Chapter 2 page 188 - TR 71 & WHM stats

I was scared to write this post. Why? I'm not really proud of my time or pace, and I don't want you all to think I'm a loser. But . . . I'm also proud of having accomplished the race despite it being a sub-par performance.

Time: 3 hours 17 minutes 14 seconds
Pace: 15:03 min/mile (most all of you must be thinking that with such a slow pace how can I even call this running . . . I know - it's slow, we started off with a 13:45 m/m pace but as it got hotter, we slowed way down)
Interval used: 2 minutes running (which became shuffling rather than running starting at mile 9ish) and 1 minute 15 seconds walking
Overall Place: 4149 out of 4746
Age group place: 759 out 842
Temp at start of race: 64 degrees with 98% humidity
Temp at end of race (3 hours later): 78 degrees with 87% humidity
Temp increase during the race: 14 degrees!!!!!!

No PR, but this was a race about having fun (mission accomplished). I had never traveled for a race -let alone to a whole different state. We didn't have a car during our trip and we must have walked at least 8-10 miles on Friday and Saturday. I had NEVER gone more than 14 miles and this race required us to walk nearly 1.5 miles to the starting line (and then back to the hotel afterward). We didn't have access to the food I have become accustomed to in the days leading up to the race. These are not excuses they are just factors that influenced my race performance.

We did great until mile 7. We were 90 seconds ahead of my pacing temp tattoo and looking good. Miles 7-8 were where we sort of slowed down. Mile 9-10 we added a couple of walking breaks (out of the 62 intervals we ended up walking through only 5 of them - not too bad). Miles 10-12 were all about hating life. Mile 13 I was ready to run the whole thing (pretty sure I was delusional at that point).

Hope you all aren't too disappointed in me.

Here are some photo proofs that clearly show my the WIDE range of emotions I experienced during the race (starting off with euphoria, then pain, then anger, then exhausted finish).

Pre-race photo (sunrise beauty! Not sure "C" is completely awake)

Feeling great miles 1-6
"C" looks like a champ who could do this all day. Me? Well, that grimace screams it all!
Oh yeah, I see the finish line - woo hoo - come to mamma!

Check back next week for many more photos!