Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
Back in July, I signed up for the Goodlife Fitness Victoria Half-Marathon in order to get the early bird pricing, and to use the motivation of registration to keep me running and training. I didn't join a clinic, but some friends and I decided as a group to train together. We did some of our runs together, and some of them on our own. I trained with my friend Sarah on Monday and Wednesday evenings, and then ran with the group on Saturday mornings. We followed a schedule from a previous clinic and got to work. We motivated each other, and pushed each other, and let each other slack, and then pushed each other again - just doing whatever we needed to keep going and to keep training. Most of the time, we made sure we were still having fun while running.
For the first time ever, I really understood taper-madness. I got cranky and antsy while tapering and really wanted to go out and run and expend big amounts of energy. I've never experienced that before. Race day finally came though, and I was excited to get to the start line and start running. I didn't really have any goals as I didn't train with a specific goal time in mind. When people asked my intentions, I would answer that 2:07 would be nice. In my mind, I was thinking that 2:05 would be awesome. My half-marathon PB (2:09:03) was earned last time I ran that distance and that was in May 2010 in the Vancouver BMO half.
On race morning, my friends and I met up in a small meeting room in the Grand Pacific Hotel that my local running store reserved for people to gather in. There was a safe place to store our things, and hot coffee, and bathrooms that weren't porta-potties. We got ready for the race and headed over to the start line (a 30 second walk!). It was nice and relaxing, and much better than dealing with the crowds before the race.
The race started, and my friend Sarah and I were running together. The rest of our group run at a different pace, so they seeded themselves behind us. Sarah and I didn't quite get far enough up, but we made due. We dodged and passed a lot of people in the first few km, but didn't feel like we were being held back by the crowds. We had our watches set for 19:1s, but were going to try to go by water stations and go by feel, if we could. I wasn't carrying water with me, but Sarah was. I took my first gel around the 9km mark. According to the race results, we crossed the 10k mat at 1:01:33, gun time, or 1:00:58 according to my watch. At this point, I was feeling REALLY good and decided to pick up the pace. I told Sarah I was going to do that, and she said she was going to try to keep up, but to have a great race if not. I've always been a bit faster than her, so there was no expectation that we would finish the race together.
I took of, continuing to feel great. I took another gel a bit sooner than I wanted, but I wanted to take it before the water station at the turn around. I took my own gel, and then grabbed one that they were handing out to take later. My hands were getting really cold at this time, although the rest of me was happily warm, if not a bit hot, and I had trouble tucking the gel into the elastic section of my race number belt. I finally got it in there, although I had to drop back to a walking pace for a few seconds to get it tucked in there. Just after the turn around was the beer station that a family puts on every year. I had my little sip of Phillip's Blue Buck Ale and kept going. Still feeling really good, I picked up the pace a bit more.
I took my last gel at the beginning of the 17th km. Opening it was quite the challenge because I couldn't feel my fingers, but once I got it open, I sucked it back, had some water and kept going. I think I walked for about 20 seconds. I continued on my way, feeling great, and not needing my walk breaks, despite my watch beeping at me every 19 minutes. Still feeling awesome and full of energy (caffeinated gels rock!) I really picked up the pace. I questioned whether I was running at a pace that I would be able to maintain, but I felt confident that I had the energy to keep me going to the end. I kept running and smiling and feeling good about my race. I listened to the people around me discussing aches and pains, and turkey and potatoes. I passed the old folks home on Dallas Rd and got a few high fives. I ran by a guy playing an out of tune death march on the bagpipes. Great intentions, but horrible choice of music! Still... it was a bit better than the house we ran past in both directions that was playing Chariots of Fire. Everybody wanted to run in slow motion when they went by that house.
I kept up my pace as I approached the last couple of kms. I knew at that point that I was going to have a significant PB, but that I wasn't going to make sub-2, but that it would be in my reach sometime soon. Km 19 felt really good, despite the hill at that point. I kept a really good pace, and was still feeling good! I ran strong toward the finish line, and picked it up for the last few hundred metres. I crossed the finished line feeling awesome and happy! For the first time ever, I finished a long race with sore-tired muscles, but with no specific injuries or sore spots. My legs hurt symmetrically. I got a hug from Rob Reid, the owner of Frontrunners (my running store), but missed shaking Kathrine Switzer's hand as she was busy talking to somebody else. I walked forward with the crowd and got my medal and found some friends and was chatting with them when I noticed SuperBob going by with his Running Mania t-shirt on. I chatted with him for a bit and then saw my friend Sarah going by. We got some food, and headed down the road to cheer on the rest of our friends. We finally ended up back at the hotel, hanging out on the balcony watching the rest of the finishers go by, and also watching the full marathoners start to come in.
Overall, I had an awesome race, and felt everything come together while I was out there running. I don't think I could have had a better day!
Splits:
KM 1: 6:26
KM 2: 6:17
KM 3: 6:04
KM 4: 5:56
KM 5: 6:15
KM 6: 6:24
KM 7: 5:54
KM 8: 5:52
KM 9: 6:17 (gel)
KM 10: 5:29
KM 11: 5:28
KM 12: 5:37
KM 13: 6:04 (gel)
KM 14: 5:33
KM 15: 5:27
KM 16: 5:32
KM 17: 5:41 (gel)
KM 18: 5:15
KM 19: 5:02
KM 20: 5:00
KM 21: 5:03
Last 1.33km: 1:29 (4:34 per km)
Next up is the Las Vegas 1/2 marathon in December, but I'm not sure yet if I want a race goal, or if I just want to concentrate on having fun.
Andrea took a couple of photos of me around the 17km mark, but I'll let her add those to this thread if she wants to. I'm tagged in one of them on Facebook, and two are posted in the NET in the NRR section.
Edited to add that my final time was 2:02:15!
For the first time ever, I really understood taper-madness. I got cranky and antsy while tapering and really wanted to go out and run and expend big amounts of energy. I've never experienced that before. Race day finally came though, and I was excited to get to the start line and start running. I didn't really have any goals as I didn't train with a specific goal time in mind. When people asked my intentions, I would answer that 2:07 would be nice. In my mind, I was thinking that 2:05 would be awesome. My half-marathon PB (2:09:03) was earned last time I ran that distance and that was in May 2010 in the Vancouver BMO half.
On race morning, my friends and I met up in a small meeting room in the Grand Pacific Hotel that my local running store reserved for people to gather in. There was a safe place to store our things, and hot coffee, and bathrooms that weren't porta-potties. We got ready for the race and headed over to the start line (a 30 second walk!). It was nice and relaxing, and much better than dealing with the crowds before the race.
The race started, and my friend Sarah and I were running together. The rest of our group run at a different pace, so they seeded themselves behind us. Sarah and I didn't quite get far enough up, but we made due. We dodged and passed a lot of people in the first few km, but didn't feel like we were being held back by the crowds. We had our watches set for 19:1s, but were going to try to go by water stations and go by feel, if we could. I wasn't carrying water with me, but Sarah was. I took my first gel around the 9km mark. According to the race results, we crossed the 10k mat at 1:01:33, gun time, or 1:00:58 according to my watch. At this point, I was feeling REALLY good and decided to pick up the pace. I told Sarah I was going to do that, and she said she was going to try to keep up, but to have a great race if not. I've always been a bit faster than her, so there was no expectation that we would finish the race together.
I took of, continuing to feel great. I took another gel a bit sooner than I wanted, but I wanted to take it before the water station at the turn around. I took my own gel, and then grabbed one that they were handing out to take later. My hands were getting really cold at this time, although the rest of me was happily warm, if not a bit hot, and I had trouble tucking the gel into the elastic section of my race number belt. I finally got it in there, although I had to drop back to a walking pace for a few seconds to get it tucked in there. Just after the turn around was the beer station that a family puts on every year. I had my little sip of Phillip's Blue Buck Ale and kept going. Still feeling really good, I picked up the pace a bit more.
I took my last gel at the beginning of the 17th km. Opening it was quite the challenge because I couldn't feel my fingers, but once I got it open, I sucked it back, had some water and kept going. I think I walked for about 20 seconds. I continued on my way, feeling great, and not needing my walk breaks, despite my watch beeping at me every 19 minutes. Still feeling awesome and full of energy (caffeinated gels rock!) I really picked up the pace. I questioned whether I was running at a pace that I would be able to maintain, but I felt confident that I had the energy to keep me going to the end. I kept running and smiling and feeling good about my race. I listened to the people around me discussing aches and pains, and turkey and potatoes. I passed the old folks home on Dallas Rd and got a few high fives. I ran by a guy playing an out of tune death march on the bagpipes. Great intentions, but horrible choice of music! Still... it was a bit better than the house we ran past in both directions that was playing Chariots of Fire. Everybody wanted to run in slow motion when they went by that house.
I kept up my pace as I approached the last couple of kms. I knew at that point that I was going to have a significant PB, but that I wasn't going to make sub-2, but that it would be in my reach sometime soon. Km 19 felt really good, despite the hill at that point. I kept a really good pace, and was still feeling good! I ran strong toward the finish line, and picked it up for the last few hundred metres. I crossed the finished line feeling awesome and happy! For the first time ever, I finished a long race with sore-tired muscles, but with no specific injuries or sore spots. My legs hurt symmetrically. I got a hug from Rob Reid, the owner of Frontrunners (my running store), but missed shaking Kathrine Switzer's hand as she was busy talking to somebody else. I walked forward with the crowd and got my medal and found some friends and was chatting with them when I noticed SuperBob going by with his Running Mania t-shirt on. I chatted with him for a bit and then saw my friend Sarah going by. We got some food, and headed down the road to cheer on the rest of our friends. We finally ended up back at the hotel, hanging out on the balcony watching the rest of the finishers go by, and also watching the full marathoners start to come in.
Overall, I had an awesome race, and felt everything come together while I was out there running. I don't think I could have had a better day!
Splits:
KM 1: 6:26
KM 2: 6:17
KM 3: 6:04
KM 4: 5:56
KM 5: 6:15
KM 6: 6:24
KM 7: 5:54
KM 8: 5:52
KM 9: 6:17 (gel)
KM 10: 5:29
KM 11: 5:28
KM 12: 5:37
KM 13: 6:04 (gel)
KM 14: 5:33
KM 15: 5:27
KM 16: 5:32
KM 17: 5:41 (gel)
KM 18: 5:15
KM 19: 5:02
KM 20: 5:00
KM 21: 5:03
Last 1.33km: 1:29 (4:34 per km)
Next up is the Las Vegas 1/2 marathon in December, but I'm not sure yet if I want a race goal, or if I just want to concentrate on having fun.
Andrea took a couple of photos of me around the 17km mark, but I'll let her add those to this thread if she wants to. I'm tagged in one of them on Facebook, and two are posted in the NET in the NRR section.
Edited to add that my final time was 2:02:15!
Last edited by Half-Mary on Mon Oct 10, 2011 8:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- mas_runner
- Bill Crothers
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Re: Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
Wow, looking at those split times, you really smoked the second half of that race. I reckon you are a dead cert to go sub 2, maybe even sub 1:55 or lower with those kinds of splits on tired legs.
Great race, what was your final time?
Great race, what was your final time?
PBs
5th Sep 2015 - Run Ottawa free 5km - 21:05
21st Jun 2015 - UR 4 Men's Cancers 10km - 45:45
16th Jun 2013 - UR 4 Men's Cancers 15km - 1:11:44
16th Apr 2016 - MEC 10 miler - 1:20:21
12th Apr 2015 - EY R4R Half Marathon - 1:41:15
26th May 2013 - Ottawa Marathon - 3:43:51
2017 races - coming up
7th May - Defi Entreprise 10km
28th May - Ottawa Half Marathon
17th Sep - Army Run Half Marathon
5th Sep 2015 - Run Ottawa free 5km - 21:05
21st Jun 2015 - UR 4 Men's Cancers 10km - 45:45
16th Jun 2013 - UR 4 Men's Cancers 15km - 1:11:44
16th Apr 2016 - MEC 10 miler - 1:20:21
12th Apr 2015 - EY R4R Half Marathon - 1:41:15
26th May 2013 - Ottawa Marathon - 3:43:51
2017 races - coming up
7th May - Defi Entreprise 10km
28th May - Ottawa Half Marathon
17th Sep - Army Run Half Marathon
Re: Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
Great race, Mary. Look at those last few splits, those are amazing.
Please don't make me add up the time, OK?
Please don't make me add up the time, OK?
I wanna live like there's no tomorrow
Love, like I'm on borrowed time
It's good to be alive, yeah....Jason Gray
Running is a conversation with your body. Sometimes you listen and sometimes you tell it to stop whining and do something. - Ian
Love, like I'm on borrowed time
It's good to be alive, yeah....Jason Gray
Running is a conversation with your body. Sometimes you listen and sometimes you tell it to stop whining and do something. - Ian
Re: Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
mas_runner wrote:Wow, looking at those split times, you really smoked the second half of that race. I reckon you are a dead cert to go sub 2, maybe even sub 1:55 or lower with those kinds of splits on tired legs.
Great race, what was your final time?
Ooops! I finished with a chip time of 2:02:15!
Re: Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
Congratulations on a great race, and amazing negative split, ta boot ...
Race Results: http://itsmyrun.com/index.php?display=p ... unner=HCiD
Re: Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
Great race - sounds like you had a very solid run! Congrats on a well-earned PB.
2014: the year of new awesomeness!
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Stampede Road Race 5k July 6 - done
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Jog for the Bog 10k July 27 - done
Seawheeze Half Marathon August 23 - done
Subaru Banff Sprint Triathlon September 6 - done
Blitz Duathlon September 21 - registered
Portland Marathon October 5 - registered
Rogers Insurance Run for L'Arche Half March 22 - done
Calgary Marathon Wild Rose 50k June 1 - done
Stampede Road Race 5k July 6 - done
Magrath sprint tri July 12 - done!!
Jog for the Bog 10k July 27 - done
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Re: Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
love the title of your report. and you did look really happy in the pictures. congrats
Athlete....Maniac 973....Marathon Maniac 6645
Live the most amazing life you can live - La
marathon runners are awesomeness personified - Ian
Bucket list: http://www.tassietrailfest.com.au/
http://ultramonk.blogspot.com/
Live the most amazing life you can live - La
marathon runners are awesomeness personified - Ian
Bucket list: http://www.tassietrailfest.com.au/
http://ultramonk.blogspot.com/
Re: Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
You really did look happy in the pics!
Great race!
Great race!
No Penguins were harmed in the making of this post
Re: Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
fantastic splits!! congrats on the PB!
- marymac442
- Jerome Drayton
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Re: Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
Awesome job Mary - maybe see you in Vegas ... if I can keep up.
Marymac
Marymac
Bonsor Breakfast Club
"It's All About the Food
2019 plans - Sun Run Clinic (as usual), make it past tax season with sanity intact, start training, Chicago Marathon !!!
"It's All About the Food
2019 plans - Sun Run Clinic (as usual), make it past tax season with sanity intact, start training, Chicago Marathon !!!
Re: Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
Well done Mary, great race and well executed! Nice negative split also.
PB’s (official race results)
5K – 26:20; 8K – 41:28; 10K – 52:13; 15K - 1:22:43; 21.1K – 1:54:16; 30K – 2:51:34; 42.2K – 4:24:14
What is up for 2018
Feb 11th - First Half Vancouver
TBA
Planning & in my sights
Jun 9th - Puddle Jumper Classic
Run the mile you're in. Not the one behind you, and not the one in front of you - the one you are running now - purdy65
5K – 26:20; 8K – 41:28; 10K – 52:13; 15K - 1:22:43; 21.1K – 1:54:16; 30K – 2:51:34; 42.2K – 4:24:14
What is up for 2018
Feb 11th - First Half Vancouver
TBA
Planning & in my sights
Jun 9th - Puddle Jumper Classic
Run the mile you're in. Not the one behind you, and not the one in front of you - the one you are running now - purdy65
- Robinandamelia
- Jerome Drayton
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Re: Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
Great result congratulations!
Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
That's a great time- congrats!
With splits like that at the and you are definitely holding a lot in the tank- I see faster times in your future. (your last 3k were faster than mine Sunday!)
With splits like that at the and you are definitely holding a lot in the tank- I see faster times in your future. (your last 3k were faster than mine Sunday!)
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Re: Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
Wow, awesome negative split! You're primed to smoke sub 2 next time. Congrats!
Sandra...Air Force wife & Professional Kid Wrangler...I knit to stay sane, I run to eat!
2012 - year of perseverance, endurance, survival, and earning blackmail material for life.
My running log: http://www.runningmania.com/forum/viewt ... 18&t=44092
PB's:
Army Run HM (Sep 18, 2011) - 1:55:14
2012 - year of perseverance, endurance, survival, and earning blackmail material for life.
My running log: http://www.runningmania.com/forum/viewt ... 18&t=44092
PB's:
Army Run HM (Sep 18, 2011) - 1:55:14
Re: Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
Nice job Mary!
Congratulations! I agree with Pinky. Sub 2 in in your future!
Congratulations! I agree with Pinky. Sub 2 in in your future!
It's not the size of the dog in the fight...it's the size of the fight in the dog! 11K Marker post - 2010 ATB.
Introducing 2017
GoodLife Half Marathon.
TBD
Introducing 2017
GoodLife Half Marathon.
TBD
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Re: Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
bravo - great racing!!!!
Jesse's 2017 Plans
April - Boston Marathon
May - Sporting Life Ottawa 10K
May - Ottawa Half Marathon
April - Boston Marathon
May - Sporting Life Ottawa 10K
May - Ottawa Half Marathon
Re: Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
Great seeing you on race day! Congrats on demolishing that PB!
Up next...
More running!
More running!
Re: Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
Congrats on the PB and a solid run race!
Colleen
Iron Sherpa Travel - Triathlete and Travel Agent!
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Iron Sherpa Travel - Triathlete and Travel Agent!
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- IronGoddess
- Jerome Drayton
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Re: Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
You ran a perfect race, good for you, I am so jealous. Your pacing was amazing and your last 4 kms were smoking fast, WTG. You r a rock star. See you in Vegas. When do you leave and where r u staying, btw.
IMC 2015
Re: Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
Congrats on a great race! Those splits pretty much tells the story. A sub 2 is well within reach for you.
- Darth Tater
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Re: Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
Congrats on your new PB! Great race - way to go!
Darth Tater
"Wherever you go, there you are."
"Wherever you go, there you are."
Re: Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
You did a fantastic job! Congrats on an amazing race
Too bad I didn't find you sooner in the crowd to get a shot of those flying feet of yours. I knew you were in purple but for whatever reason I was looking for a purple sleeveless.
Too bad I didn't find you sooner in the crowd to get a shot of those flying feet of yours. I knew you were in purple but for whatever reason I was looking for a purple sleeveless.
Andrea Michelle
------------------------------------------------
"There are no fish in my pond"
------------------------------------------------
"There are no fish in my pond"
Re: Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
You caught me right after the water station where they gave me a full cup. You can see water spilled on my shirt.
Great photos! Better than the few I saw on Brightroom earlier today. For awhile, I was able to see some of my photos, but I can't get back to them again, so I'll have to wait. They did get one photo of me with my feet off the ground that isn't too bad.
Great photos! Better than the few I saw on Brightroom earlier today. For awhile, I was able to see some of my photos, but I can't get back to them again, so I'll have to wait. They did get one photo of me with my feet off the ground that isn't too bad.
Re: Half-Mary's half-mary in Victoria
Those are great photos. At what stage in the race where they taken Mary?
PB’s (official race results)
5K – 26:20; 8K – 41:28; 10K – 52:13; 15K - 1:22:43; 21.1K – 1:54:16; 30K – 2:51:34; 42.2K – 4:24:14
What is up for 2018
Feb 11th - First Half Vancouver
TBA
Planning & in my sights
Jun 9th - Puddle Jumper Classic
Run the mile you're in. Not the one behind you, and not the one in front of you - the one you are running now - purdy65
5K – 26:20; 8K – 41:28; 10K – 52:13; 15K - 1:22:43; 21.1K – 1:54:16; 30K – 2:51:34; 42.2K – 4:24:14
What is up for 2018
Feb 11th - First Half Vancouver
TBA
Planning & in my sights
Jun 9th - Puddle Jumper Classic
Run the mile you're in. Not the one behind you, and not the one in front of you - the one you are running now - purdy65
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