9 years later, finally a PR....

9 years ago in 2003 (in case you had trouble with math), I was 27 years old and decided to do my first half-marathon after taking a fairly long sabbatical to running from high school track...(I am not counting playing field hockey in college).  I ran a 2:02:21 at the Ceaser Rodney Half Marathon in Delaware.  I ran one more that year and did a 2:03:05 at the formerly called Philadelphia Distance Run and then I took yet another sabbatical of running any longer than a 5k and went back to kick-boxing and weights and other activities.

When I took up triathlons in 2008, I became addicted to the bike and improving in the swim.  Let's face it, I was hit with one issue after another with my legs and feet that I was faced with the feeling that I was doomed to be a 10min/mile runner in anything over 10 miles.  I did a couple half-marathons and 10 mile Broad Street runs and it was constant....

2009 Philadelphia Half-marathon - 2:12:42
2011 NOLA Half-marathon - 2:11:17

I dropped out of a 1/2 in 2010 but my debut in 1/2 Ironman that year proved another cursed 10 minute miler...it was getting to the point where I only signed up for these things in the hopes of not doing it, because I was tired of not doing anything any better than seeing the 10:xx flash before  me.  This year, you heard (or read) me talk about how I changed my foot strike and have been working on my gait.  This change has led me to (knock on wood) NO calf cramps which was the demise of any of my half-marathons around mile 9 or 10 during the running races or during a half-ironman.

My last report was the DC 1/2 marathon which I had a small PR (since 2009) and did a 2:10 (yes, another 10min/mile - however the Garmin SAID 9:50).  I had a couple small issues, but I also had a "not-so secret goal" for Atlantic City.  This was an area where I not only spent most of my childhood days at the Jersey Shore walking the boardwalk, but also a recent family shore house (sister-in-law).  I am used to running the course the opposite direction at least 3-4 times a year during the summer while training on vacation.  Oh yeah, and it is flat....

My only negative thought on PR'ing was that A, I was 2 weeks after the last half and I never went on a recovery week, I was still in my Build phase for the 1/2 ironman plan which meant getting in about 15 hours before Sunday.  However, I have been feeling extremely healthy and recovering remarkably well after hard workouts. 

It helps when you have plenty of good food...

good beer and friends....

and making beer...(this is another post for another time)

Our cherry bourbon stout we are kegging....

The day before was a 3.5 hr trainer ride while "stalking" my favorite peeps in Oceanside which watching some flicks...

We left later that night to pick up the packs and stay over at my ever so generous sister-in-law's awesome home so we could sleep in....Best part of race day morning?  The fact that we could use casino bathrooms instead of port-a-potties...not so good for the casino goers with 1000 runners vying for the toilets and well you know how it rolls race morning...

Our biggest supporter, my sister!

Myself, Christine and Nicole with the beach in the back...

The race started and looked at my Garmin 8:47, we know what happens when I start out like this so I kept a 9:20 -9:30 pace depending on water stops.  As I waited for something bad to happen, I kept going, my heart rate was in check, I felt good, it was nice seeing the ocean and reminiscing in various areas.  At mile 8 I saw my Garmin say 1:33...which even if I did 10 min miles for the last 5 miles I would PR.  What this meant to me was if I got a cramp I can still pull this off....but I wanted to keep going and kept the same pace, no cramps, no elevated heart rate, nope just steady....and then I saw my mom on the side lines and my sister and dad and reeled it in.

Clock time 2:01:35 (9:22 min/mile)

I think this sums up the race!

FINALLY A PR from 9 years ago...at this point I feel better than I have in a while, and completely excited about the next 9 weeks of training for Mooseman!