So I've been waiting a few days to post this so I can sort of digest the result and deconstruct the race a bit. I wanted to take a step back and look at it analytically, not emotionally.
Anyway, here's the result: 56th place, 1:05:45. No Olympic Trials B Standard. See official results here.
The immediate (and lingering) gut emotional response is one of disappointment. That's why I wanted to wait to write up this race recap. In my mind, this whole fall training cycle was geared towards peaking for this specific race. When I surprised myself and ran 1:05:28 in Indy a few months ago, I figured I set myself up perfectly to improve at this race -- 10 more weeks of training and there's no reason my fitness shouldn't improve. I even hit a killer workout just over two weeks before the race: 4 x 2 mile in 10:00, 9:56, 9:52, 9:50; the fastest I'd ever done that workout and 4:57 per mile (sub-1:05 pace) on lockdown.
And my race splits started right where I wanted them to be. 15:14 at the 5k: perfect, relaxed, settling in, don't get sucked out too fast. 30:33 at 10k: again, right on. Find your groove, file in at the end of the pack and let them carry you.
And then...46:11 at 15k (a 15:38 5k split): You're slipping, stay on target. And finally, 1:02:14 at 20k (a 16:03 5k): Woof. Who cares what the final 1.1k was.
So I was in great position for the sub-1:05, but then I faded off in the second half. It's frustrating and disappointing to be so close but so far.
But then, my rational side has to take over a bit. I never felt quite the same in training after Indy Monumental. I looked back at my log, and a lot of days (much more than normal) were "just ok," or "felt sluggish," or "tired and worn out." My mileage was a little inconsistent; I had a couple awesome weeks in the 90+ range, but then I also had some weeks barely half of that. While I might have nailed an individual workout or two, I didn't nail the complete program. And that's what you see: inconsistent training leads to inconsistent racing.
But heck, at this time last year, my 13.1 PR was 1:07:11. Now, it's nearly two minutes faster and within striking distance of the Trials standard. I had a bad race this weekend, and it's still my second fastest half marathon ever...and only 17 seconds slower than my PR. As I mentioned in my previous post, the past year has been such an improvement that I can't really be too disappointed in Houston's result.
I mean, I'm there. I can see sub-1:05, it's within my grasp. I'm at the point where I can run 5:00 miles all day -- even on a bad day. Give me another year of quality training and a good day on the roads, and there's no reason I can't drop under 1:05. I'm there. So that's encouraging.
Plus I still have another year to drop 29 seconds...including this Houston race in 2016, which will be the final qualifying-eligible race before the Trials that February. Depending on how I order my schedule, I'll have another 4-6 races to take a shot. Can I find 29 seconds in one of those? Hell yeah.
So anyway, that's all I want to say about the actual race. As far as the event though, it was one of the coolest I've ever done. I feel like I keep saying that about races, but the more experience I get on the road circuit, the better I'm getting at picking appropriate races. Aside from maybe the Chicago Marathon, this was far and away the most professional race I've ever run.
Take, for example, sitting at the technical meeting the day before the race. Kim Conley, Becky Wade, and Annie Bersagel sat in the row in front of me. Aaron Braun was two rows up. Jeff See sat across the aisle. After the finish, I walked past Meb Keflezighi sprawled out on the sidewalk. I mean, like, what?!
The whole weekend I felt like a professional athlete. I had a room in the host hotel, a lounge area and meals provided. There was a special warm-up and cool-down area cordoned off from the tens of thousands of other runners. There were TV cameras and USATF and coaches and agents all over the place. MY BIB HAD MY NAME ON IT AND THEY EVEN SPELLED IT RIGHT! So yeah, I was a little star-struck and had the whole do-I-really-belong-here? complex. But that's a fantastic experience, because you know what? Yeah, I do belong there. It's time to start racing and training like it.
As for plans for the spring season, I'm still working those out. I'm thinking it'll be the perfect time to get another marathon under my belt, but we'll see. Stay tuned. Right now I'm enjoying my first week or so break from the training grind in over a year.
Anyway, here's the result: 56th place, 1:05:45. No Olympic Trials B Standard. See official results here.
The immediate (and lingering) gut emotional response is one of disappointment. That's why I wanted to wait to write up this race recap. In my mind, this whole fall training cycle was geared towards peaking for this specific race. When I surprised myself and ran 1:05:28 in Indy a few months ago, I figured I set myself up perfectly to improve at this race -- 10 more weeks of training and there's no reason my fitness shouldn't improve. I even hit a killer workout just over two weeks before the race: 4 x 2 mile in 10:00, 9:56, 9:52, 9:50; the fastest I'd ever done that workout and 4:57 per mile (sub-1:05 pace) on lockdown.
And my race splits started right where I wanted them to be. 15:14 at the 5k: perfect, relaxed, settling in, don't get sucked out too fast. 30:33 at 10k: again, right on. Find your groove, file in at the end of the pack and let them carry you.
And then...46:11 at 15k (a 15:38 5k split): You're slipping, stay on target. And finally, 1:02:14 at 20k (a 16:03 5k): Woof. Who cares what the final 1.1k was.
So I was in great position for the sub-1:05, but then I faded off in the second half. It's frustrating and disappointing to be so close but so far.
 |
| Fading at the finish |
But then, my rational side has to take over a bit. I never felt quite the same in training after Indy Monumental. I looked back at my log, and a lot of days (much more than normal) were "just ok," or "felt sluggish," or "tired and worn out." My mileage was a little inconsistent; I had a couple awesome weeks in the 90+ range, but then I also had some weeks barely half of that. While I might have nailed an individual workout or two, I didn't nail the complete program. And that's what you see: inconsistent training leads to inconsistent racing.
But heck, at this time last year, my 13.1 PR was 1:07:11. Now, it's nearly two minutes faster and within striking distance of the Trials standard. I had a bad race this weekend, and it's still my second fastest half marathon ever...and only 17 seconds slower than my PR. As I mentioned in my previous post, the past year has been such an improvement that I can't really be too disappointed in Houston's result.
I mean, I'm there. I can see sub-1:05, it's within my grasp. I'm at the point where I can run 5:00 miles all day -- even on a bad day. Give me another year of quality training and a good day on the roads, and there's no reason I can't drop under 1:05. I'm there. So that's encouraging.
Plus I still have another year to drop 29 seconds...including this Houston race in 2016, which will be the final qualifying-eligible race before the Trials that February. Depending on how I order my schedule, I'll have another 4-6 races to take a shot. Can I find 29 seconds in one of those? Hell yeah.
 |
| Just tired post-race. And hey, check out the bib with my name on it! |
So anyway, that's all I want to say about the actual race. As far as the event though, it was one of the coolest I've ever done. I feel like I keep saying that about races, but the more experience I get on the road circuit, the better I'm getting at picking appropriate races. Aside from maybe the Chicago Marathon, this was far and away the most professional race I've ever run.
Take, for example, sitting at the technical meeting the day before the race. Kim Conley, Becky Wade, and Annie Bersagel sat in the row in front of me. Aaron Braun was two rows up. Jeff See sat across the aisle. After the finish, I walked past Meb Keflezighi sprawled out on the sidewalk. I mean, like, what?!
The whole weekend I felt like a professional athlete. I had a room in the host hotel, a lounge area and meals provided. There was a special warm-up and cool-down area cordoned off from the tens of thousands of other runners. There were TV cameras and USATF and coaches and agents all over the place. MY BIB HAD MY NAME ON IT AND THEY EVEN SPELLED IT RIGHT! So yeah, I was a little star-struck and had the whole do-I-really-belong-here? complex. But that's a fantastic experience, because you know what? Yeah, I do belong there. It's time to start racing and training like it.
As for plans for the spring season, I'm still working those out. I'm thinking it'll be the perfect time to get another marathon under my belt, but we'll see. Stay tuned. Right now I'm enjoying my first week or so break from the training grind in over a year.
 |
| The finish area from the hotel |
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