I'm starting on a high note off of my recent win at BMO Okanagan half marathon. I'd be lying if I pretended I didn't train for this race and that it all comes naturally to me. I honed in on this race in June and quickly hired a coach to help me reach my new arbitrary goal of 1:25. Throughout the summer I cross trained by racing bikes. Sometimes I nearly switched focus given the success I was having but would quickly remember the reason I was riding bikes was to ultimately run this race!
Back to running...my coach soon filled my schedule in with intense training weeks. Every time I'd dread a workout a new one would be in its place that I would fear more. I'm not sure how many times my husband heard me say, "I'll never be able to do that!" And somehow I'd (generally) make it through. And of course on the days I couldn't finish it was my coaches fault for making the workout too hard even if I'd nail the same workout a few weeks later! But that's training - it's emotional and exciting and doesn't always go as you envision it, for better or worse!
I hurt my foot three months into my training. I had thought it was plantar fasciitis but it doesn't appear to be what it was. No I didn't go to physio and you can shake your finger at me if you want. But I'm an amateur racer who still works full time and helps run a household, so sometimes you neglect yourself. And sometimes getting your run in takes higher priority than spending those few precious moments of freedom in a physio clinic. Either way, it put my training back significantly as my cross training started replacing running days in order to stay off my foot.
Three weeks out from the big day after an intense training session I came home and spent the rest of the evening in the bathroom. This pattern repeated Itself two more times the week before BMO, but at a higher intensity. My stomach felt awful even when I wasn't running. Something wasn't right and I was advised to see a doctor. Four days before the race the doctor suggests I don't run it at all. Two days before the race I gave four tubes of blood for tests (a quick Google search from my husband let me know I'd be replenished to run if I still wanted to - thanks hunny). I wasn't sure what the right decision was but a message from my coach helped me make a decision. I'd worked so hard for this, I was going to at least try it.
Pacing strategies were constantly on my mind. Using my last 10k as a benchmark my coach thought I should aim for a 1:30 to start but I knew I was faster than ever and that I had not regressed (a 1:30 would have been a dramatic regression) and that the 10k course I had just run was challenging. So I took a well known local runners time on that same race, compared it to some of his recent races and confirmed in my head that that course was not a good predictor of what I could do - I decided I was going for my 1:25 anyways!
My husband and I arrive in Kelowna and go straight to race package pickup where we had also planned to do a leg shakeout. My sister was also racing and had just messaged to say she forgot her garmin. Who forgets their garmin?? Oh wait a minute...I guess it runs in the family. I also forgot my garmin. So...$100 later I purchase the cheapest garmin I can find and make sure it's pink so that my husband won't insist on me taking his (even though I know he'd have worn the pink one for me). Not off to the best start...I play around with it and the minimal features allow me to see distance and lap pace on one screen so I set it there and hope for the best.
Race morning arrives. I was nervous as heck. I could barely down a piece of toast and half a coffee. However, I'm a firm believer that some nerves are good...it means you care enough to endure the pain you're about to inflict on yourself and push through it. So I took this as a good sign. Mentally, I was in it!
I lined up at the front. The last marker was a 1:30 and I was determined that was not me today! I didnt size up my competition because I had my sights on a PB and whatever place that put me in was fine by me. I had done some research and figured I had a chance at podium if today went as planned. But you just never know who's going to show up on any given day and it wasn't about that today. Gun went off, I kept my pace in check and didn't allow myself to get caught in the excitement of the start and go out too fast. I was in the lead right off the start, battling with two other girls for the spot. The "lead female" bike couldn't figure out who to follow and I could hear them talking and it was starting to distract me so I initiated a 50 to 100m surge and it seemed to intimidate the other two enough that they didn't follow. At the 5k point it was a turnaround and I counted second place at least 20 seconds back already and never thought about it again. I was feeling good, was on pace and focused!
There was a strong west wind and it started to take its toll on me. By kilometre 12 I started to fatigue but was still seeing 4:0X's on the watch so kept at it. By km 16 I started to experience kidney pain and knew it was apart of starting to break down (or the few glasses of wine I'd consumed the night before with my sister - hey loving life is important to not taking yourself so seriously). I grabbed for water and Gatorade at the next two stops and held on til the finish.
At 700 m to go I see my husbands smiling face as he sees me in the lead. He slaps my ass as I run by which makes me laugh and forget about the pain I'm feeling to just hang on to this last few 100m. I round the corner for the final 200m and see 1:26:20 on the clock. I wasn't certain until then because my new cheap garmin didn't give me total time. Well I guess I missed 1:25 I think to myself and then snap out of it when I hear the cheering for lead female and run through the victory ribbon. Course was long, as always, and my strava says I ran a half in 1:26:01. I'll take it! Official time: 1:26:32. And next time I choose 1:25 as my goal it won't be so arbitrary because I KNOW can do this.
So amazing to have my sister and brother in law and husband at the finish line. I wouldn't be out here competing if it weren't for my husband. We train together and push each other and this has just become apart of our daily lives. Did I mention he also ran the 10k and got his #sub40before40? Ya he's pretty awesome too!
Not sure what's next for me. Maybe a fun 10k or maybe, just maybe, 1:25 half marathon ;)
Great writing, was with you every step. Felt your pain and joy! Keep it coming!
ReplyDeleteGreat writing, was with you every step. Felt your pain and joy! Keep it coming!
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