Diary of a Running Mom: Cincinnati Flying Pig 3 Way Challenge Race Recap: Sunday's 1/2 marathon

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Cincinnati Flying Pig 3 Way Challenge Race Recap: Sunday's 1/2 marathon

After Saturday's races, I basically chilled out, iced,wore compression socks, and even tried an Epsom salt bath to help recover my legs. There was also generous helpings of Advil. My ankle felt pretty decent considering. I thought I'd feel way worse.

Before the race!

Running the Flying Pig on Sunday makes for a pretty early morning. The race starts at 6:30 but to get there with time to spare meant a 3:30 wake up for me, and a pick up of my running partner by 4:30. Bagel and coffee in the car for me.

Fast forward to the race.

My race plan was to finish. I was going to run 5 mins/walk 1 min. I decided to run the first mile or so without walk breaks since it was so packed with people. I didn't want to be THAT runner that stops in front of others. I made it to the first bridge which probably wasn't even a mile, my legs were tired. Uh oh. This was going to be a long race! So, I took my walk break- that was so hard to walk with everyone running by me!!!! I'm so NOT used to doing races that way. Anyways, for the first 5 miles my legs were feeling tired and sluggish and I used my walk breaks because I needed them. I took my energy gels every 30 mins- thank goodness I had enough left over from my last 26.2.
By mile 6, I was not feeling tired anymore and my ankle was feeling fine. I just kept slugging through the miles, 5 minutes at a time. I have to say it helped thinking I only have to run for 5 minutes then I get a break. Also, since I was just trying to finish- I never looked at my Garmin. I

Yep, nothing like a race photo while you're walking!

was going on my interval timer on my iPhone. At mile 6-7 I spent my time looking out for some friends from high school who was going to be cheering on a certain corner. I found them! That gave me a boost to climb the hill.

The rest of the race was a blur. I was so focused on putting one foot in front of the other and only for 5 minutes at time. Plus I had to remember e-gels for energy since I remember bonking at the Air Force marathon.
Mile 11 is all down hill and I got a text from my running partner that she had finished. I didn't look at my phone since it was strapped to my arm but who else would text me at that time of day? I knew she must of finished and here I was at mile 11 still. Grrr. :-) I was feeling pretty good though.
At mile 12, I looked at my overall time finally and it was 1:54- hmmm, I'm 1.1 miles from the finish and I know I can run 8 min miles and I feel pretty good- hell- I'm going for it! I like, at all. Plus, I felt good after.

finished in 2:04. I'll take it. That is only 13 mins slower that my normal time for a half and I didn't really train,
Ankle: Sore, but not as swollen as I expected- I wore my heavy duty compression socks in the race and generally, ice and Advil and I was good. My PTs were impressed when I came in on Mon with my ankle looking "normal".