Boy were they not kidding when they choose this as the motto for this 13.1
So this year 26.2 was not in the cards for me. For the most part I have been ok with that, although, those 4 minutes for my BQ I lost at Chicago due to injury haunt me at times...
So I decided to focus on a 13.1
And then even that had some wrenches thrown into the mix. After so much therapy, $, and even Xray's and MRI'S, I still don't have a ton of answers, and seem to be stuck at about this distance, most days. Other days 6 miles is all I can run. So I didn't get in quite the training I was hoping for, being that this half marathon had an elevation gain of about 1200 ft.
Talk about a killer. I even trained some on the course, but didn't go up high enough... just a little dumb blond moment not reading the map right.
I wasn't quite sure how this race was going to pan out, and I was hoping that I would only have to stretch my leg out a few times.
The first couple miles I got in a nice fast paced groove, knowing I'd have to dial it back for the up hill miles. And I kept a decent pace up hill for the first mile and a half. Yep that is what I had trained on.
And then it just kept going up, and up. And I'm talking a grade that at times it was almost easier to power walk up, then run... which I did, a few times. That was the first time I have walked in a race since my very first 13.1 almost 10 years ago. That was quite a humbling moment for me.
6 miles of up hill, I was so ready to start going down!
And boy was I happy!
At about mile 9, I had to stretch out my knee real quick, and that was it!
I have never been so happy. I'm pretty sure had there not been brutal hills I might not have had to stretch it out at all. I probably only lost about 30-40 sec. on that.
This was by far one of the toughest races I've ever done, and probably in the last few years anyways, the least prepared...
But I did it! I finished 9th overall, and 5th female, with a time of 1:45. Tough chicks in this race, #1, and 2 were girls! Heck ya!
I will definitely be doing this race again! Hopefully I can run it with some serious training, and shave a few minutes off:) and NO injury!
1 comment:
Awesome job! And great time on such a tough course! You are amazing!
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