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Hypothermic Half Marathon - Run


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Winnipeg, MB
Canada
Manitoba Runners' Association
-6C / 21F
Sunny
Total Time = 2h 00m 32s
Overall Rank = 78/309
Age Group = 30-34
Age Group Rank = 9/
Pre-race routine:

Woke at 6am. Had a Cliff bar and blended up some cottage cheese, whey powder, oats and a bananna with some milk and ice. A little bit of stretching, but really not much.
Event warmup:

Met with Sann and Joanne (Laerka & Pooh Bear) at Timmys before the race and car-pooled in. No warm-up to speak of... had a carb-boom gel 5 minutes before go time. Race started pretty promptly at 10:00am.
Run
  • 2h 00m 28s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 09m 12s  min/mile
Comments:

Where do I begin. I'm not very happy with this race, and yet I'm still pretty happy with it, if that makes sense. I was hoping for a 1:55 race today. I had my little pace band on, and life was good.
I took off pretty strong (after watching both Sann AND Joanne wipe out on a pylon right at the starting gate... set the mood early, I always say). Mile 1 I took at 8:06, which was too fast; I was supposed to hit it at about 8:28.
I tried to slow down a bit, but by 3k I was a full minute ahead of my pace, and a couple of seconds shy of that at 5k.
Then, disaster struck. Well, not disaster, but a pain-in-the-ass to be sure. I was absolutely roasting in the sun by this point, so I attempted to shed a layer on my walk break (10:1s all the way through). Long story short, this was a fiasco, and I ended up losing a full minute trying to strip here, not to mention having to double back for my touque. Should have left the blessed thing. After this, was forced to pick it up a little to make up for lost time.
10k- just about right on the money - I got there 6 seconds ahead of schedule.
After this, things get a little hazy. I was running behind some fella through the woods on a narrow path, and didn't really have room to pass, so I trailed him for a while without really realizing how much time I was giving up. The next distance marker I saw was at 14k and I saw I was over a full minute behind; also, the wind had really picked up by this point. I was starting to get a little chilly. By 16k (10 miles) I was four minutes back. Not only this, my legs were falling apart. I knew I had only 5k to go, but I couldn't convince my legs that this was a good thing.
Struggled for the next couple of kilometres... I wanted to walk desparately at one point but forced myself to wait until my 10 minutes were up. That was about as ruthless as I've ever been to myself. I had sucked back another carb-boom at about the 8 mile mark, and it was finally starting to give my legs a little bit of kick, but sadly, no where near enough.
At the 20k marker I was thinking I was homefree. Passed a few people, had a little bit of oomph back into the legs... for about 1/2 a k. Then they died again. I could bloody well SEE the finish line but was forced to walk for about 15-30 seconds. Legs just wouldn't do it. I saw John Stanton at this point (owner of the Running Room), and he gave me a good little push to get my ass moving again. Pushed it hard for the last 400 metres or so to come in around 2h00m28s.
I'm really disapointed that I didn't make my goal. I'm SUPER disapointed that I didn't break 2 hours. But when all things are said and done, I beat my last 1/2 mary time by over 30 seconds in WAY tougher conditions, so I guess I can't bitch too much. I was really happy when it was over though, and my finisher medal is quite purrty. :)
Breakfast afterwards with Sann, Joanne, and Wendi was lovely, but I don't think my legs have ever been this sore. Another reason to be happy with this run I guess, since I don't think I could have worked it much harder.
Lots of work to be done before the next one, though.
What would you do differently?:

Eat. The 10:00 start time threw me off a bit. I think I ran out of fuel a little early because of it.
Ice grippers on my shoes would have been a welcome addition as well.
Dress better, or learn to shed a layer without the whole damn house falling to pieces.
Post race
Warm down:

Walked slowly up and down and watched the other finishers come in. Stood by a little fire for a while to keep warm. It was really cool at this point.
Once Joey got in, straight to the clubhouse for brunch! Then I really just concentrated on my eating career.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

My stupid dead legs. Sorry, Kristen. I was a wussy after all.

I kind of wish I'd brought my mp3 player. Lots of people were wearing them, so I wouldn't have been out of place. My problem was that I guess I was running at a strange pace, because for a lot of the race I was all by my lonesome in the middle of no-where. It was hard to stay motivated, and some good pick-me-up tunes would have been very welcome.

Event comments:

I'd love to do this one again next year with a better idea of what to expect. Great volunteers, beautiful finishers medals, and a hearty meal afterwards made it all worthwhile.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2004-12-14 12:00 AM
Running
02:00:28 | 13.1 miles | 09m 12s  min/mile
Age Group: 5/
Overall: 46/309
Performance: Average
Course: We got about 5 centimetres of fresh snow last night, and that really had an effect on my run, and everyone's run, from the people I spoke to afterwards. It was pretty taxing on the body getting a good foot placement with pretty much every step. The course itself was pretty cool. There was a 8km loop around some farmhouses. It was sunny, calm and beautiful all the way around them. Too sunnny. I was roasting by the 5k marker and had to shed a layer. Next, we ran thru the park trails at the Fort Whyte Centre. Very cool! Lots of bison to look at, and really neat running through the woods next to frozen ponds. The final leg was arguably the worst part. We had to run thru a residential area that was not overly well marked and that I was totally unfamiliar with. I kept hoping when I rounded each corner that THIS was the turn-around corner. No such luck! Then, the blow of all blows, they made us run all the way around the parking lot to the finish line. We could see it for 1/2 a klick, but we couldn't make our way over there. Whoever designed this course is a heartless sonofab%tch.
Keeping cool Below average Drinking Not enough
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Below average
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Ok
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2005-02-27 4:59 PM

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Extreme Veteran
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Winnipegosis
Subject: Hypothermic Half Marathon


2005-02-27 5:37 PM
in reply to: #123087

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Master
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Virginia Beach, VA
Subject: RE: Hypothermic Half Marathon
Grant, I think you had a great race, don't be too hard on yourself. A PR in tough conditions is always something to celebrate! Good job!
2005-02-27 5:44 PM
in reply to: #123087

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Master
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Chesapeake, VA
Subject: RE: Hypothermic Half Marathon
As I've said before, you rock just for running a race in the snow! That is a great time considering the conditions. Just think what you can run in good weather. I bet the snow and ice cost you a good 5 minutes.

Great race and congrats on the PR!
2005-02-27 5:47 PM
in reply to: #123087

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Extreme Veteran
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Winnipegosis
Subject: RE: Hypothermic Half Marathon
Thanks, guys. Don't get me wrong, I'm still pretty happy with my run. My legs wouldn't be as rediculously sore as they are now if I wasn't giving her pretty good.
2005-02-27 6:42 PM
in reply to: #123087

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Master
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Kingston Ontario
Subject: RE: Hypothermic Half Marathon

YEAH!!!! YOU DID IT!!

Running in snow is absolutely brutal.  Fantastic job....now you can rest those legs up! 

Will I be seeing you in the RR catalogue with John Stanton kicking you in the arse?

2005-02-27 6:56 PM
in reply to: #123087

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Extreme Veteran
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Fort Worth, TX
Subject: RE: Hypothermic Half Marathon
Lets see...you pushed yourself until your legs could move anymore....that qulifies at KICK-ASS in my book.  Basically the antithesis of wussy.  So no more of that talk from you!

OK..I got the giggles with your whole stripping issues.  You should practice stripping while you run!  Its good to know the geometry of it ahead of time!!

Great job Grant!!!  Now go take some ibuprofen and sleep!  Hows yout cold doing?  Did it give up the ghost?


2005-02-27 7:35 PM
in reply to: #123087

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molto veloce mama
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Subject: RE: Hypothermic Half Marathon
you did great! congratulations! sounds like a cool race. your 1/2m pace is better than my best 1 mile pace!
2005-02-27 7:41 PM
in reply to: #123087

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Master
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Mechanicsburg, PA
Subject: RE: Hypothermic Half Marathon
Congratulations Grant!! Awesome half mary time. ESPECIALLY in the cold and snow

-Frank
2005-02-27 7:48 PM
in reply to: #123116

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Extreme Veteran
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Winnipegosis
Subject: RE: Hypothermic Half Marathon

Thanks, guys. I'm pretty glad I'm through it now. Couple more months of training til the next one, so hopefully that will turn out better, faster, stronger.

keepitup - 2005-02-27 5:42 PM  

Will I be seeing you in the RR catalogue with John Stanton kicking you in the arse?

Very possible, actually.   Interesting side-note, my friend Leigh (who was actually at the race) and works at the same place as me is writing a column for the Running Room magazine about all us psychos who go out running at the Marsh (where we work). So I actually <b>will</b> be in the RR Mag, but hopefully they'll edit out the shot of Stanton shoeing me in the keister!  

2005-02-27 7:57 PM
in reply to: #123087

Master
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Boston
Subject: RE: Hypothermic Half Marathon
Hi Grant-Yay! Wish I could have been there to cheer you guys on, but OH YEAH, I live in Fla.! Looks like your training was well spent- I dream of the day I can do a 1/2 marathon. Congratulations, and rest up good tomorrow!
2005-02-27 8:07 PM
in reply to: #123087

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Expert
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wrightsville beach, North Carolina
Subject: RE: Hypothermic Half Marathon
Very well done grant!!! The footing was rough but you persevered. The course sounds lovely yet not one to get a fast pace on. The post race breakfast sounds the best though!!


2005-02-27 8:28 PM
in reply to: #123087

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Master
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Plant City, FL
Subject: RE: Hypothermic Half Marathon
Awesome job Grant!!      I had a clothes stripping fiasco at my 5K last month too!!  
2005-02-28 8:36 AM
in reply to: #123087

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Extreme Veteran
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Jacksonville, FL
Subject: RE: Hypothermic Half Marathon
Still a good time for all of your issues...look at it as a great learning/training exercise. BTW - Do you carry any kind of energy gels w/you or did the race have some in the later miles? That could help a little w/overall fatigue...

great job!
2005-02-28 11:03 AM
in reply to: #123327

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Extreme Veteran
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St. Albert
Subject: RE: Hypothermic Half Marathon
Great Job Grant!!!
2005-02-28 4:38 PM
in reply to: #123087

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Extreme Veteran
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Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Subject: RE: Hypothermic Half Marathon
Fantastic job in those conditions, or any conditions! You worked hard, Grant, and it shows! Congratulations!
2005-02-28 5:02 PM
in reply to: #123327

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Extreme Veteran
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Winnipegosis
Subject: RE: Hypothermic Half Marathon

Thanks guys and gals. You're all a great inspiration.

Pkingfl: I had a Carb-Boom gel around mile nine or so, and one just before the race started. What I think I was missing was a good bowl of oatmeal first thing in the am. The gel at mile nine I think was a little too late... my legs were already getting a little rubbery. I probably should have taken a pair on the road and just squeezed them down slowly.

This race was actually a great learning experience for me, and I really think I took a lot from it. I'm really looking forward to my next 1/2 in May now.



2005-02-28 8:23 PM
in reply to: #123087

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Subject: RE: Hypothermic Half Marathon

Grant, as everyone's already said, you did a great job - considering the conditions and mental toughness it took  to complete the race!

BY THE WAY I have inside information that the course was actually 13.9 miles! So you very well did break 2 hours for a half marathon!  

2005-03-03 9:43 AM
in reply to: #123087

, Alabama
Subject: RE: Hypothermic Half Marathon

Grant, terrific job on the race.  As long as your did your best, there's nothing to be bummed about!  I'm still trying to wrap my brain around whatever this s-n-o-w stuff is, but YOU WON'T CATCH ME RUNNIN IN IT ANY TIME SOON!

Sharon

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