Keeping it Real

I believe in keeping it real, and (almost) full disclosure.

In doing so, I am not going to be a poser. Sure, we all love sunshine, butterflies (though I actually prefer dragonflies), and happy thoughts. But this blog post is going to be about struggle, and ultimately perseverance.

Barb and myself, on the bus, getting shuttled to the start line

My race on Saturday, the Hillbilly Hike, had all the makings of a "perfect race." The weather was beautiful, actually about as close to "perfect" as it can get in Iowa in early November, unlike last year when it was very windy and cold (you can read about that experience HERE).Temps were in the mid-high 30's at start time, and it was in the 50's when we finished.

Start line selfie..."stars" in my eyes???

The course was near "perfect" as well. Running 13.1 miles on a resurrected railroad path pretty much ensures a pretty flat running experience. 

My usual hamstring/glute stiffness was minimal, and gone within the first mile or so. I ran the first mile in 8:20 (which is borderline dangerous for me when there are 12.1 miles remaining), but I was able slow it down and kept a near "perfect" 9-minute pace for the next several miles. I had forgotten my GPS watch,but I did have my basic stop watch with me. It doesn't give me any GPS or current pacing information, but I know enough math to calculate my pace at the mile marks based on the elapsed time. That's what I have done forever, before the GPS watches were deemed "necessary." (Yes, I"m #oldschool).

All (indeed) seemed "perfect."

pic from Panfoto

Then, around mile 8, I noticed things changing. That 9-minute pace was beginning to feel not-so-easy anymore. I made it to the 9-mile mark, and my watch showed 1:22...so my pace had plummeted (it should have been around 1:21). I was really hoping for a sub-2-hour finish. If I could rally, and get my 9-minute pace back, I'd still be able to finish around 1:58. 

Well, that was my new "perfect" plan of action. I walked for a few seconds and finished off the last of my Tailwind (a powder that is mixed with water for fuel). 

Usually, a quick 5-10 seconds of walking recharges my mojo, and (usually) I can easily make up the "lost" time with renewed energy. Key word: usually. Not even 1/4 of the way into mile 10, I could tell the 9-minute pace was done for the day. 

 Now, I am not a fast runner, but it's really hard (and actually more exhausting, believe it or not) to run "slower" than what feels natural. I usually just run based on how I feel, but all of a sudden, my body just felt so tired .A couple of short walk intervals, and I made it to the 10-mile mark, 1:34 on my watch. If this was a brand new race (on a brand new day), I could do the remaining 5K in 26 minutes (or less)....but that new-day-strategy wasn't an option. And (#reality), the sub-2 hour would not be happening. 

I was disappointed with my situation, but even greater was the frustration with the sudden exhaustion that had just blindsided me. My legs were burning with the increased work of keeping my body in motion. My mantra (from mile 8) had been SAGF (Sustain And Go Forward), but that was progressively getting more difficult. I have never DNF'd  (Did Not Finish) a race, but for the first time ever, the fear of doing so crossed my mind.

I had noticed a guy and a gal doing run/walk intervals, I had chatted with the guy briefly at the start line. I remember him saying his goal time was 1:40ish...so he wasn't making his goal either, and instead was supporting and encouraging the gal. We had been leap-frogging for a couple miles, about the same time I had started noticing things going south with my pace and energy level. About halfway through the 10th mile, I caught up with them, and asked if I could join their party. There is strength in numbers, and I could tell they were struggling as well. Also, I knew I'd need some outside source of motivation to get me to the finish line because the temptation to walk was overwhelming.

We laughed about the situation, and commiserated on the fact that no matter the "perfect" race day circumstances, some times it's just not your day. Reality bites. We talked about other races each of us had done (he'd also run Grandma's Marathon, but a couple years prior). He shared a story of a fellow runner who had made it to mile 24, and wasn't happy with his projected finish time...so he pulled out and DNF'd because he didn't want his less-than-desired finish time published. Wow. How's that for perspective! I'd rather finish a race, even if it meant crawling across the finish line, than just giving up. All of us were in agreement on that notion.

We made it to the final mile, and (slowly and painfully) were able to run the majority of it. I have never, ever, been so happy to see a finish line. And I have never been more proud of myself for gritting it out and finishing what I had started.

Keeping it real. The numbers don't lie.

My finish time was 2:08:31, definitely one of my slower half marathons, and definitely one of the most challenging....both mentally and physically. The final 5K took me about 35 minutes, which is a good eight minutes slower than my slowest time for that distance as well. Let me emphasize there is nothing wrong, bad, or embarrassing about these finish times, whether it's myself or someone else achieving them.  Even though I know I am capable of a different outcome, I also know I did the absolute best I could muster to finish the Hillbilly Hike on Saturday. Our finish times are personal, as are our abilities and our goals. And that's the way it should be. What a boring world it would be if all of us were equally matched.

A highlight was seeing  my gal, Kris! She's the owner of the We Run store, and has been a savior to me!

Another nice piece of hardware for my efforts

So, what went wrong? I've never hit the proverbial "Wall" with such force before. I have a lot of thoughts on that matter, the first one being my fueling strategy. I still have a lot of tweaking to figure out. The Tailwind seems to work, but I don't like the fact that it's adding so much extra water to my running. I never drink that much water, in training or at a race, and my bladder is forced to work overtime. Not fun. I think I need more solid food in my body. My 5:45AM serving of oatmeal was probably long-since digested and gone by the time the race began (8:30AM). Maybe I need to carry a granola bar or Honey Stinger waffle with me? Ugh...I hate trying to eat while on the run (literally). Gels and chews/blocks are not an option either (hello? GI torture, anyone?) Again, I had the PlowOn gum (for energy), but I think the carb crash was so overwhelming, not even a second piece of gum would have helped replenish the lost energy. I love the gum, and I plan to keep using it, but it doesn't give me any calories.

The good news? I did finish the race, and vertical at that! Once again, I was reminded how lucky I am to have my endurance to carry me through, especially when (most) hope seems lost.  I am doing the responsible thing and taking a bit of an off-season recovery period. No, I'm not putting the running shoes in storage, but there are no long distance events on the calendar for a few months. I still plan to be running a few times each week, and doing some fun "short distance" events (with an occasional long run now and then). I also plan to refocus my fitness priorities, and shift more towards flexibility (yoga) and strength (P90X) while I lighten the cardio obligations. Heck, most professional athletes take an off-season ...why should non-professionals be any different?

Have you ever hit The Wall during a race? Have you ever struggled with finding the "right" fuel for you? Do you take an off-season?