As I mentioned in the 2020 blog post, the Half marathon was painful and frustrating… 3 years later, I had such high hopes for it.
Going into race morning, I had a thorough plan with Amanda and Taylor. It involved proper hydration and nutrition, along with watching the pacing. Amanda had a hydration vest as part of that plan, which helped tremendously in so many ways.
Because of the walk from the expo center to the start line, and that wheelies start so early, I had an extra base layer on top. While I followed that part of the plan properly (knowing we’d be standing for an hour), I had forgotten the Tylenol in the car. I didn’t realize this until it was far too late…
As we started, the sun started coming up and it started warming up. By about mile 2, I was starting to get hot enough that I needed to peel the base layer off. While I had hoped for a port-a-potty, I had to settle for a ‘quick change’. Thankfully the hydration vest’s pouch ensured that I didn’t have to choose between carrying it for 11+ m or fighting with pitching an expensive UA top.
Things went well and on plan through at least mile 4. But by 5, it was a run/walk and run mix. By mile 7, I was feeling the same pain that I had at about mile 5 the prior year. I know that I tried to run at some point in mile 7, but I just couldn’t.
So at least the last 6 miles were mostly a walk. Both Amanda and Taylor helped me to soldier through it, especially when the pain got really bad between miles 11 and 12. Even though I was in so much pain, I decided that I was still going to try to run through the chute.
While I was concerned that I would tear something in the last 25 yd (I could feel it), it all held together. I was in so much pain walking back to the expo center. All I wanted to do was sit.
Thank you to Team Catapult for their support and all of my guides / support staff throughout the weekend. Also, I really appreciated one of my friends that was running the full seeing me struggling and encouraging me on. That was somewhere around mile 12 (Half) and 25 (Full) where the full goes under the Half goes over the overpass.
While the Half was still a struggle, I do intend to be back in 2024. I will continue training, and continue working towards a successful Half!
