Carlsbad Half Marathon

January 25th 2009 – Carlsbad Half Marathon Race Report
Not sure why I am so verbose this evening – nothing exciting happened. Skip to the bottom if all you care about is my finish time…
The alarm went off at 3:15am this morning, the race start time was at 7:30am, why in the world was I up so early? Two reasons – restrooms and parking. I have a serious porta-potty phobia. I’m not fond of public restrooms and a hole with no water is just wrong. The parking issue is that there were over 8000 people registered for the race and only 6000 parking spots at the mall - I can do the math and see a looming problem. My first thing was to jump on Facebook, because I am seriously addicted. I wanted to change my status, but at 3-something in the morning the brain wasn’t quite firing on all cylinders. Fortunately I had laid out my clothes and food the night before. I ate a banana and Clif Bar, drank some water, filled my fuel belt, used the restroom a few times, braided my hair, applied sunscreen and a little lip gloss and I was ready to go. Hauled my foam roller and two tennis balls, road ID, Garmin 305, and hit the road at 5:00am.
The Carlsbad village mall is about twenty minutes from my house. I rolled in with no issues. The marathoners had a start time of 6:00am; so I watched them leave their cars while I kept the heater and radio going in mine. I tried to read, but eventually decided a little cat nap would be the better option. Napped for about twenty minutes and then hopped into the back of my car for some foam roller and tennis ball torture. Don’t know what other people thought I was doing in my car – I’m thinking that maybe the foam roller should only be used in the privacy of one’s home, but I wanted to break up the fascia – especially since I had done 5 miles the day before with my new training group. The tennis balls are for my hips – the foam roller breaks everything else up. I highly recommend both. They hurt, but really do seem to work. I don’t have any IB issues, but think the foam roller was designed specifically for that, but I find it works great on all issues. I’ve only been using it since November and am amazed at how much less it hurts now than it did the first time.
6:45am get out of my car and join the masses. It is cold and blustery. I know that in a little bit I won’t be cold, but in the mean time, I’m miserable. I was supposed to meet some IRONChix at the expo tent. Unfortunately I have never met these people in person – I only know them from online and was unable to locate the group. The expo tent was too near the porta-potties for me; so after one more feeble search I headed over to the starting line.
When I signed up for this race – I was fairly honest in my assessment of my finish time. (I’m middle of the middle pack – so slow) I was in the second to last chute – just in front of the stroller brigade. Think next time I will be less honest…(I am such a goody-goody I just couldn’t jump waves) I was sad because I had wanted to be with the pacers, but this was a wave start so each wave went about a minute behind the previous wave – however the pacers left with the first wave; so by the time I started they were a good 10-15 minutes ahead of my wave. They were pacing official time – I was more concerned with a decent chip time. But it would have been nice to have a pace group because my pace can be a little erratic – it really varies with the song that is currently playing on my IPOD shuffle. My other sadness was that besides not finding the IRONChix – none of my training partners were in my wave – obviously they lied because we were all the same pace training =( It was funny though because from my wave chute – you couldn’t even see the start line and barely hear the announcer – I heard what I believe was the National Anthem, but I can’t be 100% certain. Must have been though because a huge cheer goes up and then we start walking to the next chute to wait and then we wait again, and again, and again. Wahoo! I can see the start line and the announcer is now loud. A few more waves and then finally it is our turn.
Press the start on my Garmin – start the IPOD shuffle, and begin my race of making up stories about the other racers. If I have to cover 13.1 miles with no one to talk to this is what I do. I’ll say a few words every now and again – like – “Feeling those endorphins yet? – Thanks for volunteering. Thought this was supposed to be a flat course. Are we having fun yet?” But these are mainly rhetorical and I am not expecting to get into a deep discussion with anyone. My first stories typically start out with what people are wearing. Catty I know, but fun. Not sure if this is a California thing, but there are many people wearing boas and carrying fairy princess wands by and large women in the 40ish age range. Having never sported this look for a race – I am not sure what the wand provides – maybe it lets you prod people that are slowing you down? I would almost certainly cause injury to myself or those near me if I tried to race with a wand. I decided that these were my Fairy God-Mothers on the course and that each time I passed one I was getting a blessing like Sleeping Beauty got when she was born, beauty wisdom, faster legs, a better VO2 max. I was in search of blessings and looked forward to passing these people on my journey. At mile two I realized that maybe I had started a little too fast as I came across a pacer. True this was a 2:30 time pacer, but still they should have had a gargantuan lead by this time.
On the course you see many people that are running for causes. Team in Training with the Leukemia and Lymphoma society was representing well, but we also had a water station that was manned by the JM group. There had to be over 50 people at this water station. If it had been JD – I would have guessed Juvenile Diabetes, but JM left me a bit puzzled. I kept trying to find someone that was racing that had JM on their shirt so I could figure out what this organization was trying to cure. Obviously if you know someone with JM you know what it means, but this organization didn’t seem to want to clue in the rest of us. I was starting to get mad – I don’t like not knowing – should have had my phone so I could look it up on the internet. But I won’t keep you in suspense it stands for Juvenile Myositis. (Probably why they don’t put it on their shirts because then I would just want to know what Myositis is. I copied this from their website. “Juvenile Dermatomyositis and Juvenile Polymyositis are the most common forms of JM (Juvenile Myositis) - a rare autoimmune disease that affects approximately 5,000 children in the United States. JM attacks children of all ages, causing a variety of debilitating symptoms including:
• Muscle weakness and pain
• Severe fatigue
• Rashes
• Swallowing and digestive difficulties
• Lung and heart problems
• Vasculitic ulcers
• Calcinosis
Some children may experience a remission, while others will battle JM their entire life, and complications from this disease can prove fatal. Medication can help to alleviate the symptoms of JM, but there is no known cure.” For a disease that affects only 5000 kids in the US they had an amazingly large group of runners and volunteers. I hope they raised lots of money.
Mile four I got to see the lead male marathoner heading to the finish line. The elite athlete is amazing. They have no body fat and they don’t look like they are exerting themselves at all and they are in mile 20 running slightly under a 6min/mile pace. I loved watching the elites run by. I know they are human, but they almost seem alien. They just seem so genetically different – closer to gazelles and birds than my genetic make-up.
I used to think that brides maid dresses were bad, but there is a new form of bridal torture out there – make your bridal party run a half marathon with you. Those are true friends. Of course the soon to be husband wasn’t out there with them or at least not by his fiancée’s side. I decided that the friendships would last, but not the marriage. By mile five two men with jog strollers flew by me. I decided they were domestic partners that had adopted the two children. The shorter man resented the children since he was not actually holding on to the stroller and would just push it, let it go and then catch up to it. His partner couldn’t see this brutal form of stroller abuse blissfully unaware of the seething turmoil that his partner kept hidden. Another doomed relationship.
By now my IPOD was playing inspirational music. It made me appreciate that I could be out racing – that I live in San Diego right next to this amazing body of water, God really is good. I plan to go to church this evening and thank him. My stories became much more tame and uplifting, but why bore you with those =)
The turn-around came quickly which was a nice surprise. I planned to take two clif block shots and some electrolyte at the half-way point. I just purchased this fuel belt and I was able to retrieve the Clif shots, but could not release my bottles. It was like they were super-glued to the belt. I fought it for a little bit, but gave up and decided that I would get some at the next water station. I was a little worried because although the temperature was moderate and it wasn’t that sunny – it was humid. We have had much needed rain the past two days, but it makes it a little muggy and I am used to sweat evaporating not just staying wet and getting wetter and felt that maybe I was sweating more than normal. My face felt salty. The next 4 water stations only had water – not till the final 2 miles did I find electrolyte replacement. By mile 10 my left calf started cramping something I have never experienced during a race. It was painful, but not enough to make me want to stop. And wow- up ahead I can see the 2:20 time pacer – if I just keep pushing I can hang with them for the rest of the way – it’s only another 3.1 miles.
At this point my fairy Godmother’s have “Will run for Pinot Noir on the back of their shirts or a good Cabernet.” My fairy Godmothers are a bunch of drunks! There is this other woman that has “Run Like a Mother”. Should I add the expletive? Or should I be ashamed that she is in front of me – me being a non-Mom. At this point I am angry because my shuffle has decided that angry break-up songs are the music that I need to motivate me. Have I mentioned that my shuffle is psychic and knows what I need to hear? Not sure how Steve Jobs creates these fabulous psychic gizmos, but hope he is back to work soon. I finally pass the 2:20 pace leader – yippee and am now trying to catch the Marines that are carrying the US and Marine Corp Flags with them. The crowd loves them – and I am in need of crowd support. So I push to get on their coat tails; so I can soak in the excess love that follows these two fine specimens of manhood. I’m not sure if it is the flags or the fact that they have both removed their shirts. The view is good.
The last stretch of this race is not pretty. There are ambulances picking up people. People just having issues or giving up on achieving a PR or qualifying for Boston – broken sad people. Besides my calf I feel good. I want the race done, but think I could go a few more miles if necessary. I think that means I didn’t leave it all on the race course. I’m okay with that. I’m competitive within my limits and know that my paycheck doesn’t depend on my performance. I do this to push myself and see how my body responds. Also I am a person that needs a reason to workout – to not embarrass myself at races is a good reason. Cross the finish line – wahoo!!!! Eva from Coastal Medical Wellness gives me a high-five. Is it bad that I know the medical personnel? I get my nice new shiny medal and then the cow herd shuffle begins. It is worse than trying to get through customs at JFK. People with dogs, strollers, kids on scooters, and racers all trying to exit. I am short and everybody else seemed to loom over me…. I just wanted away from all the sweaty people and into nice open air. Took about 5 minutes but made it. Life is good.
According to my Garmin 2:13:38.44 and a total of 1424 calories burned. I’m off to church then am going to gorge on chips and salsa! See you on the course.


Overall:
4178 out of 7148
Women:
2057 out of 4284
F 35-39:
358 out of 710
Age/Grade:
50.15% Place: 4141
Finish:
2:13:31 Pace: 10:12
Tag Time:
2:13:31
Gun Time:
2:26:58

Winter Blues

The sun is shining and I'm at home watching football. I know that 70.3 HIM is arriving quickly and yet I feel unmotivated. I managed to get a run and 2 bike rides in with traveling to Portland and am now pondering a swim. Which would be the first swim in 2-3 months? The thought of putting a bathing suit on is enough to unmotivate me... Sadly the diet and workouts have slipped over the holidays leaving me a sad lumpy sack.
Today I started logging in my food journal again and am going to start ignoring the Garmin GPS that says I've burned a gazillion calories and using that as an excuse to eat two avocados! I also purchased some FRS chews and hope that they will give me the extra-energy boost that I can't seem to find within. I'm once again a road-warrior, but know that the hotel has a pool and treadmill; so I should be able to log a little fitness. Need to get lean and strong and excited to workout. I joined WC RoadRunners yesterday and am excited to checkout their track workouts. Am hoping to gain some speed this season.
Workout Goals this week
Sunday 1500m swim - Hill walk workout
Monday 30min swim - 30 min treadmill
Tuesday 45min swim - 45 min treadmill
Wednesday - rest day/ travel day
Thursday 55min Computrainer - 1.5hr bootcamp weights
Friday 1hr walk
Saturday Group Run - Ride 56 - 1 hr swim

Ambitious, but doable - keep a food journal all week and stay within my calorie limits! I think that this week is going to be my turn-around week. The sun is out and life really is good. I'm banishing my winter blues/bloat. Have fun everybody - see you at the finish line!