WILLIAMSBURG ½ Race Report
First race of the year in the books (I should go back and
count how many total times I’ve done this race- I believe my first may have
been 1996 or 1997, WOW!)
Anyway, I was so nervous heading into the race:
*back injury in late November hasn’t healed like previously
and my hip/hamstring are affected,
*I have gone out for some runs in the past month where I end
up turning around and walking home because of my back/hip, or simply because of
fear of my back and hip getting worse.
*I also found myself in quite a bad mental funk (depressed)
for a few weeks- until I began taking Vitaman D3 and that seemed to help
immediately! (but in the meantime, I
had some days where I just didn’t even want to go out for a workout even on unseasonably
beautiful and warm days in February)… So… I didn’t have much hope and didn’t
want a bad race to get me BACK into a mental funk!! And also didn’t want to be
out on the course just feeling like I was either getting reinjured or just horrible
compared to what I know my body has previously done.
So I planned to just take it as it came, get in the miles,
enjoy the race, etc.
I got to race site, went for a warm up of about 2
miles. First mile just beginning to
move, then the 2nd mile was a combination of some 30 second pickups,
30 second hold or 30 sec back off, etc.. some little hill accelerations,
etc. I felt OK, and knew I’d be able to
run (but also still hoping hamstring/hip/back didn’t kick in at mile 8-9 and
limit me being able to continue after distance)….
I had already told my family my plan: break the race into 3 sets of 4 miles… (then the finish mile)… first “set” was “warm up”(although that doesn’t mean I wasn’t already warmed up), 2nd “set” was settling in, and saying, “ok I am in this and running and am comfortable and running smart.” My goal was every minute to be aware that I was running SMART and headstrong. The 3rd set was mentally “ok, I am out here running and checking in with my body to see if I can use anything I have left.” (I was trying to take this as a mental yoga run practice)..
I had already told my family my plan: break the race into 3 sets of 4 miles… (then the finish mile)… first “set” was “warm up”(although that doesn’t mean I wasn’t already warmed up), 2nd “set” was settling in, and saying, “ok I am in this and running and am comfortable and running smart.” My goal was every minute to be aware that I was running SMART and headstrong. The 3rd set was mentally “ok, I am out here running and checking in with my body to see if I can use anything I have left.” (I was trying to take this as a mental yoga run practice)..
Race began and for the first approx. mile you are in the
town of Williamsburg, going through residential streets- there are some people
yelling/houses/people in driveways making noise for racers, etc.. fun stuff,
right?? Except no… I just honestly never
feel that way… it makes me feel like, ughhhhh, loud/noisy/too much mental
stimulation with roads being crowded, hilly already, gravel in places, turns
because they are these small roads and people yelling, ugh. Don’t like… but I
am used to it after these years so didn’t even REALLY notice that I wasn’t
liking that part until we turned onto the path.
The “path” is a paved path through woods/over a stream, etc… About 75%
of the race is on this path and when we turned onto it, I literally just TURNED
inside myself with peacefulness.. I was SO thankful, I could breathe and I
literally felt like I had a weight lifted off of me! It reminded me why this is one of my favorite
run races—early season- you are out there on this trail- no spectators which I
like, and you are just doing the best you can do…. And nothing more.. just DARN
NICE.. I loved it… So I felt HAPPY. My
first mile split was 6:40, and they varied through the race just depending on
hills. My first 4 miles I did feel
very “good” meaning, I was running strong, but telling myself to hold back and
to check in and make sure I was in control, running smart, etc. I initially during these miles felt my
hamstring on my OTHER FREAKING LEG and nearly died when I felt this…… but it
went away…
Mile 4-8 I did as I promised myself—I mentally said to
really take these miles and slow down if anything… I was trying to run maybe
the same pace or a bit easier, but to see how relaxed I could let myself feel
at that pace. I was taking 1 honey
stinger for some energy every 2 miles beginning at mile 4.
Miles 8-12 I did feel my legs beginning to get tired and
heavy due to the hills, so was being very careful with FORM- I didn’t want to
compensate for anything and find myself tweaking back or hip because I had to
work harder in some area since my legs were tired, I was reminding myself to
run tall, light on feet, relaxed shoulders, and keep my arm cadence even though
my legs were tired. The hills from mile
10-12 are pretty bad in this race, so I just told myself to not ever think of
the end, just be in the hill I was in….and run smart. Last mile is through campus and winding all
over roads where you feel like the stadium MUST be right around the next corner
and it never is… I know this from years past, so I just took it as it came and
settled in for the long mile!!
I was so happy to finish, to finish strong, to have had
MILES of thankfulness for being OUT on the peaceful trail. It was just what my heart needed.. it was
like a soul massage to be out there, breathing, working and in nature, on a
sunny warm, February afternoon… It re-inspired me for this years races and
training and gave me hope that I can be fully healthy again! I’m so thankful for racesJ (total time 1:34:30)
ave 7:14’s.
