It's All About The Outfits You Race In

This past Sunday was the Houston Half Marathon. I was incredibly excited for this race because it is my favorite running race ever and I don’t like to run, so that is saying a lot. Well you can see from the look of pain on my face that this was not one for the record books. I got this photo from brightroom – the peeps that took the photos. Normally I am all happy smiley no matter how I am feeling, but this race was quite a bit different.



I think 2 weeks of puking, not eating and dropping 10-12lbs had taken its toll on my body. The plan was to go out with a comfortable pace for the first half at about 9 minute miles and then push it up to 8:30 or faster for the last half. The race started out great and I was right on track. Miles 1-5 were 9:02, 9:03, 9:02, 8:59, and 9:00. Right on track. I was feeling really really good. I started to think that there was something to this living at altitude thing. Then came mile 6 and 7. Mile 6 was straight up hill. Well straight up a “Houston hill” which the rest of the world would call a highway overpass. Then it hit me…My knees started to hurt, my calves were cramping and my legs felt like jello. Ok, so living at altitude helps your breathing, but the non training has really hurt the rest of the body. I started to realize what two weeks of almost nothing can do to you. I wanted to walk (people were walking because this was a mountain people!!!), but I refuse to walk unless I am injured. So I kept running and repeating “quitting is for loser pu**ys” over and over again. It helped. The times for 6 and 7 were so bad that I stopped the garmin. I don’t want training peaks to know what I did. Mile 8 – I see Dad and my Grandmother!!! Mile 8.5 – there’s MOM!!! I felt better. I wanted some cliff shots. I reached in my back pocket and there was nothing. I realized I had thrown them out when the corner of the packet had scratched a hole in my back so bad it was bleeding down my leg. Who needs calories right? The sun started to come out and it was getting hot for this race (75 way too hot for me!) and I realized that I wasn’t going to get any PRs today, so I might as well enjoy it. In all hoesty I was really having fun. I was cheering for everyone coming by and everyone that I passed. I also was really happy at the turn off when the marathoners had to keep going. I cheered for myself that I was smart enough not to sign up for the half instead of the full. As I ran the last part of the race I got to see the top men marathoners coming in so I stopped and watched the top 3 winners and cheered. Yes, I stopped. Why not? I wanted to enjoy the day.

This race wasn’t my best time, in fact it was my worst. But it was the most fun I have actually had running. And I realized what I need to work on – training at altitude. I have to force myself to keep training hard every day even if it hurts worse than it did in Hawaii. I have an advantage now – I live in altitude and plan to race most of my races at sea level. I have also resigned to the fact that this year is about running. I cant do triathlons in Mexico without a bike and I wont have my bikes here until June. I also cant swim anywhere yet since I don’t have a gym or a car to get to the gym and it is ill advised to walk around Mexico City at night without a clue, so I am going to finish Jack Daniel’s Running Formula and work at my running this year. Next weekend is a sprint till you puke (5K) that I am doing with my mom. This is my kind of distance. I am also planning the 2009 racing season. Right now all I have is this 5K, the Great Aloha Run and the NYC Marathon. I am open to any other suggestions on fun races to do.

I normally am not so happy with poor performances, but I think the fact that I am sitting on my balcony at the St. Regis in Punta Mita having a glass of wine helps. I love my job!