These were the emotions I experienced as I ran the Patrick Henry Half Marathon this morning in Ashland, Virginia. Let me explain why:
As I had mentioned in a previous post, I had debated with myself whether to even sign up to run Patrick Henry, because of when it would be.....only a few days after I got back to Richmond from my 7 week absence/vacation to Cleveland, Ohio and Fillmore, New York. So I finally decided to sign up and was excited, though apprehensive, about running another half marathon.
Then this week, the email was sent out to all the participants which contained all important information. Included in that email, was this blurb:
"3-hour time limit
All participants must be able to finish the half marathon in 3 hours. In order to do so, you will need to maintain a 13:43 per mile pace. At that time, there will no longer be traffic protection, medical aid, or water stops offered. There will be designated checkpoints at Miles 6.5 and 10 on the course. You must reach the 6.5-mile mark by 8:30 a.m. and the 10-mile mark by 9:18 a.m. or you will be asked to board the shuttle that will take you back to the finish area."
Now, I know I am a slow runner (and have come to accept that fact), so when I read this blurb in the email, I started to get even more nervous. After much thought, I told myself that I could do it, as I had finished my previous (first) half marathon in just over 3 hours, including walking the last 2.5 miles.
Thank goodness that I had made plans to carpool up to the race with my co-worker (MaryBeth) Ryan. We talked the whole 20 minute drive up, which helped calm me nerves this morning. We arrived at the start line around 5:30am, since Ryan still had to pick up her race bib (she got back in town last night from vacation, so she couldn't pick up her bib yesterday). After Ryan picked up her race bib, we hung around the start as more and more of the runners started showing up. It was great to see my running friends (Tammy, Alan, Becky, Brian, Black Amy, Sandy, Shannon, Patty, Dexter, Melvin) and get hugs from them as they welcomed me home and we wished each other luck.
As the race start time neared, I waited in the chute with them. Black Amy and I decided to run together, but figured out after the start that we wouldn't be sticking together since I was doing the Galloway method and she would be running the whole time. After some more hugs and "good luck"s to each other, the race started. Black Amy and I ran together, until my first walking interval. After that, she kept getting farther and farther ahead. Other runners kept passing me, but I told myself that it didn't matter and to just go at my own pace.
I felt OK for about the first 3 miles, then I started to slow down and walk more often :(even before my walk intervals started). By the time I passed the water stop around mile 4, I had a feeling that I would be very close to the time limit at mile 6. During miles 5 and 6, I walked more and more. Once I heard my MapMyRun app tell me my mile split time for mile 6, I knew that I wouldn't make it to the water stop just past mile 6 in time (my mile split was around 16 minutes due to the walking).
As I got closer and closer to the mile 6 water stop, I saw and heard my MTT coach, Lynn. She walked towards me and as she came right up to me (and I saw the race clock was at 1:32:something), I just lost it and started bawling......because I knew that I was done, they wouldn't let me continue. Lynn let me cry and walked with me, saying words of encouragement the whole time. As I tried to calm myself down, Lynn told me to think about what I learned from this, that this was just 13 miles and that my end goal is that Richmond Marathon in November. There was only one other person behind me, who also did not make the cut off time. As the gentleman and I got in the SUV that would take us back to the start/finish line, Lynn hugged me one more time and said "you're a good runner, don't forget that, don't let this get you down."
After getting back to the start/finish line and seeing most people struggle to cross the finish line, I realized that I wasn't the only one who struggled during the race.
So, here are the lessons I learned from Patrick Henry:
1. Being away from my MTT team for 7 weeks and trying to train on my own is HARD, especially since I missed about 3 weeks of training due to being at the 2 camps.
2. Don't miss any days (or weeks) of my daily asthma medicine. My health insurance only allows mail orders for medicine that you take regularly, for which I need to fax the prescription to them (which I can't do until I get the work on Monday because I don't have a fax machine at home).
3. Running in 60-70 degree weather for several weeks, then trying to run in high humidity will take a toll on your body and is hard to adjust to.
4. I have GOT to be better about my overall nutrition, not just the week of a race. (I was exhausted by about mile 3)
5. Stay positive and adjust to the situation.
Will I allow this setback to discourage me from continuing my marathon training? Absolutely not! While I'm disappointed, frustrated, etc. and I know that I failed the mid-term (as my MTT coaches kept calling this half marathon race), I now know what I need to change or improve to ace the final, the Richmond Marathon.
