What happens when you don't think and just run: Newport Half Marathon

A proud Oiselle bird

A couple of weeks ago, I ran my fourth half marathon. I had almost everything going against me: a cold, hip issues, severe lack of sleep and colder weather. Because of all these factors, I abandoned my hopes and dreams of a new half marathon PR (that 1:35 keeps eluding me) and just decided to run what I could. This mentality ended up being quite liberating and I was able to really enjoy the run.

The race took us all around beautiful Newport, RI. We ran through neighborhoods of mansions and parks, by marinas and golf courses, and were treated with stunning views of the water for about half of the race. It was really windy but the day was nearly perfect, dry and cool, and as I took in all the scenery I wished I had my iPhone with me to capture the views. The beauty of the course helped to ease the pain in my legs as I pushed through.

As with most races, the first mile of the course was congested. Just a half mile in, I started to feel my hip hurt. A few days before the race I had been really worried that this would happen and even considered not running the race at all. In this moment, I thought about dropping out. I went through the first mile in 8:37, a good pace for a training run but not for a half marathon. I tried to pick it up a bit, and ended up dropping over a minute on my next mile: 7:28. I hovered around the 7:30s for the rest of the race, and once I forgot about my hip I felt really good. The course had just enough twists and turns to keep it interesting, and the hills really weren't that bad. I saw (and passed) a number of Oiselle birds, both Volée team members and some Flock members as well, and it was so exciting to have an instant bond with other runners. That's definitely one of the best parts of being a Oiselle bird now!

The rest of the race happened without incident. The hills got harder and I could feel my legs working. But I kept passing people and the thrill of moving up pushed me to keep at it. Once we hit mile 10, it was go time. I hadn't looked at the course map before so I had no idea where I was or what I had left. Ignorance is bliss, right? I kicked and even when I felt like I was letting up, I tried to maintain that kick. Luckily it was flat to down hill, and I was able to finish strong. I ran 1:41:37, and though it wasn't a PR, it was actually pretty close. I felt a good as one can feel racing and my splits were consistent. Aside from running my fastest half marathon time, I can't complain about my performance.

As soon as I crossed the line, my legs tightened up--a sign of a race well run. I looked at the marathoners who were only half way done and couldn't even imagine continuing to repeat what I had just run. Some day, for sure, but not this day.

Friends and colleagues

The week that followed was painful as well, and I wanted to take time off. On day 3, I wobbled down the stairs and stationary biked for 25 minutes. I had to talk to someone afterwards and hopped over to his office. I didn't even realize that my legs all of a sudden felt better, but getting them moving again and draining that built-up lactic acid was the key. I did mile repeats with my team the next day and have been running regularly since then. I'm still working with my PT to strengthen my legs and correct a number of imbalances that have appeared this year. I plan on running a turkey trot on Thanksgiving, so I've gotta get moving once again!