Checking out the finish line. 
Fueling up. (Can you tell Shawn was in charge of the camera? There are very rarely this many pictures of me at any given event.)
The nice thing about the Moab 1/2 is that it has a nice late start, so no need to get up at 4:00 in the morning. However, this is a little problematic in that in all of my training, I get up and run early with no food. It's hard to know what and how to eat so as not to affect the run too much.
Fueling up. (Can you tell Shawn was in charge of the camera? There are very rarely this many pictures of me at any given event.)
The nice thing about the Moab 1/2 is that it has a nice late start, so no need to get up at 4:00 in the morning. However, this is a little problematic in that in all of my training, I get up and run early with no food. It's hard to know what and how to eat so as not to affect the run too much. The view as we walked to get on the shuttle that would take us up the canyon.
This is where the shuttle dropped us off - probably about 3/4 of a mile from the actual start. Essentially, people were in one of two places, either lining up to use the port-a-potties or huddling on the rocks to stay out of the wind.
Definitely a very scenic run. The first 10 miles are in the canyon with views like this.
Shawn, a bit more excited for the run than I am. (Typical, of course.)
Me, just trying to stay warm. As I mentioned, it was windy. Big gusting winds. Some of you may know that I will get up in the early morning hours to run in the rain, the cold and the snow. But if it is windy, I will happily crawl back into bed almost every single time. I HATE running in the wind! (With the rare exception of sailing or kite flying, I actually don't like the wind at all, running in it or not.) So, woo hoo! You can imagine how happy I was to be doing this race into huge gusting head winds. (A tail wind I could have handled, but no. It had to be a head wind.)
Having done this race before, I think it was actually quite a bit warmer this time, but with the gusting winds, it was hard to tell. And with this particular race, you are sitting up at the start for 1 1/2 to 2 hours before the start - shivering. And you have to remove your non-racing layers 30 minutes before the start so they can be sent down to the finish. Yep, it's COLD! (I was really glad Shawn had brought his puffy coat.)
Shawn playing photographer.
Eventually, we joined the crowds in line at the port-a-potties. It's just part of the racing experience.
So glad Shawn beat me out and had time to snap this photo. Now I'm off to hike up to the start and remove the layers that were keeping me (somewhat) warm.
I am not a fast runner - never have been, and I'm pretty sure at this point in my life, I never will be. I would still like to finish a 1/2 in under 2 hours, but I knew that wasn't going to happen this time. I just hadn't trained with enough speed work or intensity, or actually trained enough, period. So I set an adjusted goal time. At the 6 mile mark I was on pace to come in under 2 hours, but dropped to my adjusted pace time by mile 10. Then it got ugly. After leaving the canyon, miles 11 and 12 were 2 of the longest miles I have ever run. They were slow and tedious. I was blasted by the wind. I felt nauseated (Pretty typical for this point in a race for me - doesn't happen in a training run but always in a race.) I even started singing Eye of the Tiger to myself. (At least I think it was to myself, but it could have been out loud.) I was so glad to finally see the finish. And this is why I don't think I will ever have the desire to run a full marathon. I feel terrible at the end of 13.1, I can't even imagine how I would fuel to cover that distance again. This race has a lot more uphill than you might think with it being a "down" canyon run and a lot of false flats. Nothing like running down the canyons near my house, which definitely involve a lot more of the down part.
This is where the shuttle dropped us off - probably about 3/4 of a mile from the actual start. Essentially, people were in one of two places, either lining up to use the port-a-potties or huddling on the rocks to stay out of the wind.
Definitely a very scenic run. The first 10 miles are in the canyon with views like this.
Shawn, a bit more excited for the run than I am. (Typical, of course.)
Me, just trying to stay warm. As I mentioned, it was windy. Big gusting winds. Some of you may know that I will get up in the early morning hours to run in the rain, the cold and the snow. But if it is windy, I will happily crawl back into bed almost every single time. I HATE running in the wind! (With the rare exception of sailing or kite flying, I actually don't like the wind at all, running in it or not.) So, woo hoo! You can imagine how happy I was to be doing this race into huge gusting head winds. (A tail wind I could have handled, but no. It had to be a head wind.)
Having done this race before, I think it was actually quite a bit warmer this time, but with the gusting winds, it was hard to tell. And with this particular race, you are sitting up at the start for 1 1/2 to 2 hours before the start - shivering. And you have to remove your non-racing layers 30 minutes before the start so they can be sent down to the finish. Yep, it's COLD! (I was really glad Shawn had brought his puffy coat.)
Shawn playing photographer.
Eventually, we joined the crowds in line at the port-a-potties. It's just part of the racing experience.
So glad Shawn beat me out and had time to snap this photo. Now I'm off to hike up to the start and remove the layers that were keeping me (somewhat) warm.
I am not a fast runner - never have been, and I'm pretty sure at this point in my life, I never will be. I would still like to finish a 1/2 in under 2 hours, but I knew that wasn't going to happen this time. I just hadn't trained with enough speed work or intensity, or actually trained enough, period. So I set an adjusted goal time. At the 6 mile mark I was on pace to come in under 2 hours, but dropped to my adjusted pace time by mile 10. Then it got ugly. After leaving the canyon, miles 11 and 12 were 2 of the longest miles I have ever run. They were slow and tedious. I was blasted by the wind. I felt nauseated (Pretty typical for this point in a race for me - doesn't happen in a training run but always in a race.) I even started singing Eye of the Tiger to myself. (At least I think it was to myself, but it could have been out loud.) I was so glad to finally see the finish. And this is why I don't think I will ever have the desire to run a full marathon. I feel terrible at the end of 13.1, I can't even imagine how I would fuel to cover that distance again. This race has a lot more uphill than you might think with it being a "down" canyon run and a lot of false flats. Nothing like running down the canyons near my house, which definitely involve a lot more of the down part.At miles 11 and 12, I determined that I never needed to run a 1/2 marathon again. I was giving up racing altogether, but after sitting and recovering a little I decided I just didn't need to run this race again. I finished about 3 1/2 minutes off of my adjusted goal time, so it wasn't a total loss and maybe without the wind I could have done it, but I don't know that I need to come back and try to find out.
Shawn also finished about 3 minutes off of his adjusted goal time, but he is quite a bit faster than I am and finished in well under 2 hours. I think I finished in about the top 30 percent of my age group so I'll call it a success.
One of Shawn's favorite parts of racing, is the absolutely guilt free eating afterwards, so we went and got him a big burger and we both enjoyed fries and shakes before heading home again. Now Shawn's asking if I'm running the Salt lake 1/2 with him. (Seriously, there is no rest for the weary around here.) And it's time to decide if I am going to commit to the St. George Tri to see if I can redeem my 4th place finish from last year, or if I can just let it go.
Shawn also finished about 3 minutes off of his adjusted goal time, but he is quite a bit faster than I am and finished in well under 2 hours. I think I finished in about the top 30 percent of my age group so I'll call it a success.
One of Shawn's favorite parts of racing, is the absolutely guilt free eating afterwards, so we went and got him a big burger and we both enjoyed fries and shakes before heading home again. Now Shawn's asking if I'm running the Salt lake 1/2 with him. (Seriously, there is no rest for the weary around here.) And it's time to decide if I am going to commit to the St. George Tri to see if I can redeem my 4th place finish from last year, or if I can just let it go.
A BIG thank you to Grandma Judy and Jake, who stayed with the kidlets. (Even though Jake paid Samantha to change Peter's poopy diaper, rather than do it himself. That made me laugh.)
5 comments:
Plus, it was just fun to be with you. Nice job. So, how about SL?
love, ss
oh boy... Dana has been trying to talk me into doing this with her next year and she about had me but after reading this I'm not sure... sounds pretty horrible.
I am as always impressed with you though! Way to go! :)
You're awesome. You just bust out 13. not like it's the most beautiful, but most of us would be throwing up by mile six. Way to go!!! I "escaped" the half I had started training for the minute I saw Women's Conference was the same weekend!
You're awesome!!
I HATE RUNNING IN THE WIND TOO!!! I haven't been running as much as usual because it has been soooo windy! HATE IT.
I think slower running is the way to go! I see so many runners with injury and I think it's directly related to the obsession to drop time. Humans can run 'forever' at their happy pace. That pace will differ from person to person.
Sure, a quick short run (under 4 miles) is not a problem. But pushing the body for long distances under stress wears out the parts.
I feel the same way about Ironman races. I think 1/2 ironman is a fine healthy distance. But Ironman's get into that 'unhealthy' category. I base this opinion on endurance distances as it effects heart rate, etc. For instance, with the 1/2 marathon you probably didn't have any side effects in your heart, or feet, or legs. Just a nice long run. The marathon your heart would have been effected for a week afterwards. The 1/2, you probably could have (and may have) gone for a bike ride after your run...or a nice swim to stretch things out. You know?
and then there's fuel...!
I appreciate your candor. I have to say, it makes me nervous for the Freedom 1/2, but I will still plan to do it. You and Shawn will always amaze me. You are rock stars in my book.
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