Georgetown to Idaho Springs Half Marathon (Race Recap)

Saturday, August 11
Idaho Springs, CO
Half Marathon #66
Colorado Half #13
GTIS Half #3
Weather - Mostly overcast, Nice

This will be a fairly short recap, as this will have been the third time I had run the Georgetown to Idaho Springs half marathon. Thanks to my recaps from previous years, I knew exactly how early to get up, when to leave, where to park, and how much "stuff" to have with me at the start.

Our friend Ruth decided to join as at the last minute, so the only unknown was how long race day registration would take. Answer - not long AND we were able to use indoor bathrooms we didn't previously know existed. The line for the bus was long, but as in previous years, moved quick. We were up at the start line probably about an hour before the race. We cycled through the bathroom lines a few times, and I had to still get my socks and skirt on. Dropped my bag maybe 15 minutes before the start.

Start line

L and Me

I didn't take any pictures of the course at all. I've run it a few times, so I honestly didn't even think about it. Check out my recaps from 2010 and 2011 if you want to see course pictures. Anyway, we lined up with the 2:15 pace group, and headed out. I was REALLY hoping to NOT have the calf tightening that I have been having lately. It's been BAD. So we started out slow, and my main goal was to not have to walk.

The start is super crowded, and the 2 miles through Georgetown are also packed. Didn't have to walk at all during that section - improvement over last year.

I wasn't looking forward to the downhills (unfortunate, since there is a LOT of downhill in this course) because my knee has been whack the last few weeks - pretty much since mile 19 of the San Francisco marathon. Three miles in and we were "cruising" and I was feeling pretty good.

We really lucked out that it was overcast - the last few years were pretty hot with the sun beating down. Ruth left us somewhere around mile 3 and we maintained a pretty good pace. Honestly, this part of the race was uneventful.

Maybe around mile 6 I started feeling tired. No wonder, I really haven't been running that much over the last few weeks, and certainly not 6 miles without a bunch of breaks to walk/stretch thanks to my stupid calves.

Nothing of any interest happened the next few miles. We caught up to Ruth at mile 9 while she was waiting for a port-a-potty. I mentioned to L that my knee was starting to twinge a bit and if it got worse I might have to take some breaks. Made it to about mile 10.3 before I got some shooting pain up and down my leg, originating from stupid knee. The last three miles were essentially run for .3-.4 miles, then walk for a minute. SO FRUSTRATING. Ruth hung out with us until about mile 12, then she took off for the finish line. L still stayed with me.

We were running down Colorado Blvd (aka, the longest chute EVER) and the 2:20 pace group was just ahead of us. Man. I really really really wanted to get in front of them. We sprinted and literally crossed JUST IN FRONT OF THEM. So out of three years, this was my worst finish yet. 2:11ish in 2010, and 2:16ish last year. I am really tired of not feeling good running :( But - my sprint sorta rocked:

Bib #3198
Offical 10K - 1:04:04
Official Time - 2:20:09
Overall Place - 1821/2559
Division Place - 186/270
Garmin Time - 2:20:12
Garmin Distance - 13.12 miles
Garmin Pace - 10:41
Mile 1 - 10:36
Mile 2 - 10:49
Mile 3 - 10:08
Mile 4 - 10:15
Mile 5 - 10:23
Mile 6 - 10:32
Mile 7 - 10:07
Mile 8 - 10:24
Mile 9 - 10:44
Mile 10 - 10:56
Mile 11 - 11:21
Mile 12 - 11:42
Mile 13 - 11:14
Mile 13.1 - 8:12

Medal is shaped like a bowl!

We had seen the kids right before the finish line, and they met us right after we got our (optional) medals. I am happy to have spent the $10 for this medal - I think it is pretty unique. My Dad got this picture of us before we wandered through the finisher area to get all our free stuff:

H, L, A, Me, Ruth

I'll likely run this again next year, and I'm down to only one real complaint, and it is the same as last year. The 3 oz cups are too tiny for aid stations. In order to get any reasonable amount of fluid they are overfilled and I end up with liquid all over me. Although, they did better having lots of water at the finish line, but again, the tiny cups don't make sense.

Bling!

Elizabeth of at Running For Bling asked... how do "you" display your bling. Thought I'd share:

and now... I'm out of room. I have a couple more I couldn't fit on that last one. What next??

Divas Half Marathon (Race Recap)

Vail, CO
Sunday, August 21
Half Marathon #41
Weather - Sunny, HOT

L and I signed up for the Divas half marathon for a few reasons:

• Fit into our schedule
• Local
• Have a goal to complete EVERY half (or full) in Colorado
• The rumor about ginormous bling

There was NO race day pick up, and I was babysitting the H for L, so the kids and I made the 97 mile drive into the mountains to attend the expo.

Pretty Drive!

Outside the expo

Me and H

Kids made signs at the Luna booth

Very pathetic "diva poses"

A carrying my race bag

Another option of where to display your bling

I was super unimpressed with the whole expo experience. The website gave great directions of where to park but nothing detailed of how to FIND the expo. Much wandering around and annoyance (especially since kids do NOT move quickly). Unimpressed with the VERY SMALL expo and as usual, it's too expensive to buy anything. I do NOT like being forced to attend these. I'd rather pick up race day. Anyway.

So. Regular pre-race dinner, no dessert again, but I did have an expired beer:

I had the chance to go to bed early... although I had trouble falling asleep. Then I woke up ridiculously early (3:37 to be exact) and couldn't fall back asleep. We had planned on leaving the house around 5:30, which we figured would give us just a little extra time.

Well. Even with getting ready and making a quick stop for coffee we ended up arriving at 7:00. Two hours before the race. Yes, that means that the race started at the ungodly hour of 9:00. WHO DOES THAT??? Why does anyone want to race that late??? Anyway, we decided to wander around to see how long the walk to the start/finish would take and to check out the bathroom situations.

Yep. We were practically the first people there. The volunteers didn't even have things set up all the way yet.

View from the start line

Pre-race Diva shot

Start Line

We headed back to the car to hang out and wait for the race to start. Did I mention it didn't start until 9:00???

People really started to show up around 8:00. There was also a 5k, and that was to start at 8:45. We applied our sunscreen and headed out to the start around 8:30. We did some pictures:

Oh yes I did!

L didn't have a matching tutu, but is still sparkly!

Much to our annoyance, the already late race was LATE starting. The corrals were crowded and we didn't start until 9:12. The website didn't give very detailed information about the course and aid stations. I apparently misread the statement "This is a flat course with a total elevation gain of just 348 ft through the 13.1 miles."

I really don't like when organizers make comments like this. First off. The first 2 miles are essentially falling down a hill steep. I mean, I had to start walking like 3/4 of a mile in because my legs cramped up. But the view? A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

I'll go ahead and say it. The first two miles sucked for me. Big time. And just leave it at that. I was running with my new Hippie Runner race belt which does not have water bottle and I was THIRSTY. The belt itself does not slide as promised but I was mildly unimpressed with the "zip tie" bib attachment assembly. I spent probably the first 30 minutes of the race messing with it because my number kept moving around. In the future I'll probably just pin the number down. (Even holding my iPhone it did not bounce around, and I loved the second pocket that was big enough for a GU and piece of gum). Anyway, the first aid station was just before mile 2, and I needed it!

Thankfully the course levelled out a bit after about mile 2.5, and I sailed through the next few miles. I was running at a sorta slow but comfortable pace and enjoying the scenery. Another "misleading" statement from the website "This run takes place within the valley, thus avoiding significant changes in elevation." LIARS!!! Anyway, just tell us that it is rolling with some significant hills so we are more mentally prepared. Remember that major downhill for 2 miles? We of course ran back up that later. The picture below IS an uphill but not even CLOSE to one of the major ones:

Between miles 4 & 5

Supposedly 7 aid stations on the course, but the second one didn't show up until mile 5. I was ready to faint from dehydration by then!

Between miles 5 and 6

I was cruising pretty well the next mile or so, and then we started to run through some of the neighborhoods. Roads not closed to traffic and even though there were cones in the road there were no arrows indicating which side we should be on. Confusing.

Still thirsty. Next aid station not until just after mile 8. WTH?! Lots more beautiful scenery, so I'm trying not to be too annoyed with the crazy hills and lack of water.

We ran by some of the ski lifts (not too interesting visually) and then another serious downhill around mile 10 where we were running on the frontage road for the interstate. I could see runners in the valley below running in the opposite direction, but couldn't get my bearings to figure how far in front of of me they were. Even though I was CRUISIN' down the hill I had to stop and walk because I over-drank at the previous aid station. Curses!

My pace sucks, I'm cramping and I'm hot. Trying not to be whiny, but man, this is a TOUGH course and I hadn't prepared for it. Lots of walking. Around mile 11 I get tapped on the shoulder by a woman I'd been running on/off with for a while. She says "C'mon bad ass, keep going!" (I was wearing my AWESOME "Bad Ass" socks from Razzy Roo). It helped a bit and I started running a bit stronger.

The course weaves through the village, which reminds me a LOT of running through downtown Disney. Cobblestone and everything. Totally bizarre as NOTHING is closed off and there are no markings of a course. Good thing I wasn't in front...

Mile 11-12 sucked. Lots of hills, trails, dirt, blah blah. Wondering... WHERE IS THIS TIARA AND BOA STATION?? So thirsty.

Try to run the last mile only to get confronted with a super ginormous hill at mile 12.8. WHY??? Hate hills at the end. But wait!! At the top of the hill I get my boa (which sticks to me because I'm sweaty and covered in sunscreen) and my tiara (that I can barely get stuck in my hair). Go around a corner and.... YES!!! I SEE THE DAMN FINISH AREA!!

Can you see me? 4th back, headed toward the finish line! (Photo courtesy of "examiner.com")

Running on a skinny sidewalk (also the only way into and out of the start/finish area so lots of people walking TOWARDS us with kids, strollers, dogs, etc) and I'm pacing a bit slower than I'd like for the end because of the congestion. And then one of my biggest race type annoyances? Three women in front of me join hands and try to run through the chute together. SERIOUSLY??? Hate that. I push past them and sprint to the finish. I had planned to do a kick ass turbo kickboxing move at the end, but let's be serious. I was dead tired. Got my awesome rose at the finish line:

And YAY to them handing out bottles of water right then and there (PS, there were NOT 7 aid stations, only 6 + the boa/tiara station). Met L, got my tiny glass of champagne, then we did our finisher pictures. We were getting ready to head back to the car when I heard the name of a friend being announced, so I quickly headed back to congratulate her. FYI, she also said she felt mislead with the course description and said this was her worst time ever.

Official time - 2:24:12
Official pace - 10:59
Garmin time - 2:24:10
Garmin distance - 13.13 miles
Garmin pace - 10:58
Overall place - 283/652
Gender place - 283/651
Division place - 46/102
Mile 1 - 9:31
Mile 2 - 12:14
Mile 3 - 11:28
Mile 4 - 9:57
Mile 5 - 10:58
Mile 6 - 10:12
Mile 7 - 10:59
Mile 8 - 10:18
Mile 9 - 10:36
Mile 10 - 10:45
Mile 11 - 12:05
Mile 12 - 12:08
Mile 13 - 11:38
Mile 13.1 - 9:29

And FYI, my garmin posted a 712 foot gain with minimum elevation 7,953 and maximum 8,424.

Anyway. Race didn't go as planned, but the bling? MOST AWESOME AND HUGE EVER.

Check out it DWARFING my Disney Princess medal!

This isn't a race that I need to do again. I am REALLY looking forward to a flatter course at Disney with essentially ZERO elevation :D

Like my race outfit? The headband, skirt and "Bad Ass" socks can all be purchased INEXPENSIVELY at Razzy Roo! Check out the link in the top left hand corner of my blog and use the code to save 10%! I got TONS of compliments on the ensemble and it was comfortable to run in!

All About the Bling

Some of you might be unaware of my stance on medals/bling. Just so there is NO confusion. I love it. Honestly, sometimes just THINKING about the awesome shiny medal I will get at the end of a race is all that keeps me going. Most fellow bloggers have the really awesome Allied Medal Holders. I bought a bunch of these (not so cheaply) last year to make sure I'd have enough so all my medals could be displayed in matching cases. (I personally like the Allied ones better, but I already have these...) Anyway, I certainly do NOT just toss mine in a drawer. When I get around to it, they are hung up on my wall even!

Sometimes I might be too lazy to hang up the display,but they are still hung up nicely (although the case is on the floor - and has been for... at least 2-3 months now).

I will admit that I am NOT so great about getting them hung up. Actually J does it for me. I just need to remind him to do it and tell him which order they go in... So for a few months they just *might* be in a heap on my dresser (for shame)

I know not everyone feels the same way I do about medals. Considering I'm not super awesome fantastic at anything, these are the only real awards I've ever really received, and I'm damn proud of them. So you better believe I'll have them on display for anyone/everyone to see.

Happy Friday! Have an AWESOME weekend!