Lessons Learned at the Shark Bite Half Marathon

When you live in an area for an extended amount of time, things become familiar, right? The same can be said about doing the same races repeatedly. Things became familiar... comfortable. I am, by my own admission, a compulsive planner. It works well when it comes to running races. I knew the ins and outs of my favorites. Where to stay if it was out of town. I knew how the climate would affect my race, even in Arkansas where you never really knew what would happen. I knew where to park so I wouldn't have a miserably long walk afterwards. I knew the course, turn by turn, hill by hill.

Then I moved half way across the country. Now what? What are the best races? How will I know where to stay, where to park, how to breathe?? My first two races, the Pink on Parade 5k and the Florida Legends Mermaid Half Marathon happened fairly quickly (just two days between finding out about, to running the Legends race) and I didn't have much time to prepare. I began training for the Shark Bite Half Marathon early-mid November. Between three holidays and a vacation to celebrate my wedding anniversary, I didn't find a lot of time to research my race. Three days before, a friend asked what time the race started and I didn't even know the answer!

The point is, I felt fairly unprepared for this race. I had goals. I really wanted to meet them, but for at least a couple weeks leading up I felt very anxious. There were things that were in my control that I could have done better while training. There were also things beyond my control, like the weather. I put a lot of pressure on myself.

By the time race weekend arrived I had decided on my goals...
My A, Good, Goal- 2:05 or under.
My B, Great, Goal- 2:00 area
My C, Amazing, Goal- PR with anything under 1:58:50 (I was saying under 1:58, but I would have taken even a couple seconds off and been thrilled.)

I was following the same Break 2 hour plan I've used before, but there was a big difference this time. Because of the move, and taking a laid back approach to training for the Soaring Wings Half Marathon in October, I didn't have a good base built to support the training in this plan. I had a big life change and went into training as if nothing had changed at all. Sure, I hit my speed work each week, but that drained me of every other run. I was not trained properly, and for the first half of this race I ran as if I was. Training is not just getting the speed work done.

Ultimately, I just wasn't ready to run with those kind of goals. I pushed hard in the first half and it killed my second half. I pushed so hard to try and PR, and then when that wasn't going to happen I tried to keep my pace in the 2 hour finishing area, that I burned out and it was all I could do to keep myself moving for the last half. Over the last week while I've been processing (...overthinking ...) everything, I also now realize that I wasn't fueled properly for the race. I tried, but a series of things happening the day before led to not a lot of food intake, and I had wrongly counted on breakfast being available at our hotel, but it didn't start until almost an hour after we left. I had a protein bar for breakfast and probably needed more carbs. I wouldn't have thought it would take 20 half marathons for me to learn this lesson, but here we are.  :) 

The first mile wasn't too bad really. It was the only mile I had that was in goal pace range to PR. Miles 2 and 3 I kept telling myself to pick up the pace but when I'd look at my watch it was one second slower each time. I was pushing, and not making any progress. By mile 4 I knew for sure I wasn't going to PR. I was ok with that. Like I said, I was so doubtful of reaching this goal and it wasn't because I was being hard on myself. So I did a quick 30 second walk through the water stop (trying to save what was in my handheld water bottle for later in the race) and re-asses what I hoped I could still do.

At the water station near mile 6 I got another cup of water. This is where the 2 hour pacer passed me. Even when she passed I was ok with it and told myself I could do my best to keep her in sight. That would help me reach at least one of my other goals.
A little after that point we turned onto the road that takes us back over the river. We had crossed the river for the first time in the first mile. That bridge wasn't bad. This second time over is definitely the worst hill I've done in Florida. Ever. The combination of the steepness with the length of the bridge made this quite possibly the hardest hill I've done in a race. Then again, it could be that I've already forgotten. I don't think so though. :) I walked twice going up the bridge.

Mid bridge crossing we reached 7 miles and I knew there was another water stop at mile 8. From this point on I had to set goals for myself. I was going to walk at the water stop at 8 miles but when I got to the flag I didn't see any tables. It was actually around the corner on the next turn. It makes sense when thinking about it because up to that point we were on a pretty busy road. When I finally did make it, I asked a volunteer if I could refill my water bottle and then rather than running again, I walked for a couple minutes. I had hit a HUGE wall. Miles 8-10 were on a straight stretch of road. This was mentally the toughest spot for me. I didn't allow myself to walk because, while I was starting to hurt quite a bit, I knew a lot of it was mental. I was ok with not reaching my B and C goals, and I was pretty sure I wasn't going to make my A goal, but I was trying not to look at my watch. I went back and forth between telling myself that my time didn't matter and I was still going to have a good finish, but also wondering how things got to this point. I did not want to walk. Just past the 10 mile mark there was another water stop and I asked for a bottle refill again. I didn't walk this time, but didn't make it far before I did. I walked five more times between 10.5 and 12.75. I was done. When I walked around 12.75 I was definitely frustrated with myself. At this point I had looked at my time and I couldn't help but wonder how my finish time would quite possibly be slower than my previous two half marathons. One was super hilly and the other I was only trained up to 8 or 9 miles. As I was telling myself to stop thinking and just run, another runner that had already finished was walking back along the course. He looked at me and even though I had my music going, I could tell he was saying something encouraging, beyond the typical "You've got this" kind of encouragement. Don't get me wrong, all encouragement is so welcome! I love spectators so much!! This guy though, he made eye contact and his eyes said so much more than words could say. As wonderful as it was, it got to me and I found myself fighting tears which led to the inevitable "panic attack". I stepped onto the sidewalk so I could slow my walk and get it together. 

By this time I had barely 1/3 of a mile to go. I was really hurting and I was so tempted to walk it in, but I ran. Sometimes shuffling my feet, sometimes tripping, but I ran. Just before the 13 mile flag I saw my friend, who had also run, standing on the corner. It was nice to see a familiar face and I think it was just what I needed to find a very small kick to the finish line.

Chip Time- 2:07:24/Avg pace 9:43

I received my medal, pint glass, and water and found myself wandering a bit. I couldn't tell if I needed to sit or if I needed to move. I found a place along the edge of the finisher and vendor's area where I could be out of the way, stretch and answer some encouraging texts from family and friends.

After a little bit I went out of the area to watch the finish line while waiting for my sister-in-law to come across. It made me smile to see so many people finishing and watch the range of emotions cross their faces. Crystal crossed, happy to be done, and I went back inside the area. It was nice that neither of us had to leave right away on top of the fact that it was a beautiful day. We lingered around for quite a while talking about the race, the course, and all the things that made this race worth doing again despite it being so rough for both of us.

So, what about the race itself?

The next time I do Shark Bite, I intend do it with no time goal so I can enjoy the course. It's beautiful! The course begins and ends less than 100 feet from the beach. That alone would bring me back.

As I mentioned before, the course crosses the Indian River for the first time about a half mile in. This bridge is a drawbridge and there's a portion of that bridge that is a metal grate. I found it a little difficult to run across, but thankfully it was a short distance.
The first turn is about 1 3/4 mile into the race and from there we got a little over half a mile along the river. The sun was just reaching over the trees that line the land surrounding the inlets on the river. It was lovely! Miles 2.5-4ish were through a residential area and the Historic District of New Smyrna then we were back along a different part of the river heading south for nearly a mile.

I love running by water so most of the first 5 miles of the race will be so nice to do and focus on rather than time or pace next time! 

Mile 6 is in another residential area and soon after the course takes a turn onto the large bridge to cross back over the river towards the beach. I tried measuring how long the hill is on Google Maps and as best I can tell it's around 1/3 of a mile. It seems way longer. lol The downhill part is excellent, but I wouldn't say it makes up for the incline. ;) Then came the turn that leads to the long 2 mile stretch for miles 8-10. We get to the 10th mile mark on a short out and back section that totals about 1/2 a mile in a small neighborhood. A couple turns later and we are at mile 11 heading north again towards the finish line. Most of the last two miles are along the main road paralleling the beach. I had hoped that because this was the closest road to the beach that there would be more ocean sightings, but it's a very populated area with a combination of hotels, condos, and beach homes lining the beach. It's a busy enough area that there were still some distractions, in addition to a few more spectators than anywhere else on the course along the sidewalks. Small glimpses of the ocean were nice. Just before mile 13 is the little turn off the main road which leads to a back road of sorts which curves into the finisher's chute. 

I really can't wait to run Shark Bite again so I can truly enjoy the course. 

My highlights for the race have nothing to do with actually running it. The emcee was phenomenal. Before the race he was very upbeat and fun to listen to, rather than potentially obnoxious. Can you imagine how many people are there who are not morning people? ( *slowly raising my hand*) I've been at races where I'd really prefer to pep myself up in quiet. Sometimes I can start a race already overwhelmed and anxious. That's a personal thing and I would never put it on anyone else. Beyond the start line fun, the same guy was at the finish line. When I was watching people finish the emcee was keeping things exciting and I feel like he made the same big deal over every time goal. Anyone who finished under 2:20 (when I started watching), 2:25... 2:40 etc, every one of them he had a count down and treated them as if they were the only people finishing. I'm sure it was like that from the beginning. It was very special. 

My other highlight was the beach itself. Starting, and more than that, finishing and all that follows, was THE BEST. I love the beach. No, I don't just love it. It's one of the most comforting things in the world to me. I'm at peace. Coming off a race that gave me so much anxiety and frustration and then to be able hear the waves when I finished, and walk such a short distance to the sand. I didn't want to leave. Plus, hello photo ops! :-D 

What it comes down to is this was a growing experience. I guess there's something to be learned with every race, but this one really got me thinking. First and foremost- FUEL for the race! I really should know better. Second, and almost as important at the first- Don't follow a training plan I'm not ready for, even if I've done it before. Duh. :oP Third- Remember that life happenings can and will impact training and I need to give myself some leniency and grace.

I don't have anything lined up right now and that's kind of weird. I'm going to use this downtime from races to focus on finding myself  again. I may or may not find the paces I was doing before we moved, and if I work and find out that's the case, it will be ok. It won't stop me from trying for a while. 

I can't wait to see what kind of runner I can become in Florida. 

Legends Half Marathon- An Unexpected Race

A couple weeks ago I got to run in the Central Florida Legends Half Marathon. It was not a race I knew I would be running until less than 48 hours before. A new friend of mine had signed up and then realized she wasn't able to run, so she asked if I would like her bib transfer. All I had to do was show up at packet pick up with her. What a whirlwind it all turned out to be.

I am currently training for a half marathon in January and had only been actually training for two weeks. It had not been that long since I had done the Soaring Wings Half Marathon but definitely long enough that I was worried about the jump in distance. Up to this point my training only had me at 8 miles. I knew I could do the 13 miles, but I was pretty sure it would not be pretty. I set some goals and went into it with very little expectation and assumed that I would be walking quite a bit in the last half. 

Good Goal- Finish with a 10:30-10:45 pace

Great Goal- Finish in under 2:15

Amazing Goal- Stick with the 2:05 pacer

I was very surprised at how well organized everything was on race morning. Because it was the first year for this race I kind of figured there would be quite a few hiccups. From the moment we entered the site of the race, Gemini Springs Park, everything was very easy. We followed the single lane road from the entrance of the park around to where parking was (near the park exit) and then it was a short walk back to the start/finish line in a small field where there were also a few vendors set up. I met up with some ladies from my MRTT group for a picture and then we went our own ways to seed our selves at the start line. The start was a little late but nothing major. Really, the only thing that I hope would be fixed for next year would be the placement of the pacers. All of the pacers were close together. There was no definitive areas for each pace or even a way for more than a few people to fit in between where they would want to be. When the race began this made it a bit difficult to figure out where to be in the congestion of all the runners.

The first half to one mile of any race I've done is usually congested so I expected that. The course at the beginning was also on packed dirt, which I was not expecting. It had rained the night before so it was a little bit muddy, but no big deal. We got onto the paved trail and things opened up a little bit. Enough that because I felt like I could be moving a little faster I was able to slowly pass a couple groups and found myself settling in pretty comfortably slightly behind the 2:05 group. I figured a time would come when I'd not be able to hold this place, but if that came I'd move to the side and slow or walk as needed, but at this point I felt pretty good. For the first few miles that continued. I knew from the start the humidity would be an issue. Especially when I was already dripping sweat in the first mile and the sweat was changing songs through my earbuds! 

Almost all of this race was on the trail with the exception of a mile or two in a neighborhood near a lake. It was a beautiful course!

Beginning around 4 1/2 or 5 miles I was on an out and back section of the course. It was really neat because of where I was in the pack of runners, on my way out I was able to watch the lead runner pass by me on his way back. For the next five or so miles of out and back I was almost constantly passing someone going in the opposite direction for the race. I truly believe it was this section that kept me going. The way runners were encouraging each other on both sides was amazing. I was tired and starting to ache a little bit. I knew I could make it at least a couple more miles before I walked. I had walked a few steps through a couple water stops to refill my water bottle, but nothing more and at the 10 mile stop I decided to top off my bottle one more time but could not find the trashcan (and when I did I accidentally threw away my energy gel in addition to the cup :(  ) and that is where I fell a good bit behind the 2:05 pacer. I could see her far off in the distance but I knew I could not possibly catch back up. I was not at all disappointed. I had already made it further and at a much faster pace than I had expected. For the next 3 miles my only goal was to see the finish line. I kept waiting for the point to come where I would need to walk but it never came. I did slow down and I could hear my mileage updates through the race tracking app that I had for my friends and family to track me. 

As a side note, this tracking app was so neat! The distance was a little bit off, but the important part was that friends and family could fairly closely track my progress and see my time and splits but the best part was that they were able to send “cheers“ along the way. There were so many options. At every mile I would get a "woohoo" or even two. And off and on throughout the race I would get other fun cheers or song clips and even a couple personalized messages that the app would read to me. That was another thing that really kept me going throughout the race!! I wish every race would use an app like this!

In the last 3 miles I leapfrogged with two other runners that were doing intervals. I held steady and they would pass me running a faster pace but then they would do their walking interval and I would pass them. This continued until pretty much the very end. At one point I felt like we could all use a little encouragement since we weren’t on the out and back section anymore. So hopefully loud enough that they could hear me through their music I told them "we’ve got this!" and gave them a little wave. With about half a mile to go we turned off of the trail onto a sidewalk that goes through the park, and at this point I was beyond ready to be done. Everything hurt so bad. At just about 13 miles I saw my mother and father-in-law on the side. They were in town for an early Thanksgiving visit and it made me so happy that they wanted to come to the race. They have followed mine and Scott's races but have never been to one before. It was very special for them to be there.

The last turn took me off of the sidewalk and back onto dirt and grass to the finish line. I had a small finish line kick but it was kind of difficult because of the unevenness of the ground. I finished as strong as I felt possible and heard Scott calling my name. I got my water and my medal and then all but collapsed on the fence in front of Scott. Not really. :)  It was not that bad but I wanted to let my jello legs melt down to the ground for sure. 

I didn't find out until later but the race pictures were free! They were provided by the Live Your Life Well Series. I only found two of my pictures and they were terrible. Even my best friend says so. lol I don't care because I know I was working hard, but I'm a tiny bummed that they were free and I don't want to print them. It's all about the pictures right? :oP

After the finish line I found the post race goodies (breakfast burritos, rice and beans, and... COOKIES!) and found a nice place to stretch.

This is one race I would like to do each year for sure. A beautiful course, a smaller running field than I'm used to, awesome post race food, and free pictures? I’m pretty much sold! haha

And now, back to my regularly scheduled training... Next up the Shark Bite Half Marathon! 

My Final Year to Soar

For the tenth year in a row I ran the Soaring Wings Half Marathon. This was my first ever half marathon 9 years ago. I feel like my running journey has grown up with this race. So for this year to be the last... It's a bit devastating. Maybe I'm being dramatic, but there were so many emotions wrapped up in my race this year and that's how I feel.

When registration opened back in April I didn't know we would be moving half way across the country. All I knew was that I'd done Soaring Wings every year since my first time and I didn't want to break that streak. Then I found out that it was the last year and there was no doubt. When my family moved in July I wasn't sure I'd make it back. Obviously it happened and I'm so glad. However with the move came a major drop in running. When it came down to the actual time to train I decided to almost start from scratch and built a beginners plan. I was fine with whatever the outcome of the race would be, as long as I got to run it. We knew Scott wouldn't be able to take time off work to go back to Arkansas for the race so we talked to my dad about taking his place. Dad's training kicked off with a bang and soon I had a new worry- to keep up with him.

You see, for 9 years my parents have been to almost every Soaring Wings race. And the one or two they couldn't make it to, I received texts of encouragement and love through every mile. So for me, they were definitely still present. With Soaring Wings and every other race I have done, they have ALWAYS been the best support team. For me to be able to run this race with my dad was a very special thing. I so badly wanted to stay together but my training was nothing close to how well my dad was doing. Not to mention I don't have the hills in Florida that are pretty necessary for training when it comes to the course for Soaring Wings. I was nervous, to put it mildly.

After many talks Dad convinced me that he didn't care about our finish time and whether or not we walked a little or a lot. Our goal was to run this race together. That is what was important. Having talked to him I felt better as I drove into town, and I came up with my goals.

#1, My Good Goal (which is actually my best goal in this case)- Run the 13.1 miles with my dad and cross the finish line together.
#2, My Great Goal- Get my dad a PR. I didn't talk to him about this for a while. I was fairly sure he didn't know what time he needed and I figured with his training, I knew he could do it, but because of my training I wasn't so sure.
#3, My Amazing Goal- Finish with a pace around 9:30 which was close to what Dad had been averaging with his long runs, which were anywhere from 9:17-9:45 for his last few.

PRE-RACE~
Friday before the race my dad and I were talking details and after crunching numbers and going back and forth Dad said he wanted to go for 9:30. I had not told him my personal goals before this time. When I did, he seemed surprised to hear that *all* he needed for a PR was anything under a 10 minute pace! It seemed so easy. Yet, I was still a tiny bit concerned. It was all about the hills for me. I bring it up a lot, because I was THAT worried.

Friday afternoon my friend, Andrea, and I drove to Conway. We made a bit of a girl's weekend out of our time with the race so we went over earlier than totally necessary. This was Andrea's second half marathon, but first with Soaring Wings. She wasn't new to challenging courses though, as her first half was the Little Rock Half Marathon. (Check it out! The whole weekend is fantastic.) After going to the expo, taking a few pics, and checking out the Soaring Wings merchandise, Andrea and I drove the course so she could see what she was getting into.

Even though I've run this course 9 times before, driving it felt very different. VERY different. I remember thinking, on some of the more challenging parts of the course, that I don't know why they have been so hard in the past, or why I've been so anxious about them this year. I think I definitely learned a lesson in that. Obviously driving a hill is different from running one, but there's a huge mental game that goes along with all that. I think from now on if I drive a course I'll just plan for it to be 5 times harder. Maybe then it will all be ok! :-D

We drove to our hotel to get checked in and by the time we finished with that, my parents said they were close to Conway, so we went back to the expo to meet my parents. More pictures and another drive around the course with Dad and we decided we were definitely ready for dinner at MarketPlace Grill. We tried to turn in early but pre race jitters had us turning circles as Andrea and I gathered whatever we needed for Saturday morning.

RACE DAY!
I woke up Saturday morning before my alarm. No surprise there. I'm glad for it though because it allowed me to get ready a bit more slowly rather than feeling rushed. I dressed for the chilly but perfect race weather, wearing shorts with a tank top, long sleeves I knew I'd tie around my waist, and an extra layer which I knew I'd be tossing pretty early on, but since the coolest weather I'd run in was 70- with humidity- a couple times... and it was 46 race morning, I was too worried about being cold. I also had some knitted gloves.
Andrea and I left our hotel shortly after 6:00 to drive down the road to my dad's hotel, then made our way to my personal favorite parking area. There was a bank near the McGee Center that didn't seem to be open on Saturdays. If participants got there early enough we had some of the closest parking spots that weren't right on site, which were reserved for VIP runners. We walked the short distance to the building where we checked our bag for after the race and then the three of us walked to the start line. Last year I made a mistake in timing and most of us missed the National Anthem and prayer, part of the race that I find very important. So this year we were at the start line long before 7. And yet, we still didn't hear any of that. I don't know why, but I'm definitely disappointed.

Soaring Wings is a self seeded race, so we are able to place ourselves in the corrals where we feel we should begin. Dad and I placed ourselves just barely in front of the 2:05 pacer, as we hoped for a 9:30 pace. Andrea stayed with us until a few minutes before the race began and after traditional start line selfies she then moved to hang out with the 2:15 pacer. That was a little ahead of her goal, but it was a place to start that would keep her moving. Other than a couple texts later in the race, I didn't hear from Andrea again until I watched her cross the finish line.

Start Line Selfies :-D

The race started and I felt good as I try to settle in. It did not take long for me to take off my top layer. I tossed it by the time I hit 1 mile. Soon after that I knew I was going to need to shed my second long sleeve shirt. This one I wanted to keep though so I had to move my bib from my shirt to my tank top and I did not want to stop or walk to do that. It doesn’t seem like much but it definitely took some extra energy. Around 2 miles I finally felt settled and as comfortable as could be. I knew I had the first hill coming up but I also knew it was minor compared to the rest of the big ones. I really tried to just stay in the moment. Not even 1 mile at a time, but one street at a time. Or one block at a time at some points.

Neighborhoods decorated for Halloween were a fun distraction!

Almost 3 miles in
*Photo property of Run, Bike, Swim*

It was weird running the course and knowing that no one would be at the regular corners banging pots and pans for us, but at the same time definitely fun to be running with dad and pointing out where they would be. At each flag marker Dad would whoop and holler as we ticked each mile off. The first of four major hills came in the 4th mile. We pulled back our pace a little bit knowing that at the top we would be rewarded with an awesome downhill. Around 5 miles I felt like my feet were slipping in my shoes. I did not want to stop but I really felt like if I did I would be able to run stronger. Knowing there was a bit of a hill as we reached 6 miles I told dad I would stop at the top of the hill to adjust my shoes. It was less than a minute that we were stopped but obviously made a difference in our pace and time. Up to this point we had been maintaining a pace in the 9:20s. I can’t say I was feeling good, but I was feeling good enough to keep trying for that as long as possible.

A gradual decline after reaching the halfway point gave us a nice view!

I don’t know if it was the stop for my shoes or the pace and distance catching up with me, but I definitely had a harder time keeping our pace for the last half of the race. Even though dad had told me many times that we could slow down or a walk if needed (an agreement we had before even starting, that we were both supportive of the other one walking if needed) I still wanted to walk as little as possible and felt a little bit bad. He would have hated if I said that while we were running though. So after waiting as long as possible and reaching the top of a long incline heading into mile nine, I asked if we could walk between a set of cones.

One of many... Somewhere between 9 and 10 miles

For the next 4 miles I gave what I could. I did not have much energy for talking but I would listen if dad had something to say and acknowledge in short sentences. I walked through two water stops to refill my water bottle and those refreshed me enough to make it the mile and a half or so to the next. I walked through the last aid station, not for a water but to give myself a small recovery knowing that the big mile 12 hill was coming up. Before that though, as we complete mile 11, we get the most amazing and quite long gradual downhill. The down hills feel so great not only because the uphills are so hard but it also gives my legs a chance to use different muscles. After we made the turn off of the downhill the road is somewhat flat, compared to the rest of the course anyway, for about half a mile. And then the gradual incline that leads to the mile 12 hill begins. I braced myself mentally with each step closer. In the nine years that I have done this race I have not once ran the entire hill at mile 12. Even the years that I PR'd, I always walked this hill. To say it is a doozy is an understatement. I’m pretty sure I mention it every year that I have blogged about this race. Dad and I worked our way up the hill. I don’t know if I slowed down or held steady but I focused on what was right in front of me rather than looking towards the top. Except I knew there would be a photographer about 3/4 of the way up and while I was pretty sure any smile I attempted would be through quite a bit of pain, if I was able to get to the top without walking I wanted to have a picture of it happening. So I showed Dad where the photographer was and mustered up the best smile I could. 

THE Mile 12 Hill
*Photo property of Run, Bike, Swim*

After that I watched for the top. I felt like I was barely moving. But the top came. I was there! I ran the whole thing!! And then I was overcome with happiness and pride over finally kicking butt on this hill that has kicked mine for so many years. I did not WANT to walk at this point but I also could not breathe through my tears. We had less than a mile to go and if we walked much more we would be cutting it very close to not making pace for dad‘s PR. After I got it together we were at the top of a shorter hill that lead into the great downhill again. I pumped myself up and took off down the hill. Probably too fast considering my legs had felt like Jell-O for at least the last couple miles. I had to pull back a little bit once the road leveled out. For the last 3/4 of a mile I was flooded with memories of this same stretch of road. The first time I ever ran it. The time that Scott and I had met up with Angela and she very seriously asked a fire man on a bicycle for a ride. The time Scott and I had been leapfrogging with a lady who seemed to be struggling and we decided she needed to not finish alone. Three different times and points along the road last year when I ran it with my sister-in-law, and then went back and met my two brothers and watched them make their way to the finish line, and then met up with Scott and my other sister-in-law and watched her see through tears how close she was to finishing her first half marathon. These are the things that got me through the last six minutes of a race that had been especially hard for me this year. One foot at a time, passing one street at a time, picturing the finish line. And then we were there. There was a large group of spectators and volunteers on the corner cheering everyone on. We made the turn, and as we ran to the finish line other finishers were coming towards us cheering us on. Cheering the other finishers on. People called our names as we ran by them. Just like that we were done. Smiling as we crossed that line and in an instant crumbling in tears. For dad, I know it was mostly about having just run the race with me. He will be very humble about how he felt for this race. He had so much more in him that he could have given. He never mentions the fact that he could have kept on running, or the fact that he set a four minute PR! For me, all I wanted was to stay with my dad no matter how painful and hard it would be. I was afraid. I really thought that I was going to have to walk more than I did. My tears at the finish line were for sticking through all that and staying with my dad. Tears for being so proud of him for training so hard that he was able to set a PR and hardly look like he ran at all. And finally, tears because this was the final year to soar. 

Finish Time~ 2:07:40/9:45 pace

Overall Place- 331/1075

Female Age Group~ 32/120

We received our medals (and a frisbee this year too!) and saw my mom standing outside the finishers area taking pictures. 

We got some food and mom offered to hold it for us while we stayed inside the finisher's area waiting for Andrea. She had sent me a couple texts while dad and I were still running and based on those I knew she would be finishing soon after we did. I watched for her through crowds of other people that were waiting for their friends and loved ones. As soon as she was in sight Dad and I started shouting for her. Andrea looked so strong in her finish!! In talking with her later, she says that she realized she possibly did have more in her then she gave throughout the race. She was running in at a low eight minute pace to the finish line! Even with having more in her, Andrea also PR'd! 

I’m so incredibly proud of her and can’t wait to see where her own running journey will take her in the coming years. After more pictures we found a table in the sun and enjoyed the most beautiful weather we have had at Soaring Wings in many many years while trying to stretch out our aching muscles. 

Forever and always the Best Support Team 

*Photo property of Run, Bike, Swim*

*Photo property of Run, Bike, Swim*

After a while my parents left and Andrea’s family went to play at the family fun zone. Andrea was going to come to lunch with me and my parents so when she went to say goodbye to her family I stayed at the table and watched the finish line. Cue more tears. I know that I was exhausted and still riding a runners high from my own race, but I couldn’t help feeling emotional while watching these people finish their own race and also thinking again about how this was the last one. 

One last picture at the finish line

In talking with Andrea as we walked back to the car, we came to the decision that it’s possible saying goodbye to Soaring Wings was the release that I needed and did not have when I was saying goodbye to the life I had in Arkansas. There was so much going on in the couple months leading up to our move that I did not really have time to think about and process a proper goodbye to anyone or anything there. So in a lot of ways completing this race was the closure that I needed to really move along. The races I did, the jobs that I had, the friends and my family, are all parts of my life in Arkansas that I will always miss SO much. I think every part of the process I had leading up to and during Soaring Wings was much needed for so many reasons. I am extremely thankful that I was able to come back and run this race!

Thank you for the most amazing journey. I fell in love with long distance running because of this race. I don't think I'd be the runner I am now without Soaring Wings.

For even young people tire and drop out,

young folk in their prime stumble and fall.

But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.

They spread their wings and soar like eagles,

They run and don’t get tired,

they walk and don’t lag behind.

Isaiah 40:31, The Message

National Women's Half Marathon

This recap is a month overdue. I don’t think it’s ever taken so long to get one done. It makes me sad because many of the details are a bit foggy now. I have the important part locked in though. My best friend ran her first half marathon, and I got to run it with her.

I used to live 45 minutes from our Nation's Capital. I was in high school and moved a couple years after graduating. I wasn't active back then. Since I've become a runner I've always thought I'd love to run in Washington DC. I never thought I'd ever be able to do that, but here I was...

Over a year ago I was chatting with my best friend, Darby, and out of the blue she said there was a half marathon that another friend of ours had signed up for and at that moment it was super cheap. Darby had only barely been considering doing a half marathon for the first time. I had always said I would make it a point to be with her whenever she decided she was ready. Well, I told her again I'd make it work. 30 minutes later we were both signed up for the National Women's Half Marathon.

Fast forward to training season. I had already been training for multiple other races. This race was just one week after RussVegas for me so the timing was great. Darby had a 10k and a 10 mile race that fit well with her training plan. Darby had been doing long runs with our friends Stefanie, and Denise. Stefanie was the one that told us about the race, but Denise was just joining the training runs. I kept wondering why she didn't sign up for the race. I'd joke with her about signing up. Finally when she ran 10 miles with Darby and Stefanie, I texted her and basically said if she didn't sign up I was doing it for her. :) A couple days later she was signed up too. Also joining us race weekend was our friend from Canada, Roxanne. She flew in to be our personal cheerleader. :)

We decided to use the host hotel so we wouldn't have to worry about finding a parking spot with all the closed roads near the course. The race website noted the host hotel had a free continuously running shuttle on race morning. We were at the Marriott Georgetown Hotel  and we were all thrilled with the service. We arrived a little early before check in, expecting to leave our bags at the concierge desk while we went to packet pick up. We were surprised when the lady at the front desk passed over our keys. We had many moments like this and as far as the hotel is concerned, I'd most definitely recommend it as a place to stay for race weekend.

Where the hang up comes in would be the shuttle situation. The website, when looking at the host hotel information, stated that the shuttles would run from 5am-6:30 or 7. A week out from the race we saw that there was only going to be two shuttles, one at 5 and one at 5:30. But then again at the hotel when we checked in they had been told there were constant shuttles until 6:30 or 7. There was a lot of confusion race morning when the first shuttle didn't show up until almost 5:30. There was a lot of frustration too. The second shuttle arrived about 6, and we were barely able to get on, but only because the lady who was affiliated with the race decided to let people sit three to a section (when each was really  only made for two.) I know there was at least one more shuttle run after ours, because Stefanie's friend got lost in the shuffle and didn't make it on ours, but I'm not sure if there was fourth after that. The shuttle confusion didn't end with the morning runs, after the race it wasn't any better. This was the one issue I had with race weekend.

But back to race morning… Even with the shuttle confusion, we still arrived at the start line area with lots of time. There were plenty of porta potties, very close to the start. The excitement was palpable. I have never done a race with a majority of the racers being women. I think throughout the whole race, as far as participants go, I may have seen two men. All of us, more than 2300 women were gathering at the start line. It was raining. It had been raining since we stepped outside at 5:30. Probably before that even. It wasn’t bad. Anything ranging from a barely there drizzle to a light rain that was enough for me to be glad for the hat I “stole” from Stefanie. She brought one, but decided she didn’t want to wear it. I brought one, but left it in the hotel room thinking I didn’t need it. I’m very thankful for Stefanie’s hat!

The race began and as we crossed the start line it all became real. I was about to run a half marathon with my best friend. 13.1 miles in Washington DC. I may have done some out loud cheering before we reached 1/10 of a mile. :-D

The first four miles loop East Potomac Park, with two miles along the Potomac River and then coming back on the other side of the park along the Washington Channel. The whole course was beautiful. I loved that part through the park. Even through the rain, I found it gorgeous.

The next couple miles were through the streets near monuments. We saw many different views of the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial, and the backside of the Lincoln Memorial. We also ran under the Kennedy Center. There are two aid stations that stand out in my memory. One of them was here. They were standing in the median playing music and dancing. Spectating in the rain may not be fun for everyone, but these guys were excited the first time we passed them, and still going strong when we came back by an hour later.

Miles 6-10ish were an out and back section on an amazing parkway surrounded by tall green trees and some really neat bridges. We also passed a really old cemetery on a hill. It was fascinating and I kind of wanted to go off the course and explore.

Along the race Darby and I didn’t talk too much. I felt like Darby was in a zone, focusing on getting from one mile to the next. She started having some blister issues, and all I wanted was for her to finish the race happy. And possibly, not right away, maybe consider doing another half marathon. I know after my first I promised I’d never do another though. So I encouraged Darby when I felt she needed it, and occasionally I’d make small talk, but mostly she listened to her music and I enjoyed the peaceful course.

As we got back into the main DC area the rain began to pick up. For the most part it had continued to rain the whole race, but in a subtle, mostly unnoticeable way. It was becoming very noticeable. By mile 11 we were mostly walking and the rain was a complete downpour. That was fun… for about 10 minutes. I wasn't miserable, but the last two miles were more than uncomfortable. I love running in the rain. This wasn't running in the rain though. It was coming down so hard it hurt at times. And with the harder rain came more wind. I was SO cold. The remainder of the race felt so hard. More than the distance. More than the wet. I had goosebumps and couldn't feel my fingers.

I think Darby and I were equally ready to be done with the race, albeit for different reasons. We stayed distracted by thinking about our estimated finish time and staying in touch with Stefanie and Denise, who had run ahead of us pretty early on, and also with Roxanne who had walked from the hotel, knowing all of them were at the end waiting to cheer us across the finish line. We got to the mile 13 marker and could see the finish line. After a quick pic, we started running, wanting to finish strong.

As we got closer I saw our friends waiting and it made me so happy. I was pointing everyone out to Darby, hoping to psych her up, and at this point couldn’t contain the happiness I felt. Happiness to see familiar faces at the end of a long race. Happiness to be done and hopefully getting warm soon. Happiness, SO MUCH happiness, to have just run a half marathon with my best friend. I’m so proud of her. And the other girls as well. This was a first half marathon for all of them. Each of my friends put in the work and reached their goal. It was time to celebrate! ...Almost.

We began walking in the direction we had come after being dropped off by the shuttle, based on what the drivers had told us. Following other finishers, we ended up walking in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Of course we had to stop for some photo ops. The Lincoln Memorial also happens to be my favorite in DC.

We got to the other side where there were a ton of people, but still, no one seemed to know anything about shuttles. We finally decided to call an Uber, when one of the girls saw the familiar shuttle. She ran across the street to ask and when the driver verified we got on. WARMTH!!! After waiting a few minutes someone asked how long we would be waiting. By this time we could have walked about the same distance we had just walked and been back to our hotel. Or, the Uber we had ordered would have picked us up. We might have been a little “hangry”. There’s no hangry like a runner’s hangry after finishing a half marathon! The driver had been told he had to wait until the shuttle was full. There were about 15 of us on and it could easily hold 50 people. We were among the last people to leave the finish area. There wasn’t likely to be a full shuttle to wait on. In the end, after a bit of an uproar and then talking to someone over the phone, he decided to take us back to the hotel.

I said it earlier, but I really hope that by next year they get this major shuttle kink worked out. I know it’s a major city, but surely it can be better.

When we walked into the lobby of the hotel we were all surprised to see, right at the entrance, one of the front desk ladies sitting behind a table full of waters and snacks and a sign saying congratulations. This hotel did things right. I absolutely would stay there for a race again.

Overall I loved every bit of this race. Take away the torrential downpour (which is obviously out of anyone’s control) and the lack of shuttle organization, the rest was great! I’d love to do this one again sometime.

So what's next? NOTHING! Not for quite a few months anyway.  Scott and I are registered for Soaring Wings Half Marathon in October. But there’s a twist… we are moving! This Arkansas Runner is soon to be a Florida Runner! I’m excited about all the new running possibilities, but first, I need to figure out how to get back to Arkansas to run Soaring Wings. I can’t miss it because it’s the last year. My favorite race is coming to an end. It’s almost like it’s meant to be,  that my last race in Arkansas is in its final year. I have to be here.

Until then, I hope to get back to 3-4 runs per week, building my base back, and hopefully getting back to some speedy runs, all before beginning training for Soaring Wings. I’ve taken quite a bit of time off from running (only 4 times in the month since the half marathon) due to preparing for the move mixed with busy work stuff. I’m slowly coming back though.

We'll see what the next few months bring!