Will Run for Pie

At mile 9.5 of a half marathon.  Best race food EVER!!

This weekend was the Inaugural Harbor Lights race weekend (5K and Half Marathon) by J&A Racing in Norfolk, Virginia.  It was also my 16th (and LAST!) half marathon of 2014.  The weekend offered a 5K/Half challenge, so, of course, I took it!

I loaded up the monkeys on Friday afternoon and headed downtown to packet pick up.   Note to self - just do race day pick up for Norfolk races.  We made it downtown with no problems.  As soon as we drove into the parking garage, I knew it was going to be a long afternoon.  The cars were already backed up 3 levels.

We ran into the packet pick-up/expo and got my bibs.  It was a little, tiny expo, but I didn't really need any running gear, so I just needed my bib.  They had some pretty cool gear in the official race store, but I have a thing about buying a finisher item before I actually finish.  We also ran though the Dickens Village that was set up in the bottom of the Cruise Terminal.  (It is a new bit of holiday fun in Norfolk.  The boys liked it!)  When we got back to the car, the traffic was backed up to level 6.  It took 15 minutes to even get out of the parking spot and it took an hour to get out of the lot.  It was CRAZY!!!   Thank goodness for cooperative boys or I may have lost my mind!!

On Saturday morning, my mom and I came back downtown for the 5K.  I needed to grab 3 miles before the race, so I dropped her off in the cruise terminal so she could keep warm (it was a balmy 27 degrees at race time) and went off for my extra miles.  Since she recently had back surgery, we walked the 5K.  Miles are miles.  The 5K course was nice until about mile 1.5 when the course went through cobblestone streets.  I didn't love that.  All in all, it was a great race, as usual.

Our family headed back downtown that evening for the city's Grand Illumination Parade.  We decided to stay at a hotel near the race start, so we walked to the hotel after the parade and settled in for the evening.

I slept great!  I love sleeping that close to the starting line.  I didn't have to drive or park or worry about it.  I got up, ate my breakfast in the dark, got dressed, and headed out.   I had to leave early enough to get my extra credit miles in, meet my friends for a picture, and then hit the porta potty.

It was still dark when I started my 3 mile warm up.  Yesterday's run took me to the other side of the tracks, literally.  I wasn't feeling brave today, so I ran two laps of the baseball stadium/train station parking lot.  No use getting mugged or kidnapped before the race even started.  (Disclaimer....I do not believe that the wonderful residents of Norfolk are thieves or kidnappers.  I just don't love being alone, in the dark, in an unfamiliar place.)  The sun made a short appearance during that quiet time alone.

Photo credit to J&A Racing

I headed back to the starting line to meet my people!

Photo credit to Kristobel McNamee

I lined up in my corral and the gun went off.  I was 13.1 miles away from my 16 mile goal.

I felt good at the beginning.  I knew that it was a training run and I still had a long way to go, so I took it easy.  I wanted to stay in front of the 2:45 pacer for as long as possible....that wasn't very long.  :)

The race course took me right past the hotel, where my family was warm and snug, waiting until it was time to head to the finish to see me.  As I was passing, my phone rang.  My husband was calling to tell me that they watched me pass from the room on the 14th floor.  Then all of the kids had to talk.  I should have ignored the phone because the pace group passed me and I never saw them again!  Falling off pace while getting love from my family is okay by me.

The race course wound it's way through Norfolk.  We went from the waterfront to ODU.  We ran through Larchmont.  We came up by the zoo.  There was pie!  We hit those stupid cobblestones again.  It was a nice race course.  I wasn't a fan of the exhaust from the cars on Granby Street, but that's not the worst thing that has ever happened at a race.

Most importantly, there was pie!  It was supposed to be at mile 9, but obviously they meant along mile 9.  That was 12 miles in for me and I was counting the miles.  Finally, at about 9.5, we turned the corner by Doumar's (which was closed....or I would have stopped for a Limeade), and there, in the parking lot was a little slice (or tart) of heaven!

Photo credit to J&A Racing

It was the best 4 bites of chocolate pie that I have ever had in my life!!  I mean, how great does pie taste anyway...and then to have it just waiting for you at mile 9.5 (or 12.5).  Awesome!   They had pretzels, jelly beans, and bananas to wash it down a half a mile later.  I didn't need those snacks....I had just eaten my pie!

As I came around by the Battleship Wisconsin and headed back to the main road just before mile 12, I could see my family waiting for me!  It was so wonderful to get hugs and kisses when I was so tired and so sore!!  I came back along the seawall and into the park to the finish.  (I made a friend in the last 1/2 mile or so.  She started her run to the finish a little earlier than I was ready to.  Don't worry....I got past her on the homestretch!)

 I got my medals and my finisher glass and then we headed to the car to come home.

Photo credit to J&A Racing.  Thank you for NOT giving us another hat.

There were great volunteers along the way.  Huge props to the Norfolk Police Department.  They had a long weekend with the 5K and the parade yesterday and then the half today.  They were on every single street corner and were so supportive!

All in all, it was a good training run.  16 miles in 3:50.  I took the first 3 easy...I mean E.A.S.Y.  My time for the last 13.1 was 3:01:57.   Pace was 13:53.  I need to shave about 30 seconds a mile off that pace to see a 6 hour full.  Mostly, I just need to get the miles in.  It wasn't a half PR, but I wasn't out there for that.  Coach told me always ask how my choices are going to help me in the marathon.  Today, it was LSD (Long, Slow Distance) that just happened to have a clock...and pie.  :)

Things I did well:

• Fueling.  I took Swedish Fish at 60 minutes in (mile 2 of the actual race), Gu 45 minutes after that, more Swedish fish 45 minutes later, and then the pie!  The Gu gave me some stomach pains for about 15 minutes, but they passed.  I liked the Swedish Fish.
• Intervals.  I kept 2/1 intervals until about mile 6 (mile 3 of the actual race) and then I switched to 1/1.  I think that I was supposed to play around with the intervals, but once I hit 1/1, I wanted to stay there.  My running intervals felt strong, even at the end.

Things that didn't go so well:

• Pre-race fueling.  We ate at a buffet on Saturday night.  The choices weren't the best.  I need to work harder on pre-race fueling, especially since I am going to be eating out for all of the meals before the races.
• Clothing.  I wore short sleeves.  I should have wore long sleeves.  I got hot, so I dropped my jacket.  Then I got cold and I wanted it.  I took my gloves off and then put them back on and then took them off again.   It happens.  I would rather be a little cold than too hot.
• Pacing.   My walking intervals were too slow, especially late in the race when I got tired.  The running intervals were on pace.
• Running Mojo.  I was tired.  I had a headache.  I was pretty scared of the distance.  I was fighting with my race plan....did I want to go for it or did I want to stick to the plan?  Could I even try to go for it with 3 miles on the legs before I even started?  In the end, I just turned on my music and got the miles done.
• Rest.  I started tired and I ended tired and I was tired in between.  Coach wants me to learn how to run with a tired body and tired legs and this is the season for that.  My goal this week is to sleep more.

Things that hurt:

• Left IT band, especially after the 3 mile warm up, while I was waiting to start the 13.1 finish.
• Walking, starting at about mile 12 (mile 9 of the actual race).  It got to the point that stopping to walk hurt more than running, but I was afraid to just run because I still had a long way yo go!
• Feet.  Yep, nothing new here.
• Legs feel like they just ran 16 miles, but they don't hurt.  I have been on the floor to build a train track.  I am moving slowly, but I am not feeling soreness or pain.

Moving forward:

• Monday is a rest day, thank goodness!  I might try to get to Zumba because I feel better on weeks that I do Zumba, but I might sit on the couch.  We'll see.
• Tuesday is a shakeout.  
• Thursday is a Turkey Trot 10K, which will be used for work.  (More work = more pie!)
• 8 and 17 back to back this weekend!  No race, no medal, no course support.  Back to training.