Route 66 Half Marathon

This season has been a bit of a rough one. I've had some bumps and bruises, but I've been able to keep plugging away. After the Tulsa Run my foot pain ramped up another notch and I could hardly walk for a couple of days. I started seeing a physical therapist who is helped me work on a serious knot in my calf that is likely causing some of the issue. Even a month later it still hasn't gone away so I've felt pretty frustrated with that. I really want to go into my Boston Marathon build, which starts the first week in January, pain free so I can have a solid training block. I feel like right now I'm in pain management mode and I'd rather be in pain prevention mode. All that being said, my PT suggested I lay off the speed work to allow my calf to chill out a little and hopefully help in my recovery. So my last speed workout was on October 9th. I felt like I was strong and in decent shape but I knew I was lacking in the speed department. I felt confident I could run under 1:35 and thought maybe the Route 66 would be the race where I run a 1:33 which I've never run before. I've finished in every minute from 1:30-1:36 in a half except for 1:33. Secretly I hoped I'd be under 1:33 and could maybe pull off something in the 1:32's but I didn't feel like that was super realistic given the challenging nature of this course along with my fitness level.

Saturday morning I woke up sick to my stomach and was really worried I'd end up sick for the race. We had 5 kids out from school with stomach bugs involving diarrhea and vomiting on Thursday and then sent one home with a 101 temp. I started a probiotic on Tuesday as a precaution but I was still worried. All I was able to eat on Saturday was eggs, toast, oatmeal, and soup. If I could stay healthy, I was really confident my race was going to go well. I have a pair of maroon shorts that have a zipper pocket in the back. They are amazing shorts and I love them, but every race I've run wearing them, I blew up and had a totally awful race. So there was this superstition with the shorts to where I couldn't bring myself to race in them again, like they were a bad omen. I was terrified that something would go wrong and I'd have an awful race again. I was so confident in how well this race was going to go, I decided to reclaim my maroon shorts by wearing them for this race and having an awesome race. The temperature at the start was projected to be 37 degrees but feel like 32. I was a bit tempted to go with capri tights but the temp was supposed to warm quickly, being in the 40's by the time I finished. Plus I really wanted to redeem my maroon shorts to I went with shorts, my black spandex long sleeved top, gloves, and a head band. We left the house a little later than planned at 7:20. We still arrived with plenty of time to use the porta potties and get to the corral but mom and dad stayed back to pay for parking (the line was really long) so we were a little worried about them finding us so we could pass off our sweats. I was wearing clothes I really didn't want to lose. Luckily I saw mom and Elise right before the race start and was able to hand them off. I started by the 3:30 pacer which I was surprised to see since I'd hoped to run with a 3:30 pacer last year but the fastest pace group they offered was 3:40!

Our cousin, Ian, drove up from Nashville to run the race and was also doing the half as was Ty. Ty's training hadn't gone that well and at the expo he joked about stopping to drink at every spot on the course where people were passing out alcohol (there are a lot in this race and there's a block party that's known for their jello shots). Thomas came up with the idea of him wearing a shirt and getting tally marks on it for each shot or drink he had. Jeremy and Thomas were in the full. Thomas stopped farther back in the corral and I guess Ian stopped for a bit and then ended up moving up front farther than I did. I could see Jeremy a ways ahead of me in the corral. The gun went off and I enjoyed looking up at the confetti as I took off. I was so excited and already smiling from the gun. I heard mom and saw the kids to the right of the course right off the bat. There was just this calm, easy excitement that I felt at running a half just for fun with no pressure or time goals. A little bit before the mile mark I passed Jeremy and told him good job. He told me we were running 6:30 pace but I had my watch under my shirt and wasn't worried about it a bit. I figured his math was a bit off, plus the first mile goes out fast because there's a nice down hill at the start. We went uphill toward the mile mark and course clock and I went through the first mile in 6:49. In my head I was like, "Whoa, I might be able to pull out a PR today!" I was just feeling so good and relaxed at that pace. But I also knew the downhill helped me run a bit faster for the first mile.

There are some nice big hills in the 2nd mile and when I went through that mile in 7:19, I was like, "Okay, I'm probably going to run more the time I was expecting." There was a kid out with a sign that said, "Power up," and had a spot to hit so of course I ran over to do so. I smiled at every spectator on the course and was just having an absolute blast. We went through Cascia Hall and the first water stop which is always fun and I went ahead and took some water. This year they had wide mouthed Pepsi cups for the water and it was hard to drink without it sloshing out on you. Luckily I had planned ahead and when I took the water, I took my glove off so I wouldn't spill water on my glove. Mile 3 was 7:09. My legs were a bit cold for the first couple of miles, but by mile 3 I had taken my gloves off and shoved them in my shorts. I didn't look at my watch at all except to see my mile splits. I felt good and just ran what felt right. During mile 4 I passed Ian who I hadn't even realized was ahead of me. I went through mile 4 in 6:50 which surprised me because I didn't expect to be back under 7:00 pace. Then we went uphill into Woodward Park for another water stop and at the bottom of the downhill was the relay exchange. I saw Alicia waiting for April to make it to the exchange and she went nuts cheering for me. It was awesome. I got pretty pumped up going down into the neighborhoods. Mile 5 was 7:03. I was feeling good and having so much fun. I kept smiling at the spectators and they would really get excited cheering for me. On the downhills I could feel that my hamstring and glute were getting tight. Then when we hit a flat section I'd notice tightness in my calf. Somewhere in this section I saw mom, dad, and the kids. 

Not sure how my mom took this picture, but I thought it was cool.

I cropped it into this on my phone.

Up next was one of my favorite sections of the course, the run down Peoria. There is so much energy going through Brookside and I love running past the running store where I'm on the race team. People cheered for me and were excited and yelling over how I was smiling. It was so much fun. I went through mile 6 in 6:45, thanks for the boost crowds of Peoria Street! I went through the 10k in 43:33 which I was excited about since I went through the 10k in 2016 in 43:02. I figured I was only 30 seconds off my fastest time on this course. I also told myself I was going to finish with a stronger last 2 miles than that race. I could feel it and I knew not to get too excited about being in the last 5k and take off too fast during mile 11. I got excited as we turned onto 41st Street because I normally see mom and dad with the kids on 41st Street between Peoria and Riverside. I started eating my Gu through here. I was a little anxious about eating it because I'd had trouble getting food down that morning and I was a little worried I'd throw up. But I figured since I wasn't able to eat as much the day before due to feeling queasy, I had better get the calories in. It went down fine and I had no issues. I was so thankful. There were so many moments in the race where I thought, "I'm so lucky to be doing this. I am not sick and I get to run." The weather was so gorgeous which also helped me feel just amazing. We went through mile 7 right before turning onto Riverside. My split was 6:58. I was definitely loving the flatter miles. Out on Riverside I started wishing I didn't have a long sleeved shirt on. The sun was warm and I started to feel a bit warm as well. I knew taking my spandex top off would slow me down more than it was worth so I just blessed it and released it. I went through mile 8 in 7:01. 

Mom and dad and the kids were somewhere around in here. I dropped my gloves off with them because they were getting pretty soaked in sweat since they were stuck in my waistband and I knew I wouldn't need them again. Mile 9 was 7:06. I started looking at the race clock and figuring out about what my finishing time might be. I estimated I was going to finish in around 1:32:30. That was definitely on the faster end of what I felt I was capable of. I was getting excited but told myself, "Wait to see how you feel with a 5k to go." When we went past the relay exchange I saw Morgan and yelled for her. She got excited and started yelling, "That's my friend!" It was another fun boost of energy. Last year the stretch on Riverside was the toughest of the race for me because we were running into the wind nonstop for 3 miles. This year it was tough because it was a long stretch and it was close to the finish where I was starting to get tired. I also didn't have many people to run with. There were big gaps between me and the people around me. I could see a woman ahead of me and just guessed by the way she looked that she was in the marathon but there was another woman close to her. I told myself, "Go for the ponytails," because that's something my friend Sara tells herself in races and I thought it was a fun thing to think. Then I entertained myself that she didn't really have a ponytail because it was a braid. So thanks for the mid-race entertainment while I ran alone, Sara. A lot of people were getting really excited when I went by saying, "Woo, go girl," or "Here comes a woman." It made me wonder if there weren't very many women ahead of me or something.

Mile 10 was 7:04. I estimated I would finish in 1:32:30ish if I was able to run 7:00 miles the rest of the way. I also knew the last 2 miles usually kill me with the little hills being just enough to destroy my legs. I figured I needed to run 7:15 or under to finish in under 1:33. It's funny because I think it would be fun to run a 1:33 since I haven't, but any time I'm close I really push to get under 1:33! I told myself, "Let's see how you feel going up the hill toward Southwest Boulevard." When I've had rough finishes in the half, I had a tough time getting back down to speed after cresting the hill. This year I passed the woman in the half going up the hill and I felt great. I was back down to speed in no time! I was pleased and knew the last couple miles would be fine. I told myself, "These last 2 miles are going to be so much more fun than 2016. I am strong." There's a little out and back on Southwest Boulevard and I enjoyed watching the people ahead of me going back. I watched the bibs of the women ahead of me and saw there were quite a few in the half not too far ahead of me. I was right, the woman who I thought was in the full was. After turning around I saw Ian. He definitely had his game face on but when I reached out to high five him he turned on a giant grin. Mile 11 was 7:04. I told myself, "7:15 or under from here on out!" I was closing the gap on a few guys and a woman ahead of me. I passed 2 of them going up the biggest hill in the finishing section which felt good! One of them was a guy I ran with during the Aquarium Run Half Marathon one year.

Running out on Southwest Boulevard.

With 2 miles to go I was feeling a bit tired but all the sudden with a mile and a half to go, I was feeling great and ready to really push it in. I went through mile 12 in 7:11 which was awesome compared to my fastest time on this course where I ran over 7:20 for that mile! I started really picking it up with a mile to go and felt great. We passed the BOK Center and the turn off for the marathon. I was super pleased to be going straight instead of turning for the marathon even though the day before at the expo I was a little sad not to be running the full. There's one last hill with about a half mile to go and the rest of the way just has a couple little inclines. A guy passed me going downhill and I went with him a little bit. I was already really picking it up though and didn't want to push it too much up that hill and struggle in. Mile 13 was 6:59 but I'm pretty sure I didn't even see that. I do remember seeing the clock at the 26 mile mark and knowing I could run that section in 2:00 and finish under 1:33. I told myself I had to beat my finishing kick of 6:50 pace from the finish of the marathon last year and really pushed it in. The announcer said, "I wonder if she knows she's top 10 in the half marathon," to which I pumped my fists in the air and he said, "She heard that, she knows now." It was an awesome finish and people were going nuts for me at the finish which was a blast! 

Since I was busy pumping my fists and smiling, I don't remember seeing the finish line clock. I did look down at my watch after I stopped it and saw 1:32:32. There was a race official standing at the finish like going nuts and cheering me in, it was totally awesome. As I finished he gave me a high five and I recognized him as one of the other runners on the Runner's World Race Team. The guy who had passed me in the last half mile came over to high five me and told me, "I followed you the whole way in, you killed it and really helped me." I smiled but thought, "Could you not have caught me sooner and helped me along a little, too?!" haha! As I was walking away after getting my medal I heard them announce, "Hurford from Nashville," and got excited knowing that was Ian. I waited for him and we walked through the chute together. We even got a picture together with our medals. We walked around for a bit looking for mom and dad. When we couldn't find them I asked to borrow someone's phone and called dad. We were able to catch up with him and drove around cheering for Jeremy and Thomas which was a blast. I absolutely love cheering for marathoners. By the time they both finished my throat was sore!

Me and Ian after the finish.

At mile 23 I thought we had missed my relay friend go by so I went ahead and popped into a porta potty. When I came out she was going by and I just went nuts. It was so awesome to see her and I was even more excited because it was unexpected. Thomas had a rough race and was cramping up quite a bit during the last 10k so he walked up the hills. He said everyone was so encouraging and he really enjoyed the encouragement from other runners who were passing him. He ran by and said, "How the hell did you qualify for Boston on this course?!" which I found entertaining. We saw some interesting things going down as well. One guy ran by eating an orange which isn't something I'd want to do in a marathon! Another guy looked like he needed medical attention and was limping along with a cramp in his calf. When we asked if he needed help, he declined. A woman walking to cheer on runners slipped on leaves and fell, we knew because a concerned runner told us so we could help her. There were lots of spectators out on scooters and one guy who was riding all over the place on his. Each time we saw Jeremy he was all smiles and looked wonderful! When we saw Thomas he was smiles at first and some chatting. As the race progressed he was not smiling anymore. I felt bad for him. You could tell he was in pain and he'd finish but it was going to be a struggle to the finish. While we were out cheering on marathoners, Ty finished the half and texted a picture of himself with 14 tally marks on his shirt! We parked close to the finishing area and Carter had to potty so we went into the bathroom. When we came out we went straight to the finishing area and I put Elise on my shoulders. The timing was perfect because pretty soon we saw Thomas coming in. He looked like he was in a lot of pain, but he did it! He said he was more proud of this race than he was of his race last year because he pushed through so much discomfort to finish. Seeing his face as he was finishing sure made me a little gun shy for the marathon though, not gonna lie, haha! I'm so excited to start training for Boston and really hope I can get my foot issue resolved before I start my training cycle!

Still looking great around mile 18.

I finished in 1:32:32 which my Garmin said was 7:01 pace for 13.19 miles. The results show my 10 mile split as 1:18:24. I was 62nd out of 3,836 overall, 7th out of 2,414 females, and 2nd out of 299 in my age group! Ian finished in 1:33:44. He was 70th overall and 6th out of 79 in his age group. Ty finished in 2:26:27. That put him 1,789th overall and 116 out of 161 in his age group. His real accomplishment was achieving 14 tallies on his shirt meaning he consumed 14 alcoholic drinks, mostly shots, during the race. I have no idea how he finished at all! His least favorite was a pickle flavored jello shot which he thought was lime flavored and his favorite was peanut butter whiskey. Jeremy finished the marathon in 3:37:12. He was 107th out of 1,383 overall and 16th out of 125 in his age group. Thomas finished in 4:20:43. He was 399th overall and 40th out of 97 in his age group. Read about last year's marathon here, 2017's marathon here, 2016's half here, 2015's half here, and a post with the run-down of all our Route 66 races from the past here. I think I'll do a little updated post with all Route 66 results because it's fun to look back at one post and have a recap of each year.

Ian finishing in the half-marathon.

Ty finishing the half, I have no idea how he did it!

Jeremy straight killed the marathon!

I had to include this one because of the insanely overdressed guy behind Thomas here!

Thomas in the full.

Thomas finishing the marathon.

With my friend, April, after the race.