Richmond race report

In my last post, I glossed over the fact that my left hip was sore & I didn't know how it would feel for Richmond. To be honest (now that it is over), I wasn't able to run for a few days leading up to the race. I was concerned about it & but hoped for the best because I had finally been able to run 3 miles relatively pain free two days before the race. I spent four hours over two nights using my foam rollers to try to get my legs ready for the half. Early Saturday morning (3:45!), I woke up & got ready to leave.  It was a brisk 25 or so out.  I had prepped everything the night before, so I just needed to get dressed, feed the cats and grab my stuff. I popped some advil & headed out the door to pick up a friend. We got to Richmond around 6, but with roads closed, finding a parking garage was a bit

time consuming.  We ended up at the James Center & it was perfect - there was a hotel at street level & bathrooms! After waiting in that line & running back to the car for things I forgot, we headed over the to the start. It was almost 7:30 & my wave was going at 7:40.  I gave Cindy the car keys & told her I would see her at the finish.  Temperature was 27 and the sun was shining. I was ready to go & told myself I would just see what happened I was warmed up. Earlier in the week, I told myself that walking was not acceptable unless I was going to injure myself by running. When I went over the start line, there was no second guessing what I was doing. I started out at a pace I liked & kept going. Before I know it, I was at mile 3 and realized the hip wasn't an issue - there was some tightness in my quads & my IT, but I dismissed it and turned my thoughts to everything that had happened in the past 11 months - the good, the bad & the challenging. Before I knew it, I was at the park & the "hilly"section of the course. I didn't realize I had slowed down as much as I had, but that park was the slowest mile for me.  After that, we were in a neighborhood with great crowd support - lots of cheering, gummi bears & shots of Jim Beam, Coke & beer! I grabbed some beer & kept moving - I wasn't allowing myself to slow down.  As I got to mile 10, I looked around and thought about how I was feeling at this point in the race last year. And what a difference a year makes!  All of my training was paying off - I was maintaining a good pace & enjoying it - who knew that could happen?!?! Then we were heading back downtown & I saw the Mile 12 sign. Top of the World by Van Halen was playing on the iPod & I knew I was nearing the end of the playlist.  Next up was Can't Hold Us (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis) - this song always gives me a little push and my cadence picked up. After that is was You're Gonna Go Far Kid by the Offspring & it kept me moving downhill to the finish line. I said a little prayer of thanks for an injury free race, waved at the photographers & headed across the finish line with a smile on my face.  I was cold & tired, but I was happy.  I can go back and study my splits, but I'll leave that for later to discuss with my coach. I couldn't have gotten to where I am today without my his help - he pushed me out of my comfort zone (12 miles at the track!) & pulled me back when I needed a break.  He has put up with the never ending complaints & questions.  He always believed in what I could do even when I couldn't see it. In the end, I finally had the ah ha moment that I really can run a race & race it - not just run it. The toughest person to beat has always been myself. I think I finally proved to myself that I can do it because I didn't talk myself out of my race. Sure I probably could have been a little faster, but there was never a doubt in my mind (I was going to kick ass!) and I wasn't going to feel sorry for myself or make excuses. My time was 2:11:21.  Turns out it was a 4:02 PR for me - yep, that makes me pretty happy.  I have done 12 races this year & they have all been personal bests. I have one more on New Year's Eve - hoping to keep the streak alive!  

 

For those interested in running Richmond next year - early registration ends tomorrow night (Nov 20) at midnight - you can register for the half for $60 or the full (like I did) for $70.  Anyone want to join me?  They have awesome finisher gifts!