Cincinnati Flying Pig Half Recap
We arrived home last night, but I didn't feel like writing much since I was feeling sore and crampy; today, I'm feeling a little better, but my legs are still VERY sore (probably should seriously stretch).
Well....I did it! I finished a half marathon, and that was pretty much all I could handle yesterday. My finish time was 2:25. I was slightly disappointed in not being faster, but then again, I stopped several times to go to the bathroom and there were HARD hills as well, so at least I still finished under my goal time of 2:30.
On Saturday, we drove down to Cincinnati to pick up my race packet. I was hoping to explore the expo, but since we had both our dogs in the car, we decided to skip it and just continue up to Middletown where my in laws live. We had lunch with my MIL and then did a lot of sitting around the table chatting and deciding where to go for dinner. Sadly, I took hardly any pictures this weekend.:( So I can't show you the spectacular dinner I had at the Grand Finale in Sharonville or my race outfit, or of the gorgeous course in Cincinnati. I'm sorry.) A few days ago it was Ryan's and my 8 year anniversary of our first date, and one of the first dates we went on was to the Grand Finale restaurant. They're pricey, but the food is so good and the ambiance is perfect. I got salmon pistachio cakes w/ a house salad and chocolate pie for dessert. At first, I debated getting pasta since that's what runners "do" before a race, but I figured salmon has all those omega 3's AND it would be a long time until I'd be back again, so I just got what I wanted. No regrets!
We got back and headed to bed earlier than usual since I was planning on getting up at 4am (we were staying about 30-45 min. away from downtown Cincy and had to think about traffic, too), but since I am not used to going to bed at 9 or 10, I had a tough time falling asleep. And what happened next kind of is to blame for dragging the entire race down from enjoyable to a not-so-pleasant experience: my lady time arrived:( Ryan thinks I shouldn't talk about stuff like that, but in cases like these, I think it's important to account for all details. Most women know when to expect their "time"; mine tends to come whenever it wants to. So, while it was lingering in the back of my mind a few months ago, I just prayed it would start before or after the race. Nope. It decided to pay me a visit right ON race day. Yay! So being worried about that is what partially kept me up. I think I may have gotten 2 or 3 hours of solid sleep. I was up at 4am, got into my race clothes, ate a Zone bar, took the dogs out, waited for Ryan to get dressed, and then we were off!
Ryan dropped me off on Central Ave. where my corral was gathering (I chose corral G with all the slow runners...didn't realize how slow until we got started, though), and it was pretty easy to find. The weather was kind of cool, but I was okay with just a tank top and my running tights, since I knew it would get warmer in a bit. The race started right at 6:30, but of course, we all stood around just waiting for about 15 minutes until we could get moving. And that's when I realized I was standing in the middle of a bunch of WALKERS! ARGH! So, I had a very slow time getting across the start line, but luckily I had a chip timer so it recorded my time from start to finish.
I had taken a lot of tylenol to help with cramps, so for the first 5 or 6 miles, I felt really good. My legs felt strong, my breathing was fine, the weather was perfect (also, next time I'll have to start in a faster corral, I may have been slowed down trying to weave in and out of all the walkers and 13 minute mile runners). I remember it was before mile 7 I suddenly had TO GO. Normally, I NEVER stop to go to the bathroom, not even when I'm just running at home for fun. And I definitely never do it for races. For pete's sake, I stopped like 3 times--it was that bad. The last time I stopped, thankfully, it was at the top of the hill at Krohn conservatory and there was an actual restroom right there on my left, and no lines. I was grateful, and after that I felt better to keep going. For sure, I lost 10 minutes just stopping and waiting around to use the bathroom. Sigh, oh well.
Around mile 9, the start of the descent, I heard someone call my name, and it was my husband and my MIL. They made it! I wasn't expecting to see them until I was done, but my husband knows how slow I am and had a hunch I'd be where I was at the time he thought. I asked him to join me in the last 3-4 miles, and I think if it weren't for him, my time would have definitely gone over 2:30. He ran ahead of me most of the time to get me to go after him, but that's when my legs started feeling fatigued. There weren't any more hills at this point, but all that pounding caught up with me at this point. There were some spurts here and there where I really pushed it, but then I'd have to slow down again to catch my breath. Around mile 12, I thought I was going to collapse, but at this point, the crowds were getting larger and louder ("You're almost there!") and I really wasn't going fast at all...I wouldn't be surprised if I was doing 12-13 min. miles at this time. When I saw the finish line, I gave it one final push and sped past everyone across the finish. Made it! Ahhhhh.
It took awhile, but finally found Ryan and we met up with my MIL who was waiting in the car. After that, I was spent. We went out for burgers at Terri's Turf Club w/ some friends, but I think I may have been in a daze the whole time. My legs hurt, the cramps came back and I just wanted to sleep.
SO. That was our weekend in Cincinnati. I wasn't really feeling the race most of the time, but I'm still glad I did it for the experience, and the course itself (and I think it's even more beautiful for the full marathon) is gorgeous and interesting. I came away from it with a few lessons learned--most of them having to do with being more organized w/ my planning. And even though I love the city of Cincinnati, this whole weekend felt hectic--but maybe it was also because I wasn't feeling my normal self, and so I couldn't fully enjoy it. But that's the other lesson: DON'T plan a race that coincides with your monthly cycle. Ugh.
I also need to remember to take PICTURES!
Now, back to real life. I've got a full teaching load today and tomorrow, but I've got Wednesday off, so at least there's that.
Thanks for listening to me ramble on about a race. :)
Well....I did it! I finished a half marathon, and that was pretty much all I could handle yesterday. My finish time was 2:25. I was slightly disappointed in not being faster, but then again, I stopped several times to go to the bathroom and there were HARD hills as well, so at least I still finished under my goal time of 2:30.
On Saturday, we drove down to Cincinnati to pick up my race packet. I was hoping to explore the expo, but since we had both our dogs in the car, we decided to skip it and just continue up to Middletown where my in laws live. We had lunch with my MIL and then did a lot of sitting around the table chatting and deciding where to go for dinner. Sadly, I took hardly any pictures this weekend.:( So I can't show you the spectacular dinner I had at the Grand Finale in Sharonville or my race outfit, or of the gorgeous course in Cincinnati. I'm sorry.) A few days ago it was Ryan's and my 8 year anniversary of our first date, and one of the first dates we went on was to the Grand Finale restaurant. They're pricey, but the food is so good and the ambiance is perfect. I got salmon pistachio cakes w/ a house salad and chocolate pie for dessert. At first, I debated getting pasta since that's what runners "do" before a race, but I figured salmon has all those omega 3's AND it would be a long time until I'd be back again, so I just got what I wanted. No regrets!
We got back and headed to bed earlier than usual since I was planning on getting up at 4am (we were staying about 30-45 min. away from downtown Cincy and had to think about traffic, too), but since I am not used to going to bed at 9 or 10, I had a tough time falling asleep. And what happened next kind of is to blame for dragging the entire race down from enjoyable to a not-so-pleasant experience: my lady time arrived:( Ryan thinks I shouldn't talk about stuff like that, but in cases like these, I think it's important to account for all details. Most women know when to expect their "time"; mine tends to come whenever it wants to. So, while it was lingering in the back of my mind a few months ago, I just prayed it would start before or after the race. Nope. It decided to pay me a visit right ON race day. Yay! So being worried about that is what partially kept me up. I think I may have gotten 2 or 3 hours of solid sleep. I was up at 4am, got into my race clothes, ate a Zone bar, took the dogs out, waited for Ryan to get dressed, and then we were off!
Ryan dropped me off on Central Ave. where my corral was gathering (I chose corral G with all the slow runners...didn't realize how slow until we got started, though), and it was pretty easy to find. The weather was kind of cool, but I was okay with just a tank top and my running tights, since I knew it would get warmer in a bit. The race started right at 6:30, but of course, we all stood around just waiting for about 15 minutes until we could get moving. And that's when I realized I was standing in the middle of a bunch of WALKERS! ARGH! So, I had a very slow time getting across the start line, but luckily I had a chip timer so it recorded my time from start to finish.
I had taken a lot of tylenol to help with cramps, so for the first 5 or 6 miles, I felt really good. My legs felt strong, my breathing was fine, the weather was perfect (also, next time I'll have to start in a faster corral, I may have been slowed down trying to weave in and out of all the walkers and 13 minute mile runners). I remember it was before mile 7 I suddenly had TO GO. Normally, I NEVER stop to go to the bathroom, not even when I'm just running at home for fun. And I definitely never do it for races. For pete's sake, I stopped like 3 times--it was that bad. The last time I stopped, thankfully, it was at the top of the hill at Krohn conservatory and there was an actual restroom right there on my left, and no lines. I was grateful, and after that I felt better to keep going. For sure, I lost 10 minutes just stopping and waiting around to use the bathroom. Sigh, oh well.
Around mile 9, the start of the descent, I heard someone call my name, and it was my husband and my MIL. They made it! I wasn't expecting to see them until I was done, but my husband knows how slow I am and had a hunch I'd be where I was at the time he thought. I asked him to join me in the last 3-4 miles, and I think if it weren't for him, my time would have definitely gone over 2:30. He ran ahead of me most of the time to get me to go after him, but that's when my legs started feeling fatigued. There weren't any more hills at this point, but all that pounding caught up with me at this point. There were some spurts here and there where I really pushed it, but then I'd have to slow down again to catch my breath. Around mile 12, I thought I was going to collapse, but at this point, the crowds were getting larger and louder ("You're almost there!") and I really wasn't going fast at all...I wouldn't be surprised if I was doing 12-13 min. miles at this time. When I saw the finish line, I gave it one final push and sped past everyone across the finish. Made it! Ahhhhh.
It took awhile, but finally found Ryan and we met up with my MIL who was waiting in the car. After that, I was spent. We went out for burgers at Terri's Turf Club w/ some friends, but I think I may have been in a daze the whole time. My legs hurt, the cramps came back and I just wanted to sleep.
SO. That was our weekend in Cincinnati. I wasn't really feeling the race most of the time, but I'm still glad I did it for the experience, and the course itself (and I think it's even more beautiful for the full marathon) is gorgeous and interesting. I came away from it with a few lessons learned--most of them having to do with being more organized w/ my planning. And even though I love the city of Cincinnati, this whole weekend felt hectic--but maybe it was also because I wasn't feeling my normal self, and so I couldn't fully enjoy it. But that's the other lesson: DON'T plan a race that coincides with your monthly cycle. Ugh.
I also need to remember to take PICTURES!
Now, back to real life. I've got a full teaching load today and tomorrow, but I've got Wednesday off, so at least there's that.
Thanks for listening to me ramble on about a race. :)
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