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Lake Zurich Half-Marathon - 10 for Liam, 3.1 for Heavy Feet

1K views 21 replies 21 participants last post by  iheartcoffee 
#1 ·
<b>4:30 AM - The alarm goes off.</b><br>
I had planned to shave my legs because they were pretty hairy, but suddenly I didn't care. I was however kinda hungry which is unusual for me as I don't typically eat before running (or I eat a powerbar and I didn't actually have one anyway), but I certainly didn't want to run 13.1 miles while my stomach made the hunger noises, so I ate a small piece of chicken and a wheat roll and hoped that I wasn't making some grave mistake in doing so.<br><br>
Next, I piddled around getting dressed and then double-checked the start time which was 30 minutes later than I thought it was which was good and made me feel less rushed.<br><br><b>5:40 AM - Out out damn Nette</b><br>
I was finally ready to go and when the elevator came, there was a very dead roach in typical dead roach pose near the front of the elevator. Good morning Mr. Dead Roach! I stepped over Mr. Roach and did so once again when I got to the lobby. I always make sure to hope out of the elevator when I get out at the lobby floor so as to discourage any lobby roaches from coming near me.<br><br><b>6:30 AM - Lost. As usual.</b><br>
Everytime I go to a race in the suburbs I go in the wrong direction once I exit the expressway. It never fails! This day, I managed to drive about 20 minutes in the wrong direction before calling my dad for map assistance. I was feeling a little panicked because I needed to get my packet before 7:15 AM and I still wasn't completely sure of where in the heck I was going.<br><br><b>7:00 AM - Fuck.</b><br>
Ok, I am back on the right track, but unlike most races there were no helpful little signs saying "The race is this way." I ended up behind some guy that was also looking for the race and when he made a sudden swerve to the left, I knew we had made it.<br><br>
I made my way across the street to pick up my packet and get weighed in for the Clydesdale division then I made my way back to my car to put everything away and get my bib on. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any pins. I had assumed they'd just be in the bag. Fortunately, I go to enough races to have pins all over my car, so it worked out.<br><br><b>7:05 AM - Potty?</b><br>
I had nothing else to do and thought it might be a good idea to relieve myself before the race started. However, the line was too long and I was too impatient, so I just started lining myself up by the start. Well, actually away from the start.<br><br>
I wanted to stay back as far as possible, so as to not be pulled along by the other runners. I had a plan of starting out with a slow first mile as I typically start out too fast and end up feeling like ass while slowing down halfway through.<br><br><b>7:15 AM - Start!</b><br>
Aaaand we were off. It was a small group, so it took maybe 30 seconds for me to actually cross the start line. People who looked faster than me, but somehow decided to line up way in the back, passed by me and then some guy decided that he was going to run the exact same pace as me which made me feel odd, so I got away from him somehow.<br><br>
(splits are approximated as I don't have a photographic memory)<br><b>Mile 1 - 11:00</b><br>
"10:53, 10:54..." is what I heard as I approached the first mile marker. I really felt like I was going at a very leisurely pace and was surprised to find out just how fast the mile went. I thought that it boded well. An 11 minute mile would be an unheard of feat for me in a half-marathon and at this point, I felt like I could keep running that pace forever.<br><br><b>Mile 2 - 11:06</b><br>
Not bad, but I really don't like that I just slowed down some and it doesn't feel as easy. I decide to stop for some water as it was beginning to warm up out there. Some woman in a black skirt-type thingy passed by me as we left the aid station and I decided to keep my eye on her because she was just behind me and it appeared either I was slowing or she was speeding up.<br><br><b>Mile 3 - 11:30</b><br>
Oh, hell to the no. There was no way in hell this trend could continue. And that woman in the black skirt was still within my sights, but further away. I figured she was probably going an 11 pace. I needed to get an 11 minute mile for that next mile.<br><br><b>Mile 4 - 11:00</b><br>
Well, that's comforting. But, still, I don't know if I'll be able to keep this up especially since this course is pretty hilly. Rolling hills. I'm really happy I ran ING GA because all other hills pale in comparison now; before then, I used to just mentally give up on uphills and my body would follow suit.<br><br>
Woman in black skirt is still 30 seconds ahead of me and has been joined by woman in bright clothing (who also came from somewhere behind me).<br><br><b>Mile 5 - 11:24</b><br>
I think there was a long uphill on this mile and this is where I saw the frontrunners go past me on the other side (they were approaching mile 10 at that point). Those boys sure were fast! And I felt like such a freaking slouch feeling all beat up doing an 11 minute mile while they're over on the other site with sweat bouncing off their heads running at ridiculously fast speeds. I decided I needed to speed up and stop being such a wanker.<br><br><b>Mile 6 - 11:20</b><br>
Hey, hey I was gearing up...gearing up I tell ya.<br><br><b>Mile 7 - 10:40</b><br>
See there. Faster. I managed to pick off woman in black skirt during this time also. Woman in colorful clothing was still up ahead.<br><br><b>Mile 8 - 11:00</b><br>
Woman in colorful clothing is now somewhere behind me and I'm really hoping I can keep up this pace. The only thing worse than being passed is being passed by someone you already passed not too long ago.<br><br><b>Mile 9 - 10:40</b><br>
I was really interested in keeping the people I passed behind me. I had actually practiced this patented technique on the lakefront path about a week ago; there was this woman with just the worst form who was continuously in front of me and I was feeling like such a herb, so I passed her and spent the rest of the run trying to run fast enough to not let her get in front of me which sounds bad, but it's really not....Really.<br><br><b>Mile 10 - 10:20</b><br>
I was tired, but not too bad. However, I was planning on running the last 3 miles at a 10ish pace as I was doing them for a forum friend who is unable to run and I wanted them to actually be at a sorta decent pace and at this point, I wasn't sure I had it in me at this point.<br><br><b>Mile 11 - ???</b><br>
Oh nice. There is nobody calling out splits at this mile. I have no idea how I'm doing though I suspect I have slowed down. My legs. Ow. However, I manage to pass a few other scragglers and there is this guy I can see running in the distance. Dude is so next. But, there is someone not too far behind me because as I passed one point a dog barked and about 20 seconds later I heard the dog bark again. I wonder who that could be, but I didn't look back; I thought I might slow down if I did so.<br><br><b>Mile 12 - Could Not Compute</b><br>
Someone was there calling out splits, but I couldn't really make any calculations in my head at this point. I do remember that she said 2:12:something and if I could run the next mile in 11 minutes or so, I was well on my way to PRing. That dude did go down and it was kinda odd because the course narrowed a lot and when dude saw me trying to get around him, he didn't make it easy on me and he even attempted to keep up and his breathing started becoming quite labored. Dude was done. Eventually, I lost him.<br><br><b>Mile 13.1 - 11:11 (or a 10:10 pace!)</b><br>
I really sped up on that last mile and I even passed one more guy who probably went out too fast in the beginning because he sure was walking as I came up on him. I wasn't running very pretty. It felt like I running with my feet pointed outward and the hills were really killing me, but I knew I was close to the end and after this, I could stop.<br><br><b>Final Time - 2:23:46<br>
Final Pace - 10:58</b><br><br>
My last two half-marathons were at an 11:58 pace, so this is the best! I think this distance might be my favorite. It's hard, but not ridiculously difficult (like a marathon). Plus, getting better at this distance would probably be helpful with that whole running a marathon in less than 5 hours thing that I'd really like to happen, but which I don't believe will be happening this year given my current training.
 
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#2 ·
Woohoo!!! Congrats on the PR!!!<br><br>
Funny RR!!! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/biggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Very Happy">
 
#5 ·
<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/biggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Very Happy"><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/biggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Very Happy"><br>
both of these made me laugh out loud<br><br>
I don't even know what to say...<br>
I'm speechless.<br>
Thank you.<br><br><br><br>
Congrats on your kickass PR, Nettie. Great report, and an even better run <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Smile">
 
#6 ·
Nice!!!<br><br>
Way to race your plan. You made it sound so easy, picking them off at the end like an assassain. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Smile"><br><br><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/icon_cheers.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="cheers">
 
#7 ·
Way to go - even if you did think I was bald! I'll let you off for running well....<br><br>
Liam <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/biggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Very Happy">
 
#11 ·
It's stuff like this that just makes me really love your RR, <b>Nettie</b> (BTW, you're not alone in feeling like such a herb - a similar woman plagued me during my first HM; I just kept thinking why in the heck can't I pass her?!). Congrats on PR and a well-run and well-paced race!
 
#15 ·
Congratulations on a great race and new PR! Your report was very fun to read. I know what you mean about keeping people behind you. My PR 5K (only sub-30 so far) happened in part because there was some woman running a little behind me who was grunting loudly every other breath and it was really freakin' annoying so I wanted to put some distance between us.
 
#16 ·
WTG <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/hello2.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="hello1"><br><br>
i love the "come from behind" i call it "targeting" i see the <b>Terminator</b> targeting system when i wanna pick them off.<br><br>
good strategy on starting slow and building momentum negative splits rock!!!<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/headbang.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="headbang">
 
#17 ·
Very entertaining report <b>Nettie!</b> Great job and a huge congrats on the PR. Guess I had better get my butt in gear and train for one of these HMs one day. Yet another one of the wonderful 30 ladies with a better time than mine <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/biggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Very Happy">
 
#18 ·
Great job, Nettie, and an entertaining RR, too <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Smile">
 
#19 ·
You ran well, Nettie! Your report was fun to read.<br><br>
I am impressed that you remembered your mile splits. I wouldn't be able to w/o my watch.
 
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