FitLifeSF

Dear Friends: Following is my race report from the 2009 US Half Marathon. This was written a few hours after the race, when I was still flying high on a totally unexpected PR, and before it became quite obvious through internet uproar concurring with my Garmin results that this race was short.  In the past week, Project Sport has been ignoring emails and blatantly deleting all inquiries about the length discrepancy off of the US Half Facebook page. In fact, they now delete me from being a “fan” of the page- yet still can’t take the time to offer any response at all to those of us who noticed the course was short.  Please, if you feel that race directors should be upfront with the runners who pay for their races, send an email to info@projectsport.com or DM @RyanDawkins on Twitter asking that they respond to the concerns. I will keep this site updated, as I have had a few conversations with the USATF about this situation, but for now- as much as I love this race- I cannot in good faith suggest that anyone else who wants a legitimate Half Marathon benchmark race run this one.  And, the race organizer’s bedside manner is, frankly, appalling. Race Report after the jump…

So, a little bit more detail on the US Half Marathon- though exact splits are going to be tough because my Garmin is WAY short (12.8 miles it logged) and the mile markers seemed to be kind of wonkilly placed (my manual laps when I’d see a mile marker are all over the place.)

I think it’s no secret that I was super bummed with the way I was feeling going into this race- between the ankle problems after Plate to Plate, then the cruise, then another friend dying and throwing me into a bit of a funky/spiral, THEN waking up this morning a full 8 lbs heavier than I was when I ran this last year and beating myself up for that, I didn’t really have very high hopes.

I’d decided last week that I would just go out at goal pace (9:05 for a sub-2 finish) and see how long I could hold on.  Knowing that this race is a lot of steep uphills through the halfway point and then downhill or flat until one hill at the finish, this seemed like a good strategy- even if I blew up after pushing the first half, it would be all (or at least mostly) downhill from there.

I got to the race at about 6:30, hit the portapotties (which were ON the course, about 200 yards in front of the start line, with lines extending all the way across the course.  I thought this was pretty lame placement- last year they were behind the startline.) At about 15 minutes to the start I decided to get back in the portapotty line, but eventually abandoned that because it was clear I wouldn’t get in and out in time.  I didn’t really have to pee anyhow, I think it was just a “might as well” thing.  At any rate, got onto the sidewalk behind the start and waited for the horn, and we’re off.

Slight uphill on Van Ness and then a right turn to head downhill into the Marina… I’m feeling nice and steady and before I know it we’re passing Sports Basement and nearing the start of the big hills.

Mile 1: 8:44
Mile 2: 9:22 (again, this is a long mile and mile 1 is short… who knows)
Mile 3: 8:50

Then, we hit the hills.  Since I was dealing with the mystery ankle issue, I hadn’t been doing any hill work at all, so made the decision to walk the really steep hills if I needed to.  And I did need to in a few cases, but still made good time with the opposing downhills.

Mile 4: 7:46

Miles 5 & 6 (missing mile marker): 20:24 (I guess these were miles we were on the Bridge, but I felt like I was going faster than this on the bridge.)

Mile 7: 8:22

At the halfway mark, I look at my watch and I’m right at or maybe over an hour (there was no halfway mark mat like last year, bummer!), so I think it’s unlikely that I’ll hit my sub-2 A-goal.  As we head back across the bridge, though, I start thinking about the past few months and how horrible I’ve been feeling and how, really, that is all MY doing- I’m the only one making myself miserable, and I’m the only one who can decide if I hit my goals or not.  I also think of my friends Billy, Marcie and Rannie and how it’s really pretty selfish of me to be running the bridge on this gorgeous day making a decision on whether I just give up, when they were never given the luxury to make that decision, and then I decide to HTFU.  I have an epiphany realizing that, if I have to be out there, moving the legs faster is just as taxing as moving them in a shuffle, and if I am going to be victorious on this day or not is entirely in my hands.

Me, after my internal "Come to Jesus meeting" mile 8 or 9, who knows for sure...Mile 8: 10:03 (another wonky mile distance)

Mile 9: 8:30
Mile 10: 8:22

At mile 10, much to my surprise, I look at my watch and realize that, even if I were to just run 10:00/mile from here on out, I would hit my sub-2 goal.  This is mine to lose!  At this point, I also see a woman in sillouhette alongside the course with a short blonde shaggy ‘do who bears a striking reseblance to Muppet’s friend (and mine by extension), Marcie.  This really perks me up, especially because I HATE running on the dirt.  I just want to get it over ASAP.

Mile 11: 7:48
Mile 12 is another one that is showing up super long on the Garmin, it has me at 11:46 and 1.4 miles for this lap.

As we are running along the Marina, I throw in some surges- ‘Surge up to that flagpole, recover to the next lightpost,’ etc.  This really seems to help break it up, but I will say that, mentally, keeping it up on this flat 2 mile stretch to the finish was tough.

Ah, Mile 13. The mile that will live in infamy.  I am determined to keep on running strong up to Fort Mason, then I will walk the steep hill and it will all be over.  I am right past the playground equipment when I take a step and start to pee.  There was really nothing I could do, as it just kept coming.  I tried to step into the iceplant and pull my shorts aside (ladylike!), but it was no use.  I decided that if I just kept running maybe nobody would notice.  I mean, surely that was more clandestine than standing there in the iceplant yanking my shorts to the side and peeing on my shoes.  So, I just started running again. I don’t know if anyone saw what happened, I’m sure they did, but I’m not too worried about it.  As long as there wasn’t a course photog there.

I get to Fort Mason and walk/run the hill.  At this point, I know that it is in the bag, so I start sprinting the downhill and into the finishline.  Clock reads 1:58:06 when I cross, but I know it took more than 6 seconds to get across at the start. I let out a holler and scream “F*&K YEAH!” and some guy high-fives me.

Some stuff I did diffferently this time:
- I didn’t take a handheld or water, just used the water stops when needed. I like the whole “travelling light” thing.
- I didn’t take GU as often- I had only 3/4 of one Roctane at the halfway point. I realized I like this a lot, since every time I take a GU I am always worried about if it will make me nauseated or phlegmy- no need to take more than I need to.
- Quite simply, I ran faster.  I gave myself permission to monumentally blow up. I just wanted to see how long my legs could keep on turning over at a quicker rate, and this was the only thing form-wise I concentrated on.

So… up next for Smurf is really hunkering down to get my weight back down over the next 2 months, building my mileage into the mid-30 range, and then setting some goals for the Kaiser Half Marathon in February.

Thanks, all, for putting up with my whiny butt the past few months, and for all the encouragement.  You’re the best!