Race Report: Sarasota Grouper Half Marathon

Sarasota Grouper Run Marathon & Half Marathon

February 15, 2009

Distance: Half Marathon (13.1 miles)

Finish time: 1:58:25

Age Group Placement: 20/104

Gender Placement: 142/843

Overall Placement: 396/1484

I study every piece of literature I receive in my race packet-- including how to put a timing chip on my shoe (even though I've done it many times at this point). Nervous Nellie??

Well, my first 1/2 marathon is officially in the books!

Sondra, Jeff, Scott and I headed up to Sarasota on Saturday morning for race packet pick-up. After a quick browse through the Expo, we hit Panera Bread for some lunch and then it was off to the Lakewood Y in order for Heather to analyze Scott's swim stroke. Afterwards, we hit Chilli's for dinner, did some shopping at Sport's Authority and then headed to our hotel where I proceeded to read through every speck of race literature that I had. I am all about the race prep! Gotta memorize the course, the water stops, the pre-race instructions. Nerd!

10 minutes before race start with Julie and Sondra. Sondra and I ran the half marathon; Julie ran the marathon.

PRE-RACE

Race morning came early- 4AM early. The forecast was 65F, 90% humidity and overcast. It was the warmest, muggiest morning of the entire winter season. Race start was at 6AM and we had a bit of a drive to the race location. With nearly 2,000 participants in the small city of Sarasota, FL parking was at a premium. After a quick pit-stop at a gas station to 'unload' we headed to the race start, hit the Port-A-John again and then met up with Julie for a photo op. Julie created the training plans for Sondra & I leading up to this race. I know that a lot of it was a shot in the dark for her as she wasn't all that familiar with where we were in our run training (which really wasn't anywhere), but she got us through. Thanks, Julie!

MILES 1-4
6AM is dark... and that gun went off right at 6! The race itself was very organized with pace corrals (I started in the 9 min/mile corral), pace groups and aid stations every 2 miles with full-strength Gatorade!!! Thank you for not providing yellow water. It took me about 40 seconds to get up to the start after the gun went off. The first 3 miles of the race were run in complete darkness through residential areas. I really couldn't see anything more than the runners in front of me and the balloons on the 2 hour pace group sign. I just followed the balloons and 'hoped' that the pacer was doing a good job. A few people tripped over cones, so eventually people started screaming out "CONE" every 30 seconds. I opted to wear my iPod, but I kept it low enough to be able to hear those "CONE" calls and any other calls that were shouted at us. The most rewarding part of the race for me during the first few miles came in the form of runner footfalls. Clomp, clomp, clomp... I loved this! I nearly cried during the beginning of the race... I was running a 1/2 marathon!

MILES 5-10
The best part of the run for me took place during miles 5 through 10. I was warmed up, still nicely hydrated (although sweating like a pig as usual) and my legs felt great. The John Ringling Causeway Bridge is located smack dab in the middle of the half-marathon course. Most of Florida's coastal courses are pretty much pancake flat; well, this 78' high bridge (at water clearance) makes this course the exception to the rule. The 1/2 mile uphill part of the bridge occurs at mile 5.5 and again at mile 7 after the turnaround. I fell back from the pacer on both climbs and had to play catch-up on the downhill and flat portions. Strength training needed! I also noticed the first sign of a blister on my left big toe.

My HR was about 3 or 4 beats higher than I would have liked it to be following the up and back over the Ringling Bridge. Some of this was due to the hill itself, but most if it was trying to catch back up to the pace group. I was unable to bring my HR back down, so I pretty much said screw it and pushed on. Around mile 10 I had my first doubts about whether or not I was going to be able to keep up with the 2 hour pace group for the remainder of the race. My legs were starting to feel the first signs of fatigue.

MILES 11-13
Miles 11 and 12 were without a doubt the most difficult for me mentally and physically. I thought about walking at least 4 times during these miles, but I knew that if I started it would be too easy to do it again. I also feared that if I walked, I might not be able to start back up. Unlike a few of my training runs where my legs were the limiting factor at the end of a long run, during this race, it was my cardio (although my legs obviously felt heavy and tired). Dealing with that 180+ HR for miles 7, 8, and 9 really zapped my reserves. Eventually I was able to reduce my HR by about 3 beats (and along with it, my overall pace) and felt a bit more comfortable. Somewhere around mile 11, the pace group leader told everyone that was around her that if they wanted to go sub-2, they better get in front of her. Everybody moved on, but I was still about 10 seconds behind her. She looked back, saw me, slowed her pace slightly and grabbed my hand! She then pulled me up to the correct pace and said, 'there you go'. I got in front of her and never saw her again. Gabriella Keri, THANK YOU!! You helped me achieve my sub-2 goal more than you even know!

Right around mile 12 I saw Heather Gollnick doing her cool down jog with Tracy and I called out to her. She was cheering all of the runners on! So inspirational! Legs were pretty much on autopilot during mile 12 and of course, once that mile 13 sign appears it's pretty much no-holds barred! I kicked it into high gear with what little I had left and achieved my sub-2 hour goal: 1:58:25!

My coach Heather Gollnick, crossing the finish line for the 1/2 marathon. She was the 2nd overall female.

Here I am... belly flab and all! Achieving my sub-2 hour goal (chip time: 1:58:25) in my very first half marathon! A very happy moment in so many ways!

Sondra, crossing the finish line with a smile!

POST-RACE

After a sweet girl removed my timing chip AND retied my shoe for me, I grabbed a bagel, posed for a picture and then hobbled over the medical tent. I had developed three monster blisters. One HUGE 'lollipop' blister on my left big toe (it literally wrapped around my toe); a large blister on the side of my right big toe and an open blister on my right ankle. So much for BodyGliding my feet AND wearing Injinji socks. Actually, I think I'm going to blame myself and the LunarTrainers on this one. I know that I need some support for my late stage overpronation (hello, big toe blisters), but I opted to wear the LunarTrainers b/c they are so cushy. A pure, beginner mistake. Sondra made her way across the finish line while I was in the Med-Tent, but I was still able to see her cross. Go, Sondra!

After eating, talking and stretching a bit we all made our way back to the finish line to look for Julie who was running the marathon. Julie is a gazelle, so we knew she would cross early. She was looking for another BQ, but she had said that she wasn't feeling all that great. So, I expected her to cross at around 3:30 or so. We were so STOKED when she crossed at 3:24! Superstar! She ended up being the 2nd female overall for the marathon.

Here I am yelling like a maniac as Julie crosses the marathon finish line!

NUTRITION

Heather instructed us at camp to really be cognisant of what we're drinking in the days before the race. She said that too often people consume too much straight water and end up flushing precious electrolytes from their system. So I opted to mix my grape low-cal beverage with 1/2 of a camelbak elixer tab during the days before the race. This kept all of my drinks low-cal, but still nice and salty. Race morning was a packet of oatmeal two hours before the race and then a packet of gel 15 minutes before the start. I also had about 4 to 6oz of coffee and approx. 10oz of a sport's drink. I drank a mouthful of Gatorade at every aid station and took my gel pack at mile 7 with water from an aid station. I probably could have used another gel somewhere during the race. Food for thought.

Despite the fact that I sweat more than most AND that I look like a salt block after a race, I think I did fairly well with my nutrition/hydration. I also took 1/2 of an immodium tablet since I often get stomach cramps when I race with any intensity. I'm glad to say that there wasn't a hint of cramps on race day.

Yes, I am still hacking like a fool from the cold that won't quit. Three weeks now!

REFLECTIONS

++Using a pace group worked very well for me. It kept me from going out too fast and it reminded me to pick it up when I felt myself unintentionally slowing down.

++My confidence remained high throughout the race. When I had the urge to walk, I was able to mentally push-through it and continue on. A good reminder for future races when I feel this way (and I will feel this way).

++Running with blisters stinks! If you know that you overpronate, don't run a long race in a neutral shoe. Newbie mistake... it won't happen again.

++Race pace confidence can come from doing a good 6 mile tempo run before the race itself. During my tempo run on the Thursday before the race, I was between a a 9:10 - 9:20 pace. This allowed me to really dial in on a realistic race goal.

++I am in no rush to conquer the marathon, but I am excited about doing the Philadelphia 1/2 marathon in November. The Marathon is in my future, but just not in my near future.