{Lost all my pics so it’s a picture-less recap}
Race morning I got up at 4am, showered, had my coffee and then stretched it out. I left the house at 5:15 and arrived at the race a little after 6am.
I had a Clif bar 30 mins before the race started; I almost forgot about it in the car.
I knew this race would be very hilly so I made sure to start slow and pace myself. Plus I knew there was a monster hill at mile 2.
Right before the start. Only 344 people ran the full so the start wasn’t crowded at all.
This course was absolutely gorgeous; almost all of it was ran along the waterline. But it was hilly: steep hills, rolling hills, long hills. But of course with every hill comes a nice decline.
It’s hard to take a good picture of a hill, but this was the nasty one at mile 2. It doesn’t stop at the top of the picture though. There’s an S curve and it keeps going! It was about .6 mile long and steep. At mile 2. Are you kidding me??
We ran by the Trump National Golf Course; it was gorgeous but sadly I didn’t see any Trump comb over hair.
This was the entire course, uphill and then downhill. HILLY.
I started the first couple miles around 8:30-9min/miles. I kept telling myself that I was just going to run for fun and to not stress about time.
I really focused on pacing myself well because it was a mostly out and back course ie I knew when there was a 1 mile downhill at mile 4, I’d later be running up it at mile 21.
I took a Powerbar Vanilla gel at mile 9 that they were handing out. It was disgusting, way too sweet and really liquidy.
Making love to the camera. I crossed the half in 1:46 and took my second GU at mile 14.5. I felt good, I wasn’t pushing that hard but I was pacing well and picking people off that started way too fast… which is what I normally do.
Miles 13-17ish were ran through a residential area near the ocean. If I had to guess, I’d say the first half was more downhill than the second half, but I don’t really know. I basically gave myself permission to take each hill as slow as I needed to. GU #3 was taken at mile 18.5.
There was the killer 1 mile climb around mile 21, and I slowly powered up it because I knew that steep hill beginning the race, I got to fly down at mile 24. I took my 4th GU at mile 22.
The last 2 miles were pretty flat, a few rolling hills so I pushed as hard as I could just to be done.
I finished in 3:31:17 according to the clock (there wasn’t chip timing). I finished 39th overall, 4th woman overall and 2nd in my age division.
I am really happy with this race, not because of my time but because of how I paced myself. Starting slower gave me energy to finish strong, and I never bonked, hit a wall or anything. It was hard but I didn’t get that “Someone please kill me and put me out of my misery” at mile 21-26 like I normally do.
My past 2 marathons, LA and Pendleton, I really struggled the last 5-6 miles. Like mentally fell apart. But this race was completely different and I think it’s because I didn’t charge out from the gate way too fast. Also, another thing I did was take the downhills as time to rest and recover rather than scream down them trying to make up time.
*A side note: after the race 3 older guys came up to me and complimented me on my running. “You passed me at 18 and I thought I’d catch up to you but never did. Strong finish!” They were so friendly and complimentary that we stood around talking about different races we’ve done for probably 10-15 mins.
And it got me thinking, I need to encourage other runners and people more. Something as simple as a telling someone else “great race!” can be really uplifting and you remember that.
I always try to thank the person I’m grabbing water from, but what about all the other volunteers? I think I sometimes get so into “my race” that I forget about everyone around me. And that’s lame. My race, in the end, doesn’t matter at all. But if I can make someone else feel good about themselves? Now that’s way more important.
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{ 36 comments… read them below or add one }
Awesome! Love all the photos! Each time I read about your races and expirences, makes me so excited for my 1st Half- Marathon in August. Great job pacing yourself!
This may qualify as the strangest question yet, but, do you wear makeup before you run? Your skin always looks flawless during a run or race & it even looks like you have blush. Just wondering because I’m super self-conscious of how I look with no make-up on during runs
How did you like the new babydoll top? I was going to order one but I wanted to see how you liked it first…
That top is super cute on you. I’m afraid if I wore it, I would be kicked off the race course for running a marathon while pregnant, and pregnant I am not.
Is that actually an athletic tank? It’s so cute I’d wear it in a non-working out scenario. lol that was hard to word.
That’s awesome; congrats! Wow!
Regarding commenting/encouragement – yesterday i was out on a long run (12 miles) which was an out-and-back bike trail, and so I passed several runners a couple different times, doing out-and-backs… and so as I passed this older guy for the second time, i was at about mile 6… he said “you’re looking strong” as I passed him… and that really kept me going for the next mile or so, as I thought about what he said, and tried to BE STRONG. So anyway – I think a little encouragement goes a long way, I know it helped me out yesterday!
Congrats on your success at the race! That’s a great approach. You listened to your body and went with what felt right. You must be swimming in endorphins 24/7!
I think when you’re out there next time, you should definitely chat it up with other runners, if you can. I’m big on high-fiving fellow runners (strangers) at races, and generally letting my inner running geek out in full force. I usually get weird looks, but whatever. It makes me happy.
And I hope you realize that you’re motivating your blog readers every day! I mean, big time motivating. I was “stalking” your blog for a few months before I first commented, but I’d visit a couple times a day to read your updates, and on many days, it helped to fuel my runs. So while you’re out there in Sunny Cali doing your thing, you have fellow runners around the country, and probably around the world, who are running races you’ve never heard of, and are very much inspired by you.
I love how in one of your pictures you can see a man wearing the yellow “Marathon Maniacs” shirt that you totally made fun of in a previous post… obviously someone thought it was pretty cool.
Great job on the race, and I totally know what you mean about people complimenting you and building you up. I’m actually a pretty big fan of win the winners turn around and run the race backwards, encouraging people. It always lets you know that the end is in sight.
You rock! You really do! After I have this baby I am totally getting back to my running. You inspire me!
The end of your post really rang true for me – it does feel great to get complimented from other runners, and I think I too should make an effort to return the favor! Like you, I always thank volunteers, but I rarely interact with other runners…a good goal for my next race!
great job on the Marathon! Glad it went so well and you enjoyed yourself the last few miles! I agree with your comment about needing to encourage other runners more. I really should compliment other runners at races.
Hey, excellent race!
Is that the Champion shirt you bought three of a little while back?
It looks great! Congrats again!
Nice race!
I agree that little supportive comments or encouraging cheers are really awesome. I try my best to do that even during the race! It goes a long way.
That looks like such a beautiful course!
I love uphills since my form always seems spot on but down hills, not so much!
Love the photos and congrats on a great race!
Congrats on another great race.
I completely agree with what you are saying about complitmenting other runners. I swear that’s what got me through miles 22-25 of my first marathon. I would tell someone they were “looking great” and it would put me in a much better mood.
Usually if there is a person that was near me for most of the race or if I was pacing off them near the finish I try to compliment them on a good race. Also if someone passes me with a strong pace and looking good I’ll say something (although to myself I am probably cursing them and wishing I looked that good).
Great race! One of these days I’ll learn to go out slowly…..
Well done you! You always do so amazingly well.
It’s nice passing on a compliment. They make all the difference to someone’s day.
x
What a great time for such a hilly course! Congratulations on a strong finish, too. Quick questions: I love the top that you were wearing and found your original post about them. Did you wear a sports bra underneath it or just two of the same top? Did the empire waist get in your way at all during the run? Thanks!
Congrats! You ran a great race! And so true about acknowledging others race day. I took the time to do that at my race Sunday and it made my race experience that much better!
Good work! You are sooo dang fast girl!
Is that the Champion Top you were talking about that was on sale at Champion? It’s so cute and goes with the tempo shorts perfectly!
Hi, I recently found your website and really enjoy it. A few questions concerning your pictures while running; do you use your cellphone or camera? What product, make/model? How do you carry it? Do you stop running to take the pictures?
congrats on a great race. way to pace yourself well and run smartly! so cool that those guys came up to you afterward and complimented you on how you were running!
i agree that saying nice things like that to others is soooo uplifting. even if it’s not in a race setting. i was at the grocery store the other day wearing an old race shirt and a man came up to me and we chatted for awhile about races and stuff. very cool
question for you: when you shower pre-race is it to loosen up your muscles or do you do a full out washing shower?
Great job- you make it look too easy! After volunteering at a race i really appreciate all the work that goes into organizing one. A ‘thanks’ or a ‘good race’ can really go a long way.
Awesome job on the race!!!!!!
You are so right about what you said at the end about complimenting and encouraging fellow runners. When I first moved here and started running there is a great group of runners here who did just that. Every race I went to (5k’s and 10k’s) people were so nice and encouraging.
You can’t help but pass that on to other runners.
And I agree with Jenn, that you motivate your blog readers every single day. And thanks for that!!!!!!!!!!!!
AND I love that running top. I think I need to add one of those to my running wardrobe.
That’s awesome about figuring out your race niche. And the course is gorgeous! It looks like the whole day was great, glad you had a good time
Your blog is so motivational–LOVE IT! I’ve been so engrossed in your race recaps and product reviews that I haven’t had time to bore my fiance to death with running talk so he loves it too!
Way to kill that marathon…and run 10.5 miles the next day!
I always make sure to thank everyone when I’m running. It just is who I am but I like the smiles I get because I know some people are just so into the race they forget.
BTW great race!
Really inspirational! I love all the pics, felt like I was there with you
xox
Good job on the race! That is awesome and that is so cool that they came up to congratulate you.
Hey!! That’s great I live in San Pedro/Palos Verdes(borderline)! If I would have known I would of came down to cheer up! Great time and Congratulations you’re such a great runner!
Congrats on the race!!
Love the empire waiste top!!!
Oppps, I meant “waist”
I HATE hilly races, good job! you are a beast!
Holy shit woman. Now I am blog stalking you to read about all of your incredible races. You killed this one – AND it was hilly!? Are you like super human or something. I would LOVE to know what your training plan looks like.
How cool, you took a picture about the same place where I got engaged last year in Palos Verdes. The fiance mentioned the race and told me when we were on the same streets you raced on.
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