Yesterday afternoon turned out to be almost perfect running weather for a half-marathon. The morning started gray and foggy, but by time the starting siren sounded at 2 p.m. the fog had lifted and the sun was gently warming the runners below. The sun caught the golden hues of the leaves on the trees and made for a spectacular backdrop for the 13.1 miles. There was just enough breeze to make one feel alive and invigorated but not so strong that one would be cursing the wind and finding other runners to tuck behind. The thermometer read 52 degrees when we started, right there in that ideal temperature range for running. All those factors, plus a good training program, set me up for a pretty good race.
I decided to change things up a bit and start in the front of the race pack; I usually prefer to remain anonymous at the back of the pack. However, this was a small field of runners so I thought what the heck, let's throw caution to the wind, and start towards the front. It was an OK strategy, but I did find that I went out a little faster than I usually do. I tried to settle into a sustainable pace by mile 2, but had trouble doing that. But the hilly course forced my body to find a pace that I could keep for the next 11.1 miles.
I usually have my training partner by my side during our races and we keep each other honest with our pacing; however, she has been injured and since coming back from her injury she has been a lot slower so this race I was on my own. I tried to stay with another friend, but she was having an amazing race and since I hadn't trained with her since the summer, I couldn't keep her pace. It was frustrating to realize that training long runs with a slower training partner had taken a toll on my running. I had hoped that I would have been able to maintain my speed through tough speed work work-outs, but it wasn't enough.
But since I was changing things up a bit this race I decided to do something that I have rarely done and that was to use other runners to my advantage when I needed to. Somewhere around mile 5, two guys passed me just before hitting an uphill section. I let them go by me and then stayed on their shoulder for just a bit. I passed them back about 2/3 of the way up the hill. They employed my technique and let me drag them up the rest of the hill. They let me keep the pace down the hill onto a flat section. I slowed a bit so they could pass me back--I wasn't willing to do all of the work--and let them keep the pace for the next mile. It was a pretty good strategy as I was able to keep an 8:15 pace without much effort as I was behind them. We hit another grade between mile 6 and 7 and I passed them again. This time they couldn't keep up so they let me go. I found another guy to run with until we hit a hill and then I was the one who couldn't keep the pace so I had to let him go.
By this time I was struggling and I took a few short walk breaks. Finally I hit the last turn around point and only had a 5k left. I kept telling myself there is no walking in a 5k so I just gutted it out. I did have some extra motivation that kept me going those last 3 miles. I was bound and determined not to lose my spot in the Top 15 women. I was pretty sure that I was 12 or 13 at the last turn around, but there was a lady who had closed a lot of distance on me during my little walk breaks. So even though my stomach was about ready to drop a bomb, I just kept running. I was pretty strong on the last couple of hills and used the downhill sections to my benefit.
With about a 3/4 miles to go I noticed a lady who had been pretty far ahead of me the whole race had probably bonked and was now walk/running. Now I was probably about 400 yards behind her. I don't know that I consciously ran any faster, but with about 100 yards to go she was only about 20 feet in front of me. But here is where an interesting thing happened. I suddenly felt bad about the thought of passing her. I mean I was seriously debating with myself about whether I should pass her or not. If I didn't have the other lady totally bearing down on me I'm not sure what I would have done. However, I wanted 1) get a PR and it was going to be close and 2) not to let anyone pass me with 80 yards left--that's why I done all of that speed work. So I found a faster gear, passed the lady, and finished with a PR. 1:57:23.
Am I satisfied with the results? Well, who could be disappointed with a PR? I'm still not as fast as I would like to be. I would like to by about 1:45 to 1:50. I know that in order to get there I may have to train more with my friend who had a fabulous race (and is my age) and less with my friend is slowing (she is 19 years older than me). Trying to figure out the best transition makes my stomach hurt because no matter how I approach things feelings will be hurt. That sucks.
Oh, and Carson also had a fantastic race day yesterday. He finished his cross-country season with a PR. He ran his 5k in 20:04! He started the season running a 22-minute something; last week he had 21:17. So what a great way to finish the season with beating his previous best time by over a minute.
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