Melissa's Fargo Half Marathon Race Report

Melissa is one of my good running buddies. We did the bulk of our long runs together for the Twin Cities Marathon last year, and since then, I've been giving her training plans to follow, partially because then I have a built in running buddy, but mostly because she has such potential as a runner, I really wanted to see how fast she could get this spring. So yes, I guess there are bonuses to being my running buddy if you're in need of a coach. :P

I asked her if she wanted to write up her race report from the Fargo Half Marathon, because she had an awesome day despite really cruddy conditions. Prior to this spring, Melissa's half PR was a 1:56 ish set at Mankato just a few weeks after her first full marathon. I knew she was much faster than her time showed, so we spent a lot of time slowing down her long runs, slowly increasing her weekly mileage, keeping the majority of her miles really really easy conversational pace, and then tackling some hard workouts on workout days. She set a couple of minute PR at the Skedaddle Half Marathon in April, with the pacing plan that she should feel like she was really holding back almost the whole time, as her A goal was Fargo.

Go Melissa!

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My race plan from my BRF Jeri:

5x8:45
5x8:15
3.1x8
Time=1:49:48
I of course NEVER look at the weather before a race but I know Jeri does so after hearing people say, “it’s going to rain and be windy,” I asked Jeri. I know she has been looking for the past week  and it was easier to ask her. She confirmed! 

 I was aware of the wind because let’s be honest, it’s Fargo, but I was NOT expecting the cold and rain! I was hoping for warmth! 

Anyway, race day came and I slept AMAZING but I could not  and the weather was cold, rainy and windy like everyone was saying. At that point I decided today was probably not going to be a PR because of the weather and I was worried about a stomach cramp! We left the hotel and I started joking about how “beautiful” the weather was because we can’t change it and I wanted to have fun since I wasn't going to PR.
After talking with Jeri, I decided go go out a little more conservative. 

My first mile was 9:04 and after that I kept looking at my watch and 8:30’s were coming up and I felt so good 
Mile 2: 8:34
Mile 3: 8:33
Mile 4: 8:33
Mile 5:  8:26
After mile 5 I still felt strong and no stomach cramps . I made sure to stop at 3 water stops for some Gatorade because I have trouble fueling during a race and the thought of GU’s make me want to vomit. 

Don’t worry- I’ve learned after a few terrible races that I have to eat breakfast, especially when I struggle fueling during.  I’ve found a bagel with PB, honey and half a banana works pretty good. 

Ok back to the race!
After mile 6, I was like “I can do this!” I picked up the pace mile 7-9.
Mile 6: 8:26
Mile 7: 8:15
Mile 8: 8:18
Mile 9:  8:20
Then that darn wind seemed to find me and I I can’t remember what mile, but I’m pretty sure 10-11, I stopped at a water stop for Gatorade because I didn't want to bonk! 

Mile 10: 8:29
Mile 11: 8:28 

At the water stop I found Glenda and she yelled, “Go Melissa, Go!” So I did!

Mile 12: 8:06
Mile 13: 7:49
0.12: 6:47 

Of course that gave me a huge boost! I took off and looked down at my watch and saw the time and realized, I’m going to PR and I still feel so strong!
I finished with a time of 1:50:10. Dang 11seconds! Right Jeri?!? But it was a PR by 3.5 minutes from Skedaddle so I’ll take it. Jeri was once again right when she said, “you are gonna PR!”  

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The best part of this (other than the monster PR, obvs) was sitting in the locker rooms after the race looking up everyone's official times and seeing that Melissa ran a 1:50:10. Without thinking, I remarked, "You couldn't find 11 seconds, Melissa!?!?" totally joking, but it was pretty funny. Honestly Melissa doesn't run very well in the cold (unlike me, ha) so on a good day, I actually had her pegged closer to a 1:48. We'll switch our focus to marathon training here shortly, but we also signed up for a half a month after Twin Cities, so I wouldn't expect this half PR to stand into 2020.