Changs 13.1 Race Report

I was really excited going into this race as I haven't had any way to really gauge where I am at fitness wise lately and with all my IM training I didn't know what to expect. Working in the running shoe industry left me working the Expo ALL day Friday and on Saturday I had to man the store for 8hrs. They were two VERY LONG days on my feet, not necessarily what I would like to have been doing leading into a race, but c'est la vie.

Sunday morning I woke up just after 5am, ate my oatmeal with raisins (I was out of bananas), put on my race outfit and waited for Mike to pick me up. We headed down to ASU, parked and got on the bus to head to the start line. Once there we did our first wait in the porto-potty line, grabbed some water and found Becky, Kelly and Stoner. Both Becky and Kelly were running 26.2 and they started 50 minutes before the half so we watched them start before going back to wait in yet another line to potty (man those lines were LONG). By the time I got to potty, strip down and turn my bag into UPS it was about 15 minutes out from the start. I left Mike and went for a little warm-up run before hopping in my corral.

The race started out BUSY and continued to be BUSY the entire time, I was never by myself out there and it was tough getting around people. I felt like my pace was slowed because of the people blocking me from passing, I was ready to throw elbows, but refrained myself :-) I went out easier the first couple miles, then picked up the pace and it seemed that I would go through a phase of negativity about every 5K. Each 5K I would realize how much this hurt and how much easier it would be to just slow down, then I reminded myself that I have built so much mental strength in preparation for IM that I needed to HTFU Princess and get on with it, then I thought that I was saving that for IM, this wasn't a big deal to me and if I could just slow down a bit I would be much happier. Then I remembered I had this goal in my head that I really wanted to reach and was right on target to do so if I could just maintain this pace... In order to shake the negativity I would focus on the music and the support on the sidelines and next thing I knew I was happy again.

I went throught that exact process 4 or 5 times throughout the 13.1 miles. The last mile I tried to push with everything I had left (there wasn't much) and finish under my goal time. In the end I just made my goal :-) YAY!!! And when I crossed the line I there was a group of guys I train and race with there to give me high fives and hugs! I was ready to puke... That is exactly what I needed to feel because I knew I put it out there today. I probably could have gone faster, but I am VERY happy with my PB today and stoked for IM :-)

After my race I found Mike and we headed over to the marathon. Becky and I had planned on me meeting up with her around mile 25 to finish out her last 1.2 miles of the race together. As I was heading out there I saw my friend cross the marathon finish in just under 3hrs... his goal and a PR for him!!! Congrats Brian!!! I positioned myself just after mile 25 and after 25 minutes or so of waiting Becky came by right on pace to break 4hrs (her goal) and I hopped into the race with her and ran the last mile with her! She was a rockstar today and I am so happy for her - YAY!!! Also right behind us was a couple other friends Kristine and Jordan (who was yelling at us from behind).

This was my second time running the PF Changs 13.1 and I have concluded that I don't like it, its too busy and the course isn't great... BUT I do love the 26.2 though - much fewer athletes and A LOT more fun. Maybe next year :-)

I will also post pictures sometime tomorrow, too tired to download them tonight.