Two weeks post my 70.3 and I was ready to race again. For this race I wanted to set a goal of 1 Hour and 45 minutes which is an 8:00 pace and 9 minutes faster than my PR half over two years ago, but after talking to my coach I realized that a 1:45 may not be possible because we hadn't really been training for a half marathon at that speed; I agreed and we set my goal to a more doable 1:52 which is about 8:35 per mile pace.
Race day had arrived, we expected it to be cool like most Octobers in VA. Wrong, it was about 83 degrees around 8 am...not so much the cool that all the DWEP athletes had expected. Richard was pacing me for this race, I was beyond thrilled, I have never had a pacer. I had told him a few days back that we were going to go out fast, he disagreed and said he will take me out on pace and after talking to Dennis that they would rather have me finish strong and barely finish. I agreed.
For fuel I had Homeostasis electrolytes (one taken 15 minutes prior to the start, one every 30 minutes, and two post race), two roctane gels, and tart cherry just with some salt. I also only drank water on the course. Okay, so lets get to the actual race now...Richard and I started everyone bolted out of the start like bats outta hell but we kept on pace. I felt great! I had a PR feeling and I wasn't losing it! At about mile 3, I started to cramp a little in my ankle and my calf a little tight so at the next water stop I got my water and walked while i drank and poured it on my head, I worked on trying to get the tightness out. I guess it worked because then I was fine but the next two miles dragged on, I HATE MILES 3-5. Right before mile 5 I started feeling great again, Richard had me on track at an 8:30 pace and I was right on target. As we kept going, I felt better and stronger, the hip pain I used to get when I ran wasn't there and my form felt good! At about mile 9.5 Richard started cramping up, I did take all the homeostasis so I think it was just the heat that got to him. He handed me his watch and told me to keep going, he had kept me right below target the whole time, I was set for my PR by mile 10, I just had to keep it up. He ran with me until he couldn't and then it was up to me to finish this race...I was flying and then I had an over pass which was exhausting. I kept on and then I got to less than a mile left in the race...half a mile...then the last ... .1 ....haha another over pass and a few loops stood between me and the finish line. At this point I saw Dennis, he started running with me to the finish...the finish line felt like it would never get there and my legs burned...Dennis kept telling me I was almost there, you got this, lets go, great job sarah...and O did I finish! I ran into that finish line at a 7:15ish pace (sub 7:00 is my fastest mile time) and thought I was going to drop when I was done. I NOT ONLY HIT MY GOAL BUT I GOT BELOW IT!! For the FIRST time in TWO YEARS I PR'D!!
1:50:24 was my official time...a 8:26 per mile pace! :)
I would like to mention that this was the result of all the summer speed work and tri training with DWEP...we really hadn't been training for me to PR this race but I did. Two years ago when I PR'd I was running 30-40 miles a week and over training, I PR'd this race TWO weeks post 70.3 (which isn't much time to recover from a race that demanding) and only running 15-20 miles a week. Part of the reason why I love DWEP is because Dennis doesn't have me running pointless miles, the miles I put in are beneficial. I know there is a reason this group was brought into my life at this point, I know I have it in me to become an amazing runner, I just have to be patient.
Most DWEP athletes PR'd this race in the heat, which could not be said for the other coached groups in the area. Dennis is an amazing coach and "the proof is in the pudding".
Race day had arrived, we expected it to be cool like most Octobers in VA. Wrong, it was about 83 degrees around 8 am...not so much the cool that all the DWEP athletes had expected. Richard was pacing me for this race, I was beyond thrilled, I have never had a pacer. I had told him a few days back that we were going to go out fast, he disagreed and said he will take me out on pace and after talking to Dennis that they would rather have me finish strong and barely finish. I agreed.
For fuel I had Homeostasis electrolytes (one taken 15 minutes prior to the start, one every 30 minutes, and two post race), two roctane gels, and tart cherry just with some salt. I also only drank water on the course. Okay, so lets get to the actual race now...Richard and I started everyone bolted out of the start like bats outta hell but we kept on pace. I felt great! I had a PR feeling and I wasn't losing it! At about mile 3, I started to cramp a little in my ankle and my calf a little tight so at the next water stop I got my water and walked while i drank and poured it on my head, I worked on trying to get the tightness out. I guess it worked because then I was fine but the next two miles dragged on, I HATE MILES 3-5. Right before mile 5 I started feeling great again, Richard had me on track at an 8:30 pace and I was right on target. As we kept going, I felt better and stronger, the hip pain I used to get when I ran wasn't there and my form felt good! At about mile 9.5 Richard started cramping up, I did take all the homeostasis so I think it was just the heat that got to him. He handed me his watch and told me to keep going, he had kept me right below target the whole time, I was set for my PR by mile 10, I just had to keep it up. He ran with me until he couldn't and then it was up to me to finish this race...I was flying and then I had an over pass which was exhausting. I kept on and then I got to less than a mile left in the race...half a mile...then the last ... .1 ....haha another over pass and a few loops stood between me and the finish line. At this point I saw Dennis, he started running with me to the finish...the finish line felt like it would never get there and my legs burned...Dennis kept telling me I was almost there, you got this, lets go, great job sarah...and O did I finish! I ran into that finish line at a 7:15ish pace (sub 7:00 is my fastest mile time) and thought I was going to drop when I was done. I NOT ONLY HIT MY GOAL BUT I GOT BELOW IT!! For the FIRST time in TWO YEARS I PR'D!!
1:50:24 was my official time...a 8:26 per mile pace! :)
I would like to mention that this was the result of all the summer speed work and tri training with DWEP...we really hadn't been training for me to PR this race but I did. Two years ago when I PR'd I was running 30-40 miles a week and over training, I PR'd this race TWO weeks post 70.3 (which isn't much time to recover from a race that demanding) and only running 15-20 miles a week. Part of the reason why I love DWEP is because Dennis doesn't have me running pointless miles, the miles I put in are beneficial. I know there is a reason this group was brought into my life at this point, I know I have it in me to become an amazing runner, I just have to be patient.
Most DWEP athletes PR'd this race in the heat, which could not be said for the other coached groups in the area. Dennis is an amazing coach and "the proof is in the pudding".