2014 St. Michaels Half: PR under the Glaring Sun

This Spring season has been all about one thing rebuild and redemption. After losing my entire fall to Arthur’s revenge I had a lot I felt I needed to prove to myself while rebuilding at the same time. Rebuilding is quite a process coming off of injury, but its even more difficult coming back from a chronic disease that leaves permanent damage as a reminder of its wrath. One of my goals for this spring was to set a PR in the half marathon since my PR they year before was not what it could have been considering my fitness levels at the time. I had hoped to set a <2:00 on course for the first time, but that will have to wait for fall. For now I am happy to say that though redemption is not complete St. Michael’s Half is reaffirming that rebuild and redemption is well underway.

St. Michaels Half marathon is held in St. Michaels Maryland on the eastern shore. It is broadcast as one of the flattest courses on the east coast. This race comes at a precarious time of year the middle of may which in the mid-atlantic region can potentially be very hot. The good news is this year it was mild temperatures, the bad news is that they don’t broadcast the amount of sun on the course.

           My husband and I left for St. Michaels on Friday May 16^th the night before the race. We had a nice 2.5 hour drive out to the eastern shore. Upon arriving we picked up my packet, wandered the town, ate dinner, and then I spent some time in the hot tub before bed. My main concerns on Friday were hydration and getting to bed early before the race. Since we would be up early I made sure to lay out everything I’d need before the race and organize everything I’d need for after due to us checking out early Saturday Morning. 

                Saturday morning we woke up early allowing extra time to get to the race start since traffic warnings had been posted. Despite this we arrived at the time the race was just supposed to start because the traffic was worse than anticipated. Due to the many people who were still parking they delayed the race start which on some levels was good because as a skeptical runner who doesn’t like to use the facilities during a race it gave me time to find a restroom. On another level this was bad because it meant 30 minutes later start which in terms of running and mornings in late spring can alter a race for a faster runner significantly by huge temperature or sun increases. The sun increase was the killer for me at St. Michaels.

                The start as stated was half an hour behind. The first half of the race was beautiful, through the town, along the shore through a park, through the golf course, and through neighborhoods. All of the scenery was beautiful and it was shady. I held consistent 8:45 paces which were faster than I intended to go out but I felt fantastic. I could talk to people at this pace it didn’t feel like I was pushing and overall I felt strong like a great push was in me for the 2^nd half.

                Lately I’ve taken a strategy of breaking races into three parts for effort. This strategy worked well for me in my training, and in the airport 10k. For a half marathon I start the first 5 miles at the top level of my comfortable pace just at the point I know if I push harder we’re looking at discomfort. The next 5 miles is just a little harder so just into the uncomfortable zone because now I’m warm. The last 3 miles is set to be deep into the uncomfortable zone close to my projected 5k pace. This pushing effort should make for a negative split and fast building race times. This was the strategy I took to St. Michaels.

                My strategy cracked in St. Michaels not due to heat, lack of nutrition, dehydration, but due to sun. The second half of the race was on open straight a-ways between Easton and St. Michaels. Due to starting half an hour late the sun was high an hour in and continued to get higher through the run. Each mile became harder and harder and my paces slipped. The only saving grace for me was it wasn’t hot and there was a breeze.  I watched many runners crack at the turn arounds coming back and towards the end of the race. One thing Tinkerbell, and Princess both taught me was that despite exhaustion or pain I could push and not crack and so as the miles and sun built onto me I kept pushing.

                As the sun bore down on me my times slipped I became frustrated. I kept pushing with harder effort and they kept slipping. I knew instinctually from the worst burn I’d ever had a week before that this was due to the Remicade and sun not working well together. Yet despite my frustration I knew I had a PR in me and I’d come close to my ultimate goal of a<2:00 if I just kept pushing so I did. I knew if I gave in I’d be unhappy with myself.

              

          As I passed mile 10 I decided I would really attempt to push through the sun and gain faster times closer to what my start was. I was now holding 9:30’s and 9:40’s. I pushed harder and maintained my pace’s in the 9’s despite the push, and the sun just got higher. I was drenched in sweat. At mile 11 I tried again and I had limited success in a short shade patch then slipped again. I mentally told myself you have less than 2 miles you will finish running get to mile 12 and do a final push. I got to 12 and made my move only now I was in 9:50’s my move got me nowhere fast half a mile into this push in the sun I was no faster instead I was ready to puke. The effort in the sun was so hard my body wasn’t having it. To make matters worse my hip started to get wonky on me at a quarter mile into mile 12. I could feel it grinding and get super wobbly. I was no longer comfortable in any sense of the word. Along the way in the last 4 miles while passing people who stopped to walk I encouraged them telling them they were almost there, and in this last mile I saw many cracked runners from the sun. It was my experience of running with Arthritis that allowed me to not be one of them.

At this last half mile my body wanted to walk but my fear inside told me if you start walking in this .6 to the finish you will not finish. My hip was shot I’d thrown it out, but I knew in order to finish I had to continue with a running stride. I just kept telling myself those last 5 minutes keep pushing the time doesn’t matter and I would PR no matter what if I kept running, if I stopped I was done. As I came across the bridge on the path before the last turn into the last .25 I felt my hip shake again and mentally I sucked it up and pushed. I didn’t get any faster in fact I was slowing but I knew I had to keep running. When the shoot appeared people passed me my push kept me even in pace, and as I crossed the line and started to slow into a walk I almost collapsed. During the end of the race I’d counted 4 ambulances leaving the finish. As my hip gave out and I almost fell to the ground 3 people shot out into the shoot asking if I was ok ready to catch me. I said yes and managed to pull myself together walking wobbly out of the shoot. My finish at St. Michaels was a 2:00:56 a PR of 2 minutes!

As stated my goal was a PR first and a <2:00 second. I did not make my ultimate goal but I came very close and I know that means my next race will finally support the <2:00 I’ve been seeing in training. I was proud of this run because I truly gave it my all. I had a lot of difficulties for days after this race my hips and quads were absolutely done. Had the sun not been so high I probably would have finished in the projected 1:52 at the halfway point of the race, but to me that doesn’t matter. What mattered from this race was the continued lesson I can push through pain, through exhaustion, and I can finish well. I can finish strong. Strength is not always a power surge at the end or gut speed like at the Airport 10k, sometimes the greatest strength is knowing your body gave you its all and allowing it to finish with grace. I feel that this race was run with grace my body gave a lot through the sun and I am proud of every step and every mile despite a huge positive split in times. I know I earned the PR I gained those 2 minutes were won through a hard mental and physical fight in the last portions of the race. Next time <2:00 but for now I am proud to continue to see slow strides in not just running, but my endurance with my personal struggles. I am thankful for every mile my body gave me and learning to trust myself rather than give in.

 Captain Angry Bones