3M Half Marathon - Jan. 29, 2006

Simply the Best Race so far!!!!

I picked up the race packet on Friday and it contained the best swag of any of the races. 3M knows how to build a race packet; 1. something to eat, 2. something to read, 3. something free and 4. a cool wearable something.

The Running Gods came together and put together a race that will be remembered by the running community for quite some time. The above mentioned swag started everything off in the right direction. My food belt showed promise (more below). The weather was supposed to cooperate. The only thing that had me worrying was my first blown workout in seven months of training. By Saturday I had already forgotten Wednesday's blown workout.

Food prep, carbo-loading had everything going fine. I did add a couple of glasses of Pino Noir, which has been a pre-race no-no, but what the hell. I ate a Kenyan diet all week and needed something different. Different was the case how I treated by race day meal. I decided to wake up at 2:00 A.M. and down a Super Protein Boost instead of the ritual of oatmeal and berries. This could've proved disastrous on race day but worked wuite well. No stomach issues.

My dreams have become race-oriented lately. Maybe the fear of failure after the disastrous pace at the end of the Runtex 20-miler, not acknowleging the 30-mph wind. Maybe the blown workout. Maybe that I felt a cold or flu coming on this weekend. I through down echinacea and Ester-C like M&M's with green tea every four hours. Although it was a concern on Saturday, it proved not an issue on Sunday.

Now back to the race and what the Running Gods created for the day. Simply magnificent! The weather proved to be perfect. When I arrived at Gateway Shopping Center at 6:00 A.M., the temperature was in the forties with scattered fog, a slight breeze from the west, and just the right amount of humidity from yesterday's showers... and dark. I proceded to do a slow jog and stretch in the SUV that's worked in the past. At 6:30 A.M. I followed the pack to what I imagined was the starting gate. I was without tights or sweats this time so it felt chilly. I found a few guys huddled out of the wind on the side of the building and we talked before the race and exchanged training tips and methodologies. It was then five minutes until the start, delayed due to getting 3,700 people into their parking places.

Although there what looked like plenty of porto-potties available, I didn't have to use any of them or the trees this time. I felt like I was hydrated but just right. No surplus. The gun went off and it took the pack over two minutes for our group to move. The first mile was great, coming in at 9:47 pace.

A slite uphill, which was expected and everything felt good. The left foot flop was present but I worked through it without stopping. The new shoes with the new insoles and orthotics were comfortable. The only thing was 3,700 runners trying to find a spot or pace. Slow down, speed up, slow down, etc. Still, everything felt good.

As the miles started to roll by I wondered how the new belt would work out. I bypassed the first water stop and decided to stop at mile four to try it out. It worked. While I don't drink immediately at the stop, I did later after the Accelerade powder had mixed with the water. Perfect.

I had an inclination that this race would be different once I saw the accordian player at the third or fourth mile. All dressed up and somewhere to go was he. A smile beamed across my face. He was not the only musician on the course. Full bands with amps, guitar players, mariachi bands, and a guy with bagpipes. WOW! The musicians really came out today. Thanks guys, it really helped.

The people of Austin really came out as well. People all along the route, unlike the Runtex 20-miler which had three people and hundreds of cows. Cows just don't get into the running scene and have probably never run a day in their lives. Not a good mix for a race. Hundreds of cheetahs would be cool, but that may be problematic. Cows don't work. Musicians and people do.

With perfect racing conditions, the mental aspect of the race didn't really play a decisive part in my running. Sure, it was there around the sixth mile as I saw I was running at my 10K pace, but the legs kept working. I kept thinking.....

  • Mind: Legs, what do you guys need?
  • Legs: We could do with a little oxygen down here.
  • Mind: OK, I'll tell the lungs to breath a little deeper.
  • Legs: Oh yeah, we could use a dose of dopamine if you see fit.
  • Mind: I'll see what I can do.

And so it went for the next few miles. Mind and Legs discussing how to run the race and get to the finish and how not to have another Runtex 20-miler.

Once I got to 34th street and running past Seton Medical Center I felt the pace could continue. I still had to make it down to 12th street but everything seemed to be in another's hands. The Mind and Legs were discussing dopamine and oxygen. Meanwhile, I was along for the ride as it should be.

There was a slight uphill getting to 12th street and I knew around the corner there wasn't much left. I probably should've started the kick earlier, but at this time it felt good. Hammer Time! I was passing people. I had energy left. There were people everywhere cheering on the finishers. How cool was that?

I finished strong, a new PR for the half marathon with 1:55:20 and a great couple of breakfast tacos. Shuttle buses took us back up to Gateway. Great people, great swag, great weather, it doesn't get any better than this. This made the last seven months of training worth it.

  • Mind: Legs, you guys did well today.
  • Legs: Thanks.
  • Mind: You need anything or should I leave you alone?
  • Legs: We could do with a tea tree oil bath, an aspirin lotion rub on the knees and some downtime.
  • Mind: Everyone's proud. Even the stomach pulled through.
  • Legs: Yes, even the feet are happy once you figured out the inner soles problem. See you at Freescale.
  • Mind: I'll warm up the bath.

Oh, and the guy with the flag in the pic. He ran by me at mile four carrying that huge flag wearing texas running shorts. Only in Austin.

Split times: 9.47, 9.00, 8.44, 9.12 (water), 8.24, 8.19, 8.24, 8.32, 9.25 (water), 8.49, 8.52, 8.50, 8.12, .50

3M Race Results

  • Overall Place: 1548 of 3700 runners
  • Age Group Place: 166
  • Time: 1:55:20.4
  • Pace: 8:48/M

Austin Distance Challenge Standings

  • Overall Place: 297 (jump from 317th last race)
  • Age Group Place: 47
  • Time: 12:25:30 (total time thru 6 events)

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Permanent Link: 1/29/2006 10:13:00 PM

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