Unlike the Glenn Thrift Challenge (previous entry), this was a race. I’ve been doing so much trail running and long runs with Addison and Bob (stroller) that I went into this race not real sure of what I was capable of on the road and for that distance. I took a look at some previous years and decided that I’d have a primary goal of beating my time from last year. Last year I did this race pregnant and went solely on heart rate. If you looked at the elevation of this race you’d probably think I walked miles 2-4, but I CAN run slow if I have to. Actually, I do remember walking a little last year. Anyways, my time from last year was 1:49:55 so primary goal decided.
I have to say I was a little nervous about how I’d do. My “crew” had been doing all kinds of training runs on the mountain and I’d not ran it since last year. UGH! Okay, throw self doubt out that window and focus on my performance and mine alone.
Pre race went rather smoothly, I had Addison and Wrigley with me until the start since Sarah had decided to spectate. I have to say, I love having the support team I do. They make such the difference.
Everyone begins to gather at the start and I sneak back with Regina and Lisa where I felt more comfortable. The start of the race is on! Oh no! I have to pee again, geez! I make an executive decision to hold it as long as humanly possible b/c I’m not giving a second up in this race unless I have to. I watch one of my friends (Susan) take off, and I look at Regina and inform her I’m not in that much of a hurry to get to the mountain. Once you get to the mountain (approx. mile 1) you have a 1,000 ft climb to the top that stops at mile 3.5, and if that’s not enough the rest of the 9 miles is rolling hills. I can still see Susan and she’s probably a couple hundred feet in front of me once I start the climb. I start to set little goals to just keep her in my sights around the corners yet take it easy enough that I have some oomph left for the rest of the race. This lasted about a minute. I reminded myself to make it my race and not anyone else’s. I would pay dearly if I let my competitive nature get the best of me so early. The mountain was all I remembered it to be, and I even walked 2 separate times for 10 seconds. Finally! I made it to the top. Looking back at my trusty garmin, mile 1 was a good warmup at 8:51, then 10:36 and 11:01 with mile 4 at 9:37.
Let the fun begin! It’s called now we run down the mountain. It’s not all downhill, there are a few little rollers but one portion is crazy. Luckily the trail running I’ve been doing has paid off on the down hills. I managed to pass a few people yet not get out of control. Sarah did a drive by w/the crew and was waiting at the bottom of the mountain cheering. Miles 5, 6 and 7 were 8:34, 8:14, and 7:43.
I start to feel a little better about the race knowing it’s now half way over. I can hang on, I know it. I’m feeling strong on the little hills we keep getting thrown at us and have started to pass people here and there. Miles 8, 9, and 10 I clocked 8:27, 8:34, and 8:17. It’s about this time I have finally caught up with Susan. She yells at me to hurry up and pass her and not wait until the finish, little does she know I’m working as hard as I can. We hit Poinsett Hwy which is typically where most blow up. I passed people on the highway last year, and had every intention of saving something for the last 2.5 miles of this race again this year. Susan complains and says she already has a PR and she’s not going to push it. I said ugly words to her that pretty much equated to HTFU, and you WILL hang on. I focused, and enjoyed it. I know I’m meant for this, the hurt the pressure and the pure meanness it takes at times. Miles 11 and 12 were 8:32 and 8:13. Susan and I crossed together in a time of 1:49:27. I wanted to throw up. It was awesome! Now I beat my time from last year, but I’m far from my PR on this course of 1:44:07. Effort and hard work and a little of my meanness will get me back there though.
Congrats to Susan, it’s amazing what you can do when you actually train. I’m still wondering if she ate popcorn and cake icing as her usual prerace dinner though. Half the crew placed and did awesome. I managed to squeak out a 3rd place age group finish. Better than that though, I realized I might not be pushing myself enough in some of my workouts and letting self doubt get in the way. No more of that, there’s no use in wasting time if I’m going to doubt myself. I’m on the road to speed again, and every workout I do will prove just that.
