Jamestown 1/2 - Recap

Some crazy drunk woman keeps taking my credit card and signing me up for races.  I believe this was the 25th race of the year.  The 5th 1/2, well one doesn't really count because I lost track of the course markings, so the 4th completed 1/2 in 2013.  I think it is time to stop this nonsense and get serious on training.  Famous last words.

Today was the Jamestown 1/2 on the little island of Jamestown RI.  It wasn't quite the adventure of a previous Rhode Island little island race.  And it wasn't quite the same as last years, then again I'm not the same person, either....

Some things didn't change it was still humid and hilly, not so hot or sunny, so got a bit of a break on that!

Actually not bad running conditions

It was kind of fun to know I had some data to compare 2012 to 2013.  I've yet to do this.  I've managed to take a shower, oh good lord did that feel good.  I was honestly wringing sweat from my tank and my running skirt, gross, yeah...  TMI?  Probably.  The latest batch of running clothes, are on their second spin through the washing machine.  I'm having a tough time getting the smell out, someone suggested vinegar with the detergent, not so much.  Then someone suggested Borax with the detergent, better.  Then someone said they need to wash them two and sometimes three times to get the smell out of the tech fabric.  Of course, hubb says his smell fresh as a daisy it is just me.  Thanks hon, love ya!

Is it just me with some sort of body odor problem no one has the nerve to tell me about?  LOL?!?!?

The Race

Package pick up was easy, it was outside the Newport Grand. I went up there on Friday. They had some tech shirts from the Providence races, and someone selling clothes and gear.  I poked around.  Not really in a shopping mood.

Since I was able to catch the last bus at 6:15 a.m. last year.  6:30 a.m. race start.  I decided that would be my master plan this time.  A couple of runners I met on FB, Insert Witty Running Pun Here and Pink Running Jacket were also running so we exchanged names and phone numbers to text once we got there so we could met.

Holy cow the parking lot was full, there were three buses lined up there were lines of people for bib pick up, for the porta potties, and for the bus.  Oh my, this was not the 575 person race it was last year.  There were over 2,000 runners.   Think the Groupon had something to do with that, marketing genius, really.   Wowza cazowza...

The bus line at 6:15 a.m.

Even with all the people the race only started 20 minutes late, I crossed the timing mat @ 6:54 a.m.  I am sure the people there with plenty of time to spare may have been a little ticked?

People to the right people to the left

I aimed for a 10:30 pace for this race which would have had me completing in 2:17.  I figured it would be hilly and humid and probably hot; my last year time was 1:22:05 so let's just focus on beating that time and not my PR (2:10:42).  I stopped my Garmin at 2:19:26 so not too far off 2:17.

The new thing was not carrying water.  I had two Hammer Gels (thanks Tobi) and that was it.  It didn't go too badly.  There were times I REALLY thought I wanted water, but probably really didn't need it.  It was nice to not have the water belt or the backpack on, I will 100% admit to that being nice.  Last year I carried a 20 oz bottle.

Dorky 2012 race photo, curious to see what 2013 looks like

And Mile by Mile

Mile 1 elevation gain of 56, loss of 0, 10:29 on target.
Mile 2 elevation gain of 34, loss of 53, 9:47, perhaps a little too nice.
Mile 3 elevation gain of 80, loss of 30, 10:17, huh, I thought mile 6 was the bitch
Mile 4 elevation gain of 41, loss of 49, 10:29, not so much of an improvement with a big loss of elevation

Pretty Hydrangeas along the way

Mile 5 elevation gain of 72, loss of 9, 10:32, I knew that was coming and focused on staying as steady as I could getting up that hill to the Mile 6 marker.
Mile 6 elevation gain of 0, loss of 17, 10:45  need to regain a little focus
Mile 7 elevation gain of 0, loss of 19, 10:11  better
Mile 8 elevation gain of 0, loss of 19, 10:22  it was this point where I tried to do math in my head and came up with a finish time of something near 2:40.... and the mind games started taking over.  I remembered For the Love of Running's post and didn't give up, I did give in a little.

Thank you For the Love of Running

Mile 9 elevation gain 44, loss of 71, 11:12,  I did have to fish my sock out of my shoe...
Mile 10 elevation gain of 44, loss of 28, 11:02, feeling a little better
Mile 11 elevation gain of 70, loss of 45, 11:54 hey wait I thought Mile 6 was the only big hill, so did not need that right now.
Mile 12 elevation gain of 19, loss of 112, 10:35, wahowieee
Mile 13 elevation gain of 71, loss of 7, 10:54 I made it and the finish line is in sight, there is also this guy who has been annoying me the past few miles speeding up and slowing down and I passed him on that last uphill
Last 0.1 elevation gain 0 loss of 31, 7:04 I catch Mr Annoying in the corner of my eye speeding up, oh no, we aren't having any of that, I stepped over that timing mat before he did and I swear I heard a spectator make a funny remark...

Finish time: Garmin: 2:19:22  (official: 2:19:20)

This year I feel like I earned that medal, last year, I was just happy to have run my second 1/2 marathon (and finished my 3rd)

2012 (l)  2013 (r)

I had to give a little snicker to Detroit Runner with his hilly run this morning in Stony Park. Sorry, really, though, SE MI (where I grew up) has cute little hills, they really do...  all in good fun!!

At the end of the race I caught up with two runners I met on Facebook!

Pink Running Jacket (Rebecca), me, Insert Witty Running Pun Here (Monica)

And that does it.  All in all nice race. Don't know if I will do it again, I hear rumors of a Triple Crown of Rhode Island Trail race for next year.  ;)

Sincerely, 
Beth, a little tired, and really bummed he who finished the last beer did not buy beer...

Tongue-Tied Thursday?

Don't have much to say today....

Trying to figure out the expression:

Determination

Aversion

?

Care to pitch in a thought?

I did a 41 minute 4.3 mile run at work today.  It felt great!  I wanted to run longer.  Sunday I get to run 8 and then seriously have to taper and let my legs rest for the big show on October 28th, Marine Corps Marathon!!!

Sincerely,

Beth, feeling bashful

Yoga Detox

As I was leaving work Work Hubb and the boyz were gathered around the computer and the last thing I heard was "What it this the Who's Who of the Dork Squad?" and peals of laughter.  Yeah, it was time to go.  I headed out with my workout bag and my computer to "Hey aren't you running tonight?"  "Did ya know Number One Smart Guy is getting his Birthday Candle Blown Out."  All I could do was groan at their antics and ponder how wonderful it would be to lay down (or is it lie down) for 30 minutes and then contemplate my next steps in the day.  

Half way through the 20 minute drive home I decided to get a pedicure and went off to the nail place.  After a bit of a toing and froing about my second toe on my left foot, the one that is nailess and that he should just leave it alone please, let the nail grow back in peace.  The second toe on my right foot will lose it's nail at some point, but not quite yet so he was welcome to treat that like the rest.  We got on to business with the pedicure and the real reason I go, for the calf and foot massage.

Run and risk messing up the polish or Yoga?  Yoga it is.  Friday night is a Detox class, so not as intense, perfect.  Heidi did different asanas to detox for each of the days.  Friday's detox was a twist then shavasana.  Lovely class, as it usually is.  I'm feeling far more centered than when I went in and I was on the verge of a hot mess based on a text I had sent pre-class.  Wowza, way to show your ass Beth...

Tomorrow will be a short run, 5 miles just to loosen myself up and burn off some of the extra calories I have consumed.  I have a 1/2 marathon on Sunday 7:30 a.m. start.  The Surftown Half from Misquamicut to Weekapaug to Misquamacut to Watch Hill and back to Misquamicut.  I ran this course a few weeks ago.  Remember the breast cancer survivor Deb?  Wonder if I will see her.  

Sincerely, 

Beth, centered and calm