Rock and Roll 1/2 - Philly Style

Two weeks ago I ran the Rock and Roll half marathon in Virginia Beach as a relay with a good friend. But today....I was on my own. I traveled to Philadelphia the day before the race and took in some sites, picked up my packet, and used the race as a chance to CARB-LOAD with some AMAZING crab ravioli!!! Then it was off to bed to prepare for my 2nd ever half marathon.

My hotel was only a mile from the start line (and was actually smack in the middle of the course), so I had really set myself up nicely to "sleep in" before the race. I will definitely take that! I had strategically purchased some "race morning breakfast" foods to have in the room so I didn't have to try and buy myself some breakfast anywhere....I knew that my hotel being on the course would mean lines at any eatery that was open at that hour...and I couldn't risk being late. So I scarfed down my breakfast and took some coffee to the start with me. The one mile walk was a nice warmup for the race....I got going at a brisk pace and got to the start line before I even knew it! A nice addition to this race was the fact that a friend of mine from college was running it as well. We didn't plan to run it together but we did get to meet up at the start line and chat while we waited for the waves of runners that took off before us. Before long, it was time for our wave to take off on the 13.1 mile journey. I spent the first mile or so running alongside my good friend and her good friend. But they weren't planning to run this race for time....so I pulled ahead to focus on my race.

There is something to definitely be said for this course.

It started in downtown Philly and nearly the first five miles took place on roads throughout the city. We ran past Independence Hall, Benjamin Franklin's gravesite, the Franklin Museum, and Reading Terminal Market. I am including a shot of me as I head down Arch Street (just near the Reading Terminal Market). Then as passed Eakins Oval around 5 miles we started to head out away from the city on more highway-like roads along the Schuykill River. How incredibly beautiful! I just ran...listening to my music...enjoying the September sunshine and the beautiful view of the river. Just before 9 miles, we headed across the Falls Bridge (a really neat steel truss bridge) and then ran back down the river, heading back toward the city. I felt really great....until about 10 miles. Then...all the energy I had...all the enthusiasm and excitement.....just left me. With a 5K still left to run....I had nothing left in the tank! Not really sure how this happened....or how to prevent it...but I just hit the wall! I struggled through those last 3 miles....knowing that at the end I could shower, rest, eat, and get ready for the Phillies game I have tickets to tonight. Sigh. I had such high hopes that this post was going to be epic. A tale of how amazing my pace was, how great I felt, how I set a crazy PR. But no. But I am a believer in silver linings, so here goes: I finished! I finished ever so slightly faster than my last half (ok so technically I set a new PR). AND I can't wait to run another one! But first let's get through Ragnar...just 3 1/2 months away now!

Relay at the Beach

Just two weeks ago I ran the Hartwood 10 miler with a new friend. Yesterday I ran the Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon with an old friend. This race we ran a little differently than Julia and I ran the 10 miler. This time we tackled the half marathon not side by side but together as a team. We registered and completed the 1/2 marathon as a relay team. My good friend Sue and I are big fans of the CBS Show "The Big Bang Theory" and decided that our relay team would be called the Bazinga Babes. We even made our own t-shirts for the race :)

Just like all other races, we had to be at the start line well ahead of the race, but unlike other races, we had to get there even earlier because Sue had to catch a shuttle bus to the relay exchange point. One of the very cool things about this race was our relay baton....a drumstick! But after getting to the satellite parking to catch our first bus to the start line, we realized that very cool baton was still on the counter at Sue's parents house! Ahhhh! We had to drive back and retreive it and then return to the satellite shuttle area. Guess it wouldn't be a race for me if there wasn't a little drama included :) Fortunately we were able to get to the start line and shuttle to the exchange point in enough time! But now Sue and I were separated by nearly 8 miles....so we texted one another until I was able to actually start the race. Gotta love technology! Once we got started I was feeling really good. Not at all like the 10 miler two weeks ago. I was feeling strong and making good time. This being a Rock and Roll series race, the energy was extremely high along the course with local bands every mile or so and local cheerleading squads literally cheering us on. In addition to that, the town of Virginia Beach just really turned out for the race. I felt uplifted and moved by all the energy! Coming in to the mile and a half before the relay exchange we had gotten out on a part of the course that was further from the city and there were no crowds or bands. Just runners and the road. I had turned my ipod on a few miles back but wanted to see how the energy changed now. Removing my earbuds and listening to the rhythm of the race was extremely cool. At that point, no one was talking...just running. It was strange, eerie, and relaxing all at the same time. But I needed to focus, so back went the earbuds!

Focus I did, coming strong into the exchange and handing off to Sue to finish off the remaining 5 miles of the race for our team. There was a few moments in that last mile and a half where I thought about staying on the course and finishing the entire race side by side with her. But knowing that Philly is looming just two weeks on the horizon, I decided to let her finish strong on her own and catch the bus to the finish line. And just over an hour later....we were reunited! And finishers! With cute medals to go with :) Next up.....a full 13.1 all on my own in Philly! Looking forward to trying to beat my last time from the Zooma in June.