Coach Thyself--Half-Marathon Race Report

I coached myself to a new half-marathon PR today in the Music City Half-Marathon! 2:09:44 (That was for 13.23. I was around 2:09 at 13.1, but the course was a little long or I didn't run on the tangent.) I was 8th out of 23 in my age group.

I didn't train for this race, per se. It just happened to be in the middle of marathon training. This high-mileage, easy pace training REALLY works. I'm logging between 30 and 36 miles per week, mostly at an easy, conversational pace. A few intervals with my half-marathon group a couple of times and one tempo run is what my speed work has consisted of over the last few months. I didn't taper. I actually had to run 18 miles this week, including 4 miles the day before the race with my training groups! (What could I have done if I were actually rested???)

I didn't think I'd be a convert to high-mileage training, but it is really improving my cardiovascular system, lactate threshold, and VO2 max. Those improvements were enough to knock nearly 2 minutes off my time from March on this same course (2:11:41).

The race itself was great. I slowly jogged a mile before the race began because the training schedule called for 18 miles and I needed to warm up anyway. It was sunny and about 38 degrees at the start. I hoped to keep the pace between 9:50 and 10:10/pace. At the end of mile 1, I thought I might be having a good day. (And I realized that I had overdressed for the temps in a long-sleeved technical tee and technical lightweight jacket over it.) By the end of mile 2, I was fairly certain it was going to be a good day. My first two miles were a 9:50 pace and 9:49 pace, right on target. I had planned to walk through the 4 water stops, but I decided to keep going at the first one and jogged/drank/spilled through the stop at 2.8 miles.

Around miles 3 and 4, I was feeling really good at a 9:45 pace, which is unusual for me. In the past, that was my lactate threshold--- if I were running faster than 9:45, I knew lactic acid would build up in my legs later in the race (at miles 8+) and I'd be wanting to walk. But today, 9:45 felt right. The negative splits continued (to my dismay--I still a little worried in the back of my mind I was going out too fast) with a 9:47 mile, 9:40 mile and 9:41 mile. Miles 4 and 5 would be my fastest of the day.

I finally reigned in the adrenaline a little and starting logging 9:45-9:59 paces, including walking for 5-10 seconds through 3 water stops--the only walking for the race. I took gels at miles 5 and 9 DRY, which I know is "against the rules," but there were no water stops there. (Note to self: memorize where water stops are and plan accordingly.)

Eight miles is often a turning point in a half-marathon for me. In my first half-marathon a year and a half ago, I felt good at 8 miles with proper pacing and lots of Accelerade, which really works for me, and had a great race. In the last 3 half-marathons, the 8-mile mark was when things started going down hill. But, suddenly, I was at the 9-mile mark, then the 10, and my miles were all still coming in under a 10-minute pace. I was running consistently. Yes, I had to work harder in miles 10, 11, 12, and 13, but I maintained a sub 10-minute pace. Mile 12 was my slowest at 9:59 pace. Mile 10 came in at a happy 9:47 and mile 13 was a 9:48 pace! Then I was at 13, then 13.1, then 13.2......

I knew the distance would be off because the last time I ran the course, it was longer than 13.1 due to winding paths with runners coming at you---so you have to run on the edge rather than the middle, which would be the shortest distance at which the course is measured. My chip time comes to a 9:55/average pace (but that's averaging me for 13.1 miles when I ran an extra .12 for a total of 13.23 if my Garmin is correct), but my Garmin clocked me at a 9:49 pace. That makes more sense considering my splits. I only had 3 miles above 9:55/pace and several in the 9:40's.

It helped that the course was almost completely flat. There were maybe 2 gentle inclines and one small hill.

Afterwards, I realized that my biceps hurt so much. I must have been clenching my fists and really holding my arms flexed for the entire 13 miles! I feel like I did a hundred bicep curls! And a pretty hard effort for 13 miles left me with achy knees and lower back and a tingly piriformis and a few other ailments. Sports massage, anyone? Then my husband met me for a PAINFUL 4 more miles to get me to 18. I walked all of the last mile and a lot of the other 3, but I'm at 18 for the day and 36 for the week. Ouch.

Splits and such:
Mile 1 9:50
Mile 2 9:49
Mile 3 9:47
Mile 4 9:40
Mile 5 9:41
Mile 6 9:52
Mile 7 9:49
Mile 8 9:58
Mile 9 9:50
Mile 10 9:47
Mile 11 9:57
Mile 12 9:59
Mile 13 9:48 2:07:47 at 13 miles....might have sneaked in under 2:09 for 13.11. I can usually finish the .11 in about a minute. Wish I'd glanced at my Garmin!
Mile .23 8:52/pace

13.23 miles 9:49 average pace. It was a GOOD day. By the way, my A. goal (best case scenario) was 2:10. And I beat THAT.