Monday Morning Meet-Up: Nike Women’s Half Recap

This isn’t the story I was expecting to be telling you today.   I’d planned to tell you how I hadn’t done as well this race as I did my last half-marathon, but that it didn’t come as any surprise.  I’d pretty much totally neglected any sort of real training over the past month.  I knew I’d finish (frankly, with an upper course limit of four hours, it would take breaking a leg to not finish), but I didn’t expect to be proud of my time.  After all, I can count the number of times I’d run in the past six weeks on my fingers.  That’s right, I’d practiced my excuses.

But instead I somehow shaved 1 minute 40 seconds off of my previous PR, a time I was quite happy with and had expected would be difficult to beat.  Particularly without training.  But let’s start from the beginning.

Friday night I trekked to Georgetown and made a rushed pass through the Expotique, wanting to get as much swag as possible without missing happy hour.  I must say that for the exorbitant cost of the race ($160 for a half?!  Seriously the things women will do for that little blue box from Tiffany’s), I expected a little more out of the expo.  I picked up my bib, grabbed a couple handfuls of luna bars and headed straight for Tony & Joe’s for a couple of Blue Moons.  (Dear Nike, next year, please include a beer coupon in my race packet instead of a shampoo sample).  Several very refreshing brews later, Laura and I headed to Bourbon Steak for a burger, something that had been on my bucket list for some time.  It didn’t disappoint, nor did the duck fat fries.

Saturday Courtney and I set aside for yard work.  Which I’d been calling gardening, because for some reason that makes it sound more appealing.  Maybe the lack of the word ‘work’?  Regardless, we headed to Frager’s, bought everything they told us to buy (compost, manure, peat moss, mulch), and came home and walked in circles trying to figure out what to do with it.  In the end, we got the front yard looking pretty good (you’re welcome neighbors), but the back yard?   Yeah, about that.

Saturday night, the ladies on the running team got together at Joy’s for a carbolicious potluck.  We gorged on pasta, garlic knots, salad and cookies and talked about our hopes and fears for the next day.  Which quickly turned into a serious discussion about runners’ trots and Viviana’s tendency to inadvertently seduce much older gentlemen on race day.  Both very real concerns if you ask me.

Okay, back to the race.  I arrived eight minutes before the gun went off, my general strategy to avoid standing around thinking about what I’m about to do any longer than necessary.  I got there just in time to see the Olympic athletes who would be running with us introduced, and to observe a moment of silence for Boston and the National Anthem.   The start line was utter chaos.  There were thousands of women (and a few good men) packed into tiny corrals, which were all released at the same time, not in waves.  Luckily, because I’d predicted a 8:30-8:59 pace for myself, I was very close to the front and able to get off to a good start.  Despite the congestion, I ran my first mile in 8:19.

It was an ideal day and an ideal course, flat and surrounded with supporters.  I often laugh out loud at some of the signs folks are holding on race day.  My favorites yesterday were “binders full of runners” and “hurry up my arms are getting tired.” (With the runners up being “why do women always run from me?” and “if Sarah Palin can run, so can you).   Anyways, the support and excitement of race day always helps.  By mile eight or so, I realized I was on par to beat my previous time.  By mile twelve, I knew it was going to be very close so I just booked it.  I ended up finishing in 1:48:40, 1 minute and 40 seconds faster than the Rock ‘N Roll.

Oh, and if I wasn’t happy enough about that?  I was greeted by sexy dudes in tuxedos holding perfectly wrapped little blue boxes filled with bling.

The finish line was also pretty chaotic.  And for what we paid, I was underwhelmed with the race after party.  Sure, it’s great that you’re offering free make up trials.  That’s exactly what I want.  Slather it right over the sun screen and sweat, please!  And $15 hair cuts?  I can’t think of anything less appealing after running a race.  Where are the cupcakes and beer?!

But I was able to find most of the ladies so that we could pose for a million pictures in our awesome matching shirts.  I was super proud of our team!  We all finished (with smiles!) and for at least a handful of the ladies it was their very first half marathon!  Definitely a huge accomplishment! 

After said million photos, I had to speed walk home, pick up a bottle of champagne, and head to my next event for the day:  our book club meeting and first annual book swap.   I enjoyed an awesome brunch.  This was only my first plate.

You know it’s a good weekend when it involves multiple pot lucks.   The book swap was also a great success.  Except for the fact that I walked away with twice as many books as I brought.  Whoops!  I guess we’ll be in the market for some taller book shelves!

Johanna