Atlanta Half Marathon Another version
So Thanksgiving was to be a family day for us I was running the Half Marathon and my 2 boys were running the 1 mile kids run.
I went into race week pretty good with minimal freaking out. Focused on nutrition and hydration for the 5 days leading into the race. I did a quick 3 mile TM session on the monday before the race to keep the legs loose and my confidence up.
Weds. night I make my list and lay everything out for the morning, I pinned bib numbers on my boys shirts and got the babies clothes ready. The goal was for everyone to wake up and need as little time to get ready as possible as we had to drive to the otherside of Atlanta, I would rather be early to a race and have time to chill than be late and in panic.
Thursday morning I get up at 3:15 and have a protein shake with a couple bananas as I don't have enough confidence in my system to eat leading into a long event and not eating allows me to still focus on hydration. I wake everyone at 4am and just as I hoped everyone is able to get ready and we head out the door at 5am WOOT things are going good so far.
We get to Turner Field and find a sweet Parking spot right between the Start and Finish lines so my Family can watch the start without having to get out of the car. I hit the port-a-can one last time and then start looking around to see if I can find Bill or any of my other friends racing that day. Finding Bill was a no go so I head to my corral and pace team, I had signed up for the 2:15 pace team figuring I would hopefully be able to hang with them the whole distance and if I couldn't then I wouldn't have lost anything. I meet up with Jay in the pace team and we eventually start heading to the start.
We get the GO for our start and off we go. I fall in with the pace team and find that it is a comfortable an doable pace. At mile 1 I feel a cramp in my left thigh and a big loud "****" echos through my head, but I kept pushing forward. Our Pace team had way to many peoplemost of whom were trying to crowd to the front of the wave and not nearly enough room on the sections of road they had closed off. I finally got tired of fighting for elbow room and kicked the pace up a bit at the firs****er station as people began to walk through the station. Jay and myself maintained a nice steady pace that was pretty comfortable and kept us ahead of our pace team. Jay and I run the first 7.5 or so miles togther urging eachother on, I truely believe it was running togther that helped us both run at a pace about 30-60 seconds faster than we had trained at. A few things started going wrong that seperated Jay and myself, the first was the crowd going through Piedmont park was enourmous, I had figured the runners would have really spread out by this point but I guess with 10,000 runners there really isn't such a thing as spread out. So first thing that seperated us was the crowd, but my leg was really starting to get the best of me but I kep pushing through and remembering the "Fat Boys Quit" mantra. Miles 8 through 10 were through a not so good part of town and the homeless people were actually cheering on all the runners so how can one not keep going. Then it is just a 5K left BUT this is the part of the race where it starts to get nasty and the hills really kick in but I pushed through and was able to maintain what i felt was an acceptable pace giving my leg was really starting to hurt. It wasn't until the last few hills which start at about 11.75 miles that I am just unable to run up the hills no matter how hard I willed myself to keep running my body just couldn't so I walked the most of the last 4 hills. Each hill I would look at my Garmin and see my hopes of a 2:15 slip away and then my hopes of a 2:20 passed by. Yes I was pissed. I crest the last hill and see the finish and kick with all that I have left to get at least a strong finish. As I am running to the finnish the announcer is randomly calling names off of the people as they approach the finnish and I hear my name and wave and smile as I head to the finish. I cross the finish and my Gamin reads 2:24 Yes this was a PR but I am totally down on myself knowing that had I not walked those hills I possibly could have hit my 2:20, and this feeling would get the best of the next 2 days.
I meet up with Jay and make sure he gets his finishers Photo and meet up with my Family and get a Finishers Photo with my Boys and their medals. Physically i felt better coming out of this race than I did my first.
So I learned a few things on this race as I do on all my races which I will take into my next race. However my left thigh was just not recovering on Saturday I ask my wife if she will rub it for me and she is like "WHOA! you have a massive bruise on it" Well I know this is now good so I haul myself off to the ER. So here is what i learned at the ER talking with the Doctor.
A few nights before the race I was out picking stuff up at the store with my oldest and we Started running back to the car at which point I feel and hear a small POP in my left thigh. Doctor informed me that this was me partially tearing my Hamstring, and since I did nothing on it the days leading into the race it was not an issue. Running 13.1 miles with a partially torn Hamstring just obviously made it much worse. Now almost the entire back side of my Left Leg is bruised and discolored and hurts like a mofo except when on the pain meds.
So given the fact that I ran 13.1 miles with a torn hamstring and was able to have an avg sub 11 pace and a 10:30 for over half the race I guess I can't be to hard on myself.
I went into race week pretty good with minimal freaking out. Focused on nutrition and hydration for the 5 days leading into the race. I did a quick 3 mile TM session on the monday before the race to keep the legs loose and my confidence up.
Weds. night I make my list and lay everything out for the morning, I pinned bib numbers on my boys shirts and got the babies clothes ready. The goal was for everyone to wake up and need as little time to get ready as possible as we had to drive to the otherside of Atlanta, I would rather be early to a race and have time to chill than be late and in panic.
Thursday morning I get up at 3:15 and have a protein shake with a couple bananas as I don't have enough confidence in my system to eat leading into a long event and not eating allows me to still focus on hydration. I wake everyone at 4am and just as I hoped everyone is able to get ready and we head out the door at 5am WOOT things are going good so far.
We get to Turner Field and find a sweet Parking spot right between the Start and Finish lines so my Family can watch the start without having to get out of the car. I hit the port-a-can one last time and then start looking around to see if I can find Bill or any of my other friends racing that day. Finding Bill was a no go so I head to my corral and pace team, I had signed up for the 2:15 pace team figuring I would hopefully be able to hang with them the whole distance and if I couldn't then I wouldn't have lost anything. I meet up with Jay in the pace team and we eventually start heading to the start.
We get the GO for our start and off we go. I fall in with the pace team and find that it is a comfortable an doable pace. At mile 1 I feel a cramp in my left thigh and a big loud "****" echos through my head, but I kept pushing forward. Our Pace team had way to many peoplemost of whom were trying to crowd to the front of the wave and not nearly enough room on the sections of road they had closed off. I finally got tired of fighting for elbow room and kicked the pace up a bit at the firs****er station as people began to walk through the station. Jay and myself maintained a nice steady pace that was pretty comfortable and kept us ahead of our pace team. Jay and I run the first 7.5 or so miles togther urging eachother on, I truely believe it was running togther that helped us both run at a pace about 30-60 seconds faster than we had trained at. A few things started going wrong that seperated Jay and myself, the first was the crowd going through Piedmont park was enourmous, I had figured the runners would have really spread out by this point but I guess with 10,000 runners there really isn't such a thing as spread out. So first thing that seperated us was the crowd, but my leg was really starting to get the best of me but I kep pushing through and remembering the "Fat Boys Quit" mantra. Miles 8 through 10 were through a not so good part of town and the homeless people were actually cheering on all the runners so how can one not keep going. Then it is just a 5K left BUT this is the part of the race where it starts to get nasty and the hills really kick in but I pushed through and was able to maintain what i felt was an acceptable pace giving my leg was really starting to hurt. It wasn't until the last few hills which start at about 11.75 miles that I am just unable to run up the hills no matter how hard I willed myself to keep running my body just couldn't so I walked the most of the last 4 hills. Each hill I would look at my Garmin and see my hopes of a 2:15 slip away and then my hopes of a 2:20 passed by. Yes I was pissed. I crest the last hill and see the finish and kick with all that I have left to get at least a strong finish. As I am running to the finnish the announcer is randomly calling names off of the people as they approach the finnish and I hear my name and wave and smile as I head to the finish. I cross the finish and my Gamin reads 2:24 Yes this was a PR but I am totally down on myself knowing that had I not walked those hills I possibly could have hit my 2:20, and this feeling would get the best of the next 2 days.
I meet up with Jay and make sure he gets his finishers Photo and meet up with my Family and get a Finishers Photo with my Boys and their medals. Physically i felt better coming out of this race than I did my first.
So I learned a few things on this race as I do on all my races which I will take into my next race. However my left thigh was just not recovering on Saturday I ask my wife if she will rub it for me and she is like "WHOA! you have a massive bruise on it" Well I know this is now good so I haul myself off to the ER. So here is what i learned at the ER talking with the Doctor.
A few nights before the race I was out picking stuff up at the store with my oldest and we Started running back to the car at which point I feel and hear a small POP in my left thigh. Doctor informed me that this was me partially tearing my Hamstring, and since I did nothing on it the days leading into the race it was not an issue. Running 13.1 miles with a partially torn Hamstring just obviously made it much worse. Now almost the entire back side of my Left Leg is bruised and discolored and hurts like a mofo except when on the pain meds.
So given the fact that I ran 13.1 miles with a torn hamstring and was able to have an avg sub 11 pace and a 10:30 for over half the race I guess I can't be to hard on myself.
Paul C.
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
Paul, I know for a fact that if we were able to finish the race together we both would have pushed to hit the 2:15 mark. I know I felt the hills and I didn't have a bad leg. So you gutting out the full 13.1 with that injury is awesome. Congratz!!! We will nail the Marathon and make the times happen.
Jay
First 5K 5/21/2011 00:48:24
First 13 mile run 02:31:39 10/30/2011
5K Race PR 24:38 5/2013
First TRIATHLON 1:48:37 5/7/2012
Augusta Ironman 70.3 6:54:67
Half Marathon PR 1:55:39 6/8/2013 Bootlegger Half Marathon
That's a crazy time/pace with an injury like that!! Congrats on the PR - i cant wait to see how the next one goes!
www.sexyskinnybitch.wordpress.com - my journey to sexy skinny bitch status
11/16/12 - Got my Body by Sauceda - arms, Bl/BA, LBL, thigh lift.
HW 420/ SW 335 /CW 200 
85 lbs lost pre-op / 135 post op
~~~~Alison~~~~~
Holy Superman! That is an incredible post and an even incredible accomplishment with a partially torn hamstring. Ouch!! Hopefully it heals up soon and you are back on track before you know it!!
9/9/09: Highest Weight: 506.5 lbs 9/20/10: Tufts Start Weight: 492.4 lbs
2/7/11: Surgery Wt: 462.5 lbs. 9/16/12: Current Weight: 287.8 lbs.
4/15/12: First 5K - BAA 5K - PR 35:49
first off, you shouldn't be down on yourself period. you just ran 13.1 miles! but you know this. the fact you did that race (on those hills) with a torn hammy is pretty incredible. heal up, i can't wait to see what you do on healthy legs.
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.
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