Race Report - Atlanta Half Marathon

This was a great race. New corralling procedure at the race start was a little different but worked out fine. I haven't read any articles yet about the race so I don't know whether the organizers liked how it worked out or not. I was in the second start group this year just because my pre-registration got messed up and I had to register in person on Tuesday before the race during the race expo - all they had left were numbers in the second start group.

I went out hard at the beginning, in part for adrenaline, part for confidence, part for warmth and part for wanting to not tick off all the other starters in my group who belonged there! Probably I'd have gone faster overall if I'd started slower. I know how these things work - but I just had to do it anyway. I guess my confidence got the better of me? I can't remember feeling this confident about the distance in several years. I'll have to have a big serving of humble pie next year...

I had dressed right, which was a relief. The weather report said 34 degrees/feels like 27. Brr. And it predicted that halfway through my race it would feel like 29. Double Brr. I wore my race bra, my Atlanta Half technical long sleeve (they finally did away with the cotton long sleeve T-shirt - what a great move!) and my cycling windbreaker. Long running pants, and a fleece hat. I was worried it wouldn't be enough but it was just right. Oh, and the disposable mittens. Which I never dispose of. I have a few year's worth of these as souvenirs.

There were fewer people cheering along the way than usual. Probable due to the cold. I think they had over 11,000 runners but the fans stayed in bed. The large registration was in part due to the new sponsor, The Weather Channel. They gave money, but not sunshine!

I was averaging about 9 minute miles through mile 9 (which is GREAT for me). Then hit the wall. I had a chance to come in under two hours but just couldn't maintain my speed. My knee caps hurt, which usually isn't really a problem, which impacted my speed some. But I just didn't pace properly. And I found the "wall" everyone dreads. I was able to pick up the pace again around mile 11 but now was back to hoping for my original goal for an average 10-minute mile.

I still managed to be my time goal of 2:11 by one minute. So I'm proud. I ran 13.1 9:59 minute miles. I finished 149th out of 392 in my age group (female 45 - 49).

It was still chilly at the end of the race and the aluminum foil blanket they give you was very well appreciated. I made it home in plenty of time to get my turkey dressed and in the oven on time. And ate, ate, ate - as I well deserved - the rest of the weekend.

I'd said this would be my last half marathon - that I was going to focus on triathlons now since they are easier on the body - but I just don't know....It sure would be nice to finish in the top third of my age group next year!

Last Long Run Before the BIG One

So this weekend is the last long run before the Atlanta Half. Somewhere during the last year I lost major speed and I have no idea where I put it. I keep thinking it will turn back up but so far it eludes me. Just like my car keys in the morning. Another by-product of menopause I guess :)

Lately I've been doing my training exclusively around the golf course at Brookhaven Country Club because I can run entirely on pavement instead of concrete and it's quite hilly which will help me prepare for Cardiac Hill at Piedmont Hospital and beyond. Running on concrete compounded an IT problem 4 years ago while training for the Atlanta Half and I had to miss the event so I have learned to stay off concrete sidewalks unless I am running less than 5 miles and even then it makes me very nervous. My favorite is trail running but at the moment I don't live by any hilly running or mountain bike trails. I will admit that the closer it gets to a race the less likely I am to be found on a trail though - the risk of turning an ankle on a rock or tree root is too great.

Running this fall has been unbelievable in Atlanta. There hasn't been a weekend day that hasn't been absolutely gorgeous, with perfect temperatures and little to no wind. It's so much easier to take that last lap around the course when the sky is so blue and the changing leaves contrast so sharply. And certainly, while I am nearly literally crawling the last few miles, the incredible scenery makes it all worthwhile.

Saturday, 13 miles. Then down to several 5 and 6-ers every few days until race day on the 27th. Wish me luck and watch for my race report after Turkey Day! And if you're watching from the sidelines on Peachtree Street, cheer me on when you see my Team in Training (TNT) jersey and cheer on all my fellow TNT athletes too! Go Team!

Gearing Up for Atlanta Half Marathon

I did a 10 mile long-run last Saturday at Powers Ferry Landing, right by the Chattahoochee River in Atlanta, GA. It was a beautiful weekend and there were very few other runners on the course that afternoon, presumably everybody home watching college football, which we take very seriously here in Atlanta. The run was fine and I really wasn't nearly as sore or dehydrated as I'd expected. I'm feeling like I'm racing against time to build up my mileage sufficiently for 13.1 miles on Thanksgiving Day, which is when our half marathon and marathon are held.

Due to the knee injury in August my training routine has been "alternative" to say the least. To avoid another stress injury I am all but cutting out the short runs during the week, usually substituting swimming for the cardio. Anyway, I'm sure some speed training would be good - so they don't roll up the sidewalks on me on race day! I will work some in there somewhere. I am seriously wondering about these ice baths I keep reading about in Runners World, Bicycling and Triathlon magazines. Have any of you ladies ACTUALLY done these? Do they work? I know as I build the miles I'm going to be fighting joint and muscle fatigue and any advice on healing techniques will be greatly appreciated.

Back on Track

Finally! I awaited the allotted 3 weeks of "rest" to heal my knee and took it out for a test drive on a "long run" last weekend. 6 miles, no pain! So I'm back to my training regimen and much happier for it! Well, back to training. My running regimen will have to be altered - Team in Training has been kind enough to allow me, with my doctor's note, to switch events and run and fundraise for the Atlanta Half Marathon on Thanksgiving Day instead of the Nike Women's Half Marathon in San Francisco on October 19. I was really looking forward to running the race in San Francisco (it's nearly impossible to get a number for the Women's Half out there) but I have to say I am just really thrilled at this point to be back into my running shoes at all.

So, new event and new training schedule. It's tricky to accelerate a training program and not get injured (or in this case re-injured). At least that is what I have learned from my past! I haven't quite figured all the long runs out because I have quite a bit of travel this fall as well. I usually add a mile every 2 weeks with an 8 miler on the alternate week but that won't get me to 13 before the actual race so I guess I will be adding 2 miles some weeks. Anybody out there have a safe way to add miles quickly? I'd love some advice on this!