Holiday Half – Bah Humbug, Chola

I tried to go back and fill in my “training log” for Nov/Dec since I hadn’t even opened it since Santa Barbara.  It contains lots of “??” and various cities and events that were most definitely NOT conducive to race training.

To say that I was unprepared for today’s Holiday Half would be an understatement.

But what’s new, right?  When the F do I ever get my ass off the couch and un-stick my hand from the beer can long enough to properly train for a race?

(spoiler : 2012, that’s when.  please don’t call me a traitor.)

So I was content with my unpreparedness.  I hate saying “fun run” because I’m a competitive person and it seems like a waste of time to not put in some effort, but my brain was still all juicy on mimosas and Vegas fumes and didn’t bother making any goals.

Plus everybody kept chattering about it being “hilly” – which I refused to accept it and tried converting others into my delusional state of denial.

(that’s a teeny elevation map. too small to see the trouble about to wreck our worlds)

She bought it, btw.

Margot, Monica, and I rode out to Pomona together – I yammered on about how pissed I was gonna be if I got hot running since I swapped my tank for a long sleeve at the last minute.

Turns out, it was the right choice.

After grabbing our bibs, chatting with Julie, and having Danica show us where the “secret bathrooms” with full rolls of tp and running water were, it was time to fuel up:

(yes, those are my Vegas cheerleader sleeves. I felt very sorority girl in my pink & zebra.)

((I WAS NOT IN A SORORITY, for the record.))

Margot’s confusion on the current holiday and Monica’s trash bag really make this the most mantle-worthy pre-race group picture EVER, IMO.

About 98% of the runners were dressed up and I was not one of them.  That’s my contribution to the photo.  Bah Humbug.

(Don’t care because I’m madly in love with my new $7.97 Adidas skirt.  Sports Authority – go get one.)

I don’t have a lot to say about the race itself since I pretty much ran on cruise control, so I’ll let Garmin do the talking :

Monica, at the finish area :  “I want to murder you.  You are so lucky I didn’t shank you on the course.  NOT HILLY MY ASS!!”

That “chola” side she talks about?  I think that was it.

So the short, steep climbs followed by steep downhills were rough.  But I think if I’d have REALLY looked at the elevation map (and not just blindly forwarded it to unsuspecting racers), there’s equal probability I would have :

1. Feared the carnage they were going to wreck on my poor legs and totally mindf*cked myself into a terrible race or
2. Ran a little smarter and maybe not been quite as miserable, but still drug my untrained ass across the finish around the same time

Oh well, we all survived.  Margot crushed her goal time and Monica kicked ass despite my less-than-stellar race prep assistance, so I’m deferring any blame whatsoever.

Plus, how can you blame the slow girl?

I have to say that Run Racing races (the same company that puts on Long Beach and the Dana Point Turkey Trot) are always so well-run and enjoyable experiences.  Easy breezey packet pick up, well-stocked facilities and aid stations, interesting courses, and fields that are big enough for excitement but not so big you spend the first half of the race like spandex sardines.  Love.

Oh and the shirts & medals are always cute if that’s what gets your clicker finger itching to hit “register”.

LA Holiday Half, 12.11.11  –  1:51.17

Congrats also to Ragnar teammates – the super speedy Madison ran a 1:47xx, and this was Danica’s FIRST HALF MARATHON, and she killed her goal time!  Go tell her she’s awesome and that I’m happy we snatched her up for the relay.

Sarah OUaL