Dallas Marathon Half: Run As If....

Marathon weekend in Dallas has been a favorite of mine for many years.  Long before we were runners, Mr K and I were involved with the race as Mr K and his cousin Brock manned (pun intended) the Dolly Parton Hills - a spot on the race course with two small hills right next to each other.  It was always a thrill to see the runners come by and I thought that they were just so cool, running all that way.  Little did I know...The Dallas Marathon (formerly White Rock Marathon) continued to hold a special place in our running calendar as it was Mr K's first marathon in 2008 and my first marathon in 2011.  I have run the half every year since 2008, except for 2011 (when I ran the full) and 2013 when it was cancelled by the great Icepocalypse.  The race has changed names once and the course has changed at least four times in those years, but I feel as if the race is finally starting to find a groove.  This half course is one of my very favorite - it starts to trend downhill after the halfway mark and it highlights some of the best parts of one of my favorite cities.

American Running Greats Dishing Out Advice

I know that some people are not huge fans of race expos, but I usually enjoy this one.  There are many opportunities to cross paths with frunners, great speaker panels, great deals on run gear, and just an overall positive energy.  We usually run into Beth and Teal from Life Is a Run and this year was no different.  We also happened to stumble up on a speaker panel that included Meb Keflezighi, Ryan Hall, Becky Wade, Deena Kastor, Desi Linden, and Molly Huddle.  Seriously, how often do you see that kind of star power represented on a stage?  We are talking Olympic medals, Boston Marathon wins, New York City Marathon wins, and too many records to count!  I love that the stars of our sport are so open and so approachable.  I also love that two of the top runners on that panel are in my age group!  Shout out to the 40 year olds!  They each gave a tidbit of advice to the audience and I soaked it all up like a sponge.  Ryan started out by telling us not to worry about the weather (there was rain in the forecast) and think only about the things that we could control, Meb told us to take one mile at a time and focus on doing what needed to be done for that mile, Deena talked about how she talked to her old and new cells, and Desi gave me the best piece of advice yet.  She said that she trains and runs "as if...." explaining how she trained, raced, acted "as if" she was the Boston Marathon champion all the way until the finish line (and then laughing when she finally had to accept that she was not the champ).   Great advice for racing and for life.

I was on TV!

Mr K and I both had big goals for the day - his was to get a picture running with Meb whilst wearing his Dolly get-up and mind was to run a solid race.  Reasonable, right? Race morning came and it was raining, just as predicted.  I wasn't worried as it wasn't especially cold or windy outside like it was during my marathon in 2011.  I arrived super early and hung out in my car until time to walk over to the race area.  I had one disposable poncho left, courtesy of Marci and it was just what I needed as I waited around for the race to start.  I knew that this would be the worst part as I was a chilly standing around in the rain.  Thankfully, the rain tapered off just before the start of the race and was not much of an issue again.  It didn't matter too much anyway, remember what Ryan said?

I had been running well in training and knew that I had a shot at running a strong race on a really great course.  My plan was to run mostly by feel and only get my paces at the mile marks while keeping an eye on my heart rate, I was hoping for a negative split as well as I knew this course was a gradual downhill in the second half. I had also been "encouraged" by Stude (remember him from the closing miles of DRC Half?) to run the final two miles at a sub-8:00 pace.  I didn't know if this was possible, but I knew that he would be checking so I'd better at least try.  I love the start line of a big race like this one - so much energy! I focused on getting a solid start and settling into an even pace.

Spotted by the Running Paparazzi (Pic: Jesse) 

I kept Meb's words in my mind, thinking only of the mile I was running and what I could do to make that a good mile.  My miles were gradually getting faster and my heart rate was staying nice and steady.  I knew that Mama C would be spectating in the Texas Rangers Zone in the West Village as her husband, John, was running the marathon.  Sure enough, she was there and I gave a big wave to her and Irene and Dewbs before heading on towards Turtle Creek.  This is the beginning of the most beautiful part of the course as Turtle Creek took us to Highland Park and the well-known Beverly Drive.  The trees here were vibrant with colors and the stately mansions homes were decorated for Christmas. I started well behind the 2:00 pace group, but found myself running near them all through this section.  Their pacing seemed to match mine and I decided to hang with them for a bit.  I knew that I was on pace for sub-2:00 since I started after them, might as well use the boost while I could.

Pic: Jesse

Run as if....these words echoed in my mind and I tried to run this race as if I were running my best, fastest half marathon ever.  We crossed over Central Expressway around mile 7 and headed towards my favorite part of the race - Greenville Avenue.  The rain didn't stop the spectators from making some noise along this stretch.  The FC Dallas Zone was here as well as the Dallas Mavs Zone - so much energy!  There is just something cool about high fiving a Mavs Maniaac dancer, those guys just rock.  I passed the 2:00 pace group for good at this point and found myself running step-for-step with the 4:00 marathon pace group.  The pace felt really good and I stayed with them until the marathon course split away from the half course around mile 10.  I was on my own now and I had two "fast" miles looming ahead of me.

Great seeing Jesse out there on the course (Pic: Jesse)

I was surprised to hear someone call my name as they passed me and looked up to see Jesse, the running paparazzi, snapping pictures as he ran by.  The final three miles of a half are hard as the mind starts to wander to the finish line.  Remember what Meb said....focus on the present.  It probably didn't help that this part of town was not the most scenic or inspiring.  I listened to the conversations of those around me to provide a diversion.  Mile 11 was coming to a close and I knew I was about to have to dig deep.  Here goes nothing!  I didn't quite make my goal as mile 12 came up at 8:29 - still my fastest mile of the day but not quite where I wanted to be. I couldn't really tell where I was on the exertion level because my heart rate monitor was not functioning properly (seriously, it may have felt like 254 bpm, but I knew that it wasn't). I dug in for the final mile and committed to pushing through the discomfort, for it was only temporary. It was hard and I was counting the meters until the finish line.  Run as if, right? Mile 13 came in at 8:01 - close enough - I could see the finish line and then I ran like heck, trying to pass as many people as I could at the very end.  My final quarter mile came in at a 6:56 avg pace.  Hooo leee geeze.

I took a moment or two to try not to die collect myself and I headed over to the medals where I heard someone calling my name - it was Nikki! I love it when I can get my race medal from a friend, it was a nice surprise to see her there.  Jesse and I posed for a picture and I wandered to the finisher's area where I checked my phone to see my official results.  I was beyond pleased with what I saw, I'm not sure that I could have dreamed up a better race for myself.

After I checked my results, I opened Facebook and the first thing I saw was Mr K (dressed as Dolly) running down the road beside Meb.  He did it!  We both had big goals for the day and we both executed them perfectly.  That picture will forever make me smile, the Dollies strike again.

Dolly and Meb

I picked up my checked bag and my free beer and soon enough I heard the sound of helicopters overhead - the marathon winner was close!  I was rooting for Logan Sherman, local runner and chiropractor, and I was thrilled when I saw him come across the line.  The atmosphere was electric too!  It was so awesome to see such a deserving guy's dream come true.

So there you have it, the story of my fastest half marathon since the Oklahoma City Marathon Half in April 2013. I'm so happy with this race and so proud of myself.  I had found myself stuck in a rut, having not run anything faster that 1:58 since January 2014.  I really wondered if my fastest days were behind me, but now I know that is not the case. I'm super jazzed about 2016.  Run as if....

DRC Half: #tradition

Once upon a time I did something that felt really bold and brave and I signed up for a half marathon. I had been running for a few months and I was enjoying the challenge that it brought, but I wanted more.  I also wanted a pretty, shiny medal with the number 13.1 on it too, but I digress.  I was familiar with the Dallas Running Club (DRC) Half because, randomly enough, I volunteered at it about five years prior.  I remember handing out water that day and thinking that those runners were so cool and so impressive.  I never thought that I would be one of them, but I sure did admire them for their determination and discipline.  So when it came time to pick my first half marathon, DRC Half was a natural choice.  I have not missed a race day since that first one in 2008, it is a highlight on my fall racing calendar.

I was super excited with DRC Half weekend rolled around because I really love the event, but I was not sure to expect from my running.  I have been training by heart rate and time versus pace since I started my half ironman training back in June.  I felt strong, but I didn't know how fast I could realistically expect to run.  My last half marathon was at Redman 70.3 and was so darned hard that it left me feeling like I was a terrible runner.  I was hoping for a positive experience to erase that little bit of self doubt.  I decided to run this one largely by feel, aim for negative splits, and use this as a base for the other half marathons coming up this winter.  Simple enough, right?

Mile 6ish Aide Station (Photo: RunOn!)

Because this race was on November 1, I had to be aware of the amount of Halloween candy that I shoveled down my pie hole the night before.  I have an incredible sweet tooth and usually let myself eat whatever I want on Halloween, but I knew that a belly full of chocolate and sugar would not make for good racing fuel.  Mr K and I enjoyed the extra hour of sleep granted to us by the end of Daylight Saving Time (the famous fall back) as we had to head out extra early to allow time for the shuttle to Norbuck Park at White Rock Lake.  We arrived in plenty of time to check our bags and visit with friends.  The temperature was not bad at 60 degrees and there was no sun, but the humidity was quite high.  It was still better than the heat that we trained in all summer so I was not about to complain.  

It was time to line up in the corrals, listen to the Anthem, and hear my favorite pre-race declaration: "We are the Dallas Running Club, and today we run!"  The race was on!  The first couple of miles felt great, like a pace that I could run all day, and I was surprised to see them come in at 9:04 and 9:02 on my watch.  Perfect pacing to run it in under 2 hours, which is always a goal for me in a half marathon.  I just worked hard to keep it nice and steady for a while just like my race plan called for.  I felt like I needed to pee for most of this race and considered ducking into a restroom, but there were always lines and I didn't want to invest that much time so I just tried to put it out of my mind and kept on moving.

It is always great to see Elaine's big smile! (Photo: Elaine)

I really enjoy this course because when we leave the lake and go into the beautiful Lakewood neighborhood and there are always people out in their yards cheering us on.  They have rerouted the course in recent years and it isn't as hilly as it used to be, but these miles are where most of the hills are.  It was somewhere around mile 5 that I saw Mark L and his son Cairo volunteering as course guides.  Mark has spent the better part of this year dealing with an injury and I had to smile when he showed me his shirt that said "not running sucks!" It sure does, Mark, and we sure do miss your energy out on the course with us.  Hope to see you running again soon!

I made it to the timing mat at the halfway point in 1:00:18 - I was executing my race plan well!  Now if I could only negative split the second half then I would have my much desired sub-2:00 time.  Just after the mat I spotted Mel volunteering as a course guide.  She called out to me, asking if I had Flat Eli with me (lost a bet, long story).  I had to laugh and tell her that I left that guy at home, she agreed that was a good thing.  If you have to lose a football bet, you might as well do it with humor, right?

Clever Mr K seeking shelter from the rain 

We approached the veloway I knew that it was an opportunity to pick up the pace for a mile before the dreaded hill by the spillway.  At this point I started to notice the people ahead of me and I keyed in on a few random runners that I would like to pick off before the end of the race.  I find it helps to have a goal like that in the later miles as things can get a little bit tedious.  We made it back to White Rock Lake around mile 9 - which is both good and bad.  Good because I feel like I know every inch of that lake...and bad because I feel like I know every inch of that lake - including just how far it still was to the finish line.

Mile 10 came along and I knew that it was time to start inching down to a faster pace.  I felt really good at this point and my heart rate was staying nice and steady.  My splits had been very even and were trending negative, which always makes me smile.  Maybe I don't suck at running after all!  The best aide station of the day had to be the Dallas Dirt Runners (I think that I got their name right) and this is where I found Karen Baha.  I love seeing my people along the way!  They were blaring "Never Gonna Give You Up" and they were dancing their tails off.  As I left the aide station I saw signs that said "you've just been Rick Rolled." Well played, Dirt Runners, simply brilliant.

I was able to to keep dropping the pace going from 9:04 in mile 10, to 8:51 for mile 11, and 8:49 for mile 12...but things were about to get really interesting.  Somewhere just past the 12 mile marker I spied my friend Stude (aka Sheriff).  Stude does many things well, but he is really good at finding his friends in the closing miles of a race and pushing running them into the finish.  I think that part of my mind said "oh good, Stude!" and the other part said "oh sh!t, Stude!" He hopped in next to me and things really got going from there.  I was huffing and puffing and just trying to keep up and Sheriff was doing his best to encourage me.

Sheriff smiles while I suffer (Pic: Mark O)

Just 800 meters to go now....I'm not sure that a half a mile ever seemed so long.  I was truly dumbfounded when my watch chimed and displayed 7:58 for mile 13.  That might very well be the fastest 13th mile that I have ever run.  Remember the runners ahead of me that I was targeting? I dropped them like a bad habit! Stude told me to keep on pushing and then he peeled off right before the finisher's chute.  I'm not sure how I did it, but I did indeed keep on pushing and managed a 7:26 for the final fraction of a mile.  I ran the second half in 58:07 for a total time of 1:58:25 - my goal for a sub 2:00 race with negative splits had been met.  Turns out it was the fastest half of the five I've run in 2015. What a wonderful feeling!

Fake it until you make it! (Photo: Stude)

I collected my beautiful medal, part of a six years series portraying landmarks on White Rock Lake, and my cap - this race always has some nice swag!  Mr K and I devoured some post race food (hello In n Out Burger!) and then spent some time with friends in the beer garden (hello Lakewood Brewing!).  The sun never came out and it even rained on us a little bit, but it did not dampen our spirits.  I love the post race atmosphere at the DRC Half!

Hanging with new friends Chris, Sandie, and Dory (Photo: Stude)

This race did a great deal for my running confidence.  It marks a great starting place for the winter running months and upcoming half marathons.  I've already got a few target races marked on my calendar and I'm ready to get to work.  It is running season, y'all!

New Year's 5 Mile: A Winning Start to 2013

Mr K and I have stumbled into a little tradition of starting our New Year's Day with a race.  In 2011 we were excited to take part in the brand new New Year's Day Half held on 1/1/11 and last year we completed back-to-back half marathons at the New Year's Double.  This year we tried another local tradition, the New Year's 5 Mile held at Flagpole Hill near White Rock Lake.  The real beauty of this race is that it doesn't start until 10:00 am on New Year's Day so we were able to see 2013 in and then get a decent amount of sleep.

Shivering after the race

I spent the days leading up to the race sick with a yucky allergy induced cold, but I was determined to run (and run well) on New Year's Day.  The weather was cold for hanging around before and after the race, but terrific for running. Couple that with a smallish race field (approx 300 runners) and awards given five deep in each age bracket and I was ready to roll.  The distance just happened to be the same as my planned tempo run for the day so I set that as my goal pace.

While it was a small group, we still saw some great friends to start off 2013.  We saw Carolyn at the park chunking the ball with her overly energetic pup, Berrin.  Music Mary and her husband Keith were also running this race.  I was especially grateful that EW was manning the camera today because my fingers were a little too cold to operate the camera on my phone.

You never know where Carolyn will turn up!

I enjoyed this race because it took me through a section of paved trail that I had never seen before.  The course was an out and back with a loop at the turn around and was pretty and wooded.  The only issue was that the path was sometimes slick from mud and we frequently jumped off the sidewalk and ran in the grass for better footing. I planned to take this race as a training lesson and work on starting slower and picking up speed at the end.  I still took off a little bit faster than I should have, but I thought that I could maybe keep Mr K in my sights this time (umm...didn't happen).  I heard the labored breathing of some of the runners as they came around me in the first couple of miles and I told myself to hang in there because they would not be able to keep that pace the whole time. 

Once I got to mile four I knew that it was okay to give it all that I had to get to the finish with a nice negative split.  My patience paid off and I was able to pass some of the people that passed me early in the race.  I was keenly aware of anyone who looked like they might be in my age group and I tried to put them behind me.  I am proud of my splits and I think that I ran a solid race (8:10, 8:28, 8:23, 8:16, 8:08).  I thought that I was feeling better, but looking back I realized that I wasn't as well as I thought.  I am not sure now exactly how I pulled that off, but I do remember thinking that the pace felt harder to hold than it did during my usual tempo runs. 

We both collected some nice New Year's bling

Mr K and I shivered and shook while we waited for the awards to be announced and were thrilled when both of us took home a beautiful champagne flute.  He ran a speedy 39:23 which earned him 5th in his age group.  I ran 41:58 which was good enough for 2nd place (but far from 1st!).  It was an automatic PR for both of us as neither of us has run a 5 mile race before.

Afterwards we met up with a huge group of Frunners for a our newest New Year's tradition--a delicious lunch of dim sum and a lazy afternoon of hanging out.  I couldn't think of a better way to start the new year! 

(Thanks again to EW for sharing his pictures for this blog.  I really appreciate it!)