USRA Columbia Half Marathon: My #5 Summary

I ran my 5th HM the USRA Columbia Half Marathon in the capital city of South Carolina on Saturday. This was also my 10th and final race for 2012. I had a difficult time early on finding someone who actually ran the race in previous years. It wasn’t until around Halloween that I started getting feedback on the organization (Reinke Sports Group) that actually conducts these half marathon race events. The info wasn’t pretty. A lot of runners have chosen to ban/boycott these events for various reasons. It’s understandable, but I haven’t had any personal experience with some of what had allegedly transpired with other folks, and so I decided to give the race a chance. Besides, this was it’s fourth year in Columbia, SC and despite some typical complaints, there weren’t any major issues to steer me in another direction. Plus, one of the major running clubs in the area was sponsoring the event, so I felt a bit more assured about my decision to run this race, especially without any real expectations on how I would complete it. 

Race Tidbits: 

Number of participants: 260 total runners for the Half Marathon (not sure about the 5K)

Time limit: 4 hours (walker friendly)

Course: Downtown Columbia/Cayce 

Temps: 39 degrees at the start. Don’t think it warmed up much at the finish due to the overcast.

Swag: Nice tech shirt and medal - No Expo

Volunteers: Yeah right! Glad I brought my Amphipod with me. Three of the water/gatorade stations were self-serve. 

Race Synopsis:

• The race started at 7:30. I arrived at about 6:45 at Brookland-Cayce High School where the race will begin and end. It was evident when I got there that this was going to a very small event. Clue? Lots of available parking.

• Met two fellow Half Fanatics that decided to run this event about a week ago. One of the highlights of the day.

• We all piled up in one vehicle to drive to a nearby gas station to use the facilities after discovering that the restrooms in the football stadium where locked. Someone forgot to unlock the doors. 

• We lined up next to the stadium to start. No timing pad here. Just some red duct tape.The announcer says a few more words, and then yells “GO” and we’re off. Eh, I’ve experienced that before in a 5K this past summer. 

Miles 1-4: Columbia, SC is full of hills; especially near the State Capital/USC area. You really can’t get around it. So we had to suck it up early and push through. But, you get used to the terrain if you race and train in this area. 

Miles 5-10: This was both the most peaceful and confusing part of the course. The Riverwalk Park has a great route that runs along the Congaree River. Portions of it starts as a trail near the reservoir, turns into a paved course and then ends up as a winding walkway behind apartment buildings in the local area. It covers a good distance if you run it in it’s entirety. It became confusing for those of us in the back of the pack, because people began to get out of your line of sight at this point. We couldn’t exactly figure out which direction we needed to go once we got near the apartments. It's a very scenic area so it is easy to get sidetracked along the way. Focusing on where to go basically compromised your pace for this portion of the course. Searching for the small signs with the directional arrows really didn't help either. 

Miles 11-13.08 or something: We emerged from the park near the neighborhood where the school is located. We ran one mile on an adjacent street before making our way around to where we started the race and then back into the stadium where we finished on the track. I paused my Garmin at 13.08. It’s possible this course was a bit short, but I’m not going to worry about that at this point.

Honestly, this was the only shabby race I’ve had this year. Being that it was so small, there was nothing exciting about it. I’m sure the controversy surrounding the organization that puts on this series was a factor in the matter. No crowd support, lack of volunteers, etc. It was so depressing. If it wasn’t for the other runners, the police department, and a few morning joggers, I wouldn’t have believed I was participating in an official event. Just on another friendly weekend distance run with the local running club. Along the way, I just decided to truly treat this as a training run and not even bother to push it for a time goal. I finished it about a minute short of what I ran for my first half marathon.

Statistics
Time: 2:41:48
First HM time: 2:42:39
PB: 2:28:54

Oh well. We all get those crappy races/training runs on occasion and so I just decided to accept it as such. I wouldn’t participate in this one again in the near future, unless I just needed something to do in December and I couldn’t make it to another event. This is definitely a last resort race for anyone who may be interested in participating. I really wouldn't use it as a way to set a new PB.

Anywho...my 2012 race season is officially over and I’m pretty damn happy with what I have accomplished and look forward to the bigger challenges I’ve outlined for 2013!

ON TO THE NEXT!

Merry Christmas and Happy Running!

                                                                Next post: 2012 Reflections

Running - Exactly How Has It Changed My Life?

When I initially began running, my intentions where to only use it as another source to get rid of unnecessary body fat. A new methodology to increase my cardio and speed up the weight loss. I was basically doing a few minutes per week on the treadmill and not focusing on any real distance/time goals. I've always been more into weight lifting and things of that nature and so running just complimented my strength training and other cardio routines. It wasn't until around August of 2011 that I started using it as a way to "run away" from an emotional clusterfuck. [To this day, I still don't know what went wrong. But hey, shit happens and people will disappoint].

There are many situations that will occur along the way that we have to deal with. Death, love loss, stress, etc., are all unfortunate but common circumstances of this thing called life. How we survive these life situations, depends on how we as human beings choose to deal with them. Running became my solution.

Honestly, running has been my outlet for many reasons. Not just to battle the grief demons that manifested and never wanted to leave after my grandmother passed away in 2008, or to get me out of a depressive slump resulting from a major heart break I experienced back in 2011, but to allow me to see how much of a strong and determined individual I really am inside.

I've been through a lot of undesirable situations in my life that could have easily broken me down to nothingness, but resiliency seems to be intwined in the very fabric of my being. I just didn't realize how resilient I could be until I started taking this running thing a bit more seriously this past year. It's given me an entirely new perspective when it comes to life and how I should move forward past those things that are just unfortunate barriers along this life's journey. Things become more clear and you're able to find an inner peace that you didn't know existed. You begin to search for meaning and understanding beyond the common ordinary explanations. I tried to follow that path previously, but I guess I needed to find the real me inside that was ready to travel that road. Running helped me get to that destination.

I guess if you've never ran for "fun" then you probably have no idea what the hell I'm talking about. And that's cool. It's not really my intention to make you understand the nature of it, but to only help you understand how it has become a part of me and has altered my existence. Because for me, it really has changed who I am... and it's for the better.

Happy Running!

Next Post: Half Marathon #5 Race Report

So I Registered For My First Marathon...

Yep! You read that correctly! I took the plunge yesterday and registered for my first 26.2 mile race. Am I going crazy? Probably. LOL! But, I couldn't resist the urge to step up my game since I love a challenge and proving to myself that I can do anything that I set my mind to do. And believe me. This will definitely be a true test of mental and physical prowess as the day gets closer.

Oh? When and where you ask? Well, I decided to change my original plan, which was to run the half marathon portion of the Anthem Richmond Marathon in Richmond Virginia. I am currently a member of the National Black Marathoners Association (NBMA) and our 8th annual group meet/conference will be held at this particular race event on November 16, 2013. The trip was a scheduled event that I was looking forward to attending anyway. I just bumped my race plans up a bit.

For a few months now, I've been contemplating when and where I would run my first marathon someday. I'm not a huge fan of crowded races and wanted something a bit smaller and as close to home as can be without it being in my backyard. Several members ran Richmond this past weekend and had a lot of great things to say about the race. I figured this would be a great fit for me and I won't have to worry about that feeling of "being alone out there" which could happen while running my first marathon. I will be amongst my NBMA family so I'm confident I won't have those moments. There will also be a lot of NBMA members doing this as their first 26.2 and that's a plus as well. I've read more negative experiences when runners choose large scale races as their first event; especially if running it alone. The crowds can be overwhelming and adding that to an already intimidating feat, can be cause for a terrible experience.

So, for the next year I'll work on my weight loss goals, total body strength, and following a novice marathon training program to prepare me for this endeavor. I'll also continue to seek advice from some of my good friends from the Runner's World Online forums/facebook page and NBMA. This will not be about time. My main objective is to run this race comfortably and remain injury free so that I can finish strong. Hopefully enjoying the experience enough to run a second marathon another day. I really don't want this to be a "one and done" moment. Running has changed my life in so many ways over the last year and a half. I went through a difficult time (heartbreak) and really needed to find something to keep me going. I'm glad to be on this journey and look forward to all the adventures coming my way.

By the way! Keep an eye out for my blog posts in the near future. I'll be documenting my quest for the 26.2 mile marker once my official training begins in July! Wish me luck!

Happy Running!

Next blog post: Running - Exactly How Has It Changed My Life?

800 Miles and Still Going

At the beginning of the year, I made a runner's resolution to log 800 miles by the end of 2012. I wasn't sure I could pull this off, considering that I pretty much began a serious running journey at the tail end of 2011. But, I set the goal and hoped that I could accomplish the task without issue. 

Well, I guess I need to set my sights a little higher for next year. With all of the training due to increased racing goals, I surpassed the 800 mile marker on November 3rd (see yearly mileage widget located in the footer of my blog). There are only a few more weeks left in 2012 and although it's tempting to push for entry into the "thousandaires club"; I think I'll play it safe and make that my goal for 2013.

Here's to 2013! 1000 Miles or Bust! 

Happy Running

Rocking in Savannah and Getting Committed - HF #3091

The Rock n’ Roll Savannah Marathon and 1/2 Marathon was held on this past Saturday, November 3, 2012 in this historic city of Georgia. I ran the half which was my fourth to date and the qualifier for entry into the Fanatics Asylum. It was a really great weekend, for it was also my first experience running a Rock n’ Roll event and my first visit to Savannah, GA.  [This race report is short and sweet].

Expo Highlights:
Leaving early Friday morning made getting in and out of the expo a breeze. It was held at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center on Tybee Island and parking space would be limited. If you did not make it before the road closure, you would have to park in areas within the city and take the ferry or trolly over to the island. I’m so glad I avoided that.

The expo was pretty awesome. The lines were not long during the time I arrived so I was able to get my bib, race bag, and tech tee without a problem. The vendor area was not that congested either. I browsed over the items for sale and just settled on a souvenir shooter glass to add to my collection at home. The adjacent area was pretty much the “free sample/item zone”. I received a lot of cool things from the various vendors in this location. One of the best items I received was a “Spartan In Training” t-shirt from the Spartan Obstacle Race booth. It wasn't 100% free, though. I had to do 25 burpees to get that shirt! I just love a challenge and embarrassing my 17 year-old daughter (although she claims I didn’t). LOL!


Pre-Race Highlights:
We drove around downtown Savannah before checking into our hotel. I wanted to scope out the location of the start and drive the designated route to the parking garage that I would be using on race day. Savannah really is a gorgeous city. I’ll have to come back in the near future so that I can sign-up for some of the tours that are offered. I especially look forward to a haunted tour. This city has a rich history full of ghostly encounters. 


Race Highlights:
This was a huge event for me. There were so many people ready to get the party started. I was unsure if I would find anyone that I knew today. I got lucky. As I made my way to the port-a-johns, I came across two facebook friends that were running their first full marathons. We gave each other hugs, words of encouragement, and took a pre-race photo before heading to our designated corrals. I was in corral 17. This was also were the 2:30 pace group was also located, so that was good for me. I decided early on that I would stick with this section, because I wasn’t sure how I would feel after running Myrtle Beach two weeks prior. If for some reason I had to fall back during the race, I would at least be able to maintain a pace that would allow me to beat my first half marathon time. 


Then came the corral countdown to the start...

Miles 1 - 4:  I started out at a comfortable pace because the first half mile or so lead us up a pretty large hill. It was quite visible from the start. To see thousands of marathoners and half marathoners running up and over was a sight to behold. The next couple of miles were pretty smooth, with a few turns and some rolling hills. I’m running with the 2:30 pace group and following their lead at the water/Gatorade stops. I decided not to take my Amphiphod with me this time around since I wasn’t too pressed for a time goal.

Miles 5 - 8: I’m still with the pace group for the time being. However, the size of the pack  started to get a bit smaller right before the 10K mark. At this point I’m wondering whether the ladies leading the group was even paying attention to their splits on their watches. I checked my Garmin right at the halfway mark and realized that we were running at a pace that would get us to the finish minutes before the 2:30. They were probably shooting for a 2:25 goal. I doubt very seriously that they would slow down as they got closer to the end. So after I decided that I would break free from the group after the next water stop. 

Miles 9 - 11: I’m not sure if it was because of all the turns in the route or some other reason, but I started experiencing some burning pain under my toes on both feet. This caused me to slow my pace down quite a bit as well. I knew it was a sign of blisters, but I couldn’t understand how that could happen since I always use chaffing cream and wear some of the best running socks - Balegas. Anyway, I was hurting and so most of theses miles resulted in a run/walk method until the end of mile eleven.

Mile 12 - Finish: Right at mile twelve the marathoners and half marathoners broke away. I decided to get back into run mode and push through to the finish strong. We were entering Forsyth Park and you could begin to see the metal barricades and thousands of supporters and finishers lined along the course rooting everyone in. I realized after checking my Garmin back at mile 10, that I would most certainly beat my first half marathon time despite the issues plaguing my feet. As long as I made that last mile count, I would make that goal. And I did! I crossed over the finish at 2:38:25. It was 4 minutes faster than my first, but 10 minutes slower than what I ran at Myrtle Beach 2 weeks ago. That’s okay. I wasn’t looking to set a PR. My main objective was to finish strong so that the bigger objective was accomplished - to be committed to the Fanatic Asylum.

http://halffanatics.com/

Guess what? Yep! I am now officially Half Fanatic #3091 (Neptune Moon Level). And it sure feels good! I look forward to running more half marathons and qualifying for more moon levels in the near future. 

Next Up: Columbia Half Marathon (SC), December 15, 2012
Happy Running!

A Personal Best: Half Marathon #3 - Myrtle Beach Mini

So on Sunday, I ran my third half marathon and actually set a PB. It was the Myrtle Beach Mini Marathon here in South Cak (Carolina). It’s a very flat point-to-point race that ends on the boardwalk. There’s also a beach party at the finish and shuttle service back to the start.

My goal was to break the 2:30 mark and beat my previous HM time, which was the fastest back then – 2:32:32. And I did! I have to contribute my success to the summer months of serious strength training, following HH Intermediate HM program, and racking up about 4 weeks of 30 mile totals (two weeks were about 1 mile shy of the 30 mark). Also, I find running in cooler temps to be much better for me. My last two HMs were in late spring and it was pretty warm back here in SC at that time.

Well, enough of that.  On with this RR thing.

The Score: The start of the race was only a few miles drive from my hotel. It was located in one of Myrtle Beach’s larger mall areas. I got there about an hour before start time (7:00am), took a bathroom break and walked around to see if I could find anyone I knew. I came across a Facebook friend who was running this race as her first HM. We said a few words and then found our places in the crowd.

[NOTE: There was a bit of disappointment before the race. This race advertises having the actors of the Medieval Times Dinner Theater at the start. They were absent for some reason, so I didn’t get any photos like I was hoping for. Oh well. At least I didn’t have to worry about horse poop.]

Time to Run:

Miles 1 – 4: The race pretty much began on time. There was some mention later on regarding a fluke with the inflatable start arc, but I was too far in the back to even notice the issue. After a very slow jog/walk to the starting pad, the crowd began to spread out and settle into the run as we made our way around the mall area for the first mile and finally onto adjacent roadways and somewhat un-scenic areas until mile four. I kept an eye on my Garmin to make sure that I was keeping at a pace slower than my goal. I was determined to not get myself caught up in the madness of running the first few miles to fast and not reach my desired time at the end. I also wanted to run this entire race without having to take a walk break. I even decided to bring along my Amphipod so that I wouldn’t have to stop at water stops along the course.

Miles 5-8: Somewhere along mile five we ended up in another shopping/mall area right before we looped into another neighborhood. I thought that was sort of disappointing to go through that area, but it was part of the route and kept us off the highway for the time being. I guess it wasn’t so bad. This stretch with the loop gave me a chance to see the elite and faster runners again, but I also got the opportunity to see how many people were actually behind me. I felt a bit better because I realized at this point that I was in the middle of the pack. Yes! I’m on time! And I really was. Right before making it around some baseball/softball field and my fuel break, we crossed the 10K mark. The timer let me know that I had shaved 3 minutes off my previous 10K time. Another goal met!

Miles 9-11: I’m still running but I’ve slowed down a bit on my pace. I starting having side stitches and wanted them to clear up. By this time, we finally made it onto the main street adjacent to the beach. This was a straight stretch of road -nothing but hotels and restaurants galore. There were a lot more spectators, but by this time I was ready to see the sand, waves and the finish line. Oh! And get a cup of coffee. I swear I passed by five Starbucks joints.

Miles 12-Finish: (This last mile was tough)

When they say running is more mental than physical, they are on the money! I don’t know what happened to me between miles 11.5-12.5, but I think I lost it temporarily. I believe the sight of seeing finishers walking back up the street with their huge medals around their necks got to me. Or maybe it was the clear view to my left of runners making their way down the boardwalk in the opposite direction to the finish line. Or maybe it was the fact that I could not see the freakin’ turn to the left that we needed for that final mile. My body was strong, however my brain wanted to just give up. I ended up dropping down to a walk for a sec to yell, WTF? Some ladies next to me could do nothing but agree, and tell me to keep going. Little did we know what waited for us that last half mile. The clear view of the ocean was just a tease at this point…

Okay. I’ve been to Myrtle Beach several times. Unfortunately, I have not been this far down in the area to see the new boardwalk and new construction. Please, tell me why did they decide to make a zig-zag stone walkway? I mean, I guess it’s marvelous for a nice stroll, but it’s hell if you’re trying to get that finishing kick in. For the majority of that last half-mile, we ran in a snake-like pattern. That’s all fine and dandy if you’re being chased by something, but this really sucked! I could hear the announcer and the cheers, but could not see a thing due to all the palm trees and foliage. It wasn’t until the very last few meters that we finally came out of the “jungle” and onto the boardwalk so that we could make that mad dash to the finish. I heard my name and crowd support as a smiled and crossed over the finish line with the clock displaying 2:31:42. I paused my Garmin at 2:29:03. I knew I met my goal, but also knew I needed to wait until the official results came in before celebrating.

Results:

Chip time – 2:28:54 (PR)

10K Split – 1:09:42 (PR)

Will I run it again? Probably, lol! Have you seen the size of this finisher’s medal? There is a magnet on the back so that you can stick it on the fridge. There is also a bottle opener at that bottom so that you can use it for the Blue Moon beer that they give out at the beach party. 

What’s next: Some recovery and pretty much another taper. I’ve got the Rock n’ Roll Savannah Half Marathon in less than two weeks so I’m taking it easy up until then. Not looking to set any time goals with this one. I’m only looking to finish strong and qualify as a Half Fanatic (Neptune).

September Challenge: The 30/100

I'm so excited about what I have achieved last month. My local BGR! group decided to come up with a 100 mile challenge for the month of September for all of the ladies interesting in doing something big for that month and I did it (115.34 miles to be exact)!  There were several ways to achieve this feat. You could either run, walk, bike, skate, etc., to reach 100 miles by September 30th. I knew that I could possibly accomplish this goal with the new half marathon training plan I was using, but it wasn't a guarantee that I would actually run the distance.

The challenge basically required that you at least have 25 miles in the bank by the end of each week. It would ensure that you reached the 100 mile mark by the end of the challenge. My current half marathon plan would have me exceeding that weekly goal if I made it through without a hitch. I did, however, have an unscheduled cutback week in which I only maxed out to about 18 miles. BUT, I had my sites on accomplishing a second goal last month that I knew I would compensate for the shortage.

I am so proud of myself for accomplishing goal #2 as well. I finally reached my first 30 mile run week! I came so close twice last month, but just could get those extra 1 or 2 miles in. I mean, I could have, but it would have not been a wise decision on my part. Adding mileage comes with some basic rules that a runner has to follow in order to prevent overuse injuries from occurring. I mean technically I could have rounded my 28 and 29 mileage weeks to 30, but it just doesn't look the same on paper. LOL!

With these two personal records (PR) behind me I can now focus on the next two challenges that await me in 31 days. I have three races coming up real soon, but the big challenge relates to the two half marathons that I am running less than two weeks apart from each other - Myrtle Beach Mini Marathon on October 21st and Rock n' Roll Savannah Half Marathon on November 3rd. This will be my first time running two large races so close together. I'm very confident in my ability to do what I've set out to achieve. I've worked so hard at strengthening my body this summer and increasing my base mileage these last couple of weeks. My desire is to become a better athlete and grow in my running ability. I know it requires that I push myself here and there If I wish to become better at what I do. And I also have my sites on getting that Half Fanatic status also. And why not? I think I deserve it :-)

Happy Running!