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Freeze Your Gizzard Half Marathon - RunHalf Marathon


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Montague, Prince Edward Island
Canada
Triathlon PEI
0C / 32F
Precipitation
Total Time = 1h 38m 7s
Overall Rank = 6/34
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

Woke up around 6am and did my usual coffee, oatmeal and banana breakfast. Just lazed around the house for a while and eventually got all my run gear together in my backpack. The race site was about a 45 min drive so I decided to get changed onsite rather than drive in my gear.

The big question in my head all morning was what the road conditions would be like given that it snowed overnight. During most of the drive I was optimistic as the main roads were all clear, including the shoulders. However, as I pulled into Montague it became clear the road conditions wouldn't be good. There was a lot of snow and slush everywhere and I thought I might have to wear my Yaktrax.

Got to the site, registered and got changed into my run gear with about 45 mins to go before the start. Chatted with some people while I waited to get warmed up. I was happy to see some people that showed up as I thought it would give me a good indication of where my running is at based on how they ended up doing.
Event warmup:

My coach's plan for warmup was 10-20 mins with some 30" pickups to race pace. I decided to try running without the Yaktrax to see if it would be ok to run the race without them. I only ran for about 10 mins as I didn't want to get my feet too wet prior to the start. It probably wasn't quite enough but I figured I would just take the first km or two a bit easier to get fully warmed up.
Run
  • 1h 38m 7s
  • 21.1 kms
  • 04m 39s  min/km
Comments:

I started out trying to run well within myself, feeling relaxed. I didn't look at my watch for about 3 mins and my plan was to just run loose and then force myself to back off a little bit. When I took the first glance at my watch, it said 4:35/km - oops! I kept it relaxed and when the first km came up on the watch it was 4:45 - right where I figured it would be (but faster than my warmup for 1-2km plan...).

For the first 7-8 km, I just ran loose at an effort that felt quick but didn't feel like I was working hard. The km splits floated around high 4:3x/ low 4:4x with the exception of a 5:02 going up a tough hill. At the 7.5k mark there is a short out and back section for the half marathoners and it was around here that I started to pick up the pace a bit. I started passing a few people and by the 10k mark I caught and passed the last one in the group. This happened to be a friend of mine that recently ran a 3:27 marathon so I knew things were going well for me. The next person ahead of me at that point was a good 2-300 meters ahead. I went through the halfway mark in a little under 50 mins. By this point the weather had also gotten nasty, it started raining a bit around the 5k mark and by 10k it was raining and windy. I had given up trying to keep my feet dry by then as well. The roads were very slushy in the first loop. I had taken my hat and gloves off early in the run (before the rain started).

Since the next guy ahead of me was so far ahead I figured it was unlikely that I would catch him but I kept an eye on him just in case. I didn't seem to make up any ground over the next 3km but then we went through a long downhill section followed by a tough uphill and suddenly I seemed to have made up a lot of ground. Somewhere in here I noticed my hands were freezing and my fingers were so stiff I didn't think I would be able to get my gloves out of my pocket so I just carried on. At this point I also realized it was Greg that I was chasing, someone I am usually nowhere near in a run race. He beat my IMMT run time by almost an hour, running 3:52 in his first IM. I decided I would try to chase him down, hopefully catching him before the out and back section so he wouldn't see me coming. Unfortunately I didn't quite do so, I got within about 50 feet of him but when he saw me after the turnaround, he took off and I couldn't stay with him. He finished 37 seconds ahead of me in the end.

The last hill is in the final km of the race and it was brutal. The roads had become rivers from the rain and it was into the wind. I knew I was going to have a good time and I just gave it what I could to the end.

http://app.strava.com/activities/41287448

What would you do differently?:

Catch Greg before the turnaround. I'm not sure it would have made much of a difference in the end but you never know.
Post race
Warm down:

I desperately wanted to get out of the rain so I just walked into the fitness center. They allowed us to use the facilities locker room and showers so I had a hot shower to try to warm up. It sorta helped - the chili and coffee after that helped more. :)

What limited your ability to perform faster:

The weather and road conditions. I don't think it cost me a ton of time, maybe a minute or two at most.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2013-02-12 12:00 AM
Running
01:38:07 | 21.1 kms | 04m 39s  min/km
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/34
Performance: Good
Course: Two loops of a fairly hilly route. The first couple of kms is mostly downhill which gives a good opportunity to get into a good groove. There are two tough hills, at around the 6k and 9k marks.
Keeping cool Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2013-02-18 6:59 AM

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Elite
7783
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PEI, Canada
Subject: Freeze Your Gizzard Half Marathon


2013-02-18 7:15 AM
in reply to: #4626388

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Master
2912
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...at home in The ATL
Subject: RE: Freeze Your Gizzard Half Marathon
Dang, Arend - I would be pleased as punch with that time in dry, sunny conditions - to squeeze out sub 1:40 in the slush and rain is fantastic - you gotta be feeling good about all the winter training, and spring is almost here (right? RIGHT?!?)
2013-02-18 7:31 AM
in reply to: #4626388

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Expert
1951
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Subject: RE: Freeze Your Gizzard Half Marathon
Great report. Well done Arend!
2013-02-18 7:59 AM
in reply to: #4626388

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Master
2770
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Central Kansas
Subject: RE: Freeze Your Gizzard Half Marathon
Great job running your race, despite the conditions.
2013-02-18 9:27 AM
in reply to: #4626388

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Pro
4482
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NJ
Subject: RE: Freeze Your Gizzard Half Marathon
Great run under really tough conditions. Congrats!
2013-02-18 11:31 AM
in reply to: #4626388

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Extreme Veteran
481
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Subject: RE: Freeze Your Gizzard Half Marathon
I feel an urge to drink some hot tea. Very well done Smile


2013-02-18 11:51 AM
in reply to: #4626388

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Veteran
1677
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Houston, Texas
Subject: RE: Freeze Your Gizzard Half Marathon
HUGE PR!!  Especially given those conditions....imagine what you'll do when it's a little less wet out there!  Nice race
2013-02-18 11:58 AM
in reply to: #4626388

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Seattle
Subject: RE: Freeze Your Gizzard Half Marathon
Great race!!
2013-02-18 2:05 PM
in reply to: #4626388

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Expert
1260
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Norton Shores, MI
Subject: RE: Freeze Your Gizzard Half Marathon
Well done Arend...congrats on the PR!
2013-02-27 3:27 PM
in reply to: #4626388

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Expert
925
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Timmins, ON. Canada
Subject: RE: Freeze Your Gizzard Half Marathon
Great report! and Great run, had to take a look because I grew up in PEI! Going to be back in june for a visit with the folks, know if there will be any races going on around that time?
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