Good morning and Happy Monday!
I’m not really sure what happened to my blog over at blog.com. All of the sudden I couldn’t log in anymore and get to my dashboard. I had to go to blog.com, then in the corner click blog, and go directly to add new post. I couldn’t attach photos, links, or even set up draft blogs. It was very confusing and has been way over a week. I tried everything to get that one back up and running but no.such.luck! So here I am over at wordpress.com!
On November 9th I decided to run the Trenton Half Marathon. It wasn’t a real planned half marathon, it was more like a I just ran a crappy race (read here) and I needed to fix that image (I know the weather was a huge impact, but I couldn’t end my half marathon season that way). So I signed myself up and ran the Trenton Half.
It was a cold morning, but perfect for running. In reality, I set no real expectations on this race; I knew I just wanted a PR and would be happy with any time under 1:30 (from my Atlantic City half). I drove the 50 minutes to Trenton and of course got lost (good thing I left early). I didn’t panic and just went with the flow. To be honest, I checked NOTHING out about this race and how it was run prior to signing up (whoops), but I usually do stuff like that. I had to park about 1.3 miles away and wait to be shuttled. I got there early enough where I just jumped on the shuttle and went to the stadium (it was held at the Trenton Thunder stadium). I got over there and picked up my race bib and clear bag to check my items (oh yea, I didn’t go to the expo either!). I looked around for a place to hide out before warming up but there wasn’t, you had to stay outside. No way was I waiting in the cold! I found the next shuttle dropping people off and hopped back on to go wait in my car. Around 7:10 (race was at 8:00), the shuttle dropped me back off, I ran to my car, changed my clothes (decided not to check anything), and did a warm-up (10 minutes). I finished my warm-up, got back in my warm car, and watched the HUGE shuttle line grow and grow! I started to panic and decided to wait on the line. The line was ridiculous and I started to panic; it was 7:40, the race started at 8:00 and I still had to get on the HUGE restroom lines (I didn’t go at that point and usually I go 4 -5 times prior to a race). I decided to just…let it go because I can’t control what is going to happen or my stupidity for not just staying at the stadium (I even said loudly to the spectators and 10k runners to stay behind because it’s not fair to take seats of runners who had to go off at 8:00; the 10k was 8:30). Finally at 7:45 the shuttled rolled around, I hopped and and just figured oh well! The bus stopped, I literally ran off and to the bathroom (lines were ridiculous, but they had so many I was able to run around and squeeze my way through the crowd). I got to the front of the line and guess what, it was delayed until 8:14 anyway.
Now after my long drawn out of me being not prepared for this race and trying to be very lax, the was off. I ran my first mile WAY.TOO.FAST (5:49 I think), slowed it down. Ran the 3 miles in 18:58, 10K in 39:23, and my final time was a PR of 1:27:43. It was only 10 seconds faster than my PR that started my half marathon season in March, but I started race season with a PR and finished my race season with a PR. I’ll take it (Lets just say the race had some glitches and at mile 11 *mile marker down* I watched two guys that were ahead of my go straight with the 10k crowd and one guy who was a bit behind them but in front of me go left. I literally started shuffling in place for a good 30 – 40 seconds asking the guy with the camera which way to go *he had no idea*, the 10k runners if any of them knew *nope*, I finally saw the mile marker down and just prayed I was going the right way. My thoughts were racing as I thought, I’ve kept my position as second female, I know I am running hard, what if it all went to crap? Then I saw the guy in the green who was a head of me and the stress was lifted. The end was a bit rough too trying to dodge all the 10K runners in a tiny spot to get to the stadium to run around it, but hey it is what it is.).
All races have their glitches, this one was the second one they put on, and for the most part it was a pretty good race! I felt pretty strong except for the 800m incline hill that no one knew existed since it was added to make the course sanctioned. I definitely went out too fast and that’s my fault. The top girl told me she ran a 1:23 on the course last year but it was a bit short; she was looking to run about the same time with it being on point this year (13.16). I decided to go with her and see how long I can keep pace, I figured this race was unplanned, the entire morning was crazy, and what did I have to lose (gain!)? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! I love the half marathon and I am just learning how to race them; I am now 7 half marathons deep and can’t wait to run my next one next spring! I am looking to break 1:27 and continue from there.
On that note…sorry for the looooooong drawn out post that was supposed to just say YAY, I ran a PR!
Any upcoming races on your calendar?
I have one this weekend. A 5 mile Turkey Trot and maybe one last 5k to end STRONG!
Did you end your season with any PRs? Share! I love racing stories!
irun4chocolates 