The second running of the Louisville Sports Commission Half Marathon was on Saturday, November 3rd. I would have written this blog post/race report before now but the very evening after the race I received a call from work that set off a cascade of events that resulted in me working around the clock for the following four days after. Most of those days included repeated briefings that were way too similar to this (we all work with at least one Leroy Jenkins), and finally ended with a day spent flying around the city.
Not that my job isn't cool sometimes. I mean, what other career lets you shoot guns, drive fast cars, and fly around in helicopters? Certainly not the company IT department.
So on to the race report...
The Warm Up
I slept like crap the night before the race which is no big surprise. I usually sleep like crap. The race was to start at 8:30 A.M. so I set my alarm for 5:00 and was up and eating a breakfast that consisted of toast with peanut butter and some milk. Jumped in the shower and then wandered outside to get a feel for the weather. The forecast had temperatures in the 40s with a chance of rain. Even though it was in the low 30s as I stood outside, it didn't really feel all that bad. I opted for a pair of running shorts, the long sleeve tech shirt that the Sports Commission gave out for the race, and a "throw away" sweatshirt. By 7:00 I was out the door and on my way to Starbucks to pick up Venti Mocha. I opted for a quad and was on my way to the race venue.
I arrived around 7:30. The race started in front of the KFC Yum! Center and I opted to park in the garage beneath the arena. There weren't very many other cars doing the same and I was a little surprised given that the finish line was very close to where we would start. I sat in my car and sipped my coffee for a while before I strapped on my Garmin and fired up my Bluetooth headphones.
I made my way to the front of the Yum! Center just as the National Anthem was being played for the Pure Tap 5K that started at 8:00. Although there were a lot of people around, there didn't seem to be quite as many as last year's inaugural running of the LSC Half. As the 5K race started I milled about aimlessly, crowd watching, before making my way to the port o' potty line. The organizers had strategically (perhaps) located the port o' potties inside the parking garage across the street from the Yum! Center. So I stood in the line that stretched down the sidewalk for a good 15 minutes before I had my turn.
I was out of the port o' potty just as the National Anthem was played for the start of the Half. I smiled to myself as this was what had happened to me at last year's running. Perhaps I'm starting a tradition. At the corner of the street was an overly energetic girl who was doing some cross between plyometrics and cheer leading. I wanted to slap her. But instead I went about making sure my music was ready and my Runmeter app was fired up on my iPhone as I made my way to the back of the pack lining up for the start.
The weather wasn't all that chilly and the sky looked like the forecast of rain might have been wrong. I considered for a moment shedding the sweatshirt, but decided I would wait to see how things played out along the way. For some odd reason I was feeling nervous about this 13.1 mile run. My training long runs had been strong and even though I was nervous I was confident that I could pull out a PR (Personal Record for you non-running types) from this run. From the back of the pack I could barely see the starting line and only when the crowd began surging forward did I realize the race had been started.
The Race
The first 3.5 miles were great. I felt great. I looked great. I was running strong. Around 1.5 miles in I saw my friend Ginger who is training for the 2013 Goofy Challenge at Disney. I enjoyed seeing Ginger. She looked great and asked me if I was "going for it," referencing my desire to beat last year's time. I told her that I thought I was and I pushed on ahead.
At around 3 miles or so, just before entering Cherokee Park, I met more friends including Lenore who is currently sidelined with an injury but was still awesome enough to come out to cheer. I paused long enough to give her a nice sweaty hug before rushing off into the park. The strategy was to take it easy on the climbs in Cherokee and then turn it on during the descents and the flat portions in the latter portion of the course. That strategy went out the window with the first hill as I maintained my pace without slowing. I did throw silent curses at the elderly man who sprinted past me on the hill. I had smug satisfaction at the top, however, when I passed him as he was walking.
I felt like I flew through the park and as I navigated the course back out there was Lenore and the cowbell crew who had moved down to cheer us on out of the park. I waved to them and smiled as I pushed on toward mile 7. I checked my Garmin and I was on track to match my time from last year's run. And although I was still feeling pretty good I knew something was going to have to happen if I was going to PR.
The clouds had moved in and it started to rain by mile 8. I was suddenly glad that I had made the decision to keep the sweatshirt. I could also feel my energy beginning to drop. Moving forward was becoming increasingly difficult and I knew that my paced had slowed. I took the single gel that I had brought with me and hoped that it would give me what I needed to pick back up. It was also around this time that Ginger blew past me like I was standing still. I commented that I thought that she was going to take this run easy but she said she had shifted into "race mode." I watched as she slowly pulled away and disappeared into the distance as the rain began to fall heavily.
By mile 9 I knew that whatever that thing was that needed to happen for me to PR wasn't going to happen. My legs were heavy and I felt sluggish. I was cold and soaked and still waiting on that "runner's high" that people talk about but I never seem to get. By this time we were in downtown Louisville and the only good thing was that the strong headwind from last year's race was absent; replaced instead by frigid rain.
At mile 11 I knew I was out of juice. I kept trying to push myself but the fire was gone. Runners were passing me on the left and right and when I glanced down at my Garmin I realized my pace was no better than that of a speed walker. The last two miles were an exercise in perseverance. I crossed the finish line in 02:26:24. More than 16 minutes slower than last year's time on the exact same course.
After grabbing my super-cool finisher's medal I then met Ginger and Kevin just past the recovery snacks. We were soaked and freezing but able to spend a few minutes talking before the chill finally motivated us to be on our way. I headed up toward the pizza booth with the idea of grabbing a slice, but I began shivering and instead decided to make my way back to the car.
Post Race Thoughts
Damn I'm cold! Well, that was my initial post race thought anyway.
Even through the rain and freezing temps I enjoyed my running of the Louisville Sports Commission Half Marathon. The LSC puts on a good race and the organization seemed even more solid on this, their second year. Last year's event was a pleasure to run and if the weather had cooperated this year I'm sure I would have had that PR on this quick and relatively flat course. There's always next year.
But for now I can say that I've ran the LSC Half every year. Both of them.
Not that my job isn't cool sometimes. I mean, what other career lets you shoot guns, drive fast cars, and fly around in helicopters? Certainly not the company IT department.
So on to the race report...
The Warm Up
I slept like crap the night before the race which is no big surprise. I usually sleep like crap. The race was to start at 8:30 A.M. so I set my alarm for 5:00 and was up and eating a breakfast that consisted of toast with peanut butter and some milk. Jumped in the shower and then wandered outside to get a feel for the weather. The forecast had temperatures in the 40s with a chance of rain. Even though it was in the low 30s as I stood outside, it didn't really feel all that bad. I opted for a pair of running shorts, the long sleeve tech shirt that the Sports Commission gave out for the race, and a "throw away" sweatshirt. By 7:00 I was out the door and on my way to Starbucks to pick up Venti Mocha. I opted for a quad and was on my way to the race venue.
 |
| View from the Yum! Center steps toward the Start. |
I made my way to the front of the Yum! Center just as the National Anthem was being played for the Pure Tap 5K that started at 8:00. Although there were a lot of people around, there didn't seem to be quite as many as last year's inaugural running of the LSC Half. As the 5K race started I milled about aimlessly, crowd watching, before making my way to the port o' potty line. The organizers had strategically (perhaps) located the port o' potties inside the parking garage across the street from the Yum! Center. So I stood in the line that stretched down the sidewalk for a good 15 minutes before I had my turn.
I was out of the port o' potty just as the National Anthem was played for the start of the Half. I smiled to myself as this was what had happened to me at last year's running. Perhaps I'm starting a tradition. At the corner of the street was an overly energetic girl who was doing some cross between plyometrics and cheer leading. I wanted to slap her. But instead I went about making sure my music was ready and my Runmeter app was fired up on my iPhone as I made my way to the back of the pack lining up for the start.
 |
| My view from the back of the pack. |
The Race
The first 3.5 miles were great. I felt great. I looked great. I was running strong. Around 1.5 miles in I saw my friend Ginger who is training for the 2013 Goofy Challenge at Disney. I enjoyed seeing Ginger. She looked great and asked me if I was "going for it," referencing my desire to beat last year's time. I told her that I thought I was and I pushed on ahead.
At around 3 miles or so, just before entering Cherokee Park, I met more friends including Lenore who is currently sidelined with an injury but was still awesome enough to come out to cheer. I paused long enough to give her a nice sweaty hug before rushing off into the park. The strategy was to take it easy on the climbs in Cherokee and then turn it on during the descents and the flat portions in the latter portion of the course. That strategy went out the window with the first hill as I maintained my pace without slowing. I did throw silent curses at the elderly man who sprinted past me on the hill. I had smug satisfaction at the top, however, when I passed him as he was walking.
I felt like I flew through the park and as I navigated the course back out there was Lenore and the cowbell crew who had moved down to cheer us on out of the park. I waved to them and smiled as I pushed on toward mile 7. I checked my Garmin and I was on track to match my time from last year's run. And although I was still feeling pretty good I knew something was going to have to happen if I was going to PR.
The clouds had moved in and it started to rain by mile 8. I was suddenly glad that I had made the decision to keep the sweatshirt. I could also feel my energy beginning to drop. Moving forward was becoming increasingly difficult and I knew that my paced had slowed. I took the single gel that I had brought with me and hoped that it would give me what I needed to pick back up. It was also around this time that Ginger blew past me like I was standing still. I commented that I thought that she was going to take this run easy but she said she had shifted into "race mode." I watched as she slowly pulled away and disappeared into the distance as the rain began to fall heavily.
By mile 9 I knew that whatever that thing was that needed to happen for me to PR wasn't going to happen. My legs were heavy and I felt sluggish. I was cold and soaked and still waiting on that "runner's high" that people talk about but I never seem to get. By this time we were in downtown Louisville and the only good thing was that the strong headwind from last year's race was absent; replaced instead by frigid rain.
At mile 11 I knew I was out of juice. I kept trying to push myself but the fire was gone. Runners were passing me on the left and right and when I glanced down at my Garmin I realized my pace was no better than that of a speed walker. The last two miles were an exercise in perseverance. I crossed the finish line in 02:26:24. More than 16 minutes slower than last year's time on the exact same course.
After grabbing my super-cool finisher's medal I then met Ginger and Kevin just past the recovery snacks. We were soaked and freezing but able to spend a few minutes talking before the chill finally motivated us to be on our way. I headed up toward the pizza booth with the idea of grabbing a slice, but I began shivering and instead decided to make my way back to the car.
 |
| Soaked in AWESOME! |
Damn I'm cold! Well, that was my initial post race thought anyway.
Even through the rain and freezing temps I enjoyed my running of the Louisville Sports Commission Half Marathon. The LSC puts on a good race and the organization seemed even more solid on this, their second year. Last year's event was a pleasure to run and if the weather had cooperated this year I'm sure I would have had that PR on this quick and relatively flat course. There's always next year.
But for now I can say that I've ran the LSC Half every year. Both of them.
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