Williams Route 66 Half Marathon (Race Recap)

Tulsa, OK
Sunday, November 20
Half Marathon #51
State #43
Weather - Overcast, misty, windy, FREEZING

Have to add this from the White River Half Marathon... Here is a picture of Rick (from the Biggest Loser) finishing the marathon!

He finished in 6:00:39!!

I signed up for the Williams Route 66 half marathon about seven months ago. There are not that many races in Oklahoma, and it was a nice fall addition to an otherwise EMPTY race schedule. Plus, I knew a lot of people that were running it, which is always nice.

Anyway. So after leaving Chili's, it's my turn to drive. The first hour or so go fine, then I start to feel SUPER drowsy. I have to pull over because I'm concerned I'm going to fall asleep! We get a cappuccino from the gas station... YORK.PEPPERMINT.PATTY. So delicious! Sure enough, it keeps me awake the rest of the drive.

We arrive in Tulsa around 5:00, only to discover that the Holiday Inn we are staying at is the host hotel and literally about a hundred feet from the start line. SCORE! L goes in to check us in, and I'm sitting behind a car waiting. The guy comes out, gets in his car, proceeds to back up and hit our car! Not a huge hit, but definitely a tap. As I'm getting out, the dude just drives off. WHO DOES THAT??? L comes out and tells me we can park for free in a metered spot (to avoid paying to park in hotel lot). Ironically, the dude that hit our car was in the elevator. We make a comment and he pretends like he doesn't even hear us. RUDE.

Our room is nice, and L decides she wants to rest. I pull out my computer to work on my Sociology term paper for a bit. Lose motivation, and we decide to go sit in the hot tub for a bit before dinner. Only one other person was in there, a guy who was also going to be racing. I really enjoy making small talk with other runners. Always entertaining. Go back to the room, quick showers, then we drive about 15 minutes to... Applebee's.

Yummy!!

Beer!!

And that is our rental car

After dinner,we head back to the hotel. It's only about 7:45, but L goes to bed. I can't go to sleep that early, so I stay up working on my paper and surfing the internet. I still went to bed ridiculously early around 8:30. Don't mock me. Tired. Before bed I checked the weather to finalize my outfit. Forecast was 54 degrees, 30% chance of rain, about 9 mph winds. OK.

Wake up just after 6:10, giving us enough time to get dressed and be out to the start line for the Marathon Maniac picture. Little do we know that after we went to bed (8:45), the time was changed to 7:30.... We spend about 40 minutes FREEZING, wandering around, and trying to find the other people for the picture. Recognized quite a few runners from the White River race. Turns out the group of Maniacs, Fanatics and 50 Staters would have been impossible to miss. Check out this group!

Can you find me??

Immediately after the picture, I decide I have to go back to the room and get my gloves and arm sleeves. I am freezing to death! It is way colder than the forecast. We leave the comfort of the nice, warm hotel with about 8 minutes until the start. We were in the second corral, so we actually didn't head out until about 5 after 8. Right off the bat, I am concerned. I feel like I'm barely moving I'm running so slow. At the first mile marker, I was really surprised to see that I was under a 10 minute pace. I cannot run by feel AT ALL. I lost L briefly at mile 2 because my calves started to tighten again and I slowed my pace considerably because of that. Well, that AND the fact that the course was SUPER hilly. First aid station right before mile 2, and I caught up with L. She had JUST tossed her throwaway sweatshirt. That alone should tell you how cold it was. She has NEVER run in long sleeves. Ever.

Swan Lake

We had a nice semi-circle around Swan Lake, then up and down more hills. I took a Hammer Gel at mile 4, and was immediately feeling better. I know it's totally dorky to say that I could feel the effects of the gel, but I really think I could! Course continues to be pretty hilly.

Nice to see changing leaves, everything is dead already in Colorado

We both had to use the bathroom, so we stopped at some potties just before mile 6. We had to wait for a few people ahead of us. Then a guy cut in line! At the same time, L and I both say "Wow. Really??" Guy acts totally surprised like he had no idea he cut us off. RUDE!!! Turns out we would see him later in the course, he was a pacer... Still don't think that gives him the right to cut us off!

After putting my gloves back on after using the bathroom I never did warm up. It was cold, cold, cold. I don't care WHAT L says, she must have been FREEZING. We see the leaders heading toward the finish (crazy fast). The course finally levels out around mile 6, and I am feeling a LOT better. The course isn't all that interesting, or maybe it was just too cold for me to care. I really didn't want to take my gloves off to take any pictures, so sorry for the lack of them!

Around mile 8 we spotted Dave. As we were catching up to him, we ran by a bank that said the temperature was 32 degrees... mind you, by now it is like 9:30 in the morning. SO COLD. Aid station with some GU, and I should be ashamed of myself for taking extras (again). Wouldn't have taken so many if they weren't handing out Roctane again... Anyway, head back out and around mile 9 the wind really started to pick up. I am so freaking cold, I just cannot wait for this race to be over. I feel like I am pacing pretty well, but I won't lie, I was tired and have I mentioned it was FREEZING???

Doesn't Dave look like a bunny?!

The last aid station was just past mile 12, and then right about mile "13," the course split and we headed toward the finish. Like yesterday, L had taken off with about a half mile to go. She always has so much energy at the end! Longest .1 ever, and cross the line. Hallelujah!!

Bib #3270
Official Time - 2:14:53
Official Pace - 10:19
10K Split - 1:05:23
Overall Place - 1584/3118
Division Place - 136/314
Garmin Time - 2:14:52
Garmin Distance - 13.28 miles (!!!!!)
Garmin Pace - 10:10
Mile 1 - 9:37
Mile 2 - 10:56
Mile 3-  9:52
Mile 4 - 10:12
Mile 5 - 10:10
Mile 6 - 12:03 (bathroom)
Mile 7 - 9:49
Mile 8 - 9:43
Mile 9 - 10:23
Mile 10 - 9:53
Mile 11 - 10:01
Mile 12 - 9:45
Mile 13 - 9:50
Mile 13.1 - 8:53

Nice ribbon, nice medal!

Volunteer just hands me a banded medal. My hands were so cold I dropped it while trying to unwrap it to get my picture taken :(  Pretty good post race beverages (I didn't see beer, but I assume there was some since I had beer tickets on my bib), Pepsi products, Rock star energy drinks, Gatorade AND 0 calorie SoBe. Wow!! We finished about a mile from where we started, so we had to locate the shuttle bus to get us back to the start. Even though there was a Marathon Maniac tent, we didn't have time to visit it because we had an early flight back.

So cold we didn't do a pre-race picture. This is after, in the hotel

This was a GREAT race. I enjoyed the huge presence of Maniacs, Fanatics and 50 Staters. Everything was VERY organized, there was lots of crowd support, and everything we needed at the finish line. I am really considering running the full marathon of this one next year. Only I certainly hope it would be warmer. I really think this was the coldest race I have ever run. Brrr.

We barely manage to get off at the right stop, but we get dropped right by our hotel. We take quick showers, pack, and then head out. As we are checking out, we discover that we had been charged for parking even though we didn't use the lot. Annoying, but they fixed it right away for us.

Head out, have to get gas before heading to the airport. We arrive with plenty of time, our flight was on time. We had a relaxing lunch at TGIFriday's, and got to sit next to each other in the third row. I managed to finish my paper on the plane AND we landed 25 minutes early. Probably the most uneventful trip we have ever had.

Super tasty Southwest Burger... YUM

PS... I still have NOT heard from the winner of my giveaway. Anais, you have until Wednesday at 5:00 pm MST to contact me or I will be selecting a new winner.