RUN 26.2 miles in 3:45:05!
27th/215 overall field
5th/99 females
1st/22 F35-39
WHOOOP A 21 MINUTE PR and THE PERFECT day for a race!
So much to say...where to begin?
My goals, starting with the bottom tier:
4. Finish
3. Sub 4
2. 3:45
1. Podium
1+. BQ (I didn't train for a BQ time of 3:40, but that's what dreams are for right?!)
Friday I rested - I didn't do the short run or commute to work. I had errands to run and a long drive home. My nutrition seemed random, but I stuck to my favorite pre-race of plain chicken breast and the sweet potato/protein batter stuff I've been using for the past year. By the end of the night, I wasn't at all hungry and probably ate too much. But hydration -- dammit! -- I got low on water I think and had to play some catch up in the evening.
Saturday morning - up and at it on time, everything was set out and ready to go. Coffee, more sweet potato/egg white stuff (threw some away, too much), and out the door! Dad gave me a ride to the race and thanks to some running-late-to-his-shift sheriff we had a minor detour to make into town. But otherwise a beautiful morning - cool, bright sunrise, clear, and calm. It was in the low 50's at the start. I was not nervous, but I was on edge a bit. This was a big test for me, and so I had some nerves about what the day held in store. The pre-race crowd was quiet, and it felt odd not knowing other athletes there. I'm glad Dad was there, it was calming to have someone to talk to :)
The pre-race music included U2's Where The Streets Have No Name (from 2012 CDA finish!) and Journey's Don't Stop Believin'! Yay! We lined up, had some minor delay from the course, and after much fussing with my laces and hat and shirt and all else -- we were off!!
My plan was to break the race into 4 segments. The report will follow that format.
Miles 1-7: We headed out of town and over the bridge, then out onto Rt 71. These first miles were flat and the most crowded. Soon enough we were out of town and it was QUIET. Sorta lonely too. But in the 2nd mile I met another runner who did MiTi last year! I chatted with another runner wearing a GoPro (I'm on YouTube!). And that was about it. To my surprise, my hips started to hurt in the first few miles. I'm not sure why. I was running 8:20 averages in this section. On time, but maybe a bit fast. The river was to the right - calm and shiny water that was almost unnoticed. The lilacs all smelled so wonderful on this stretch :)
Miles 7-12: The hills! But first past Lone Point Shelter where I used to bring books to read on the boat launch while in jr college. From this I picked the race song -- see below. Dimmick Hill was being called "Murder Hill" by the GoPro guy, and it was all of 0.4 miles long. And not too bad really, I was able to run the entire thing. I didn't lose much time at all, and before I knew it I was heading down the next hill. I could hear the waterfalls running along the roadway, I felt the wind cool me off in the down hills, I felt the pull of gravity on the uphills, it all felt so good. The hills into the SR Park then up and over the bridge all came and went, and after they were gone I missed them. Saw a few great signs around mile 8. "Run like a starving Indian is chasing you!" (potentially offensive, but funny!). And "There will come a day when you can no longer run. Today is not that day". Oh, a wonderful quote! Reminds me of Lord Of The Rings :)
Mile 12-13: Bonus segment -- as I came down the hill off the bridge I could hear COWBELL!! My family was at the bottom to cheer me on. I swung wide for a high-5 and took off on Dee Bennett.
Miles 13-20: Flat, flat, flat. In this segment my mind started to slow a bit (EAT MORE!) and I lost some time. But not much. I slowed to about 8:30-8:40 miles. I did a potty stop around 15, started pushing more nutrition (EFS every 45 mins), and drinking more. My hips by this point were really starting to hurt. Sometimes left, sometimes right, sometimes both. I wasn't sure of the cause, but I was reasonably sure it wasn't a specific injury, as the pain seemed to come and go. One theory was running on the cambered road, so I tried running the top then the bottom at times, but no luck in finding a pattern for it. Don't get me wrong, this was a pretty stretch of road! And I didn't suffer that much. But the battle of mind vs body started here, thankfully body won. I didn't walk except a few steps in the aid stations.
Miles 20-finish: Finally back into town! I'd hoped for more cheering, I got some, but not much. Thank you to all the people who came out - you all helped keep me going! I had my double-caff gel around mile 21 and thought back to my two previous road marathons in which I hit the wall around mile 22. No such this time around. My mind wanted to stop, by body didn't. If anything, I sped up! A volunteer around mile 24 said I was the 5th or 6th woman. WHAT?! I didn't buy it until another volunteer shortly after that said the same. WHAT!?!?! Don't tell me that -- I'll just get my HR all worked up over it!!
I wasn't familiar with the last 2-3 miles, I'd never been in this part of town before. I passed some wonderful old houses and another great sign: "Abe Ran Here". Really, I asked? And she answered: Yeah, for Senate!! LOL. I laughed so hard I nearly tripped and high-5'd her. Best sign!
By this point, my legs were wobbly and I was really worried about tripping. But SHUT UP LEGS and keep running. I'm back to 8:20 pace miles now and looking at every chance for where the finish would be along the last, long, and straight mile. I came up along another runner I'd chatted with in the 3rd segment. We cheered each other on before I lost him at an aid station. More, more, more --Where's The Finish Dammit?!
I was watching my time, 3:40 came and went, but 3:45 was still attainable. Push. More. GoGoGo!! And WOOHOO I did it!
I must have looked like hell after I stopped, finish line volunteers kept asking if I was OK. I'm thinking -- for the past 26 miles everyone's telling me how great I look, heck with this I'm going back out there! But I was wobbly, bent over, exhausted, and happy. It was only later that I learned I was indeed the 6th female and also the 1st in my division. [I moved up into 5th OA female after some bib problems were sorted out].
Recovery: I walked, drank water, ate a little, but didn't sit or rest and eat a meal until hours later. My hips still hurt, especially the left one, but I was mobile and still able to stay awake. I briefly napped with my feet up, kept pushing food down, and did pretty good the rest of the day. Smiling the whole time too :)
No regrets, nothing I'd change. Perfect day!
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