Yesterday I ran in my first event of the year, the Arizona Distance Classic Half! It felt great to be among other runners and cheering each other on along the way, not to mention commenting about our dislike for the hilly course ha. I was also blessed to have two of my friends there to cheer me on!
I had an all-day Saturday event for work which kept me on my feet most of the time. After a 10hr day, I cooked my pasta then went to bed. But even if I hadn’t worked the night before, I had a feeling I wasn’t going to beat my time from the Women’s Half in NYC from last year. It wasn’t me being pessimistic, believe me I’m one of the most optimistic people you’ll meet, but it was me being realistic.
While I could list all the reasons why I didn’t do well, in the end they’re just excuses and I plan to do much better in my next race. I would rather focus on what I can do differently in future races.
I did prep the best way I could with my:
- Nuun Hydration Active
- GU Energy Gels
- CEP Compression socks
- Asics running shorts
- Skechers Razors GOMebs
- Apple Watch (testing out which I like more, my FitBit Surge or Apple Watch)
- Enso rose gold ring in replacement of my Tiffany’s engagement ring
So the race started and I knew immediately I wasn’t as conditioned in running as I was last year so I dropped from my 7:15-7:30 pace down to 8:30-8:45 pace. I know, not the best, but since my legs and muscles weren’t trained for my typical speed, I decided it would be better to take it easy.
There were a few steep hills and several gradual hills, and the temperature was a perfect 60 degree morning. Since the course featured a turn around loop after the halfway point, it was nice to know when to expect the hills. Around mile eight I could feel my calves tightening up from the hills. I hadn’t disciplined myself to do hill workouts like I did in NYC so I was definitely feeling the pull.
I finished at 1:54:16… significantly slower than my 1:38:26, but it made me so happy to see my friends cheering for me as I crossed the finish line! They were out there waving their adorably made signs. Leila, a previous Warrior Woman Wednesday, I befriended in college at the University of Arizona. Caitlin I met in high school but lost touch until recently when she joined my running club, A Happily Pink Journey. Having these two ladies here still made my personal loss meaningful because I had their support regardless of how well or poorly I performed.
After the race, I met up with fellow #TeamNuun member, Jeremy, over burgers at a local brewery. He helped his boyfriend PR in this race by helping him pace. Jeremy also lived in Tucson previously and gave me several tips and locations where I can strengthen myself as a runner.
So, in conclusion? I set new goals for myself, have awesome friends, and love being a part of Nuun community!