Madison Half

On July 24th I ran the Madison Half Marathon.  It was a pretty awesome experience.  Here are the highlights:

I got to Montana a couple of days early.  Though I have been to Montana before, I was blown away by the beauty of the land and sky. 

On Saturday I went exploring and took some pictures.  The rain had cleared up, and I could see each layer of mountain in front of me.    

I half-expected to see a grizzly in one of the meadows but never did.

I climbed this hill to get another perspective...and got winded from the elevation.  Uh oh.

Indian Paintbrush for my good friend Rose

The highest elevation of the race

Sunday morning registration came early.  Apparently I wasn't thinking straight because I left my iPod and my Garmin back at the car.  I got on the bus to the starting line with just my race stuff (water bottle, shoes, clothes, two gels, and some Chomps) and a smile.

The 13.1-mile bus ride to the start was long, and truth be told, that intimidated me. I wondered how my lungs would do at 9,500', and I worried I was going to come in last...again.  (Such things shouldn't bother me, and for the most part they don't; but I had to make a conscious effort to tell myself that I was there for the views and the experience and not the time.)

About to start and a little nervous

The race started around 9:15, and it was unlike any start that I have ever seen.  The race director's son rang a triangle announcing the start, and everyone started running.  But that only lasted a couple of seconds; the first hill was right in front of us, and most slowed to a power-hike.  It was awesome to see other racers walking with me; my spirits improved instantaneously.

The first few miles of the race were good.  I hiked all of the uphills, and I even passed a few people.  (Perhaps I should thank Moscow Mountain and Kamiak Butte for that.)  I loved running the downhills. 

Isn't this just an awesome dirt road?! This stretch is pretty typical of what I saw for the whole race.

 

I knew that the climb to the highest part of the race was coming up, but I embraced the fact that the long, hard climb was inevitable.  After over a mile of climbing, I still had this far to go:

This picture just doesn't do the mountain justice.  It was TOUGH!

Just past the summit, I caught up with a runner named Tim, and we ran together for almost two miles.  It was nice to jog and chat with someone I never would have met without this race. 

It is funny that I don't have more stories about each mile like I did during my first half marathon and my first marathon.  The race just kinda blends together as a gorgeous long run that I am blessed to have experienced.  I never felt like I was gonna die; I never wanted to cry when I realized how far I still had to go.  I just enjoyed the landscape.  I don't want to get ahead of myself here, but it was almost as if I am getting more comfortable with the distance of a half marathon; I knew how long 13 miles feels, and I knew that I could handle it.

The only time I felt borderline-discouraged was around mile 9.  I felt like I had been climbing more than I was descending, and I then I saw this: 

Again, the climb was long and slow, but that just made the blue Gatorade even more delicious.  (Thank you, race volunteers!  You were amazing!!)

More views:

Black Butte

When I was around mile 11, I decided to check my time.  My average pace put my finish time at just about 3 hours even.  I decided to pick up the pace to ensure a 3-hour finish time. 

Unfortunately, my RunKeeper application on my phone and the course mile markers were a little bit off.  According to my app, I reached the 13-mile mark with two minutes to spare.  However, I didn't reach the 13-mile sign until after 3 hours had passed.  My official finish time was 3:03:09.

A welcome sight no matter how beautiful the course.

I was bitten by one of the deer flies that swarmed me from mile 11 on.  The welt took up the better part of my thigh by the next morning.

 

Tired legs

I am so glad to have run the Madison Half.  The landscape was breathtaking; the volunteers were wonderful; and the feeling I got after completing a race at over 9000', well, it makes me smile just thinking about it.  I highly recommend it... but bring your bug spray! :)

<3

 

Bellevue Ghost Half Marathon

After running a half marathon on Saturday, I signed up for a second half marathon on Sunday.  I must be a crazy person (or at least run and travel with a convincing one).

At 6:30, or so, we showed up for the Bellevue Ghost Half/Marathon.  After a briefing about the course, we were given a little piece of paper with the directions for the course. 

 

So, where do we go?

Good-lookin' group of runners

I normally don't like posting unflattering pictures of myself, but this one cracks me up.  It pretty much covers how I felt about attempting a second half marathon in one weekend.  

The race started just after 7:00, and the other racers left me in the dust by 7:05.  That was JUST FINE by me, though.  My legs were already hurting, and I was planning to walk the majority of the 13.1 miles anyway.  I put on my headphones and looked to the sidewalk for course markers.

Truth be told, I got lost a couple of times despite the yellow and silver arrows and the directions in my pocket.  Regardless, I got a walking tour of Bellevue, and I even met a marathoner who pulled over next to me after noticing my shirt.  We chatted for a bit, and then she directed me to the street that I was supposed to be on.

A little creepy

Mt. Rainier peaking over the trees

Shopping possibilities for after the race

Nice little run

Didn't love running alongside so many cars

Hilly Bellevue

When I made it to the finish, my Garmin said I had gone 13.2 miles in 3:58:38.  I didn't care that I was slow; I had just finished TWO half marathons!  And, I finished first in my division. ;)

Pretty cool.

<3

Rock 'N' Rock Half - Seattle 2011

What a weekend!  I completed TWO half marathons in two days and PR'ed on the first one.  Woo Hoo!  This is my race report for the first one.

The first race was the Rock and Roll Half Marathon in Seattle, WA.  The day before the race, we hit the expo, which is one of the coolest I've seen.  There were free Brooks products, a few games, and, as always, lot of gear.

Yay Brooks!

Rockin' at the Rock N Roll

"You will totally kick butt tomorrow..."

We got a hotel in Tukwila, so we walked 1.2 miles to the race.  On our little walk, I felt like my legs were nearly energized nor heavy, so I felt okay about the race at 7.

But even though the race was supposed to start at 7:00 (which it did), my corral - 32 - didn't get to the starting line until nearly 8:00.  That meant that I had an hour to people-watch, eavesdrop on other runner's conversations about injuries and gear, do some stretching, hit the beach balls flying over the crowd, and mouth-breathe (as to avoid the ever-growing stench of the porta-potties). 

The race start was pretty funny now that I look back on it.  The announcers counted down from ten, and I crossed the starting mat and clicked my Garmin at the same time.  Solid start.  But not fifteen steps down the course, I step wrong, and my right foot and ankle just didn't feel right; they didn't hurt necessarily, but they felt funny, and I immediately worried that the next 13.05 miles were gonna be rough.

I decided to keep my pace, however, and after the first mile, I could barely tell I had ever stepped funny.  My first 4 miles or so went really well.  In fact, I got it in my head at some point that I was going to run the whole 13.1 miles without walking.  But then came our first big hill, and I actually chuckled out loud at my silly optimism.  I slowed to a walk and ascended the hill.


Miles 6-9 were also pretty good.  I remember that I wanted to cry during mile 8 of my first half marathon - last July.  It was nice to pass mile 8 this year and not feel that urge.  Sure, my legs were tired, but I felt so much more confident this year than I did last.  I had confidence in my mind and body.  I knew I was going to finish strong.

Around mile 10 there was a great tunnel that we got to run through.  My Garmin lost satellite recepton, so it couldn't keep my pace, but the clock kept ticking away.  I ran the whole way, listening to the whoops and hollers echoing around me.  I felt the sweat run down the sides of my face, and I tried my best to ignore the soreness on my thighs.  (I remembered the sign I had seen a few miles back: "Chafe now; brag later!")

Once out of the tunnel, I looked at my time and realized that I had a very good chance of getting a PR.  I would have to keep up my sub-12-minute pace, but I saw that I had a nice downhill up ahead, and that gave me extra confidence and energy.  I ran down the freeway toward the city with a new spring in my step.

Miles 11-13 run together in my mind.  (I'm so punny!)  I just remember reminding myself that I am stronger now than I ever have been, that I am capable of more than I had once imagined, and that I was going to be proud of pushing myself.

I ran as hard as I could after the Mile 13 marker.  I knew I was going to get a PR, but I wanted to finish as strong as my body could.  I crossed at 2:36:56 (one minute and one second faster than my half in July of 2010).  I had a pace of 11:58/mile.

After the race, I was doing okay for a little while.  I collected my medal, and got my bottle of water.  However, as I started to wait in line for the official Finisher's Picture, I started feeling dizzy and my vision started going wonky.  I blinked hard to get the black in my vision to disappear, but no amount of blinking helped.  I knew I was about to pass out, so I leaned over to a runner next to me and asked her where the nearest medical tent was.  She said it was a long way away, and I grabbed onto her shirt for balance.  She and a gal in a medical staff T-shirt took me over to the sidewalk and had me lay back on the cool cement.  Before I knew it, I had multiple people helping me and giving me fluids.  I started to feel better.

I got up to walk with the medical gal named Beth, and we started to walk slowly over to the medical tent.  I learned about her daughters at WSU, and everything was going great... until my vision went all tunnel-y again, and my legs felt too weak to hold me up.  Thankfully we were at the medical tent's door, and they got me right in (ahead of the line).  I laid down on a cot, and they had me drink some electrolyte mixture and a big salt packet.  Then they put a cool cloth on my forehead.

I felt like an idiot.

When they asked me how much I had fueled up during my race, I felt even worse.  I had only stopped at one water station and one electrolyte drink station in the entire 13.1 miles.  I purposefully didn't eat my chocolate GU that I carried with me.  Not smart.

Wonderful people

After getting all fixed up by the sympathetic and knowledgeable medical staff, they finally let me go, and I made my way to the gear trucks.  On my way I saw Scott, who had already finished his marathon, and I told him about my race and medical fiasco.

After a few minutes of taking pictures and getting warmed up, we headed across the street to get some more fuel and hydration. :)

Tired but happy to hydrate

Well-deserved mac 'n' cheese

It was a great day!

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