Super Half Marathon (Race Recap)

Sunday, February 3
Colorado Springs, CO
Half Marathon #76
Colorado Half #16
Weather - Chilly but felt warmish with sun

Super Bowl Sunday seems like a GREAT day to run a race, since it is (and always has been) a fun food day for me! The Super Half in Colorado Springs would kill two birds with one stone. Run one of only THREE half marathons that exist in Colorado during the months of December-February, AND of course knock out a half I haven't run before. THANKFULLY, it looked like we were going to have some good weather. (Last year, on this same weekend, we had FEET of snow).

The race didn't start until the ungodly hour of TEN. WHY WHY WHY. The good thing, was that even with a substantial drive, I wouldn't have to get up THAT early. We left the house around 7:20, stopping on the way down to pick up Ruth. We arrived at Dunkin' Donuts for our pre-race fuel with more than an hour before the start. There were some road closures that had us taking a short detour, but we got a free metered spot near packet pick up.

I guess since the race seemed really low key and didn't seem advertised, that I expected a small turnout. Packet pickup was CHAOTIC, but pretty well organized. Picked up our bibs and long sleeve cotton shirts and then headed back in the car to finish our munchkin donut holes. SO DELICIOUS. Headed back over with about 20 minutes until the start to use the bathrooms. Pro: bathrooms were inside where it was warm. Cons: no toilet paper and clogged sinks. Ew. By the time we finished, we walked out right as the national anthem was being sung.

View from the start - Pikes Peak is back there somewhere (aka, I'm the worst Coloradan ever)

Me and L (as matchy matchy as we could get)

I really had no goals for this race. I've been sick with the zombie bird flu plague for over a week. I managed two short runs this week on the treadmill, barely breaking 20 minutes each time at a snail's pace. In addition to being completely exhausted, I've been congested and coughing every 5 minutes. Ok, so I guess my goal was to NOT DIE.

The course started in downtown Colorado Springs and ran briefly on the streets before we ended up on a nice trail. It was wide and dirt packed, and there was not too much congestion. I hadn't done any research on the course, but Ruth claimed there were four aid stations, so we would hit a total of 8 with the course being an out and back.

I wore my gloves for probably the first 15 minutes and then I got too hot and tucked them into my race belt. I was feeling... better than I expected, but not great. First mile would turn out to be our fastest of the day at 10:14 - a pace I have not run in a while (between Disney, the calves and the H1N1 I've had). The course profile showed the first half to be a gradual uphill, so after realizing I probably wasn't going to die on the course, I really just didn't want to walk at all. Had lots of compliments on my awesome INKnBURN shirt and our striped socks. One woman asked if my shirt was from a tattoo place!

I ran with my iPod for the first time since the New Years half marathon and I tried Yurbuds again (yellow ones, direct off the shelf at Target). Happy to report I didn't have any issues with the buds falling out. However, I eventually had to take one out because I could not hear L talking to me, and the bud got stuck in my ear, lol.

I was trying to keep my complaining to a minimum (L would say later that she thinks it was the quietest I had ever been during a race). Honestly, my body felt better than it had in a while, but the fatigue I've had lately had my 11ish paces were feeling SO HARD AND FAST. Blah. I was having minor GI issues, thanks to the seven layer dip I had the night before.

Fueling for this race was gummy bears and Mike & Ike, I didn't even bother with gels this time. Thanks to the Gatorade on the course, I think my candy choice was fine, I didn't feel hungry at all, that was a nice change.

The course was pretty, or at least as pretty as it can be in upper 30 degree weather, in Colorado, when everything is dead:

I was doing pretty well until about mile 11. I should have been having an easier time, with the course being more "downhill" on the way back. I was just so tired and I was having coughing fits more often than I did on the way out. My brain really wanted me to quit, but I just slogged through it and got done. Not a great time, obviously, but considering how under trained and sick I've been, and that there were NO characters to get my picture taken with, this was fine.

Trying the Heisman - is this even close??

Official Time - 2:31:08
Overall Place - 421/481
Gender Place - 205/254
Division Place - 23/31
Mile 1 - 10:14
Mile 2 - 11:16
Mile 3 - 11:25
Mile 4 - 11:44
Mile 5 - 11:50
Mile 6 - 11:14
Mile 7 - 11:54
Mile 8 - 11:15
Mile 9 - 11:05
Mile 10 - 10:57
Mile 11 - 11:47
Mile 12 - 11:04
Mile 13 - 11:25
Mile 13.27 - 11:00

Pros:

• Very well organized, decent-sized race.
• Nice course
• Plenty of aid stations, all but one had Gatorade in addition to water.

Cons:

• I actually have nothing to complain about, although I thought having a cop on a motorcycle following on the heels of the last runner was a bit rude. I felt bad for her. We were on trails, this could have been done on a bike.
• The bathroom situation at pick-up could have been a bit better. The building should have known we were coming and been stocked better with toilet paper.
• Hypothetically, the weather could be crap this time of year. February can be a very cold and snowy month in Colorado. Thankfully, this was not an issue this year!

We stopped for Dunkin' Donuts (just coffee this time around) on our way home, and Five Guys for lunch. Colorado Springs HAS ALL THE BEST PLACES.