Oak Bay 1/2 marathon
Tough race today.
Recently, I picked up one of those angled water bottle holders that are supposed to make it easier to get the water bottle in and out. It seems that getting the bottle is so effortless that I don't even need to use my hands. 5 minutes into the race, my bottle did it's best superman impression and lept into the air. The sea of people behind me were not impressed when I turned around to collect it. Rather than face another escape attempt, I ran with it in my hand for the next couple k until I'd had enough to make it less top heavy. Ditching the bottle entirely did occur to me but I wasn't sure about drinking the Gatorade the y supply on the course (instead of the eLoad that I usually run with.)
Just for kicks, I thought I'd try the Gatorade and wound up with some pretty nasty stomach cramps. I was just about that over that when my knees went on strike for more walk breaks and less overall mileage. They hurt so much by the 11k marker that I wondered if I was going to DNF (did not finish).
I slowed it down, took some ibuprofen and walked whenever I had too. I started to feel better and thought I'd try some Gatorade again at the 18k marker since that's what they'll be serving at the 1/2 iron and I wanted to avoid carrying my stupid water bottle with me.
Bad mistake.
The stomach cramps came back with a vengance and I spent the next two kilometers just trying not to throw up. Carolyn, my coach, caught up to me on her bike and helped keep me moving for the last painful kilometer. I got to the top of the big (and did I mention, poorly placed) hill and got caught up in the noise from the finish line. I'd intended to take the end slow but I'm a sucker for a fast finish. I kicked it up and passed two people in the last 20m.
In the end, I was about 10 minutes slower than my 1st (and only other) 1/2 marathon but I quickly got over being bummed out about that and instead was just pleased to have a second 1/2 marathon under my belt.
It's a long road to a long race. But today, I got a little bit closer.
Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.
Talent will not; nothing is more common that unsuccessful individuals with talent.
Genius will not; unrewarded genius Is almost a proverb.
Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.
~Calvin Coolidge
Recently, I picked up one of those angled water bottle holders that are supposed to make it easier to get the water bottle in and out. It seems that getting the bottle is so effortless that I don't even need to use my hands. 5 minutes into the race, my bottle did it's best superman impression and lept into the air. The sea of people behind me were not impressed when I turned around to collect it. Rather than face another escape attempt, I ran with it in my hand for the next couple k until I'd had enough to make it less top heavy. Ditching the bottle entirely did occur to me but I wasn't sure about drinking the Gatorade the y supply on the course (instead of the eLoad that I usually run with.)
Just for kicks, I thought I'd try the Gatorade and wound up with some pretty nasty stomach cramps. I was just about that over that when my knees went on strike for more walk breaks and less overall mileage. They hurt so much by the 11k marker that I wondered if I was going to DNF (did not finish).
I slowed it down, took some ibuprofen and walked whenever I had too. I started to feel better and thought I'd try some Gatorade again at the 18k marker since that's what they'll be serving at the 1/2 iron and I wanted to avoid carrying my stupid water bottle with me.
Bad mistake.
The stomach cramps came back with a vengance and I spent the next two kilometers just trying not to throw up. Carolyn, my coach, caught up to me on her bike and helped keep me moving for the last painful kilometer. I got to the top of the big (and did I mention, poorly placed) hill and got caught up in the noise from the finish line. I'd intended to take the end slow but I'm a sucker for a fast finish. I kicked it up and passed two people in the last 20m.
In the end, I was about 10 minutes slower than my 1st (and only other) 1/2 marathon but I quickly got over being bummed out about that and instead was just pleased to have a second 1/2 marathon under my belt.
It's a long road to a long race. But today, I got a little bit closer.
Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.
Talent will not; nothing is more common that unsuccessful individuals with talent.
Genius will not; unrewarded genius Is almost a proverb.
Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.
~Calvin Coolidge
posted by Jonathan at 10:30 PM
1 Comments:
Congrats on the finish! Mark C got some good photos of you on the course. You may want to try some training runs with the Gatorade and see if you can aclimatize the stomach to it some before the 1/2 Iron? Looking forward to Chemainus and the company during your run for the 1/2.
Jarhead...
Post a Comment
<< Home