America's Finest City
As a last minute decision, I just registered for the AFC Half Marathon in beautiful San Diego. The race takes place on August 18th, and will be a perfect training race for St. George.
The race starts at Cabrillo National Monument, and ends in Balboa Park. The first 5miles are rolling downhill, cool, shaded and FAST. Then, you have a couple of flat miles along the water, as you make your way back through town and up to Balboa Park. The race ends with a 1.25mile UPHILL stretch starting at about mile 11.5-12.75. It's tough. A lot of people blow up on this section of this race.
I've done this race twice before. Once, I was still in denial of my IT band Injury and the severity of it. At about mile 7 my knee started hurting and I had to walk run the rest of the way. I think my finish time was about 2:14..... Right before the big hill there were folks offering up beer & M&Ms. I almost took some. I guess I should have...
Then next year I registered, I actually was unable to do it because of my knee. This was also the weekend that I decided I had to back out of doing the Soma Half Ironman. It was the inaugural year of Soma, and I was just in too much pain. It was a tough weekend for me, although I stayed tough and road my bike along the course to cheer on my friends. I think there were some PRs that day, including ironshane.
Then, last year I decided to do the race with some girlfriends. We flew out on Saturday am, had a nice afternoon drinking some (a little) wine and hanging out at the hotel. Unfortunately for me I was totally burnt out. I had been training since January, including having just completed the Lake Stevens 70.3 just 4 weeks prior to the race.
It was pretty funny, actually. I went out to San Diego that year knowing the race was a big ???. I would of liked to do well, but I had nothing. No energy, no spunk, no running mojo whatsoever.
As I got out on the course my HR was immediately high. Not like high end of my aerobic zone, we're talking 168 going downhill. And, it never dropped, even when I would slow down. So, I just went with it. Didn't have anything to lose. Around mile 6 as the course led us past the Host Hotel that we were staying at I was miserable. Every step hurt. I had no energy. I started contemplating (seriously) quiting. I had it all planned out how I could just stop at the hotel. I would look thru our cell phones to get the number of the one girl who brought hers to the race so that they would know I quit & not to wait for me....
Somehow, I was already passing the hotel as this plan came to mind, so there I was hot, miserable and slowing down, but still en route to finish. Which I did. In 2:08 something... It was the hardest, longest 2 hours and 8mins ever.
I vowed NEVER to do a race when I felt that crappy again!
So, here I am again. A 4th year of heading to San Diego for the AFC race. I am feeling great, recovered and have already been to see my trainer to begin strengthening my quads for all the downhill running.
I am ready to conquer this race. Ready to have a feel good, run fast (fast being relative for me) day.
I sure hope it's my year :-) Sure seems to have started out that way!
The race starts at Cabrillo National Monument, and ends in Balboa Park. The first 5miles are rolling downhill, cool, shaded and FAST. Then, you have a couple of flat miles along the water, as you make your way back through town and up to Balboa Park. The race ends with a 1.25mile UPHILL stretch starting at about mile 11.5-12.75. It's tough. A lot of people blow up on this section of this race.
I've done this race twice before. Once, I was still in denial of my IT band Injury and the severity of it. At about mile 7 my knee started hurting and I had to walk run the rest of the way. I think my finish time was about 2:14..... Right before the big hill there were folks offering up beer & M&Ms. I almost took some. I guess I should have...
Then next year I registered, I actually was unable to do it because of my knee. This was also the weekend that I decided I had to back out of doing the Soma Half Ironman. It was the inaugural year of Soma, and I was just in too much pain. It was a tough weekend for me, although I stayed tough and road my bike along the course to cheer on my friends. I think there were some PRs that day, including ironshane.
Then, last year I decided to do the race with some girlfriends. We flew out on Saturday am, had a nice afternoon drinking some (a little) wine and hanging out at the hotel. Unfortunately for me I was totally burnt out. I had been training since January, including having just completed the Lake Stevens 70.3 just 4 weeks prior to the race.
It was pretty funny, actually. I went out to San Diego that year knowing the race was a big ???. I would of liked to do well, but I had nothing. No energy, no spunk, no running mojo whatsoever.
As I got out on the course my HR was immediately high. Not like high end of my aerobic zone, we're talking 168 going downhill. And, it never dropped, even when I would slow down. So, I just went with it. Didn't have anything to lose. Around mile 6 as the course led us past the Host Hotel that we were staying at I was miserable. Every step hurt. I had no energy. I started contemplating (seriously) quiting. I had it all planned out how I could just stop at the hotel. I would look thru our cell phones to get the number of the one girl who brought hers to the race so that they would know I quit & not to wait for me....
Somehow, I was already passing the hotel as this plan came to mind, so there I was hot, miserable and slowing down, but still en route to finish. Which I did. In 2:08 something... It was the hardest, longest 2 hours and 8mins ever.
I vowed NEVER to do a race when I felt that crappy again!
So, here I am again. A 4th year of heading to San Diego for the AFC race. I am feeling great, recovered and have already been to see my trainer to begin strengthening my quads for all the downhill running.
I am ready to conquer this race. Ready to have a feel good, run fast (fast being relative for me) day.
I sure hope it's my year :-) Sure seems to have started out that way!
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