NWMDC | Race Report

 (And if you missed, it, Saturday fun here)

This post is hard to swallow. I wish this the recap I'd been dreaming of writing for the last six weeks - that I could tell you I sub-2ed finally, at the magical tenth half marathon I've run. That I ran strong, solid, and smart and I achieved my goal and more. But I can't.

What I can tell you is that I ran a 2:01:33, which (and I'm trying to be real) is nothing to scoff at, given that it's a 7:36 PR for me. I can tell you that I ran strong (up until 10K), I ran pretty smart, and I ran solid (again, until about 10K). I can tell you that squeaking by my goal is the most defeating and humbling experience, especially once you've put it out into the universe as much as you have. I can tell you that while still fighting with some anger, or frustration, or disappointment, or whatever you might want to call it, that I am coming to terms, that I am accepting a pretty killer PR, and that yes, I am on the hunt for a new race to call my sub-2 goal race.

But with that, I bring you the race day full story.

Me, Kasey, Heather, Carly, Trista, Amanda & Brandi.

With an early alarm clock of 4:20 am, we rolled out of bed and got to work. Pre-race rituals, bib placements, band aids, Gatorade-ing and snackage were a blur as we were out the door at 5 am to walk to Dunkin for coffee and donuts (HP's new PR food of choice) and a bagel (for me) and then on to the Pentagon City Metro stop into the city. I think my sister was taken aback at how early race day really begins with such large races. Thanks for being a great sport, sister! We met up with Kasey, Carly, and Brandi by 6:10, just in time for our pre-race photo shoot and shenanigans to take place, get our stuff to bag check and get to our corrals.

I had thankfully put the correct time pace on my registration (9:00-9:59 minute miles), as you couldn't move up corrals, but you could move back (at registration). What was annoying was that with all the emphasis on this, there was no one checking wristbands at all. In my corral, I talked to a few folks, most of whom were with Team In Training and running their first half, some were running their umpteenth half, and some were just talking about their 2-hour goal. I wish I had actually made an effort to connect with one or two for real, as I could have used a friend on the course when I was starting to lose it. Shalane Flanagan and Joan Benoit Samuelson were introduced where we found out they'd be running with us! We had a moment of silence for Boston, the national anthem, and then we were off!

I've read that further back, corrals were crazy crowded (I don't think it helps that the corral behind me was 10-11:59 pace, whereas every other corral was only a minute at a time). My corral was busy, though not crowded, and I found it manageable. There was a tunnel that we went through not even two miles in, and I came out of that with my Garmin being off - somehow, it ended up a tenth of a mile faster than what the mile marker signs were. I didn't think much of it.

Miles 1-2: Despite not facing terrible crowds, I struggled getting into a groove. Loved the crowd support, the band in the tunnel (it echoed and it was awesome), and generally kind of struggled, but that's not atypical for me. The band-aids on my right ankle were already flapping around before mile 2 (yes, this is pertinent).

5K Split: 28:32, just about a minute behind. While I was concerned, I didn't freak out, as I was trying to hold back and conserve just a little bit so I could bust it out at the end.

Miles 4-5: Russel and my sister were planning on hanging around Lincoln (which we really passed by like three times, depending on the area you were in), so I was hoping I'd see her. Just before the 10K split, she found me! I was so excited to see somebody familiar! It was somewhere in here that I realized those pesky band-aids were gone (very pertinent).

Mile 5-ish. Photo cred: my sister!

10K Split: 56:23, just about a minute and a half behind, but this 5K was faster than my first 5K. I knew I had really picked it up on the bridge.

It was just after the 10K split that I veered over to the water stop (my first stop), grabbed a drink, and was promptly caught up in everyone stopping in their tracks to get through the stop. No, people. With that, my shoe dug into the back of my heel, opening up the tender spot I'd originally covered up. I sprinted to the med tent across from the water stop, yelling "Band-aids!" as loudly as I could. Thankfully, there was no one else at the tent, and both women jumped on ripping open band-aids; they were so sweet and worked as fast as they could, while laughing, "We don't get trained in speed band-aid-ing!" I didn't look at my watch while I was there, in fear of freaking out, but as soon as they were done, I bolted on my way.

Miles 7-9: I was trying to find my way back into the pace I thought I had finally been able to settle in on in that second 5K. I managed to find Krissy, which was really exciting, and held on to run with her for just a few minutes (they were going for an 'easy' sub-2) and dropped back. As we headed into mile 9, they passed me again, so I have no clue when y'all stopped!

15K Split: 1:26:28, which is just about where I should have been (goal pace would be Mile 10 at 1:31:31), I just had to keep it up. Mile 9 was rough for me, as I finally felt the fatigue I thought I'd feel earlier - but it came on hard. My sister missed me at mile 10, as the online live-tracker lagged a bit, so they didn't get there in time, so instead she bolted to the finish to make sure she got me coming in (best sister ever).

Miles 11-12: Mile 10 was up the "hill" (read: a 52 foot incline over the course of the full mile) and Mile 11 was back through the tunnel, and my watch actually lost reception - when I came out, the mileage continued but my pace started over so I left the tunnel running a 0:42" pace (yeah, fail Garmin). We turned the corner, where we were then running against those speedy kids ahead of us, and did the full loop road in front of the Capitol building. Mile 12 just made me angry - I knew I'd have to push it to squeak in, I knew that I'd bolted too fast in the beginning, and I was angry about the wide, big round loop in front of the Capitol. I was angry - and just wanted to be done.

20K Split: 1:55:44, so close and yet so far. I'd have to sprint like there was no tomorrow to make that 1:59:59 clock time at this point.

Hi from the med tent!

The Finish: I kid you not, I hit the Mile 13 banner and all I wanted to do was ... walk. Who walks to the finish of a half? Not me. I waited until I had an eye-balled 400m run left, and pushed with all I had to make it like the end of a (really long) speed workout on the track. Gave it all I have to see the clock read 2:02:xx. I'd crossed the start about 55 seconds after gun time, so I knew I didn't have it. I hit stop on my watch and didn't even look.

I moved forward, gathered my Tiffany's necklace from the cutie, grabbed a banana and a bagel and marched waddled my way to the medical tent because really... I didn't know where else to go. I hurt, my tummy was on fire, and I just wanted to cry in frustration. My sister met me there, where I was iced and Tums-ed, and with a handful of Bengay, we were off about 15 minutes later to find my way to bag check and eventually the finish line to see the last of the girls in.

Trista looking alive at Mile 13!

HP's goal was sub-3, and Brandi had vowed to get her there. This was Trista's first half, and while she just wanted to finish, she also really wanted that sub-3 too. Many thanks to the live-tracker, we knew they'd be there any minute. Sub-3 acquired! 2:59:08 and goal made. I am ecstatic for them - admittedly, it's hard to be ecstatic in the moment when you're the only one who didn't make yours. But they worked so hard on Sunday and I am so proud of Heather for attaining her goal even when going in, she wasn't sure if it was reachable, for Brandi for sticking with it, and for Trista in finishing her first half! I found my sister after running them in back at bag check, and we waited for them to come through after collecting their goodies.

And then it was time for post-race photo shenanigans...

From top left: all of us rocked Nike DC; sorority love; more sorority love; half marathon #10 for this kid!

... and then a speedy trip back to the hotel for showers and packing to get to Founding Farmers in time for brunch for Amanda's birthday. And then  it was DCA time. And like that, the weekend was over. Why do they always go fast (never mind that this trip was about 48 hours long). Heather and I were first to leave (sister left before we even got to brunch for her bus ride back to NYC), and made our way to Reagan to be greeted by a flight delay for my trip back to Atlanta. Lucky for me, after she left, I got to meet up with Amanda who'd just run NWM with her sister (sister's first half!); company always helps delays feel not so brutal!

So on track. Played catch-up after Mile 7, and I have no clue what happened in Mile 11. Ugh.

Overall, not bad.

Weekend over. Emotions still here, front and center. More thoughts to come. But that's it. Suggestions for a new goal race?

How have you gotten over goal heartbreak? Struggling with where to move forward from here.