I rocked. I rolled. I set a new PR.
For the second year in a row, I signed up to run the Rock 'N' Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon with S and K, two of my favorite college girlfriends who have become part of my fabulous group of sweat sisters. We ran it last year and signed up months ago when the site offered a 2012 discount. This race worked out perfectly for my marathon training schedule as it wiped out my miles for the weekend and gave me an opportunity to test my fitness. Plus, we’re always looking for a reason to visit S in Philly!
K and I traveled to Philly bright and early Saturday morning. Special thanks to K’s mom who called and woke her up at 7:45 for our 8:15am bus. Meanwhile, I had been up since 6am. I don’t pick my best friends based on their internal clocks.
We arrived on time and headed right to the expo to grab our gear. After numbers were retrieved and shirts were snagged, we headed to lunch to begin the weekend. I hadn’t seen S in WAY too long so we had a lot of gossip to cover. My sorority little A came to meet us as well for our 2 hour plus lunch. Like I said, we had a LOT to catch up on.
We shopped around town and then headed to S’s condo to rest before dinner. Dinner was delicious and I learned a valuable lesson about BYOB restaurants the night before a race. Just because you bring a bottle doesn’t mean you need to finish it. I wasn’t solo in this antioxidant adventure, but a major player for sure.
We set our Sunday morning alarms for 6:30am which is late for a race morning wake up. I guzzled water and ate a Cliff Bar, my new breakfast of choice before a long run. S’s condo was just blocks away from the start so we shook out our legs on a nice stroll there.
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| Well hello early morning pre-race glamour shots! |
I skipped the porta potty area due to long lines and thinking any uncomfortable feelings were just “race day jitters.”
I jumped into my corral to stretch while cuing up “Crazy Train.” This Ozzy Osborne hit is how I begin every race. I know this might come as a surprise to many but instead of Britney, Ozzy gets me in the zone and ready to run.
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| Rock Me Philly. |
The race started and I set off.
I set a PR in Philly last year and knowing the elevations of the course, I thought I had a chance of beating it. However, I knew that I was not in the same shape that I was when I set my most recent half marathon PR at the NYC Half in March. I haven’t been doing strength training or yoga even though I put it on my schedule every week. If I didn’t set a PR, I wanted this race to show my fitness level and highlight the areas of my training where I’m slacking.
Miles 1-3: I wasn’t feeling fresh or like a spring chicken. The feelings of discomfort weren’t just race jitters. I never stop in races but this time was different, I was not going to make it to the finish line. I found a bathroom right after mile 3 and forced myself to stop.
Mile 3-5: After the quickest bathroom stop in race history, I felt better but debated abandoning my hopes of setting a new half marathon PR. I thought about stopping and waiting for K & S to come through. I could just jump back in with them and enjoy the rest of the race. My body hadn’t clicked into “cruise control” which was beyond frustrating.
Mile 5: … and then I started cruising! It was too late to wait for the girls so I shifted my focus back to this race. Could I set a PR? I didn’t know but I was sure going to try.
Miles 6-12: The miles were flying by. The course was flat and I was running relatively pain free. I also had an exciting new playlist to help pass the time. The new tunes in combination with running alongside an Elvis costumed runner kept me moving with negative splits on the horizon.
Mile 12-13: …and then the pain kicked in full force. What had I done? Could I really maintain the sub 8 pace? For the last mile, the course took a dramatic turn uphill. This was a sick joke and I was not entertained. I knew that I was minutes away from a PR so I told myself to push it. I actually said this to myself out loud. Luckily most runners wear headphones so I don’t think they heard me?
Mile 13- 13.1: I seriously don’t understand why half marathons have a .1 at the end.
I crossed the finish line at the official time of 1:48:19. New PR set. Mission Accomplished.
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| Negative Splits? I'll take it! |
My finish time was a great improvement from last year’s race (1:53:53) and even faster than my NYC Half PR from last March (1:49:02). Plus! This was a new PR that included a bathroom stop. Maybe I could have broken 1:48? Who knows but I couldn’t play that mental game.
I might have pushed myself a little too hard during this race. When I crossed the finish line, my vision was blurry and I darted to the nearest trash can. I didn’t actually get sick but I also didn’t feel like a million bucks.
Towards the end of the race I remember thinking that I didn’t want to leave anything on the course and I am happy to report that I didn’t. I pushed myself to the breaking point and in the midst, set a new PR. Can you tell I am slightly competitive?
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| Do we REALLY have to go back to NYC? |
As I enter the home stretch of my marathon training, running has gotten a little bit monotonous. The weekday TFK practices and weekend races have provided a much needed breathe of fresh air for my marathon training.
Oh yeah… about that MARATHON that I'm training for.
There are 202 training miles and 46 days until I toe the starting line on November 4th. Can you believe it?
This weekend I will do my longest run thus far hitting the magic mileage number of 20. On Sunday, I am participating in the NYC Marathon Tune-Up in Central Park. Three loops of the Park sounds a little painful right now so I am just not going to think about it.
Before Sunday's long run, I am taking a day trip back to Philly on Saturday to cheer on my brother in his home opener game against Villanova. Dad and I will hide our Wildcat pride for the day and become Quakers? Or will we?
LAST WEEK
Monday
|
Tuesday
|
Wednesday
|
Thursday
|
Friday
|
Saturday
|
Sunday (flex)
|
TOTAL
|
TOTAL (w flex)
| |
TFK Plan
|
7
|
REST
|
7
|
6
|
REST
|
11
|
6
|
31
|
37
|
LA
|
6
|
REST/ Massage
|
6
|
7
|
3
|
REST
|
13
(Philly Half)
|
35
|
THIS WEEK
Monday
|
Tuesday
|
Wednesday
|
Thursday
|
Friday
|
Saturday
|
Sunday (flex)
|
TOTAL
|
TOTAL (w flex)
| |
TFK Plan
|
8
|
REST
|
8
|
6
|
REST
|
20
|
4
|
42
|
46
|
LA Plan
|
7
|
REST
|
8
|
REST/Strength
|
7
|
REST
|
20
|
42
|
46
|
My first 40+ mile week EVER?!?!? Here we go!
With the marathon quickly approaching, so is my Team for Kids fundraising deadline. Thank you so much to everyone that has supported me in my fundraising efforts so far!
All funds raised through Team for Kids benefit New York Road Runner’s youth services. Through the primary youth services vehicles —Young Runners and Mighty Milers — they establish running-based programs that promote children’s physical fitness, character development, and personal achievement in underserved communities in New York City, throughout the United States, and in Africa. These programs are provided free of charge to communities in which 50%+ of children qualify for free or reduced price lunch, a common indicator of economic need. In addition to the obvious health and wellness benefits, these programs also teach valuable lessons in teamwork and goal setting.
Specifically, the funds raised by Team for Kids members help provide:
· Training for teachers, coaches, field managers, and coordinators. Most of these individuals volunteer their time to NYRR youth services.
· Incentives for children to encourage them to attend events and practices, demonstrate sportsmanship, and strive for fitness and personal milestones.
· Entry fees and transportation to races and related sporting events for the kids.
· Needed resources to establish programs in areas of greatest need.
You can make an easy and secure online donation here: LA’s Team for Kids Homepage
The race is November 4th, but you still have until October 5th to DONATE! All contributions are tax-deductible and you will receive an acknowledgment e-mail from NYRR.
Thank you again for your generosity and overwhelming support.
Lots of love and laughs!
XOXO
L.A.
Congrats on the PR! Nicely run race!!
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