20 Miler Race report
I packed a change of cloths, gu, filled my water bag, charged my mp3 player and laid out my race cloths the night before and this time I did not have any crazy last minute scrambles. Well that is if we don't count the Saturday shopping spree where I madly tried to find a lightweight vest or jacket to replace my fleece jacket (it is a thin one) I have been running with all winter. With temps in the 40's to 50's being predicted for race morning I was nervous about overheating in my normal gear. The shopping trip was not productive on the lighter outer wear front and after hemming and hawing over countless articles of running clothing I threw in the towel and headed home and back to my old reliable jacket.
I decided to go with one underarmor shirt and my fleece jacket. All winter I have been running with hat and full face mask so was totally out of my comfort zone to be leaving my face mask behind and all my running friends teasingly refer to it as my "binky" because I haven't done a single run without it in the last 3 months.
I set the alarm for 5 am, woke drank 12 ounces of water and scarfed down some oatmeal with raisins and banana mashed into it. I hate eating breakfast in the morning and always drink lots of very milky decafe coffee when I first get up but after much talking with my trainers and nutritionist I was determined to eat at least 2 hours before race start and I did it. I still got some coffee in on the way to the race and a little bit more at check in.
Because we were part of a training teams with the group hosting the race my friends and I got a special parking pass so were able to pull right into the lot and not have to fight for race morning parking which I must say was really a nice treat!
After we parked at the school we made straight for the restrooms and then met up with some of our team. We were there just early enough to fit in a dynamic workout in the parkinglot when the sky decided to drop some sprinkling rain on us. the rain shower passed as quickly as it arrived and the sun started to work it's way through the clouds. We lined up for the start with skies clearing and temps in the low 50's. There were about 600 entraints including folks doing the 10 mile run, individuals doing the 20 miole run and folks doing relay teams for the 20 mile distance. The race was a 10 mile loop run twice for those of us doing the 20 mile distance.
The race started just a few minutes off schedule but the crowd was excited and positive and there was a happy group of folks striding out. Using my training and my half time I knew I wanted to try to pace myself at about a 10:30 mile. It was hard holding back in the begining of the race. Watching folks I run with, and normally pace with or close to, pull ahead but I knew in order to see the distance through I needed to keep myself in check for the first leg. The temperature and the day stayed beautiful, a bit of head wind at points but it helped keep me from overheating (stubbornly in my fleece afterall).
I still haven't mastered the quick drinking so run with a Nathan water backpack so that I can sip and stay hydrated along the race. I did attempt some gatorade from a couple of the aid stations and even with the pinched cup trick I still wore most of it and felt like i gulped it too much.
The first 10 miles were really good, felt strong and in good spirits. I knew the really tough part would be when I looped back by the school and watched 70% of the runners ver off and cross the finish line. There is a different feel to a race when all of a sudden you find yourself virtually alone and continuing onward to the sounds of celebration behind you. One of my running and training team friends, who had already completed her 10 mile race, made the difference in my race by jogging up to me right at that point and saying how great i was doing and could she join me for a little while. She kept me company and ran out for another 2 miles with me and filled me with positive thoughts and energy. I would suggest trying to recruit a buddy for this to anyone doing a long loop type of race for sure. Thank you Julie!!! The real joy of working with my training group for this race was getting to know so many different and wonderful runners of all different abilities, desires and goals. My favorite part of this race was recognizing their faces in the passing and the way we encouraged one another to push on and do our individual best no matter what that was.
I used two GU's one at about mile 7 and one at about mile 15. I was tired but feeling pretty good physically until my toes started to smash into the front of my shoes at the 16 mile mark. I started the mental countdown, it's just a four miler left, you can do a four miler, wiggle those toes back a bit, just keep putting the feet forward. Then I got a pretty good stomach cramp/stitch type of thing right below my rib cage on my right hand side. As long as I kept my abdomen squeezed as tight as I could the pain would back off. So I just kept listening to good music and telling myself I can do hard things. to take the focus away from all the aches and pains I would concentrate in on my gait, the way my body was moving, try to feel some more bounce in my gait make the landing lighter on my knees and put some sway in my hips.
The last 2 miles were hard and I promised myself I would not have to run any distance further than 20 miles if I didn't want to but I had to and wanted to and would celebrate running this 20 so i was gonna keep moving and feel the joy of it. I searched through my mp3 player until I found some soul pumping tunes and rocked it home. I actually pulled myself together for that last sprint to the finish (well sprint by my tired legs' standards) and my friends were there cheering me on so I honestly couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate this major mile victory for me.
edited: forgot to add my time 3 hrs 26 minutes
I decided to go with one underarmor shirt and my fleece jacket. All winter I have been running with hat and full face mask so was totally out of my comfort zone to be leaving my face mask behind and all my running friends teasingly refer to it as my "binky" because I haven't done a single run without it in the last 3 months.
I set the alarm for 5 am, woke drank 12 ounces of water and scarfed down some oatmeal with raisins and banana mashed into it. I hate eating breakfast in the morning and always drink lots of very milky decafe coffee when I first get up but after much talking with my trainers and nutritionist I was determined to eat at least 2 hours before race start and I did it. I still got some coffee in on the way to the race and a little bit more at check in.
Because we were part of a training teams with the group hosting the race my friends and I got a special parking pass so were able to pull right into the lot and not have to fight for race morning parking which I must say was really a nice treat!
After we parked at the school we made straight for the restrooms and then met up with some of our team. We were there just early enough to fit in a dynamic workout in the parkinglot when the sky decided to drop some sprinkling rain on us. the rain shower passed as quickly as it arrived and the sun started to work it's way through the clouds. We lined up for the start with skies clearing and temps in the low 50's. There were about 600 entraints including folks doing the 10 mile run, individuals doing the 20 miole run and folks doing relay teams for the 20 mile distance. The race was a 10 mile loop run twice for those of us doing the 20 mile distance.
The race started just a few minutes off schedule but the crowd was excited and positive and there was a happy group of folks striding out. Using my training and my half time I knew I wanted to try to pace myself at about a 10:30 mile. It was hard holding back in the begining of the race. Watching folks I run with, and normally pace with or close to, pull ahead but I knew in order to see the distance through I needed to keep myself in check for the first leg. The temperature and the day stayed beautiful, a bit of head wind at points but it helped keep me from overheating (stubbornly in my fleece afterall).
I still haven't mastered the quick drinking so run with a Nathan water backpack so that I can sip and stay hydrated along the race. I did attempt some gatorade from a couple of the aid stations and even with the pinched cup trick I still wore most of it and felt like i gulped it too much.
The first 10 miles were really good, felt strong and in good spirits. I knew the really tough part would be when I looped back by the school and watched 70% of the runners ver off and cross the finish line. There is a different feel to a race when all of a sudden you find yourself virtually alone and continuing onward to the sounds of celebration behind you. One of my running and training team friends, who had already completed her 10 mile race, made the difference in my race by jogging up to me right at that point and saying how great i was doing and could she join me for a little while. She kept me company and ran out for another 2 miles with me and filled me with positive thoughts and energy. I would suggest trying to recruit a buddy for this to anyone doing a long loop type of race for sure. Thank you Julie!!! The real joy of working with my training group for this race was getting to know so many different and wonderful runners of all different abilities, desires and goals. My favorite part of this race was recognizing their faces in the passing and the way we encouraged one another to push on and do our individual best no matter what that was.
I used two GU's one at about mile 7 and one at about mile 15. I was tired but feeling pretty good physically until my toes started to smash into the front of my shoes at the 16 mile mark. I started the mental countdown, it's just a four miler left, you can do a four miler, wiggle those toes back a bit, just keep putting the feet forward. Then I got a pretty good stomach cramp/stitch type of thing right below my rib cage on my right hand side. As long as I kept my abdomen squeezed as tight as I could the pain would back off. So I just kept listening to good music and telling myself I can do hard things. to take the focus away from all the aches and pains I would concentrate in on my gait, the way my body was moving, try to feel some more bounce in my gait make the landing lighter on my knees and put some sway in my hips.
The last 2 miles were hard and I promised myself I would not have to run any distance further than 20 miles if I didn't want to but I had to and wanted to and would celebrate running this 20 so i was gonna keep moving and feel the joy of it. I searched through my mp3 player until I found some soul pumping tunes and rocked it home. I actually pulled myself together for that last sprint to the finish (well sprint by my tired legs' standards) and my friends were there cheering me on so I honestly couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate this major mile victory for me.
edited: forgot to add my time 3 hrs 26 minutes
awesome! it sounds like you executed the race and trained very well. your comment about how different a two loop race is when most finish after the first is spot on, that's happened to me a bunch of times (including my first marathon), it gets pretty mental. i'm with you on the cup drinking too, i end up snarfing half of it up my nose most of the time. i carry a nathan water squeeze bottle, but have to resort to cups after 10 miles or so. great job on the race! congrats!
Where are we going?? And why am I in this handbasket??
right now. somewhere. somebody is working harder than you.
right now. somewhere. somebody is working harder than you.
i'm SO incredibly IMPRESSED! Great job!!
That's a GREAT time too! OMG - you are awesome!
That's a GREAT time too! OMG - you are awesome!
Read my blog, BARIATHLETE I run because I can.
First 5K race October 4, 2009 (34.59) PR 5/22/11 (27:26)
First 5 Mile: January 1, 2011 (50:30)
First 10K: July 4, 2010 (1:03.26) New PR 4/10/11 (1:01.14)
First 10 Mile: April 11, 2010 (1:46.15)
First 1/2 marathon: June 13, 2010 (2:22.21) PR: 5/1/11 (2:17.30)
First Marathon: October 16, 2011: 5:47:20
Goofy Challenge: January 7-8, 2012
If you think you can, you can. If you think you can't, you're right. - Mary Kay Ash
First 5K race October 4, 2009 (34.59) PR 5/22/11 (27:26)
First 5 Mile: January 1, 2011 (50:30)
First 10K: July 4, 2010 (1:03.26) New PR 4/10/11 (1:01.14)
First 10 Mile: April 11, 2010 (1:46.15)
First 1/2 marathon: June 13, 2010 (2:22.21) PR: 5/1/11 (2:17.30)
First Marathon: October 16, 2011: 5:47:20
Goofy Challenge: January 7-8, 2012
If you think you can, you can. If you think you can't, you're right. - Mary Kay Ash
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