VRF Half Marathon – 1st Female (1:28:06)

At least this made me smile

The goal: sub-1:25. My time: 1:28:06. Feelings: disappointment, slightly embarrassed, yet hopeful (in no particular order).

I felt very fit, my workouts went well, heck I even ran an 18:45 5K two weeks ago. Everything pointed to a PR. All I needed to do was hold 6:26 pace…

So what happened? Well, first of all I need to accept that I’m not a robot. My body doesn’t do everything I command. Some days you feel great and can push harder than you ever thought possible, and other days your body just doesn’t respond the way you want it to. I also have to accept that I can’t race like a fiend every other weekend. I’ve had a long year: I did a couple of tune up races before the One City Marathon in March, then pushed my body and mind beyond the wall in that race. I followed that up with the Regional Duathlon Championships (run – bike – run). And then it was on to a full triathlon season that included two half ironmans in the brutal heat of the summer. I think I underestimated how much of a toll racing 5 1 /2 hours (70.3 miles) in the summer takes on the body, especially when you are new to it. Once the triathlon season ended I was probably a little too eager to jump right back into running. I ended up doing two 5Ks and two half marathons in the span of 6 weeks. Throw in a full time job as an Analyst (with a recent promotion *yay me*), a social life, and of course training… you see my point ;-)

If it was up to my coach I’d probably only race 3 or 4 times a year. I’d have long training blocks and then focus exclusively at performing well at those key races. But I love racing *sigh*. I like the ritual of putting on my singlet, pinning on my race bib, lining up at the start, hearing the gun go off, pushing my body to the limit, and crossing the finish line completely spent….and then complaining about how “I’ll never do another one.”

The Ritual. I also enjoy repping my sponsors:
Point 2 Running Company & Flat-Out Events

How the race played out

NOT THE WAY I WANTED IT TO! My coach and I put together a game plan – what I would need to do each mile to hit my goal time. It sounded fast! But I put the work in and felt fit and ready to give it a go. The morning of the race was cold (~32 degrees). There was frost on the ground and a chill in the air. I haven’t raced in weather like that since February. But I was grateful. I prefer racing in the cold :-) 

I did a 2 mile jog, chatted with some friends – including Greg Dawson who was pacing the 1:30 group. I made the decision to follow him for the first 3 miles to make sure I went out conservatively.

Miles 1 – 3 felt easy and flew by. Someone commented that I was the lead woman. Which, to be honest, I didn’t even realize. I try not to pay too much attention to other female competitors in endurance races…at least not that early on in the race. I learned my lesson earlier this year…RUN YOUR OWN RACE! You don’t have control over anyone but yourself. Plus you never know what’s going to happen. I’ve seen people way more talented and faster than myself end up walking or dropping out. Ever heard of the term "Any Given Sunday"... yeah well, in my opinion that doesn't just apply to football ;-)

Mile 1: 6:53

Mile 2: 6:48

Mile 3: 6:50

Thanks Ryan! (Congrats on the overall win)

I felt ready to pick up the pace and go after my PR so I left the pack and was on my own.

Mile 4: 6:33

CNU has such a beautiful campus

 

My biggest struggle…

Running solo. I underestimated how difficult this is. At the time, there were four men ahead of me but they were a long ways away. I couldn’t even see them. I was virtually running alone. All I had was the lead female cyclist riding along side me and the Peninsula Bicycling Association volunteers riding in front of me. I did, however, take some comfort in their company because we all knew each other. Another thing that helped a ton was having my friends at different points along the course. You guys are the best!

With the lead female cyclist

My goal was to stay in the low 40s for the next couple of miles. I’m pleased with my pacing but it felt a little harder than I expected. Usually when I run with a pack or I have people in front of me to key off of I can relax a little…it doesn’t feel like I’m working as hard..if that makes any sense.

Mile 5: 6:43

Mile 6: 6:43

Toughest part of the course

Dear Boundary Rd (miles 7 and 8) – Your uneven terrain / gravel and hills absolutely suck. I was trying hard and actually felt like I was running fast but then I’d look at my Garmin and realize I was slowing down ugh.

Mile 7: 6:44

Mile 8: 6:47

The Course

Those miles hurt. My legs were not happy. And of course I had one more hard section to push through - Museum Drive. At mile 9, I heard another runner coming up behind me. I was actually relieved. Sweet! Someone to run with. Yeah not so much. He blew by me. I didn’t like that lol.

Mile 9: 6:47

Mile 10: 6:48

Not a happy camper

It’s just a 5K

No matter how crappy I’m feeling towards the end of a race I will ALWAYS push as hard as I possibly can. It’s the one thing I’m very proud of. I never give up. I knew I was pretty far off my goal time. I also knew I had a couple of minutes on the next female runner. I could have eased up and called it a day. But I didn’t!!

Mile 11: 6:30

Mile 12: 6:31

Mile 13: 6:17

Thought about leaving this part out of my recap, but who cares. I’ll be honest. I’ve done this race a few times now and the finish is always the same. You enter the Stadium at Christopher Newport University, make a right on the track, and run on the track to the finish line. Well, they changed it this year. They coned off the section to make sure we made a left. Well apparently that didn’t register in my fatigued brain and I ran straight through the cones and went the wrong way. Of course people were screaming “YOU’RE GOING THE WRONG WAY”. I had to make a u-turn. I was mortified.

Seconds before my faux pas

I finished in 1 hour, 28 minutes and 6 seconds. Stats: 1^st female (178 women); 6^th overall (351 men and women)

So that’s the gist of it. I tried and I failed. Justttt kidding ;-) I learned a lot from this race. Even though I didn’t run the time I wanted I’m still confident that I’m more than capable of running faster. It just didn’t come together on Sunday. The positives – my splits were pretty even, I was still able to kick it in the last 5K, and what I’m most excited about is how fit I am aerobically (from long course triathlon training). My coach and I discussed this right after the race ... I felt like if I slowed it down about 10 seconds per mile I could have held that pace for a long ways. Maybe not for an entire marathon, but definitely past the 20-mile mark. I watched a video of myself (below) taken less than a minute after crossing the finish line (thank you Rich for capturing that classic moment) and my breathing was normal / steady and I was able to carry on a conversation (mostly complaining).

With that being said, I have a huge goal for next year. I want to break 3 hours in the marathon. I know… I only ran a 1:28 half. But I KNOW the fitness is there. I am confident of that. So I plan on listening to my coach - take some time off from racing, regroup, and train without interruption so I can be fit and ready for next year.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS <3 <3

Governor’s Land 5K (Four-peat)

I’ll admit it. I’m totally not in the mood to update my blog. But I made a promise to myself at the beginning of the year that I would do a write-up after each race. Sort of like a New Year’s Resolution. In some ways it’s been great. Blogging has been a way to document my evolution as an athlete over the past couple years. I can now go back and read how I felt, what my thought process was at the time, and how I performed.  So here it goes…blog write-up #15 of the year. Have I really raced 15 times this year?!

On Saturday I did the Governor’s Land 5K (in Williamsburg, VA). I’ve done this race every year since 2013. And now I’ve won this race every year since 2013 J

2016 Governor's Land 5K
(Colonial Road Runner's Grand Prix)

I remember back in 2013 crossing the finish line in 19 minutes and 14 seconds and being in total shock. At the time it was a HUGE PR. Before that race I struggled to break the 20-minute barrier. In fact, my times were generally around 20:30 (6:35/mile pace). So what changed? The summer of 2013 I decided I wanted to try my first triathlon. I bought a bathing suit, got membership to my local swim club and hopped in the pool twice a week. I also bought a bike and began riding around my neighborhood regularly. I did my first triathlon that July. I was a disaster. But it was so much fun! And for some reason it was the perfect recipe for improvement. I stopped getting injured (because I was using different muscle groups), plus I was able to increase my training volume (because, again, I was using different muscle groups). Instead of running all the time and dealing with the frustrations of IT band syndrome, runner’s knee, plantar fasciitis and even a stress fracture, I found that the mixture of swimming, biking, and running made me stronger and helped develop muscles in areas I didn’t even know I had muscles!

Back in 2013. I know...real attractive

Fast forward to Saturday, October 29^th. Expectations = Zero. Honestly! I had no time goals. My coach and I didn’t even have a game plan. We decided to train through this race and ramp up my run mileage in order to have a shot at breaking my Half Marathon PR (in 2 weeks). My coach even said to me before this race: “You’re going to be tired. It’s going to hurt. Don’t expect much.” Sooooo… I didn’t. I ran an 18:58 5K at the Crawlin Crab a few weeks prior so I figure I was in shape to run around the same time. I also knew this race would be competitive and the win wasn’t guaranteed – it was a “Grand Prix” Race (a competition between the local running clubs where you could score points for your team).

The morning of the race my alarm went off and I was exhausted. I did not want to get up. Even hit snooze a few times and briefly thought about blowing the race off entirely *yikes*. But once I got up and got going the “race day routine” took over and I was a little more fired up about it. I got to the race site with not a lot of time to spare…I hit snooze to many times :-/ Quickly got my race packet, ran into a few friends and did a two mile warm up. And then of course the nerves started kicking in as it got closer to race time. Ugh 5Ks are soooo very painful.  It’s my favorite distance to race because it’s over fast, but the last mile and a half is ALWAYS miserable.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1…..

And we were off. The first half mile was crazy crowded and I found myself trying not to trip over people (I have long legs = long stride). I glanced at my Garmin and decided to settle into ~5:55 pace. I felt great. I went through the first mile in 5:57 (perfect). I was in third place for the women at this point. I’m not going to lie, I was a little surprised by how many females were in the mix. But I know the first mile in a 5K doesn’t mean that much. A lot of people go out too fast and fall back quickly so I just focused on myself and stared at some of the men down the road. 

I couldn’t believe how great I felt. I honestly thought I could run around an 18:30. Ha! That plan quickly went to hell. My body was not having it. About halfway through the second mile the pain started setting in. And as I approached the second mile marker I was feeling “it” – the lactic acid building, sting in your legs, “I hate this pain” – kind of feeling that you only get from 5Ks. To my non-runner friends or those that don’t flat out race a 5K – think about grade school gym class, when the phys-ed teacher makes you run, you go out too hard, you’re out of breath and your body starts to slow down and it’s just miserable! That’s sort of how this feels (in my opinion).

Exhibit A

This was after my first Half Ironman in June. But my expression says it all....don't you think?
In this pic I was actually explaining to my Dad that I would never do another Half Ironman.
Of course I went on to do another one 3 months later (and 11 minutes faster ;-)

Back to mile marker 2

I had slowed significantly and went through the second mile in 6:10. Still not quite used to the speed after dedicating so many months to Half Ironman training. With one mile to go I decided there was no way I was letting myself run over 19 minutes. I got up on my toes, pumped my arms and started driving my knees…as painful as it was. The last mile of every race I try to focus on not succumbing to the pain. I just try to tell myself, “no matter what, you can’t slow down. Every second counts.”

I crossed the finish line in 18 minutes and 45 seconds; my last mile was a 6:03. I didn’t PR, but I DID run my fastest time on that course.

2013: 19:14

2014: 18:50

2015: 19:11

2016: 18:45

...and walked away with another win.

Thank you for the gift card to Goodman & Sons Jewelers <3 <3

With my friend Jess Burcham

Good luck at the Richmond Marathon in two weeks!

Next up...I'll be wearing my Point 2 Running / Flat Out Events singlet at the VRF Half Marathon in two weeks. Focus: a PR of course. I ran a 1:26:57 at this race last year. I'd like to run well under that. My coach has been giving me pretty brutal workouts. Hoping it all pays off!

Good luck to everyone racing in the New York City Marathon this weekend. And a special good luck wish to one of my childhood friends (and one of the fastest people I know), Alexandra Niles, who will be racing in the women's professional/elite division of the race.

Columbus Half Marathon & NBMA Summit

What a truly amazing weekend! My face says it all.

At the finish line with NBMA Co-founder and Executive Director Tony (Anthony) Reed

I flew into Columbus, OH on Saturday, October 15^th, for a weekend of festivities. I was there first and foremost for the National Black Marathoners Annual Summit. Some balk at the idea of a “Black” (or race-based) organization. I, on the other hand, think it’s a beautiful thing. The NBMA is the largest and oldest, national, not-for-profit organization dedicated to encouraging Black Americans to pursue a healthy lifestyle through long distance running and walking. And yes, it is open to everyone.

Group picture in the hotel lobby one hour before the race.

I’m honored to be a member. It has given me the confidence to pursue endurance racing on a competitive level and race all over the country. There’s no way I would have had the courage to compete in the 2015 Dallas Marathon (and come in 4^th!!!) if they hadn’t reached out to me and talked me into it. Tony, if you’re reading this, I was hating you at mile 17 and pretty much every mile thereafter, but thank you for talking me into it :-)

The day before the race…

I arrived at my hotel around 10 am, checked in, unpacked, then went out for a 5-mile (easy tempo) run around the city. It was flat…YESSSS… and not as humid as VA…even better! After my shake out run I found a CVS not too far from my hotel and picked up water, Gatorade, and snacks (why do the charge you obscene amounts at the hotel?!?!). Then I made my way to the expo for Athlete Check In. Since I was accepted into the elite field I had to go to a special booth to drop off my W9 (in case I won prize money… not a chance in hell) and a few other items. They even let me take a quick peek at the elite start list. There were about 25 females in the half #yikes.

1) At the expo, 2) At the NBMA booth with Co-Founder Charlotte Simmons-Foster

 

Then it was back to my hotel room to relax, eat, hydrate, and stay off my feet. This is the time that I also like to prep and organize for my race so it’s smooth sailing in the morning.

My good luck charm - My Point 2 Running Company and Flat Out Events singlet <3

The Summit

As always, it was top notch. I got some nice swag, pigged out on pasta, met Jesse Owens’ daughter (yep that’s right), and heard about some amazing accomplishments as members were presented with awards. One of the award recipients completed 500 marathons. 500 freakin marathons. Another ran an ultramarathon on every continent. Very inspiring (and slightly crazy).

My moment….while I was standing in line two women were chatting and kept turning around and looking at me. One of them goes “are you that blogger?!?” Yessssss! Hilarious!! People actually read my little ‘ole blog. I’m still beaming. If you’re reading this…THANK YOU! When I first started writing it was just to keep track of my race results, how I felt, etc…the boring stuff. But now it’s evolved into an open book of pre-race jitters, expectations…basically a totally honest account of how I feel and what I go through before, during, and after a race…and everything in between.

With my girl Alex (NBMA Board Member) 

http://www.alexandriawill.com/

Race Day

The Columbus Marathon Elite Coordinator was on point! They treated the “elite” athletes like rockstars. Literally rolled out the red carpet. Upon arrival to the race site I was immediately escorted to the VIP tent. They provided us with breakfast (I already ate in my hotel room), there was a masseuse on hand, restrooms (no porta potty line .. cha ching), someone going over race logistics and any questions we had. They also collected our bottles - any fluids we wanted stationed at miles 6.5 and 10.5 (I filled mine with EFS and water and attached a gel to each bottle; this is what I train with on a daily basis). Then they led us to a roped off section at the front of the starting line where we were able to warm up (I jogged a mile and did some short sprints).

A few minutes before the start they lined us up, the national anthem was sung, a stream of fireworks went off (very cool), and the countdown began. The horn blew and we were off, all 15,000 participants.

My coach gave me a very simple plan heading into this race: take it easy the first 3 miles (~6:55 pace) and don’t get too caught up in the competition. Then over the next 3 miles drop the pace to the 6:40s. From miles 6 to 9 drop to the 6:30s, take a gel with water, then work on holding 6:20s. Over the last mile give it all I have…no holding back.

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I race best when I negative split (run the second half faster than the first). So my coach tries to give me a plan that best suits my strengths. Here’s an example of how I ran my last half marathon (back in November 2015…yes it’s been awhile since I’ve raced one).

VRF Half Marathon Splits, 1^st Female, 1:26

Expectations

I went into this race not entirely sure of what I was capable of. I figured on a bad day I’d run around a high 1:26. I feel very fit from all the triathlon (half ironman distance) training. But I also know my speed isn’t quite there yet. I just started getting back into running on a regular basis (I was primarily swimming and biking from April to September). Still, endurance-wise I’m fit, and although an 18:58 5K isn’t anything to jump up and down about, the fact that I was able to run that time 2 weeks ago, and not too long after a half ironman was a pretty good sign.

So here’s how my race played out. Literally. I wrote this part while I was sitting at the airport after my race while everything was fresh on my mind.

Don’t go out too fast. Relax. Focus on yourself. Who cares that you are getting passed.

Mile 1 split:  6:50

Oops, that was a little too fast. Slow it down some. You need to hit 6:55s.

Mile 2 split:  7:03

$&!@!! Too slow. Ugh how did I just run in the 7s. Get it together Sika.

Mile 3 split:  6:45

Ok so this was my problem…. 6:40s felt uncomfortable. Ummm yeah I know. You’re not supposed to feel comfortable when you are racing. But I didn’t trust that I could hold the pace through the finish line and my splits reflect my uncertainty. I literally seesawed between 6:50s and 6:40s for the majority of the race.

Mile 4: 6:52

Mile 5: 6:43

Mile 6: 6:50

Mile 7: 6:47

Mile 8: 6:50

Mile 9: 6:41

By mile 10 I only had a 5K to go so I tried to throw the hammer down.

Mile 10:  6:33

Honestly it felt hard. Like really really hard. I backed off AGAIN smh.

Mile 11:  6:39

Mile 12:  6:40

No matter what, no matter how good or bad I feel in a race, I go all out the last mile. I just keep repeating over and over again “it’s just one more mile”. No matter how painful it is you are so incredibly close to the finish line. I try to block out the pain by fixating on the moment when you cross the finish line…how relieving it is and how incredible it feels time and time again. It helps to not fixate on the “suffering” and instead fixate on the accomplishment.

I ran my last mile in 5 minutes and 55 seconds.

Obviously I left too much in the tank. Running a sub 6 over the last mile means that I should have run quicker splits at miles 11 and 12 or perhaps earlier on when I was seesawing between miles. What I wouldn’t give to be able to rerun this race *sigh*. But as always, it’s a learning experience and there is always another race.

Unofficial Results (there were actually 6,370 women)

I placed 3rd in my age group

“Going from long course triathlon to half/full marathons requires re-learning how to run fast…feels like you lost speed (which you do a little), but your endurance engine is so much stronger.” ~Derreck Sanks, friend, Ironman athlete. So true. Thanks for the reminder!

As soon as I crossed the finish line Alex and Tony were right there. Felt like I was back in Dallas :-) I was a little bummed about my time. But overall it was an incredible experience. 

Columbus is by far one of the best half marathons in the country. There are spectators literally lined up on both sides of the road for the ENTIRE race. There was never a point in the race where people weren’t cheering. The volunteers were incredible, the course was accurately measured and marked, plenty of hydration provided, and of course the “elite” experience was off the hook. As soon as I crossed the finish line I was escorted back to the VIP tent where I was given my medal, clean/warm towels, fresh fruit, sandwiches, and coffee. I signed up for a massage and then I went out on the platform overlooking the finish line and cheered on all the other participants with Alex and Tony. What a day, what a weekend :-)

Next up....a 5K at the end of the month (working on getting my speed back) and then I'll give the half marathon another try on November 13th (the Virginia Running Festival Half). I'll be going for a PR. And this time I will trust my coach's plan and follow through - hold the pace she gives me for as long as I can. Go big or go home!

Crawlin Crab 5K

I busted out laughing (in my cubicle at work) when I saw this pic. My face just about sums it up. Pain personified. 3.1 miles … the endurance athlete’s kryptonite. Still my favorite distance though. It’s over nice and fast.

Believe it or not I was actually pretty nervous about this race. I know…I know…it’s only 3.1 miles. But I had just done a half ironman 2 weeks prior, I was still trying to recover, and I was in a bit of a funk. I look back at some of my Facebook posts after the Outer Banks Half Ironman and I’m smiling, I sound confident and proud. But in reality I was super bummed and even had a few crying spells. While I was thrilled with the 11 minute PR and the 1:34 half marathon split, I was devastated over losing by 11 measly seconds. I went through a post race slump – or as some call it, the marathon blues. You train and train and train some more. Then there is a huge buildup of excitement and nerves. The race happens. And then it’s over. This is why it’s always good to have another race on the horizon.

Moving on…

The Crawlin Crab 5K…it’s the largest 5K in Hampton, VA (over 1,700 participants). While I had never raced the 5K distance, I’ve done the Crawlin Crab Half Marathon 3 times so I knew it would be a fun, well-organized race. Even though I’m a Flat-Out Events girl (for life), I will admit that J&A does a great job! Their races are always top notch – swag, medal, expo, beer, post-race party – all on point.

Back to the race….I hadn’t done a road race since April. I hadn’t done speed work in who knows how long. After the One City Marathon back in March it was all about the triathlon, specifically the half ironman distance, and improving my bike and swim. I believe I peaked at 30 miles this summer. Thus the nerves / pre-race jitters / I’m scared to race a 5K feeling. At the same time I was looking forward to getting back out there. I wanted to test my speed to see where I was at. And I was really looking forward to rocking my new racing singlet and representing my sponsors: Point 2 Running Company and Flat-Out Events! Plus I talked some friends into doing their very first road race so I was eager for them to experience “Race Day” (as I like to call it). 

In my new singlet. Pink is my lucky color!

Race Day

It was just as I remembered :-) Familiar faces, chill atmosphere….I love that “we are doing something healthy as a community” feeling you get at local road races. It’s one of the things I miss most during the triathlon season. There were a few times this summer when I’d go on Facebook and see my friend’s pics from some of the local races and I’d feel like I was missing out. Triathlons are quite different. You typically have to travel, sometimes you don’t know anyone, and the morning of the race is a little more stressful because you have to do all sorts of pre-race check-in requirements (bike check, transition set up, body marking, etc). Not that I have any regrets. The triathlon is what I’m most passionate about. But that doesn’t mean I don’t miss the simplicity of just running.

Race Morning. With Braxton. He's a junior ambassador for Point 2 and Flat-Out.
He does all the local races!

Before the start of the race I did an extra long warm up run like my coach had suggested. I was sweating a lot. It was humid! The dew point was over 70 and the humidity was in the high 80s. It was drizzling but it actually felt nice. I had two game plans circling around in my head: 1) take it out conservatively and go through the first mile in 6:10/15 just to make sure I could actually finish the race without shuffling to the finish line lol, or 2) take my chances and go out hard, under 6 minutes, and see how long I could hold on. I went with option 2. Sometimes you have to go for it.The horn blew and we were off. I took it out hard. I went through the first half mile around 5:45 pace. I eased up a bit and went through the first mile marker in 5:58. To my surprise, I felt great. I settled into a rhythm and joined a small pack of guys. 

About a mile and a half into the race I started to feel it. The pain was creeping in. Crap…I can’t hold this pace. I dropped back a little and let the guys go. Toughen up. You are almost at mile 2, and then all you got is one more mile. Catch back up to them.  I gradually closed the gap and made it to the front of our little pack by mile 2. Ok it’s just one more mile. You can always make it through one more mile.

It’s very strange going from a 5+ hour race to an 18/19 minute race. The former is all about holding a bearable, steady pace on tired legs for 13.1 miles (after swimming 1.2 miles and biking 56). In my case, I worked on holding 7:14s. The 5K on the other hand is like a long sprint. 6 minute miles feels like absolute torture (in my opinion).

The last mile

All I was thinking was don’t give up, keep fighting, stay strong. I glanced at the clock and saw it ticking closer and closer to 19 minutes so I had to haul *ss if I wanted an 18:XX.

 

I did it. 18:58. First female (1,160 women) and fourth overall (1,775 people).

Am I thrilled with the time? Yes and no. It’s nowhere near my PR. I’ve gone under 18:30 a couple times. BUT considering I just did a 70.3 mile race 2 weeks prior I’d say that time isn’t too shabby. I’ll take it. And I’ll never complain about a win ;-)

Now for the best part…As I was waiting in the finishing shoot my friend Scott crossed the finish line. His first road race. He hit both goals – sub 23 minutes and top 10 in his age group.

Still working on trying to convince him to do the One City Marathon.....

My girl Catherine won her age group 

(after having not raced in a few months due to an ankle injury)

Catherine and I decided to do a cool down run and find our friend/coworker Chandra and cheer her on. As we were jogging it was like the sky opened up. Torrential downpour! Oh no. It’s her first 5K. She’s going to be miserable and curse me out. Quite the contrary! We found her and she was smiling and having a good ‘ole time.

 

"C-Seg Angels"... co-workers, friends, "family". Love you guys!!

Next up…I’m off to Columbus, OH next weekend to attend the National Black Marathoners Association Annual Summit and race the Columbus Half Marathon. As of right now I don't have a game plan...need to have that discussion with my coach first. I'd love to go for a PR. But we're thinking I'll have a better chance at that in November when I do the Virginia Running Festival Half Marathon.

If you're supposed to be affected by Hurricane Matthew, stay safe and dry! Thanks for reading :-) :-)

Outer Banks Half Ironman: 2nd Female & New PR

The day before the race at Athlete Check In. Ready to roll.

Photo Cred: Catherine Walker. Friends are the best. She deferred her Philly Half Marathon race, made the drive to OBX and was my Sherpa :-) Thank you my dear!

Prepping for 70.3 miles of swimming, biking, and running

I dedicated three months of training specifically to this race (up to 15 hours a week…I never do anything half *ssed). My first attempt at this distance, back in June at Eagleman, was a success (5 hour, 30 mins). My coach had me focus simply on completing the distance. I was given specific instructions: “You will not race your first one. I want you to finish, get a feel for the distance, and learn. Then on your next one, you can RACE.” If you know me, you know I love to race. I love the buildup, the nerves, the anticipation, and those few minutes before the gun goes off when you think “what have I gotten myself into”. Then you put yourself through hell, wonder if you’ll finish, and practically crawl across the finish line swearing that you’ll never do that to yourself again. I live for it. And I had been waiting for that moment.

Two weeks before this race I did an Olympic Distance Triathlon in Charlottesville. It was hilly. It was brutal. It was hot (Race Report). I didn’t think I’d be able to get through it and I will never race in Charlottesville ever again. I repeat ever again. But I did finish (in 3^rd place), and most importantly, it toughened me and also exposed some glaring issues that needed to be addressed before the half ironman.

1)     My right hamstring. It was tight. Stretching it made it feel worse and I was starting to walk with a limp. Lucky for me I have “Dr. Cure All”. That’s what I call him. I’ve been using him for years and he fixes me every time. Of course when I walked into his office I was convinced I tore the freakin muscle off the bone (I’m dramatic, I know). “Um no Sika. It’s just a tight hip flexor. Do this stretch several times a day for the next few days and you’ll be back to normal.” He was right. The pain was gone in 3 days. “Dr. Cure All”: Jim Browning (http://injurysolutions.biz/) …He’s amazing at ART (active release therapy).

The Stretch

2)     The bike. I won’t list all the issues I had been dealing with because it can fit on a scroll, but here are a few: chafing on the saddle, back and shoulder pain while in the aero position, and inefficient pedal rotation. Needless to say, riding for more than 20 miles was a nightmare and being competitive on the bike was out of the question. I had to see a professional. My coach who’s like a genie found my “Bike Cure All”: Doug Baumgarten. I DID NOT want to make the drive up to DC and I was worried about messing around with my bike and positioning so close to my “A” race (and so was he), but we all concluded that something needed to be done and I’d be no worse off. Athletically, it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Why didn’t I listen to my coach back in….May?!? Thank you Doug!!

Scientific Bike Fitting at the SportFit Lab

 http://www.sportfit-lab.com/bike-fitting.html

We found the perfect saddle after using Gebiomized Saddle Pressure mapping. Literally no more chafing, no more pain. I can sit comfortably on the saddle for hours. We switched pedals (from Speedplay to Shimano) for better foot stability/power, inserted a wedge in the left cleat for more stability, raised the saddle and aerobars (no more back and shoulder pain). By the time I left his office it felt like I had this new, turbo charged bike.

Now for the juicy stuff….The Race

Race morning thoughts…Yay it’s finally here. Oh no it’s actually here. As soon as I got to the race site I found out that the swim was NOT WETSUIT LEGAL. I was super bummed and had to readjust my swim goal time from 35 minutes to 40 minutes. Yes, a wetsuit makes that big of a difference (at least for me). Instead of letting my mood slip I changed my mindset to "you'll just have to make up minutes on the bike and run".

And then it was time...I was treading water and waiting for the horn to blow. I was about to find out what 3 months of dedicated hard work would lead to. 3, 2, OMG OMG 1 and we were off. I took it out hard. I sprinted the first 200 meters. I DO NOT like to get swam on top of or kicked. And I did a pretty good job at sighting each buouy and swimming in as straight of a line as possible. The water was calm and warm (81 degrees). The only time I felt chop was when the officials on jet skis motored by.

Before and After the Swim

 

A view of the swim course

Upon exiting the swim course I checked my watch: 40 minutes 17 seconds. 5 minutes slower than Eagleman. Ugh Shoot. Well... that's actually pretty darn good considering I wasn't allowed to wear a wetsuit. Just run to your bike. 1.2 mile swim: done. 1 down 2 more legs to go.

In transition. Helmet on, Sunglasses on, Cleats on. 

Eat some food (Clif Bar), drink some water. Grab bike and GO. 

Time in Transition: 2 minutes 9 seconds

I had no idea what to expect on the bike. I was in a new position with new gear. But for once I was actually looking forward to the bike leg because I knew if nothing else at least I'd be comfortable. The bike was a 28 mile course that we had to do twice. This meant I had to cross a bridge 4 times. Other than the bridge the course was pancake flat. Sweet! But it was super windy. No!!!

5 miles into the bike leg I looked at my speedometer. I was averaging 18.7 mph. Still not competitive, but hey...I was averaging 1 mph faster than Eagleman and this course was super windy and I had to cross a challenging bridge four times. And unlike Eagleman I didn't start to feel fatigue until mile ~35. And unlike any other ride or race I've ever done I was COMFORTABLE the entire time. I think I only had to readjust my position once. Absolutely no pain in the pelvic region and I was able to stay in aero 90% of the time. Incredible! (Thank you again Doug)

Love my Rudy Project Wingspan Helmet

As I got closer to the bike finish I checked my watch and knew I had to speed it up if I wanted to get under 3 hours. So I pedaled as fast as my non talented cycling self could go. Time: 3 hours 6 seconds. Oh you have to be kidding me. I was so close. Oh wait.. wow... I just PR'd by 7 minutes. Now I get to run. Yessssssss! I dropped my bike off in transition. Threw on my sneakers and tied them carelessly (this would haunt me later), then it was off to the run course. 2 down, 1 more to go. 

Let me preface this by saying I was most nervous about my run (compared to the other two disciplines). I was worried about how my legs would feel after biking in a new position and using muscles I hadn't really used before. I was also worried about what kind of pace I could hold because my coach had me focus on the swim and bike this summer which meant not a whole lot of running and barely any speed work. The ironic thing is that my coach shot me an email the day before the race:

Also, one last thing. No matter how you feel, keep going at whatever pace you have...You have no idea how anyone else is doing and you may surprise yourself with your run fitness over everyone else’s. ~Coach Suzanne Flannigan

And boy was she right. The new bike fit did wonders. My legs felt unbelievably fresh coming off the bike. I tried to take it easy through the first mile, glanced at my watch: 7 mins 31 secs. Oops. Tried to slow it down some. Glanced at my watch at mile 2: 7 mins 20 secs. Ok stop looking at your watch and just run by feel. Maybe she's right and you're in better run shape than you thought. I went with the flow and focused on the competitors in front of me picking them off one by one. I took in gel, had water at every fluid station (there was one every mile), gatorade at every other stations, and tried to grab ice towels when they were available...it was pretty hot at this point in the day. And then....around mile 5 I felt something hitting my shin. Crap! My left shoe lace is untied. I didn't stop. I was weighing my options. Finish the race with a loose shoe or stop to tie the shoe and lose time. I made the decision to stop and tie it at the 6.5 mile turnaround (it was an out and back run course). Of course my hands were shaking like a leaf as I stopped to tie my shoe. But the sweet volunteer at the turnaround was very encouraging: "You are doing so well. Take your time and double knot. We have water, gatorade and ice waiting for you." I grabbed the fluid and ice and tried to work my way back to a steady pace. I have since looked at my splits and I lost 24 seconds tying my stupid shoe. Next time I'll be using elastic laces!

By the time I got to mile 8 I was thrilled I only had 5 miles left. And no, I had no idea what place I was in. There were no lead cyclists and no officials telling us what position we were in. Another issue I had was at a few of the fluid stations. The volunteers were young kids who weren't paying much attention to the athletes. I literally had to yell and tell them I needed water and gatorade. SUPER FRUSTRATING.

Mile 68 (mile 11 of the half marathon course)

Falling apart in 3, 2, 1… Oh boy. It was bad. I was suffering. And starting to get delirious. I glanced at my watch. I was on pace for a sub 1 hour 35 min half marathon. 7 minutes faster than I had ever run after swimming 1.2 miles and biking 56 miles. I wanted to walk. I didn't think I was going to make it. And then I lifted my head up and knew something was wrong. I was off course! I stopped and turned around. I yelled at the people down the road "am I off course??!". Yep I was. I missed a right turn. I sprinted back and was back on course. Looking at my splits it threw me off by 27 seconds.

I ran the last mile on pure anger I think (half marathon time: 1:34:53). I crossed the finish line in 5 hours, 19 minutes, and 8 seconds. An 11 minute PR and 2nd place female :-)

I later found out I lost by 11 seconds. I can't begin to tell you the frustrations and up and down emotions I've felt since this race. From pleased and proud of my PR to anger and disappointment at losing by such a small amount because of totally controllable factors. But it's ok. Things happen for a reason. And not everything will go your way. I will just use it as fuel for the fire to get better, faster and tougher.

Hey what can I say? I tried!

Last but not least wanted to send a big THANK YOU to Carter Ficklen who's done this race 5 times and sent me all his race reports and let me pick his brain about the race literally every day leading up to the big day. All the tips were super helpful :-) I love the triathlon/running community. Everyone is so selfless and kind. It's part of the reason why I love this sport.

Onto the next chapter

Back to the roads for me. I haven't done a road race since April and I CANNOT wait to get out there and get my legs moving. I'll be doing the Crawlin Crab 5K next Saturday. Followed by the Columbus Half Marathon in Ohio in mid October. My next big race will be the Virginia Running Festival Half Marathon at CNU where I hope to have a huge PR. And finally a full marathon in December. 

Shout out to my sponsors: Point 2 Running Company and Flat-Out Events. You guys are the best!! Thank you for the lovely swag. Looking forward to wearing my new singlet next weekend.