2011 Lincoln 1/2 marathon race report
2:29:47. For the second year in a row, worse than the year before. I'm going the wrong direction! Well, I've got lots of excuses but since I don't let anybody else off the hook with excuses I guess I can't let my self off either. But since they make me feel a little better, here they are:
1) Had to move the treadmill about the garage which is unheated - and the belt slips more when it's cold making it unfun to run on winter mornings
2) Have a 6 month old baby that was pretty sick for a couple weeks (RSV + and ear infection). When the baby doesn't sleep, the parents don't sleep, and when I don't sleep I don't feel like running.
3) I had an intense boyscout leader training program (wood badge) which consumed 2 entire weekends near the end of training. Instead of running 10-12 miles I was camping in a Nebraska wind storm.
4) We had a very large installation job at work the week before the marathon. I was required to spend a large amount of time making sure that project met deadline which pushed everything else (including training) into a tiny little time slot.
I think that about covers it for the excuses. With all that said my training wasn't too great, I did put in many good weeks, but also had many bad weeks (with 1 or less runs) and of course many weeks with two runs. Heck, I ran my 10 mile after not having run for almost 2 weeks.
The race itself was pretty decent. The allowed 10,000 people to register and 8,700 or so showed up for race day. I hear it took almost 40 minutes to get everyone started. I know it took me 27 minutes from the time the cannon sounded just to get to the start line. A couple observations:
1) The thinning of the crowd at the start line helped to keep congestion on the course to a minimum -- I didn't mind waiting the 27 minutes to get started.
2) The weather could not have been better. It was maybe 45° at the start, overcast, and a breeze (that could have been a little lighter - but no real complaints).
3) The crowd was huge, and that made it more fun to me. I really enjoyed running through downtown and in front of the State Capital building and looking down the course and seeing solid runners for miles ahead! I was just this big bouncing mass of humanity -- all crazy and all doing it!!
4) I had probably two dozen people I knew running the race and ran into several of them on the course.
5) I gave my friend Gwen a ride to the race, she opted to join me on the motorcycle --- a GREAT decision! Not only was parking mega easy, but on the ride home, I could stretch my legs all the way out!! :)
6) Despite my lacking training this year I was able to run a fair race. I did successfully run the entire thing (only stopped once to tie my shoe). I started off with the 2:20 pace group for the first 6 miles then dropped back from them and ran my own pace until the finish.
7) I LOVED the 1/2 marathon pace groups. I don't think I've seen them before for the 1/2 marathon but they were GREAT. They not only helped you with your pace but also give you a group of people to get to know that you would be running with for miles on end. The pace leaders were great, added motivation, fun, and of course helped you with a game plan for finishing at the target time. It wasn't just a straight pace either, it varied up and down throughout the course to change things up a little, and to make it easier to run.
8) Towards the end I connected with Liz. Not sure about her last name, but she helped to motivate me to finish strong. She was probably 50ish and a big girl -- and every time I caught up with her she would pick up the pace and pull away from me. We would chat for just a couple minutes and then she would take off. Coming up on the finish she was over a block ahead of me and I pushed to catch up and we crossed the finish line together. That part was pretty cool.
9) The end of the races is always deceiving long. Coming up on the University parking garage (by the stadium) I looked at my watch, still have over 5 minutes before the 2:30 mark I was pushing it still but felt like I had it in hand. As I got closer the minutes flew by and before I knew it as I entered the stadium I had 30 seconds left to cross the finish and beat 2:30!!! I raced down the path (filled with slower runners in front of me) and sprinted down the field turf to finish with just 13 seconds to spare!!!! That last 60 yard sprint really emptied the tank and probably caused more soreness in the next several days than the other 13 miles -- but it was worth to to still beat 2:30 :)
If you're interested the results are posted up here: http://www.mtecresults.com/runner/show?rid=8324&race=290. They not only have the time and splits but they have a link to the finishing video too (not terribly glamorous, but hey, I finished).
I think that's about all I have for this year. I think my running goals are going to be do the Omaha 1/2 marathon this fall, the Lincoln 1/2 marthon again next spring -- improving my times in both substantially -- and then try to get signed up for the Chicago full marathon again!! I'm too late for this year, but that's now official on my bucket list! :)
1) Had to move the treadmill about the garage which is unheated - and the belt slips more when it's cold making it unfun to run on winter mornings
2) Have a 6 month old baby that was pretty sick for a couple weeks (RSV + and ear infection). When the baby doesn't sleep, the parents don't sleep, and when I don't sleep I don't feel like running.
3) I had an intense boyscout leader training program (wood badge) which consumed 2 entire weekends near the end of training. Instead of running 10-12 miles I was camping in a Nebraska wind storm.
4) We had a very large installation job at work the week before the marathon. I was required to spend a large amount of time making sure that project met deadline which pushed everything else (including training) into a tiny little time slot.
I think that about covers it for the excuses. With all that said my training wasn't too great, I did put in many good weeks, but also had many bad weeks (with 1 or less runs) and of course many weeks with two runs. Heck, I ran my 10 mile after not having run for almost 2 weeks.
The race itself was pretty decent. The allowed 10,000 people to register and 8,700 or so showed up for race day. I hear it took almost 40 minutes to get everyone started. I know it took me 27 minutes from the time the cannon sounded just to get to the start line. A couple observations:
1) The thinning of the crowd at the start line helped to keep congestion on the course to a minimum -- I didn't mind waiting the 27 minutes to get started.
2) The weather could not have been better. It was maybe 45° at the start, overcast, and a breeze (that could have been a little lighter - but no real complaints).
3) The crowd was huge, and that made it more fun to me. I really enjoyed running through downtown and in front of the State Capital building and looking down the course and seeing solid runners for miles ahead! I was just this big bouncing mass of humanity -- all crazy and all doing it!!
4) I had probably two dozen people I knew running the race and ran into several of them on the course.
5) I gave my friend Gwen a ride to the race, she opted to join me on the motorcycle --- a GREAT decision! Not only was parking mega easy, but on the ride home, I could stretch my legs all the way out!! :)
6) Despite my lacking training this year I was able to run a fair race. I did successfully run the entire thing (only stopped once to tie my shoe). I started off with the 2:20 pace group for the first 6 miles then dropped back from them and ran my own pace until the finish.
7) I LOVED the 1/2 marathon pace groups. I don't think I've seen them before for the 1/2 marathon but they were GREAT. They not only helped you with your pace but also give you a group of people to get to know that you would be running with for miles on end. The pace leaders were great, added motivation, fun, and of course helped you with a game plan for finishing at the target time. It wasn't just a straight pace either, it varied up and down throughout the course to change things up a little, and to make it easier to run.
8) Towards the end I connected with Liz. Not sure about her last name, but she helped to motivate me to finish strong. She was probably 50ish and a big girl -- and every time I caught up with her she would pick up the pace and pull away from me. We would chat for just a couple minutes and then she would take off. Coming up on the finish she was over a block ahead of me and I pushed to catch up and we crossed the finish line together. That part was pretty cool.
9) The end of the races is always deceiving long. Coming up on the University parking garage (by the stadium) I looked at my watch, still have over 5 minutes before the 2:30 mark I was pushing it still but felt like I had it in hand. As I got closer the minutes flew by and before I knew it as I entered the stadium I had 30 seconds left to cross the finish and beat 2:30!!! I raced down the path (filled with slower runners in front of me) and sprinted down the field turf to finish with just 13 seconds to spare!!!! That last 60 yard sprint really emptied the tank and probably caused more soreness in the next several days than the other 13 miles -- but it was worth to to still beat 2:30 :)
If you're interested the results are posted up here: http://www.mtecresults.com/runner/show?rid=8324&race=290. They not only have the time and splits but they have a link to the finishing video too (not terribly glamorous, but hey, I finished).
I think that's about all I have for this year. I think my running goals are going to be do the Omaha 1/2 marathon this fall, the Lincoln 1/2 marthon again next spring -- improving my times in both substantially -- and then try to get signed up for the Chicago full marathon again!! I'm too late for this year, but that's now official on my bucket list! :)