I had a redemption run today. Last year I had to go on my scooter to this race due to my fractured foot! So, this year...I was out for blood :) I wanted a 50K, and figured in 5 hrs I could totally make that work. And I did!
Running on the track at the Oval can get a little hard...on your knees, ankles, hips, feet, mind...pretty much everything. I started at 8:00 with the crowd and Becca and I stuck together for the first half marathon, then I started running with some other people I knew there. It is really nice to be able to break when you need to, drink when you need to and see people every few laps and run with whoever you want for a lap. I did the half in 1:55, slower than I thought I would, but looking at my splits I was running and 8:30ish or below pace the whole time...it was the stopping that killed my time. Same with the full. I finished in 4:13, which seemed crazy knowing the pace I was running. All my laps were coming in consistently around 2:25 (8:40ish pace), except when I would stop and drink or grab a gu. So, I think my overall pace (without stopping) was around an 8:45, but my overall time certainly doesn't reflect that :) They only had Achiva seed things to eat...and candy. I couldn't stomach the candy and those seed chews were NASTY! So, I bummed some gu off of friends. Without them I wouldn't have finished! I needed that caffeine boost. SO grateful for good friends who plan better than I do :) I pushed the last lap of my half and full and both came in under 2:00, which is a sub 7mm pace...for the lap :) Felt good to move a little more and open things up. But, then I'd stop and fuel/drink and it was hard to get going again! I had a guy from the fuel station come up to me afterward and tell me how much he loved watching me run by and asked what place I'd taken..."I didn't" I replied. He was a little shocked, and honestly so was I. But, more on that later. After I hit my full I figured I could still get the 50K in. I was going to do this. I kept running, and although the first few laps (until I grabbed my last gu with 30 min left) were slow, I picked it up and was just enjoying the run. Good times! There really were a few times during the run I felt like I could just run forever and I didn't want to stop! That was the last 15ish minutes for me. I was just feeling good and no one was passing me anymore and I was just busting out the laps, plugged into the music and doing a little run dancing and enjoying every minute!! Well, the final count came in at 112 laps. Which I now know was 49.952K. SO close. I knew I was close, but I didn't know HOW close. So, even though my lap counter had been taken off, I ran 3 more laps to make sure I hit that 50K! I wasn't getting that close and not achieving it. So, my total of 115 laps gives me 51.29K or 31.58 miles. Rock on! I don't think doing the 50K indoors can count as an Ultra, but well...close enough :) What a way to start out the year!! A highlight of this run for me was having my daughter with me. She expressed interest last year in doing it and so I signed her up this year. She completed OVER a half marathon!!! I was SO happy that she worked hard and got her half medal. It took her probably 3.5 hrs and she walked the majority of it, but she did it! She didn't wimp out and sit after her first 30 solid minutes of running, but would sometimes run my pace for 100M or so when I passed her to keep up with me. Such a proud mama! No other kids went the full 5 hours, only mine :) My mom also showed up and saw Lauren finish her half, me finish my full and then walked a few laps with Lauren as well. Overall it was a wonderful day filled with friends and fun and the perfect way to start out the new year! I'm trying to not get down on myself about finishing fourth. It is kind of getting my goat. Especially because the 2nd place lady no one remembers running fast enough to pass people. I never saw her pass me, and trust me...I took note of all those who lapped me or were running my pace. I knew Kelli would take 1st for most laps, she KILLED the run! Leslie Howlett and I seemed like we might be neck and neck (she ended up just ONE lap ahead of me). She passed me a lot at first, but then I was passing her a lot at the end. The 2nd place lady...I don't ever remember seeing! I'm not saying she wasn't there and didn't run a full 5 hours or was malicious about getting extra laps, but I truly think I ran more than her. Thus, the aid station guy's comment really just kind was a stinger. Anyway, like I said I'm trying to keep in mind what an awesome accomplishment today was and to just enjoy it. I just hate 4th place...it really does feel like the first loser :(
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