I have no idea why I've procrastinated coming on to post about the half!
I loved it! It was not torturous and it didn't feel like forever! I woke up, ate a banana and peanut butter on toast as recommended by a friend and we got on the road. I decided on shorts and a long sleeved Nike top over my tank and support belt and was surprised by how cold and windy it felt. But once we started running, it felt great. The first half of the race was scenic and beautiful. I finished the first 6mi in barely over an hour. I had to pee, but I didn't want to leave the course to use the port-o-pots set up at start and I kept going.
Some of the tunnels were long and difficult for my eyes to adjust from the contrasting brightness outside, so I had to slow down because I didn't want to risk falling. But they were cool. Then the course went into a reclamation area that was boring and hilly. The turnaround was at a view of the dam, but I was too focused on finishing to care to stop. It was in the reclamation area that one of the aid stops had two pots and I was finally able to go!
I maintained the run 3min, speed walk 2min throughout the race, and often walked less than two minutes because I felt great and ready to run. I finished in 2hrs41min, #519 of 593. Not too bad for 21wks pregnant!
I would love to see how I do when not pregnant, but I don't know when that'll happen since the training was quite a commitment for me and with 2kids and huge sore milk jugs, it might be awhile before I want to again.
Showing posts with label half marathon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label half marathon. Show all posts
Monday, March 22, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Tomorrow's the day!
And I'm ready to run!
I've read that everything you wear/use on a race should be road tested, but I became worried that the 8 water stations wouldn't be enough for me, so I went belt shopping. But... I'm already wearing a support belt for the belly. And those snazzy belts are pricey. So I opted for a handheld bottle with a soft strap. The strap has a pocket where I can put my gels. I usually hold my phone and keys on my outdoor runs, so I figure an ergonomic bottle should be okay.
The only thing I'm worried about is what to eat in the morning. I don't want to have to go #2 out on the course. I was thinking just eggs, but a friend suggested that I need carbs... I've been doing my long runs early in the morning and not eating anything beforehand. But maybe I'll take her suggestion of a banana and peanut butter toast.
I've read that everything you wear/use on a race should be road tested, but I became worried that the 8 water stations wouldn't be enough for me, so I went belt shopping. But... I'm already wearing a support belt for the belly. And those snazzy belts are pricey. So I opted for a handheld bottle with a soft strap. The strap has a pocket where I can put my gels. I usually hold my phone and keys on my outdoor runs, so I figure an ergonomic bottle should be okay.
The only thing I'm worried about is what to eat in the morning. I don't want to have to go #2 out on the course. I was thinking just eggs, but a friend suggested that I need carbs... I've been doing my long runs early in the morning and not eating anything beforehand. But maybe I'll take her suggestion of a banana and peanut butter toast.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Half Marathon
Working out can get boring without a goal. And pregnancy in itself has so many built-in excuses to just not make the effort. I decided early on my goal would be a half marathon. I didn't have an event in mind and at first thought that I wouldn't really do one, I just wanted to know I could run that kind of distance. 5k or 10k didn't seem challenging enough since I was regularly doing rigorous cardio for 1hr+.
So I run Tuesday through Thursday at 10min intervals 3x throughout the day. It really helped with my nausea in the beginning. And the fatigue that was exacerbated by my 10hr work days. Fridays and Saturdays I cross train on the elliptical and bike for 40min and do a chest, arms and back routine with weights. Then Sunday is my long run, increasing in distance from 5mi every week. Monday is rest, with a focus on stretching. And I try to do a leg/butt routine on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings, but no later in the week because I learned early that long runs kind of suck when your muscles are sore!
I hit a wall early, at 7mi. Eating before and immediately after the long run wasn't cutting it, especially with how long the runs take since I have to keep my level of exertion at a pace that I could maintain a conversation (12+min mi after the first 4mi). I was getting hungry during the run. I really thought about maxing out there, since I wasn't preparing for an actual event. But a mom-athlete friend of mine, Jessica, suggested energy gels. Success! With the energy gels (honey stinger gold and strawberry banana gu being my faves so far), I feel energized and accomplished at the end of a long run, rather than like I just want to eat and pass out.
So, a few weeks ago, I learned about a half near me: Six Tunnels to the Dam. I can take as long as I need to finish because there's no traffic. It's not hilly. And it's March 13th, and I'll be 21wks, perfect timing for me to peak in my distance!
So I run Tuesday through Thursday at 10min intervals 3x throughout the day. It really helped with my nausea in the beginning. And the fatigue that was exacerbated by my 10hr work days. Fridays and Saturdays I cross train on the elliptical and bike for 40min and do a chest, arms and back routine with weights. Then Sunday is my long run, increasing in distance from 5mi every week. Monday is rest, with a focus on stretching. And I try to do a leg/butt routine on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings, but no later in the week because I learned early that long runs kind of suck when your muscles are sore!
I hit a wall early, at 7mi. Eating before and immediately after the long run wasn't cutting it, especially with how long the runs take since I have to keep my level of exertion at a pace that I could maintain a conversation (12+min mi after the first 4mi). I was getting hungry during the run. I really thought about maxing out there, since I wasn't preparing for an actual event. But a mom-athlete friend of mine, Jessica, suggested energy gels. Success! With the energy gels (honey stinger gold and strawberry banana gu being my faves so far), I feel energized and accomplished at the end of a long run, rather than like I just want to eat and pass out.
So, a few weeks ago, I learned about a half near me: Six Tunnels to the Dam. I can take as long as I need to finish because there's no traffic. It's not hilly. And it's March 13th, and I'll be 21wks, perfect timing for me to peak in my distance!
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