Well 1/2 Marathon number 2 is in the books. I ran the Wenatchee 1/2 Marathon today, this morning at 8am. This is my 2nd 1/2 Marathon ever, the first was the same weekend last year here in Wenatchee. 
Unfortunately I came down with a really bad head cold 2 weeks ago and that sidelined my training for the past 2 weeks. I had to take 7 complete days off, and just was able to get in a 4 mile run last week without coughing. Good news I was able to get all my training in before the cold minus my longest run that was going to be 10miles. I was only able to get in an 8 mile run 3 weeks ago so I was a bit nervous not knowing what my body was going to let me do today.
I got to the start at 7:30am. I love the runs because there is a lot less stress for me then my bike races because I am just doing these for fun and the challenge so I don't have as much pressure going into this event. I got on about the 4th row of the start and started out at about a 7:30 pace for the 1st mile.
Last year I ran a 1:44 overall so that put me at an 8min mile pace so my plan was to take off some time this year and improve my overall time. So I was pacing myself and I felt good and was surprised to see my first mile was 7:30. I was a bit nervous wondering if I started out to fast but I really felt like I was at the right pace and felt good so I stayed on the pace.
The course in Wenatchee is beautiful, I highly recommend this race, we run on the paved trail that runs along both sides of the Columbia River. Really it is just beautiful, the west side is mostly flat and surrounded by green fields and the east side of the river is more desert like with lots of sand and very rolling, with some 6-8% grade shorter climbs and downhills. So you get a mixed variety of everything on this course. We run out half way and then turn around and come back.
I felt awesome for the first 3-4 miles, mostly flat kept my 7:30 pace and then we hit the hills. I love the hills, I love running uphill so this was a great section for me. I worked this whole last 4 months on getting better and running downhills because that is was killed me last year. I did great my knees were happy and I was able to carry a much faster pace on the downhills this year. I hit the turn around and still was feeling really strong. So I kept on it, and thanks to my mom, husband, son and niece for giving me a bottle of G2 every 3 miles!! They made it so I didn't have to mess with the feed zones and get a better exchange and keep my speed. And they were awesome cheerleaders.
I got through the rest of the climbs and was starting to get a bit tired, I was keeping track of my pace while running and on the flats for the last 3 miles I started to struggle a little bit, still keep a good pace but the legs muscles were starting to get tired. My son and husband were on bikes and at 3 miles to go they started riding with me, we passed a guy on the ground and my husband (a fireman) stopped to see what was up and the man was in a bad state of dehydration and bonking hard so he stopped to help. My son stayed with me and helped keep me moving and rode with me for the last 3 miles cheering me on.
At one mile to go I tried to pick it up a bit knowing I was getting close to my last years time and I wanted to beat it so bad. So I picked it up, it hurt pretty bad but I pushed through it and I came through the finish in 1:42:32. So I was a min and a half faster then last year!! YEAH I did it, I improved my time. I was so happy not knowing what was going to happen with being so sick in the past couple weeks.
I finished 6th out of all the women, awesome and 1st in my age group, 30-34 years old!! I couldn't believe it, I won my first 1/2 marathon!! I don't think of myself as a runner but now I guess I have to consider that!!
Thank you so much to my mom (Sue), husband (Chad), son (Holden), niece (Alyssa) for giving me fluid to keep me hydrated and for cheering to keep me going. I couldn't have done it without them.
So for those of you reading this that maybe have gotten motivated, please pick something in the next couple months to challenge yourslef and sign up for it. By signing up it gives you something to work towards, every 3-4 months plan something, that will keep you motivated and wanting to improve throughout the whole year. It can be anything, just something to challenge you and make you grow as person!!
Life is short, live it fully and constantly challenge yourself to keep growing!!
Now it's time to start focusing on riding again and getting ready for another great Cyclocross season!!
Kristi
Unfortunately I came down with a really bad head cold 2 weeks ago and that sidelined my training for the past 2 weeks. I had to take 7 complete days off, and just was able to get in a 4 mile run last week without coughing. Good news I was able to get all my training in before the cold minus my longest run that was going to be 10miles. I was only able to get in an 8 mile run 3 weeks ago so I was a bit nervous not knowing what my body was going to let me do today.
I got to the start at 7:30am. I love the runs because there is a lot less stress for me then my bike races because I am just doing these for fun and the challenge so I don't have as much pressure going into this event. I got on about the 4th row of the start and started out at about a 7:30 pace for the 1st mile.
Last year I ran a 1:44 overall so that put me at an 8min mile pace so my plan was to take off some time this year and improve my overall time. So I was pacing myself and I felt good and was surprised to see my first mile was 7:30. I was a bit nervous wondering if I started out to fast but I really felt like I was at the right pace and felt good so I stayed on the pace.
The course in Wenatchee is beautiful, I highly recommend this race, we run on the paved trail that runs along both sides of the Columbia River. Really it is just beautiful, the west side is mostly flat and surrounded by green fields and the east side of the river is more desert like with lots of sand and very rolling, with some 6-8% grade shorter climbs and downhills. So you get a mixed variety of everything on this course. We run out half way and then turn around and come back.
I felt awesome for the first 3-4 miles, mostly flat kept my 7:30 pace and then we hit the hills. I love the hills, I love running uphill so this was a great section for me. I worked this whole last 4 months on getting better and running downhills because that is was killed me last year. I did great my knees were happy and I was able to carry a much faster pace on the downhills this year. I hit the turn around and still was feeling really strong. So I kept on it, and thanks to my mom, husband, son and niece for giving me a bottle of G2 every 3 miles!! They made it so I didn't have to mess with the feed zones and get a better exchange and keep my speed. And they were awesome cheerleaders.
I got through the rest of the climbs and was starting to get a bit tired, I was keeping track of my pace while running and on the flats for the last 3 miles I started to struggle a little bit, still keep a good pace but the legs muscles were starting to get tired. My son and husband were on bikes and at 3 miles to go they started riding with me, we passed a guy on the ground and my husband (a fireman) stopped to see what was up and the man was in a bad state of dehydration and bonking hard so he stopped to help. My son stayed with me and helped keep me moving and rode with me for the last 3 miles cheering me on.
At one mile to go I tried to pick it up a bit knowing I was getting close to my last years time and I wanted to beat it so bad. So I picked it up, it hurt pretty bad but I pushed through it and I came through the finish in 1:42:32. So I was a min and a half faster then last year!! YEAH I did it, I improved my time. I was so happy not knowing what was going to happen with being so sick in the past couple weeks.
I finished 6th out of all the women, awesome and 1st in my age group, 30-34 years old!! I couldn't believe it, I won my first 1/2 marathon!! I don't think of myself as a runner but now I guess I have to consider that!!
Thank you so much to my mom (Sue), husband (Chad), son (Holden), niece (Alyssa) for giving me fluid to keep me hydrated and for cheering to keep me going. I couldn't have done it without them.
So for those of you reading this that maybe have gotten motivated, please pick something in the next couple months to challenge yourslef and sign up for it. By signing up it gives you something to work towards, every 3-4 months plan something, that will keep you motivated and wanting to improve throughout the whole year. It can be anything, just something to challenge you and make you grow as person!!
Life is short, live it fully and constantly challenge yourself to keep growing!!
Now it's time to start focusing on riding again and getting ready for another great Cyclocross season!!
Kristi
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