PF Changs Rock N Roll Arizona Half Marathon Race Report
18 Jan
Its been long enough, I am ready to get back to blogging! I am so sorry for such a long hiatus. It was one of my New Year’s resolutions this year to get back to blogging about my running, so here I am, ready to dish on my latest races and training.
My running is still going strong. I am still loving it, still racing, still working on getting faster, still got that Boston goal somewhere out ahead of me. I don’t really know HOW far ahead of me. A few years maybe. I’m not anxious to take up a rigorous training plan, so I’m going with the slow and steady approach. It seems that I naturally get a little faster each year. Maybe I’ll eventually get there without having to change much in my training.
I’m kicking off the New Year and the firing up of the blog with my first race report: the PF Chang’s Arizona Rock and Roll half marathon.
This race was a little bittersweet for me. I have run the full marathon for the past 3 years and to only be running the half had me feeling little sentimental. Its hard to explain why I didn’t train to run the full marathon this year. Its been kinda a bumpy year. With all of that has been going on I just couldn’t find the energy to do the really long runs required to train for a full. Breaking 4 hours in the marathon last year was such a great feeling. As race weekend approached this year I found myself feeling a little apathetic about it. The contrast of this year to last seemed so great.
However, I was determined to not let that bring me down. I have still been running quite a bit and keeping a 10-13 mile long most weekends. My friend Sheila and I have decided to make Spring 2010 the season of the half marathon. We have a half marathon scheduled almost every month until June when we are hoping to run the San Diego Rock and Roll full marathon. A calender full of races makes me happy! We even bought matching running outfits that we can wear in our upcoming events.
We had a couple of goals going into this race. Our first major goal was to get Sheila a new PR. She had PR’d just last month at the Las Vegas half in 1:51. In her words, she had “run her ass off” to get that time, and wasn’t sure she could go any faster. My PR was 1:46:40, which I set last spring. I had a good feeling that Sheila could run faster than 1:51 with a little encouragement. We run most saturdays together and our abilities have always seemed well matched. I wanted to stick with her, so I wasn’t really concerned with setting a PR for myself. Also, I wasn’t sure if I was still in as good of shape as I was last spring. I was expecting we’d come in about 1:49 or 1:50.
It was weird being dropped off at the start line while it was still light out – after three years of doing the full and arriving while it was still dark. Before long, the gun had gone off and we were flying down the streets of Phoenix.
The weather was great and I wasn’t even cold in my tank top and shorts. I can’t believe how fast it went. I kept looking at the average pace on my Garmin which by the half way mark was around 8:11. I felt really good the entire time. My hip was talking to me a little bit by the end, but it didn’t slow me down. Sheila was getting some pain in her hamstring and I could tell she was struggling in the last few miles. I kept encouraging her. I could tell my legs were ready to power through the last few miles, but she wasn’t there. At about mile 12.5, I flipped my Garmin to show me the time, and it said 1:41. I told Sheila, YOU are definitely going to PR! And I might too! I was excited. The crowd got big and loud as we came through the last half mile. We we were flying in at about a 7:10 pace. Wheeee! Poor Sheila was ready for it to be over but I was just loving every second. I grabbed her hand as we flew over the finish and then clicked stop on my watch. 1:46:48. I had virtually tied my PR. I was VERY happy since I had not really expected to come close. Sheila was excited too. I can’t help but wonder a little bit what my time would have been if I had run by myself but I don’t have any regrets about running with Sheila. Its always so much more fun to cross the finish line with a friend and ultimately its about having fun.
It was a great day and a great way to kick off our season of half marathons. In the next few days I’ll post pictures and stats of the race as well as my upcoming race calender.
Happy running!
congrats on the half! you were right there with your current pr, so obviously you are poised to smash it this year if you get the chance to race a half again
welcome back to blog land! it’s felt like forever.
Thanks Lindsay! I’m gonna be catching up on everyone’s blogs over the next few days. I know it has been awhile!
congrats on your half. I ran it too. But, at a much slower pace.
You know, without sheila you might have pushed too hard, crashed and burned. It’s nice that you didn’t leave her behind towards the end and finished together. Good luck this year.
Welcome back and nice report! A season of half marathons sounds like a great plan. I’m looking forward to seeing what you’ve got scheduled!
Yay! Glad you are back, I have been looking forward to it! Congrats on a great race! Are you doing Lost Dutchman 1/2?
Woooow! You’re back! You were my inspiration last year when I first started long distance training… so glad that you’re here again.
Congrats on a great half marathon!! Glad to see you back in blogland!!
Doesn’t it make you feel good to see so many comments welcoming you back to blogging?
You ran a great race, and that’s awesome how you were there for your friend. And basically matched yourself from last year!
Btw, I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but in the photos, you look really good. You look like you are at the perfect weight – I know that’s been a concern in the past. Honestly, my first thought was “she looks awesome!”
AZ Pat – I think you could be right. I had that happen at the AZ Distance classic last year. I acutlly PR’d there but walked some in the last few miles because I went out too fast. I think Sheila helped keep me from doing that again.
Jill – Thanks for the warm welcome back!
Ariana – Yes I’m doing it! I’ll see you there!
Lauren – Thanks for the welcome back. Its good to be missed
Rachel – Thanks!
Terri – You are super sweet. Yes it does feel good that so many people actually read this humble blog, even have a 6 month break! And thanks for the comments on the pictures. I am flattered, I don’t know what to say!
Welcome back! I was hoping you would blog again!
It sounds like a great race. Running with friends is the best! I have never PR’d with a friend. Someday, that would be GREAT. Congrats to your friend Sheila. That is quite a PR so soon after Las Vegas!
I’m glad that you are back to blogging, I was wondering how was your training going last year. Gratz on a great race, I’ve run with a friend a few times too, and even if I don’t go as fast as usually, it’s a really good and fun thing to do. Specially if you help them set an awesome PR like you did.