Don’t you know, Never, never run in traffic!

What was I expecting? Six lanes of traffic, all with their own gradually increasing speed? Super polite people clearing a path, stepping aside so I can glide by? A special express lane for those of us who started in coral F but belonged way closer to the front? Why the walkers needed to walk 5 abreast? Why did that guy have to yell at his girlfriend after she cut me off because she saw a regular bathroom as he sheepishly glanced at me? Or the fact that it felt like I was driving in rush hour traffic on a summer Friday evening….and the guy who bolted in front of me only to slow down because there was no one in front of him and there was a little hill. 3, then 4, then 5 miles in I am still passing people but the traffic didn’t really ease.

All I know is that 2 hours 7 minutes 4 seconds after I crossed the starting line i was done, my quads, my hamstrings and my calves all ached!

I sent this short email to Marc (TrainwithMarc) simply said ‘No PR, 2:07:05 :(’

his response was
‘How did the race play out though?
Did you stick to the plan?
Where was it the roughest?
Did you fade?
Remember you had a lot of time off…’

The last time I felt like this was the marathon, but I expected it then. After just a half marathon it didn’t make sense to feel like this, although I did say I would leave left in the tank. So what had I accomplished here, was this a failure, was it too hot, early season race, too few miles before attempting to set a big PR in the half? Never getting into a rythem, never feeling at ease, never relaxing.

I didn’t answer right away, I needed to understand, no injury, no sickness, no stifling heat, and I didn’t want to sound like a whiner, or just make an excuse.

Intuitively it had to be something with the mass of other runners, weaving through them, slowing then speeding up. When I reviewed the race which my Garmin recorded, there it was, never smooth, never at the planned pace, speed up and slow down, intervals for 13.1miles.

As much as I’d like to fuel the debate that walkers should not take valuable starting slots for runners, or that there should be minimum times for races the size of the Miami Marathon, or the bucket list marathoners, one race just so they can say they did it…..nope none of that, 3 PRs I clearly remember 5k, 1 mile and half marathon, I was there at the front, 30 seconds and the road was clear just the road, the clock and me….

18 Notes/ Hide

  1. andywg said: I feel you dude, I feel you! Still, next time you will be stronger and quicker! :)
  2. lagirlontherun said: i completely relate to this. hang in there!
  3. bostonmarathon2012 posted this