Space Coast Half Marathon Race Report

I did it. I conquered the half marathon! Yesterday, I started and completed the Space Coast Half Marathon in Cocoa Beach, Florida. It was an amazing experience, through all the emotions it brought me. As of right now, I don't know if I'll do another half marathon, but I wouldn't rule it out. 


 The day started off early, and I mean early. I woke up just before 2am to get ready to meet my friend, Yolanda in Celebration to ride to the race together. She was sweet enough to offer to let me come along so that I wasn't driving to Cocoa Beach solo. Once I met up with her at 3:30am, we were on the road to the race. During the hour and fifteen minute ride, we had a great conversation discussing just about everything. It was great getting to know her better since we had always missed each other at previous races. 

We arrived and parked before 5am which was great timing. Once we got the rest of our gear on (arm sleeves, hats/headbands, numbers), we walked over to the race area (okay, we made our first port-o-potty stop before we reached said area, but you can never go to the restroom too many times before a race IMO).  We chatted with some fellow runners/walkers and took a few pre-race photos. It's amazing how quickly an hour can go by, and before we knew it we had just enough time to make another port-o-let stop and check our bags before heading to the starting line. Yolanda and I said our goodbyes and good luck and went to our respective pacing points. 

The National Anthem was sung and the shuttle blasted off our start countdown and we were off! Well, sort of. Since I was at the back of the pack, I waited. I waited nine minutes before I hit the start mat. But, once I did, I got moving. I played it smart out the gate and didn't go too fast. The beginning of the first mile was through downtown before we hit the residential area by the water. By the end of mile one, it was extremely windy and it even started to rain! At first, I didn't even think the drops of water hitting me were rain, I thought it was the water being blown in by the water to our left. But, it was rain. It stayed pretty windy for awhile, but the light rain did die down. Unfortunately, it returned a mile or so later. I hit 5k much later than I expected or liked. The clock time, while not my actual chip time, said it was about an hour into the race. I know my first race pit stop didn't help matters (I lost 3-4 minutes because of it since I had to wait for one of them to be empty). So, I picked up the pace. 

The second 5k went okay. The weather could have been cooler, but this is Florida, not much can be done about it unfortunately. I was just happy that the rain had taken a hike. I was enjoying my music and moving along. I hit the 10k mark at a better pace, but I still wasn't so sure I would be able to finish under or even at 3:30 since I thought I was not moving as fast as I wanted. It was about mile 6.5 that the route had a turn around point and this made me happy because once I made it through the turnaround I would be heading back and closer to the finish. There was still quite a ways to go, but this became the start of my mental talk with myself. 

Between miles 7 and the 15k mat, I tried to distract myself with my music. Then, I realized that fellow runners were coming down the other side and now, there were full marathoners. This meant that I would probably see my friends, Yolanda and Kitzzy at some point. Knowing this also helped some. I jammed along to songs like Back in Time by Huey Lewis (from my favorite movie) and even the Cell Block Tango from the Chicago soundtrack. Before I knew it, I saw Yolanda coming toward me and instantly, it brought a smile to my face. She yelled my name and encouragement at me as I waved and did the same for her. It definitely was a bright moment for me. 


I hit the 15k mat not long after that and I was so grateful for that. But, I still had a ways to go. Those last four miles would prove to be the most difficult of all. Mile 9.3 to 10 wasn't too bad, I was still feeling okay, so I guess really it was the last 5k that was rough. My mental talk really had to hit high gear because I was hurting and just wanted to stop. I didn't let myself stop moving though. I knew if I did that, I would likely not want to get going again. My legs were crying out that they hated me, but I told them that it would all be worth it very soon. Not so sure they believed me, but thankfully, they kept going. Right before I hit mile 11, I spotted my friend Kitzzy, and while I tried to smile at her, I'm not so sure I was successful. My back began to kill me not long after mile 11 which sucked. But, I kept pushing myself to keep moving. I kept the mental talk going convincing myself that it wasn't THAT much further, heck, I was just out doing a couple miles, right? Funny the things we say to ourselves to push through during a race or hard workout. 

My positive talk and keeping up to the beat of my music helped me make it to mile 13. This is a brick sidewalk that ends up spiraling around to the finish line. Something inside me ignited and I began to run. I just took off. It felt good despite the pain in my back and legs. I overdid the speed I took my run in, so I had to stop for a few seconds before sprinting back into a run as I saw and hit the finish line. Crossing that line felt SOOO good. I had done it, I had just completed my first half marathon. And, I did it under 3:30! My official chip time was 3:28:50! Getting my medal and other finisher swag was a bit of a blur. They also gave me an ice cold towel which was great. I used it to calm my back and it actually helped. I noticed my pain, well my back pain anyway calmed down significantly once I was done with the race. 

I then joined Jason, Kitzzy's boyfriend by the finish spectator area. He had not only run the half marathon, he was now photographing the finish for all of us which was awesome and very nice of him. I asked him how his race went, and he told me he PRed which was great. We then waited for Kitzzy, Yolanda and some others to finish their marathons. Seeing Yolanda cross that finish line was awesome, she looked so strong despite how she felt (later found out that she was in pain). I then went over and found her after she got her medal and met her husband and son. We took some photos then went back over to spectate and see Kitzzy finish. While we waited for Kitzzy, we met some fellow daily milers, and one that has been an inspiration to both of us. Kitzzy finished despite her struggles and I applaud her for it. She finished her second marathon and that's beyond amazing in my book.

Leaving the race, Yolanda and I found a Starbucks and relaxed for a few minutes with our drinks. Then, we headed back to Celebration. We had another great talk in the car. She really made the race a lot more fun for me, as I got to share the experience with a friend.


No real future plans as of right now. I promised myself that I would take December easy after Space Coast, so that's what I'm going to do. I'll likely do the Jingle Bell Run 5k, but nothing else planned yet. That's not to say that I'm not looking or open to race suggestions for 2012 though. As far as doing another half marathon, well if the right race presented itself, I might be convinced to sign up. :)

T-Minus 8 Days To Race Blast Off!

I’m beginning to visualize race day now. At least I’m attempting to do so. I’m trying to imagine what the experience will be like, at least the overall jest of it. It’s both exciting and nerve wracking at the same time. I’m trying to stay as positive as possible and not let myself get too worried.

 

I already have come to the realization that I’ll get little to no sleep the night before due to not only the excitement of the race, but due to the travel time it is going to take to get to Cocoa Beach. Because of this, I’m planning on getting as much sleep as I can the day or two prior. I am still working out the logistics of that though, as I work the Friday before and will working until 8pm. So, it’s going to be a challenge to not want to sleep in on Saturday. Although, maybe that is the best way to do things that day…again, I’m still working the details out on that.

 

Beyond the whole sleeping situation, I’m visualizing that big jumbo screen with the space shuttle blasting off as we start the race. That is something I’m definitely looking forward to seeing and experiencing. Then, I plan on just taking each mile as they come. I have done 13 miles in my training and while it is not the easiest to do, I’m more than capable of doing it again. Staying positive, and having a good time will make my first half marathon experience all that much better. I’m thankful that I’ll have friends there with me that day doing the full marathon, and I also look forward to being there to see them cross that finish line.

 

Tomorrow morning, I’ve got my last real mileage workout before the race. I am scheduled to do 6-miles before slowing down for the real tapering next week. I’m planning on enjoying it and using it to continue to picture how great race day is going to be, how awesome I’m going to feel crossing the finish line and getting that neat, beautiful medal.

Miracle Miles 15k Race Report

I did it! After over a week of nervousness and anxiety over the 15k, I can proudly say that I conquered it! It really feels good to do something that you never thought you could possibly accomplish. I've learned in the last couple of years that I am so strong and capable of more than I could have ever imagined I could do with God's help. My faith has aided me so much in my journey.

Mom came with me for this race. I was hoping that my dad would also come along as this was another big race for me after my 10k back in March, but it didn't happen. I was so grateful that my mom gave up sleep to get up so early and wait around for me to finish.

We left the house at about a quarter before 6am since I was told the crowds for this event can get crazy. My parents house is about 30 minutes away from downtown Orlando where the race was, so the drive there was not bad at all. I was pleased to see that we got into a garage fairly quickly without any real waiting. I'm sure if I would have left the house much later it would have gotten more crowded. Parked the car and headed toward the race area. I had a lot of time before the 7:20am start time (I believe it was just after 6:30am when we got there), and that was a good thing. I had plenty of time to use the oh-so-fun port-o-lets, get some pre-race water and just try to relax (not really, but I tried!).

Before I knew it, time had flown by and the 15k race was about to get going. I got behind the walkers sign and got my iPod ready to go. Quite a lot of people were lined up for the race which was nice to see as this race benefits Winnie Palmer Hospital for preemie babies. The starting horn blared and feet began to move. I hit the starting line over two minutes after the clock started, so I took note so I had an idea of my actual timing versus the race clock. I also hit my iPod/Nike+ once I crossed the starting line, so that would be accurate at least on my time.

The first mile came easy, but about mile two, a challenge approached, brick road. I hate walking or running on brick. Especially since the brick is not even in the least with some being broken or loose. When possible, I went on the sidewalk. I couldn't avoid the brick all together though, as there were times that it was unavoidable. Not to mention the hills that seemed to come up here and there (guess Florida isn't COMPLETELY flat). I did pretty well up until mile 4. At that point, I began to have some back pain. I prayed that it would calm down and also massaged it a bit, but it still lingered. Since that was the case, I decided to stop at the port-o-lets at mile five. Since my back injury, having to go can cause back pain for me. While I hated to lose the 40 to 60 seconds it would take to stop, I also wanted relief for my back. It just made sense to lose the bit of time for me. Thankfully, the stop was well worth the time loss, as I did feel better once I got back on the race route.

I was doing pretty well from mile five to mile seven, keeping a good pacing. My back was doing fairly well and I felt okay. Once I hit mile seven, my right leg began to really cramp up. Talk about exchanging one problem for another, huh? I massaged it a bit, but that wasn't really helping. So, I paused for a moment and pulled my knee support down to my ankle and continued walking. My hope that this would aid my leg in loosing up worked! It calmed enough to be tolerable to walk through. I ended up pulling the knee support back up to my knee in the last mile or so, as my knee was bothering me. But, keeping it off for that 10 or so minutes of time was of help.

 By the time I saw the mile nine marker, I couldn't have been happier. Both of my legs/calves were so heavy and tight that I just wanted to finish! I did my best to push myself through the final bit of the route. Once I saw the finish line, I went into a running sprint for it. I wanted to cross that finish line strong! I was so happy to finish, but also very drained. This was a long, rough race! My official d-chip time was 2:21:50. However, the route seems to have been a bit longer than 15k. After seeing that other runners also got more than 9.3 miles from their apps/monitors, the course was more like 9.4 to 9.44 miles. So, I had a pace of just over 15 minutes per mile which I'm so proud of. This was a good race, but very challenging. I'm glad I did it though! I now have my first medal and a new distance high for myself. And, I'm already thinking about my next race. :) (NOTE: Some of my awesome co-workers sponsored me in this race, so big thanks to them for helping make this possible for me and for helping support Winnie Palmer.)

Countdown to 15k...

I will be participating in my first 15k race on Saturday. At this point, I'm both excited and nervous about the event. A couple of weeks ago, my 1/2 marathon training called for a 9 mile walk, and I made it through, but it was a push during the last 15 or so minutes. I came to the conclusion that I needed more fuel. By the end, I was not only very hungry, but I was feeling light-headed and tired out since I had only taken one Gu Energy Gel at about mile four. I'm hoping that carrying an additional gel/chews as well as part of an energy bar broken into pieces might help curb those previous problems. Walking for almost 2 1/2 hours takes a lot out of you, and I know now that I wasn't really prepared for that time span.

My only other worry is that my sciatica might cause me some trouble on the course. It comes and goes sometimes, thankfully not as bad as it used to be, but I have had times where my left leg gets numb during a walk. So, I'm doing a lot of positive thinking and praying for this weekend. I know that I have a lot of strength inside and out and that I can do this 15k. I had similar concerns right before my 10k back in March, so I suppose it's just a matter of keeping your head up and knowing that you can and will cross that finish line. I'm thankful for the support that I have in my dailymile running friends. They are great motivators and inspiration for me when I'm having to push through a tough time.

1/2 Marathon Training: Week One

Last week, I started my training for my first 1/2 marathon. My goal race in mind is the Space Coast 1/2 Marathon in November here in Florida. After looking around a bit online for a good walking training program, I ended up settling with one from the www.marathonwalking.com website. The training plan is 14 weeks long and incorporates cross-training into the mix. Since the Space Coast 1/2 is 20 weeks out, I figured that I would repeat some of the weeks so my training would be longer. That works out fine for me considering it would take into account any issues that might crop up along the way. So, each week would consist of walking on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Saturday being the long mileage day. My cross-training days would be on Sunday & Wednesday. Friday will always be a rest day, and Monday I figured I would play with between it being a rest day or a cross-training day.

Sunday started off well, with a nice bike ride in the morning. I love cycling, so that is more than likely going to be my primary cross-training workout. Since I felt so good after that workout, I decided that I didn't need Monday off, so I would again do a cycling session. Tuesday was my first power walk workout on the plan and called for 3 miles which went pretty well. I didn't hit the pacing I wanted, but I was around the 15 minute per mile mark which is still good. Wednesday was another cycling workout. This is when I started to feel some exhaustion coming on. Alas, I thought I'd be okay and didn't hesitate to head out the door and onto my bike. By Thursday's 3-mile walk, I knew my energy was lacking. I really felt it the moment I woke up that morning. And, this showed in my 15:51 per mile pacing. My body was telling me that it needed to rest. Thankfully, I did just that on Friday.

I have come to the conclusion that I really might need those two rest days during my marathon training. So, despite the fact that I'd like to be working out six days a week, I'm going to more in tune with what my body is telling me. Friends told me that marathon training takes a lot more out of you than just standard workouts, but of course, I had to learn that for myself. Guess that's the way things are sometimes.

This week, I'm taking Monday and Friday off per the training schedule. If there are weeks down the line where I have the energy and can workout on Monday, that's great and I'll do it, but if not, that is okay. Our bodies need rest to succeed just as much as the actual training miles we put in.

Also, I have a goal set for before my first 1/2 in November. I'm going to be doing the Miracle Miles 15k on September 24th in Orlando. This is a great in between race as recommended by some dailymile/facebook running friends. I am already looking forward to it as it’s going to be my next race event.

Increasing Workouts

In preparation for my vacation in a couple of weeks, I've decided to increase my workouts a bit. Hopefully, I can keep up with this longer than just this month. I have gotten so into just my power walking that I need to change things up a bit. It will also help in case of boredom as well as toning up which is what I'd like to do.

I got my bike back out yesterday and I enjoyed riding it. On Saturday after my workout, I installed the Cateye bike computer I had gotten from my job for my Christmas gift back in December. I had been procrastinating in getting it on the bike and with the weather being the way it is, it's a great time to be out there cycling. Unfortunately, I must have set the magnetic sensor wrong on the front wheel because it's not reading anything. I messed with it a bit, but ended up giving up until later in the week when I had more time. Meanwhile, I utilized an app called Cardio Trainer on my phone which tracks my workouts via GPS. That worked out okay despite it not providing info on my speed of course.

Today, I got up at a quarter to six planning to head out for a power walk. I knew it would be dark out at 6am, but I wasn't prepared for how truly dark it is with daylight savings time and all. Seeing as how I wasn't so sure that going out in the dark was the best idea safety-wise, I opted to do a workout DVD instead. Since my back injury last March, I hadn't really done much in the fitness DVD area. I used to do them all the time, the DVDs were a big part of my fitness regime when I was losing weight. So, I was both excited and a bit nervous about the workout. I hoped for the best and put in a Jillian Micheals workout recalling that I could most likely do most of the Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism DVD without too much of a problem. I did pretty well, only skipping two of the circuits that didn't seem to be the best moves for my injury. I also modified a few of the other sets to ease into the workouts.

During my lunch break today, I was feeling good so I decided to use part of that time to take a power walk since I hadn't this morning. I ended up doing about 1.7 miles in 26 minutes. I do enjoy walking on my break, but it's a bit more challenging not only due to the terrain around work, but due to the fact that I do my walks in whatever I'm wearing to work that day (running shoes of course though). It was pretty warm out and my legs were a bit sore from yesterday's bike ride, so I didn't do a full two miles which I normally would shoot for mileage-wise. Otherwise, it was a nice walk.

Race Report: 2011 Winter Park Road Race 10k

I was excited about this race, as it was my first-ever 10k and longest race beyond a 5k. Unfortunately, I had been battling a bad cold with congestion all week, so I knew that it might make race day a bit more of a challenge. I was thankful though to have gotten somewhat better by the end of the week. The coughing and congestion still lingered though, the former of the two kept me from getting as much sleep as I would have liked the night before the race (of course the excitement of the race prevents some of that as well). 

Race morning, I awoke at a quarter to 5am, revving to go. My stomach was a flutter with a mixture of nervousness and joy at what the morning might bring. I ate my oatmeal breakfast and got showered and ready to go. After a struggle the evening before as to what to wear, I was glad that I settled on the capris as the weather was a bit cool out that early in the day. I would have preferred a better top, but a previous race shirt is always a comfort for me during training, so I went with the one from my last 5k.

My dad came along to this race as my photographer and support and I was more than glad to have him along. He had never been to one of my race events before, so I was looking forward to sharing this big accomplishment with him. Mom would have come along too, but since she had to work later in the day, I didn't want to ask her to lose sleep. Anyway, dad would get pictures that she could see later.

At about 6:15am, dad and I were off in the car enroute to Winter Park. It's about a 45-minute drive from my parents house, so I wanted to ensure that I arrived at the race location with enough time to find parking and to of course make a pre-race port-o-let stop. I cut down on my water intake a bit before leaving home so as to ensure that I wouldn't have to worry about mid-race urgings. 

 

I got to the starting line area about 10 or so minutes before the horn went off which was good. I ended up striking up a conversation with a guy who had just completed the 2-miler and was doing the Distance Dare challenge. I told him that was something I'll definitely be aiming for in the future as I continue to increase my mileage. One step at a time though.

Before I knew it, the horn blared and we were off. As I hit the starting line, I started my iPod with my 10k playlist. While I love music podcasts like Motion Traxx and Podrunner, I wanted some actual songs for the race. I ended up with a variety of upbeat rock and pop tunes that spanned from the 1980s up until current stuff.

The first couple of miles of the route were pretty easy, less for the brick surface that adorned some of the streets of Winter Park. That's the one thing I wasn't looking forward to, the brick road portions. I'm definitely not a fan of brick roads. They are harder on your legs and back. My preference is simple black asphalt like most roads which is primarily what I train and workout upon. When possible during the race, I opted for the sidewalk as it was a bit more comfortable and consistent.

I ended up downing most of my Gu gel around mile two. This was a bit earlier than planned, but I wasn't sure if there was a water stop at the halfway point (forgot to check). I'm still not a big fan of the gels, but I'm getting more used to them. They do seem to help out enough to make them worth carrying along.

The route for the Road Race passed along a lot of nice, upscale houses in the city. I found myself thinking that these folks must be professionals like doctors and lawyers to afford such large homes. A bit more to look at than my usual fairly mundane neighborhood back at my parents home. There were a few spectators and supporters along the way which always makes you feel good when you are out there pounding the pavement. 

Miles three and four came pretty easy for the most part. I did have some slight numbness starting up in my left leg when I was in the fourth mile, but I did a few stretches as I walked and thankfully, it eased up. By the time I hit the five and a half mark, I admit I was anxious to see the finish line. Also, my Nike+ was telling me that I was almost done when I truly wasn't. It ended up being a full 1k off from the actual race route for some reason. Talk about deceptive motivation. The Nike+ voice was telling me I was 400 feet from the finish line when I was not.

As I hit mile six, I started to do a few running sprints. I did two or three of them before my final sprint at about 300 or so feet from the finish line. It's not advisable for me to run, but I do run across the street during my workouts and I find myself inspired to push a bit to do some sprints at the races like this. It makes me feel good to finish strong like that. My dad and friends, Kitzzy and Jason were at the finish line and both dad and Jason got a few great shots of my victory which is appreciated. I love being able to have photos documenting my accomplishment. I did it, I conquered the 10k! My final d-chip time was 93 minutes, which is a bit slower than I wanted (I had wanted to finish in 90 minutes or less), but I'm still happy with that. Now, I've got a time to beat when I take on my next 10k race. 

As an added note, I injured my back almost exactly a year before this race. The last race I ran before getting hurt was the Winter Park Road Race 2-Miler which took place a couple of weeks earlier in March 2010. I was hurt on March 31st. So, this accomplishment, being about to stay strong and get back out there even power walking is something I am thankful for. Being active is a part of my life now. I can't imagine life without walks, bike rides, hiking and other fun outdoor activities.

Race Report: 2011 Florida Hospital Lady Track Shack 5k

This was my first race event for 2011 and I couldn't have been more excited about doing it. The Lady Track Shack 5k was my first Track Shack race last year and I had such a great time and experience that doing that event got me into doing the local races as much as possible.

The difference this year was that I was a walker and not a runner/walker which was how I approached the 5k in 2010. Funny thing is, I did better time this year power walking than I did last year rotating the walking and running. I attribute that to being in slightly better shape and that fact that I'm now more accustomed to the races.

Since I was so looking forward to the event, when I woke up the Wednesday morning prior in a lot of pain in my right foot, I was concerned. Apparently, I had some tendinitis going on. I found myself limping at times both that day and the next. I prayed and did everything I could in hopes that the foot would be better before the race. I was very thankful that when I woke up Friday, it was about 80% better and I could walk without much pain. I was even happier and more thankful that by Friday evening and upon waking race morning that I felt even better. Nothing worse than being injured and not being able to do a race because of it (happened to me once last year with the back injury).

The weather on race morning was beautiful. It was in the mid-60s which felt great. I wore my No Excuses Wear, 'Shut Up and Sweat' t-shirt and black running pants. A number of ladies were wearing shorts and I came to the realization that I could have worn shorts myself or at least capris. In the end though, I was fairly comfortable, and that is what's important.

Start of the race ended up being a few minutes behind schedule, but not too bad. With almost 2,000 women doing the event, the beginning was a bottleneck. Definitely not like it was at the Turkey Trot in November thankfully though. Once I was able to get some space, I was able to really start moving into my fast power walking pace. I hit the first mile at under 14 minutes which shocked me, I was hauling some butt! I pretty much kept up that pacing through mile two which was nice.

My only real complaint with the route was that Winter Park has a lot of brick roads. This is not the friendliest surface for backs, legs and feet. I found myself thankful when we were back on regular black asphalt. About 2.5 miles or so in, there was an area where you pass side by side with the faster runners who are about a half mile or so ahead of you. It was at that point where I saw a friend, Kitzzy Aviles and we both waved at one another. Kitzzy is an extremely active gal who bikes just about everywhere in Orlando and runs her tail off to boot. It's always nice to see familiar faces during the racing events.

I finished the race at 44:41 which is my best time for a 5k ever. That means I PRed, despite the tendinitis that week! I was all smiles when I crossed that finish line. Every race, it still feels great to me. You need to celebrate your accomplishments in life. Set challenges and goals for yourself and get out there and do them. It's amazing how good you feel pushing yourself to do things that you never thought possible.