eyor: AWESOME JOB!!
sandy: I'm not going to post over there, they don't even know me. But I'll give you guys the run down:
My very first race EVER was a disaster!
I made a huuuuge rookie mistake. I'm just thankful that I learned this lesson during a 1/2 marathon instead of my full marathon in January.
To start out: There were about 4,000 people for the 1/2 marathon and another 1,000 people there to run a 5k that began 30 minutes after all of us 1/2 marathoners cleared the start line.
I decided to run with the 2:10:00 pace group (averaged out to a 9:55 minute mile). Starting out was great! Although, I realized that I'm in high enough milage now that a nutragrain bar isn't going to cut it any longer - I'm going to need more more food than that right before the run from now on. I was able to keep up with the pace team leader, no problem. My main problem was all of the people, especially all slower paced people in front of us. There were even some walkers up there with us runners! There were no placing corrals. The pace team leaders went out with their pace balloons and lined up and everyone was supposed to get into the start lines based upon that.
4 miles in and I'm still doing great! I wasn't even breathing hard. At all. I didn't even feel that I was running. It was a slower pace for me than normal and I was stocking up on that energy. I had a plan going in that if I hit the upper miles - say, around mile 11 - and still had plenty of energy, I'd break away from the pace team and come in at an earlier finishing time.
Mile 5 is when everything went to you know where. Here's my rookie mistake: The water stations. Each time we hit one the pace leader was yelling back to us that it's going to get hot, get some water, get some Gatorade, hydrate! hydrate! hydrate! I listened to him and not to my body. They'd hand you these cups
full of water and I'd be trying to chug it all down before we cleared the water station. Bad, bad mistake and I sooooooooooooooooo paid for it! I over hydrated. I should have listened to my body. Per my training runs
I knew that I didn't need to be drinking that much. Starting into Mile 5 and my stomach cramped up.
Bad. First, I just pulled over to the side and did something I'd never allowed myself to do before during a run: walk. I was able to stay in close proximity to the pace team so I'd walk for a couple of minutes and then run back up and then walk and then run and still keep up with the team.
I saw a port-a-potty in Mile 6? and decided that a pit stop was in order. There was a line. There were two of them but one guy disappeared into one and I still don't know if he ever came back out so we were down to one port-a-potty. By the time I got in, did my thing, and got back out - my pace group was long gone. That stop really didn't help much. I began trying to run again but I was hurting and feeling horrid. I pulled back over to the side and started walking again. A woman passing by me took one look at me and asked if I was alright. I told her what happened. I think she slowed to a walk for a minute. I don't recall which mile this was in. Some of my pain passed a bit and I began running with her at her pace. She had started out with the 2:20:00 pace group but had left them behind. I was happy to know that they were still behind me. We ran about - I don't know - 3 to 4 miles together talking and all. Suddenly I began to cramp back up again and had to slow back down to a walk. Even a power walk was too much for me, the pain would scream if I moved that fast, but I'm naturally a fast walker so my slow walk was her power walk!
After a bit we tried to run again but I just couldn't. I was in so much pain! Suddenly the 2:20:00 group passed us and I told her to go on, don't wait for me. So she went on and I struggled for another mile. At one point, I just had to stop walking as I hurt so bad. I was determined to finish but wasn't 100% certain that I could.
I made another pit-stop and that helped a little bit. Finally, going into the 12th mile, I was able to run some again. But after walking for so much of the race (I mean, I wound up walking about 1/2 of it!) and still feeling "off", I couldn't really get "into" it at that high of milage. So, the race was technically 13.34 instead of 13.1 - but it was a certified course. They had to change the course route this year because of some road construction so I guess they couldn't figure out a way to keep it 13.1 exact. I walk/ran the 2.34 miles of it and was able to run the very last of it so that I was running when I hit the finish line.
I don't know how/where to get my chip time but the gun time was 2:29:something when I crossed the finish line. Subtract 3-4 minutes and that's probably my chip time.
OK: So. The good:
I finished my very first 1/2 marathon
I finished under 2 1/2 hours despite the severe pain/condition that I was in
I learned a lesson and won't make the same mistake twice.
The Bad:
I'm really disappointed in myself. I know that I could have finished that in 2 hrs and 5 minutes. I had it in me to do it but because I was stupid and drank too much water way too fast, I wound up having to walk (and sometimes I was barely able to do so!). I look at my medal and don't feel accomplishment, just disappointment. I know, I'm very hard on myself. Not every race is going to be a good one but I had hoped that my very first one would be.
So, lesson: watch your water intake. And it
really is important to stick to your training schedule. That is how you learn what your body needs and when. My energy level was fine for this race. My legs/feet were fine for this race. It was only my stomach that caused me to do so poorly in comparison of what I was capable of doing. Had I listened to my body, drank how I drank durning my training runs, I would have had a
very different outcome in today's race.
I can't wait to see you on your way toward that finish line in two months!
We asked him and he was just being honest with us. He's the one that has to fix all of the doors after a break-in, he knows what's currently going on at this place). But the guy who called me wouldn't stop denying this or that until I could offer enough proof to shut him up. Obviously, he kept going over things such as: the back gate is not a security measure and doesn't prevent a break-in. I had to explain to him: I know. However, the gate that has been broken for six months shows neglect. I've lived in this place for going on four years now. The apartment complex behind us, across from that back gate, has only had their gate broken and stuck open once that I've seen in almost four years! When someone is casing out a place - where would they want to hit for certain? The complex that obviously maintains their property and has a gate that they'd have to work to get into or the complex that has their gates stuck open 24/7 with an easy in, easy out? I know that the gate is not going to stop someone determined to hit up this complex but the unfixed gate is basically a welcome flag for troublemakers and thief's!
)
Did FIVE miles today! Slow and steady took app 85 min (give or take a few minutes, give or take a few tenths of miles! I dont have a pedometer but I used google pedometer 5.094 app since its hard to tell in the park!)
I really need to update a few of my playlists!! I do enjoy Donny Osmond tho!! I listened to "Its Possible" Anything is Possible... and "You've got a Friend in me" 
I have no idea which Donny Osmond songs you just listed - I don't think that I've ever heard a Donny Osmond song before!! 
LOL (I figured as much!)
RUN DOLCE RUN 
When I was done I did this.
