The MORE Half Marathon

It finally arrived! The day of the half marathon! It's kind of crazy because I didn't have a marathon to train for this year, so this was sort of my "big event". However, I didn't really get myself all psyched-up to run or anything. No big pasta dinner, no going to bed super early, nothing like that. In fact, I was pretty low-key about the whole thing. But I think that was maybe because my goal was just to finish the thing.

I will say, the expo for this event was pretty cool. There were LOTS of good freebies. In the race bag alone you got a full-size box of wheat pasta, a full-size Murad moisturizer with sunscreen, a Lady Speed Stick, a bunch of weird (and scary) vitamin supplements, Silk soymilk, a lululemon headband, and a bunch of other stuff that I really can't remember right now. (I was mainly psyched about the expensive Murad moisturizer, which normally retails for $30!). There was all kinds of other free stuff at the expo tables...Lady Speed Stick was giving away free technical shirts! My parents (who were in town visiting) got me this cool florescent green short sleeve hoodie made out of technical fabric. Along the side it said "I Run Like a Girl". I had to wear it Sunday, so I broke the whole "Nothing New On Race Day" Rule. I actually kind of broke that rule a lot because I also was wearing a new sports bra, new Balga socks (my favorite kind!) and new elastic shoelaces.

Of course, that morning it was POURING down rain. And it wasn't supposed to stop all day. I brought lots of extra layers in a plastic bag that Bill so kindly held during the race. I was pretty psyched because I was in the red corral, which meant I was in the group with the second fastest times (of course, I wasn't counting on keeping that kind of pace for this race). Standing in the rain was COLD, and I couldn't wait until we got moving.

The course was pretty packed, but people were being nice. I was actually surprised at the pace of the girls around me (who also started in the red corral) because we were keeping a pretty easy 9:58ish pace for the first couple of miles. I also decided that while long bangs and layers are stylish right now, they don't make very good running accessories in a downpour.

I felt pretty good, but like I was pushing the pace a little. I was having a hard time taking it back though. I couldn't believe I was already up at the 102nd street transverse! Then, a great surprise! Gina was running right beside me! It was so nice to have a friend to chat with, ESPECIALLY through Harlem Hill. We noticed that we were going a little fast though (I had a 9:21 pace). OK, time to slow down for real. I needn't have worried. Harlem Hill really took it out of me.

Unfortunately, I lost Gina at a water stop, when I stopped and she didn't...which was probably okay, because I needed to slow down a ton, and she was going for a sub 2:00.

I did see Bill though, in the lower loop, and smiled and waved. One loop down, one to go! When I saw him on the other side of the lower loop I was still smiling but a lot more tired. It was more like "One more loop? A whole loop to go?"

I think I looked tired too. When I passed the course monitors at 72nd Street on the east side, one of them said "Good job Emily! Water just around the corner!" I was like "OK." Then I was like 'Wait! How did he know my name?' Turns out it was one of my TNT teammates from the summer. Yay! As stupid as it is, it helps me to see people I know on the course.

I started singing in my head to distract myself. I got stuck on Britney Spear's "Radar" (I know, I know! Lame!) which ended up being good because it is nice and easy with a good rhythm...exactly how I needed to run. Before I knew it I was at 102nd Street again!

It was here that I realized that I was sort of kind of cold. Like not hypothermia cold, but just uncomfortable cold. It was distracting me (but not in a good way) on Harlem Hill and all I could think about was how I wanted to get OUT of my wet clothes AS SOON AS the race was over...especially my soaked sports bra that was right against my skin. Ok. Time to stop thinking about that.

Finally I was over Harlem Hill and I started segmenting the race in my head. My next goal was 90th street, where I knew the little rolling hills were over, then 72nd, where I would see Bill again and also only had one more lower loop to go, then 72nd on the east side, where the race was almost over.

I started feeling good again, and my splits went from 11:30s (for the past two miles) back to a 10:15. I was now shooting for a sub-10 pace for the entire race. It was definitely doable.

Oh. Except for the fact that I had this nagging nagging nagging need to pee. The problem was that I had had this need for about the entire race. At this point it wasn't even nerves or adrenaline, it was just downright annoying. MOSTLY it was annoying because I only had 1.6 miles to go. I tried to ignore it more. It just wasn't in the cards...I had to stop. ARGH. Luckily, in a rainstorm in the 11th mile of a half marathon all of the port-o-lets are deserted.

Back on the course, and when I passed the carousel on the east side, I picked it up. I entered the long corral at 72nd street and looked at my watch (I couldn't resist)...looks like I was averaging a 10:03 pace. NOOOOOOO! So I REALLY kicked it in.

But...I couldn't do it. I finished with a 2:12, which averages out to a 10:04 pace. But I was still happy. I ran a good and tough race and now I had a pretty medal to wear all day :)