April 07, 2013
Go! St. Louis Half Marathon Race Report
I woke
up Sunday morning to 58 degrees, no rain and no clouds in sight. Getting the
others up was easy and quick, little butt was up and ready to go. I could feel
my stomach getting nervous and I knew that I would probably have to stop
somewhere along the way to use the restroom. We left the hotel at 6:07 a.m and
headed to the start, less than a mile from our hotel. There were lots of people
headed that way too, and I could feel my excitement and nervousness more and
more. I stopped at the Hardeez on the way and used the restroom, so glad I did
too. I was in Corral C, which was like .3-.4 miles from the freaking start; the
waves were weird, I think we stood there until 7:08 before they called to us
and we headed towards the start. I got a little confused as to when I was
supposed to turn on my garmin, I think I had turned it on a bit too soon.... oh
well.
It didn't feel bad yet, but I knew it was going to because I had never ran more than 9 miles in weather 60 degrees +, and I hadn't become fully acclimated to the warm weather yet. I decided to go a bit against my plans for a negative split and made the first half a bit faster than I wanted to and then just slowly eased into a pace.
Between miles 1 -3 there was a good size hill that I didn't expect (they had changed the course a bit) but I went up that no problem, nice and steady and strong. The Clydesdale was not out to cheer us on, bummer but oh well. I did try to keep my pace above 10:45 but it wasn't working too well.
Between miles 3 - 6 I had grabbed some gatorade from the fluid stations, I was beginning to feel the temperature around mile 5 but not bad still. I think there was a small hill around this time, but I can't remember. I still didn't have to stop at the bathroom, that was a good thing.
Between miles 6-9 it was starting to get tough, but luckily we got back into the city part with all the tall buildings and so I was blessed with shade (Thank Freaking God!). We hit a hill that was before Holy Hill, but it was a pretty good size hill and my legs were beginning to hate me. Holy Hill began around 6.3 I think and at first it didn't seem bad and I was feeling pretty positive, I actually found myself speeding up to 9:55 min/mile pace. A camera man on an ATV came by and was taking pictures, I felt good and was feeling strong. We came over the top of that hill and my heart had a small panic attack, Holy Hill wasn't done with me and it was going to become Holy Hell Hill. We had a small downhill trip (probably .2 miles) before we started going back up a much steeper hill than before, and it was probably a half mile long I think. It was right at mile 8 when we started heading up it, I allowed myself at this point to drop to 10:12-10:23 min/mile pace and kept forging ahead. Eventually I got over that hill, and I was feeling good about conquering it but the heat was beginning to take it's toll on my body and mind. The turn around point for Half Marathoners was at mile 10 and I just wanted to get to it, because I knew then I only had 3.1 miles to go. There were photographers just before that point and I made sure to look stronger than I felt.
Between miles 10-12 it began to get tough, the heat and my left hip/IT band were hurting a bit, my knees were feeling the effects of the hills and I was starting to feel a little down about how I felt. To make things harder, just before mile 11 was another large hill/incline and I thought WTF and cursed the running gods. I stopped at a port-a-jon, mainly to take moment and to use the restroom. The GU, gatorade and water didn't have a negative effect but I figured I was going to end up using the bathroom around mile 3 so I felt okay about using it now. Then I trudged on, my pace did slow down and I knew it would. Not so much because I started out faster than planned but because the heat and sun, I don't fair well in this weather unless I've been running in it for months and I can run in shorts and sports bra so I was definitely feeling like crap. I was happy when I reached mile 12, and I repeated to myself only 1.1 more mile and I'd be done with my 3rd Half and another 3rd finishers medal (and a really cute shirt).
That last mile was probably the toughest last mile I've ever ran, I kept a steady pace and just told myself to keep going. When I saw that blown up Finish thing, I had .7 miles left and I told myself to push it, I was ready to be done and I did my best to muster up all the strength and energy I had. I almost felt kicked when I thought I saw another hill just before the finish chute, but it was nothing. My Garmin hit 13.1 miles about .1-.2 miles from the finish so I went ahead and turned it off. I passed that finish line and thought oh my god thank you, thank you, thank you! Where the hell is my medal and where is a shady spot to sit and pass out!!!? My garmin hit 13.1 at 2:16:15 with a pace of 10:24 min/mile, and quite honestly I got confused when I turned it on so I don't know whether I had hit it too soon or what. My clock time is 2:18:28, not bad and not too far off from my garmin time. Holy Hill time was 20:13 (from miles 6.3 to 8.5). I am happy, my last two half marathons were (October 2011) 2:31:05 and (October 2012) 2:36:39, so I am feeling pretty great for knocking 14 minutes 16 minutes off my first Half time and 20 minutes off my second Half time.
My splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:46 / Mile 2 - 10:35 / Mile 3 - 10:41 / Mile 4 - 10:05 / Mile 5 - 10:08 / Mile 6 - 10:24 / Mile 7 - 10:03 / Mile 8 - 10:02 / Mile 9 - 10:19 / Mile 10 - 10:17 / Mile 11 - 10:29 / Mile 12 - 10:56 / Mile 13.1 - 10:31
Overall place 4,292 out of 7,829/ Women’s rank 2,044 out of 4,641. Not bad in my opinion or at least I am going to say that and believe it.
So I did stay pretty steady overall, I kept it close to the same pace though near the end it was tough. I must say I enjoy the Half Marathons in the Fall a lot more than in Spring, running in temperatures 40- for 5-7 months and then run a 13.1 mile race in 65-70 degree weather is an ass kicking experience. The hills kicked my butt too, though some deal with much bigger elevation (I do not), I am happy to have gotten over them and have this race under my belt. Sadly I did not stop for a beer, I was too wore out, empty on the stomach and just tired, it would not have been a good idea to drink a beer and then walk a mile back to the hotel and then pack up and go. I am going to have me a margarita (or two, or one margarita and one beer) when we stop to eat in Illinois, and I will have my damn steak! There you have it, this is my race report and I hope I wrote a good one. I am proud of myself, I feel great (though really sore) and strong..... and hungry.
Edit: we decided with 45 miles from home that Dorian has been such a good boy with all this that maybe instead of going out we would just stay home and do carry out, I won’t get my margarita but I can have a beer or 2 at home and my little boy’s feeling are more important anyways.
It didn't feel bad yet, but I knew it was going to because I had never ran more than 9 miles in weather 60 degrees +, and I hadn't become fully acclimated to the warm weather yet. I decided to go a bit against my plans for a negative split and made the first half a bit faster than I wanted to and then just slowly eased into a pace.
Between miles 1 -3 there was a good size hill that I didn't expect (they had changed the course a bit) but I went up that no problem, nice and steady and strong. The Clydesdale was not out to cheer us on, bummer but oh well. I did try to keep my pace above 10:45 but it wasn't working too well.
Between miles 3 - 6 I had grabbed some gatorade from the fluid stations, I was beginning to feel the temperature around mile 5 but not bad still. I think there was a small hill around this time, but I can't remember. I still didn't have to stop at the bathroom, that was a good thing.
Between miles 6-9 it was starting to get tough, but luckily we got back into the city part with all the tall buildings and so I was blessed with shade (Thank Freaking God!). We hit a hill that was before Holy Hill, but it was a pretty good size hill and my legs were beginning to hate me. Holy Hill began around 6.3 I think and at first it didn't seem bad and I was feeling pretty positive, I actually found myself speeding up to 9:55 min/mile pace. A camera man on an ATV came by and was taking pictures, I felt good and was feeling strong. We came over the top of that hill and my heart had a small panic attack, Holy Hill wasn't done with me and it was going to become Holy Hell Hill. We had a small downhill trip (probably .2 miles) before we started going back up a much steeper hill than before, and it was probably a half mile long I think. It was right at mile 8 when we started heading up it, I allowed myself at this point to drop to 10:12-10:23 min/mile pace and kept forging ahead. Eventually I got over that hill, and I was feeling good about conquering it but the heat was beginning to take it's toll on my body and mind. The turn around point for Half Marathoners was at mile 10 and I just wanted to get to it, because I knew then I only had 3.1 miles to go. There were photographers just before that point and I made sure to look stronger than I felt.
Between miles 10-12 it began to get tough, the heat and my left hip/IT band were hurting a bit, my knees were feeling the effects of the hills and I was starting to feel a little down about how I felt. To make things harder, just before mile 11 was another large hill/incline and I thought WTF and cursed the running gods. I stopped at a port-a-jon, mainly to take moment and to use the restroom. The GU, gatorade and water didn't have a negative effect but I figured I was going to end up using the bathroom around mile 3 so I felt okay about using it now. Then I trudged on, my pace did slow down and I knew it would. Not so much because I started out faster than planned but because the heat and sun, I don't fair well in this weather unless I've been running in it for months and I can run in shorts and sports bra so I was definitely feeling like crap. I was happy when I reached mile 12, and I repeated to myself only 1.1 more mile and I'd be done with my 3rd Half and another 3rd finishers medal (and a really cute shirt).
That last mile was probably the toughest last mile I've ever ran, I kept a steady pace and just told myself to keep going. When I saw that blown up Finish thing, I had .7 miles left and I told myself to push it, I was ready to be done and I did my best to muster up all the strength and energy I had. I almost felt kicked when I thought I saw another hill just before the finish chute, but it was nothing. My Garmin hit 13.1 miles about .1-.2 miles from the finish so I went ahead and turned it off. I passed that finish line and thought oh my god thank you, thank you, thank you! Where the hell is my medal and where is a shady spot to sit and pass out!!!? My garmin hit 13.1 at 2:16:15 with a pace of 10:24 min/mile, and quite honestly I got confused when I turned it on so I don't know whether I had hit it too soon or what. My clock time is 2:18:28, not bad and not too far off from my garmin time. Holy Hill time was 20:13 (from miles 6.3 to 8.5). I am happy, my last two half marathons were (October 2011) 2:31:05 and (October 2012) 2:36:39, so I am feeling pretty great for knocking 14 minutes 16 minutes off my first Half time and 20 minutes off my second Half time.
My splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:46 / Mile 2 - 10:35 / Mile 3 - 10:41 / Mile 4 - 10:05 / Mile 5 - 10:08 / Mile 6 - 10:24 / Mile 7 - 10:03 / Mile 8 - 10:02 / Mile 9 - 10:19 / Mile 10 - 10:17 / Mile 11 - 10:29 / Mile 12 - 10:56 / Mile 13.1 - 10:31
Overall place 4,292 out of 7,829/ Women’s rank 2,044 out of 4,641. Not bad in my opinion or at least I am going to say that and believe it.
So I did stay pretty steady overall, I kept it close to the same pace though near the end it was tough. I must say I enjoy the Half Marathons in the Fall a lot more than in Spring, running in temperatures 40- for 5-7 months and then run a 13.1 mile race in 65-70 degree weather is an ass kicking experience. The hills kicked my butt too, though some deal with much bigger elevation (I do not), I am happy to have gotten over them and have this race under my belt. Sadly I did not stop for a beer, I was too wore out, empty on the stomach and just tired, it would not have been a good idea to drink a beer and then walk a mile back to the hotel and then pack up and go. I am going to have me a margarita (or two, or one margarita and one beer) when we stop to eat in Illinois, and I will have my damn steak! There you have it, this is my race report and I hope I wrote a good one. I am proud of myself, I feel great (though really sore) and strong..... and hungry.
Edit: we decided with 45 miles from home that Dorian has been such a good boy with all this that maybe instead of going out we would just stay home and do carry out, I won’t get my margarita but I can have a beer or 2 at home and my little boy’s feeling are more important anyways.
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