OC Half Marathon Race Recap

The OC Half Marathon was the 3rd and final race of my second Beach Cities Challenge.

I had to walk it because of my knee.

If you read my previous post you know that I did not do that alone.

Sandy and I headed to Newport on Saturday afternoon to go to the Expo.

We got our bibs and race shirt.  Race shirt is a boring grey...they had no bag with samples..just the shirt.

At the Expo I bought a cold therapy strap that I love.

It is fantastic.  

We went to get dinner at the South Coast Plaza....huge mall where I could get lost 77 times in one hour.  We went back to the hotel and just relaxed.  It was nice to not have to referee the kids fighting over the TV remote or pillows.   Sandy is a really nice person and we had a great talk!  Our shuttle was at 5:05 AM and the start was at 6:15 AM I think...

Alarm went off way too early the next day...we got ready and went to the lobby to catch the shuttle.

I don't know why I thought that it would take 10 min to get to the start but it took much longer than that.  My darn stomach was not too happy and I was starting to regret drinking some coffee before leaving the room.   

Finally we got to the start...the lines for the porta potty were long and moving slow...

I could hear the national anthem as we were walking to the corrals.  I thought "crap Sandy is going to miss the start for wave 1".  She did not look worried or in a hurry.  She said she would start where we were standing and just go from there.....Yeah right....

My plan was to walk this thing with some slow jogging moments here and there...

I knew I had to walk the first few miles and not try to run.  I wanted to finish the race, that was goal # 1.  I did have a time in my mind, I just cannot help it.   I wanted my time to start with a 2 not a 3.

 

 

First 3 miles...I kept telling Sandy to go and run her race...and she kept giving the silliest responses she could think of...she was behind me and I kept turning around and making hand gestures..."Come on! run!"  Well you all know what happened: she never did.  Thank you Sandy.

I did make sure to let the people we were passing know that this woman CAN run and FAST.  

So walking a half marathon...I thought  that is going to be looooong and boring....

Well no.

It was nothing like that.  We had a great time actually.  I was smiling the whole time.  We were telling each other that we both usually don't notice the view along the course when we run a race like that and now we did. 

 

I never take pictures when I run a race and this time I took many and I posted them as I was going.  I also texted Bill a few times and that was fun.

I did always keep an eye on my pace...I tried to walk as fast as I could.

I could tell that my right leg was working much harder then the left (left knee is the one injured) and I knew I would be sore the next day and I was and I STILL am today....

 

 

Each mile marker had a something written on them and the one at mile 6 was clearly made for ME...Take that Dr K.

 

 

My knee was holding up OK...it was actually my other knee that was causing me pain....that was a bummer.  Once in a while I would start running and Sandy would remind me to save this for the end and I would listen.  We could not have had more perfect weather for this race.  

 

 

 

I wish we could have both run.  I still cannot believe Sandy gave up her race for me...here she is almost at the top of the last hill.

 

 

Then we saw these 2...they made me laugh

 

 

And not long after we saw this big guy

 

 

I bet I would have not notice any of that if I had ran that race...

I would have never stopped to take a picture that's for sure.

Once we passed mile 10 I knew that I was actually going to finish this thing after all.  I have to say that I did have some doubts.  It went by much faster than I thought it would.

Next thing I know we were at mile 12!!!! 1 more to go....

At this point I was in pain but I did not care....

 

 

I knew I was going to make it and I knew my time would start with a 2...Even with stopping for pictures and with walking...I would cross under 3 hours.

 

This was the only time during the race that Sandy left me behind.  

 

 

She wanted to get a better time than me....NO NO I am kidding!  She did that so she could get a picture of me crossing the finish line.... I told you she was nice.

 

 

Hands over Hearts for Boston.

I thought of you little Martin...

 

 

I was so happy and grateful.

 

I had completed my second beach cities challenge.

I could not wait to get my big medal!

 

 

We headed to where the shuttle were to go back to the hotel.

The bus was there and we thought we would be out of there in 15 min or so.....

Yeah not so much.....

It took 2 hours to get to the hotel.  Crazy.

At first I thought it was just the driver who was waiting for more runners but it turns out the parking lot was a huge traffic jam.  It was really bad.

I did the race even if my Dr was not 100% in favor of this plan.

I have zero regret.

I am glad that I did it.

I did the best I could and I am happy with that.

I did not give up.

I completed this challenge.

I am sure it would not have gone as well without Sandy.

I think mentally it would have been a lot harder...

I would have tried to run more if I had been alone and I probably would have paid for it.

I have not done much this week...my legs are pretty sore and my knee is not happy.

I am really sore in the hips since Sunday...I guess I woke up some muscles I don't usually use!

So I got a walking half marathon PR like Super Kate said.

I will be back next year to chase the other kind of PR.

I am going to get a DNS for the next race on my calendar.  It is a crazy downhill half marathon and I cannot do that now.  That would be really stupid and painful.  I have accepted it even though it sucks.

Injury: Dr said I have a tear.  I am getting a second opinion next week but for now I am looking at surgery in June.