There's not really a good way to train for a run on the sand. Unless you live close enough to a beach for regular runs, of course. So I went in to it knowing that it would be difficult and that I'd likely be sore. I didn't set any strict goals. I really just wanted to enjoy the run. However, once we got to the beach I did try to get in a couple short runs on the sand. Early in the week Scott and I went out for a 2 mile jog and I made it about 3/4 of a mile before we found access to the sidewalk. The next day Jenny and I went out for 3 and did 1 mile in the sand before getting on the sidewalk. And that was it. Two short jogs in the sand and I had to call that my training.
Jenny and I got to race central about 30 minutes early. It had been raining most of the day and we were watching a storm roll in. All the while hoping it would roll in slowly. There was a light, off and on, drizzle when we got to the starting line... Which was not a line, but an area of beach marked by cones.
There was a buzz among the runners. Jenny and I were towards the front (somewhere I definitely did not belong :) ) and we were making conversation with some girls around us. It seemed most of the runners around us had not run on sand before. This gave me a glimmer of hope that I wouldn't do terrible. Because it IS possible to enjoy the run even if it's a terrible one. :-D At that point I set a couple very loose goals. I wanted to try to keep my pace under a 10 minute average, and if I was feeling good, maybe even try to get it closer to 9:45 which would give me a small, very small, possibility of placing in my age division. I based that pace on the results from the first race in the Road Runners Beach 5 series that happened in June. I had no expectation for the second goal, but it was in the back of my head.
With a short countdown we were sent on our way. Jenny took off, and rightly so. She is much faster than me and I knew she'd be able to place if she didn't wait on me. I ran a short distance on loose, unpacked sand before turning around at a cone and heading back the way I had just come. Once I turned around I was able to run on the packed sand near the water. It was easier, but not easy. I settled in and kept my eyes ahead, admiring my awesome race course.
I made it a mile and a half before I gave myself a chance to take a short walk. I can't remember how much more I ran before another walk, but after my second one I didn't walk again. Just before I hit two miles we turned back around to finish in the same location we had started. Along the course I ran through some unavoidable waves. At first I was trying to avoid them, but once it happened, it was so fun, I almost stopped trying. :) Between the waves, and the rain that had picked up in the last mile, I felt energized. I finished as strong as I felt possible, with Jenny cheering me on. There was a small flagged off area that served as the finishers chute and as I ran through it I checked the clock to see how I had done. I was pretty sure I had made my goal of keeping my average under 10 minutes. Runners received a card as they finished and it was the way the coordinators kept track of placement. I filled out the card, turned it in, and then stopped to enjoy the view.
We were getting rained on pretty good, but I didn't care. It felt great! Jenny and I took our version of a finishers photo and then headed over to the buffet dinner that was included with our race entry.
We stood in the rain eating and waiting for the awards ceremony to begin. I had no doubt that Jenny would get an award. They announced the overall male and female winner, and then as they were getting ready to do the next set they got word that the storm was much closer and coming in much faster than anticipated. The awards would have to be mailed to the winners and we were all told to clear out.
I so badly wanted to watch Jenny win her award. We noticed a couple people talking to a guy with a clipboard so we quickly went over to him. After a quick check we knew, sure enough... Jenny placed FIRST in her age division!! (5th overall for woman!) I'm so proud of her!!!
With award in hand we ran to the car and drove slowly the 30 minutes back to our condo.
It took a while for the official stats to show up, but eventually I found mine. Out of, I believe, 137 runners I placed 81st (31st out of 72 women) with an average pace of 9:52. First goal was met. :-D There were only 6 ladies in my age division and I wasn't very close to the lady who placed third, but that's ok. I did have fun. It was a wonderful experience, and overall, a very well organized race.
And now I can I can cross off "Beach Race" from my running bucket list. :-D
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