Race Report – Rock ‘n’ Roll Denver Half Marathon

I originally registered to run the Marathon, but due to an injury resulting in a lack of training, I decided to run the Half instead. Even after that decision, I still hadn't done much training in terms of running. My last run of that distance was in July at the EPIC Relay, and over 10 miles was 2 months ago at Ragnar. Since then, I ran the six-pack races, which culminated in a disappointing run/walk 10k about a month ago. A couple of 3 mile runs peppered in since then, and you can see why I should have been nervous about this race. But I really wasn't. I told Julie about 30 minutes before the race that I wasn't really nervous, and that was not a good thing. I explained that when I was in school and unprepared for a test, I would get this strange sense of calm and decide to wing it, which obviously didn't
always yield positive results. So, here I was, getting ready to “wing it” for 13.1 miles and see what happened.

The Start: I lined up in Corral 8, towards the back and thought about my approach. My goal was really just to beat my worst Half time (2:20:34) and I thought I could finish around 2:10 or 2:15. I knew this wouldn't be a PR, but I figured if I could maintain somewhere around 10 minute miles I would be okay with that. I also decided, much like last year’s marathon, that I wanted to have fun and enjoy the experience. My corral finally got up to the start line and with the horn I was off. I was pretty much in the middle and looked for Julie at the start, but couldn't see her.

Miles 1-5: Heading down the first mile was pretty cool. It was a downhill slope, so it made it easy to kind of find a groove fairly soon. I hate races that start off with an incline. Someone made the comment about being able to see the city differently while running as opposed to driving and I couldn’t agree more. I felt like I was at a good pace, my breathing was steady and I felt good, better than I normally do on the first mile. Shortly after Mile 2 a guy asked me how I liked my HydraQuiver Double Barrel and I had a short conversation with him about the benefits. (I had both bottles, one with water and one with Nuun fruit punch water, which was more than I needed for the Half, but it saved me from crowded water and Gatorade stops). Anyway, that was another reassuring moment, being able to have a conversation on a hill and maintain my pace. Somewhere during Mile 3 (again on an uphill) one of my Ragnar teammates tapped me on the shoulder and said hello, which made me smile and kept me going. And right around Mile 5, a pacer for someone else, who was riding a bicycle, told her runner to “slow your pace down a little” which actually made sense for me as well. Splits: (9:25; 9:30; 9:34; 9:32; 9:12)

Miles 6-10: Halfway through Mile 6 I took a short walk break for a gel. (Vitamin Shoppe isn't currently carrying Honey Stinger Vanilla, and I didn’t plan well enough to restock my CarbBoom! gels, so I for this race I went back to my old choice of GU Vanilla Bean. I had 2 of those, and 1 CarbBoom! Strawberry Kiwi that I saved for last.) I started up running again and was pleased that it felt like I got right back into the groove. I saw a spectator with an Ohio State sweatshirt, so I yelled, “Go Bucks! O-H!” and he shouted back “I-O!” which kept me smiling. Up around the corner after Mile 6 I was chugging along and heard someone shout my name from the sidewalk. I looked over and saw another Ragnar teammate who was out cheering on runners. It’s definitely pretty cool to hear your name when you aren’t expecting it. After that I was just cruising along, enjoying the scenery and not really much to report, other than the fact that I pulled 2 sub-9:00 miles! I was pretty excited about that. Just before Mile 10 I was headed uphill on Wewatta Street and I took a walk break about halfway up the hill for my last gel. I then saw some photographers, so I definitely had take off and run up the hill to get past them before some water to wash down the gel! And then down the hill past Coors Field and down Walnut. By this time, my legs were feeling pretty tired, but I know once I hit 10 miles, there was only a 5k to go, and I know I can run a 5k, so that kept me going. Splits: (9:18; 9:28; 8:52; 8:40; 9:44)

Miles 11-13.1: The Mile 11 sign was at the end of a short out and back on Larimer Street, so it was kind of cool seeing other runners making the turn, and I knew that sign meant only 2 more miles. My right knee and hip started aching a little bit, which in the past has happened about this point in the Half, so I wasn't overly concerned. I knew it was as much my lack of training catching up with me as anything. Then Mile 12, just one more mile. Just keeping forward progress, and suddenly I see the park, and then the turn for the finish line. I make the right turn and pick up the pace and hear Brett, Mona and Julie yell my name. I look over at them and smile and that boosts me across the finish line. Splits: (9:36; 9:41; 9:56; and .1 = 8:12 pace)

I have to say I loved the course. I tackled the hills with no real problems, tried to enjoy the scenery and accomplished my goal of having fun. Running past the Pepsi Center, Sports Authority Field at Mile High and Coors Field was awesome, though it would have been cooler to get a little closer, and I would have liked to actually run on the path around Sloan’s Lake instead of on the street, but logistically I know those things weren't possible. The crowd support was awesome, there were some creative signs ("Run Faster! Ebola is coming!" and "You'll all survive the Zombie Apocalypse better than we will!") and there was just a great energy through the entire course of the Half.

I have now completed nine Half Marathons since I started taking running seriously back in 2010, with this one ending up being my 4th best (only 10 seconds slower than the 3rd best!). Unless I schedule another on before then, it would be kind of cool to run my 10th one on the 10th Anniversary of Colfax.

I will finish by noting that I have always been one to admit that I don’t work out, I’m a runner. That changed a few weeks back and while I hadn't done the proper amount of running to train for this, I have been eating cleaner and working out twice a week, as well as swimming once or twice a week. This race validated what I've often been told - cross-training can be beneficial to the runner. I do like working out and plan to start to add more running back into the mix and hopefully get faster in the coming year.

Overall, a great race for me, I exceeded my own expectations and once again realized that it is within me to accomplish what I set out to do.

Race Report – Prairie Dog Half Marathon

The picture is the post-it note I wrote my race goals on a couple of days prior to the race. Since I read something like this a few years, I try to have 3 race-day time goals:

Goal A: All the stars are aligned, best possible scenario; Jesus loves me, optimum performance goal.

Goal B: The most reasonable goal, sometimes things go haywire, but Jesus still loves me and this is what I was shooting for.

Goal C: The slowest acceptable time. Jesus still loves me, but maybe today wasn’t my day, and I should still be able to gut it out and make it happen.

This was my 7^th Half Marathon, and in the days leading up to it, I was feeling nervous. I explained to Julie that it wasn’t butterflies nervous; it was lack of confidence nervous. You see, I had done the training, but since the Marathon in October, I haven’t really watched my nutrition (yes, that includes a few more beers than I probably needed!). In addition, the training plan I was on didn’t include the long runs I was used to from some of my past plans. It did use more speed work/intervals and pushed me out of my comfort zone a bit, but because it was different, I just wasn’t sure. I tried to trust it though and keep positive thoughts.

I purposely started out at the back of the pack. I had a goal in mind, but on this day, in my head and in my heart, I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. I wasn’t sure who showed up today. I crossed the start line and started my stopwatch. I passed a few people and tried to settle into a comfortable pace. If I was going to beat 2 hours, I needed to run at most, a 9:09 average pace. At the first mile, I checked my watch. 8:00 - too fast. At the second mile, my watch showed 16:17 - still too fast. Third mile showed 24:39. At this point, I still felt pretty good, and in my mind I was thinking, “Well, I’ve banked a little time for when I get to the hills”. I realize this is not an intelligent race strategy. I’ve always had trouble regulating my pace when I run alone.

Anyway, I loved the little trip near old town Louisville, although I would have liked to go right down Main Street because it is such a pretty downtown. As we started climbing up the hill, I was thinking it wasn’t too bad, a steady climb, not quite as steep as Holly Street in Thornton, which I run up pretty regularly. Then we kept climbing and it kept getting steeper. I can honestly say that as I was struggling to get up the portion in the open space, I thought of Meg Menzies, the young mother who was killed by a drunk driver January 13. Honoring her memory and realizing that I was still able to run definitely helped me keep going up that hill. I did walk for a short time after that hill while I took a Honey Stinger gel, and I did walk quickly through the water stops I did take. (Side note: the volunteers at the water stops are awesome, and do a great job! Be sure to thank as many volunteers as you can when you race!!)

I was also rewarded with a gorgeous view of the snow-capped Rocky Mountains, bathed in the sunlight of a beautiful Colorado day. I saw James and as I passed him I commented “Nice job on the course. That was a good hill.” He laughed as I ran by, because he knew something I didn’t. Through the end of that cul-de-sac, after a short trail, there was ANOTHER hill. Egads. I did know that once we got past the hilly portion, it was mostly downhill to the finish, so that kept me going.

There was an out-and-back portion around mile 6.5-7 that included this cute little switchback that was a mini version of the mile-long switchback at the 10k Turkey Trek and whatever I was feeling at that point, it made me smile.

I was watching my time, and even at this point, I was pretty sure I could beat two hours, but I wasn’t taking it for granted. I wanted to get to 10 miles, to know that I only had a 5k left. However, somehow, I missed the 10 mile marker, and I was starting to get a little worried, as my legs were getting tired. Eventually I saw Mile 11 and knew that, based on my time, I could PROBABLY walk a bit and still beat 2:00, or at the worst, still get a PR (2:02:06). But there was no walking. I was determined now. I made it this far, I needed to keep running.

After I crossed under Cherry Street and started to head back toward the home stretch, I was running right into the wind. It was cold and strong and discouraging. I’ve run into the wind before, mostly headed West on 120^th Street near my house. The key for me is to keep my head down and just keep pushing forward. Eventually I could see the runners ahead turning left and knew it wouldn’t be for much longer. I made that turn, headed into the final loop through the subdivision, and up to Dahlia Street. The right turn onto Dahlia was great. The sign said Mile 13. Only .1 mile to go and I could see the Finish line. I tried to muster up some sort of a kick and it took a second, but I found a little bit and started looking for Julie along the route. I finally spotted her just under the time clock, and smiled as I crossed the line. I looked down at my watch to see 1:55:06. A PR by exactly seven minutes. I got my medal and high-five from my friend Tom, and then cried as I hugged Julie. I did it.

For the record, I used an iPhone app called GIPIS, which tailors a training plan based on recent race times and the date of the upcoming race. I used encouraging words from friends and the awesome volunteers, as well as mantras like “it is within you” and “you can do this” to keep me going.