Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon Race Recap

Before signing up for the Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon, I had no idea what to expect. I had not tackled this distance in several years. And my motivation to run has ebbed and flowed over this time. My routine and relationship with running have remained positive since March, this is not correlated to the start of my new position, I promise. Further, being selected in the Chicago Marathon lottery has encouraged me to train harder (and smarter) than ever before. So as I grew stronger, I selected a training plan and set to work with abandon.

With confidence, I set three race day goals:

A - Finish in 1:40 flat. This is a perfect day time.
B - Sub 1:44. Do not go out too fast. Run with nice, even splits. This is what I trained for.
C - Sub 1:47:30. In order to qualify for the Boston Marathon, this is the pace I need to maintain for the full marathon in October. With a finish at this time in May, I will have a good idea of where I need to pick it up in my training.

Pre-Race: I was up at 5:30, stuffing half a bagel topped with peanut butter and a banana in my mouth. I was also drinking as much coffee (about three ounces) and water (about 17 ounces) as I predicted my stomach could handle… while dealing with two dogs, both with enough vigor to power them through their own half. Boyfriend and I were out the door by 6:00 am and in sight of the race start by 6:30 am. With a long, long traffic line, Boyfriend took the wheel and I made way to the porta johns. The line there, equally as long, did not move. So I was thankful the race started five minutes late as I was making my way to the start line.

Race: The weather was a few degrees above ideal. But overall, a beautiful day was in the works. I crossed the mat and hit start on the Garmin, and with that, my first race in sometime was underway. Aiming for a 1:40 finish time… when starting with the 2:45 pace group lent itself to quite a bit of weaving for the first mile and a half. Run hard, run smart, a motto from Pops echoing in my head, I was thankful to be weaving. It kept my pace reigned WAY in for the first mile. During the first couple miles, I was also able to shake-out quite a bit of anxiety, as if I actually was going to disappoint anyone beside myself with a poor race results.

Mile 1: 8:15
Mile 2: 7:36
Mile 3: 7:40
Mile 4: 7:26

There were water stops each mile and a half along the course. My gastrointestinal system does not appreciate hydration or food while exercising, something the stomach and I are working to overcome before October. I stopped to drink a full cup of water (about six sips) shortly after the four-mile mark.

Mile 5: 7:22
Mile 6: 7:32

I sensed the course was rolling up and down, however, the first sizable hill I recall came between miles five and six. The hill climbed and climbed until that point where I thought the top was in reach, when the course wrapped around and bend and I was forced to climb some more. I wound up drinking another two sips of water at mile six. I did not stop for this intake, as I had not accounted for this time prior to the race, instead I splashed and sloshed my way through this mini hydration jolt.

Mile 7: 7:50
Mile 8: 7:44

This is when the mental battle started to ensue. I was doubting myself. Did I go out to fast? Can I hold this pace for five more miles? My legs were starting to tire. The course fluctuated in and out of sun… and I wanted nothing more to remain in the shade.

Mile 9: 7:44
Mile 10: 8:01
Mile 11: 8:27

This was by far the hardest mile. I could not keep it together. And I was worried I was doomed. But once I had a only five kilometers left, the positive pep talks started. You are not alone in pain. You are strong. Run hard(er), run smart. The faster you run, the faster you’re done. Relax the shoulders. Pump your arms. Shorten the uphill stride. After working myself back into a good place, I felt great for the last two miles. I certainly felt pain. But I never wanted to quit. I knew I could finish faster than Goal B and probably closer to Goal A if I continue to push.

Mile 12: 7:42
Mile 13: 7:44
Mile 13.1: 0:52

In conclusion: I ran more aggressively than I had planned, but in the end, it paid off. The goal of this race was to see where I am at fitness wise. And I think I am slightly better off than I thought I was; I can safely say, "I’m back."

(Note: The credit for the layout of this race recap goes entirely to Claire at Will Run for Beer, a running blog I follow for added inspiration.)