Stats/Goals
Distance: 13.1 milesLocation: Savannah, GA
Current PR: 1:38:26 (11/28/2014, Atlanta Half marathon)
90% Goal: 1:40:00
50% Goal: 1:35:00
10% Goal: 1:32:30 (Peachtree Subseed Qualifier)
Result: 1:47:18 (http://tinyurl.com/p58xzfz)
7:15
7:12
7:11
5k: 21:59 (7:05 pace)
7:20
7:39
7:32
10k: 45:09 (7:16 pace) => 1:08 off PR 10k
8:12
8:42
8:55
9:05
10m: 1:18:13 (7:50 pace) => 5 mins faster than my time at the Atlanta 10miler
9:09
8:28
10:20
Summary
I had very high hopes for my performance heading into this race. I came out very strong (too strong?) for the first 10k, and petered out over the last half of the race. I was really down on myself initially, but, after seeing how the rest of the day went for everyone, I'm content with how the day went down. As with the Alien Half earlier this season, it was an important lesson in mental strength.Race Prep
Savannah was a bit of a last second race. I didn't sign up for it until the weekend before. We wanted to wait to see if Angelina was feeling well enough to travel and if she was could get around Savannah on her own. It was going to be her training partner's (Brandi) first marathon, Angelina wanted to be there to cheer and hold signs for her.
Travel there was uneventful. Getting to the expo by 4:00 was one of the best decisions we made. While parking took us 10-15 minutes (which was irritating at the time), the line was backed up across most of the Talmadge Bridge (read: very very far). I don't really understand while R&R Savannah continues to have their expo at such an inaccessible location while not offering any kind of bib-via-mail pickup.
We got up at 4:00, out of the hotel by 4:30, and had zero issues with parking. I checked my bag of post-race snacks/gear because I was going to have to fend for myself after the race.
It was a little warmer than we had anticipated. Forecasts said the start was supposed to be in the low 70s, getting up to the 80s later with very high humidity. I had hoped the cloud cover would mitigate the heat.
Travel there was uneventful. Getting to the expo by 4:00 was one of the best decisions we made. While parking took us 10-15 minutes (which was irritating at the time), the line was backed up across most of the Talmadge Bridge (read: very very far). I don't really understand while R&R Savannah continues to have their expo at such an inaccessible location while not offering any kind of bib-via-mail pickup.
We got up at 4:00, out of the hotel by 4:30, and had zero issues with parking. I checked my bag of post-race snacks/gear because I was going to have to fend for myself after the race.
It was a little warmer than we had anticipated. Forecasts said the start was supposed to be in the low 70s, getting up to the 80s later with very high humidity. I had hoped the cloud cover would mitigate the heat.
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| ATC Fall Distance Training Group Shot Thing Place People WOO |
Race
I filed into my corral about 20 minutes before race start. There wasn't much running room, so I had to settle for bouncing around to get loose. There was a guy from the 2013 marathon training group who recognized me and we talked for a while ("Hey, you're the guy that broke his foot!"). Then Courtney, one of the other Riverside runners, made her way in and we talked a bit. The race ended up starting about 15 minutes late with no real explanation.
I started off fast, but I felt comfortable. The first 5k was only 1:30 off my 5k PR, which meant it was probably way too fast. After the first 3 miles, I bounced between a 7:30 and 7:15 pace where I'd feel comfortable then realize I was pushing too hard.
I saw Angelina at the 6 mile mark and she was smiling and supportive as always. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to hold my pace much past the 10k mark. The heat was getting to me (thought I didn't really consider it much at the time).
I ended up run/walking the rest of the race with no particular pattern. Telling myself "I'll make it to the next mile mark" and usually falling short. I let a LOT of negative thinking into my head when the 3:15 marathon pace group (1:37:30 half marathon) went by around mile 9.
Around 10, Courtney caught up to me. She was a bit behind her target pace, but ahead of her PR pace. Seeing her made me pick up my pace just to stay with her. We were counting down the quarters. I managed to hang with her until mile 12 when my legs felt like they were loaded with lead.
I saw Angelina for the second time while I was walking around 12.5. She was on her way out to cheer on Brandi at the half/full split. She yelled out, "I'm still proud of you!" (she knew I was way off pace) For some reason, when I was getting down on myself, the first thought had been: "Angelina is going to be disappointed in you." Now, thinking with a non-running-addled mind, I know that that she would never say or feel that, but it was in my head and it made me feel awful. Just that little bit of a cheer form her made me feel much better (but not faster).
I wasn't able to power down the last half mile, but I was content. I was going to finish. I got to run with a friend for a mile and a half of her new PR race.
I started off fast, but I felt comfortable. The first 5k was only 1:30 off my 5k PR, which meant it was probably way too fast. After the first 3 miles, I bounced between a 7:30 and 7:15 pace where I'd feel comfortable then realize I was pushing too hard.
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| Mile 6. Before the Crash. |
I saw Angelina at the 6 mile mark and she was smiling and supportive as always. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to hold my pace much past the 10k mark. The heat was getting to me (thought I didn't really consider it much at the time).
I ended up run/walking the rest of the race with no particular pattern. Telling myself "I'll make it to the next mile mark" and usually falling short. I let a LOT of negative thinking into my head when the 3:15 marathon pace group (1:37:30 half marathon) went by around mile 9.
Around 10, Courtney caught up to me. She was a bit behind her target pace, but ahead of her PR pace. Seeing her made me pick up my pace just to stay with her. We were counting down the quarters. I managed to hang with her until mile 12 when my legs felt like they were loaded with lead.
I saw Angelina for the second time while I was walking around 12.5. She was on her way out to cheer on Brandi at the half/full split. She yelled out, "I'm still proud of you!" (she knew I was way off pace) For some reason, when I was getting down on myself, the first thought had been: "Angelina is going to be disappointed in you." Now, thinking with a non-running-addled mind, I know that that she would never say or feel that, but it was in my head and it made me feel awful. Just that little bit of a cheer form her made me feel much better (but not faster).
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| I felt as good as I look. Perhaps worse. |
I wasn't able to power down the last half mile, but I was content. I was going to finish. I got to run with a friend for a mile and a half of her new PR race.
Post Race
It wasn't until I staggered through the finish that I realized how much it had warmed up during the day. I had cloud cover for most of my run, but standing in the park afterwards was awful. I sought shade and waited for everyone to start coming in. Angelina ended up missing Brandi at the split (Brandi passed by too fast) and the back half of the course was pretty inaccessible. So she just headed to the finish.Shortly after she got back to the park, we saw a post from one of our marathon friends that he got redirected on course and that the race was shutting down due to the heat. Medical resources were being pushed to the limit and most of the marathoners were still on course.
Everyone in our group eventually made it in. The marathoners ran anywhere from 17 miles up to 25ish. I ran with Brandi for a mile and a half, to make sure she actually made the full distance. The last thing I wanted was for her to feel like she "didn't run a marathon".
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| MARATHONER! |
Afterwards, we got an awesome burger and watched football for the rest of the evening.
Conclusion
In the moment, I was really hard on myself. A lot harder than I was after the Alien Half. In that race, I didn't have a lot of prep work, the course was a lot hillier than I expected, and the weather was a lot hotter.
I had a similar amount of prep time for Savannah (I registered only a week in advance), but I kind of knew it was always a possibility. The terrain of the course was a lot easier. The starting conditions were close to ideal (if a little warm).
Seeing the aftermath of people getting fluid IVs and two runners tragically passing, I'm a lot more willing to cut myself some slack. I know I left some time on the course just from mentally beating myself up on course, but, despite the flat course, conditions were not in favor for running.
One of my goals for 2015 had been to hit a new PR at the major distances. I narrowly made 5k and 10k PRs earlier in the year, but neither of the halfs I ran were anywhere near PR material this year. It's a bit of a disappointment, but more fuel for the fire next year.
I had a similar amount of prep time for Savannah (I registered only a week in advance), but I kind of knew it was always a possibility. The terrain of the course was a lot easier. The starting conditions were close to ideal (if a little warm).
Seeing the aftermath of people getting fluid IVs and two runners tragically passing, I'm a lot more willing to cut myself some slack. I know I left some time on the course just from mentally beating myself up on course, but, despite the flat course, conditions were not in favor for running.
One of my goals for 2015 had been to hit a new PR at the major distances. I narrowly made 5k and 10k PRs earlier in the year, but neither of the halfs I ran were anywhere near PR material this year. It's a bit of a disappointment, but more fuel for the fire next year.
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| Potato was a champ walking around Savannah all day |
I need to do more blogging about my running. This is a great reflection about the day/weekend.
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