To say I am a little disappointed with the results today is truthful. While I did shave almost three minutes off of my time (1:01:49 this year versus 1:04:24), I still had to walk for about 30 seconds and i really wanted to run the WHOLE thing. I also didn't get any pictures. It was SO hot that we just wanted to cool out and be gone. I also missed the door prizes, so I hope I didn't win anything:)
I was in good company though because the top three women overall were in my age group. I did see many people walk at least once on that course, and I know I walked at least three times last year. I was able to run down hill relatively fast and not trash my quads or get a side stitch. I also totally chicked a guy at the end (he was an older guy but very obvious a runner). I finished in 12th in my age group, 40th out of 67 women and 83rd overall out of I don't know how many total.
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| My cheering crew bright eyed and bushy tailed |
Mile 2: (9:22). Boy, it's hot and I am feeling it. I wanted to stay under 9:30 for the first three miles and as close to 9:00 as I could, but l was already feeling the affects of the heat and dripping wet. We run past the finish chute to go out to get the first three, and I am sad that i won't be seeing it for forty or so minutes. I couldn't really find a pace partner, but I did have a few women I had picked to at least keep in sight. They did have a mist thingy that you could run under at this point, and while it really didn't get you very wet at all, I attempted it. I also poured a whole cup of water on my head at this point. I carried water and I am VERY glad I did. At every mile from 2 on, I took a small sip of water.
Mile 3: (9:38) I poured an entire cup on my head and chest every mile from 2 on. There is a hill close to mile 3 as well as the turn around for the 5 K people. I so wanted to turn around with them, because i knew what was coming. As we headed out to the monster hill that last from about mile 3.5 till almost mile 5, I kept thinking good mantras to myself like strong and powerful and you got this. I do lots of hill work, so I kept thinking to myself that this shouldn't be a big deal. The biggest problem with this hill is that there is 0 shade and you feel the heat running on pavement. I tried to keep off of the pavement and in the shoulder of the road, but I immediately started feeling the strain of the hill and heat.
Mile 4: (10:24) At one point I was having trouble breathing. I got this snotty feeling in my chest and throat that I always get when I am pushing the pace. I tried to clear my throat and almost choked on whatever it is that causes this. I had to walk immediately as I got super nauseous. I decided I would walk from one road sign to the other and that was all I allowing myself, even though many runners had been walking on and off the whole hill. I was also NOT looking at my watch and just going by feel. I feel like I couldn't have pushed any harder at this point.
Mile 5 (10:53) There is a small hill at the beginning that lasts for probably a quarter of a mile and is not nice after you think you are done with the stupid hills period. Last year, it caused me to walk again but not this year. I just laughed at that silly hill and kept going. I really did laugh out loud so hope the lady behind me didn't think I was crazy. I am shocked that this mile time was so bad. I saw 9s as I headed down the hill so not sure why Mile 4 on the monster hill was so good and mile 5 was so bad. I have been working a lot this last year on running down hill, as this is always my trouble spot, more so than going up. I felt great running down this year and felt like I was recovering nicely. Just not sure what happened here. I felt fully recovered from all of the hills. Did see another runner be attended to by the EMS going down. He is a speed demon and I think the heat got the best of him. I really wasn't looking at my watch much as I knew the entire hill spanned mile 5 so maybe my effort was hard but the time reflects how tired I was or something?
Mile 6. When I hit the mile 6 marker, I SPRINTED. My watch had clicked over to mile 6 a while back (probably 2 tenths of a mile before the sign) but it had been ahead of every sign every time (yes, I probably run the pattern of a bee telling the hive where the honey is). I passed an older gentlemen whom I had been stalking for a while. While he was older, he was obvious he was a serious runner and it makes me feel good that I passed him in the end. He cheered me on as I passed and sprinted down the finish chute. I was out of breath but feeling good BUT I made sure to drink two bottles of water and some chocolate milk. We didn't stick around too long. They were doing a fun run and some other things and I knew I was NOT in the medals at all so we headed to our new favorite hang out in manhattan, chick fil a.
They have a play place and balloons and stuffed cows. Andrew thought it was the COOLEST place ever. We took turns eating and sitting in the play room watching him. It was so sweet because the first time he went up in the climbing things, he got confused and another little boy went up and showed him how to get down the slide. Surprisingly, in all of my life of living near a chick fil a, I had never had breakfast there. It was yummy and filling, as I can't eat much after a race. We got coupons for a free breakfast and I will be using them for sure! Andrew got a stuffed cow and a balloon that we accidentally let go when we got home, shush, don't tell he doesn't know yet.
It was a good day and I ended with a smile but I am already ready for a third try to get that time under an hour. I need to go do some hill work on that hill I think. First recovery though. Like a 2 hour nap with you mouth open recovery.
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