Race Reports/Encouragement/Kudos - Feb 14 and 15

[Big Vic]

Saturday, February 14th

14 - amykap (Amy) Suncoast Classic 10k Run for Kids 2009, St.Petersburg, FL
14 - gatorphipps (Christa) Myrtle Beach Marathon, Myrtle Beach, SC
14 - MiaBanda (Michelle) Valentine Run 4 miler, Sacramento, CA

Sunday, February 15th

15 - aldisneygrl (Sandi) Winter Winds 2 miler, Huntsville, AL
15 – bubba73 (Bryan) Mercedes Half Marathon, Birmingham, AL

Breast Cancer Half Marathon, Jacksonville
15 - CarolA (CarolA), JimB (Jim), Lexxifern (Becky)

15 - Chimera (Mel) Sarasota Half Marathon, Sarasota, FL
15 - tiberius (Richard) Austin Half Marathon, Austin, TX
15 - timmac () Loco Running Hampton Beach Half Marathon, Hampton NH



GO! WISH Team GO!

 

[TnTsParty]

Good luck this weekend WISH team. It is so great that so many are going to be out there running races this weekend

 

[dsnyfan21]

Go WISHers, you all ROCK the races!!!​

Have great races everyone!!

Tracy

 

[timmac]

Thanks for the well wishes... this my first half... we'll see how it goes!

 

[Maherae]

You can tell that the racing season is upon us..the number of racers we have participating in various events is slowly increasing each weekend..WOW!!

timmac, as this is your first half, you must remember one thing....come back here with a race report!!! please Hope you have a wonderful experience!!

For all of our "veteran" racers....
Have a GREAT race!!

Looking forward to hearing all about it!

Anne

 

[bubba73]

A lot of WISHers running this weekend. Good luck and safe racing to all. Hopefully, we will all PR!!

Bryan

 

[Hey Mickey]

Good luck to all of our WISHers this weekend. Go, team, go!

 

[timmac]

My official report can be found here:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=30305505#post30305505

 

[Lexxiefern]

Jax Breast Cancer Half

The weather for the race was perfect. In the 60's and overcast for most of the race. I got lined up about 15 min before the race started. It was self seeding, so I lined up near the 4:45 pace group (the pace group was for the full, I didn't see any for the half). It only took about 1.5 min for me to cross the start. We ran up over the intercoastal. It was a pretty big hill to me. I train on all flat. Then we had an off ramp and that was on like a 45 degree agle. Running or walking, it was not comfortable on the body in any way

Then we ran through a neighborhood where alot of locals were out cheering for us. Onto the beach, which I was nervous about running on sand. But the sand was hardpacked and it was nice. But the beach was very breezy and we were running into it. That was hard. I believe we were on the beach about 1.5 miles and then the half course left the beach and the full stayed. I had been yoyo-ing with the 4:30 pace group for the last 3 miles and I was relieved to see them stay on the full course. They would sprint ahead of me and then all of a sudden stop to a sloooww walk. There were about 20 people in the group so it was hard for me to get around them when they would stop.

Back out in the neighborhood again. Got to run parallel with the beginning of the course, so I got to see all the people behind me. There were lots of water stops, but I had my own bottle so I didn't stop. I did try some water once and was pleased to discover that the water was COLD! That was nice!

The course went back the way we came, so that meant up an on ramp. Wow, that hurt. It was around mile 10 and the angle was worse this time. After about a mile of the on ramp it finally flattened out and we went up and over the intercoastal. Putting a big hill at the end of a half (and a full!) just is not nice. During my last half mile all the Kenyans started to come sprinting past me to win the full marathon. That was pretty cool! They are so fast I don't know how they do it!

I was able to dig deep and force myself to run to the finish line. My DH always says to "finish strong!". I am not always able to do so, but yesterday I did. I finished in 2:23:07 which is a PR for me by over 12 minutes!!

I got my very cool finisher's medal, some water, a mylar blanket, got my pic taken and headed to the runner's area. They had soda and beer and each runner was allowed 2. (there were tickets attached to your bib) Plus they had 3 types of soup - tomato, chicken noodle and I think minestrone. Also bagels, bananas, orange wedges and one table had sugar cookies! I thought it was a pretty good spread.

I thought this race was well organized for the most part. It was a nice course - pretty views. I love the long sleeve pink and white tech shirt you get with entry and of course the awesome finisher medal. Plus the fact that I PR'd the course is gonna make me like it!

Becky

 

[CarolA]

My report is on the same race Becky ran.. .and I was behind her the entire way LOL!

I was with the 5 hour pace group. The pace groups for this race were Galloway Groups so they did run walk combos. I joined the five hour because they were doing 2/1 run/walk combos, but their 2 minute runs were much faster then mine have been. I stuck with them until the peel off that Becky described and then slowed down a little.

The course ending was brutal. Bascially the last few miles are uphill and it's a pretty steep overpass at the end (and I live in Atlanta where we have hills! LOL!) I just walked up that last overpass, there was NO need to PRETEND I had that much left in the tank. The watch would beep to run and I just ignored it!

I finished in 2:35:10 which is a new PR for me! My previous best was 2:42 so 7 minutes better then that and a lot better then 2:52 at Disney. (Of course there were not as many photos either!)

The neighborhood we ran through was very supportive. Folks were out cheering and had decorated with pink ballons. Very nice.

We stayed at the Courtyard at Mayo Clinic which I highly recommend if you do this race. EASY walk to and from the start/finish area. After I finished I ate, got a message ($10 for 10 minutes) and hiked back to the room to clean up. Logged on the computer in the lobby and saw the boyfriend was on track for a 3:53 marathon finish. I knew he would slow down on the overpass, but still was there to greet him. He finished in 3:58:20. His first time under 4! While I didn't have problems with the beach he hated it. The marathon people were on it a LOT longer and he said the headwinds were rough. His splits did show that the "beach" slowed him down.

I agree that this race was a lot of fun and I would do it again!

 

[Lexxiefern]

Carol, congrats on your PR! I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was hitting the mile markers right on par with my garmin. Usually my halves end up being closer to 14 miles. This race my watch said 13.14. Maybe that is why I PR'd? That's ok, I'll take it!

Becky

 

[tiberius]

Here is my race report for this past Sunday's Austin Half Marathon.

The weather was great--a little cool, and cloudy most of the race--until mile 11 for me. I got out at a good pace and was on early pace to set a small PR, even allowing hills over the first 3 miles. However, I lost 2 minutes in mile 4 trying to fix my shoe and sock after feeling the start of a blister hot spot. Fortunately, this area did not hurt me again during the race. From that point I ran well over a mix of hills while falling back to a 4-1 run-walk, but keeping a good pace. Mile 7 had a pretty rough hill, maybe 100 yards and a 35 to 40 degree incline (or so it seemed). Around mile 10 I caught my running partner who I had lost around mile 4, then came another hill a little tougher than mile 7's hill. I definitely walked up that one! During mile 11 came the big hill it seemed like a half mile straight up, more likely it was about 0.35 - 0.4 miles at about 20 degrees, around here my right calf rebelled with muscle spasms and made me walk the hill. Then a run into town, now the uphills are causing both calves to spasm a bit so all uphills (relatively minor now) are walking only. Finally, I run the rest of the non-uphills to the finish at abour 2 hours 40 min, plus change; about 4 minutes over last month's half and 7 minutes over my PR--although this was a more difficult course.

All in all, a good event. The race was well put on, all water stops (but one) were well stocked (and that one had plenty of Power Ade). At the finish, the medal was very nice, but the finisher shirt was cotton (not a technical shirt). Past the finish they served drinks, soup, chips, crackers, fruit, and a few other things.

I stayed at the downtown La Quinta, which turned out to be on the race course about 500 meters from the finish. I did end up with a thumbnail sized blister on my left foot instep, and a matching (but smaller) blister on my right foot, although I was not bothered by either of them after mile 4 of the race.

I would definitely recommend this race and will likely do it again, but will have to find a few hills to train on first!

 

[frankenpooh]

Congrats to all you racers! Thanks for the reports.

 

[bubba73]

There are so many great race reports here from this weekend. I will now go ahead and give my race report.

The day was a perfect day. The temperature started off in the 40's and was warming up into the mid 50's. Now, I was a bit concerned about my performance as I have been feeling a bit under the weather. I developed a head cold and have been trying to get over it. Nevertheless, it was race day and no time for excuses.

We get called to go out for the start of the race. We are running thru downtown Birmingham past one of the local colleges, several historical areas and quite a few parks. It was a very scenic route but it does need a little work. (Roads are in need of some re-surfacing.)

The gun sounds and we are on the way. Starting out with a slight jog. Nothing to fast or strenous just a nice jog. This was the point I realized that the day was going to be a long one. By the time I was just a couple of 100 yards away from the start line, I was out of breath. I couldn't breathe out of my nose for anything but I couldn't stop. I had to get passed that start line crowd before I went into my walk mode. I then got into a mode of walking so I could keep about 13-14 mpm pace. I wasn't trying to set any land speed records. I just wanted to beat my time at Disney. But by the time I got to mile 1, I was already cramping in my calves. I was not about to stop though. I know how my body is and it usually takes me about 4 miles to get all lubricated up (so to speak). Sure enough, I reach mile 4 and I am feeling pretty good. My first hour is done and I am 4.5 miles into the race. If I can keep this up, I will finish around 3:00 and shatter my time previous by 7 minutes. I feel good so I keep going.

Now, because of my cold, I am stopping every chance to get fluids. There was cookies, chocolate, bananas, oranges, tootsie rolls and at one of the last stops beer throughout the race. (I don't drink so I didn't partake.) I remembered one thing that is very important. It is very hard to eat and drink while running if you can't breathe.

The middle of the race was very good. There was a few hills that put me behind on my pace so when I got to a good flat spot, it was time to jog. I got to mile 10 in 2:07 and knew I had my record in sight. (My one goal was to break the 3 hour mark.) At this point, trouble set in.

It was toward the end of the race, that my legs started cramping again pretty intensily. Between miles 10 and 11, I stopped and was trying to stretch my legs so I can get another "kick or two" out of them before the ending. Actually had one of the deputies stop to ask if I was ok. I wasn't but I wasn't going to tell him that. I had to finish. This is my 4th race overall and I haven't quit yet.

So I finished stretching and start jogging again. I catch up to a friend that I was with and my legs start cramping a bit worse. By this time, I had also developed a bit of a blister on my right foot so I was starting to doubt my chances but I wasn't going to stop. Not on my own anyway. I keep going and see that magical sign. Mile 13. The end is near. I gather up what last bit of energy that I have and start jogging again. I take the last turn and see the finish line. About 200 yards before though, I go over one of the chip readers and I hear a lady over the loudspeaker say "Bryan Weldon from Chelsea, AL". That was it. I had no pain at that point. I boosted my speed just a bit and finished the race. The official chip time was 3:00:02. I missed my goal by 3 seconds. I did still beat my time at Disney by more than 7:30 so I am happy about that.

Things learned during the race:
Make sure to use the Body Glide on your feet everytime!!
Drink more water than usual if sick.
Don't run a race if sick.
Enjoy every race and don't worry about the time. Just get the "bling".

Overall, I had a great time and will do it again next year!!

Have a great night!!
Bryan

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

Great job WISH Team!

I love reading your reports.

 

[aldisneygrl]

Congrats Bryan! The fact that you could run/walk and finish a half while having a cold is amazing!! I thought of you while doing my two mile run yesterday. I heard two guys behind me talking about the half in Birmingham being that day. I knew that you were running it, but you were finished by the time I ran my race.

It was a nice local race. It was just two miles. They also had a 4 mile course, but I didn't attempt that. I got to meet two local WISHers (kzmarathon - Kevin, and his lovely wife Kewz1 - Kristen). I had met them last May at our local 10K, but hadn't seen them since. Kevin was kind enough to be the "coat rack" while we ran the race. Thanks Kevin!

I was a little worried going in to this race due to the fact that I biked 6 miles on Thursday followed by 2 miles of brisk walking, then ran 5 on Saturday, and then this race on Sunday afternoon. I also got to experience my first ice bath during the winter!

It is an out and back course behind a local high school. You run through a nice neighborhood, so it is scenic. Now there is a pretty good hill at about 1.5 miles, and of course that was during my RUN portion of my run/walk combo. Last year, I walked up the hill, but this year I ran, but walked once I got to the top. I finished in 23:26. Now last year I finished in 23:25, so that was a little disappointing, BUT I did finish higher in the rankings this year. Of course, I am a year older, and I bumped up an age bracket. I am still proud of my progress. I am in training for my first Half in April (Country Music).

I know that isn't much of a detailed report, but it was just a small local race. I am so glad I got to see Kevin and Kristen again, and meet their son. I also ran with a co worker and her mom. Also, had a family from church there too, so it was a good day!

 

[wellesleyprincess]

Congrats Bryan! The fact that you could run/walk and finish a half while having a cold is amazing!! I thought of you while doing my two mile run yesterday. I heard two guys behind me talking about the half in Birmingham being that day. I knew that you were running it, but you were finished by the time I ran my race.

It was a nice local race. It was just two miles. They also had a 4 mile course, but I didn't attempt that. I got to meet two local WISHers (kzmarathon - Kevin, and his lovely wife Kewz1 - Kristen). I had met them last May at our local 10K, but hadn't seen them since. Kevin was kind enough to be the "coat rack" while we ran the race. Thanks Kevin!

I was a little worried going in to this race due to the fact that I biked 6 miles on Thursday followed by 2 miles of brisk walking, then ran 5 on Saturday, and then this race on Sunday afternoon. I also got to experience my first ice bath during the winter!

It is an out and back course behind a local high school. You run through a nice neighborhood, so it is scenic. Now there is a pretty good hill at about 1.5 miles, and of course that was during my RUN portion of my run/walk combo. Last year, I walked up the hill, but this year I ran, but walked once I got to the top. I finished in 23:26. Now last year I finished in 23:25, so that was a little disappointing, BUT I did finish higher in the rankings this year. Of course, I am a year older, and I bumped up an age bracket. I am still proud of my progress. I am in training for my first Half in April (Country Music).

I know that isn't much of a detailed report, but it was just a small local race. I am so glad I got to see Kevin and Kristen again, and meet their son. I also ran with a co worker and her mom. Also, had a family from church there too, so it was a good day!

I was wondering if you did the two mile or the four mile. My other running group is Shoals TRAC and I know several of our members drove over to Huntsville, but I think most of them did the 4 mile.

Great job to you, Kevin, and Kristen!

 

[deekaypee]

Becky, CarolA,and JimB: Great job on your Jax 1/2!

Becky: Thanks for the picture of the bling and of the day. It does look like great running conditions. I would have imagined running on the beach, with the wind, would be difficult even with hardpacked sand. And big, big congrats on your PR!

CarolA: I'm so glad you got a chance to run with the Galloway group, as I'm sure it was both supportive and challenging! Congrats on your PR! That overpass sound tough. And congrats to DBF and his sub-4!

Richard: I know I congratulated you over on 'Ohana, but thought I would add my congrats here. I get blisters in the same places, so I know how they can affect your gait and pace. I think you did terrific!

Bryan: I know you're not a team warrior, but you're a warrior nonetheless. I'm so proud of how you toughed it out in less-than-ideal conditions and came out with a successful race! I know you're probably being (privately) hard on yourself--too hard--with missing your goal. But not only did you beat your Disney race pace, but you finished your race with a kick and in spite of your cold!

Allie: Great RR on your 2 mile race--what a fun run! Congrats on your moving up the placement ranks, too. I'm just amazed that you packed in so many experiences this weekend, including your ice bath! It's also very cool that you were with WISHers for the event. They just make everything better, don't they?

 

[bubba73]

Bryan: I know you're not a team warrior, but you're a warrior nonetheless. I'm so proud of how you toughed it out in less-than-ideal conditions and came out with a successful race! I know you're probably being (privately) hard on yourself--too hard--with missing your goal. But not only did you beat your Disney race pace, but you finished your race with a kick and in spite of your cold!
QUOTE]

You know me so well!!! I am actually kicking myself for letting this slow me down to the point where the friend of mine that did the race with me beat me in their first race. That's what hurt.

Bryan

 

[mkymsehi]

Congratulations everyone, I enjoyed your reports.