Category Archives: Race

2017 RnR Vegas!!!!

Posted by hellyontherun in Half Marathon, Race and tagged with , , , , , ,

FINALLY!!!

I’ve been wanting to do this race for LONG TIME!! It always just seemed like a good time and while I’d been to Vegas before, for bachelorette parties, I’d wanted to go as just a solo vacation. So, because I’m a Rock ‘n Blog Ambassador, I was able to pick a few races to run and there was no hesitation choosing RnR Vegas!!

Some backstory–you know me and my crazy ideas, lol!!!! I had this GREAT PLAN to run the inaugural Revel Mt. Lemmon (in Tucson) Sunday morning and then drive to Las Vegas to run Rock ‘n Roll Vegas! Two half marathons in two states in ONE day! Doesn’t that sound awesome!!!?? I somehow convinced my husband and I got us all registered.

Then, he broke his toe on Monday.

Yup, completely random injury–his toe was swollen blue and purple and after x-rays confirmed what we already knew, we decided to nix Tucson and instead, I would run Vegas on Sunday solo.

Except my husband is a stubborn man (he’s also a runner soo…..) and said he felt good enough to run with me at my pace. My goal was 1:45 which would be 13.1 miles at MGP (8:00). I told him that if at any point he didn’t feel good, to walk and he promised he would.

He’s such a champ. ❤ him

The Expo was huge and we stood in line for our traditional race coffee mug and got out of there. The race shirts were super cute and I was glad I went with the Medium (they ran small). I didn’t hang out at all but knew I’d see some #WeRunSocial peeps the next day before the race.

I was able to snag a quick pic with Carlee and Brian–I’ve seen them the past couple of years at Phoenix Marathon and a few other races. I finally got to me Slacker Runner too!!!

And then we were off!!

As I’d mentioned, I wanted to keep at goal marathon pace. The first mile was insanely crowded so I wasn’t worried when we saw a 9 something minute sound off. The second mile was 8:20something and by the third mile, we settled in at 8 or just under.

But then before we reached mile 5 mile, my watched beeped 7:22!!! and a.) I knew we hadn’t hit the mile marker and b.) I knew I was running well, but NOT that well.

I was bummed that my watch was now skewed but decided to just keep running. I felt at each mile I was holding on to my pace even though I didn’t have the watch splits to prove it. The way I gauged it was that I WAS PASSING PEOPLE THE ENTIRE TIME and having so. much. fun.

I can count on one hand the races I’ve done where from beginning to end, I passed people. I just felt good (or maybe people were slowing as the race progressed, lol!) and just held on. At mile 10 we had to do a little u-turn to head back towards the finish and it was then I felt the pace become, still doable, but a tad uncomfortable. I held on, still breathing fine, but feeling the legs a little heavy.

As we reached the finish, a girl I’d been keeping pace with said, “Let’s run it in together!” except she clearly had energy left in her and I was dying trying to keep up

I finished right on target at 1:44:36 with an average of 7:59/mile!! 😀

I was so ridiculously happy for running the race so well. I didn’t get caught up with the crowd or try anything ambitious like trying to PR (which I think the world did at Revel Mt. Lemmon earlier that day). Instead, I ran my race, at my pace and still kicked ass! It was such a confidence booster as I continue on my journey to Boston. I don’t know when I’ll get there, BUT I WILL GET THERE ❤

Thank you, Vegas! ❤

–Have you done RnR Vegas? If not, consider it! 😀

–Do you use races as training runs?

Some St. George Extra and What I’m Doing Now

Posted by hellyontherun in Marathon, Race, Running and tagged with , , , , ,

I mentioned in a previous post about St. George how I was excited about the race because of friends running it.

My friend Jenna, who also used the same coach as me, was running to Boston Qualify, and I had no doubts she would do it. Guess what? SHE KILLED IT. She needed a 3:35 like me and ended up with a 3 FREAKING 20!!! Yeah, demolished her goal!!!

My other friend Kimi was running her third marathon in 6 months (crazy girl) and also pulled out a BQ. We’re not sure if it’ll be enough cushion but that girl is serious amazeballs.

Ashley, my training buddy/partner-in-BQ-crime, came away with a 4 minute PR at 3:43!!! I *know* she’s got a BQ in her and with the right course (maybe CIM in December?) she’ll get her Boston ticket.

In my race recap, I recounted how we’d driven the course and seen that while it was net downhill, it was a lot of rolling up and down hill. I knew I was not prepared for that (or prepared to BQ or PR), but even Ashley who had done some hill training wasn’t feeling confident after the preview.

St. George Marathon is an absolutely beautiful course. The views the entire way are breathtaking. The volunteers and overall organization of the race are seriously topnotch. Like, for real. At each station, there were people who who would rub cream on your legs to help with cramping, they were people who had vaseline if you were chafing, there were people there to help you with mostly anything. I had never seen anything like it!

But as a Boston Qualifying course, I’m not so sure I’d recommend it. If you like hills, have hills around you to train, then this is def a good course to shoot for that goal. If you’re in the flatlands, it might be tough.

I’d have to stick with my Phoenix Marathon course. It’s also net downhill (that’s really more flat than downhill after the initial descent) and while boring and lacking in views (after the initial descent), I honestly think it’s a good PR course. (and of course, shameless plug: Use Helly10 for $10 off the half or full!)

Downhill but way less so than St. George.

So that’s where I’ll make my next attempt. I’ll have home court advantage, so I have that going for me. And if I’m honest, I need all the help I can get.

Right now I’m laying low, easing myself back into running after a much needed rest. I’m skipping CIM in December and instead getting a full cycle for Phoenix. Training for Phoenix officially begins the 24th, and I’ll be going in ready to give it all I have. I’d love to use my coach again, but with budgeting for the holidays, I’ll be re-using some of her workouts in addition to Hanson’s to go at it solo. I’m excited, and I feel really good about where I’m at right now with running. Even though I had a rough go at it with St. George, coming away with a PR match has given me a newfound confidence with this next attempt.

Let’s do this, blogging fam!! ❤

–What is your next running/fitness goal?

 

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2017 St. George Marathon Race Recap #likenoother

Posted by hellyontherun in Race, Running and tagged with , , , , ,

Oh man, what a race….

We drove to St. George, Utah on Thursday and hit the expo Friday morning. After, my training buddy Ashley and I drove the course to check out what awaited us.

Me and Ash at the Expo #InBobWeTrust

There were SO many ups and downs, ups and downs that I began to worry if I’d even finish the race. I had not prepared for that undulation. And I knew me–hills are just not my strength.

This is NOT an all downhill course. Do NOT be fooled.

Nevertheless, I knew I was there to get to the finish line and get there with a smile.

———-

Race morning had us getting bussed to the start. We took the earliest one as I like to have plenty of time for things to settle if you know what I mean. But I had some issues….and that threw me off the loop for a bit. Whatever, I had a race to run.

I ran alone and had absolutely no idea what my race strategy was going to be. I just ran and the first mile chimed in at 8:28. I was fine with that as even though I wasn’t sure what my goal was, I knew my PR average was around 8:30.

But as I ran, the miles kept getting faster. I only looked at my watch when the mile would beep. I was just letting myself run.

Early miles smiles

I knew Veyo Hill was coming at mile 8. I knew that there were more after that, and I knew that it was going to suck. The only goal was to NOT STOP, and I didn’t, but man it was getting hard to move.

Going into the halfway mark, I was in dour spirits. The hills had crushed me. Thoughts of bagging it started creeping in. When I couldn’t bring myself to quit, I told myself a sub 4 would be an amazing time and if I could pull that off, it would be an accomplishment.

But I knew deep down inside I wanted to PR.

So I began to fight.

The sun would throw a punch, and I would just keep going. The rolling hills would get in good ones, but I would just keep going.

I could start to feel myself wearing down and wanting to give the race the W.

But somehow I’d find the strength to keep punching back.

The 3:45 pacer caught up to me and I said YOU WILL NOT PASS ME.

The last mile I ran as hard as I possibly could. I was beaten. I was broken. But I was not defeated.

I ran and fought for it.

You bet I passed teal shirt girl.

3:44:43

I have never been so happy to match my PR in my life. I am not the least bit upset that I didn’t beat it, that I didn’t finish 18 seconds faster. I worked SO HARD for that time. So freaking hard.

I’ve come away from St. George ridiculously happy. I’ve seen how my mental strength has grown by what transpired on Saturday. I had so many outs. So many excuses to use to give up.

But. I. Didn’t.

I’ve come away motivated, pumped for the next one (Phoenix next year). I thought St. George would be a bust, a miserable race to end a difficult training cycle. Not even close. I am so, so happy.

Thank you all SO MUCH for your love and support. You all have no idea ❤

–Have you fought with a race and won?