EVENT: Saddleback Memorial Half-Marathon 2006DATE: Monday, May 29, 2006
LOCATION: Laguna Hills, CA
RACE BEGAN: 7:30 am
FINISH TIME: 02:16:05
COURSE:
Route
RESULTS:
Results Page
COMMENTS:
This was my first race since the 400 m dashes in high school. Still determined to one day run a marathon, I figured that this would be a good gauge, and Sister #1 came up with another one of her hard-to-resist hair-brained schemes to run this.
I started training in late March, so basically two months prior. I was using the Hal Higdon program found here. Prior to all of this, the most I had really run was three miles. Only 10.1 to go.
Most of my training runs were in the morning before class, and by morning, I mean I was out of bed by 5:30 am some days and was all cleaned up, refueled, and in class by 8:30 am. The weather was often cold to the point that my arms would numb during my runs, but things started to change as May came. I had to start wearing hats on my runs.
Race day was VERY hot, probably around 80 degrees. Anything above 60 is too hot for running, as I get too warm easily. Also, the course, as you might be able to see from the elevation profile above, was tough and hilly. I had to walk after the eighth mile or so... too much heat, too many hills, and boonie brush as my only visual stimuli (which is bad, since I normally wear glasses and am pretty blind when I'm running).
Since this was my first race, I didn't know that running in the middle of the road was best and how to take advantage of the water/Gookinaid (cheap Gatorade imitation) and gel stations. I at first had to dodge the cups people were throwing around after drinking.
But, after crossing that pad, having my timing chip cut off, and being medal-ed, I felt accomplished and relieved. My racing virginity was lost.
Comments
Post a Comment