Fort Myers Beach Half Marathon 2013

So what happens when a runner, after two weeks off and a borderline upper-respiratory infection, decides last minute to actually run the race she's been preparing for?

Well, I won't lie. The race was rough. I had to really dig deep to push myself through it, while at the same time cutting myself slack due to circumstances. It was a weird balance of disappointment, resignation, and personal understanding like I've never experienced.

Tried and true: I stuck with my go-to Saucony Hydralite top.

When I decided to run the race Saturday night, I immediately sought out others I knew were running it. Sarah, who ran the 10k and 15k with me recently, immediately offered to carpool. I got my stuff together.

Breakfast of semi-champions: peanut butter and honey on toast and a cup of coffee.

When I woke up Sunday morning, my stomach was doing what runners are used to...nothing like some GI distress to start the day. I tore through all my purses until I miraculously found a sample packet of Immodium. I took half a dose, which was enough to allow things to move along, but then put the necessary stopper in the pipes.

I chose to run with Gatorade Energy Chews instead of Gu Chomps because the shape of the package fit better in my fuel belt with my inhaler taking up space.

The super-crowded trolley that brought us to the start line.

Pre-race: all smiles!

 Sarah and I got to the trolley pickup spot at 6am. The race began at 7; we got on a trolley at 6:40. Yeah. We were a little anxious, but luckily we were able to check our bags and use the porta-potties before start time. I am so glad I remembered to carry TP with me. That could have made for a nasty run.

Sean was smart and got to the venue early enough to see sunrise. Here's the bridge we ran across.

The giant bridge was the end of the first mile. It's twice as steep as the bridge I sometimes run during training. It actually wasn't that bad. So early in the race, my legs felt fresh and I took the bridge nice and slow to account for my asthma.

A little blurry; all the runners making their way up the bridge.

I kept my earbuds out for the first few miles, until I had my first fuel/water stop. Then I popped those suckers in and enjoyed the first half of the race. It was overcast and breezy at this point, a little humid, but not bad by usual Florida standards. My plan was to eat/drink at miles 3, 6.5, and 10.

By the time I got to the halfway point, though, I knew I had to adjust that plan. My energy was low and my muscles were cramping up something wicked. I wonder if my impaired breathing had something to do with that.

I saw Sarah and Sean as they came back from the turnaround, which was a nice morale booster. At mile 8 I took my first non-fueling walk break. By this time, the sun was high and had burned off any cloud cover. There was no shade. The main stretch of the race was basically 11 miles of straight urban road.

I saw this sign on my way to packet pickup and nearly cried with disappointment at the idea of not running this race.

This was the first moment that I wondered if maybe I shouldn't have run this half. But then I remembered my visceral reaction when I saw the Marathon - Expect Delays traffic sign while picking up my packet. I would finish this race...slow, painful, ugly...I didn't care. I was going to finish it.

I passed Five Guys, storage places, the hospital, and a multitude of other concrete establishments. Not the most inspirational of routes. There weren't a ton of spectators, but the ones who were there were awesome!

As the temperature rose, I decided I'd have to take walk breaks at each mile. The 2.5 miles between water stops became a problem; I could tell I was dehydrated. (Probably due to cold medications on top of everything else.) I began drinking Gatorade along with water at the stops, as much as I hate to drink it while racing. I knew I needed the sugar.

So, with all this walking, imagine my surprise when I realized at mile 10 that I was still safe to come in under 3 hours. (3 hours for a half marathon isn't really a good goal for me usually, of course, but today was different.)

I found my second wind with 1.5 miles to go. I was able to run to the last drink stop, at the base of that same bridge.

This look of relief is not at all feigned.

The last stretch was literally all downhill. From the top of the bridge, I could see the runners looping around to the finish below. I kicked it up. I let the momentum of the bridge push me through the last quarter mile, and I finished feeling strong and satisfied with my tortoise-pace (2:41:13...not my worst, but certainly not my best).

How Florida is this start/finish?

Sarah, Sean and I enjoying our bling. This was Sarah's first half, and she finished in 1:47. Ah-maz-ing!

Am I happy as a runner with my time? Not really. Was the race difficult? Hell yes. Am I glad I did it? Absolutely and without a doubt.

Despite the disappointing time and all the walking, I earned this baby.

I proved something to myself today, and the pain and struggle was well worth it.

Also, I think it was a miracle that I couldn't run this as a full. The dull, quiet course and brutal weather wouldn't have been a good one for my first marathon.

I think I need to add some more hooks to my bib holder!

Post-race meal: sushi!

Sometimes races are about more than the time and the performance.

Take that, DNR.

Here's a weird thing about long-distance races: afterward, I'm both starving and disgusted by food. As hungry as I was all day today, I could barely stomach more than chocolate milk, sushi, and a handful of grapes. Does this happen to anyone else?

Post-race, I'm having some pain in both knees and there's a fist-sized spot at the small of my back that is just killing me...But I think that's related to sitting in the trolley on the ride back more than anything else. Also, the almost-blister I got at the 15k came back in the same spot. Maybe it's time for new socks?

I hope to be in tip-top shape by Tuesday.

I need to give a quick shout-out to Kristina! She ran her first ever half-marathon. With a bucket-list that includes running an ultra before she's 30, I'd say this is the first big step toward her goals!

I can't wait for some of the professional pictures to come back to so I share the total awkwardness of my running form.

ABK

Facing a DNR

The sad irony of being forced to rest because of illness is that my legs feel amazing right now and I just want to run.

But I can't breathe, my voice is completely shot, and whatever hellish cold I have isn't waning in the slightest. I'm even going so far as to take tomorrow off - which is truly a sign of how poorly I'm feeling, because we all know teachers hate to miss work.

(Seriously, it's more difficult to write sub plans than just tough it out, but trying to teach today with literally no voice was not an exercise I want to repeat tomorrow.)

I'm thinking the half this weekend is going to be a bust.

It's funny...I'd planned to do the full, then had to back down to the half...and now nothing. As my mom said when I spoke to her Tuesday, maybe this race just wasn't mean to be. I'll find a December or January half to run, but I'm really disappointed that I'm going to have to miss this one.

For now, I need to focus on getting better.

ABK

DNR + Hot Toddy Heaven

I had my first DNR today.

M and I spent all of Saturday helping his mom move, and we spent some time in the evening with my parents. My dad had just had shoulder surgery, so it was especially nice to see him. We discussed the next couple surgeries he'll be having (knee and toe), and it made me consider what life could be like when I hit 60. Will I need knee replacement or foot surgery due to running stress? Or will running keep my bones strong?

Anyway, by the time we got home, M and I were both exhausted. On top of this, we've both been under the weather all week. I've been on the edge of whatever all my students have, and the congestion headaches, sneezing, and runny nose was just really pushing me over the edge. (Mom sent us home with my birthday gift, plus a couple shots of good whiskey poured into a jam jar - for medicinal purposes. Nothing cures an almost-cold like a hot toddy.*) Of course what also factored in was that I've been taking a break from running anyway.

So Saturday I called the race organizer to see if we could bump down from the 10k to the 5k, and were given the okay. But by 11pm, M and I both knew we needed a day of rest. We opted to skip the race completely.

I've never signed up for a race and then not shown up. I used to be really confused by people who did this. I figured if you spent the money, you may as well run the race. But last night, just the thought of getting up for the race was stressing me out. I understand now how people can say, "Well, the money is going to a good cause anyway. Let's sleep in."

When I say "taking a break" from running, I'm really not foreseeing much past two weeks off. I didn't run this week, and it feels different than the times I accidentally took time off. Meaning, I didn't set my alarm intending to run and then back out at the last minute. I didn't beat myself up for taking the time off. I dedicated myself happily to getting rest and not working about a lack of miles. I was purposeful and proactive in this decision, and it's been working.

I think this is doing me a world of good, and already I'm feeling excited to run again. But I'm not going to get back into it until I'm really feeling free of the hangups that have been plaguing me the last eight weeks or so. When I feel mentally unencumbered, physically well, and have the urge to run again, I'll go back.

I'm coming back to center, back to what I love about running. I need to shake off the competitive stuff because it turns running into a chore instead of a treat. I'm actually thinking I want to edit some of my NY resolutions because they're a little heavy. When every run is about "training", I lose the real purpose behind why I like to run in the first place.

So, I skipped a race today. Instead, M and I went to a young couples meet-up at a park and played cornhole and ladder golf, ate burgers, and met some new people. (Ah, February in Florida...perfect weather!) It was a good day.

ABK

*I've included the recipe for my go-to hot toddy here. See steps below.

1. The ingredients are simple, and, as mom pointed out before providing us with whiskey for the ride home (perfectly legal, I tell you), you should always have some medicinal whiskey in the house. Lemon juice, whiskey, and honey are all you need. And water, of course. Some people like to add a tea bag to the mix, but I prefer it without.
2. Bring your water to a boil.
3. While you wait, pour between half-an-ounce to a full ounce of whiskey into a mug.
4. Add between a half and full tablespoon each of honey and lemon. (It's really up to taste. I like a lot of lemon juice.)
5. Add your boiling water, stir well, and enjoy! The finished product should be a light golden color, smell sharply of whiskey, and taste sweet and lemony.

This has been a go-to cold-curer for me since I was a kid. I highly recommend it for everything from sore throats and congestion to full-body aches.