two roads diverged

best laid plans: the eugene race report

Posted on May 2, 2010. Filed under: Uncategorized |

the idea was: if i could run a sub 1:50 half marathon…my goal of running a 3:45 in chicago would be realistic.

that’s why this race mattered so much to me.

i was told that the eugene course was: flat and fast. i had also been told that it’s small town charm was irresistable and that i would somehow be able to channel pre’s spirit and run like a son of gun.

all true. except the flat part. one of these days i’m going to organize a flat race and it will be actually be flat. anyway.

we arrived in eugene and headed straight to campus. had to lay my eyes on hayward field – and lo and behold – an NCAA track meet. you might think this is just what a gal would need to get all fired up about a big race…not here. i’m a chicken and i’m full of self doubt and i’ve never been on a sports team in my life. i just about froze. i had visions of all these students being in my race on sunday. imagined that i would be crawling across the finish while gaggles of freshmen were already onto their 2nd helping of pancakes. my husband had to convince me that i was still ok to wear shorts to the race (it’s a girl thing).

i got to the starting line this morning and let out a big sigh of relief. the usual suspects. the skinny bald guys. the weathered dudes with the cotton bandanas. the leathered mommas who have clearly been clockin 50 mile weeks since i was in 1st grade. and the people like me. smiling, apprehensive runners who have put all their eggs in this basket. my coach mike had given me a warmup to take with me. he told me that in an unfamiliar town with heaps of people around, it’s a security blanket. amen. that warmup was gold.

after warming up on the dorm lawn, i headed for the start. let me tell you something – i have never been more courageous than when i walked to my corral and pace group this morning. past the 10 min/mile, past the 9:30′s…the 9:15′s…the 8:45…am i really doing this…past 8:30. that’s damn close to the start. corral #1. with the skinny bald guys. i had advice. close your eyes. breathe deep. if ever there was a use for an iPod – it was then.

a text from one of my best friends the night before: “you belong there”. summon that up. turn on the music and close my eyes. say the Lord’s Prayer. stick to the plan.

the plan…right. the plan was seriously just 2-fold. from josh (my mr. miyagi): know where you NEED to be by halfway. see what’s left and then attack.

advice from Kevin and Jeremy – my trainers and coaches – you worked for this – let the training speak for itself.

advice from my brother: grip it and rip it.

the plan in my head included all these bits with the added plan to channel pre’s spirit and run like i really gave a shit. run till something fell off. run till i fell apart and leave everything out there.

gun.

8:10, 8:07 – fine – feeling just fine – way ahead of the pace group that would land them in at 1:47.  frustrated at the course and the crowds for these miles. couldn’t have run much faster without playing Frogger.

8:17, 8:20, 8:23 – ok – pissed off. not working hard enough.

7:55, 7:53 – stupid freakin idiot fool nitwit.

cue barf scene. i think josh called this the lactate threshold.

8:09 ok – back on track. still ahead of that bitch with the balloons taking them to 1:47. (hey ron, that’s my voice #2 talking)

8:23 a big hill. not just any hill but a pretty serious, long, drawn out hill that didn’t stop. sick to my stomach. mad. this course is not flat. i’m dying. everything crashing in around me. use my head. 30 second walk break. regroup. settle in. focus. get dialed. Garmin shows i was holding sub 8:00 again. good thing i walked for a bit. picked it back up. the balloon girl passed me. i saw them slip away. i felt sorry for myself for a minute and then remembered josh’s words for this moment: fight for it.

8:12 i don’t love this part of any run. it’s the end part. but not the end. it’s 4 miles which seems close. but it’s like half an hour. i hate this part. i now have serious ADD with my iPod. i now hate the other runners. i now think the course sucks. i now wish i were running faster. focus.

8:29, 8:30, 8:27 falling apart. everything hurts. i feel like i can’t go another step. i feel like i’m getting slower…i start panicking about my time but i’m too crazy to do math. stop. i’m capable of doing math. i remember at 11 miles it was 1:31:xx. i did the math. if i hold this pace – which i KNOW i can do – then i’ll come in sub 1:50. so just hold it dre. don’t try to go faster. just hold it.

then i saw Hayward Field. and i ran at a 6:40 pace until i crossed that finish line.

i read a quote from Ryan Hall that morning that said “if you save yourself for race day, you’ll find something special inside”.

i’m telling you guys: i ran like pre. i barfed. i sped up. i slowed down. i gutted it right out at the end. i gave it everything i had.

i finished in 1:48:22.

39th in my age group (of 384 other 25 year olds

i smashed my goal.

my only other half marathon was 2:13 something…so that’s a PR of 25 minutes in 11 months.

i’ve worked hard for this feeling and i love that i did so many things wrong. i don’t want to get it right just yet. i want a lifetime of marathons ahead of me and i want room to keep getting better. i’m going to get more disciplined with my pace. i’m going to build my base. and mark my words: i’m gonna run 3:45 in Chicago.

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