So yeah…I did it. After five months of training in often sub-zero temperatures in NYC, I ran over the sunny bridges and through the balmy beaches of the ING Miami Half Marathon course yesterday in 2 hours, 6 minutes, and 31 seconds.
Or, as runners like to say, 2:06:31 (9:40 average pace). Not bad for a first timer, if I do say so myself. 🙂
That’s the short version. For those interested in how it all happened, what it was like to train for a first endurance event (including some training and race day tips from a first timer), and what the race itself was like, read on.
Training
Training feels like a distant memory now that the race is over; but I will say this – it was hard but not too hard. Everyone I know who’s done a half marathon says the same thing – 13.1 miles is a serious challenge and requires a dedicated training schedule; but neither the training nor the race is unbearable. For those just starting with endurance-length races or for whom training more than 8 – 10 hours a week is impractical, a half marathon is pretty great.
One other thing I’ll mention about training: Pilates is the perfect cross/strength training complement to running. This isn’t news to me since I’ve been doing both for many years. I mention it here for newbies (or for seasoned runners, actually) looking for a way to prevent injury, gain overall stability and endurance, and move your body in a way that’s entirely different from your cardio cross training (which I still prefer to do on recovery workout days). If you’re already doing Pilates, you can make it all-purpose strength training for runners by adjusting your workouts to concentrate more on lower body strengthening. This is easy to do with the guidance of a good Pilates instructor. (I’ll do a follow-up post on how I adjusted my own Pilates workouts for half marathon training.)
Training Tips:
- If you’re a first timer, get help! Join a group like Team in Training or a local run club. I tried training for the 2010 NY Half Marathon on my own and never made it past my longstanding “6-mile barrier.” The coaching, comradery, and support is well worth the cost, whether in the form of training fees or the time it takes to raise money for whatever charity you’re running for. Team in Training not only provides you with a truly awesome coaching staff but also takes care of race registration and travel arrangements. They’re on-site at the race to help you navigate the big day and to cheer you on every step of the way. You basically don’t have to think – you just show up for training runs, follow the training schedule, and then show up for the race.
- Experiment with nutrition early and often. Figure out what pre-run foods and during-run sports gels/drinks/beans best fuel you so you know exactly what to bring with you for your race. (For my bottom line on energy gels, check out my post from a few weeks ago.)
- If you find yourself addicted to coconut water, as I did, order it in the “subscribe and save” section of Amazon.com. They’ll deliver six liters of the stuff to your door at intervals of your choosing – every month, every two months, etc. And you pay several dollars less per liter than you would at retail.
Race Day
I got up around 3a so I could eat my standard “long run” breakfast of oatmeal, almonds, apples, and coconut water before meeting my Team in Training teammates in the lobby of the Intercontinental Miami at 4:45a. I, being type A, put out all of my gear the night before; so getting showered (yes, I shower before long runs) and dressed was no problem. Feeling more excited than nervous, I headed out.
The hardest part of this – and, for me, any race of any distance – is the waiting before the start. We got to the corrals at the starting line (which was a feat in and of itself given the 21,000+ runners lining up with us) a little before 6a. The nervous energy before a race has always been my biggest challenge – truth be told, it makes me have to pee a million times. Sorry if that’s too much information, but any female runners reading this can empathize. So after a last trip to the bathroom inside the American Airlines Arena, we waited.
Finally made it to the starting line around 6:45a. Crossing MacArthur Causeway at that time of the morning, as the sun was rising, was really beautiful; but I have to say that it sort of felt like a scene out of some apocalyptic movie in which a city shuts down and thousands of people have to escape on foot. (Hmmm…can you tell I lived through September 11 in NYC?) That disturbing image aside, it was a peaceful way to start the morning. There wasn’t much chatting happening at that point, as most of the runners were taking in the view of Biscayne Bay, the cruise ships docked at the Port of Miami, and still-sleeping downtown Miami. I completed mile 1 with a couple of TNT teammates at an easy 13:03 pace before stretching my legs and speeding up to my normal 10:00 long run pace. (I’m 5’9″. My legs are long. Running slower than about 10:30 makes me a little cranky. If that means that 13.1 miles is the farthest I ever run, I might be okay with that.)
I stayed at a 10:00/10:30 pace through miles 2 and 3. At mile 2, another runner stepped on the back of my right shoe, pulling it down and loosening it a bit. I considered stopping to tighten it. It seemed okay though, so I kept going…and paid for it later with a lovely blister underneath one of my toe nails. Oh well. From miles 4 – 10, I kept a relatively steady 9:00/9:30 (with the exception of mile 6 when, for some reason, I dropped back to a 10:12…no memory of why).
Now for the fun part. At mile 4, we crossed from the MacArthur Causeway into South Beach. By this time, I had hit my stride and was feeling good. South Beach is the scene of many past good times for me, including a trip for my 30th birthday with a group of girlfriends and another one with my sister for her 30th. Running past the bar at The Clevelander on Ocean Drive made me giggle for several minutes. Few South Beachers were out this early, and the ones that were looked as if they’d just exited a bar or club from the night before. (Gotta love South Beach.) They cheered for us. I, in a burst of silliness and race euphoria, yelled “Good morning, South Beach!” as if I was a rock star on stage. And on we ran.
Moving into Miami Beach at mile 7, I encountered three of my favorite spectators: a “woman of a certain age” who high-fived me as I ran past; two dudes yelling “Electrolytes! Get your electrolytes here!” as they held up Pabst Blue Ribbon cans; and a sign that said “Chuck Norris never ran a marathon!”. Thanks Miami. You’re good people. 🙂
Between miles 7 and 8, I knew I had this thing wrapped up. My IT band, which has caused chronic knee pain in the past, was tight but not painful (if it’s going to stop me on a long run, it tends to do it around mile 6). The temperature was still very pleasant. My energy was good. My biggest challenge was weaving in and out of the thousands of other runners in an attempt to keep a steady pace. I was over half way there.
Mile 10, just as we were crossing the last stretch of the Venetian Causeway back into downtown Miami, was the first time that I felt a little fatigued. I grabbed another Clif Shot Gel, drank some coconut water, and kept moving through the slight heaviness creeping into my legs. At that point, I was on auto-pilot.
My plan for the last three miles was to hit the gas a little. I ran miles 11 and 12 at about 8:15, racing through downtown Miami which, by this point, was filled with spectators cheering us on. (Thanks to Sarah Ray, Laura Schwinder, and other TNT’ers who were stationed towards the end of the course for cheering duty. You guys gave me the boost I needed in that last mile or so.) The final mile tripped me up a little – the marathon organizers decided that it was a good idea to put a big orange finish-line-looking overhang about a quarter of a mile from the actual finish line. I saw it and started sprinting, only to realize that I had a bit more to go after I’d used the last of my energy reserves. Again, oh well. I completed the final 1.1 miles in about 9:31.
I crossed the finish line and was like “Awesome! I did it.” When I looked at my watch and realized that I’d done it in less than 2:15 – my original goal – that was just icing on the cake. Yay!
Race Tips:
- Carry your own fluids and nutrition. You may look like a geek wearing a fuel belt, but it’s well worth the anti-fashion statement and extra weight not to have to mess with the chaos around the water tables provided by the race. More importantly, do whatever you’ve done during training. If you’ve trained with a fuel belt, wear it on race day. If not, don’t. Simple as that.
- Try KT Tape for IT band knee pain. It might be entirely in my head, but I use KT Tape on every run over an hour…it helps.
- Please don’t wear head phones! I know I’ll get yelled at by many for this statement, but I’m a big believer – as an athlete and as a fitness professional – in listening to your body. If you’re listening to music instead, it’s tough to do that effectively…not to mention that you totally miss out on the experience of the race, which includes new sights, sounds, and people. Being present for that seems like the way to go to me. (And if you think 13.1 miles is too long to run without music, talk to my friend Peter who does ultra-marathons in the 50+ mile range…without music. Just sayin’.)
After the Race
Not much to say about this. I did a half marathon; so, with the exception of some mild hip flexor strain in my right leg, I feel pretty good physically. I’m sure the marathoners are in a bit more pain today. Hang in there, guys. I will give Team in Training one more plug here though – they throw a fun Victory Party on race night. Thanks, TNT! 🙂
What’s next?
I considered doing the NYC Triathlon with Team in Training this summer, but I think I’ll wait until next Spring Season to tackle both TNT fundraising and a triathlon. Sitting at the Fort Lauderdale airport this morning, I registered for the Lake Placid Half Marathon, held on June 12. And so the sickness begins. (I’m hooked. I knew I would be. I had a list of half marathons cued up for possible registration two days ago.) Anyone want to join me? It’s gorgeous up north in the summer…
Note about the Intercontinental Miami: I cannot speak highly enough of the staff of the Intercontinental Miami. They were the nicest, most accommodating bunch ever. Their spa director waived the daily fitness center charge for me when I explained that I just needed to roll out my IT band the day before the race. And the Indigo restaurant in the lobby dug up three beautiful apples for me – at no charge – one of which I was desperate for as part of my race morning breakfast. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Intercontinental!
