Race Report: Holiday Half Marathon – Pomona, CA
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arc918
Posts: 2,037 Member
I never know where to put these things, so this seems like as good a place as any.
Executive summary: hilly, chilly and fun!
This is fairly new race (third year I think?) put on by the good folks who own the Long Beach Marathon. About 9 months ago there was a discount code for a $30 entry to the race. At that price point, I was all over it! I’m always down for half, as it is my favorite distance to race.
Knowing the course is hilly, but not quite how hilly I decide my goal will be to run ~ 7:30 pace for a ~ 1:38. I figured if the hills were terrible, I’d try to eek in under just under 1:40.
The race starts and finishes at the Fairplex in Pomona, home of the LA County Fair (about a 45 minute drive from my house without traffic). I met up with some friends before the race, picked up my bib and then went back to my car for a little while to stay warm. I figured I’d use the restroom one more time before the race, but then the lines were crazy. Then I found a secret bathroom that very few people knew about – score!
I lined up towards the front in the start corral. Not being cocky, but I was sure I’d be running faster than 90% of the field. I tried to stay warm in the corral, but I knew I wouldn’t be warm until we started running.
The gun sounds and we’re off! We head out of the fairgrounds and my feet are cold! I’m pushing hard to get rolling, but still running slow for some reason. About 4 or 5 minutes in I start to feel normal. Just then I hear somebody call my name. It is my fast friend Nadia. We run together for a mile then I let her go as she I going just a little faster than I want to.
As we head out of the fairground we head towards the Auto Club Speedway. Next thing we know we’re running up and down the race track.. It is hard to run slow when you know cars go 200+ MPH right there.
Next is a flat mile as we start heading towards the hills of San Dimas. I meet up with a couple nice guys on the course and we shared 3 or 4 miles of hills together. Nice scenery as we run around and through Bonelli Park. A few more up and downs and I’m back on flat ground with about two miles to go. I want to drop the hammer, but my legs are having no part of it. I take a more basic approach and try to get the miles down towards 7:30. Next thing I know, we’re passing mile 13 and heading towards the finish. I cross the line in 1:37:27 (~ 7:26 avg pace).
Bottom line; nice effort on a fun course. I probably pushed a little too hard on some of the ups, thus making it hard to hammer on the final downs and flats.
Stats & splits are as follows:
Overall: 164 of 4468 = behind 4%
Men: 150 of 2352 = behind 7%
M 45-49: 15 of 125 = behind 12%
1) 7:36
2) 7:27
3) 7:12 (oops)
4) 7:18
5) 7:25
6) 7:35
7) 7:28
8) 7:32
9) 7:31
10) 7:32
11) 7:36
12) 7:32
13) 7:21
:22 (6:38 pace)
Executive summary: hilly, chilly and fun!
This is fairly new race (third year I think?) put on by the good folks who own the Long Beach Marathon. About 9 months ago there was a discount code for a $30 entry to the race. At that price point, I was all over it! I’m always down for half, as it is my favorite distance to race.
Knowing the course is hilly, but not quite how hilly I decide my goal will be to run ~ 7:30 pace for a ~ 1:38. I figured if the hills were terrible, I’d try to eek in under just under 1:40.
The race starts and finishes at the Fairplex in Pomona, home of the LA County Fair (about a 45 minute drive from my house without traffic). I met up with some friends before the race, picked up my bib and then went back to my car for a little while to stay warm. I figured I’d use the restroom one more time before the race, but then the lines were crazy. Then I found a secret bathroom that very few people knew about – score!
I lined up towards the front in the start corral. Not being cocky, but I was sure I’d be running faster than 90% of the field. I tried to stay warm in the corral, but I knew I wouldn’t be warm until we started running.
The gun sounds and we’re off! We head out of the fairgrounds and my feet are cold! I’m pushing hard to get rolling, but still running slow for some reason. About 4 or 5 minutes in I start to feel normal. Just then I hear somebody call my name. It is my fast friend Nadia. We run together for a mile then I let her go as she I going just a little faster than I want to.
As we head out of the fairground we head towards the Auto Club Speedway. Next thing we know we’re running up and down the race track.. It is hard to run slow when you know cars go 200+ MPH right there.
Next is a flat mile as we start heading towards the hills of San Dimas. I meet up with a couple nice guys on the course and we shared 3 or 4 miles of hills together. Nice scenery as we run around and through Bonelli Park. A few more up and downs and I’m back on flat ground with about two miles to go. I want to drop the hammer, but my legs are having no part of it. I take a more basic approach and try to get the miles down towards 7:30. Next thing I know, we’re passing mile 13 and heading towards the finish. I cross the line in 1:37:27 (~ 7:26 avg pace).
Bottom line; nice effort on a fun course. I probably pushed a little too hard on some of the ups, thus making it hard to hammer on the final downs and flats.
Stats & splits are as follows:
Overall: 164 of 4468 = behind 4%
Men: 150 of 2352 = behind 7%
M 45-49: 15 of 125 = behind 12%
1) 7:36
2) 7:27
3) 7:12 (oops)
4) 7:18
5) 7:25
6) 7:35
7) 7:28
8) 7:32
9) 7:31
10) 7:32
11) 7:36
12) 7:32
13) 7:21
:22 (6:38 pace)
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Replies
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You are a beast. Reading this makes me wish I would have manned up and signed up for it but I know from my run on Saturday I wouldn't have been up to the distance so soon after my last race.
Great job. We'll have to meet up at Surf City before you drop me by mile 1 :laugh:0 -
I have a question..are you on the forums at runnersworld.com?? Curious
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I have a question..are you on the forums at runnersworld.com?? Curious
Nope, I post at some other places, but never RW.0 -
Get on RW..Im there and those people rock Actually running with a few of them at my half in March at VA Beach! 0
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You are a beast. Reading this makes me wish I would have manned up and signed up for it but I know from my run on Saturday I wouldn't have been up to the distance so soon after my last race.
Great job. We'll have to meet up at Surf City before you drop me by mile 1 :laugh:
Sounds like your legs are still recoving from yoru 70.3.
Surf City is it. I'm still on the fence between full vs. half - and I best hurry and decide before they both sell out.0 -
Impressive as always 0
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Get on RW..Im there and those people rock Actually running with a few of them at my half in March at VA Beach!
Maybe I'll check it out0 -
You are a beast. Reading this makes me wish I would have manned up and signed up for it but I know from my run on Saturday I wouldn't have been up to the distance so soon after my last race.
Great job. We'll have to meet up at Surf City before you drop me by mile 1 :laugh:
Sounds like your legs are still recoving from yoru 70.3.
Surf City is it. I'm still on the fence between full vs. half - and I best hurry and decide before they both sell out.
Based on Surf City's Facebook updates, I suspect they'll be sold out by the end of the year. And due to my spotty training of late, you'll both blow past me by mile one. However, I do get to cram in 3 1/2 weeks of steady training starting this Friday, so I might get to see the back of the Mayor's head for at least the first half mile :-)0 -
You are a beast. Reading this makes me wish I would have manned up and signed up for it but I know from my run on Saturday I wouldn't have been up to the distance so soon after my last race.
Great job. We'll have to meet up at Surf City before you drop me by mile 1 :laugh:
Sounds like your legs are still recoving from yoru 70.3.
Surf City is it. I'm still on the fence between full vs. half - and I best hurry and decide before they both sell out.
Based on Surf City's Facebook updates, I suspect they'll be sold out by the end of the year. And due to my spotty training of late, you'll both blow past me by mile one. However, I do get to cram in 3 1/2 weeks of steady training starting this Friday, so I might get to see the back of the Mayor's head for at least the first half mile :-)
I know it is about to sell out. I need to pick a race and sign up, stat!0 -
No better time than today to sign up...0
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No better time than today to sign up...
I know, I just need to pick which race to run...
The economics always push me to the full over the half. Twice the distance for an exrta $15!0
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