Chicago Spring Half Marathon Race Report
I can sum my race up as over confidence meets bad weather. It may not have been my best race but I learned more from blowing up this year than winning last year.
Garmin File: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/85828744
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Well that was the toughest half marathon I have ever done. I'm not thrilled with my performance but I'm a strong believer that you learn more from a bad day than a good day.
Last year, I had probably the best day of my racing career at this race. I went out front in the first quarter mile just to get a good picture and then never looked back and won my first large race. I also set a half marathon PR by 2 minutes. Additionally, the weather was near perfect, I had two months of very solid run focused training in my legs, and I was coming off of a PR marathon in Boston.
This year was different in just about every way.
The weather was less than ideal with a feels like temp of 35, rain, and steady wind of 25mph from the North East. The course is a straight out and back along the lake so this ment 6.5 miles of running straight into the wind.
Off the start we pretty quickly separated into a small lead pack. I actually lead the way for most of the first mile and a half, but then a guy passed me. I kicked it up and went a little faster than I should have to hang with him for a bit and then dropped back into the pack of about 5. Until about mile 4 that guy lead the race and the small pack I was in pretty much stayed together. We caught up to the first guy and then the pace picked up and there were a few changes in the leader. At this point I knew I was going just a little too fast, maybe 5 sec/mile, but there was going to be a really bad headwind on the way back so I wanted to be in a group. Around mile 5, the two guys leading the race pulled off and stopped, they didn't have numbers and were just bandits that were talking to two of the guys in the pack. I don't know the rules in running races but I know in triathlons outside assistance and having people pace you is definitely against the rules. Not that it mattered in the outcome of the race but it was the principle of it that bugged me.
Anyway, the 4 of us stayed in a pack until the turn around at mile 6.5 and we met the wall of wind we would have to fight all the way back. I held on for about a half mile and then we split into two groups of two. The guy that dropped back with me and I slowly lost ground on the leaders but we stayed right next to each other until about mile 11. At that point he picked it up and I had nothing and couldn't answer.
In the end, I was dropped by 3 better runners and came in 4th. Congrats to each of those guys for staying strong into the worst headwind I have ever raced into, especially Kevin who put 4 minutes into me in the last 6 miles. As far as time goes, I was over 5 minutes slower than last year, which I'm sure a few minutes of was due to the conditions and I believe the others were a combination of a different training focus, no taper, and poor execution (i.e. I went out too fast).
So, what did I learn?
- This year I'm training to be a long course triathlete, this worked very well in Oceanside where I had a great run and actually ran a faster 13.1 off the bike than I ran open today. In the past I trained myself like a runner, had great running race results, but had trouble running off the bike in a tri.
- Don't get over confident. Since I won this race last year, I thought I could hang out up front. I ran at least 5 seconds too fast (maybe 10) per mile for the first 6 miles. Because of this I had nothing left when we turned into the wind and fell apart at the end.
- Don't chase guys that don't have bibs on. I was being naive and figured it was under his long sleeve shirt when we went by me and I chased… nope.
- Don't underestimate the impact of the weather. It was tough out there and I went out and tried to run the same as I would have in perfect conditions, which obviously didn't work so well.
- The Zoot Ultra Speeds are awesome for running in soaking wet conditions as they were light and didn't hold any water. They are going to be my race shoes for the rest of the year.
As usual Theresa and Abigail where there to cheer me on, but luckily they were able to hang out instead for most of the race and avoid the weather. Here is Abigail and me getting ready to go to the race.
Comments
Sometimes you need to take chances in races, especially when you're in the mix to win. You went for it. Nothing wrong with that. Can't wait to see what you do at your next event.
I couldn't agree more. See my report on the HM I did on Sunday. I was running with a guy I've never beaten before (one year younger than me), and took what I figured was the only chance I had to beat him, and paid (slightly) in the end. But I'm glad I did, as I was mainly wanting to show myself I can still race.
My racing dilemma was: I know the guy is basically faster than me - better 5K speed (90 seconds faster). I also know he can beat me in an HM by 1-4 minutes. And yet I found myself catching him in the middle of the race, and pulling ahead on the downhills (where I AM faster than most everyone else). I decided to keep my effort level up to a sustainable max on the final long hill miles 9-11, and found I had no kick to stay with him on the final mile long downhill.
You wanted to not only test your fitness, see if you could take another step up, and you also wanted to have some protection from the wind on the way back - those were good choices, and you found just what your current fitness limiter is. Good information for your upcoming training and racing, I'd say.
I resemble everything you experienced in that race. Have had similar experiences in years past and the difference between you and me is that you have been able to look at it with a positive spin. Taking it for what it is and learning and growing from it. My history with it involved a bit more whining
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and summary. Best part is you have the most amazing support system in Theresa and Abigail. You are blessed!!
CC
@Matt and Al - you guys are spot on like usual. I could have played it safe and executed a perfect race and placed better. In hindsight I'm glad I went for it and gave it a shot. Plus it's a lot more fun going out and racing then running on my own with 3,000 other people aronud me :-) . The dude that won just ran a 2:31 marathon 3 months ago and has multiple 15:1X 5ks to his name, so there was no doubt he was a better runner and I learned to if I really want to go play with the runners I would need to commit to being a runner.
@Carrie and P - I've learned the positive spin thing from you guys and the amazing things you have done. Keeping your head up and moving on really works.
BTW, I did realize that I pulled off a low 34' 10k during this race which is a PR for me since I haven't raced an open 10k in a while. And I ran the 2nd 5k of this race as fast as I ran an open 5k back in November ... so lots of good stuff came from the first 6.5 miles, thanks to the tail wind and going for the win.
Sorry to be slow here. I have less time than I once did to poke around forums.
In my own half a couple weeks ago, I commented on this execution vs racing bit (where I leaned to the "execution" side), and it's a very interesting read to see your thoughts in a case where you leaned to the "race" side. I think it's very hard to argue with your conclusions. No doubt this is just a stepping stone for some excellent long course results later.