A 13.1 Point of View

I ran another half-marathon. July 26th, 2015 in San Francisco. The were a few other races at the event. One could opt to run the Full Marathon, the 1st half-marathon, the 2nd half-marathon, a double marathon or a 5k. I ran the Full in 2005, the 1st half in 2012, and the 2nd half in 2013, where I finally set a PR at the distance, 1:58:42. About 6 weeks prior to race, I had visions of breaking that PR, but as the date inched closer and the speedwork waned….i had to accept that I wasn’t going for a PR. As the hours came close to start time, I figured I could do 2:05. So. Off I went.

The 2nd half starts in Golden Gate Park. It was a cool, 55 degrees kind of morning. A bit of fog still lingering from the nearby Pacific. The 1st five miles are in and around the park…felt like a nice stroll with a bunch of people. I was very aware of pace and making sure i didn’t go too fast too early. After leaving the park, course goes through Haight-Ashbury, lower Haight, crosses market street to the Mission district. I was feeling ok. Not great. I was aware that I was pushing the entire way and keeping on pace. My exertion level felt high and my quads were getting tighter and tighter. Otherwise, i felt ok. [my longest run during this training was only 8 miles, so maybe that had an effect. 🙂 ]

I just kept focused. period. I knew the course so i knew if there were any potential uncomfortable places coming up and there weren’t. This half is actually almost all flat. Super slight hills in the park and 1-2 more on course, but they are really nothing. The first half is much more hilly, FYI. So, I knew i would hit my goal time if i just stayed focused….After the mission, we zig zag through Potrero Hill, Dogwatch and then very close to the bay in the Mission Bay neighborhood. Run right by the SF Giants Ballpark (A T & T Park) and a straightaway along the Embarcadero to the Ferry Building. As we approached A T & T Park, that’s when i felt i hit a wall. It was just past mile 12. Legs were shot. I stopped to walk a min. I couldn’t believe how i just couldn’t really lift my legs. Kinda funny now, actually. Anyway…i kept chugging along and finished 2:05:51.

I was fine with this as my expectations were inline. Some stats:

Overall: 1518 out of 3984

Women: 591 out of 2118

Females Age 40-49: 99 out of 381

So….I have to say that once again I’m very grateful to be healthy and able to run. I try not to take anything, especially my health, for granted. AND…as I crossed the finish line, I noticed that i was very kind of ho-hum…not really excited or anything. Happy to be done because it was a push for me at that pace right now, but otherwise…just not too excited. So, I just noticed this feeling and kinda explored what it is about…and you know what….it’s because it was such a short race!

What’s next? Stat tuned. I’m scheming….

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P.S. Shoes: The New Balance 1400v3. Great shoes I bought in early July. It’s super lightweight, racing type shoe. Not much cushioning so i won’t wear it for longer distances, but was great today as it was for the Peachtree Race i did on 7/4/2015.

Onward!

Peachtree. Again.

We gathered on the 4th day of July.  the day so historically significant, marking the United States independence. Freedom. Freedom. Freedom. I think of the many people who live in places where they are not so free….

We lined up. Some for the 37th time. Some for the 1st time. Or like myself, the 8th time. My 8th go at The Peachtree Road Race. The crowd so full, lively, ridiculously energetic on this early morning holiday. The famed start there at the corner of Peachtree and Lenox Ave…on your mark….

I felt happily light as I had no water bottle, no earphones, nothing with me or in my hands. The sky above was gray & a typical Atlanta thunderstorm was threatening. Bring on the rain, I said. If you know me, than you know I love running in the rain…especially a southern rain. Nothing. Like. It.

My goal was to run solid, have fun, soak it all in and push! All week my legs had been feeling heavy, but this morning, all was good. I had a feeling I would have a good day. Sometimes, I can just feel it as soon as I wake up whether I will run well or not….and this morning as I readied myself in the hotel room, I had a good feeling.

Off we went and the miles were passing by. I was keeping 9 minute mile pace, conscious to not go to fast as I didn’t want to lose steam later in the race as I have done so many times in the past. This course, this damn course…often times, it just gets me miles 4-5.5! I was determined not to let that happen. Well. The 3rd mile was even faster at 8:43. I didn’t want to go that fast, but that’s what happened…

As we started the initial climb up the major hill (Cardiac Hill), I was feeling strong and kept my pace strong throughout…up and over…and onto a flat stretch to mile 4 which starts the long, gradual ascent til about 5.8 miles. It doesn’t ever look difficult but often times in the past I have just really slowed down during this stretch….

Not today;  legs in great stride, pushing, feeling my breathing, my heartbeat beating….so happy to be alive and running as a harder rain fell on us all. Ahhhh….that was the moment, my moment…LOVE IT!

I turned the corner at Peachtree and 10th and headed fast on the last downhill stretch into the finish next to Piedmont Park.

Done, done, done. Another Peachtree in the books. One of the best races I’ve had here and happy with my finish of 56:08.

 

The shoes in the picture where new…bought just the day before and had no problems whatsoever. I was able to walk around in them a bit day before race, so all was good. They are NEW BALANCE 1400v3, a racing shoe. Good stability and enough cushioning for this day. Super light and fun to run in. Got ’em at The Big Peach Running (of course!) store in Decatur. Best running store ever! (multiple locations…i love the decatur store best)

 

Happy to be healthy and out enjoying life on the roads….

What’s Next??

Expectations (Delusions of Grandeur)

This was what was written on the back of the New Balance T-Shirt I bought at my 1st ever marathon expo in Chicago, 2000. “The Marathon. A chance to be your own Hero”

Don’t we all suffer from delusions at one time or another? Don’t we all, at some point, become so wrapped up in excitement that we think we can be X or Y or Z? Yes, I think it is quite common….this affliction called Delusions of Grandeur. This affliction definitely has its drawbacks as I will soon discuss, but I think it has positive sides too. I don’t want to be Abby or Chrissie or Serena or Lolo. And I sure as heck don’t wanna be Lance. I just wanna be the best I can be. The best possible Angie. The best Angelina Funtanilla I can be at a given time. And, so….I wanna push. And when I have an outcome that surpasses my goals like I had a the SF Half Marathon a few weeks ago, I become extra motivated, extra inspired…and I wanna keep it up. I wanna keep going. I can’t help it. It’s my nature.
So. I knew the SF WOMEN’S NIKE MARATHON was coming up and wished I had signed up cuz it is already sold out. Sold out as soon as registration opened back in early March, I believe. I was thinking, “oh..that would be fun to run again. (I ran the race a few years ago and had a great time) wouldn’t it be great if I could set a PR or even get real close to 4 hours??” That was the thought in my head. Well, about a month ago, I went into a local running store and bought some new Nike shoes and because I did, I gained a entry to a lottery for a slot in the race. A week ago I found out I had won! I was super excited but then worried I wouldn’t have enough time to train properly. I thought the race was in Novemeber. I picked up my entry “ticket”, which was not free, by the way. I still had to register and pay, but at least I had a spot. I go look online and see that the race is…

Well, what happened? What happened was that as I was writing all the above, I had to go look at the actual date of the race, which is OCT 14th. As I went to the website, the first thing I see in big bold letters is 8 weeks to go. And, I just stopped writing the above part and thought, “8 weeks! I can run! I can do this….I just have to alter my expectations. I’m not going to go for a PR. Not possible. I will simply train as smartly as I can, and see how it goes. No pressure. Let go of expectations. I just wanna run this one!

I want to PR in the marathon and I also want to run under 4 hours. Those goals will have to wait until 2013 and I am ok with that…

I ran this race, Nike Women’s Marathon, back in 2009. It remains one of my favorite experiences. The Expo, the crowd, the course (San Fran), are all fantastic. Nike does a phenomemal job and I am looking forward to toeing the line, once again, for my 8th marathon!

ONWARD!