Well, I did it. I completed my second half marathon. It was a perfect day for it, too. About 72 degees when we started, probably right at 80 when we finished. It was set up as a doulbe out and back, which is not my ideal route, but with out and backs, it is much easier to know exactly where you are and calculate how much farther you have and how good/bad your pace is as well.
When we got to our first turn around point, about three miles in, I was feeling good so started counting the females that were turning around before me as they came back. I have a tendancy to do that to see if it is just a fun run for me or if I could compete for an actual place in the standings. At the first turn around, there were 5 in front of me and two had turned around maybe 100 yards before me. I knew I probably wasn't going to catch #1 or #2, but I knew I had a chance at #3.
When I saw that, I got energized and picked up the pace a little bit. I was just feeling it that day, everything was good. By about half way back down, I took out #4 and #5 so I was running at #4 for a while. When we turn around again, I'm #4 but #3 isn't too far in front of me anymore. As we're coming back up, I see her in front of me and know I'm gaining on her little by little. The whole field is pretty spread out by this point so not many people are surrounding anyone.
I'm gaining and gaining and finally get past her and I'm feeling good. I know I'm running at #3 and am going to actually place in one of these runs. At the last turnaround, I see #2 about 200-300 yards ahead of me and the one I just past about 100 yards behind me. She's staying with me and I know this at every turn and aid station because the workers were saying every time, come on ladies. It was just her and I coming through those points at the same time.
As we approach mile 11, I realize I'm not going to make up the ground on the #2 runner and I'm worried about the one behind me because I felt her there the whole time! I knew I didn't have much left in me to give it a real push and hoped the one behind me wasn't one who had that last mile or two push at the end to surpass anyone right in front of her. I kept listening to see if I could tell if she was getting any closer as I as trying to push to the finish.
The girl in front of got me by about a minute and half. I was a smidge disappointed because I know if I knew that or had brought a water bottle to carry instead of stopping the three times I did, I could have taken her, I was right there. The #1 had me by 9 minutes, I had no real chance there, but I was happy. I took first in my division and was 3rd female overall.
The biggest reason I was so happy this time is because I haven't been even close to training how i wanted to for this one. I haven't run more than 5 miles in quite a while (I did get one good 5.5 in but other than that, I've been averaging about 3 and a quarter). About mile 7, I got a real bad headache which is when I started stopping for water. About mile 8, my body got that tingly, you've worked hard enough feeling. About mile 10, my stomach said you didn't feed me enough to work this hard and about mile 11, my feet said these shoes are going to give us blisters if you don't stop soon. I finished in 1:47:33. Since I was not training, my goal was under two hours but when I realized how good I was feeling and how good I was doing, I was hoping for a 1:44 which would have been an 8:00 average instead of my 8:15 average.
But, overall I was quite happy with my results. It also gave me a little confidence for the full marathon I want to do in October. I'm hoping I'll be able to find myself a little bit more of a chance to train. I do hope to get at least one 20 mile run in before then so I can see how it feels. But, I think if I can find myself a good steady pace and rhythm, I really can do it without much of an issue. I'm going to find myself an easy waterbottle to carry with me, maybe two so I can have some gatorade in one when I feel my sugar levels are getting low and maybe find some of those during workout snacks so when i get hungry, I can fuel myself to keep going.
I'm also starting to think my triathlon might be put on hold for another year. I just can't seem to get myself into the water and that's where I would really need to train to complete one. That's ok though. I'm trying to learn that I don't have to complete everything in one year all the time!
When we got to our first turn around point, about three miles in, I was feeling good so started counting the females that were turning around before me as they came back. I have a tendancy to do that to see if it is just a fun run for me or if I could compete for an actual place in the standings. At the first turn around, there were 5 in front of me and two had turned around maybe 100 yards before me. I knew I probably wasn't going to catch #1 or #2, but I knew I had a chance at #3.
When I saw that, I got energized and picked up the pace a little bit. I was just feeling it that day, everything was good. By about half way back down, I took out #4 and #5 so I was running at #4 for a while. When we turn around again, I'm #4 but #3 isn't too far in front of me anymore. As we're coming back up, I see her in front of me and know I'm gaining on her little by little. The whole field is pretty spread out by this point so not many people are surrounding anyone.
I'm gaining and gaining and finally get past her and I'm feeling good. I know I'm running at #3 and am going to actually place in one of these runs. At the last turnaround, I see #2 about 200-300 yards ahead of me and the one I just past about 100 yards behind me. She's staying with me and I know this at every turn and aid station because the workers were saying every time, come on ladies. It was just her and I coming through those points at the same time.
As we approach mile 11, I realize I'm not going to make up the ground on the #2 runner and I'm worried about the one behind me because I felt her there the whole time! I knew I didn't have much left in me to give it a real push and hoped the one behind me wasn't one who had that last mile or two push at the end to surpass anyone right in front of her. I kept listening to see if I could tell if she was getting any closer as I as trying to push to the finish.
The girl in front of got me by about a minute and half. I was a smidge disappointed because I know if I knew that or had brought a water bottle to carry instead of stopping the three times I did, I could have taken her, I was right there. The #1 had me by 9 minutes, I had no real chance there, but I was happy. I took first in my division and was 3rd female overall.
The biggest reason I was so happy this time is because I haven't been even close to training how i wanted to for this one. I haven't run more than 5 miles in quite a while (I did get one good 5.5 in but other than that, I've been averaging about 3 and a quarter). About mile 7, I got a real bad headache which is when I started stopping for water. About mile 8, my body got that tingly, you've worked hard enough feeling. About mile 10, my stomach said you didn't feed me enough to work this hard and about mile 11, my feet said these shoes are going to give us blisters if you don't stop soon. I finished in 1:47:33. Since I was not training, my goal was under two hours but when I realized how good I was feeling and how good I was doing, I was hoping for a 1:44 which would have been an 8:00 average instead of my 8:15 average.
But, overall I was quite happy with my results. It also gave me a little confidence for the full marathon I want to do in October. I'm hoping I'll be able to find myself a little bit more of a chance to train. I do hope to get at least one 20 mile run in before then so I can see how it feels. But, I think if I can find myself a good steady pace and rhythm, I really can do it without much of an issue. I'm going to find myself an easy waterbottle to carry with me, maybe two so I can have some gatorade in one when I feel my sugar levels are getting low and maybe find some of those during workout snacks so when i get hungry, I can fuel myself to keep going.
I'm also starting to think my triathlon might be put on hold for another year. I just can't seem to get myself into the water and that's where I would really need to train to complete one. That's ok though. I'm trying to learn that I don't have to complete everything in one year all the time!