Some time back, I was sucked in by the P3R Megaticket. Oh, this isn't something like going out to see some series of concerts. That would be entertaining. No, no, no. This would be one sign-up for THREE local races. More specifically, entry to run in three races. The P3R Megaticket was one fee (~$130 or so) to do the 2016 Liberty Mile, 2016 EQT 10-miler and the 2017 Pittsburgh Half Marathon.
I realize I posted nothing for a very long stretch. (Ok, reality here....I'm guessing there are about three people that read this and that is generous). I have NOT been running much at all. In fact, signing up to train for the 10-miler was the first I really did any real running in the last couple years. I just have not been able to find the passion for it. Fleeting moments tell me it's still there, I just need to find a way to hang on and not let go.
Today was the EQT 10-miler. I run two of the previous three instances of this race and trained (and carried less weight) both times. I admit, 2014 was not exactly stellar training, but I could still hang. Not so much today. My first week of training was fine. I almost felt good and felt it would all be find. And then I caught some sort of cold and then I just wanted to focus on crafts and then there is the inconvenience of work. Add in the fact that my longest run was just over eight miles and I rarely managed to run the whole distance on the planned long distances.
All that, I really did not feel good going into today. At .5 mi, I was ready to turn around and go back down the hill (yeah...it started out UP HILL) and go home. I manged to continue on. A few other rises, but OK and then another turn uphill. Not exactly good to start walking under two miles in. That hill messed me up b/c it caused my shin and calf to hurt. Once it worked out, my ankle really hurt and I did worry a bit. Partway across the first bridge, I started to pick up the run and kept going. I pushed through to run where I could and then would take time to walk (especially on the hills and the bridges).
About mile five, I felt good. One of the bridges was an out-and-back kind of thing, so I was able to see some friends as we passed by each other. It lifted my spirits a bit and kept me going. Around mile seven, I started to hate the course. It's flat, I knew there was a turn to head into town and instead of being a logical turn to loop around, it was this weird go left to go right kind of thing. Seriously, I despised the course and whomever designed it at that point.
From there, I did a lot of run / walk to the finish. My legs, chest, hips, feet, toes, fingers-practically everything--hurt. I did wish I could trade shoes with somebody. I ran in my Brooks Ghosts from four years ago. I know they are done and I know they have no cushioning and yet, I ran them. I have a new pair of Ghosts in my closet and in my clearly-not-functioning-well mind, it is worse to run in new shoes than broken down ones. Pure. Genius.
I did manage to finish in under 2:30 (2:23:37). To put that in perspective, I ran a half marathon in 2:18:43. That is 3.1 miles further in 0:04:54 less. My big lessons from this:
- TRAIN. No really, lace up the shoes, get out and RUN. And cross-train, too!
- Wear good shoes.
- Fuel properly. My current method of just eating whatever I choose is not exactly good since I rarely choose well.
- Have fun
I foresee a rematch of this course next year. First, I need to to conquer the half-marathon in May 2017. Better get to it. Well, after I take a nap and maybe raid the Halloween candy and a few other things.
