it one of these days. We realized we weren't going to be able to finish all the beer, so Trixie and crew started handing it out to those that looked most in need (criteria for getting beer: face had to be showing visable pain, limping helped, and of course, anyone who was bleeding. Those that seemed fine we figured could do without the beer :)

I'm so glad I got to watch Renee and Max come in, holding hands and smiling. Renee, by the way, almost didn't qualify for a beer, as she seemed to be doing fine, but, she was with the DJ, so to speak, so we cut her some slack ;) (seriously -- girl looked like she could have done another 5 or 6 miles!)

After we ate (again), we went back to Jess's and I slept for... 5 hours? 6 hours? My knee was killing me and I could barely walk, so I curled up and tried to sleep it off.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Umm...heart surgery? Having an inefficient heart that forces me to slow down my zone 2? I can't express enough how happy I am that I am able to complete a half marathon just two months after heart surgery -- or, at all, even. My ego and pride get me down a lot -- I want to faster!!! -- but then I remember that faster isn't the point, better is the point, and I'm so much better than I used to be. I'm becoming a big believer in base training, and I'm really glad that I've been able to utilizing zone 2 training to get me to the end of 13.1 miles. Doing this training has really enabled me to bounce back from heart surgery much quicker than I would have thought, and given me the ability to complete this race.

Event comments:

Well, my thoughts on the heart surgery/base training are the biggest thing that I've taken out of this race, but I think it's worth mentioning: My knee really f'ing hurts! I could barely walk the remainder of the day after the race --- couldn't bend my knee, if it was bent, couldn't unbend it, and certainly couldn't put pressure on it. I lighted rubbed out the quad and IT band, iced it and took Advil, and today it is years better. Whew!

Lane and Jess -- thanks for sticking with me as we took forever to finish; your company is most appreciated! Haley and Aaron -- it's worth saying again, so I will: Thanks.




Last updated: 2005-12-09 12:00 AM
Running
00:00:00 | 13.1 miles |  min/mile
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Average
Course:
Keeping cool Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5]
Physical exertion [1-5]
Good race?
Evaluation
Course challenge
Organized?
Events on-time?
Lots of volunteers?
Plenty of drinks?
Post race activities:
Race evaluation [1-5]

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2006-02-27 12:45 PM

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Master
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Colorado
Subject: Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon


2006-02-27 12:56 PM
in reply to: #355538

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Elite
2661
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DC Metro, slowly working my way to NC
Subject: RE: Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon
You are so gonna smoke me next month - save a beer for me at the finish.
2006-02-27 1:02 PM
in reply to: #355538

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Pro
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St Charles, IL
Subject: RE: Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon

"In a way though, I guess this was a PR -- I've never had a heart that was capable of running 13 miles, regardless of the time."

Yep, that about sums it up.  You stuck with your plan, and had a great race.  You finished it strong!

I was great hanging out with you, Jess, Aaron, Haley ( and all the other BTers! ) this weekend. 

Take care of that knee now.

-Chris 

2006-02-27 1:09 PM
in reply to: #355538

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Queen BTich
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,
Subject: RE: Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon

Awww...Chippy....You're welcome! I hope you got sticked enough by your favorite fans.

YAY FOR NOT DYING!!

2006-02-27 1:16 PM
in reply to: #355538

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Buttercup
14334
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Subject: RE: Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon
Congratulations, Elizabeth!!! Very impressive!!!!
2006-02-27 1:16 PM
in reply to: #355538

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Buttercup
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Subject: RE: Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon
Congratulations, Elizabeth!!! Very impressive!!!!


2006-02-27 1:38 PM
in reply to: #355538

Champion
8903
500020001000500100100100100
Subject: RE: Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon

Way to go Chippy...it was fun running with you guys.  I'll never complain about my aches and pains again after what you've gone through.  Congrats on a nice race!

 

2006-02-27 2:16 PM
in reply to: #355538

Master
1597
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Colorado
Subject: RE: Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon
2006-02-27 2:35 PM
in reply to: #355538

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Veteran
231
10010025
Subject: RE: Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon

YOU KICK ASS....nuff said

2006-02-27 2:36 PM
in reply to: #355538

Subject: ...
This user's post has been ignored.
2006-02-27 3:03 PM
in reply to: #355538

Elite
3223
20001000100100
Hendersonville
Subject: RE: Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon

Chippy, we were closer to 8:30 pace when we finished! You were FLYING!!  And we were wearing skirts and having fun, so it really doesn't matter how fast we were going. That's a fact.

Oh, and I just had a dream that we were at the mall together.   Hope your knee is all better and the Koreans are pleasant.



2006-02-27 3:14 PM
in reply to: #355538

Master
1932
100050010010010010025
Savannah,
Subject: RE: Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon
You're one tough chippy.  Tough as hell.  Glad you didn't die.
2006-02-27 4:48 PM
in reply to: #355538

Member
32
25
Lake Mary, FL
Subject: RE: Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon
Hey nice to meet you this weekend. You had a great race!! I'm still in shock you had heart surgery two months ago, and did this event!! And I thought my friend (who ran a half mary with me 10 weeks after delivering her 2nd child via C-section) was tough.

Edited by klbarrus 2006-02-27 4:48 PM
2006-02-27 5:24 PM
in reply to: #355538

Master
1558
10005002525
Pensacola, Fl
Subject: RE: Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon
You are 1/2 of two of the greatest running partners a guy could ever have!  CONGRATS  on a job well done!!!  And thank you for letting me join in with you and Jess. 
2006-02-27 6:29 PM
in reply to: #355710

Subject: ...
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2006-02-27 6:48 PM
in reply to: #355538

Master
1480
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Plant City, FL
Subject: RE: Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon

Awesome job Chippy!!   You looked awesome out there running!!

 



2006-02-27 6:51 PM
in reply to: #355538

Champion
7704
50002000500100100
Williamston, Michigan
Subject: RE: Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon
Glad you had a great time Congrats on the race
2006-02-27 7:13 PM
in reply to: #355538

Champion
19812
50005000500020002000500100100100
MA
Subject: RE: Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon

Awesome!

After reading your RR I sure wish I had buddies to do my first 1/2 Mary with in 2 weeks.

Glad you were able to do race, set a PB, heal and get healthy!

2006-02-27 10:44 PM
in reply to: #355538

Elite
2768
20005001001002525
Raleigh
Subject: RE: Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon

Great race Chippy, glad the heart held up...

Was fun hanging out with you

2006-02-28 7:27 AM
in reply to: #355538

Extreme Veteran
401
100100100100
Plant City, Florida
Subject: RE: Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon
Great run Chippy...what a great race and even better story....it takes a lot of heart and guts (pun intended)...it was nice meeting you and challenging to keep up with you Jess and Lane....CONGRATS
2006-02-28 7:38 AM
in reply to: #355538

Giver
18427
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Subject: RE: Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon

You said it best: yay for you! You *will* go faster, and it's weird, I've almost forgotten about the time when you had a chipmunk heart.

I'm really, really proud... 



2006-02-28 9:58 AM
in reply to: #355538

Champion
5183
5000100252525
Wisconsin
Subject: RE: Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon

wow, renee is so dazzled, she hadta tellya twice...

sorry I couldn;t stick around and watch the miracle that is you-- there will be other chances, I just know it...

2006-02-28 10:13 AM
in reply to: #356510

Philadelphia, south of New York and north of DC
Subject: RE: Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon
Amazing acheivement after you surgery.  Congrats!!!
2006-02-28 11:00 AM
in reply to: #355538

Champion
6627
5000100050010025
Rochester Hills, Michigan
Gold member
Subject: RE: Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon

That's some fine runnin, there, half-chipathoner.  Major props to you, your docs, your support staff (entourage?  posse?)...an outstanding achievement.  Nothin' but good times, with more to come.   

2006-02-28 2:15 PM
in reply to: #355538

Expert
1085
1000252525
New Orleans, LA
Subject: RE: Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon

Awesome race!

Somehow that finish line makes all that pain worth it

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