Girlfriends Half Marathon 2011

Race:  Girlfriend's Half Marathon
When:  October 16, 2011; 9 a.m
What:  A race for just women to support breast cancer research and support
Weather:  Perfect,  50's, cool, comfortable, cloudy.
Size:  1,920 finishers; over 3,000 registered
Official Time/Place: 10/1920  1:34:13
Garmin Stats: 1:34:17 and my garmin didn't register a full course.  It said 12.96. Not sure what this was about but I don't care too much.  
Perks:  Awesome shirts, names on bibs, race bags that we can reuse again and again, great volunteers, fudge samples and massages/adjustments at the end, music, samples, a necklace for our medal (love it), GREAT energy! 


I came home after my Girlfriend's Half Marathon with a negative cloud over my head.  All I could focus on were all the things I wasn't happy about.  As usual, I was being WAY TOO HARD on myself.  Instead of focusing on all the things that went right (a lot!), I thought of the things I could have done better.  I wasn't seriously upset but I joked about feeling like a pansy and there was definitely truth to my joking.  The following is my e-mail to a friend in response to asking me about my race:  


"I'm such a pussy at the end of races!  Seriously, I need to get some "Eat it Suckah!" mentality instead of cheering on my competitors at miles 11, 12, and 13 of a half marathon.  I'm such a pansy!  Not sure where that dig deepness is with me.  I ran okay.  1:34:17...happy with my time...just wish I would have pushed myself more at the end and went to that place of pain...it doesn't last long...not sure why I can't push myself.  Seriously, thinking about cuddles with my kids and a latte at mile 12.  What??!"


Although I was half-joking and meant this to be more funny than anything, I was feeling a little bummed.  But as usual, many of my friends helped to give me new perspective so that all I can see from this race now is that it was success!  Just what I had planned for.  Thank you friends.  

My goals for this race were met!  I didn't go into this race expecting a PR or an "A Game" race.  I've got to keep reminding myself to celebrate and look for what went right in a race.  And 

to

Let myself off the hook!

Stop being so hard on Amanda for not being in "A Game" mode when I didn't do "A Game" training.  

So here is what did go right:

I met all of my goals:

1. Have fun--Check, check!  This was one of the most fun races yet!  I met so many great girls, some bloggers and some not.  Thank you to Julie D. for organizing an after-race girlfriend brunch.  And great to meet Kim as we passed off the porto potty door.  Also got to see Meredith, Ashley, Tasha (she was 8th woman overall...go read her race report!), Jill, and Sarah Bowen Shea. 
2. Enjoy feeling strong--Check, check!  I felt strong for the entire race.  I was consistent with my paces and felt strong and capable.  Although I had a side stitch and felt a little out of sorts, my legs were strong.  
3. Try to push myself a little past comfortable--check!  Although I didn't bring out the "big guns" like I know I have in me most of the time, I did do some mental talk and I managed to convince myself to at least pick up the pace and give my last half mile a good sub 6:30 pace kick.  This is one step in the right direction.  Eventually I will want my last  5k in a half marathon to be the "dig deep" and give it all I've got mentality.  Today it started with a half-mile and that is reason to celebrate.  I even got over my "make friends with my competitor" problem and passed a woman at the end.  She passed me back but still, I passed her without hugging ,saying sorry or some crap like that.  Ha!  Okay, I'm not that bad.  I just become a little soft when I'm racing.  Instead of getting all hard core, I end up cheering them on.  I'm convinced I can do both next time...kick their ass and tell them their ass looks good in those tempo shorts.  All with a smile.  

Other Celebrations:

• I said I'd be thrilled with a 1:35 or under.  I did this!  And on minimal training. This makes me feel confident.
• Started off slow like I planned.  Usually I go out much faster but I ran a 7:25 for my first mile.  It felt so slow but I wanted to try this.  Next time I think I will start faster or at the pace that I'd like to run the entire race.  I see the pros and cons of starting slow but I think as long as I don't start too fast then I'll be okay with starting at pace.  I'm not so sure the slow start helped me out so much.  In fact, I think that I still would have felt strong if I started at a 7:15 or 7:10 and I also would have had more time to spare at the end.  
• I felt strong.  At least my legs and cardio felt great!  I got a side stitch and felt a little out of mental focus though.  
• I kicked the last half mile.  

Things I'm less than thrilled about but NOT going to be too hard on myself about.  Just things to learn from and reflect on for next time:  

•  I slowed way down/stopped even @ water stations.  Since I wasn't so set on a specific time, this was fine for me but I'm wondering if this ever works beneficially for people.  I know that Jeff Galloway talks about walk breaks and I had him in mind.  Although I did slow down and take a very very short rest/drink, I felt strong when I picked back up again. 
• When I had opportunities to get aggressive, get the girl in front of me and surge the last miles, I became too soft and friendly.  This is a race.  Remember that Amanda.  
• Fuel.  Not sure I have this figured out.  I tried a PowerBar Gel (really liked it!) at mile 6.  This gel was more watery than the GU gel and I liked how easily it went down.  I only took one gel and I think this is enough for me but I'd like to experiment.  
• No plan with music.  I wasn't totally in the zone with this race.  Just kind of messing around mentally.  I tried music for the first time in a half marathon but I couldn't make up my mind so I took my ear buds in and out and felt distracted even.  Not so sure I'll try music again but then again, maybe so.  I think I might have been more in the mental zone if I would have just started with no music and went inside my head like I usually do. 

Splits:

7:25

7:21

7:07

7:08

7:00

7:21 (side stitch. struggle.  Figures this was on my way back when a sea of women on the other side waving and cheering when all I wanted to do was stop for a sec and hold my side.  I guess, the good thing about them was that I kept going and trying to look strong even though it hurt like heck.)

7:07

7:19

7:17

7:20

7:32 (uphill)

7:34 (uphill)

7:11 (Still slightly uphill. Again, my Garmin only registered 12.96 miles so this is what I was on track for.)

I know this isn't the best race report.  I'm tired.  My kids need me and I need to just finish this up and get on with my day.  There was more to the day...chatting with runners, eating brunch with some great girls and lots of laughter. Maybe I'll save those stories for another day.  Go read Tasha's report from Healthy Diva for a better report!  And besides, you really should find her blog anyway.  She's an amazing runner who hasn't even begun to tap into her potential in my opinion.  She's gearing up for the CIM where she hopes to run a sub 3:15 and I have no doubts that she is capable of this.  Go Tasha!  

Time to LEARN!

Later after I got home, Jill sent me a great e-mail in response to my vent about feeling unable to push myself and get tough even when it means being in pain for a bit. She suggested reading chapter 8 of Brain Training For Runners by Matt Fitzgerald.  It is called Mastering The Experience and all about finding ways to increase our tolerance for pain and fatigue and accepting pain as part of the reward.  Thanks Jill!  Just the direction I needed. I'm excited to learn.  Not sure why I skipped this chapter before.  Another friend wrote this week about an awesome metaphor in helping us accept and deal with pain...to see ourselves as a container and being big enough to hold all the pain as it comes.  This visual she used really clicked with me!  

I'm in learning mode!  I've got my running journal, highlighters and pens ready and whenever I find free time in this crazy life of mine, I do plan on putting my student hat on and reading a ton to gear up for Boston training.  Bring it!  

 Here are some pics.  I'm posting them because they are proof to myself that I did dig deep at the end.  It may have only been for the last half mile but I still met my goal.  Baby Steps.  And you'll notice that the first picture is just a look of "I'm in control and will be slow for my first mile."

Start. Slow and steady.

Mid race? 

End of race.

Amanda