Sunday was my 25th half marathon and 11th consecutive Sioux Falls half marathon. My training had been sporadic, and my legs weren't quite recovered from my ten miler that I did on Monday. Oops. After riding my bike on a preview of the new race course, I decided not to race the course, and leave the Good Life Halfsy as my fall "goal race". I still wanted to run hard.
My long runs had been in the 10:20-10:35 range, so I thought with the hills I would be in the 10-10:30 pace for the day.
It was a gorgeous morning, very cool for this race, 52 at the start. The first couple of miles were flat and fun, and then the hills started up.
1. 10:04
2. 10:09
I meant to start closer to 10:30 pace, but I definitely got swept up in the race flow, and knew I'd slow down once the hills started up. We had our biggest hill during mile 3, and I ducked into a portapotty as soon as I found one, since I hydrated WELL before the race and thought my bladder was going to explode from the moment the starting horn started.
3. 11:09 (bathroom break :35 seconds)
4. 9:49
I still struggle at running downhill without having my quads seize up, so I took it really easy on the downhills and then would counter by trying to put in a solid effort on the uphills. I was already feeling tightness in my quads during mile 3. Eeps.
5. 9:56
6. 10:09
I decided to take advantage of the flat middle miles, knowing there were hills to the finish that would probably kill me. I picked it up a bit and wheeeee was having a lot of fun.
I was feeling really good through the halfway point, and started doing some math to see what my second half pace would need to be to get under a 2:10!
7. 9:52
8. 10:09
Rookie mistake. I took my salt tab at 1 hour, and my second GU at 6.5
miles, and not too long after my stomach started to revolt. My stomach
was really upset before the race, but that's really common for me, so
I'm not sure what was up.
I pulled back to allow my stomach to settle a little bit.
I knew the hills started up again for miles 9, 10 and 11. And I was fading.
I ended up taking quite a few walk breaks during the last 4 miles. I was pooped. Running ten miles as your max run, and having a course that launches up hill during miles 9-11 is hard. Blech.
Proof of the struggle.
And then I saw Tom! And Sara! And Mallory! And Jovi!
And that put a pep in my step.
9. 10:57
10. 11:26
11. 10:41
The race leveled off in the final two miles, but I was pooped. I think I even took walk breaks in the 13th mile! Uff.
12. 11:52
13. 11:00
We got to the track with 300 meters to go, and I was ready to be done. But hey, it's a trick. Wheee!!!
I ran the final .17 in 1:24 for a pace of 8:08 pace (aka ready to be done pace).
So I had thought I'd run a 10-10:30 pace, and I was definitely on the high side of that estimation. My garmin had me at 2:18:24 for a pace of 10:31.
My mom and day were there, but my dad had gone to the car because his back was hurting him, so I got a picture with my mama.
And my husband to be.
And Kyle and his parents.
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