Youngstown Half 2007

FIRST had a 13 mile run on tap for me at 8 minute pace for Sunday. So Youngstown was timed perfectly. Friday I was feeling really good about the race. Both my workouts went well this week and I was feeling like 8 minute pace was very doable despite Youngstown being a pretty hilly course.

Saturday night I ate way more than my fair share of chicken chimichangas, had two desserts, and drank a margarita. I have only had 1 beer since January 1st so the alcohol was probably not the brightest of ideas, and I have been really good about portions lately so after that feast I felt like I was going to explode. Not exactly ideal when you plan on racing in the morning.

Despite drinking a ton of water Saturday night I still felt dehydrated all morning Sunday. I woke up at 5:30 with plans to run a quick 5 minute "pick me up" but ran short on time and settled for being up and ready with breakfast eaten and tea drank before heading out.

Of course it snowed about 2 inches Saturday night and the roads hadn't been plowed so it took me extra time to get to Solar Squirrels place and we left a bit later than planned. I made a quick call to Daisy Duc to let her know we probably would not arrive in time for a warm up. T did an excellent job driving and got us there all safe and sound with a few minutes to spare for bathroom trips and a 5 minute jog around the parking lot. Not exactly the 20-30 minute warm up I was intending!

It was still snowing and the roads were slick so I opted for trail shoes. I love my mizuno wave riders but when there is snow the heel tends to pack a ball of snow beneath my foot which is not ideal for a proper foot strike. I had planned on shorts but it was a bit colder than I anticipated and I opted to run in shorts and my fleece pants, a short sleeve shirt and two long sleeves, one thin, one thick.

We started the run with some of my ultra running pals who both planned on 8 minute pace too. We headed out easy on the first mile. Solar Squirrel, Daisy Duc, and T were still with us at this point. After two miles I gave up on keeping up with my ultra pals. They were stronger on the hills and I didn't feel like pushing pace. I wanted to feel comfortable, not out of control. But even the 8:30ish pace we were holding didn't feel good. I certainly didn't want to go slower than that though so I just ran along in discomfort.

Daisy Duc was with me and we chatted our way through about 6 miles before Solar Squirrel caught us. I thought she might so I wasn't too surprised when she came up behind us. She stayed with us for a few miles before stopping to tie her shoe. Around mile 7 I twisted my ankle in an invisible pot hole. Nice how snow tends to hide those. It stung a bit but luckily didn't slow me down. It was really impossible to run fast downhill as the footing was slippery, and the effort on the uphills was more as you were sliding backwards a bit each step. As if Youngstown isn't hard enough by itself :)

Around mile 9 Daisy Duc pulled away from me on one of the larger hills. All day she had hammered the hills and slowed to wait for me. I told her to go, there was no way I was going to keep up on the hills. My leg strength just isn't there yet. So for the last 4 miles I was on my own.

I had my eye on a girl in pink shorts who I slowly started to reel in. She had been in our sights for a long time but I had lost her around 7 so I was glad to see her again around 10. 10-11 I ran well, just like last year. I fell into a nice groove which a male runner tapped into as well. Unfortunately he fell back on a short uphill and I was by myself again. Perhaps I should have held back the kick for another mile, but at the time I really felt good.

I tryed to gain some time running down Bear Hill by running on the side of the road which seemed to be a good idea until the crunchy untouched snow became slick and I almost fell on my ass. I decided to be a bit more cautious the rest of the way down. I'd say maybe a mile or 2 total for the race had pavement that wasn't covered in slick snow. Worrying about footing is never any fun, but it seemed especially frustrating on the down hills where I normally gain on other runners.

With 1 mile to go I passed the girl in pink shorts. She promptly re passed me but I kept my pace and she ended up falling back. She was younger and placed in her age group. Always nice to see gutsy younger gals out there. I had long since lost my outer layer and gloves which I guess was amusing. I had several spectators in this area shout "Go Wild Bill! No gloves!!!" Always nice to have a few cheerleaders late in the race! I hammered the last mile and managed to take down another 3 women before the end. The last one I passed coming around the final corner, assuming I was going to have to out sprint her to the finish, not an easy feat as Youngstown ends going uphill, I prepared to dig in. But to my surprise as I passed she grumbled loudly "I Don't Care!" I was a bit taken aback but decided that was her loss and I wasn't going to feel an ounce guilty about beating her to the finish line.

Post race chats determined that most people were 3-4 minutes slower this year. Daisy Duc defied that majorly, coming in about 10 minutes faster than last year and getting herself a new half PR. I must say she has been a rock star so far this year. She's moving up to the 30-34 AG in a few weeks. She is certainly going to give those ladies a run for their money. I was about 40 seconds slower than last year. So I should be happy with that, and would be, if I had felt half as good as I felt last year. I just wasn't "on" this Sunday. My legs were dead and it took a lot of mental strength to pick it up the last 3. Last year when I got to ten I felt awesome and crushed the last 3 easily. This year I was picking off people but I was definitely working harder to do it.

This was the first half marathon that I didn't take in any fuel. I had about 4 sips of Gatorade the whole race. I suppose a gel might have helped with the last 3. Next Sunday I plan on taking some fuel with me. I have been bad about taking anything the past few weeks as I have nothing in the house and just haven't made the time to go get any Gatorade or gels. I need to get back in the habit of fueling my faster paced workouts as I am not sure how my stomach is going to react.

I know the alcohol played a part in my dead legs as well as overeating. I also realize that this wasn't an A race and that since this was a training run I shouldn't expect to feel as good as I would had I tapered for this. I felt great when I woke up at 5:30 but by about 7 AM I was ready to go back to bed. I assume that this will be different for a race that I am properly tapered for.

8:21 pace isn't too shabby though and given the conditions I really should be happy with the time. I am sure my FIRST paces are designed based on a bit more ideal conditions and a bit easier course than what I faced Sunday so 21 seconds off pace isn't so bad. And as a bonus I took 3rd in my age group. I think I was in the top 15 women but I would have to check the results. Overall times were really slow. The first woman came in at 1:36. Even for Youngstown that is a very slow day. I ran a pretty similar race to last year, just a wee bit slower. I think the big difference was in miles 8 and 9. Last year I picked it up a bit there and this year I refused to pick it up until 10.

Here's the Splits:

8:38
7:21
8:10
8:46 (I don't trust 2-4, I am sure it all evened out but my bet is all of these were around 8:25-8:30)
8:23
8:41
8:32
8:18
8:29
8:30
8:12
8:04
8:05
1:06
1:49:19ish

17 comments:

Kim said...

Good race. Was this on the roads around the Mill Creek Park?

Ellie Hamilton said...

Excellent! Despite the pre-race binge!!! Sometimes it seems like that doesn't make a whole lot of difference... I've run some of my best ones after eating and drinking really stupid stuff the night before. Whatever you did, you did it great!

Backofpack said...

Yeah, not too shabby at all! And, might I say, I would consider you one of those "gutsy younger girls". It doesn't seem to me like one margarita would hurt, but the two desserts...that's probably like packing around two extra pounds! (At least it would be on me - heck, I wouldn't even have to eat them, but just look at them to gain the weight.)

Unknown said...

Good way to get in a nice 13 mile training run with company. I have only run ultras in the snow, but never a road race. That would be interesting.

Lloyd said...

Nice recap, E.

No need to hang your head. The course was the toughest I've seen as I was 10 minutes slower than last year.

Sorry I did not get to hang out afterwards. Weather was a bit chilly/snowy for standing around.

Good luck with your Pig training. I'm a big fan of that race.

Toasty said...

I just can't get my mind around hills, snow and slipping around .... you need to come here for this time of year. I think you should be proud of your run, well done.

JenC said...

Looks like you ran a great race to me! Fabulous job my friend!

The Salty One said...

Nice race! I hear the course is a bear on a nice day, so being that close to goal pace on an ick day is an accomplishment in itself, not to mention how you picked it up quite a bit the last few miles.

I did notice you did a hard workout on Friday and no run on Saturday. Maybe that has more to do with your legs not being peppy than the desserts and margaritas. You probably weren't totally recovered from the hard run on Friday. If you did a short easy run on Saturday it might have helped stretch and recover your legs and put the pep back in them. Even better would be to have done the hard run on Thursday and then an easy pre-race shakeout on Saturday. My legs always feel less peppy on the day after a day off. That's my experience anyway, for whatever that's worth :)

Anyway, way to train through this nasty weather. Hopefully your long run this weekend won't be on ice for a nice change! Congrats again on a great race!

Janet Edwards said...

Enjoyed the recap! You did great!

Jeez, if alcohol messed my races up, I would have a lot of bad ones!! Saturday pre-race was 3 beers with dinner...carb loading!!

Michele/Little Blue said...

Hey girlfriend!
Got your post on my blog.... I would LOVE to ride with you and Amie this summer, but you guys at first will be riding at a much faster pace... we'll have to see if it will work, probably by May I should be able to keep up, who knows?? I am impressed with your time at Youngstown, given that course, the conditions, the previous night, the lack of fuel.... etc. you are an inspiration! M

Anonymous said...

congrats. that's a really freaking tough race. i can't imagine trying to do it in the snow...

Rae said...

Great job with the half! I can't imagine doing such a tough course on a slick day! You are going to rocketship if all that snow ever melts!

Unknown said...

You're racking up the miles. And a third place AG finish with the "worst conditions" anyone can remember can't be sneezed at...unless you have a cold, like me!

I too, tend to do better with some light activity the day before an event. If I don't spin the day before I find it takes me forever to get my bike legs.

Kate said...

Congrats on the hard race- struggling through and going hard on those bad days is what makes you an amazing athlete Liz!

Mark said...

Winter conditions throw everything out the window. GREAT job!

Anonymous said...

but had you not had the chimichangas, you might have never had the warmth to take off your gloves.

and you can always adjust your times with a post script.
1:49:49 ca (chimichanga adjusted)

Michelle said...

I just came across your blog. I am from Y-town and Mill Creek is my training ground. That race was horrible for me. I stopped and helped the guy who fell and broke his arm. I am TOTALLY impressed with your time and hte fact that you are going to try it again. I am not commiting to it yet. The snow last year did me in!

I am running Disney in January!