karma
(yep, be prepared, another bitchfest. if you don't want to read, please press the back button immediately. in addition, if you intend on leaving a snarky comment, you best be signing your name.)
the veterans of the NYC racing scene say the same thing about Grete's Great Gallop..."everyone PR's at this race"-between the traditionally cool temps, and being at the peak of marathon training. As a result, I was really, really hoping for a sub-1:45...or at the very least, an improvement on my previous half times from this year.
well I guess someone didn't like my bad behavior Friday nite, because karma truly bit me in the ass today. The weather? Think 42nd Street for me during the NYC Half. And imagine that for 20 minutes before the race, and throughout the entire race. (Thank god I actually decided to wear the DS-Trainers for this one...my regular trainers would have felt like bricks.)
The splits tell the sad story... (hey jbl, hope you don't mind that I adopted your chart from last year...I liked your course descriptions.)
| Mile | Split | Notes |
| 1 | 8:04 | South end to 59th and then up to Tavern on the Green |
| 2 | 8:19 | West Hills |
| 3 | 8:03 | |
| 4 | 8:15 | Harlem Hill/Lasker Pool |
| 5 | 8:31 | East side including the Museum Moguls and Cat Hill |
| 6 | 8:19 | |
| 7 | 8:23* | South end to 59th and then up to Tavern on the Green |
| 8 | 8:29* | West Hills |
| 9 | 8:14 | |
| 10 | 8:25 | Harlem Hill/Lasker Pool |
| 11 | 8:37 | East side including the Museum Moguls and Cat Hill |
| 12 | 8:14 | |
| 13 | 8:10 | South end to 59th and then up to Tavern on the Green |
| .1 | 0:54 |
*I hit the mile split button a coupla seconds late...so mile 7 was probably in reality 2-3 seconds faster and mile 8 2-3 seconds slower.
Final time-1:48:57, 8:19 pace-my 2nd worst half of the year. I knew from the beginning I did not stand a chance for sub-1:45. But I just never felt good the entire time...to add insult to injury, the iPod shut off after mile 10. I looked at my watch after mile 11 and saw that unless I really picked it up for the last 2 miles, I might not make it under 1:50. At that point, since I didn't have my music, I just wanted to finish the damn thing... (and in another cruel twist of fate, the weather clears up around noon, and the afternoon has weather that would have been perfect for the race!)
I know the conditions weren't ideal, but I'm still disappointed. Disappointed about a waste of a good racing attempt due to something I could not control. (This would have been my last chance to race a half...Staten Island is too close to the marathon.) Disappointed that I didn't feel like an athlete-I felt like a fragile flower that wilts at the first sign of bad weather and can only grow if the weather is 50 degrees and dry. Disappointed that after 3 months of consistent marathon training, I can't seem to improve on my half times...I'm like stuck at that 1:47-1:48 plateau. In fact, I'm not improving in general-I've been struggling to keep training runs under a 10 minute pace (man, do I miss the days when I could run sub 9's) and I just really, really needed a good race to give me a boost of confidence and I didn't get it.
(And I don't want to hear from anyone that I was still recovering from Friday-I really did feel fine on Saturday, and besides, I've read too many race reports that read "I got soooo wasted last night and was so hung over this morning, but I still PR'ed, yay!")
Once again, I'm just feeling pretty lost. Running is the one thing in my life that I really need to be going right about now, and it's not. I guess I'll just suck it up for 2 more weeks and pray that tapering will help...though I am a little skeptical. After this one, I'm not sure what my future as a marathoner will be....is it truly worth it if the training just sucks the life out of you and your running legs?
now where's that damn Daniel Powter song when I need it...
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18 shout-out(s):
Well, maybe others can PR after overdoing the celebration thingy, but you can't. So what. You know why you didn't do as well as hoped, and there will be plenty more half marathons to come.
Methinks Flygirl is too hard on herself.
I think you hit the nail on the head near the end of your post: "the training just sucks the life out of you and your running legs..." You're legs are doing a lot of mileage now.
Really, without taking a week of to taper for the half, you probably wouldn't set a PR, and that would sacrifice your marathon training. You've admitted to setting quite a lofty goal for the marathon, so you were smart not to ease up on the mileage just to do a half.
There are lots of half marathons to do throughout the year, and you'll be surprised how much improvement you'll have (in many distances) a couple of months after the marathon.
And congrats on a solidly run half, especially in the downpour!
yes it IS completely worth it, and least in my opinion.
hey the alcohol messed me up on saturday big time and i only had a 2 mile leg of a relay, albeit it was cross country too...just made it worse.
but i made up for it on sunday.
and you'll make it up the next go. keep your chin up! i know it might not matter but hey, i cant even run sub 10's so i think youre exceptional!!
Hang in there! I, too, had iPod troubles after the first 7 miles, and decided to work on my "mental game." Sounds like your runnign is going well, just tough on the game-day conditions and a bit tough on yourself. Let go and hang on.
holy shit! when the ipod shuts down, that is the worse!!!!! It happened to me several times and it simply sucks to run without music. Nevertheless, don't be too hard on yourself as not every race is "PR-able"....Certainly not in these conditions right? Hey your AG is over 60%- that is awesome! That is something positive you can take away from and use it as a fuel to kick ass in the marathon!
It does suck that you're not happy with your time, but the positive side is that it still counts towards your marathon training as a good solid tempo run.
Were you happy with the DS-Trainers out there? I was wearing mine for the first time and liked that they never felt heavy, but I also felt like I had no traction and was slipping all over the place.
be happy you can run a half marathon
I have to concur with Brunette Chicago Gal.. Don't be too hard on yourself.
I haven't had a drink in almost 3 weeks, did a mini-taper for this half and still missed my PR by 3 mintues.
This is a tough course and the rain was fun but made for difficult conditions.
Stay tough!
You looked pretty happy when I saw you...but I know how it feels when you're disappointed. What everyone said is true. You are training for a marathon--not a half. And you ran a really great time, despite the conditions. But you're tired from all the heavy training. And don't be surprised if in a few weeks, you HATE running altogether. That is a good sign, in my experience. It means you have trained well and are ready. Keep your head up!!
Keep your eye on the prize...and at this point it's mileage, mileage and mileage!
As 'chelle mentioned, you got a good solid hard run in...faster than you would have run 13.1 otherwise. Put it in the bank and keep on movin'...
Hey whoever says that Grete's Half is always a p.r. race does not know what they are talking about. First off it's in Central Park. Secondly and most importantly, since you are in the height of marathon training, your fitness may be great but you are not able to taper whatsoever for the half. Instead, most marathoners are doing 18-20 mile long runs the week before. I personally don't even think about setting a p.r. in any race distance during marathon training. Forget about the half and move on. It was a good speed workout and eventhough it rained hard, the race at least did motivate you and others to run when otherwise most likely would have bagged the run altogether if there was no race.
Remember come marathon day that you will be much more rested because of taper and that along with plenty of race adrenaline will be an enormous difference.
You're going to do fine, Flygirl. Take it for what it is. You say your running isn't going well, but you were 226 of 1,894 women in the race. How is that bad? It is impossible to PR every time. I'm not saying don't be disappointed when you do as well as you wanted, but just resolve to train harder next time. Don't dwell on it or let it get you down. That is not what running should be about.
You're going to do very well Nov. 5 and I'm still worried you'll kick my ass...
I wouldn't feel so bad about the time. It rained so much during the race, I think it qualified as a biathalon
Having a crappy race when you had such high hopes really sucks. Just be happy it wasn't your A race. I trained a year for Ironman and come race day, my legs decided not to show up. I was depressed for a month. Eventually you will recover and get over it, well sort of.
Hey everyone-I've been quiet but I have been reading and do appreciate your comments. I haven't had a chance to wrap my head around a response, but I'll probably address it in another post...
My suspician is that all the negativity over this race was just an attempt to get another 20 comment post. I kid cause I love.
I also suspect that your half times project to over a 10 minute cushion on your NYC goal, which, as Beast says, is the 'A race'. So, I'd say this race was a success.
OK - make that 18 comments! Sorry you hated your race, and glad you ahd a good birthday. Just think there are many other races but no other 30th b-days.
Do I hear 19? Heidi
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