 |
| Elite staging area floor - I think I was changing my shoes |
 |
| Like a kid at Christmas! |
 |
| What I actually raced in (plus shoes) |
The next obsessively detailed recap section is here.
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Indy was Monumental: It's finally here (race morning)!
I woke up about 75 minutes before my alarm on race morning, excited that the day I'd been thinking about for months had arrived! I relaxed in bed until almost 5:00 a.m., then began making breakfast as quietly as I could while Jon and my dad slept. I took my time eating, hydrating, checking social media, getting dressed, foam rolling, and doing some glute activation before doing last minute checks of everything and leaving the hotel room around 7:00 a.m. to walk to the elite staging area.
I bundled up to walk a few blocks from my hotel to the elite room, since it was 28 degrees with a windchill of 19! I'd worried all season about marathon weather being too warm (since all of my other races this season were), but that was certainly not the case. I didn't mind the temperature (although it did force me to wear a full singlet instead of the cute pink crop I wanted to wear), but the wind was brisk, which isn't what you want when nearly half the race is into it.
I left my bag in the elite room, said hi to several runners I knew, used the bathroom, and went back outside to jog a mile. I then went back inside to stick 3 gels in my pockets and change my shoes before we were called to head to the starting line at 7:45. We were allowed to keep our warm up clothing on, and had an area to do last minute warming up in. The start area was very crowded, but the elite area was well-organized and I found Sam and Tawny to line up with. We started about 5 rows back, a bit behind the 2:45 pacer. I looked around for my dad and Jon, but couldn't see them - they also later said they never saw me, because they couldn't get to the left side of the start, which was where I lined up since our first turn was left. Luckily I've given them both hugs when leaving the elite room!
I was relaxed and just treated this like any other run on my schedule; as if my coach wrote "26.2 miles in 2:45:00 or under - first 10K at 6:20, then drop to 6:15 through 20, then see what you have left for the final 10K, but don't obsess with your watch at any point."
The next obsessively detailed recap section is here.
The next obsessively detailed recap section is here.
Indy was Monumental: Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end
My briefer recap of the CNO Indianapolis Monumental Marathon can be found here. This post begins my obsessively detailed series, and covers the end of my taper and the beginning of race weekend.
My taper for Indy was like no other; I never experienced taper crazies! I still don't know how this happened or what the implications are, but my taper passed quickly and I felt pretty normal throughout it. Race week I was ready to fast forward to race day, knowing I had nothing more to gain but potentially something to lose (so many sick people around!), but other than that and having two days off work it was just a normal week.
I also never got nervous or anxious. I never get significant pre-race nerves, but before attempting PRs I've typically had some anxiety or at least uncertainty. I felt more prepared than I'd ever been, and confident. I felt that it wasn't a matter of if I was going to break 2:45:00, it was a matter of by how much. This seems arrogant when I write it, but the mental side of marathoning is huge, and I was 100% there - perhaps too much, considering I didn't actually do it!
I took the 7 hour car ride to Indianapolis on Thursday with my husband and father. I laid around in the backseat reading, napping, hydrating, and snacking, and the trip went by quickly. We checked into a hotel near the Indianapolis airport for Thursday night, and I did some yoga and hunkered down in the hotel room while the men went out for BBQ. I packed a cooler with every meal and a large snack bag with every single morsel of food I was going to eat before the race - I was taking no chances!
Friday morning we set no alarms, and I managed to sleep until almost 7:00 a.m. I then laid around until the windchill climbed over 15 degrees and went for my shake out run. That run eased my concern about the marathon being too cold; I'd forgotten how much warmer any given winter temperature is when the sun is up vs. in pitch darkness! I ran an easy 3 miler plus some strides and drills, did some stretching and foam rolling, then laid around until we had to check out of the hotel at noon. I think I was lazier in the 48 hours pre-race than I'd been in the 4 months before the event combined!
We then drove to our Friday night hotel, which was the downtown Hilton just off of the race start. I offered to do anything fun that my husband and dad wanted to do, but after navigating downtown traffic Jon just wanted to park the car and not deal with it, and it was awfully cold to walk anywhere, so we instead sat in our hotel lobby until check in. I worked on my work laptop (taking a 2 day vacation is never easy!), and the guys walked across the street and got a pizza. When they returned our room was ready so we all went up to the 12th floor and ate lunch. Then it was more lazying around until walking to the race expo around 4:30, for a short tour of the expo prior to the elite meeting at 5:00.
Expos exhaust me, so I just did a quick loop around looking for highlights and freebies. I nabbed some Clif bars and took a photo of Deana Kastor (the line to meet her was too long!), and we posed for some photo-ops. I never buy any race merchandise at the expo because I know I will only want it if I have a good race! This post details the elite meeting.
After the meeting we walked back to our hotel, getting only slightly lost on the way (thank God for the sky-walk so we were able to stay indoors!). Then we continued our hotel room laziness and I cooked a massive sweet potato in our crappy hotel microwave, which took about 30 minutes - on the plus side, I did a hip opening yoga routine while it was baking. After dinner it was more laying around, reading, and sleeping! This was pretty much the most uneventful trip of my life, but I wanted to save every ounce of energy I had for 26.2 on November 9.
I never felt anything but excited, composed, and ready. I knew I'd done everything I could, and I'd loved every second of the preparation. I went to sleep that night knowing my life would change the following day in one way or another.
My detailed recaps continue here.
My taper for Indy was like no other; I never experienced taper crazies! I still don't know how this happened or what the implications are, but my taper passed quickly and I felt pretty normal throughout it. Race week I was ready to fast forward to race day, knowing I had nothing more to gain but potentially something to lose (so many sick people around!), but other than that and having two days off work it was just a normal week.
I also never got nervous or anxious. I never get significant pre-race nerves, but before attempting PRs I've typically had some anxiety or at least uncertainty. I felt more prepared than I'd ever been, and confident. I felt that it wasn't a matter of if I was going to break 2:45:00, it was a matter of by how much. This seems arrogant when I write it, but the mental side of marathoning is huge, and I was 100% there - perhaps too much, considering I didn't actually do it!
I took the 7 hour car ride to Indianapolis on Thursday with my husband and father. I laid around in the backseat reading, napping, hydrating, and snacking, and the trip went by quickly. We checked into a hotel near the Indianapolis airport for Thursday night, and I did some yoga and hunkered down in the hotel room while the men went out for BBQ. I packed a cooler with every meal and a large snack bag with every single morsel of food I was going to eat before the race - I was taking no chances!
Friday morning we set no alarms, and I managed to sleep until almost 7:00 a.m. I then laid around until the windchill climbed over 15 degrees and went for my shake out run. That run eased my concern about the marathon being too cold; I'd forgotten how much warmer any given winter temperature is when the sun is up vs. in pitch darkness! I ran an easy 3 miler plus some strides and drills, did some stretching and foam rolling, then laid around until we had to check out of the hotel at noon. I think I was lazier in the 48 hours pre-race than I'd been in the 4 months before the event combined!
 |
| Post-final shake out |
Expos exhaust me, so I just did a quick loop around looking for highlights and freebies. I nabbed some Clif bars and took a photo of Deana Kastor (the line to meet her was too long!), and we posed for some photo-ops. I never buy any race merchandise at the expo because I know I will only want it if I have a good race! This post details the elite meeting.
 |
| Coach Dad |
 |
| My super supportive hubby |
 |
| Free food! |
I never felt anything but excited, composed, and ready. I knew I'd done everything I could, and I'd loved every second of the preparation. I went to sleep that night knowing my life would change the following day in one way or another.
 |
| Before bed excitement |
Monday, November 11, 2019
Windy in Indy: Triumph & Heartbreak at the CNO Indianapolis Monumental Marathon
The Short:
It's no secret that I went to Indy with the goal of running 2:45:00 or better. I truly felt like my fitness was there, whereas before my past OTQ attempts I've always felt more comfortable with 6:20ish but tried anyway since that was so close to the 6:17 average needed. My pace plan was 6:20 for the first 10K, then 6:15 from there on, dropping lower towards the end if I was up for it - and although I never looked at my watch I averaged 6:19 for the first 10K and 6:14 from there to the half. Mother Nature dealt a brutal south wind, which we turned into around 13.5 miles of the mostly north-south course. I kept telling myself that I was strong enough to run 2:44 even with the wind, but it turns out I wasn't; I finished in a PR of 2:46:08, 68 seconds shy of what I need to be able to run in Atlanta on 2/29/20. God has different plans for me, and I know they are better than mine, but that doesn't lessen my heartbreak over this.
Official results are here.
My Strava activity is here, although my GPS was wonky with the underpasses and tall buildings (manual mile splits taken by a friend in my pack are here).
My dad's finishing video is here.
You can read more about my training cycle and philosophy for this race here.
The Less Short (truly long is linked at the end of this post):
The elite field at Indy Monumental on 11/9/19 was by far the largest it had ever been, with the timing being great for runners to notch an Olympic Trials Qualifying time, recover, and rebuild towards the Trials on Leap Day 2020. The course is known for being flat and the weather cold, and this year the race had 2:45 pacers and performance bonuses for any athletes hitting the standards. For me another major draw was that it was a drive-able distance away (about 7 hours), and it fit better with my work and family schedules than other race options. While I think the California International Marathon course is faster, I figured less travel stress would even things out.
During the week before the race, I talked to a few women about pacing together. I hypothesized that the 2:45 pace group would go out too fast, because pace groups almost always do, especially when you have people amped up about a very specific time standard. I wanted to start at 6:20 for the first 10K, then drop to steady 6:15s for the rest of the race. I hoped I could drop to 6:10 or under for the final 10K, but staying at 6:15 would get me under 2:45:00. My coach trained me for 6:10-6:15 goal pace, so 6:17 wasn't nearly as intimidating as it has been in the past for me. There were 4 other women who expressed interest in the "conservative start 2:45 group" as we called ourselves, and we figured we'd pick some more up along the way. I think every one of the 62 women in the elite field was aiming for 2:45 or under! Details about the wonderful elite hospitality at this race are here.
Race morning was cold: 28 degrees with a windchill of 19 at the 8 a.m. start. I'd spent most of my season worried that it would be too warm for this race, but it was cold enough I wore a full singlet, arm warmers, an ear warmer headband, and gloves for the whole race. There was also a significant south wind that increased throughout the morning.
I started the race calm, confident, and ready to execute, telling myself "you are a sub-2:45 marathoner". I started with 3 of the women I planned to work with, Tawny, Sam, and Stella (we could never find our 4th, Jen, but I later learned she dropped out with a calf injury). Tawny's husband Dustin ran with us and told us every turn in advance, helping us navigate the tangents well. With the size of the event (19,000) and the half and full marathons starting together, the first 5 miles were more crowded than I'm used to, but for the most part I could stride out and keep a steady tempo.
Before the race, I'd decided that I would work with my group, use the 2:45 pace group as a gauge, and run by effort. Several people told me that Garmins would be wonky for the first 6-7 miles due to the many long underpasses we ran under and the downtown buildings, so taking manual mile splits was recommended. I decided against doing so because I didn't want to mess with my watch, which was the best decision for me, but because of that I only have "real" splits from the course mats and splits my friend Tawny took manually. The course had clocks at every mile marker, and while I missed a lot of the markers early on, I saw all of the important check points.
The miles rolled by quickly, and I focused on staying relaxed, running the tangents, and working with those around me. Our first elite bottle station was around 10K, and I easily grabbed my Generation UCAN. I started the race with 3 gels in my shorts pockets for peace of mind, so that even if I missed all of my bottles I'd be fine with what I had plus water from the course aid stations. Shortly after the 10K mark, the half marathoners split off and we had more room to run.
I can't tell you much about the course, except that it was flat. I just focused and executed. It felt like a pace I could do all day - which always surprises me because marathon pace is never an easy pace when I run it in training. Our group was solid and the large 2:45 pace group was 30-45 seconds ahead of us. A man running with us kept telling us at each mile marker some rendition of "we're on 2:44:30 pace", and it wasn't until mile 8-10ish that we learned he was one of the 2:45 pacers! He'd gone out more conservatively while the main group with the sign had gone out fast. We all laughed when we collectively figured it out, and I told him, "I thought you were just a very helpful guy...well, you are a very helpful guy, but you're official too!"
Our second bottle station was around 20K, and I picked up my nuun energy plus a gel there. I ended up giving half of that bottle to a man running with us, because I really wasn't sweating and didn't need much fluid. Before I knew it we were at the half, in 1:22:05ish. I thought something like, "that was the easiest 1:22 half I've ever run, I feel so fresh, I bet I can run 1:21:50 for the second half and come in at 2:43!" Endorphins were flowing and the power of the pack was real. At some points my hands got numb and cold, but overall my body temperature was ideal.
The course is a large loop, starting out going north, going a bit west, then coming back south. Around mile 13.5 we turned south and into the wind. The 18+ mph headwind was tough, but I tried to draft off others and not stress about it since I couldn't do anything to change it. I was planning to take my second gel with my 30K bottle, but around mile 17 I decided I was ready for some calories and used one from my shorts pocket. Our group had slowly been both losing and picking up people, and between 17-18 it really dismantled and I never saw the 2:45 pacer who'd been with us again (the pacers were planned to run to mile 20 so I assume he stopped there).
I'd been following just behind Tawny for several miles, and she looked so strong. I kept telling myself to just stay with her and we were going to do it together. At mile 18, she abruptly slowed. I went past her, encouraging her to come with me (I later learned she suffered with a lot of cramping in the final 8 miles). I felt like a million bucks at 18, and was comparing how I felt to that point in the Phoenix Marathon in my head ("only 8 miles to go - I'm doing this!"). At mile 20, I thought about how much better I felt at that point than at 20 in Grandma's Marathon, with almost exactly the same 20 mile split (2:05:3X). I hoped that on my fourth try, I could actually do this thing.
The wind was relentless, but I just kept telling myself that I was strong enough to do it anyway. Doubt creeped in at times, but I pushed it away - positive thinking is so powerful and is something I think I have down. I didn't run with anyone from 18 on; I was blowing past people who were struggling, and people who were finishing at 6:00 pace were blowing past me. I slowly sucked down the gel I'd pulled off my 30K bottle between 18-22ish, mainly for the caffeine boost and distraction. At mile 22 I told myself that there were only 3 miles left, since the last mile takes care of itself. I was feeling fatigued and started pulling out every mental trick in my play book: running the mile I was in, looking ahead and pretending a rope was pulling me towards the next person ahead of me, thinking about my dad and Jon at the finish line, thinking about how I wanted to give my dad a plane ticket to Atlanta for his birthday, remembering my whys, and thinking about what felt good instead of what hurt (my hamstrings were screaming but my calves and quads felt strong). I had Hebrews 12:1 written on my arm, and for a good portion of the final miles I just repeated "Hebrews 12:1, Hebrews 12:1, Hebrews 12:1" over and over to myself.
I got to 23 knowing I had to keep moving. I threw every ounce of energy I had in me into fighting the wind. The long straight stretch running south to the finish was something I'd looked forward to from the course map (no turns! lock in and go!), but in reality it was the worst part of the race. I did everything I could think of to make it feel better; I pushed down my arm sleeves and pulled my ear warmer off my head. I told myself that the man passing me was 2:44:50 and I had to go with him. I tried to latch on to anyone who passed me. I used the energy of the crowd. I told myself that I was a sub-2:45 marathoner.
At the mile 24 clock, I got worried. By my shaky (but distracting!) math I needed to run 6:10-6:15 for the final 2.2 to make it, and I was struggling. Before the race, I'd had grand plans to finish the final 10K at 6:05-6:10, but I didn't have it in me. The wind just ate me up, and I was too worn down to pick up my pace; instead I was slowing. People all around were yelling at the women coming by, "You can get the 2:45, but you've gotta move! You've gotta move now!" I kept trading off positions with another woman I'd run much of the race with (and who is pictured below finishing steps behind me), and a man was running on the sidewalk encouraging her, "Amy, no one closes like you, you can do this!" I pretended he was talking to me and I fought to stay with her.
I fought with everything I had, but when I saw the mile 25 clock I knew it would take a miracle, or a 5:40ish final 1.2 miles. I refused to give up, but all I had was a 6:43 final mile and only a 6:42 pace final 0.24 (this is how I truly know I physically gave it all - I could not pick it up at all at the end; generally we have a little extra gear because our minds are stopping us but our bodies have a little left in reserve). I passed the mile 26 clock around 2:44:50, knowing that I had only fit 26 miles into the time I needed to fit 26.2 into, and it stung so hard. I ran with all my heart for the final 0.2, although my heart was a little broken at that point. However, I crossed the line joyfully and thankfully in a PR of 2:46:08. 68 seconds away, but 66 seconds closer than I've ever been before.
The obvious is that I gained a PR from this race. I bettered my previous marathon best, which I ran in perfect weather on a net downhill course at CIM, on a flat loop course in brutal cold wind. I gained a greater appreciation for training and the every day process during this training cycle; that was the best part. I gained new friendships and bonds with amazing women. I gained the guts to go for it on an imperfect day; previously I always thought everything had to be perfect to even try, but now I think I'm strong enough that things just need to be good, and that's a big step. Many people told me that my race was a sub-2:45 performance, but the USATF doesn't wind-grade times, so... Sometimes I feel like a broken record saying that I'm going to keep trying, but after my fourth try for it at Indy, I know even more that a 2:45:00 is in me.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. - Hebrews 12:1
You can read obsessively detailed accounts about my experience in Indy:
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end (end of taper + start of race weekend)
It's finally here (race morning)!
First half
13.1 to 20
The race begins at 20
Post-race and splits
Elite stories
I've still got a lot of fight left in me
Mental prep work
It's no secret that I went to Indy with the goal of running 2:45:00 or better. I truly felt like my fitness was there, whereas before my past OTQ attempts I've always felt more comfortable with 6:20ish but tried anyway since that was so close to the 6:17 average needed. My pace plan was 6:20 for the first 10K, then 6:15 from there on, dropping lower towards the end if I was up for it - and although I never looked at my watch I averaged 6:19 for the first 10K and 6:14 from there to the half. Mother Nature dealt a brutal south wind, which we turned into around 13.5 miles of the mostly north-south course. I kept telling myself that I was strong enough to run 2:44 even with the wind, but it turns out I wasn't; I finished in a PR of 2:46:08, 68 seconds shy of what I need to be able to run in Atlanta on 2/29/20. God has different plans for me, and I know they are better than mine, but that doesn't lessen my heartbreak over this.
Official results are here.
My Strava activity is here, although my GPS was wonky with the underpasses and tall buildings (manual mile splits taken by a friend in my pack are here).
My dad's finishing video is here.
You can read more about my training cycle and philosophy for this race here.
 |
| Final stretch |
The elite field at Indy Monumental on 11/9/19 was by far the largest it had ever been, with the timing being great for runners to notch an Olympic Trials Qualifying time, recover, and rebuild towards the Trials on Leap Day 2020. The course is known for being flat and the weather cold, and this year the race had 2:45 pacers and performance bonuses for any athletes hitting the standards. For me another major draw was that it was a drive-able distance away (about 7 hours), and it fit better with my work and family schedules than other race options. While I think the California International Marathon course is faster, I figured less travel stress would even things out.
During the week before the race, I talked to a few women about pacing together. I hypothesized that the 2:45 pace group would go out too fast, because pace groups almost always do, especially when you have people amped up about a very specific time standard. I wanted to start at 6:20 for the first 10K, then drop to steady 6:15s for the rest of the race. I hoped I could drop to 6:10 or under for the final 10K, but staying at 6:15 would get me under 2:45:00. My coach trained me for 6:10-6:15 goal pace, so 6:17 wasn't nearly as intimidating as it has been in the past for me. There were 4 other women who expressed interest in the "conservative start 2:45 group" as we called ourselves, and we figured we'd pick some more up along the way. I think every one of the 62 women in the elite field was aiming for 2:45 or under! Details about the wonderful elite hospitality at this race are here.
Race morning was cold: 28 degrees with a windchill of 19 at the 8 a.m. start. I'd spent most of my season worried that it would be too warm for this race, but it was cold enough I wore a full singlet, arm warmers, an ear warmer headband, and gloves for the whole race. There was also a significant south wind that increased throughout the morning.
I started the race calm, confident, and ready to execute, telling myself "you are a sub-2:45 marathoner". I started with 3 of the women I planned to work with, Tawny, Sam, and Stella (we could never find our 4th, Jen, but I later learned she dropped out with a calf injury). Tawny's husband Dustin ran with us and told us every turn in advance, helping us navigate the tangents well. With the size of the event (19,000) and the half and full marathons starting together, the first 5 miles were more crowded than I'm used to, but for the most part I could stride out and keep a steady tempo.
Before the race, I'd decided that I would work with my group, use the 2:45 pace group as a gauge, and run by effort. Several people told me that Garmins would be wonky for the first 6-7 miles due to the many long underpasses we ran under and the downtown buildings, so taking manual mile splits was recommended. I decided against doing so because I didn't want to mess with my watch, which was the best decision for me, but because of that I only have "real" splits from the course mats and splits my friend Tawny took manually. The course had clocks at every mile marker, and while I missed a lot of the markers early on, I saw all of the important check points.
The miles rolled by quickly, and I focused on staying relaxed, running the tangents, and working with those around me. Our first elite bottle station was around 10K, and I easily grabbed my Generation UCAN. I started the race with 3 gels in my shorts pockets for peace of mind, so that even if I missed all of my bottles I'd be fine with what I had plus water from the course aid stations. Shortly after the 10K mark, the half marathoners split off and we had more room to run.
 |
| Power of the pack (pacer is in orange) |
Our second bottle station was around 20K, and I picked up my nuun energy plus a gel there. I ended up giving half of that bottle to a man running with us, because I really wasn't sweating and didn't need much fluid. Before I knew it we were at the half, in 1:22:05ish. I thought something like, "that was the easiest 1:22 half I've ever run, I feel so fresh, I bet I can run 1:21:50 for the second half and come in at 2:43!" Endorphins were flowing and the power of the pack was real. At some points my hands got numb and cold, but overall my body temperature was ideal.
 |
| Halfway there |
I'd been following just behind Tawny for several miles, and she looked so strong. I kept telling myself to just stay with her and we were going to do it together. At mile 18, she abruptly slowed. I went past her, encouraging her to come with me (I later learned she suffered with a lot of cramping in the final 8 miles). I felt like a million bucks at 18, and was comparing how I felt to that point in the Phoenix Marathon in my head ("only 8 miles to go - I'm doing this!"). At mile 20, I thought about how much better I felt at that point than at 20 in Grandma's Marathon, with almost exactly the same 20 mile split (2:05:3X). I hoped that on my fourth try, I could actually do this thing.
The wind was relentless, but I just kept telling myself that I was strong enough to do it anyway. Doubt creeped in at times, but I pushed it away - positive thinking is so powerful and is something I think I have down. I didn't run with anyone from 18 on; I was blowing past people who were struggling, and people who were finishing at 6:00 pace were blowing past me. I slowly sucked down the gel I'd pulled off my 30K bottle between 18-22ish, mainly for the caffeine boost and distraction. At mile 22 I told myself that there were only 3 miles left, since the last mile takes care of itself. I was feeling fatigued and started pulling out every mental trick in my play book: running the mile I was in, looking ahead and pretending a rope was pulling me towards the next person ahead of me, thinking about my dad and Jon at the finish line, thinking about how I wanted to give my dad a plane ticket to Atlanta for his birthday, remembering my whys, and thinking about what felt good instead of what hurt (my hamstrings were screaming but my calves and quads felt strong). I had Hebrews 12:1 written on my arm, and for a good portion of the final miles I just repeated "Hebrews 12:1, Hebrews 12:1, Hebrews 12:1" over and over to myself.
 |
| My arm sleeves covered this, but I knew it was there |
At the mile 24 clock, I got worried. By my shaky (but distracting!) math I needed to run 6:10-6:15 for the final 2.2 to make it, and I was struggling. Before the race, I'd had grand plans to finish the final 10K at 6:05-6:10, but I didn't have it in me. The wind just ate me up, and I was too worn down to pick up my pace; instead I was slowing. People all around were yelling at the women coming by, "You can get the 2:45, but you've gotta move! You've gotta move now!" I kept trading off positions with another woman I'd run much of the race with (and who is pictured below finishing steps behind me), and a man was running on the sidewalk encouraging her, "Amy, no one closes like you, you can do this!" I pretended he was talking to me and I fought to stay with her.
I fought with everything I had, but when I saw the mile 25 clock I knew it would take a miracle, or a 5:40ish final 1.2 miles. I refused to give up, but all I had was a 6:43 final mile and only a 6:42 pace final 0.24 (this is how I truly know I physically gave it all - I could not pick it up at all at the end; generally we have a little extra gear because our minds are stopping us but our bodies have a little left in reserve). I passed the mile 26 clock around 2:44:50, knowing that I had only fit 26 miles into the time I needed to fit 26.2 into, and it stung so hard. I ran with all my heart for the final 0.2, although my heart was a little broken at that point. However, I crossed the line joyfully and thankfully in a PR of 2:46:08. 68 seconds away, but 66 seconds closer than I've ever been before.
 |
| Clock shot |
 |
| Should've adjusted the arm sleeves & headband, but was barely able to function! |
You can read obsessively detailed accounts about my experience in Indy:
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end (end of taper + start of race weekend)
It's finally here (race morning)!
First half
13.1 to 20
The race begins at 20
Post-race and splits
Elite stories
I've still got a lot of fight left in me
Mental prep work
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
The Passion is in the Process
As my goal marathon draws near, I've become increasingly aware of how I've changed since I set the goal of running an Olympic Trials Qualifying time. When I started tapering, I was quite sad to think about my training cycle winding down. I have always loved training, but I also loved it leading to goal races and performances. In 2019, I've really loved training simply for itself. I love the every day process, the easy miles, the early mornings, the challenging workouts, the doubles, the routines, the outdoors, the lifestyle, and the amazing people running has brought into my life. These things are primary; races are now a distant second.
During race week, several people have said renditions of: "the work is done, the marathon is the celebration", "racing is the best part", "racing is the reward for all your hard training." I may not be able to fully explain it, but I think to myself, "No, the training was the best part!" The marathon is a single day, a few hours. The training has enhanced my life for years. No matter what I run or don't run in Indy, I am so blessed because the joy is in the journey! While I've always felt that way to some degree, for this marathon it's much bigger. I am going to give my race day goals everything I have on November 9, but nothing can compare to what I've already gained.
I put together some training stats to reflect back on during my taper. After taking 2 recovery weeks following Grandma's Marathon, I ran 8 weeks of mileage between 70-85, and 8 weeks between 88-96. My weekly (Monday through Sunday) mileage totals starting July 8 were:
During race week, several people have said renditions of: "the work is done, the marathon is the celebration", "racing is the best part", "racing is the reward for all your hard training." I may not be able to fully explain it, but I think to myself, "No, the training was the best part!" The marathon is a single day, a few hours. The training has enhanced my life for years. No matter what I run or don't run in Indy, I am so blessed because the joy is in the journey! While I've always felt that way to some degree, for this marathon it's much bigger. I am going to give my race day goals everything I have on November 9, but nothing can compare to what I've already gained.
I put together some training stats to reflect back on during my taper. After taking 2 recovery weeks following Grandma's Marathon, I ran 8 weeks of mileage between 70-85, and 8 weeks between 88-96. My weekly (Monday through Sunday) mileage totals starting July 8 were:
- 70.9 (Sweatfest)
- 81.1
- 70.9
- 84.5
- 87.2
- 96
- 88.1
- 70.2 (Brookhaven 5K)
- 75.2 (Plaza 10K)
- 92.5
- 92.6
- 75.5 (Indy Women's Half)
- 88 (Panther Run 5K)
- 91.7
- 92.1
- 80.4
- 60.2
- race week
- 16.5 (with Sweatfest)
- 15.2
- 15.2
- 17.1
- 18.1
- 20.3
- 20.3 (4-3-2-1 mile workout)
- 12.4 Saturday (with Brookhaven 5K) and 15.2 Sunday
- 17.1 (with Plaza 10K)
- 22.4 (2 x 6 mile at 6:10 workout)
- 20.1 (4-3-2-1 mile workout) Saturday and 12.3 Sunday
- 20.7 Saturday (with Indy Women's half) and 14.1 Sunday
- 16
- 24.5 (10 x 1:00 pick ups, which I counted as 0.25 of a workout, hah)
- 22.4
- 16.8 (10 miles at 6:02)
- 12
- marathon
My most confidence-boosting workouts were on October 5, 8, 15 (this one was my season-best, I think), and 26; September 3, 14, 24; and August 15, 20, and 24.
- October workouts in this post
- September workouts in this post
- August workouts in this post
- July workouts in this post
I haven't compared this directly to what I've done in the past, but I know it's more volume than I've done before and I've done many new workouts along the way. I have felt stronger along the way, vs. several past cycles where I felt like I was just maintaining. I ran very few easy runs alone; I nearly always had awesome company. I have so many great memories from this training cycle that I really don't want it to end! What you do every day matters more than what you do once in awhile. :-)
I recently read this quote from Oprah, and it really exemplifies how I feel about my running right now. "Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough."
I may never have more, but I certainly have more than enough. While this is true even if I never run another step, it's even more true after this healthy marathon build God has given me. I'm ready to do my best and let Him do the rest on Saturday, but I am so thankful for the process and for how running has improved my life.
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Anatomy of a 100 Mile Week
I ran my first ever 100 mile week! Ironically, it wasn't exactly planned. My coach schedules my mileage Monday through Sunday, which is how I prefer it (Strava also tracks weekly mileage that way), so it was only by luck, or maybe fatigue, that it happened on a Sunday through Saturday week. You'll have to read the rest for the full explanation! You'll also notice that the little extra 0.1-0.3 I have on almost every run was an important part of accidentally hitting this milestone.
Sunday 10/6/19:
AM run: 10.14 miles easy effort
PM run: 3.30 miles easy effort
Extras: glute yoga
Notes: I was scheduled to run 8 and 5 milers, but it's a long story. I almost didn't do the second run because it was optional since I'd run a longer morning session, and the weather was cool and down-pouring most of the day, but when it stopped raining around 6 p.m. I went out to finish the mileage, and I'm sure glad I did!
Monday 10/7/19:
AM run: 9.21 miles easy effort
Extras: core workout
Tuesday 10/8/19:
AM run: 3.19 miles warm up, 10 x 1K with 1:00 recoveries on the road (7.26 miles total), 2.16 miles cool down. My 1K times were 3:33-3:39, or 5:43-5:54 pace. My goal pace range was 5:50-5:55/no faster, so I was in it or a tad under, but 5:50 pace sure feels different at 45 degrees than at 70!
PM run: 4.21 miles easy HR < 132
Extras: post-run yoga
Wednesday 10/9/19:
AM run: 10.30 miles easy effort
PM run: 4.20 miles easy HR < 132
Extras: full body strength workout
Thursday 10/10/19:
AM run: 12.25 miles easy effort
Extras: yoga for tight hamstrings
Friday 10/11/19:
AM run: 8.14 miles easy HR < 132
Extras: Core workout, hip opening yoga
Notes: My stomach was really unhappy on this run, plus we got rained on in 40 degrees, and I came very close to stopping early, at 7 miles when my friend Abby finished her run. If I learned anything from this week it's that every bit counts!
Saturday 10/12/19:
AM run: 24.50 miles easy effort except for 10 x 1:00 pick-ups to marathon pace at the beginnings of miles 12-21
PM run: 1.12 miles easy
Extras: post-run yoga
Notes: On my 24 miler (turned 24.5 due to route miscalculations!), I felt strong but not fast, and a few hours after I decided to look at my rolling 7-day mileage to see how many miles I had on my legs. When I saw it was at 98.9, I texted my coach a screenshot and asked if I could do a 1.1 mile shake out, and she said to go for it! My only regret is that I want to say I did 100 miles in a week with only 3 doubles, but technically the 1.1 miler made 4 (although I could have easily tacked 1.1 miles onto any other run this week, except for Friday's, hah). Surprisingly I felt fine on the 1.1, and then started thinking I should go 1.7 to make Saturday into a full marathon, but the appeal of the perfect round 100 won out.
I was scheduled to possibly have 100 October 14-20 (a Monday though Saturday week), but my coach wanted to see how I handled my October 15 workout before deciding for sure, so now we can truly go by how I feel instead of striving to hit a number - arriving at the starting line in Indy on November 9 healthy is faaaaaarrr more important. Update: My October 15 workout was probably the best workout of my life, so I now need to write a post about it!
I was very excited to hit this milestone, although it didn't feel any different than the 90-some mile weeks I've done (basically just like this 96 mile week). I used to think that I could only run a max of 40-50 miles a week without getting injured, but let this be proof that if you gradually increase mileage and have coaching guidance, you can do a lot more than you think! I've been going up by about 5 miles per week per training cycle, so about 10 miles per year. It took me 5 years to go from 50 to 100, but I did it with fewer injuries during those 5 years (two) than I sustained during any other 5 year period of my adult life.
Kipchoge says that no human is limited, and although I think I have some limits, I like pushing them. I was pumped that I finished my first 100 mile week on the same day he ran a 1:59 marathon! Mind-blowing.
AM run: 10.14 miles easy effort
PM run: 3.30 miles easy effort
Extras: glute yoga
Notes: I was scheduled to run 8 and 5 milers, but it's a long story. I almost didn't do the second run because it was optional since I'd run a longer morning session, and the weather was cool and down-pouring most of the day, but when it stopped raining around 6 p.m. I went out to finish the mileage, and I'm sure glad I did!
Monday 10/7/19:
AM run: 9.21 miles easy effort
Extras: core workout
Tuesday 10/8/19:
AM run: 3.19 miles warm up, 10 x 1K with 1:00 recoveries on the road (7.26 miles total), 2.16 miles cool down. My 1K times were 3:33-3:39, or 5:43-5:54 pace. My goal pace range was 5:50-5:55/no faster, so I was in it or a tad under, but 5:50 pace sure feels different at 45 degrees than at 70!
PM run: 4.21 miles easy HR < 132
Extras: post-run yoga
Wednesday 10/9/19:
AM run: 10.30 miles easy effort
PM run: 4.20 miles easy HR < 132
Extras: full body strength workout
Thursday 10/10/19:
AM run: 12.25 miles easy effort
Extras: yoga for tight hamstrings
Friday 10/11/19:
AM run: 8.14 miles easy HR < 132
Extras: Core workout, hip opening yoga
Notes: My stomach was really unhappy on this run, plus we got rained on in 40 degrees, and I came very close to stopping early, at 7 miles when my friend Abby finished her run. If I learned anything from this week it's that every bit counts!
Saturday 10/12/19:
AM run: 24.50 miles easy effort except for 10 x 1:00 pick-ups to marathon pace at the beginnings of miles 12-21
PM run: 1.12 miles easy
Extras: post-run yoga
Notes: On my 24 miler (turned 24.5 due to route miscalculations!), I felt strong but not fast, and a few hours after I decided to look at my rolling 7-day mileage to see how many miles I had on my legs. When I saw it was at 98.9, I texted my coach a screenshot and asked if I could do a 1.1 mile shake out, and she said to go for it! My only regret is that I want to say I did 100 miles in a week with only 3 doubles, but technically the 1.1 miler made 4 (although I could have easily tacked 1.1 miles onto any other run this week, except for Friday's, hah). Surprisingly I felt fine on the 1.1, and then started thinking I should go 1.7 to make Saturday into a full marathon, but the appeal of the perfect round 100 won out.
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| It would only be possible to leave this mileage alone if you'd done lots of 100 mile weeks before! |
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| 24 |
Kipchoge says that no human is limited, and although I think I have some limits, I like pushing them. I was pumped that I finished my first 100 mile week on the same day he ran a 1:59 marathon! Mind-blowing.
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Sweet 17: Panther Run 5K
I finally ran a 5K time starting in 17!
This local race was a last-minute addition to my schedule. Back in July, I noted all of the races I was interested in on my training calendar and told my coach to choose which ones she thought were the best fit for my biggest season goal, the Indy Monumental Marathon (this truly shows how much I trust her!). I wrote the Panther Run 5K/10K/15K on there as a fun local event that's not competitive but has a little prize money, but she passed it up initially since I likely wouldn't have anyone to run with. After the warm, humid weather at the Indy Women's Half the week before put me at 0 for 3 for decent weather races this season, she threw out the possibility of me racing the 5K at Panther if the weather was decent and if I recovered well from the Indy. Both happened, so Panther happened!
It was 59 degrees race morning, and it's amazing how cool 59 feels when you've been running everything in 70+! When deciding whether or not to race the 5K earlier in the week, I'd talked to my friend Mike who was running it, and he said he thought he could run the first 2 miles with me at my goal pace, 5:40. I knew I'd need someone with me to really push it, so I was happy to connect with him. A friend I ran with at Pitt State, Daniel, was also running the 5K, and my training partners Abby and Rebecca were running the 15K and 10K, respectively - plus I saw hundreds of other familiar faces and enjoyed the hometown race feel!
I thought of this race more as a workout - as if my coach had put 3.1 miles at 5:40 pace on my training schedule. In the past I've gotten really scared of paces that fast (after it, that is pretty much my sprint!), but I just decided I'd run it until I couldn't run it anymore, and hopefully I'd be close to the finish line at that point. I also knew that even if I blew up at halfway or 2 miles I could most likely still win the race, so it was an easy gamble to take.
From the gun, several kids and teens got out fast, but by about a half mile in Daniel had a lead on the field and Mike and I were together in 2-3 overall. We hit the mile in 5:39 (per Garmin - Strava had me a little faster), and I felt the best I ever have after running a mile that fast. I have been racing without looking at my watch recently, but I don't have a good grasp on 5K feel (beyond: hard), and as I mentioned I attacked this more like I approach a workout, so I looked at my splits during this race. Mike was letting me set the pace, and by halfway I'd gapped him and was running alone. I could see Daniel ahead of me, but he was too far up to help. I told myself to stay on the gas, and hit my second mile in 5:41 (again per Garmin, with Strava at 5:40).
I have a really hard time negative splitting 5Ks, and although I felt strong and like I was moving well during mile 3, when I looked down my pace was 5:47. I told myself to get it back down to 5:40, but I also knew that as long as I stayed around there I was going to PR and break 18. We turned onto the last long stretch of the course on Benton Street to come face-to-face with the 5K walk, which was going out in the opposite direction we were coming in. I suspected I was going to be really close on breaking 18 since the course had measured long on my Garmin in the past, so I kept hugging the tangent and just hoping that the walkers would move over for me. It was shocking how unaware most people were! I later asked Daniel if he went through them or around, and he said he and the lead cyclist went around, so I was the first rude person going through (Mike said he went through after me though!). But no regrets! It probably slowed me down a bit, but I think the hardest part of that final mile was not having anyone to run with; I always run better with someone pushing me.
The finishing clock started with the 15K race, then they started the 10K when it was at 10:00 and the 5K when it was at 20:00, so when I saw it ticking 37:4X I knew I was going to make it! My finishing kick was non-existent, but I suppose 5:40 really is about as fast as these marathon legs will turn over. I stopped my Garmin at 17:54 shortly after the line. I was the second overall person behind Daniel, who ran 16:59ish. He said he was either just under or just over 17:00, but I'm giving him 16:59...the reason we don't know for sure is because there was an error with the results, with some times being +13-15 seconds off watch times. Of course this would happen to me when I finally break 18 (mine is officially listed at 18:06 - insert crying face here)! But, I have my Garmin and Strava data, and I am trying not to be upset about it. The main thing is that I don't know what my official PR should be, since I stopped my Garmin just after I finished. 17:52? Strava gave me 17:42! I will probably use this as an excuse to run another 5K soon to try to make this conundrum irrelevant with a faster time.
After the race, I was supposed to take about 10 minutes then start a 30 minute progression run. I took 16 minutes, but that was because both Daniel and Mike were willing to run it with me (which I was quite thankful for!) and were getting a drink, etc. I started at 8:00 pace and dropped 15 seconds off the pace each half mile in order to finish at 6:00 (actually I finished at 5:53). I was pleasantly surprised with how strong I felt doing it! I could NOT have managed anything close to this after the Brookhaven 5K - I barely made my 6 mile cool down at 8:15+ pace that day. I then ran 5 more miles easy for 16 on the day (Daniel did those with me too, and we still walked into the awards ceremony on the tail end of the 5K awards).
Rebecca won overall female in the 10K and Abby won overall female in the 15K, so it was a podium sweep for my running group (yes, we did plan to go for that)! We enjoyed the very lengthy awards ceremony/give-away extravaganza (I won a $120 Pilates gift certificate and a $25 gift card to Eat Fit Go!), then had an amazing brunch.
It's funny that I did so much research to find the "perfect" 5K to run this season and landed on the fastest course in Oklahoma at Brookhaven. That course was pancake flat, had few turns, and had deep competition. I even had a lighter training week going into that race, but I did not have a good race there, even taking the weather into the consideration. I trained straight through this race (88 mile week), was a week off of racing Indy Women's Half, didn't commit and sign up until Thursday evening (the last preregistration opportunity), ran most of the race alone, and the course is mediocre (more turns and elevation than ideal, but not bad). I suppose that I run best when I am least concerned about it!
I'm thankful to be part of such an amazing local running community, and I'm thankful that my coach thought this race was a good idea - perhaps the most shocking part is that I did not even ask to add it! I was disappointed with my performance at the Brookhaven 5K, but I was content with leaving that as my best 5K of the season. One of the many things that God taught me through my last injury was to be content regardless of my running performance.
Philippians 4:13 ("I can do all things through him who gives me strength") is often used by athletes to credit God for performances, which is fantastic but not the whole story. In context, Philippians 10:13 reads: "I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." The theme? Being content in any situation. God gives us strength to be content because of Him.
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| Everyone won & PRed! |
It was 59 degrees race morning, and it's amazing how cool 59 feels when you've been running everything in 70+! When deciding whether or not to race the 5K earlier in the week, I'd talked to my friend Mike who was running it, and he said he thought he could run the first 2 miles with me at my goal pace, 5:40. I knew I'd need someone with me to really push it, so I was happy to connect with him. A friend I ran with at Pitt State, Daniel, was also running the 5K, and my training partners Abby and Rebecca were running the 15K and 10K, respectively - plus I saw hundreds of other familiar faces and enjoyed the hometown race feel!
I thought of this race more as a workout - as if my coach had put 3.1 miles at 5:40 pace on my training schedule. In the past I've gotten really scared of paces that fast (after it, that is pretty much my sprint!), but I just decided I'd run it until I couldn't run it anymore, and hopefully I'd be close to the finish line at that point. I also knew that even if I blew up at halfway or 2 miles I could most likely still win the race, so it was an easy gamble to take.
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| I was caught on film during my warm up |
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| Kids sprinting out faster than 5:40 pace |
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| Towards the beginning of mile 3 - focus |
The finishing clock started with the 15K race, then they started the 10K when it was at 10:00 and the 5K when it was at 20:00, so when I saw it ticking 37:4X I knew I was going to make it! My finishing kick was non-existent, but I suppose 5:40 really is about as fast as these marathon legs will turn over. I stopped my Garmin at 17:54 shortly after the line. I was the second overall person behind Daniel, who ran 16:59ish. He said he was either just under or just over 17:00, but I'm giving him 16:59...the reason we don't know for sure is because there was an error with the results, with some times being +13-15 seconds off watch times. Of course this would happen to me when I finally break 18 (mine is officially listed at 18:06 - insert crying face here)! But, I have my Garmin and Strava data, and I am trying not to be upset about it. The main thing is that I don't know what my official PR should be, since I stopped my Garmin just after I finished. 17:52? Strava gave me 17:42! I will probably use this as an excuse to run another 5K soon to try to make this conundrum irrelevant with a faster time.
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| Garmin data |
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| Strava data (my HR monitor didn't work correctly during the race, which is why it says "this was easier than your usual effort"...it sure was not!) |
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| From Strava |
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| This should be a negative split course, but the elevation isn't as dramatic as it looks (I didn't really notice it at all) |
Rebecca won overall female in the 10K and Abby won overall female in the 15K, so it was a podium sweep for my running group (yes, we did plan to go for that)! We enjoyed the very lengthy awards ceremony/give-away extravaganza (I won a $120 Pilates gift certificate and a $25 gift card to Eat Fit Go!), then had an amazing brunch.
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| Celebrate good times |
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| Winnings |
I'm thankful to be part of such an amazing local running community, and I'm thankful that my coach thought this race was a good idea - perhaps the most shocking part is that I did not even ask to add it! I was disappointed with my performance at the Brookhaven 5K, but I was content with leaving that as my best 5K of the season. One of the many things that God taught me through my last injury was to be content regardless of my running performance.
Philippians 4:13 ("I can do all things through him who gives me strength") is often used by athletes to credit God for performances, which is fantastic but not the whole story. In context, Philippians 10:13 reads: "I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." The theme? Being content in any situation. God gives us strength to be content because of Him.
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| bRUNch |
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| My face here is proof the 5K is painful from the third step (unless you are under the age of 18) |
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| How bad the 5K hurts during the third mile, hahahahahaha! |
Sunday, October 6, 2019
Indy Women's Half: All the feels plus a PR!
The Short:
I decided that running the Indy Women's Half for the third year in a row would be a beneficial fitness check and practice trip to Indianapolis six weeks prior to my goal race there, the Indy Monumental Marathon. Since the race morning weather left a lot to be desired (a humid 74 degrees), my goals for the race were to compete the best I could in the field and hopefully hit marathon goal pace. I am not sure anyone was more shocked than I was when I finished 3rd overall in a new half PR of 1:20:29. Although I'm still dying to add a sub-80 to my resume, I was pumped to PR on a day I was sure I wouldn't!
My official results are here, the race leaderboard is here, and my Strava activity is here. I can be seen in the 2019 preview video here (footage from 2018 race).
The Long:
My race in Indy last year did not go as planned; I started it slightly injured and finished it very injured, then was very unhappy about taking 10 weeks off running. On the other hand, my 2017 race there went well and was where I ran my previous half PR of 1:20:50. The event is well-done, the course is flat and fast, in 2017 and 2018 the temperature was around 50 degrees, and I was excited to return in 2019...until I wasn't. During the week leading up to the race, I became fearful about getting injured, only because I had at that point in my training last year. Everything felt fine, but I couldn't shake it. I was never worried about my race performance because I was just worried I would get hurt, which was odd because I am not superstitious or anything of that nature! I kept reminding myself that I'd started Indy already hurt last year, and this year I was going in feeling strong.
Summer has really been hanging on this year, and although we got a couple of cool mornings during the week leading up to the race, the race morning forecast kept getting warmer as race day grew closer. When it was a couple of days out and looking like it would be 69 degrees with 100% humidity, my coach and I discussed a pace plan. She said she thought my training indicated I was in shape to run a 1:18 (6:00ish pace), but that the weather would slow me down by 15-20 seconds/mile. We decided that anything under goal marathon pace (6:17) would be a win. While I was disappointed that Mother Nature wasn't cooperating, this really took the pressure to hit any certain splits off. I didn't really taper for the race; although my weekly mileage was lighter than usual at 75, it was because I had Wednesday completely off. One week before I did a significant 20 mile workout, followed by days of 12, 9, 15, 0, 10, and 7 leading up to race day.
My dad and I drove to Indy from my home in Missouri, leaving early Friday morning. We went to the race expo, explored the area a bit, and found our Bed and Breakfast by about 5:30 p.m. For awhile I thought I'd be going to the race by myself, so I wanted accommodations that I could easily run to the starting area from, but my thriftiness couldn't handle a $300 downtown hotel, and the BnB was only 1.1 miles from the start, in almost a straight shot (i.e., it would be very difficult to get lost!). We had several rooms, space to sleep 4, and free parking, and were pleased with the BnB (except they were very strict on breakfast times).
I was honored to be featured as one of the "Five Women to Watch" for the third year. When I picked up my race booklet and read about the other four women, I didn't feel like I belonged in the feature though. I thought it was unlikely I'd be able to beat any of the other 4, and there are always a few fast women who are not featured, so I predicted I'd be racing for 5-8th place. Related note: I've gotten to know Sarah Bishop a bit through social media and she is an amazing athlete! It was fun to chat with her before and after this race.
When I woke up race morning and checked my weather app, it was even worse than I'd expected: 74 degrees. I was mentally ready for a warm one, and during my 3 mile warm up I decided I wasn't going to look at my watch during the race. I'd had a sub-par long run workout the Saturday before in similar weather, and that day I couldn't get my pace down to 6:15 for the life of me, so I just didn't want to see splits in the 6:20s and get upset. I'd made peace with no chance of a 1:18, and I also felt that as long as I started and finished healthy I was in a great spot (what a difference a year makes!)!
As the race started and everyone settled into pace, I found myself in a pack of about 10 women. There were two women out in front of us, although I suspected one of them was in the 5K (she was, and the other was Pasca Myers, a top contender). The other 3 women to watch were in the pack, in additional to several other women I recognized from previous years races. There is a lot of power in running in a pack, so I thought it was an ideal situation!
The pace felt right effort-wise, and as the miles clipped away the pack dwindled. I settled in right behind two women in blue tanks, one of whom I recognized as Sarah Pease, a pro runner for Oiselle who I thought would win the race. By mile 6 all of the others had fallen off the pack and it was us three. The woman who wasn't Sarah (I'll call her the girl in the hat) was pushing the pace. I felt strong but not ready to pick it up, so I let her pull away and then it was me and Sarah. Since she is from Indy, many people were cheering for her so I just lied to myself that all the "Go Sara(h)"s were for me, haha! I also kept thinking, "How is this happening?!" in regards to running with her; she has quite the impressive resume and just competed in the U.S. Champs 10,000 m. I follow her on Instagram and she is a runner I really admire.
I felt strong, but from the hair pin turn just after mile 6 I knew there were a whole slew of women not far behind, so it wasn't just Sarah I was competing with. I also had the second place woman in the hat in my sights, so I was pushing towards her. When we went up an incline between miles 9 and 10, I pulled slightly ahead of Sarah and thought, "Well, this is it!", although I still felt like I was in some alternative universe running with/ahead of her. The second place woman had a good lead on me, but I had over a 5K to cut into it the best I could, and I wanted to try, so that really kept me pushing.
The race felt hard but also controlled the whole way. I felt like I could maintain my effort through the end, and the closer I got to the finish line the more confident I was about a third place finish (by around mile 12 I knew it was unlikely I was going to catch second). I smiled through the final mile and kicked it in, seeing the finishing clock in the 1:20s and knowing I'd somehow managed a PR, and hearing the announcer call my name and my dad cheering his heart out! My dad's video of my finish is here and is heartwarming.
Since this month I had two performances I was happy with in humid 70+ degrees, I suppose I have to stop saying that I never run anything worthwhile in this weather; although I do believe I would have run significantly faster in cool weather, I held my own in this one. I have come to the conclusion that my performance in warm humid weather is less predictable. Some days it bothers me more than others, and I'm not sure what the difference is.
And although I sure still want to add a sub-80 half to my running resume, the confidence-boost I got from this race was just as good as if I'd have run a 1:18-1:19 in cool temperatures. Four weeks prior to running 2:47:14 at CIM, I ran a half marathon in 1:23:53 in temps in the 70s, so I was mentally prepared to be completely calm with a 1:22 half. Really, as long as I walked away from this race uninjured I was counting it as a huge success after last year, no matter what my time was. Now I just have to hope that fall arrives before the Indy Monumental Marathon on November 9! Either way, I'll be there fighting...
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." - 2 Timothy 4:7
I decided that running the Indy Women's Half for the third year in a row would be a beneficial fitness check and practice trip to Indianapolis six weeks prior to my goal race there, the Indy Monumental Marathon. Since the race morning weather left a lot to be desired (a humid 74 degrees), my goals for the race were to compete the best I could in the field and hopefully hit marathon goal pace. I am not sure anyone was more shocked than I was when I finished 3rd overall in a new half PR of 1:20:29. Although I'm still dying to add a sub-80 to my resume, I was pumped to PR on a day I was sure I wouldn't!
My official results are here, the race leaderboard is here, and my Strava activity is here. I can be seen in the 2019 preview video here (footage from 2018 race).
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| Podium |
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| Stats |
My race in Indy last year did not go as planned; I started it slightly injured and finished it very injured, then was very unhappy about taking 10 weeks off running. On the other hand, my 2017 race there went well and was where I ran my previous half PR of 1:20:50. The event is well-done, the course is flat and fast, in 2017 and 2018 the temperature was around 50 degrees, and I was excited to return in 2019...until I wasn't. During the week leading up to the race, I became fearful about getting injured, only because I had at that point in my training last year. Everything felt fine, but I couldn't shake it. I was never worried about my race performance because I was just worried I would get hurt, which was odd because I am not superstitious or anything of that nature! I kept reminding myself that I'd started Indy already hurt last year, and this year I was going in feeling strong.
Summer has really been hanging on this year, and although we got a couple of cool mornings during the week leading up to the race, the race morning forecast kept getting warmer as race day grew closer. When it was a couple of days out and looking like it would be 69 degrees with 100% humidity, my coach and I discussed a pace plan. She said she thought my training indicated I was in shape to run a 1:18 (6:00ish pace), but that the weather would slow me down by 15-20 seconds/mile. We decided that anything under goal marathon pace (6:17) would be a win. While I was disappointed that Mother Nature wasn't cooperating, this really took the pressure to hit any certain splits off. I didn't really taper for the race; although my weekly mileage was lighter than usual at 75, it was because I had Wednesday completely off. One week before I did a significant 20 mile workout, followed by days of 12, 9, 15, 0, 10, and 7 leading up to race day.
My dad and I drove to Indy from my home in Missouri, leaving early Friday morning. We went to the race expo, explored the area a bit, and found our Bed and Breakfast by about 5:30 p.m. For awhile I thought I'd be going to the race by myself, so I wanted accommodations that I could easily run to the starting area from, but my thriftiness couldn't handle a $300 downtown hotel, and the BnB was only 1.1 miles from the start, in almost a straight shot (i.e., it would be very difficult to get lost!). We had several rooms, space to sleep 4, and free parking, and were pleased with the BnB (except they were very strict on breakfast times).
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| Expo fun |
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| Look at those 4 ladies' credentials! |
As the race started and everyone settled into pace, I found myself in a pack of about 10 women. There were two women out in front of us, although I suspected one of them was in the 5K (she was, and the other was Pasca Myers, a top contender). The other 3 women to watch were in the pack, in additional to several other women I recognized from previous years races. There is a lot of power in running in a pack, so I thought it was an ideal situation!
The pace felt right effort-wise, and as the miles clipped away the pack dwindled. I settled in right behind two women in blue tanks, one of whom I recognized as Sarah Pease, a pro runner for Oiselle who I thought would win the race. By mile 6 all of the others had fallen off the pack and it was us three. The woman who wasn't Sarah (I'll call her the girl in the hat) was pushing the pace. I felt strong but not ready to pick it up, so I let her pull away and then it was me and Sarah. Since she is from Indy, many people were cheering for her so I just lied to myself that all the "Go Sara(h)"s were for me, haha! I also kept thinking, "How is this happening?!" in regards to running with her; she has quite the impressive resume and just competed in the U.S. Champs 10,000 m. I follow her on Instagram and she is a runner I really admire.
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| Trailing the second female (Sarah Pease is behind her) |
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| Focus |
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| Fatigue |
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| PR in sights |
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| I had to stop my watch at the line to capture the PR - I also had no plans to buy the photos! |
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| Drenched in sweat & happiness |
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| Top 3 |
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." - 2 Timothy 4:7
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| Awards ceremony |
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| Top 10 |
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| Top 20 |
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| Oh the irony that they gave us scarves! |
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