1)I don't know how to prepare for a race. Last year I was up all night before the race 'Dancing with Rhea Pearlman' so needless to say I was dehydrated for the race last year and cramped up early and often. This year I felt so much better and in fears of dehydrating I believe I over hydrated not to the point of having a 'slosshy stomach' but damn close I would guess. I took water at the stops and don't know if that helps or hurts because I don't train with 7 water stops in a 9 mile training run.
2)I'm not fast or what people would classify as 'good at running'.
I am OK with this. I am 35 and a good 15-20lbs. heavier than I should be. I don't think people expect me to run 8 minute miles when their normal response is 'you Run?'
3)I don't have a runner's mentality. Some runners I guess run through pain...pain tells me to slow down. Weird, I know. I kept up a good pace for the first 6 miles and slowly got to a pace that was comfortable and my breathing was controlled and finished the race with a smile and a glad that is over(and a beer).
The Severn River Bridge was still there(twice)and I was OK. The next time I see it I will be in a car and our realationship will be like that till this time next year.
The after race snack were a sad state of affairs. You should know that I was not the first one to hit the after race goodies but I'm sure the Bananas were yellow if I would have ran the race in hour and 20 minutes. The joke I made in the office today to a guy in my office who also ran the race was:I should have taken a banana. I guess they would've been yellow today. He too was not impressed with the location of after race snacks or them themselves and left quickly for a place to have lunch elsewhere. This is sad because in the past they have been very good bordering on great. Hopefully next year it will rebound....that's right I said it! I will be back next year. I don't do it for time, Competition, or the glory. I do it for myself and no one else. and they give out cool stuff that when skinny runners see me wearing it say 'He Runs!?!'
I saw the bananas being set up during the start, they were all green. Being faster wouldn't have helped.
ReplyDeleteThis year was my second time running that race. I absolutely hate it, but at least so far I have been able to meet my three goals: 1) not need medical assistance 2) finish 3) don't come in last.
It's hard to pull out all of your reserves during those last few miles when the reward at the end is a half hour line for a Michelob Ultra. We can compare experiences at Crabs4Crabs.