Get Where I’m Going*

A week later and race update.

The Steelrail Half turned out better than I expected. Going into it I was exceptionally worried about my hip. It had been feeling better, but had hurt and seemed weak so much beforehand I wondered if racing was going to be a bad idea and lead to more injury and the possibility that my year would take a wrong turn from what I had hoped it to be. But I was, being super stubborn especially with injuries, sort of refused to drop out before the race and figure, worse case, I would drop out during if the hip really got worse.

I was also going to be going with a running store friend who, although he expected me to beat him, I expected to be left by him. Time wise I wanted to try and beat my Run the Border time, but hadn’t given much as to by how much because I was still happy with that time. If anything my plan was to try and get below 8 minutes a mile and actually run a 1:44:49.

So the weather turned out better than expected although it was more humid then I thought it would be. I had a worry about that two miles into the race, while I was with my friend and we were doing about a 7:50 because I felt like my heart rate was a bit too high and my mouth a bit too dry. That gave me worry about the next 11 miles. At this stage my friend left and I focused.

I have to say I don’t remember much of the race although I recall noticing I was keeping my splits low and once in a while I stepped a little wrong and my hip twinged. I thought about the count down of miles and about racing and being chased. I thought about the numbers and where I may end up and then, around mile 7 I saw my friend and I thought about closing the gap.

At mile 10 I reached him. He was having a harder time although was pretty chatty so I think his stomach issues slowed him down but nothing else. However, I caught him and happily and tiredly said, three more miles. And so we ran. He tried to engage me a few times, but I was not in a place to chat but he did keep me at pace. Those last 2.5 miles were HARD and he kept my splits going even if he didn’t know it and, I think, felt I was slowing down to stay with him. Finally I did pull away, not a purpose and maybe more he dropped back but I finished in 1:43:44. At the end I chased down another lady runner and, while approaching the finish line, I knew there was someone Right There based on the cheering and announcing so I pushed to hold her off. Turns out it wasn’t her but another runner who I held off.

Needless to say, I was super excited. Another PR? This is super crazy. Although with another PR comes the question: what’s next?

Obviously Batstate but what else can I do with a half? Can I do a 1:40? Could I do faster? I may put a pin in those questions as I focus on Baystate. My training plan is suddenly picking itself up in a huge way. This past week was my recovery and next week? Well I’m up to 36 miles already.

WHAT?!?!

I suppose if I want to hit the time I need and that my plan says I can, I need to work. That is part of what I wondered about last year. I put in enoug time, but was it really Enough? This time around I may see. I also managed to work in an Orangetheory AND not have my hip hate me again so I feel like I may be back from whatever I did to my hip.

All in all, I’m excited. I want to work hard and I want to BQ. I may have finally hit my stride (yes pun so fully intended) and maybe this year can end how it began: with a win.

* Imma gonna get where I’m going on my own two feet