2016 Raleigh City of Oaks 1/2 marathon

Raleigh City of Oaks 1/2 marathon
November 6, 2016 in Raleigh, NC
My Return to Racing
Watch Time: 1:51:03 - 8:28/mm pace

Short version: I found a bib from someone who couldn't run the race on Thursday (3 days before race day), but no transfers so I ran as David.  My Garmin didn't work correctly so I don't have any stats, but I set a PR by 1:27.  Looking forward to beating it in 2 weeks at Holly Springs Half Marathon!

Long version: 

Back Story

Rewind to July.  We went back to Michigan to visit family and while hanging out with a great friend I realized I needed people like that in my life down here in NC.  I hadn't been running much but I knew there was a run club in Holly Springs that had different runs every day, and that would give me an easy way to meet people.  I decided to put myself out there on July 11th and ran with 3 others that morning.  I have since met 100+ amazing people that all make this run club feel like family.  I decided I was ready to jump back into running like a maniac and signed up for the 1st ever Holly Springs 1/2 marathon.  My monthly mileage increased from 27 in June to July-70, August-141, and now 150 in September and October.  I have been training hard for HS 1/2 for 10 weeks, and set new PRs at every distance (mile/5k/10k) in the past few weeks of training.  So it’s not exactly like I was unprepared.  I got caught up with race envy after reading other race reports and seeing everyone getting excited for City of Oaks, so I secured a bib, and would run as someone else as a “training race” – more on that later.

Race Day

Race morning: woke up at 4:40 to eat a bagel and make sure I don’t have to wait in line at a port-a-potty.  It is 39 degrees out so I can’t decide if I want to freeze at the beginning or risk being too hot at the end.  It’s been 3 years since my disaster of a marathon – my last road race – and I cramped and overheated there, so I decide on shorts and my brand new HSRC t-shirt (hoping to represent the club well).  I get parked about 6:15, walk over for the club photo at the bell tower, wish everyone a good
race, and then head to the starting line.  After the anthem I find a spot in front of the 9:00/mm pace group and watch the countdown clock, then it’s off for a short run with 6,000 of my closest friends!

Miles 0 – 2.5 – Aurora – I created a Garmin workout of 2.5 miles repeated 4 times to get me to 10, then a 5k for the finish.  I decided a good way to keep my mind off of what I was doing was to spend each segment focusing on one of the 4 kids.  My plan for this segment was 8:45/mm, and then go faster each segment by 10ish seconds, but that quickly went out the window as I always get caught up in race day excitement and forget to “take it easy”.  I got a good laugh early while chatting with a friend, we thought we were running somewhere around 9:00 (he wanted to start around 9:30), and I checked the watch and we were at 8:07/mile!  The excitement of the race has me feeling great, even though this wasn’t my plan I decide to ride it out as long as I can and hope to finish strong.  It seems hilly but someone told me the course isn’t much harder than where I run all the time.  I think of coaching Aurora at basketball, watching her play soccer, running a few miles around the neighborhood with her, and before I know it my watch buzzes – 8:28 average pace.

Miles 2.5 – 5 – Willow –Mostly what runs through my head about Willow is the fire that girl played with when she played soccer this fall.  Sometimes she stumbles but the girl will get in there and mix it up with anyone, and often resulted in her scoring a lot of goals.  I see potential for her to be a good athlete once she grows into her height.  She told us a lot about how “she has jets” and can run faster than the boys – this kept going through my head, and not surprisingly this was my fastest split.  Crowd support continues to be good, whereas the races I have done in the past usually get pretty quiet once you are a few miles away from the start/finish.  I have been sipping my sports energy drink and throwing a cup of water at my face as I run through each aid station – didn’t want to lose time walking them….yet. I’m still feeling great and was able in speed up by 0:10/mile, which is the best I had hoped for – 8:18/mile.

Miles 5 – 7.5 – River – We lovingly refer to River as our maniac.  The boy has boundless energy that often gets released via dinosaur roar.  He has played soccer and t-ball but usually concerns himself with talking to the girls on the other team.  Yesterday he spent his time on the field flapping his arms like they were bird wings, not sure he kicked the ball once.  I get a few good laughs thinking about how much of a goofball he is.  I’m trying to stay focused on pace and breathing, but this course is quite hilly and my legs are getting tired.  I see several HSRC people along the route and it is very encouraging to hear them cheering.  There is one quite long hill leading up to an aid station right around 7.5, and this is the first aid station I stop and walk through.  I start doing math and realize I might hit my 10 mile goal (1:25) but I might not have the gas needed to get sub-1:50 – 8:24/mile.

Miles 7.5 – 10 – Rainier – he is 2.5 years old and this is the first time he has seen me race.  I look forward to hearing him yell “Go Daddyn” when I see them near the finish line – “how much farther do I have to go?” I keep thinking.  I think about the times I go for a run when he wants to chase after me, and how much he loves going on walks in the stroller.  I hope he will run with me when he is big enough.  I remind myself a big reason I run is so my kids will see how much fun exercise can be, and hope they will share my passion for sports.  The mental battle of a race starts to set in – wanting to walk because my legs are toast but knowing I can’t because I am also thinking about a possible PR.  Pace slows on the uphills but I can still make it up with speed on the downhills.  I have never been this sore during a race.  I decided to walk the rest of the aid stations, and sadly had to walk a few times on the long hills.  I see what I expect to be my last HSRC friend (knowing that they will be following the marathoners).  I hit 10 miles at 1:24:xx, this split – 8:28/mile.

Miles 10 – Finish – who could I possibly focus on now? My amazing wife, of course.  She has been a big supporter at my races, usually following me around the course, packing the kids around with her.  That couldn’t happen today since we don’t know our way around Raleigh, but she did wake up at 6:00 to get everyone ready and drove over to see me at the finish, on a day when she had to also go work for 9 hours.  I think of how much of a rock star she is after doing an Olympic distance triathlon last fall in Michigan.  I remember the joy on her face as she ran around the last curve and up to the finish line, and that helps me push through the pain.  I don’t have a clue what buildings I’m running by or what road I’m on, but I remember we run to an overpass then make a u-turn to the finish – that’s when I start picking out landmarks to run to – the street sign, the corner, the cones at the turnaround, the police car blasting Metallica, the aid station, the 13 mile marker.  Sub-1:50 is out the window because I took a few 30 second walk breaks, but I know I have a PR coming.  I hit the top of a hill where I could see the clock and the finish line.  I give it all I have and finally I see Katie and the kids with their signs!  They yell something to me but I’m too tired to understand them – I just throw them my bottle so I don’t have to carry it anymore!  I raise my fists in the air as I cross the line, and was going so fast I almost ran past the medals! 

Final time – 1:51:03! A new PR by 1:27 at my first race in over 3 years!  I went in saying it was going to be a training race, but I knew I would push it and at least go for a PR.  Being a stat geek, I notice that my Garmin says 13.18.  My speed for the last segment was 7:06/mile, I can’t do math but I was thinking I’ll see what Strava gives me for a new ½ marathon PR, it will be 1:50 something.  This was a great fitness gauge, and I feel like the Holly Springs route is easier, so I can’t wait to see what I can do at that race in 2 weeks.  After I finished, I had the joy of watching several other run club racers, including first time marathoners, finish with smiles on their faces.  The kids were so excited to get high 5s from all the runners, and then all found an acorn as their souvenir from the City of Oaks.  At the end, we ran to the finish line together with our friends before we left.