Rock-n-Roll Arizona Half Marthon -- Tempe, AZ

Here is the race recap for the Rock-n-Roll Half Marthon in Tempe

Registration:
I registered online.  This one also required proof of time in order to get into the appropriate corral, although at the Expo all you had to do was go to the change area and ask to be put into any corral you wanted, no questions.  I gave them an expected finish time of 1:45:00.  They put me in corral 3 based on a 1:49:00 expected finish time, and I moved up to corral 2.  

I am still only signing up for these races three months in advance.  I do not want to schedule too many of them and too far in advance in case I get injured or otherwise have some issue.  I also do not want to wait too long to register because the fee goes up and the hotels book up.  So, three months at a time is what I am working with at the moment.  

Fee:
$107.48 total

The Expo:
This expo was in at the Phoenix Convention Center.  The South Convention Center.  It apparently is the older on that they still use, but built a newer one right next to the older one... and it makes a difference.  There were multiple people walking around, confused, in circles trying to find the expo.  I had a bit more time for this one, so I milled around and looked at all of the exhibits.  Tried all of the samples of protein bars and cardboard cheese, etc...  This one was set up in such a way that you were forced through areas.  You had to get your bib and bag in one area and then move into the next area to get your shirt, etc...   It would be difficult to forget something like I have in expos past.

I found it interesting that the Expo was in Phoenix and the race in Tempe, but I guess Tempe is basically a college town at The University of Arizona and there is not likely a large convention center there, also I think the marathon was held in Phoenix.  The shirt also mentions Scottsdale, and I assume that is because the race started in Tempe and ran through Scottsdale before heading back to Tempe.

Shirt:
The shirt was a wicking, what they call a tech shirt.  I had ordered an XL, and simply and easily swapped it for a L... my "new" size.


Race Day:
Sunday

Race Start Time:
7:50 am, which I thought was a bit odd -- but we did not get started until 8:14 am

Course Map:


The course was super well marked and there was plenty of police presence and traffic control.  This was the most organized race so far from the actual racing standpoint.  I did not have to think at all about where I was going and what I needed to do.  Just try to breathe and keep one foot moving in front of the other.

Race Type:
This was all road race.  The streets were cleared and policed and clearly marked... see the previous comment.  There were two bridges that we crossed over a river coming and going, and I seem to remember running underneath a road, that is a road went over the course.  The only real scenic area was at mile 9.  There was a big incline up a mountain, and it was nice and pretty, then to the turn-around and back down the same mountain.  Actually, now that I think of it, the rest of the race from there had a nice view.  Up to that point, though it was all just the road.

Accommodations:

It was a bit difficult to find a place to stay near the start and near the finish.  I ended up 1.3 miles from the start and 2.something from the finish.  I kinda limped back to the studio (garage) apartment, but it was OK.  My mom flew over and rode along side of me, so she walked back with me... man does she walk too fast though.

Transportation:
I saw no transportation, other than regular transit busses and ride share (Uber/Lyft).  Since I got the AirBNB, I walked.  Most everybody was riding a bike or a scooter or a skateboard through the ASU campus.  I had to take an Uber from the airport to Phoenix to pick up my race packet and then another Uber to get to the room in Tempe.

Weather:

The weather was great.  It was forecast to rain, but was simply overcast.  It was about 55 F and rose a bit, but I was finished before 10:00am.  I do remember being cold as I walked back to the room, but while racing the temp was really nice.  Not hot, not cold.

Race Morning:

There were 20 corrals for this race.  I was in corral 2, but my pacer was in corral1, so I guess I should have moved myself up to corral 1.  10,278 finishers in this half marathon and there was a 10 that started with us, so there were LOTS of people.  The start was a wave start.  Corral 1 went off and we waited 1 minute 14 secs before we went off.  I watched my pacer disappear before I started.  (The good part was, I caught him later :)  ).  It was cool at the start, but not bad at all.  The corrals got a bit congested as people began to prepare to start, but it was fairly well controlled.

Race:

The course was all pavement.  All roads.  No traffic, no confusion on where to go.  There was one area where the 10k split from the marathon, but it was early and clearly marked and people with megaphones guiding traffic, so no confusion.  The course was mostly flat.  There were some minor elevations as you would go up a bridge and then the resultant descent, but pretty flat until mile 9.  Mile 9 was a steep ascent.  Several of the racers were huffing and puffing and grunting and complaining (I had no music this time).  They hated this hill.  I did not care for it either. It was a mile long ascent and steep.  I checked my time and realized I was maintaining a sub 8 minute mile even uphill, so I did not complain.  Then the turn-around and the rest of the race was primarily down hill.

Water/Food Stations:
Plenty of water and Gatorade. I did not see any food or other drinks.  The only other thing I saw was Gukos Energy packs just before the uphill at mile 9.  I drank one and am happy I did.  There may have been other stuff, but I don't always see everything, and the things I do see are not always clear to me at the time.

Scenery:
Most of the race looked like this.


Some looked like this:


Away from the course a bit and certain areas we could see from the course looked like this:


Race Entertainment:
As I mentioned, I did not have any music for this race.  When I went to put on my earbuds and get my music all ready, they would not turn on.  Just dead.  Charged and ready, but nothing.  I do not know why, but they will simply not turn on.  I am currently trying to find out from Bose what is the deal.  So, since I had no music I was able to hear all of the bands and chatter.  There were multiple bands along the way playing all sorts of music.  Some better than others.

Finish:
The finish was back in Tempe and a welcomed site.  I happened to see my pacer just in front of me when we made the turn at the top of the mountain, so I was determined to catch him, and I did.  I don't usually have enough energy left to "kick" at the end, but I wanted to catch him.  There was a hoard of people at the finish.  Bands were playing, food and drinks were being passed out, medals, a DJ was announcing finishers.  It was a party.  There was a long walk past the finish leading everyone out of the racing area and it was lined with water stations and chocolate milk and protein bars and bananas, etc...  The photographer were all set up along there too.  Once you left the racing area there were tents set up to sell all sorts of products, beer tents, engraving tents (presumably to engrave your finisher's medal).  It was a big party.  I had a hard time finding my mom.  I had to walk several flights of stairs with my water, my banana, my chocolate milk, my protein bar, and my Gatorade in my hands. (I tried to take one of each).  Once I got up stairs, I was able to locate her, which meant I had to walk down several flights of stairs to get to her... then we walked a couple miles back to the room.  I was ready for a nap.

Bling:

Valerie was not impressed.


Misc:

This race was clearly the most organized with regard to the on the road racing.  Everything was marked clearly and there was plenty of police presence.  They had water stations on both sides of the course which was nice.  Some runners get their drink and stop in front of you right at the water station and clog up the entire area.  It was nice to be able to go to either side depending on which lane was smoothest.  Plenty of spectators and cheering and a large contingent at the finish line.  As I mentioned, the finish and outside the race area was one big party.  It was bigger than the expo and in a larger space.  I am imagining that many of the racers and supporters stayed around there and parited all day.  I walked back to the room.

I also mentioned that my earbuds were not working.  I heard some interesting things that I have not heard before.  At mile 8 there was a guy who looked to be about mid twenties.  He kept yelping, over and over again.  "Hooow!!", "Whoop!!!!", "Whooo!!"... I counted about nine times before I had to pick up the pace and get outside of earshot.  I don't know if he had turrets syndrome or if he was just excitable or what... all I kept thinking was, "This must be what the fox says."  And then, of course, I could not stop singing, "fraka-kaka-kaka-kaka-kow!"  I had to get away from that ancient mystery... quickly.

Post Race:

There were glitches with the results and runner tracking system.  Many of these races have a runner tracking system that allows you to receive a text when your racer crossed certain points in the race.  These texts did go out, but there were no times associated with these texts.  They apologized for the glitch, but it was still a glitch.  The race results were not readily available after the race.  I was checking on line in the airport about 4-5 hours later and they were still not available.  When I landed in Tampa, the results were up.  Some glitch that caused some delay.  Not sure what or why, but they are up now.

I was pretty pleased with my performance.  I caught my pacer who was 1'14" ahead of me, so I would have gotten a PR if I started with him and stayed with him the whole race, but I was about a minute and a half faster than that!!  YAY!!  I was happy with the race, maybe because I had a good time, maybe because the race part was better organized, maybe because I could breathe.  I felt really good, and I believe I can run faster.  I tried to conserve energy throughout the race, and I think I could have pushed harder.  Next race is New Orleans Feb 5.  It is also one of the Rock-n-Roll series, so I am expecting something similar to this one.  Wish me luck.

Narcissistic ??

I have recently read an article that states that people who post their fitness routines to Facebook are narcissists.  In fact, the title of the article reads,

People who post their fitness routine to Facebook have psychological problems, study claims.

You may well be aware that I do, in fact post many of my fitness routines to Facebook and of course here on this blog.  Am I a narcissist?  You may have your own opinion about that.  I have never really thought of myself in that way as it pertains to my running routine.  I will explain that a bit more in a sec.  The article continues to read:

The research found that:

• People with low self-esteem more frequently posted status updates about their current romantic partner.

• Narcissists more frequently updated about their achievements, which was motivated by their need for attention and validation from the Facebook community. These updates also received a greater number of "likes" and comments, indicating that narcissists' boasting may be reinforced by the attention they crave.

• Narcissists also wrote more status updates about their diet and exercise routine, suggesting that they use Facebook to broadcast the effort they put into their physical appearance.

• Conscientiousness was associated with writing more updates about one's children.

One might also argue their opinion that I have low self-esteem, or maybe their opinion is that I have too high self-esteem -- I have heard that before.  I have, however posted numerous times about my children and about my fitness routines, and about my achievements.  I do not post about my current romantic partner (this is where I would normally write a joke that I would be afraid to post about my romantic partner for fear that my wife would find out.  Good thing I am more mature than to type a joke like that now.) --- AND YES!!! IT IS A JOKE!!!!  MY WIFE IS MY ONLY ROMANTIC PARTNER!!  Promise!  So, according to this article I may be OK with my self-esteem, but am clearly a narcissist who needs attention and validation, but at least I am conscientious.  And thank you all for the attention!  I appreciate it.

I mentioned that I have never really viewed myself that way as it pertains to my running.  I do post the workout routines to Facebook and to Strava and Garmin... and then document it in some way on this blog -- Does all of that make me a narcissist?  I post them for a reason, but I don't THINK it is narcissism.  I post them for accountability.  Seriously.  When I run, I think about many things... usually nothing too deep.  I sometimes find it difficult to focus on one topic for long.  I pray a lot -- short scattered prayers hoping that the Holy Spirit will intercede for me and interpret my prayers and that God will "hear my heart" no matter how it "sounds" as it is "uttered".  The other thing that I think about a lot is you.  Yes, you.  The collective you.  You all, or y'all, yous guys, all y'all, etc... You (all) get the idea.  My thought pattern often goes something like this:  "Boy am I tired!  I would love to quit!  Maybe I could just stop and walk for a while, or call an Uber.  Wait, I can't stop now after only (insert a number of miles here) miles, that would look terrible on my run stats.  Those collective yous will see that I only ran (insert a small number of miles here) miles and wonder why I wussed out today.  I can't even walk because that would ruin my minutes per mile stats and those collective yous would think that I was either injured or more likely just old and fat and slow... maybe even stopping regularly to puke.  Heck, I cannot even slow down.  It would be embarrassing to put up a slow and short workout.  Maybe I just won't post the workout.  Wait, you cannot do that.  If you were going to do that, then you might as well just stay at home, kick back in your easy chair and have some more chocolate.... but remember to stop at the mall and buy some larger pants."

By the end of that thought process, I have usually covered another 2 or 3 miles.  So, THAT is why I post my fitness routines to Facebook.  Does that make me an attention craving narcissist with self-esteem issues?

Yeah... OK, fine... Now I am convinced.

21 days

Is it 21 days to start a habit? Or 21 days to stop a habit?  Does it matter if it is a good habit or a bad habit?  I am not sure I know the true answer for everyone, but I can tell you that it surely makes a difference for me.

Wikipedia defines a habit as follows:


A habit (or wont) is a routine of behavior that is repeated regularly and tends to occur subconsciously.

I can tell you that I do not do much that is good subconsciously... except maybe breathe and complain, oh, wait, that is not good... well, I suppose I breathe subconsciously, except when I am running.  Breathing while running is entirely conscious.  I am forever conscious that I am not getting enough oxygen and that my breathing is heavier and heavier the longer and faster that I go - and less and less efficient, now that I think about it.

That same wikipedia page discusses habit formation in this way:

Habit formation is the process by which a behavior, through regular repetition, becomes automatic or habitual. This is modelled as an increase in automaticity with number of repetitions up to an asymptote. This process of habit formation can be slow. Lally et al. (2010) found the average time for participants to reach the asymptote of automaticity was 66 days with a range of 18–254 days.

BTW, a simplistic definition of asymptote is a line tending toward infinity.

This suggests that a habit could take up to 254 days to form... as few as 18 days and an average of 66 days.

I am sure there would be some complex mathematics involved to answer my next questions, but what if you do something for 64 days in a row and then skip the next 6 days?  Do you have to start over?  Is it necessary to perform this activity for 254 days without missing one day?  Phew... I am getting tired just thinking about it.

I really don't know about any of that, but what I can say with some level of certainty, from my own experience is that it becomes easier to do whatever it is you are trying to do, the more you do it.  To hopefully make that more clear, the more you do something, the easier it becomes to do.  Is that a subconsciously occurring behavior?  I am not so sure... but it is at least easier to do.

Getting started seems to be the most difficult thing for people, then after the excitement wears off the next most difficult thing appears to be continuing.  I read a cartoon the other day that read:  "Two days onto my diet and I am still not skinny!! This [stinks]!!  (I changed part of the quote.  This is a family blog).

From my perspective the most consistent aspect of my training appears to be the number of excuses that I have at any given time to allow me to not train when I should or as much or as long as I should or as hard as I should.  Consistency is the key though, right?

There also appears to be a yin and a yang for everything.

The Yin and Yang are complete opposites, yet one cannot apparently exist without the other.  They both must exist and are equal, creating a process of harmonization insuring a constant, dynamic balance of all things.  There can be no darkness without light and conversely no light without darkness.

Balance has never really been one of my strong suits.  My version of Yinyang has often been all or nothing.  Does that qualify?  This newest venture of mine has been somewhat humbling in that it is clear that there NEEDS to be some balance.  Training full out, too hard, too fast will surely cause you injury and you will be sidelined.  Race weight must be maintained as a balance and it must all happen gradually.  Too much weight loss too quickly, even if you are still above your ideal race weight will cause you difficulty.  Balance... patience... not too much, not too quickly, it takes time... blah, blah blah... I am certain that Freddie Mercury said it best when he wrote "I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now." -- just my opinion.

Short excerpts from another blog: "Not all runners are created equal, but patience and time can go a long way."  "The answer: patience and time." "the lesson should be about patience in your training."
"Be patient enough to understand how much just a tiny increase, even one as small as one mile per week every two months, could have on your training over the course of 8-10 years. Once you learn and fully appreciate this secret, the sky is the limit."

The above excerpts are from http://running.competitor.com/2014/07/training/the-secret-to-high-mileage-training_82973 if you are interested in the entirety of the blog.

Anyway, it has certainly become easier for me to go run a few miles.  I went out running today and ran 3 miles with Noble.  We kept a pretty good pace of 7:28 per mile average.  We ran back to the house and I decided to go out for another 3 miles by myself.  You may recall that prior to October I had never run more than 6 miles at one time.  Now I can go out and run six miles pretty much whenever I want to.  I still struggle at around the ten or eleven mile mark, but it is becoming easier.  I can see the progress.  The difficulty I am having now is understanding when to train harder and when I can expect gains and improvement and when I should rest and relax and recover.  When I was a kid, there was no talk of rest or relax or recover.  If you were sore, it meant you had worked hard.  Now get back out there and work harder.  I am afraid that if I were to do that now, then I would injure myself.

Over the Christmas break, from Dec 23 to Jan 1, I ran almost every day.  I felt really pretty good too.  My times were fairly fast and my distances were varied.  Some long, some short, some moderate.  When Jan 2 came, I was back at work and my time was not as free as when I was on vacation, but I thought it would be good to take a couple days off to rest my legs as my calves were hurting a bit.  (As I mentioned, it seems easier to start a new bad habit than it is to continue a good habit).  Well, as it turned out, I took most of the week off.  I did not run again until Jan 6.  I logged about 40 miles the week I was off and a mere 5.8 miles the week I got back.  Today I ran a little over six miles and I have a race this coming Sunday... a week from today.  My calves are still aching a bit, but I do not think that is going to hinder my race. But this balance and moderation thing stinks.

I have also put on some weight.  I had apparently lost too much weigh too quickly.  31 pounds since August.  Well, bad habits are easier (for me), I put back on 5 pounds in 2 weeks.  The sad part is that I am hungrier, craving more food, craving more unhealthy foods, and... AND... I feel frumpy.  I don't like to feel frumpy.  I have a race this coming weekend, so I am not going to make any real changes in my diet from what I have been eating in the past two weeks, BUT... When I get back from this race in Tempe, Valerie and I are going to start eating from:

You can find it on Barnes and Noble or Amazon among other places

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/run-fast-eat-slow-shalane-flanagan/1123154457?ean=9781623366827&st=PLA&sid=NOK_DRS_NOOK+EBooks_00000000&2sid=Google_&sourceId=PLGoP25491&k_clickid=419x25491&utm_source=Google+PLA&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_campaign=NOOK+EBooks

https://www.amazon.com/Run-Fast-Eat-Slow-Nourishing/dp/162336681X

It looks like the initial setup will be difficult, and it will be more time consuming to prepare the meals some days, but also looks like it will help us to maintain a nutritious diet and find the appropriate competition weight without worrying about eating enough or eating too much.  I am looking forward to it.  I'll let ya know how it goes in Tempe.

My mom has decided to go with me to Tempe.  I certainly don't mid the company... particularly someone that will be there to cheer me on instead of beating me to the finish line. LOL.

The Body is Incredibly Complex or God is Amazing and/or I am Not Sure I Completely Understand Either

I suppose I could also entitle this post "The More I Learn, The Less I Understand" or "The More I Know, The More I Know I Don't Know".

The human body is simply a miracle.  The more I learn and understand about the body, the more I am convinced that it is utterly impossible for this to have been an accident!  The body is incredibly complex and amazing.  Everything works together in such a complex and intricate way.  It is a miracle... plain and simple.

The body itself is not at all simple.  It is incredibly complex.  I cannot figure it out.  The things that this body was designed to do and endure are mind boggling.  How everything works together is unfathomable.... I love saying that word.  Not to make me sound smart or funny or anything, I just like the way it sounds.  For those of you old enough, I kinda say it like a daffy duck cartoon, spit out of my bill and all. "unfath.::;':,.omable".  It is so complex, though that I get lost in all of the detail.  Then of course there is all of the marketing propaganda that muddle all of the "science"... and yes, the "science" is intentionally in quotations, like the "research" done to "prove" that the product being sold is beneficial for us, but that is a whole other blog post entirely.

All of this makes it really hard to figure out what one is supposed to do.  I am totally aware that it is not simply one thing... there is no magic pill.  It is a very complex plan to get the most and the best from your miracle -- the body.  We have such an ability to adapt and compensate and endure and overcome that it makes it difficult to determine exactly what will work best for you at any given time.
I'll seemingly shift gears a little, and hopefully circle back.

I have been incredibly blessed in my life.  I have been afforded immeasurable opportunities that have allowed me to accomplish many things.  In all of the endeavors that I have actively pursued, I have been able to rise to a very high level within that "community", group, or activity.  I have been able to work and play and train and teach with the best of the best... not because I am or was anything special.  Certainly not because I am or was the best athlete, the smartest, the strongest, the fastest, the most organized, or the best in any way.  I attribute any level of success that I have been able to accomplish to what I like to call "sticktoitiveness".  Please do not misunderstand, I attribute all of my successes to God, because He has gifted me and allowed me and provided for me.  I am nothing without Him.  I am nothing, except where He has allowed me to be something.  He has gifted me with sticktoitiveness.... and I use this regularly to achieve.  Basically all it means for me is that I will not give up.  I will not go half way or half speed.  I believe that I can accomplish whatever I decide I want to accomplish.  I will fail.  I will falter.  I will fall down.  I will tank a race.  I will make mistakes, but I will not give up until I accomplish what I am intending to accomplish.  There are way too many stories of individuals and groups who have accomplished a thing that was seemingly impossible and against all odds for me to believe that I cannot accomplish whatever I make up my mind to accomplish.  It may not look the same as how I intended or envisioned, but I will not give up.  I will not accept defeat.

There is a whole other topic here that would require too many blog posts, but if you are interested in the above topic there are some amazing books that I can recommend for you to read.  I highly recommend that anyone interested in success of any kind in any "thing" to read "Talent is Overrated" and "Bounce".  There are many others in the same topic range, but those are a couple good ones to start.


Part of the discussion in those two books and the last topic, which will help me circle back, is the aspect of "rubbing elbows" with the greats.  Surrounding yourself with people smarter than you.  Training and working and playing with people better than you.  As iron sharpens iron,
So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. Proverbs 27:17.  

Two or more people working together, competing, collaborating, working, discussing, growing, encouraging, inspiring each other make both and/or all of them better.  A quick story about racquetball.  The common story that we hear on a regular basis is, "Racquetball?  I used to play racquetball... 20 years ago."  Well, I used to play racquetball with my dad when I was a kid.  He always beat me.. although I knew that if I were to win a game, it was because I earned it.  But, I started playing racquetball with my buddy and Minister of Music at church, Rev. David Shenning.  David is 6' 9" tall, and I kid him and tell him he moves good for a big guy.  The truth is, he moves well for anybody.  He is tall, but he is an athlete and has been playing many sports (yes, even competitive basketball), but particularly racquet sports for decades.  Anyway, I started playing with David and he would murderize me.  He would play left handed and stand in the middle of the court and run me around in circles until I got tired.  It was a bit humiliating, but I would ALWAYS want to play "one more".  He would appease me until he got bored.  But then I would ask if he could play tomorrow.  He was much better than me, so I was determined to work and learn and become better.  I knew that if I accepted the defeats that he was handing out liberally that I would never get better.  I eventually got better and competitive.  We played like that for several years and we are now both much better players.   Thanks David!  Iron sharpens iron.  He made me better and then we made each other better.

When it comes to running, I am not yet at the point that I can compete with the elites of the sport.  And given my advancing age, and given my body type, and every other excuse that I can come up with, I will not likely ever be able to compete with the elites, but maybe I will be able to compete with the old guys who are really good.  I have not yet found that person or that group that will sharpen me, but I have received some great advice and encouragement from several folks that has been beneficial for my growth... Tommy Medlin, Chris Caito, Greg Smith, Derek Hopkins, and my mom.  Thanks guys.  As I learn more and make more mistakes and learn from those mistakes, I can then figure out the little nuances of all of the complexity that will benefit me.  Drawing back to the racquetball example.  It did not matter what racquet I was using when David was running me around in circles.  If I bough the best and most expensive racquet ever made in the world, I would still had lost.  I needed to learn the game, the angles, the strategy, the rules, etc...  

Running seems so simple.  Seriously... how hard is it.  Most of us grew up running.  It is almost inherent for us.  But the more we learn, the more we know we don't know.  To achieve peak performance and then enhance that to an even higher peak... is just hard.  It kinda seems silly when you think about it.  What the heck difference does it make if you run a half marathon in 1:45 or 1:30 or 1:18?  And logically you would not think that it would be all that difficult to improve your time from 1:47 to 1:45, right.  That is only 2 minutes faster.  Big deal... but it really is a big deal.  That is 9 seconds faster per mile, every mile.  Maybe that does not sound like much, but it really is a big deal.  And that is the part that requires the sticktoitiveness.  That is the part that requires deliberate practice (a key theme in the above referenced books).  That is the part that requires learning and understanding the complexities and intricacies of the human body.  Nutrition, energy, fatigue, muscle mass, muscle growth and development, slow-twitch, fast-twitch, rest, over use, atrophy, cardio, weight and race weight -- oh my gosh, my head is spinning -- and that is not even the start.  All of that, and miles and miles and miles of running for nine seconds -- and then another ten seconds, and then another 20 seconds, etc, etc, etc...

BTW... I am beginning to learn the reasons for my recent poor performances.  There are apparently several reasons.  Yes, the last race was cold and I was having difficulty breathing and that was a contributing factor and a convenient excuse, but I think I have determined another reason.  I think I lost too much weight too quickly, and I did not have the energy storage to draw from, so I crapped out.  I am working on that too.  Getting better.  We will see how it goes.  Next race, Tempe, AZ.  Jan 15, 2017.

Kiawah Island Golf Resort Marathon -- Kiawah Island, SC

Here is the race recap for the Kiawah Island, SC Half Marathon December 2016

Registration:
I registered online.  This one required proof of time in order to get into the appropriate corral.  I gave them the only proof I had which was the link to the results for the Cocoa Beach race.  When I registered, I had not yet run the Tulsa race.

That warrants mentioning.  I am signing up for these races three months in advance.  I do not want to schedule too many of them and too far in advance in case I get injured or otherwise have some issue.  I also do not want to wait too long to register because the fee goes up and the hotels book up.  So, three months at a time is what I am working with at the moment.  In the next post I will give some update on what are the next races scheduled.

Fee:
$112.85 total

The Expo:
This expo was in the Island's conference center.  It was not in a big convention center like the Tulsa race.  It was a bit cramped.  The bib and T-shirt pickup were in a little room and seemed a bit unorganized.  Same thing as you would expect, alphabetically by last name, then to the T-shirt station where they checked of the box on your bib and gave you your shirt.  I walked past the small vendor area on the way out, not much there to speak of, then walked right out the door to head to our house.

Shirt:
Long sleeve, Sky Blue with race logo.  On the back it simply reads : Kiawah Island Golf Resort Marathon 12.10.16


Race Day:
Saturday

Race Start Time:
8:00 -- started right on time

Course Map:


This is one of those races where the half marathon and the full marathon start out together and then split off somewhere along the way.  It was super confusing at several spots along the course.  Runners were looking around at each other, shrugging their shoulders.  I was mostly just trying to breathe.  One guy I saw had made the wrong turn and had to double back.  That would be upsetting to me.

Race Type:
Mostly road race, but there were a couple of small dirt trails and a couple of little wooden walkway bridges.  The race was around the gated community and around the golf courses.  I had heard from several people that it was a pretty course and a pretty area.   I think maybe my poor performance is clouding my ability to be objective.  This was not my favorite race.  Maybe I am being more critical because I had a bad day.  I dunno.

Accommodations:
There were NO places available on the island.  We ended up at a house about 40 minutes away.  This meant that we could not even get on the island without a pass.  On race day, we had to park outside the gates and be bussed in... more on that later.

Transportation:
As I mentioned, we had to drive to the island.  The traffic was all backed up.  The road became a parking lot.   Entering the island there is a round-about.  I personally think round-abouts are just plain dumb.  When they are in highly trafficked areas there is ALWAYS  a back up.  It took us a good 40 minutes to travel 1.5 miles.  I kept thinking this was the 39th time they have had this race, they should be able to figure out a way to ease the traffic.  There were no police or anything until we got to the parking lot. Seems like they could have been more prepared and proactive... but we made it and parked in a big grassy field along with everyone else.  Walked in the freezing cold to the busses.  Plenty-o-busses... one after the other.  They drove us past the gate to the race venue.  That was the easiest part.  I was wondering if it would be equally as easy on the way back.

Weather:
It was 33 F at the start.  I was a little more prepared this time.  I had a jacket and a jacket.  I gave Valerie my outer jacket right before the start, and shed the other jacket somewhere on the course.  This was 33 F, but it was a very cold 33.  I don't know if it is just me, but sometimes the temperature does not reflect how cold or warm I feel.  Let's just day, it was cold and I was colder.

Race Morning:
It was cold and people were bundled and meandering.  Only a few people were able to figure out where the start was.  It seemed that those that were aware of where the start was were those that had run this course before.  The DJ announced that everyone needed to get to their respective start areas soon, but it was not well marked.  Once we found the start, we located the A corral and security moved the gate to allow entry.  The A corral was pretty small, the holding area anyway, but once we passed the chip timer mat the course opened up quickly and there was plenty of room.

Race:
There was mostly road running on the pavement.  There were only a few cars here and there and the drivers were extremely careful, traveling... creeping against the grain in a two lane area.  It appeared as if they were well coached, and had done this before.  There were a few areas that went on hard packed dirt and gravel and there were signs informing everyone that spectators and bicycles were not allowed on these areas -- runners only. Of course that did not stop some folks.  There was one time on mile 10 or 11 through one of these trails and over a wooden bridge (the kind that are not terribly uncommon on a golf course like this) where a man jumped off his bike and ran with his bike on this narrow section of bridge -- right next to me.  I really wanted to just shove him as hard as I could and watch him fall backwards pulling his bike over onto himself in the process.  This is all I could think of.  Of course I did not say or do anything, but in all candor, this is what I was thinking.  I can picture it clearly.
Somewhere about mile 5 or 6 the full and the half split off.  I made the turn along with all of the other halfers, then we came up on a large sign that read Mile 12, with a timer.  Presumably the full doubles back around to this area after they split off, but at the time it was super confusing.  I was very well aware that we were not at mile 12 yet, but then I started to wonder if I had turned the wrong way.  Believe me, I had no intention of running the full -- I was already in pain.  There were a few other spots where the signage indicated mile 15 or mile 20.  Obviously we knew we had not run farther than the 13 miles we had signed up for, but my mind, for one, was not working as well as normal.  I was confused several times.

Water/Food Stations:
Plenty of water and Gatorade and bananas.  I think there were oranges somewhere along the way.  I did not notice any vodka jello shots, although in this race I may well have circled the vodka station multiple times if it were available.  I did get a banana at one of the stations.  I ended up dropping most of it.  I could not feel my fingers.

Scenery:
Nice neighborhood and if you like golf course communities, then you would enjoy this course.  One stretch had a water view.  I heard people talking about the ocean course and how beautiful that was.  I am assuming that was were we were.

Race Entertainment:
I did not notice anything anywhere on the course except at the start/finish area.  Was there some entertainment that I may have missed?  Sure... but I did not see or hear any of it.

Finish:
The finish was right in front of the conference center.  We had milled around there before the race and walked over to this area from the busses and this is where I picked up my bib and shirt... so it was familiar.  It was partitioned off and there was a lot of nice cheering and an announcer that called out the names of the finishers.  It was quite crowded, though.  I could not find my family after I finished for a couple of minutes anyway... but we were able to walk over to the busses and they transported us back to the parking area directly.  It was pretty easy.  Oh yeah... there were bananas, water, and gatorade.  I could not find any food.  I was looking.   I was hungry.

Bling:


Misc:
There was a chip timer mat at the start and half and finish.  There were other chip timer mats and timers, but I think they were more for the full runners.  I dunno, I was delirious.  The roads weer blocked off nicely, but the spectators were running wild.  At one point there were two girls walking in the middle of the street, in the middle of the course, just chatting and texting... apparently oblivious that if I were going fast enough, they might actually feel something if I were to bump into them.
We did not participate in any of the "stuff" because we were in a rush to get back, so we simply rushed off.  I don't know if they had a bunch of things that we might have enjoyed -- we just ran off (well, I did not run anywhere... I limped off).

Post Race:
I have received two emails so far.  One for pictures and one thanking me for running, oh and sign up for next year.  I checked earlier this evening and the results are posted on the web site, listed as unofficial.






I am hoping Tempe is better. :)

Route 66 -- Tulsa, OK

Here is the race recap for the Tulsa, OK Route 66 Half  November 2016

Registration:

I registered online.  Nice and easy.  Like most of them that I have seen, it had a tiered pricing based on time.  The earlier you register, the cheaper it is.

Fee:

$110 plus a service fee of $9.70 = $119.70 total

The Expo:

I had to go to the expo for this one to pick up my bib.  It was quick and easy.  It was in a convention center and along the far wall was the bib pick-up area, alphabetically by last name.  All I got was a bib a bag and four safety pins.  I was supposed to go get my jacket, which was on the other side of the expo hall.  I forgot.  I have contacted them and they are going to send me one, but it apparently takes a couple of months.  As I walked through the expo hall, I noticed several vendors, but did not stop and look at any of them  In retrospect, that may have been a good idea for me to see what was available, but I was focused on finding my room... my airbnb.

Shirt:

The shirt was a jacket, which I forgot to get.

Race Day:

Sunday

Race Start Time:

8:00am -- started right on time

Course Map:

The blue course is the half and the red course is the full.  Everybody ran the half and those that were running the full split off just after the finish of the half and they continued on.

Race Type:

Road race.  This was called the Route 66 marathon/half-marathon, but we spent very little time on Route 66.  We crossed over Route 66 at the start and touched on it during mile 11.  Just found that interesting.

Accommodations:

EVERYTHING was full -- ALL the hotels had no vacancy.  This is where I discovered Airbnb.  I checked the race map to see where was the start and finish, and chose a place in the middle somewhere so I could walk to the start and walk from the finish -- easily.  I had a four block walk to the start, but the walk back from the finish was about 1.7miles.  I limped back.  It was still cold.  They had shuttles to and from hotels and the expo center, but I thought I was much closer, so I just walked.  It worked out fine for me.

Transportation:

They had shuttles, but I just walked.

Weather:

It was 32 F.  Warmed up to about 50 F.  I got warm about mile 8.  I was not prepared for 32 degrees at the start, but it did not affect me that much.

Race Morning:

It was dark and cold.  There were people everywhere.  The corrals were manned by security and they would allow you into your respective corral only if your bib showed the correct corral letter.  I waited in corral A for 30 min.  Mostly waiting for the sun to come up and warm me.  There was a DJ, good communication.  A large corral system with plenty of room.  They let the handicapped racers go 3 minutes early after the National Anthem and some local groups chanting, then we were off.  The corral was large enough that it was not terrible to get started, and it widened out even further after the start.

Race:

There was a lot of uphill.  The first mile was downhill, then it seemed to climb, then climb, then climb again.  We ran through some nice neighborhoods.  There were lots of people out in their yards and on their streets with signs and cheering.  They were dressed much more warmly than I was.  Many of them had fire pits and hot chocolate, coffee, etc...  They offered me none.  On one area, we passed by a crossfit gym.  They brought all of their exercycles outside and they were blaring their workout music and conducting a spinning class and cheering.  That was kinda fun to see.  Then a right turn and uphill again.  At the end of mile 13, we split.  The half racers went left and the full racers went right.  It was not confusing for me, but when I was walking back a couple of the racers asked me if they should go right or left... so at least two were confused.  One lady walked through the parking lot.  I think she was getting in her car and driving part of the way?!?!?  I dunno what she was doing.

Water/Food Stations:

There were plenty of water and Gatorade stations.  I did not notice any food, but I was not looking for it either.  I bet there was bananas and probably some other stuff.  One station even had Jello shots.  Of course, I thought they would be made with energy drink or something.  They had Vodka in them.  I found that very interesting.  I am not sure that was race sanctioned, but at the time I was just shocked, then thought maybe this will help me not feel my leg pain.  It did not help.

Scenery:

The neighborhoods were nice.  The race started and ended in downtown, so if you like the historic thing, then you would enjoy.  There was one stretch that was on the water and a park for a bout 3 miles.

Race Entertainment:

Several local bands were playing at different locations.  I heard none of them again.

Finish:

The finish was a blocked off area with a large FINISH inflatable arch banner.  Lots of spectators and photographers.  Volunteers everywhere giving finishers medals and foil coverings, HeatSheets.  Plenty of drinks Gatorade and water and Pepsi and bananas and energy bars.  There was even a post-race meal supplied by Spaghetti Warehouse, which was right next to the finish.  I did not have any, but it looked good.  I grabbed a couple of drinks and an energy bar for the walk back.  I wish I had taken a HeatSheet.

Bling:

Misc:

There were timers clocks and chip timer mats everywhere.  I got stats that showed me how many people I passed and how many passed me, how many women I finished before and after, how many men, what age groups, etc., etc., etc...  There were lots of stats.

This race was well organized and mapped out well.  There were no traffic issues with automobiles or pedestrians.  All the spectators were nice and encouraging.  The roads were completely closed off leaving plenty of room for the racers.  There was a full marathon on the same course, but they turned off right before the finish of the half, relatively no confusion.

Post-Race:

I have received 8 emails so far with instructions to purchase photos, register for next year, and for race results.  The race results are full of stats.  More information than I need, but some of you, and you know who you are, might like all of the detail.

NEXT RACE REVIEW -- Kiawah Island, SC -- "Kiawah Island Golf Resort"

I Dream of Jeannie -- Cocoa Beach, FL

So, here is a rundown of my first half-marathon October 2016.  As I mentioned in the last post, I will give you my thoughts and critiques about each venue, from my perspective.  It is important for youth understand that this is from my perspective for several reasons:

1.  I have never run a half-marathon (or any distance over 6 miles) before -- those that run these races all of the time will certainly have a different set of criteria than I did.

2.  I don't drink alcohol -- apparently for some the running is all about the beer.  This aspect no longer has any appeal for me.

3.  I am not the most social of runners -- I do not do the expos and the dinners and the parties and the chit-chatting while running.

4.  I have not yet gone to any of these races as part of a vacation -- so, the fine hotels and vacation spots will be lost on me.

5.  The beauty and scenic aspects may well be lost on me.  I have a hard enough time breathing while running, much less snapping selfies and pictures of the race venue.

6.  I am all about the easy in, easy out aspects.  -- A place near the start and near the finish, a nearby airport, and a convenient date.

7.  Warmth -- read my previous post. (Right now it is 81 F and I am inside with a blanket and a fire going... seriously!  I have not been able to get warm adequately yet.)

All of that being said, I have my own perspective that may be of some benefit to some of you.

I chose Cocoa Beach on a whim.  The race starts at Patrick Airforce Base and travels down A1A.  I passes right by my mom's house at the 2 mile mark or so.  There was no magic that made me pick this one.  I was not planning one running this race, or any race, nor was I planning to run 50 races.  I just thought, what the heck.  Why not.  I could simply drive over and see my mom, spend some time with her, run the race, and go back to mom's house when I was done.  If I struggled at all, then I could walk back to mom's and it would be no big deal.  I am sure this is a little different perspective than most who were running this race.  Now that I have run a couple more, I can look back and give you some insight into how the race went.

Registration:

I tried to register online, but registration was closed.  I called my mom to see if she could register me at the expo the day before the race.  She went to the expo at RonJon's and registered me with what they called a charity registration.  Same fee, just the proceeds went to charity -- OK -- bonus.

Fee:
$100 -- that reminds me, I still owe my mom $100

The Expo:
I did not go.  My mom went for me.

Shirt:
We got a white wicking shirt and a hat


Race Day:
Sunday

Race Start Time:
7:00am

Course Map:


Race Type:
This was a bit of a themed race.  There were several ladies and a few men dressed as Jeannie.  Some of the men were dressed as Major Nelson.  They put all of the Jeannies at the front of the start line, I think to get good pictures of them, because that was the only place were there was lighting.

Accommodations:
I stayed with mom.  Best accommodations of all.

Transportation:
I simply drove over to my mom's house and she drove me to the start line.  Her husband, Greg (Grampi) picked us up at the finish and drove us home.  After a rest and a shower, I drove home.
There were busses (yellow schools busses) that transported racers from the expo at RonJons to the race.  The race actually started a bit late as they waited on another bus.

Weather:
It was chilly in the morning... mid 50's or so, then warmed up nicely and gradually to 73 F.  Fair skies.

Race Morning:
It was dark and chilly.  The wind was light, but cold.  There was no shelter at the start.  We were all about in the parking lot trying to keep warm.  Several racers went over the dunes to see the sunrise -- it was a pretty one -- but they got reprimanded and told to stay off.

Race Start:
There were no corrals, but pacers.  The starting "gate" was super narrow and many were pushing and cramming their way in to try and get across the chip timer mat, think of a wide funnel with a narrow exit.  That was not so fun.  They had lights for the cameras to get good pictures of the Jeannies, but nobody could see because they were all crammed together trying to get across the start mat.  There was a professional DJ at the start.  Someone sang the National Anthem and we were off.

Race:
The course was very flat, the whole way (unless you count coming off the beach).  The race was straight down A1A from Patrick Air force Base, past my mom's house, past all of the places I knew when I grew up there, to RonJon's, then a turn or two until doubling back on the beach.  At the start they were very proud of the mats that they purchased to allow the runners to get from the pavement to the hard, packed sand without having to struggle through the soft sand at the top of the beach.  They were proud in part because they were donating this mat to the city to allow for better handicap access.  It was very nice.  We did not have to trod through the soft sand to get to the hard, packed sand.  BUT... there was no mat exiting the beach after 2.5 miles on the beach and 12 miles of running.  That part was uphill in the soft sand too.  I thought I might die right there.  Why oh why was there not a mat leaving the beach?  Who knows, but it was painful.

Water/Food Stations:
The water stations were every 1.5 miles.  Some had Gatorade, some had bananas, one had pickle juice.  I bet there were other things, but I only saw those.

Scenery:
It was Cocoa Beach.  Part of the race was on the beach.  Most of the race was on the major highway.  If you like the beach and beach towns, you would enjoy this.

Race Entertainment:
There were several bands and musicians along the way.  No idea what they were playing.  I was zoned out in my own world of Pandora.  I heard none of it.

Finish:
The finish was at a park (Lori Wilson Park) beachside.  There was a big finish banner surrounding the road on both sides and above, and people taking pictures and cheering spectators.  The finishers received a lei and a finishers medal.  There was a long cooler of ice filled with Gatorade and Pepsi and other energy-type drinks.  They had bananas.  I did not notice any other food, but I bet there was some. They had a beer tent that you could get two beers with your bib tags.  There were complementary massages that you could sign up for.  The race results were on a board, on printer paper, updated periodically.  There was a celebrity, Mary-Ann form Gilliagan's Island, taking photos with those that wanted to stand in line to get a photo and/or an autograph.  There was a life-sized billboard photo of Kelly Slater.  I looked for him to see if he was there, but I could not find him.  He was a childhood friend.  I thought it would be fun to say hello.  His life-sized picture was unimpressed with my greeting.

Bling:

I have not yet had a need to stay for awards.  My award is that I am still breathing and my heart is still beating.

Misc:
There was a chip timing mat at the start, at the half and at the finish.  Also a timer at the half.  Plenty of spectators with signs and cheers.  The road was blocked off -- one lane anyway, so traffic was never an issue.  The police presence was adequate and the course was easy to follow.  There was no full marathon at the same time, so it was not at all confusing -- and I get confused easily while running.  Right foot, Left foot, right foot, hokey pokey, right leg... I don't always know.

Post-race:
The race results were posted within a couple of days on the website and I received a couple emails showing me how I could buy photos and how I could register for the race for next year.

That is about all I can think of that would be pertinent to anyone else.  If there is other information that any of you would be interested in reading -- something I missed, neglected to mention, forgot -- let me know and I will include it here or at least on the other races.

NEXT RACE REVIEW -- Tulsa, OK -- "Route 66"