Sunday, November 22, 2009

Blahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Blah.

To say the race today didnt go has planned is an understatement. I got up this morning with some high hopes. I was ready when Rick showed up and we took the hour plus drive to Strongsille for the Cleveland Fall Classic Half Marathon. I have done this race twice before and it went well both times. Its a double loop and flat.

When we got there the first problem was parking. Ended up parking a half mile or more away from the packet pick up and starting line. So we ended up going to get the packet, then back to the car then back to the start. It actually left no time for what turned out to be a needed portajohn start. We were almost an hour early for the race but with all the back and fourth we had no time to spare. It was a bigger race then I remembered. Maybe it got bigger. I remember parking much closer, but didnt remember showing up much earlier.

We got to the starting line with minutes to spare. We took off, and naturally the first mile was crowded, but after 3 miles I was on pace to break 2 hours. Shortly there after I realized I was going to have to stop at a portajohn. Unfortunately I didnt see one, the only place I knew where one was was at the packet pick up area, which we pass around 6.5 miles. I actually stayed close to the pace and at 6 mile marker I was at 55 minutes. But the pit stop took longer then I had hoped it would. I took off now hoping to stay close to 2 hours. But I could never get back to the right pace. I just never felt quite right. I took a GU around mile 8 like I planned and that didn't help, may of made things worse.

I started to have stomach cramps around 10 or so. After mile 11 I was hoping to just throw up and hope that helped. But I didnt and just kept trudging along. My calves started to cramp up some which usually only happens after 18 or 20 miles. It may of gotten warmer then planned my ball cap was soaked, but didnt think I was over dressed, long sleeve tech, shorts and ball cap. I finally finished in 2:10ish. 2009 really hasnt been a good racing year for me. Too many bad races where things didn't go well.

On the good side, the race did give out a nice long sleeve tech shirt, assuming you like burgandy and a nice finishers medal.

3 comments:

Kenley said...

Im sorry your race didn't go as planned. However, you finished, and did what you came for. Better time next year. So, you don't like burgundy?

Kenley said...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Julie @ ROJ Running said...

i DO like that color now I'm sad I skipped the race