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August 12, 2007
Rough day at the Distance Classic
I don't have a lot to say about my half marathon today, other than I am extremely disappointed in my performance. I clocked a 1:24 and change - well off my PR and nowhere near the level and intensity I have been training at. I went into this race confident that I could comfortably run 1:22 high. That certainly didn't happen and I need to rewind and figure out what did happen.
Some people were quick to point out that the heat and humidity made the conditions less than ideal. True. BUT I have been training in extreme heat and humidity for the past few weeks, and I was still pulling off tempo runs around 6:15 pace. Yes, I got dehydrated, but so did everyone else out there!
A part of me is reeling in anger because the winner of the race snapped the tape in 1:21:20 and I had a chance to chase her and I held back. She beat me in Duluth by 40 or so seconds. She slaughtered me today like a merciless butcher :( I ran with her for 3 miles and then decided - stupidly - to let her go. (I finished 9th overall for the women - there were 4000+ women in the race).
I was definitely tired heading into the race, but I am guessing that most of the women who beat me were also tired and training through this race. My biggest problem was that I couldn't relax and let it roll. I lost focus and I tensed up too much. I was too worried about the clock that I forgot about RACING and extinguished my competitive fire.
Well, the fire is burning again . . . I learned a lot about the kind of runner I want to be.
The worst part about today is that my confidence is shaky - really, really shaky. Before this race, I had a glimmer - just a glimmer - of hope that I might be able to turn in a 2:47 in October. Right now I think I'd be lucky to run 2:50! I don't want to over-analyze this, but this was a harsh reality check. Maybe my dream is just that - an untouchable dream :(
Posted by bridget at August 12, 2007 11:12 PM
Comments
Hey Bridget, don't get to down on yourself. I don't think it is fair to assume what the other runners felt. Worry about the things you can control and keep believing!
Posted by: TJ at August 13, 2007 10:49 AM
Don't let yourself get too down about one off race. You know you're in better shape than the time indicates, so trust that instinct. Whether the training you're doing gets you a sub-2:47 or not, you know you're in great shape and ready to run a huge PR this fall. Now you know what to work on--relaxing and letting it roll, as you say. (I have some decent sports psych recordings to listen to, if you're interested.) And you probably don't want to hear it, but heat and humidity DO make a huge difference in such a long race. I wish I could run 1:24 on a bad day!!
Posted by: Alison at August 13, 2007 10:00 PM
Sometimes things just don't go right and that's really tough to take. Your training says you can run the time you want to run. Your readers believe in you! Stay focused and positive!
Posted by: AJ at August 14, 2007 9:13 AM
h. said you're not allowed to over-analyze. :)
i know you're not happy with that race but take your lessons and let the rest go. you've been the queen of PRs this year and a non-PR is not a total wash. you raced, you looked strong, you learned some good lessons, and you finished ahead of more than 3,991 women - WOW.
don't forget how bitter this tastes. when you hit mile 20 in october, taste this, and then kick it in... (and beat c.!)
you rock.
Posted by: carrie g. at August 15, 2007 11:39 PM
p.s.
"I am not tapering for this race... I'm just so darn tired, and the high heat and humidity we are facing in Chicago cannot be discounted. I tend to run well in heat, but I do not run as well in 85% humidity. YUCK."
um, yeah.
Posted by: carrie g. at August 15, 2007 11:43 PM
Bridget, nice placing, and good run inspite of your displeasure.
Interesting how you concentrate on the duel with the number 1 woman and gloss over the fact there were seven others in front of you.
How and why did they get ahead? Why did you let them go? You could have stll come in second or third or fourth... Would that have soothed your spirit?
Could it be an all-(n.1)-or-nothing approach - stemming from setting time oriented-goals - is not sedimenting in how you have been running up until now?
Winning, as in being n.1, as in beating all other people competing requires strategy and knowledge, especially of your opponents, of the course, race conditions, ect.
If you are mainly interested in fighting against Time you need to be equipped with extreme introspection as you have nobody to spar with but yourself. And, believe it or not, this fight against the Self is not the most naturally rewarding thing to choose to pursue...
Sometimes the two intersect. Only sometimes. And that's when at the highest levels, world and course records are broken.
Posted by: corrado giambalvo at August 16, 2007 2:59 PM