Recap – PCRF Half

If OUa(L)’s “No-Train Race Series” was a fairytale, this would be the chapter where she meets the ugly step-sisters or realizes she’s in love with a hideous monster and surrounded by talking kitchen-ware.

 The PCRF Cinco de Mayo Half and I have some history.

First of all, the dang thing is in my back yard.  Literally, the start line is .55 miles from our door.  It runs through all my trails and routes, so it was like a “home game” for me.  (read : late wake up call & real bathrooms)

It was also my first race in California after moving here from Ohio last year.  I used it as a training run for the Cleveland Marathon which was two weeks away, my first full marathon.

PCRF 2010

The morning after the race, I woke with what would be my first ever “serious” running injury.  The “broken foot” would then domino-effect into four other injuries, plaguing most of my 2010 race season.  (recap of those can be found here)

 Anyways, that was then.  This is 2011, THE YEAR OF THE PR!  And I’ll be damned if I didn’t tell the world that I was going to PR, despite yet another training fail…

( Let’s make this short and sweet, so we can get to all the pictures, k? )

I started faster than goal pace – I wanted to bank some time since I knew I’d fade in the last few miles.  You might be thinking that was kind of stupid.  I did, for a second, but don’t regret it at all.  I’d do it again.

The course is mostly flat, but there are quite a few little bunny hills (under/overpasses, etc) all throughout.  Nothing extreme, but enough to fatigue un-trained legs.  Oh and the second half is uphill.  Just realized this .2 seconds ago.

Around mile 12 I walked up one of the “hills”, hoping a short break would give me the energy to push for the finish.  An older gentleman patted my arm and said,

“C’mon, keep going!  Pace me!“

‘Ok,’ I thought, so I took off again.  And lost him after about 6 paces.  Sorry about that, guy.  ‘Preciate it, though!

On top of being physically ill-prepared, I was unstable mentally from the get-go.  In my own supid head the entire time :

Remember how hard Friday’s 6 miler was?!

Remember how long it’s been since you’ve run double digits?!

Remember all the running you DIDN’T do in Ohio???

Even though I fully believe that running is 90% mental, I’m not sure I could’ve gotten my 1:49.39 even if I’d been my normal, cocky self.  I ran smart and still had NOTHING to give at the finish – a sure sign you left it all out there (or that you’re just out of shape)

Crossed about six seconds after Chacha.  She was all pissed I almost caught her, but then she took off to go run the last 6 miles of the OC Marathon with her friend.

You win, Chacha.

Chugged an FRS – still working on that sponsorship…

Stood around and baked in the sun while waiting for the times to be finalized and to pick up my Division 2nd Place prize.  That cinnamon breadstick thing wasn’t very good, but the pissed “I’m-gonna-vom” face is a little dramatic…

Wanna know what I won?  It’s even cooler than the $50 Lululemon gift card top finisher got…

A WHOLE FREAKING CASE OF POPCHIPS!!!!  Oh lord I can’t wait until that heaven-sent delivery lands on my doorstep.  I think by “shindig” they actually mean “me, sitting on the couch, refusing to share my snacks with B”.  Right??

There was some timing snafu and so I guess friend Pam was second woman overall, not first, but whatever.  Girl rocked it and looked good doing it, too.  Dang you speedsters.

So that pretty much sums up the Tale of the Day I Did Not PR When I Told Everyone I Would (but the consolation prize totally made up for it)

Guess you’ll just have to stick around a little longer for the PR Party…

PCRF Half, 5.1.11 : 1:52.16

Sarah Soon-To-Be