Vegan Road Runner: Back to the Beach

Showing posts with label Back to the Beach. Show all posts

Monday, May 26, 2014

Lessons Learned: "Ultra" Half Marathon

Every once in a while it's good to reflect on yourself and your experiences, be they good or bad. Here are some things I learned from my most recent racing experience:

1. Know the course ahead of time. Do this by previewing it (if possible) or at least study the map well. Even though I'd run this race before it'd been a year and it's easy to forget. You can't always rely on the person in front of you, signs, or race officials to point you in the right direction. Things happen.

2. Yes, things happen. You trip and fall. It's cold, rainy, snowy, or hot. Someone faster than you shows up. You get lost. I almost let missing 3rd place and not getting a new course PR get in the way of what was an otherwise fun experience.

3. Move on. When a race doesn't go your way - for whatever reason - don't dwell on it. It was one race. Suck it up and get over it. There's always another day, another run, another race. In the big picture, no one really cares about the stats but you. And honestly, why do you care?

4. Remember why you run. You run to clear the cobwebs from your brain. To relieve the stress after a long day. To feel the sunshine on your face. To get in a 6-mile heart-to-heart with a good friend. To move your body because you can. Because it's fun. Because you love it. Not because of the medal or the pint glass or the award.

Looking back over this list, these aren't things I learned. These are things I already knew. But sometimes I get carried away in the excitement of the race. I get hung up on the expectations I place on myself.

I'm looking forward to taking a little break from training and racing. Not a break from running! Never. It's just time to dial back the pressure a bit and listen to my body.

And remember why I run.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

On the Run: Stony Creek "Back to the Beach" 1/2 Marathon 2014

Last weekend I ran my first ever "Ultra" 1/2 Marathon! Wait, an "Ultra" 1/2 Marathon, you say? Never heard of one of these? I'm sure you're wondering how I was lucky enough to find this event and get it on my racing calendar. Well, you can actually turn any regular 1/2 marathon into an ultra! Here's how it works:

Step 1: Run the race well enough so that you hit a point where you are running by yourself. You can't see any runners in front of you to follow; you can't see any runners behind you if you turn around. You want that sweet spot where there is a nice isolating gap. This point will likely come past the halfway point after you have worked hard to pick off many runners.

Step 2: Try to hit that gap right where there is a crucial turn. It would be preferable if that turn is not well marked and instead of taking the turn, you could easily keep going straight.

Step 3: Once you keep going straight, be oblivious to the fact that you still don't see runners, volunteers, spectators, or any other indicators that you are on course. Don't stop even when you see that you're in a parking lot.

Step 4: When you finally sense a problem, PANIC! Do not immediately turn back. Run in circles for 30 seconds trying to figure out what to do while you waste precious time.

Step 5: Run back and forth a little bit as you try to figure out what to do. This is an ULTRA, damn it! You're here for the miles!

Step 6: Tell yourself that enough is enough. Run back to the point where you missed the turn. Rejoin the race and haul to the finish line. And honestly, this is the fun part. Remember all those runners you passed in the first half of the race? You get to pass them all again! And they'll wonder where you came from. Shhh... it will be our little secret!

There you have it! Now you too can run your very own Ultra 1/2 Marathon!

Despite my little, uh, detour, Back to the Beach was a fantastic race. The weather was perfect - a little cool at the start but sunny. I love this race for the mix of trails, dirt road, pavement, and hills. It's definitely a tough course but I'm not one to shy away from a challenge!

All in all, I raced this one well. I was slower on the trails, not wanting to trip and twist an ankle. All the tree roots were well marked with orange paint but it had been a long time since I've run on trails so I needed to find my footing again. There are two sections of trails (with dirt roads and pavement in between) and by the time I got to part two I was moving a little quicker. The trail portions are varied - part shady, wooded areas and part open, grassy areas with dirt lanes (a.k.a. trolley trails). In the second section of trails - around mile 8 - there is a really big gravel hill that you really have to work at to power up. I loved it!! There was a decent crowd to cheer me on and I smiled and waved to them as I ran up. Even though I was slower on the trails, I made up some time on the paved portions of the course.

At mile 3 I passed a woman, putting me in 3rd and held onto that spot until getting lost at mile 10. At the halfway point I was 3.5 minutes ahead of 4th place but I spent so much time checking out that parking lot (so scenic!) that she ended up finishing 48 seconds ahead of me.

On the bright side, I ran hard at the end to nearly catch her and passed a whole gaggle of women (plus chicked a ton of dudes!) to do it. It was thrilling to be able to pour on the speed at the end, especially when normally I'm just trying to maintain in the final miles.

After the race I chatted with some other runners at the finish line. My friend Bridget was with me and I loved being able to see her finish out her race. She did an amazing job at her first Back to the Beach!

And she was pretty lucky to be with me for my first "Ultra" 1/2 Marathon!

Time
1:38:03

Pace

7:28/mile*

(*Based on official race results for 13.1 miles. Because I ran 13.7 miles due to stupidity, my actual pace was a little faster!)

Fuel

Vanilla Chia Pudding (this recipe, minus the cocoa), banana

Tunes

Beatnik Beach / The Go-Go's

Summer of '69 / Bryan Adams
Chop and Change / The Black Keys
Beanbag Chair / Yo La Tengo

Designer Drug / Mayer Hawthorne

Machu Picchu / The Strokes

I'm Shakin' / Jack White

Honey in the Sun / Camera Obscura

Bulletproof / La Roux

The Violet Hour / Sea Wolf

Never Wanted Your Love / She & Him

Do It Anyway /Ben Folds Five

Take Me Anywhere /Tegan & Sara

Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) / Kelly Clarkson

What Happened to the Sands / Pas/Cal

Sunshinin' / The Vines

Let's Get Out of This Country / Camera Obscura

Can't Hold Us / Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Mercy / Duffy

Miami / Will Smith
Hell / Tegan & Sara

Love the Way You Lie (Ft. Rihanna) / Eminem

Never Go Back / Grace Potter & The Nocturnals

So Good / B.o.B.

Misery / Maroon 5

Gold on the Ceiling / The Black Keys

Bright Side / Otto Vector
E.T. / Katy Perry

Race Day Swag - Backpack (1st place AG award), medal, pint glass, and sticker

Sunday, May 26, 2013

On the Run: Stony Creek "Back to the Beach" 1/2 Marathon 2013

Last Sunday I ran what turned out to be probably the most fun - and challenging - race I've ever run. It was held out at Stony Creek Metropark, which is an absolutely beautiful park with beaches, biking and hiking trails, kayak rentals, etc. It's about an hour drive from my house but I was drawn to the race because of the trails. "Back to the Beach" isn't an all-out trail race - it's more of a mixed-media race with dirt, gravel, asphalt, grass, and paved city streets - but with Tough Mudder coming up at the end of June, I need any trail practice I can get!

The weather couldn't have been more perfect - 60's and sunny at race time without any wind to slow me down. This was my first race of the season that I didn't have to over-analyze what I was wearing. Shorts and a tank top? Yes please! And because so much of the terrain was trail I broke out my Brooks Adrenaline ASR trail shoes (for only the second time ever, haha). These are some sweet *ss trail shoes!

So I was all pumped up and ready to go, right? Um, yeah except for some reason I was super nervous about the trails and had a terrible stomach ache. Oh no! By the time I was lined up and ready to start, however, I was feeling less nervous as I decided to just do the best I could do. I had no expectations for myself and just wanted to enjoy the run.

I'd been warned to take it easy for the first 2 miles of the race and I quickly realized why. We started out on the grass and than headed into the woods. The first 2 miles were all trails, and hilly trails at that! My time on those miles were slower than I'm used to running but I kept a pretty steady pace all in all. It was beautiful in the woods and such a nice change from the city streets that I'm used to running on.

After that we broke out of the woods. We were still in the park but on asphalt so I was able to pick up the pace and make up for lost time. And yes, chick a few dudes. The course actually left the park for a couple of miles and took us out through a neighboring city, along some city streets, down a long boardwalk, and eventually back into a wooded area of the park. By this point it was about halfway through the race. I remember because I passed some race volunteers (a.k.a. Beach Bums) who let me know that I was the 6th woman. This is when I went from having no expectations for myself to vowing to pass at least one woman to come in 5th. The odds of me getting an age-group award were pretty good at that point! But I still had 6 miles to go and I knew there was a big hill at mile 8. Still I picked up the pace a little.

And that's when I bit the dust. I tripped on a tree branch and dove face first on the ground. Luckily it was on the wood chips so it was soft and no one was right behind me to trample me. In fact, I was up and running again before anyone could pass me. But it cost me precious seconds and I had to catch my breath while trying to get running again. But there was no time to rest. No time to survey the damage. I stop for nothing. On I went. And before I knew it I was passing the 5th place woman! I felt unstoppable!

Soon I came upon what has been dubbed the 8-Mile Holler. This is a very steep gravel hill that is a prime cheering area for family and friends - hence the "holler". It was a tough hill, especially because of the gravel, but I just put my head down and pushed up it. Cold wet towels were being passed out and I used them to clean off my dirty hands from my fall. Going down the other side was sweet relief and I knew the worst was over, even though I still had 5 more miles to run.

After this we ran on paved bike trails, which was smooth sailing for me. I chicked a few more dudes and could see two more woman up ahead of me. In the last 2 miles I was starting to get pretty tired, though, and didn't think there was any way I could catch them. At some point I should have stopped for water or Gatorade and was wishing I had something with me to eat. Too bad bananas aren't easier to carry with you! I was bonking. But I was almost done. I pushed myself a little harder.

I managed to pick up the pace in the last mile. It helped that more people were around cheering me on. Someone handed me a lei. Next thing I knew there was Brian. And then I saw the finish line! I finished strong and was told I was the 3rd woman. I couldn't believe it! I've never done so well in a race. I talked to another girl who said she was told the same thing. I figured she was the 2nd or 4th. Then I saw the results. She was 3rd. I was 4th. She beat me by a TENTH of a SECOND! She was 1st in our age group. I was 2nd. She beat me by a TENTH of a SECOND! Remember how I said my fall cost me precious seconds? Yep, there ya go! Oh well. I'd be more upset if this was the Olympic trials.

I was so pleased with my time and most importantly, I HAD FUN! This race is amazing. It's a beautiful course and it's well-organized from start to finish. Everybody who runs gets tech shirts, medals, and pint glasses. Along the course volunteers were passing out water, Gatorade, Gu, and cold wet towels. Afterwards there were oranges, bananas, bagels, granola bars, and Pop Tarts (I snagged one for Brian). The age-group award is actually useful - it's a lunch bag!

If you're looking for a fun and challenging half-marathon, I'd definitely recommend this one. I already can't wait to run it again next year. My expectations for that race? 1st place, baby! By at least a tenth of a second!

Time
1:37:34