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Race Pace

GREAT RACE!!!!! :mrgreen:

I think my time was around 1:53:26 based on my Garmin graph, but it’s hard to tell!!

Still waiting on official results.

I ran like the wind!!! And we had such great weather.

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Backing up to this morning….

I rose at 4:45 when the alarm went off and marched straight down for oatmeal and coffee. To be honest I really wasn’t hungry and it was too early to eat, but I knew I had to or I wouldn’t digest in time!! But of course, oatmeal never tastes bad 🙂

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I was SO THANKFUL I had done a trial of everything and could reference it for my oatmeal amounts. I decided to use quick oats that we have on hand for their higher glycemic index (and therefore faster digestion) but went with 1/4 a cup of milk this time and some granola on top for fun.

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The Mix

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My ergogenic aid and laxative 😉

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Just a half cup today of 100% caf

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Perfect breakfast!! I was totally digested and ready to go at 7:30

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I mixed up my homemade sports drink according to last time’s measurements. But this time I used Simply Orange instead of fresh orange because that’s what I had on hand.

And then Matt and I departed! The race was 4 miles from our house 🙂

It was QUITE cold out there before the race, but parking was a breeze thanks to the start being at the mall so we didn’t have to stand outside too long. I got to wear my fleece, which was great.

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Pre-race friends!

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There was a bit of congestion at the start (which thankfully was right at 7:30!) because the half marathoners had to be in a different area and they waited until the last minute to tell us. But we probably only lost a little bit. We encountered some annoying clogging of the street in the first mile, but by mile 3 it was pretty spaced out.

Casey was on FIYAH!! He finished in 1:36!!

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The first 6 miles were pretty easy, as they were last time. Emily said I was running too fast at one point – a sub-8 minute mile!? I don’t believe her, but I did slow down a bit so we could continue running together and to conserve energy a bit. We talked a bit around miles 6 and 7 about going to the beach together! Fun topics 🙂

The mile 7 hill was tough, but I was mentally prepared. But I lost Emily on that hill. If you remember, she had to take a few weeks off of running due to some lung sickness and didn’t know until this week if she would even be running! Luckily her lungs healed fast, but she didn’t want to give this race 100% (or might not have been able to!) so I went a little ahead. I looked back a few times, but I didn’t want to trip so I just went on and told Matt, who was biking beside me at the point, to go tell Emily I said rock on!

Speaking of Matt, he met me at about mile 7.5/8 on his bike!! Whee!!

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Turns out Emily was just behind me!

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Here’s where Matt biked with me! The other lane was open to traffic in the neighborhood so he was not in the way at all. It was fun to say hi!!

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Mile 8 was my slowest at 9:01 – but look at the elevation climb!! The most, at 235 ft. [And note that mile THIRTEEN was not far behind at 205 ft] I got a second set of legs at mile 9 – I thank the sweet, sweet sports nectar!! I swear, I could not have ran this race without it. I could literally FEEL the energy going back into my legs. I pounded out miles 10,11, 12 and 13 – around an 8:14/15 pace!

Here are my splits. Unfortunately I didn’t turn my Garmin off when I crossed the finish so that Lap 14 is skewing everything. But I calculated my average pace in Excel and came out with 8:32!! Sweet!!! Never, ever would have thought that was possible!

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I could definitely not have done that without my camelbak of fuel. I also listened to GLEE’s “Can’t Always Get What You Want” on repeat 5 times in a row. That really helped!! Mile 13 was uphill and really tough, and during the last 0.2 I thought I might throw up, but I made it!

And I was greeted with FLOWERS from Matt!!

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A few minutes later (literally!) Emily appeared!! Casey had already joined her and I jumped in for a sprint to the finish! So glad we could finish together <3 She ran a sub-2:00 half despite all of her troubles! So proud.

I really could not have done this without her help and encouragement!!! xoxo

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She needed some sweet nectar!!

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My fan club!!

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On the way home, I literally popped into Dick’s Sporting Goods and bought a foam roller!! I knew I’d need it ASAP 🙂 I rolled after our lunch and it felt SOOO GOOD!

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We came back and made some delicioso smoothies to replenish our burnt out legs. MORE COCONUT BUTTER. Can’t get enough of this stuff!! Cali bowls representin’!

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For THREE hungry marathoners:

  • ~4 bananas
  • 1/2 an avocado
  • 3 tbsp chia seeds
  • 3 scoops Vega Vanilla Chai
  • 1 cup kale
  • 1 cup frozen berries
  • 2 servings coconut water (LOVED IT!!!)
  • ~1/2 cup of Casey’s recovery drink that had dates and flax in it because we needed more liquid

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Topped with Nature’s Path, Nuttzo PF and coconut buttah. Love <3

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Ate every drop!

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Fun fun morning! Maybe I’ll run another half this summer 🙂

THANK YOU, LEFT FOOT, FOR GIVING ME THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY!!

L. foot circa March 2005 p/s subtalar joint unfusion

Foot

Another hilarious post-foot surgery photo while on crutches at a formal!

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My body HURTS. Running fast really wears me out so much more than the same distance at only a few seconds slower pace. I hope I don’t have any injuries! My knee tendon behind my leg started feeling tight early on and hurts when I move it in weird ways now. Better ice!

Must go shower, then go to the mall with Matt!

Speaking of Matt, he just cleaned the whole house. Can’t thank him enough for all of his [unsolicited] help!

Have a great afternoon!!

***

UPDATE:

I was 6 seconds off 🙂

1:53:20

(Confused by the avg. pace. It seems Excel can’t do math!)

Reader Interactions

Comments

  5. ZenLizzie says

    Great job!!! I’m trying for my first serious 5k now and your running posts are so motivating!! And thank you for the coffee comment, lol. I always wonder about people drinking coffee before races, and now it makes more sense to me.

    Reply

  7. Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says

    Congratulations! I am so happy for you. It means so much more when you accomplish something like that after not being able to do it due to foot issues before! I really am so happy for you! I hope you have a great rest of the the day!!!

    Reply

  8. Freya @ Brit Chick Runs says

    CONGRATULATIONS!! What a fab time! You must be thrilled 😀 😀 I’ve found I run faster on race days – the adrenalin I think!? I love that Matt biked next to you and brought you flowers- too cute!!
    Seriously biiiiig well done 🙂 I feel so proud 😛
    Have a great afternoon!

    Reply

  9. Heba says

    Hey Kath! This is super impressive! 🙂 Congrats on finishing with such good time. I am training for a 5K now (baby steps.. haha) and it’s still a challenge to keep going after mile 2. lol. This blog post is inspiring! 😉
    -Heba

    Reply

  11. Chloe (Naturally Frugal) says

    Woo hoo! Congrats on your first half marathon, and hooray for lefty – your foot did a great job! I’m always inspired by your upbeat personality and attitude, it makes such a difference and is truly great to see day in and day out.
    I hope you recover well, use that foam roller as much as possible, and rest your tired body. Congrats again Kath!

    Reply

  17. Kori & Kaci says

    Congratulations to you all for finishing an amazing run! Matt is always proving how so incredibly supportive he is of you, and we find that so refreshing and wonderful. We hope you have a fantastic rest of the weekend! 🙂

    Reply

  18. Christine says

    CONGRATS KATH! Any running tips you can dish out? I’m running my first marathon in San Diego June 6th, kind of freaked. Do you recommend a camel pack? If so, what do you suggest I put in it, just plain water? Any advice would be appreciated, love your blog…you have me (as well as the girls I work with!) addicted to oatmeal w/ peanut butter!

    Reply

    • Kath says

      My best tip is just to add on a little at a time! And to get a Garmin, which will really challenge your pace. A Camelbak is definitely recommended for hot weather or long runs! See the “Dress Rehearsal” post for info on what to put inside!

      Reply

  22. Mama Pea says

    Congratulations, Kath. It was especially inspiring seeing how far you’ve come from your injury. I know I won’t ever get to run another half, but I know that I will move on to bigger and better things and still feel challenged and fulfilled! Have a great weekend!

    Reply

  25. Daniel says

    Congrats!! That’s such a nice time! I can’t believe how seeing someone else do a half-marathon provides so much motivation to do one yourself!

    Happy recovering!

    Reply

  29. Amanda (Two Boos Who Eat) says

    Congrats Kath and Emily! I loved reading this recap. I hope you don’t feel too sore tomorrow. The foam roller was an awesome investment, I bought one immediately after my first 5k. I knew I would need it for future longer runs, I’m so glad I bought it.

    So excited for you! That’s a fantastic & speedy time!

    Reply

  30. JessicaE says

    You rock, girlie! And sorry for the vanity but I just love your hair high up and messy in the foam rolling picture. Adorable 😀

    Reply

  47. Ali says

    Congratulations! My half marathon is in 3 weeks and I’m hoping to break the 2:00 mark – thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply

  52. Dad says

    Congrats Kath. Hey remember CIGNA tried to dump us from their health plan to avoid having to pay for your foot surgery. Whew, close call. I never thought you’d be doing this kind of distance running.

    Reply

  54. Allie (Live Laugh Eat) says

    WAY TO GO KATH!!!! I remember when you were first thinking of registering for a half mary a couple months ago. Of course I knew you could do it but it sure feels good when it’s official huh?

    What a great race you had. I’m so proud 🙂

    Reply

  57. Jessica @ The Process of Healing says

    Congrats girl, that is awesome!!!!!
    And your whole foot injury gives me hope. I was supposed to be running that same half this morning but I’ve been off of running and exercise (and now on crutches) since December. So today was really hard for me. But I know that there WILL be more races in the future. I’m so happy for you!

    Reply

  61. Gena says

    This slow runner is in awe!

    Kath, congrats. That’s an awesome finish, and it sounds like you had fun, too, which is even better. I’m proud and glad for you!

    Reply

  62. Tara says

    Congratulations!!! That is an awesome time and your pictures of the race are fabulous! You look super strong throughout the entire thing! Maybe now you’ll want to take on a full marathon??

    Reply

  63. Hillary says

    Congrats, Kath! That’s such a great time for your 1st half. I knew you would ROCK it! Most of all, it sounds like you had a blast. To many more wonderful runs…

    – The Nutrition Nut

    Reply

  64. Becca says

    Congratulations! I’ve just started reading this blog and I’ve really been enjoying it… especially for the running inspiration. Would you consider adding a tab for running with some of your training info? I’ve run a couple 10K races in the past, but have let things slide. I’m now trying to gear myself up for a half-marathon later this year and would love to hear how you did it.

    Reply

    • Kath says

      Welcome!

      I really should do a whole page on running and the few races I’ve done. Remind me again if you don’t see it soon!

      Reply

  65. Jess says

    Way to go! And don’t worry, you’re probably not injured. Maybe a slight strain, but just reward yourself with a few days off and you’ll probably be fine.

    Reply

  69. ri'chele says

    Congrats has been fun watching your journey. You are an inspiration. I would love to finish a half in under two hours, I have been so slow! Hills kill me. How did you do it?

    Reply

  70. Rachel says

    Congratulations Kath! Your pace is amazing. I love reading how supportive you are of your friends, how supportive they are of you, and how much you and Matt care for each other. It is so refreshing. Have a wonderful afternoon/evening and relax that amazing body!

    Reply

  71. Wendy says

    Congrats Kath – great race! I’m running half mary #3 tomorrow, and I’m just as excited/nervous as I was for the first one. Racing is such fun!

    Reply

  72. Melissa says

    btw its so funny you immediately went to get a foam roller! there was one day I woke up (I had run way too much in the previous week due to the nice weather haha) and just KNEW my body needed it. I went on a hunt to three different stores before I found it. It really is the best!

    Reply

  74. Justy2003 says

    AWESOME job! So glad you enjoyed it…and at a great pace, too! Congrats on your first half-marathon!

    Reply

  75. Kelly says

    Congrats on your time!! That is great!! I would probably take like 12 hours to finish that, ha. You must be so proud of yourself! This post *almost* makes me want to do one too! 😉

    Reply

  76. Jill says

    Hey Kath! You should sync your garmin with Garmin Connect. It logs your splits and calculates all of your averages for you as well. It is much easier than the Garmin download on your computer and you can access it anywhere. Let me know if you need any help setting it up!

    http://connect.garmin.com/

    🙂

    Reply

  78. Tamicka says

    I know everyone has already said it but CONGRATULATIONS! I want you to know that you and emily have inspired me want to run. I have asthma so I have to make my lungs work with me, but watching you guys push and do such a great job inspire me as well. My first 5K will be in August. Thanks Kath!

    Reply

  81. Katherine says

    Congrats, Kath!! Your time is truly amazing, and thanks for sharing so much of the training process with all of us. I’m running one in two months and will try out your sports drink. Congrats again, rest up!

    Reply

  88. Nicole says

    Congratulations on your race! That weather really does look beautiful. (And what a fun surprise to get flowers!)

    Smoothies have been a really big thing at my house recently. 🙂

    I would love to get a foam roller! Occasionally I will try using the one at my gym, but I don’t really spend a decent amount of time using it to stretch because it’s a little awkward since there is not really a stretching area in my gym, more of a find-some-space-near-a-weights-machine place haha.

    Reply

  89. Janice down the veggie road says

    Congrats on the race!!! That is Awesome– I would love to do one- I have bad plantar fascitis from years of jobs on my feet/hard surfaces in retail and since 2000 on the OT therapy field on my feet all day ;(

    I had a question on your SIAB today (and my apologizes if you already provided this answer somewhere) but when you say “coconut water” what do you use ( is it like coconut milk)??
    Congrats again 😉

    Reply

  101. Laura says

    Speedy Gonzalez… well done you! But Kath, you didn’t mention how the bears did? Was it a case of them leaving you and Emily in the dust- I should think so too after all that carb loading they did in your garden yesterday! I have my fingers crossed for you that none of the aches and twinges turn out to be race related injuries. Hope you are enjoying a post-race endorphin filled afternoon, and thank you for another lovely post 😉

    Reply

  107. Stephanie says

    GOOD JOB KATH! Thats incredible! Im so proud of you!!

    And omigosh, that pic of you on the foam roller is SO CUTE haha. Keep us updated with your recovery!

    Reply

  108. caronae says

    Congrats congrats congrats! So happy you were able to do it ( and that we got to “train” together once, haha). I love your recovery smoothie, so nutritious. And the flowers Matt gave you at the end; he’s so sweet! Hope you’re having a stellar Saturday!

    Reply

  112. SallyH @ accountablelife.wordpress.com says

    Wow! I’m so impressed. You look like you just took a jog around the block; I’d be sweating bullets and all redfaced. Well, the longest I run is a mile, so I probably wouldn’t even be alive. That pic of you with the boot on your foot really puts it all in perspective what some focus and effort can really do even when life is challenging. Thanks for the inspiration, Kath!

    Reply

  115. Danica says

    AWESOME!!! The way you ran your race you would’ve never thought it was your first. I LOVE that Matt rode his bike along the way and you had friends to watch out for along the way – it makes races so fun that way.

    Beautiful flowers too! 🙂

    Reply

  120. Crystal says

    Congrats on a great race! I aspire to be as fast as you someday. You should be proud of such a great accomplishment!

    Reply

  122. Ashley says

    Yaaaay, so excited for you. What an amazing time! I hope you’re getting to relax a little bit today…you were SO busy after your race yesterday. I could not have gone walking around the mall after 😉 I remember those hills…way to tear them UP! Congrats!!! 🙂

    Reply

  126. stephanie svajgl says

    way to go! I was supposed to run a 1/2 at the end of April, but have bursitis in my hip and have to take some time off of running. Do you have any tips for bursitis? I am going to physical therapy for it, but it isn’t helping as quickly as I would like. I would love to run a 1/2 in May or June, but even that is looking undoable at this point. I enjoy your blog. Thanks for all of your tips, information and recipes!

    Reply

  127. Hannah says

    Congrats Kath! I’ve watched your journey. You’ve trained hard and you deserve all the good feelings after a race well run. Thanks, too for the recipe for your sports drink. I’m running the Big Sur Int’l Marathon on the 25th and will use your recipe!

    Reply

  128. Yellow Joy Girl says

    I’m proud of you! It’s really something you have to see and be a part of to believe, isn’t it? The electric energy of all of the people assembled. I’m training now for my second half-marathon and I think I may be addicted! People wore signs that said incredible things like “You’re so pretty and smart,” and “If it was easy, I’d be doing it!” I laughed out loud as I ran several times. Here’s a link to my recollections of that very first Half Marathon, in case you ever have the time and/or the inclination to check it out. The experience was truly a highlight of my entire life and I can’t wait to do it again in May. Cheers, fellow RunnerGirl!

    http://joyissoyellow.wordpress.com/2011/10/18/my-first-half-marathon/

    Reply

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