Another 2010 Goal Crossed Off
One my goals for 2010 was to place first in my age group at a race.
I DID IT!
Yesterday, i ran the fourth and final race of a half-marathon series. It was at Ft. DeSoto Beach. I packed up my boys and we headed out at 5:30am. The race started at 7:05 and after picking up my chip and a quick run to the bathroom i got to the starting line about three seconds before the national anthem. Chris and Sidney were still parking the car and getting set up on the bike when the gun went off so they didn't get to see me cross the starting line.
I remembered my note-to-self from the Princess Half and starting up in the front so i crossed the start about 3 seconds after the gun. It really worked out well. I didn't have to weave too much and i was able to get in a comfortable pace almost right away. When i got to mile one, i was surprised to see a clock time of 7:26. i felt like i was going a little too fast but not too much. i was wearing my arm sleeves but got super warm as soon as i started running - luckily, Chris and Sidney were waiting at around mile 2 1/2 so i was able to take off the sleeves.
The first half of the out and back portion was from miles 3-7 and it was directly in to the wind. it was tough but i felt pretty good and strong. I only had one mile at 8:00 - the rest were all around 7:45. I took a gel at mile 6 - a little earlier than i planned but the water stops were stationed a little wonky so i had to take it when i had a chance. it was like crack - i immediately felt it kick in and i think i passed about 7 people.
I was anxious for the turn around to get out of the wind - but as always, the wind was somehow still felt like it was coming at me instead of behind me! My favorite part of out and back courses (aside from seeing my super zippy friends fly by) is counting women to see how many are in front of me. When i got the turn around, i had counted 6. I was number 7 but i passed a woman right after that and i ended up 6th in women overall!
I caught up with a guy at around mile 9 and we stuck together until the end of the race. I told him my goal was around a 1:45 but that we were a little ahead of pace for that. I started to get a little tired around mile 10 and thought about stopping to walk for a second but reminded myself that this was the last race for awhile and i had to just suck it up and keep running at my pace. When i got to mile 11, i thought for a brief moment of the NYC marathon and tried to calculate if i could make the 1:37 half qualifying time...i would have to run a little faster than i had been and though i didn't give up - i just didn't have it in me. oh - and it had started to drizzle by this time too. the wind really never died down and there were a few gusts that nearly knocked me over. Chris and Sidney were between miles 12 and 13 and Chris was psyched! he knew i was about to have a PR and could tell that i was having a really great race. I crossed the finish line with a clock time of 1:41:05!
It was glorious! In addition to getting a medal for finishing the race, i got an additional medal for completing all four in the series. AND i got a big gold medal for winning my age group. AND I also won my age group overall for the series! I'm glad we stuck around for the awards. Almost everyone I knew there won an age group award - either for this partcular race or for the series.
Running has changed my life so much. It has given me back a confidence that i had lost long ago. I talk to people now! i ask people questions and start conversations. I make a point of talking to people i've met before - and know that even if they don't remember me, i no longer act like i don't remember them either (i remember everything!). I take chances that someone may not like me - but at least it's actually me and not because i don't wear the right designers. I know people again! There were quite a few people cheering for me when i went up to pick up my awards - and I got to cheer for people too!
It's nice. It's nice to talk to people about something you are actually interested in. It's nice to not feel like a freak because you just are not living anything like the life that the other people around you are striving to have.
NYC beat my confidence out of me. I lived there for 9 years and didn't have any friends. really. I did not meet a single person who i had anything in common with. I didn't do much - but i certainly didn't do the things that the people i met were doing. I don't care what kind of bag you carry or where you got your highlights done. I wasn't interested in how many $12 beers they drank last night or who they hooked up with. and i was the weirdo for 9 years because i didn't have much to add to the conversations going on around me.
it took almost a whole year to get myself out of the shell that grew around me in NY... and it's so refreshing to be out!
Racing season is just about over in Florida and this was my last race for the season. I don't think I am running anything until the Fall. I am going to still try to keep a base of 12-20 miles a week by running two days a week - including a long-ish run on Sundays but I am going to cross-train the rest of the time.
having said all of that - i am well aware that i can be talked into any race without much trying so if anyone i know needs a running partner, i'm 100% certain i'll say yes!
so far - my Fall schedule looks like this:
september - Disneyland Half Marathon (Anaheim, CA) - registered already
October - Halloween Half (depends on NYC)
November - NYC Marathon (if i get in) OR Niagara Falls Marathon (if i don't get in to NYC... this is a maybe)
November - Women's Running Magazine Half Marathon (St. Pete, FL) - registered already
December - Vegas Rock & Roll marathon
December - Holiday Halfathon
January - Disney Goofy (maybe)
January - Clearwater Halfathon
March - Gulf Beaches Halfathon
April 18, 2011 - BOSTON MARATHON!!!!
February - New Orelans Rock & Roll marathon