Sunday, March 20, 2016

Rock n Roll half marathon 2016/03/20

_ preparation
Before 2015, Rock n Roll was my annual PR attempt.  92-minute within reach—sub-90 if I made it "A" event.  Then organizer changed the course that made 90-minute unrealistic.
After running Boston in April, I decided I didn’t need to run fast again.  Speed work didn’t start ‘til 2 weeks before race.  Then I caught cold.

My options to enhance performance were limited.  I focused on resting and reducing body weight.

_initial goal
95~100-minute finish.  Beer with Kurt and laugh about how old and slow we become.  I ran 1.25-mi tempo 4 days before race.  Body didn’t respond well to sub 7:00 pace.  Kurt couldn’t race due to illness.

_revised plan
Sub-8:00 pace.  Shoot for 100-minute finish.  Go harder after mile 8 climb.

I set GPS to 7:45 pace.

_starstruck
Logistics went perfectly: parking, Omni hotel ballroom no-line bathroom, bag check in, national anthem, disposable cloths.  I waited in corral 1, casually hanged my donation Big Dog fleece on the barrier, looked up, the guy in the thick jacket was recently retired Ryan Hall.  I tapped his shoulder, but the horn sounded before I could say I was a big fan.  We made eye contact a minute into the run, what came out of my mouth was “holy shit, I’m running with Ryan Hall.”  Not my smoothest moment.



[Ryan slightly taller than Meb]

_smooth start
Ryan was smaller than the “white giant leading Kenyans” image in my head.  He was in no rush and wasn’t in conversation mood.  I was too excited to hold his pace and left him behind.  I promised I wouldn’t pass 95-minute pacer before mile 9. 

I hadn’t raced this fast for 12 months.  The weather was beautiful though a bit windy.  I was somewhat rested and mostly injury-free.  I felt 9000 runners behind me.  Green Silence were light and bouncy.  I loved racing 21k.

Mile 4, Ryan caught me from behind, still wearing the jacket.  Only 1 of his groupies hanged on.  I chased.  Heart rate rose quickly.  I let go.  “I run with Ryan Hall twice today!”  I laughed as I watched the 2:04 marathon man jogging away.

_”If Trump can run for president, you can run a half marathon”_
That was the most interesting celebrity-related poster on the road.  Charlie Sheen and Kim Kardashian seemed harmless now.

_going off script
I stuck to race plan up to mile 8.  I wasn’t confident and bled speed through the climb.  I struggled to hold 7:30 pace after the incline, unable to capitalize on short down hills. 

My quads softened after the long downhill at mile 12.  I hemorrhage speed.  I failed to hold 8:00 pace half mile before finish when I expected to go anaerobic at sub 7:00.  I was grateful my body did this well with poor preparation.

_#
GPS Garmin Forerunner 910XT
Distance: 13.28 mi
Time: 1:42:21
Pace: 7:42
Starting temperature: 39F (It felt like mid 40’s)

Chip
Distance: 13.1 mi
Time: 1:42:20
Pace: 7:49
Place: 509/9538

Winner Benson Chesang: 1:08:37
Ryan Hall’s US record: 0:59:43

_aftermath
Inner quads were unhappy immediately after the race.  I walked it off. 
One toe nail bled.  Serves me right for wearing narrow shoes.

I had mixed feeling about the result: sub-8:00 pace was more than I deserved given poor preparation—yet I somehow I had my identity tied to 7-minute-mile.  I looked up definition of "ego."

2 days later I watched Barkley Documentary with Irving runners and started to feel I shortchanged my running life by needing too much comfort.  At the same time I felt I should take a long break from running for proximal hamstring strain and other injuries.

The end maybe near.

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