Shamrock Half Marathon
I had high hopes for this race starting this training cycle and the more I trained the more it felt like confirmation of those hopes. My fitness improved and my goal of 1:25:** seemed pretty realistic...to me anyway. But when we start making time goals I guess we go in hoping for optimal conditions...yesterday was NOT optimal. Remember when I said the forecast was for 20mph winds and rain but I said it would have to get better? It didn't.
Yesterday was by far the most challenging conditions I've ever experienced starting a race. I was praying for the rain to hold off at least until after I got my warm-up in. It didn't. We get down to the oceanfront about an hour before the start and right when we arrive, the sky opens up. Big rain drops. Temps in the low to mid 40s, wind and rain. Beautiful. Start my warm-up and it's just pure misery. Driving rain and before I've done a mile my rain jacket, track pants and shoes are soaked. Cut my warm-up a bit short and head over to the corral...I mean, I'm not really getting "warm". The gun is about to go off and I strip off all my wet layers and hand my wife a nice soaking ball of clothes. I'm thinking I'm probably under dressed, wearing a singlet, shorts and a trashbag.
The gun sounds and we're off. The first 3 miles of the race we head straight into the teeth of the wind and rain. This SUCKED. I'm wearing a visor to keep the rain out of my eyes but the rain is coming in horizontal at times. I try to find a pack of runners to block the wind and pace behind but this proves more challenging then I'd hope. Just when I'm ready to settle in, I check my watch and the pack I've chosen is too slow. So then I have to dart around them and surge through the wind to next group. I think I did this 3 times. I'm starting to think that time goals should be out the window and I should just try to salvage the best effort I can. I average about 6:41 (175-181bpm) through this stretch.
Miles 3-6 we head west and we have a little reprieve from the wind but the rain is still a nuisance. I ditch the trashbag. I started to pick up the pace slightly but I'm honestly not feeling that great. My legs are decent but it feels like I'm pressing. Maybe it was fighting wind early. Maybe it was this cold I've been dealing with. In either case, I just try to keep grinding. 6:39, 6:40 & 6:34 (179 ish) The last split was encouraging though.
Miles 7-9 heads NE back into the wind and around Cape Henry in Virginia Beach. I'm tiring and in no mood to battle this wind...but the rain has let up Worse yet, the field is spreading out. I'm not going have many options for drafting partners. There's one group about 20 seconds ahead but I'm pretty sure trying to catch them will kill me. I'll do it alone I guess. My next split feels like crap but is quicker than expected. 6:38(180) This is encouraging. One more mile into the wind and the last 5 should have a nice tailwind. I'm just trying to tuck behind anyone I can at this point. Just survive mile 7...it feels like it takes forever. 6:45(182)...Hey, that wasn't SO bad. I feel the wind shift to a cross wind as we head past the lighthouse. Go time. Well, it should be if you have any juice left to go. I've got a little. 6:33 (181)
Miles 9-12 we head back to resort area. Typically this stretch would be full of spectators...not this day. I don't blame them. So once again, I find myself in no mans land by myself. Keep pushing. 6:35 (181) I'm starting to do the math and while 1:25 is long gone, if I keep it up, I may have a chance at a PR (1:26:51). This is enough motivation to keep it going. 6:32 (183) Around 11.5 I finally catch a woman in front of me (6 on the offdee scale). I tell her good job and she's surprisingly chatty for this point in the race. She then proceeds to tell me that she had a baby 4 months ago
. I ask her if she's trying to make me feel worse. Sheesh. At this point, a guy passes us and tells the chick that 2 girls are coming behind us and are working together. I hear them...I'm about to chicked X 2. I look down and my right nipple is leaking blood. NOW I'm hurtin. 6:33 (184)
Mile 12-finish we turn down the resort strip and onto the boardwalk. I'm running on fumes but at least I have a harem of women to keep me company. At that point I start to notice my upchuck reflex starting to make an appearance. Get it together man. Just don't throw up on yourself. Cruising down the boardwalk and hearing the cheers is helping. 6:28 (187) I sprint in, leave mommy dearest and pass another chick on the way to the finish. .1 @ 5:43 pace (186) As soon as I hit the timing mat, I feel the reflux in my throat. I find the nearest trashcan and totally lose my breakfast. 1:26:45...a 6 second PR.
I think the take away once again is to keep your head in the game. I had chances to pack it in and if I had ever hesitated, that 6 seconds could have been lost. Considering the conditions and how I felt earlier in the week, I'm stoked to earn a PR. They sure aren't getting easier these days.
https://www.strava.com/activities/521932366/overview
). My wife says that she has heard of people having issues with shoes that have "too soft of a cushion" causing issues for people. She says that other people have told her that they have had to switch shoes after a new model of the same show came out, because they changed it. Has anyone ever heard of this? Could this be what I am experiencing? Of course, I realize that I could also just be having a run of bad luck.
