Space Coast Half Marathon

This week was madness. We worked on Monday. Drove to Bama on Tuesday (it took us a long time, but it was a nice trip) visited before a late bedtime. Worked on Wednesday for a while, ran some errands, and did some 'pre-cooking' Wednesday night, Kiki and Kara came late - full house at this point... Thursday was hectic for me since mom couldn't cook or clean up the kitchen and I was stuffed and tired, EVERYONE stayed Thursday night and some crazy people even went out shopping at midnight - I opted to try to get some sleep in preparation for the weekend since I was WAY behind in that department. Friday we visited, ate more really bad stuff, watched the iron bowl, packed, and drove half-way back stopping for sleep in Tallahassee...Saturday we got home, went to the expo, went to the grocery store, cooked dinner, and was in bed at a reasonable 9pm.

I slept so horribly last night, that I woke to the sound of Jack (my little rat terrier) peeing on my luggage at 2:30am! UGH. I just went ahead and got up at that point. I was wide awake, and I would have to leave in 90 minutes to start the pickups anyway. I ate a Clif bar early, thinking it might help me go...moved around.... got dressed, watched dvr'd Days...still nothing...but still feeling really good and alert....I triple checked my bag and set off to pick up Brian and then Jeanine.

It was a nice trip and didn't take as long as we thought, we arrived at 4:56. I have never been to Cocoa Village before. Its very cute!! There was plenty of portalets (short lines), the weather was chilly but really it was perfect. We met up with SueAnn and Holly outside the bathrooms and found Magda later (via phone messages) by the park. We had left our cold weather clothes on so after scoping things out, we went back to the car to put our stuff up - and about got lost trying to find the right parking lot! :)

One more last minute potty break and we lined up with the 10:00 pace. The 'start' was pretty awesome, they had a big screen at the front with the shuttle lift off :) Very cool!! At mile 3 / 10 there were martians handing out drinks - that was pretty funny! The half course was very well done, a pretty good amount of spectator support, BEAUTIFUL scenary - we were literally right beside of the lagoon, water stations and gatoraide drinks at about every mile (I believe?!) and gels at mile 8. I only had a drink at mile 5, thanks to my handy fuel belt. :)

With the news that Magda was coming down to run, and that the first half of the marathon would be ran with the half, I felt confident that I would PR today. I knew that as long as I stuck with her, that I would not back off, I would not slow down, I would not walk. I felt strong - and after the nearly 19 mile race I just did 2 weeks ago, I was confident that I could do this!

Magda was a most excellent pace keeper and I got a summary of each mile. She was so fantastic to run with - I was huffing and sweating by mile 2 and she didn't even look like she was moving. I'm like - how does she do that?!?! We were moving faster than my 9:50 pace and I was feeling good...until we got to mile four and then - THEN - I had to go... UGHHHH. I hate this! So at mile 5 potties, I had to tell her goodbye and WAIT IN LINE for what seemed like forever.

The turn around was around mile 6.5. As I approached I saw Magda pass first, then Jeanine!! She was rockin! I tried for the next 6.5 to catch up with her, but I couldn't even see her ahead of me after the fold. I felt really great until mile 9 - I mean really great! I thought for sure that I would PR this time. But alas, I ran out of steam around mile 11 and had to eat a Gel and walk it out. I did pick it back up to finish strong, but the walking and the waiting at the bathroom stop really put me behind.

Its ok though, I knew it was better than my last two, and not as good as my first one. How could it? I was in MUCH better shape then - and 10 lbs lighter. Plus, until Magda showed up, I had no inclinations of PRing today anyway, it was just a fun training run. And I did have fun! It was amazing to watch Magda finish the 4/6 combo to get her 3 gold stars from Marathon Maniacs! It was amazing to watch Holly, SueAnn, Suzette, and Brian finish their first half!!!! YAY!!!!!! It was completely awesome to see Jeanine's face when she realized that she totally beat me by several minutes! :D

I am sooo lucky to have been surrounded by these awesome friends today! I had so much fun hanging out after the race ended and waiting to see Magda come in - this was the first time I have hung around for the post-race activities. I am so proud of all of my friends and so happy that we all finished the race strong and uninjured.

In the above photo: Holly, SueAnn, me, Jeanine, Brian, Magda

61   747  1121 Chandra Claycomb         35 Palm Bay             FL 2:14:03 10:14

36th Annual Paul DeBruyn Memorial 30K and 15K November 15, 2009

New Smyrna Beach, FL

Today's race report should actually start yesterday....  We spent the day knowing that we would go to bed early. So we had plenty of carbs and fat at the Chinese buffet and everything was going as planned.  We were finished with our pizza dinner early and in bed by 7:30 as planned so that I could get as close to 7 hrs as possible.    Well, apparently I was acting 'weird' yesterday and my husband asked whats wrong, thus opening the faucet of tears that was just waiting for their monthly release.   I finally got to sleep around 10:30-11, I think, I refused to look at the clock.  Down to 4 hrs now....then i woke up at 2:30, rather than 3am.... so 3.5-4 hrs of sleep.  This did NOT keep me from bounding out of bed feeling like I got a whole night's rest. 

I warmed up yesterday's coffee like I always do and started getting ready when my husband go up too. (Did I mention after he turned on the faucet, he fell asleep!?! LOL...so he was well rested).  Jeanine showed up right on time and we chatted as we always do for the 90+ minute drive to New Smyrna.  She was coughing and said she had been taking alka-selzer but she was chipper enough. The restaurant was already hoppin' at 5am, but since Holly had picked up our bib's, we waited for Holly and SueAnn to get there to get our chips & shirts.  THAT made the hour go by really quick. 

We lined up in the dark street seconds before the sirens went off! This was the smallest race group that I have ever been part of. I could have sworn that we started off in the back, and ended in the back, but somewhere along the way (had to have been the first mile or two) we apparently passed a few people.  We held our place within sight distance of the person in front of us as we winded our way through neighborhoods.  The first port-o-let was sighted at mi 4.5. Jeanine never requests a turn, so I passed it up and carried on alone through mi 7.5 where I found the next potty, Jeanine caught up with me,  and we ran in together.  

Now when I say, 'run in'  - we actually had to pass the finish line for the second half out and back.  I would like to say this was the worst part of the run, but since I had already started slapping my seizing up thighs,  the last 9 miles were MISERABLE. I was running at a slightly faster pace than Jeanine, but she was right behind me.  

Luckily the last half was much more scenic than the first half.  Somewhere around mile 11 or 12 was a beautiful natural park to run through. Miles 14-16 were actually on the boardwalk that went out to the ocean, fabulous views of the beach and the lighthouse on the inlet...I mean it was really gorgeous! I stopped to take a couple of photos! :)  I looked behind me to find Jeanine, but apparently she was having as much trouble as I was because I did not see her.  Onward, right?!  UGH, by the time I got off the boardwalk I was sure I was not going to be able to run anymore. I was back on the street and shale rock ground (sand, basically) and I was seriously ready to throw in the towel.  I thought about calling my sweet husband. He always knows the perfect thing to say to me to pull me through everything. But I didn't want to look like a whiny baby, so I didn't call. And I trudged/limped on, slapping my thighs, walking through water stations, wondering if the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel was the finish line or heaven, because I felt as though my legs would fall off and I would die. 

I was honestly counting down the last mile by the HUNDREDTH.  I passed SueAnn and Holly who were cheering me on and taking pictures that I absolutely could not pose for...but seeing their smiling faces and having them on my side gave me just enough to make it the other .25 mi.  I didn't die, but for the first time ever, when I saw the finish line, I couldn't give it anymore then I already was.  The Garmin read 3:14:45 in 18.86 mi.   

Jeanine was there at the finish line waiting for me.  She was in bad shape and didn't get to finish.  We met up with S&H and limped to the truck where she let me borrow the stick, and then we just came home.  

I would love to be positive right now, but honestly, that was the most torture I have ever endured.  I'm glad its over... I'm glad I had an organized pre-marathon distance event to 'practice' as it was necessary to get a glimpse of what I am facing in a real race...but at the same time I'm glad that the rest of my distance training runs will have my regular stop intervals :D

    6    51   211 Chandra Claycomb         35 Palm Bay               FL 3:16:59 10:35