Crystal Lake 1/2 Marathon Race Review

Things got off to a rocky start for this half when we piled in the car at 5:30 a.m. on Sunday to head towards Crystal lake (an hour and 15 minute drive) and it wouldn't start. And the panic sets in. But D saved the day, poppin the hood, looking at things (with a flash light since it was still dark out). I just stood there in my running skirt looking lost, totally pissed but also ready to give up and head back to bed.

Eventually we noticed our neighbors light on and I went and knocked on the door to ask for a jump. And since they are the nicest neighbors in the world they agreed and D jumped our car. I gotta say if someone dressed in compression socks and a crazy elephant head band showed up at my door at 5:30a.m. I am not sure I would answer. I owe those people cookies for sure. After our dramatic start to the day it was smooth sailing the rest of the time.

We got there around 7a.m. where I grabbed my race number and long sleeve shirt and headed back to the car to sit in the heat until the 8a.m. start. The weather was quite a bit cooler and less humid at this race. Thank the weather gods. The race had two waves, elites and two minutes later everyone else. The course was a largely out and back on roads. It was a pretty and well-maned course. Water and gatorade about every miles and a half. No gels though.


Start line

Never ending last mile to finish

This guy ran/walked the whole course in 50 lbs of gear. Amazing

I felt pretty good during the first mile and decided that I was going to try and push the pace and keep all miles in the nines. It was close so very close to happening.

1 9:37
2 9:17
3 9:12
4 8:58
5 9:20
6 9:23
7 9:46
8 9:53
9 9:45
10 9:45
11 9:46
12 10:25 damn you mile 12
13 9:21
I was pleased I held it together for mile 10 which for some reason is usually where I have a major slow down but that seemed to just prolong the slow down to mile 12 where I walked through the last aid station longer than I should have. This race is not chipped time so if you dilly dally over the start line like I do you might want to wear a watch. I finished second in the Athena division with my NEW PR of 2:04:21. Whoop. PR by a minute I will take it and inching ever so slowly towards two hours which for some reason has become my sole focus.

Overall this race was a good size, nicely put on and had excellent weather.


Long sleeve t and medal
Our car started after the race and we were able to get to the auto parts store and put in a new battery. Problem solved and all is right in the world again.

Comments

  1. Congrats on your new PR!!!!!!!!!!

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  2. Way to go lady! You have gotten so much faster in the months since I started reading your blog!!!!

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  3. You rock! You just keep getting faster!

    Love your race outfit (especially the shoes). Are you wearing a jacket?!? Man, I'm jealous. It still feels like summer here.

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  4. Wow, you did awesome! So close to all 9s! You will be there soon! A minute at a time is all it takes. That means only a few more races until you are sub-2!

    And I would be completely freaking out with the dead battery. Way to keep it together, and that's really cool that your neighbors are so nice.

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  5. Great job on the race and congrats on your pr :)

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