Cowtown Half: Never Too Old...

So this race happened at the end of February....and I have been terribly remiss in taking the time to record my story in this blog.  I love sharing my stories with you, but I write these stories in large part for myself.  They serve as a great reference for me - a reminder of where I've been, a way to look back at the good times, and a way to see the challenges I have overcome as well.  I can't not record this story because this race was a huge milestone for me.  I have had this goal of running a sub 1:50 half marathon for myself for many years and had all but given up on reaching it.  But this is the year of the #PRincess and of being fearless, so why not just go for it?

The Cowtown Half Marathon is one of my favorite, not-to-miss races.  I ran my first Cowtown in 2009 and have experienced just about every condition and scenario possible.  Freezing cold, wind, heat, humidity, even snow and ice...Cowtown has delivered all of these in the last eight years.  I have had painful races.  I have had strong races.  I have run the early miles of Mr K's marathon with him.  I have sprinted to the start line from the worst traffic ever.  Last year was especially challenging as my legs felt heavy and disengaged from the very beginning.  I still don't know what went wrong that day.  I trained diligently for the race and I was rested and ready to go.  Maybe it was the cold? It was my 50th half marathon and Mr K made a shirt for me with a huge 5-0 on the back.  I enjoyed all of the cheers and compliments that I got along the way, so that made the race fun.  It was also pretty amazing to see snow on the ground, but the running itself was less than stellar and I felt lucky to finish in 2:01:30.  I remember hanging out with all my friends post race and Stude (The Encourager - remember him?) was celebrating a new half marathon PR.  He looked at me and said "See MK, you are never too old to PR." I wasn't so sure he was right about that, but those words stuck in my head.

Traditional pre-race photo with Irene, John, Mr K, and Mama C (photo: Mama C)

Mr K and I learned our lesson many years ago and opted to spend the night in Fort Worth rather than take our chances with the traffic on race morning.  Our hotel was near mile 11 on the half marathon course, so we were super close to the start/finish, allowing us to have a stress free race morning.  We met up with Mama C and the gang for a few pictures before heading to our start corral.  I had such success running the first 10 miles of the 3M Half with the 1:55 pace group and I was hoping to use a similar plan here at Cowtown.  It is just kind of nice to let someone else handle the pacing for you during the first 10 miles or so of the race.  Unfortunately, Cowtown did not have a 1:55 group so I was hoping to stick near the 1:50 group (because I ran 1:50 at 3M this did not seem out of reach).  Cowtown is a harder course than 3M, so I was not sure how feasible this plan was, but I was going to give it a shot. I was just behind the pace group when the race started, but they took off quite a bit faster than I felt like I should go - so I watched them slip away.

I knew this course quite well, which certainly played to my advantage.  I was running a bit faster than I did at 3M, but I also knew that there was a killer hill at mile 9 so it might be smart to bank some time while I could.  The weather was not ideal with temperatures near 60 with high humidity and some wind, but I tried not to let that get into my mind.  I made it through the first 5K in 26:18 with an average pace of 8:25.  I was running largely by feel and did not have the pace displayed on my watch, only heart rate, distance, and time.  I was getting my paces when the mile splits chimed and I was happy to see them stay fairly consistent.

The traditional Mark O. photo

There were some small hills between the 5K and 10K mark, but I was ready for them.  Steady and smooth all the way up!  The splits were still coming in very consistently and I just tried to hang on to it as long as I could.  I crossed the 10K mark in 52:43 with an average pace of 8:27.  Almost halfway! My favorite part of The Cowtown is when we make that right hand turn onto Exchange Avenue right before mile 7.  Anyone familiar with Fort Worth knows that Exchange Avenue takes you right through the heart of the famous Stockyards.  There is such an energy boost her as the crowds are usually pretty thick and the street makes a bit of a downhill.  There was a terrific band here this year too and my feet entrained perfectly to the beat of their song.  I love it when that happens!

I regained my focus as I passed out of the Stockyards.  Things were about to get real.  As in, we were quickly approaching the mammoth hill known as the Main Street Bridge.  I hadn't done a lot of hill training, so I wasn't sure what this race was going to bring.  I knew that things get tougher as we approach mile 9 and there isn't much relief until the downhill after mile 11.  I also knew that my pacing was about to get real in that my game plan (suggested by Stude - The Encourager) was to get over the big hill and then hammer the pace until the end.

I always count the light posts as I climb that big hill.  It just seems easier that way, much easier than looking all the way to the top.  This hill is pretty sneaky too as just when you think you have made it to the top, it turns a corner and goes up just a little bit longer.  I love all of the cheerleaders on the hill - they are just amazing!  (Special shout out to Anne Barnwell for giving me a shout out.  It is just so nice to hear your name during a tough part of the run.)  Huge deep breath as I crossed mile 9 and climbed the hill.....here....goes...nothing.

I felt like I was running hard, but I was worried that it was not hard enough.  Just keep pushing, MK, see what you can do!  I didn't know if I was on pace for a PR, but I felt like I could come pretty close to my time from 3M Half.  There was a bit of wild desperation in these final miles, I gotta tell you. I soon got some reinforcement as mile 11 came in at 8:11 - my fastest so far.  It might not feel faster, but it was!  I crossed the timing mat at mile 11 in 1:33:15 with an average pace of 8:27 - I am nothing if not consistent!  I knew that there was a pretty good downhill between 11 and 12 and I worked hard to make the most of it.  It paid off too because that ended up being my fastest mile of the race at 7:55.

Post race and post burger with Mama C and Irene

The end of this race is just so tough mentally.  You can see that you have made it back to the grounds of the Will Rogers Center, but they make you run all the way around it in order to get to the finish.  So darned close....yet still a mile or so away.  I spotted the 1:50 pacer somewhere between mile 12 and 13.  Could it be?  Is this even possible?  I locked on him like a laser beam, knowing that if I could pass him I would have my long awaited sub 1:50.  I really had no idea if I could catch him, but I sure was going to try! Just. Keep. Running.  I could hear the race announcer now and I knew that we just had to turn two more corners. Catch that pacer, MK!!

And I did catch him, just before mile 13 - and I kept him behind me like it was my job.  The finish line was in sight now.  I had no idea what my time was, but I sprinted as if every single second counted - because it did!  I am not sure I have ever run that hard in my life, I'm not sure where that even came from.  My watch read 1:49:58 - I (thought) I'd done it!!  I was so worried that the official time would have me over the 1:50 mark, but it didn't - the official time was even better at 1:49:55.  I could hardly believe my eyes.  After all these years, it finally happened...and on the most unlikely of courses in the most unlikely weather.  For six years my half marathon PR stood as untouchable, and now I'd scored my 2nd half PR in as many months.

Believe your watch, MK! That just happened.

All this to say: never give up on yourself, never stop working for your goals, never stop trying.  I've been a runner for almost eight years now, I thought that I'd hit all my big milestones.  I had plateaued in a serious way, I thought that PRs were not for me.  But you just never know what you are capable of until you push your boundaries.  You are never too old.

Be fearless.