February 2020 Monthly Running Challenge

I went into this race realizing it may well be my last race at the HM distance since the issue with my knee. I want to keep running and if that means just running shorter distances so be it.

I was worried mostly about the weather, that it was going to be too hot and if I had to walk a lot of the race it would be miserable. We went to the Expo on Friday afternoon to avoid the crowds on Saturday and it was sunny and 81f. Perfect beach weather but not so much for running. Saturday was even warmer and I was really worried the forecasters had it all wrong for Sunday but they came through! It was cool, foggy and in the 40’s at the start and never warmed up beyond the mid 50’s during the race. Towards the end of the race I finally had to put my sunglasses on as the sun started to peak through the clouds.
I wore my Handful long tights that would be comfortable regardless of the temps and a long-sleeved shirt that would provide sun protection without being too warm. At the last minute I threw on a sweatshirt for the walk to the start and afterwards if I got cold. I had one of those foil blankets from a previous race to wrap around me while waiting in the corrals. Dropped my bag at gear check, hit the bathrooms before they got too busy and then ran some easy out and back around the lead up to the start area. About 20mins before the start I headed out to get in my corral. They were self-seeded but the announcer kept urging everyone to get in the right area, explaining that more than 20% of the 10,000 entrants were running their 1st HM. Unfortunately, the area was so packed in that you couldn’t move. I ended up chatting with a guy who had also run it many times, neither of us had seen the start quite this crowded. He has run marathons all over the world and is running Boston again this year, certainly should have been up near the front but couldn’t get there. We were in corral 10 of 11 so way in the back. Once we were under way I did the usual dance around people walking. Along the way I wondered again why running clubs don’t educate their participants on the etiquette of racing (not walking 4 or 5 across, not stopping to walk without moving over and signaling, not looking before changing position, spitting or throwing down their half full water cups, etc.). I started running with the 2:50 pace group figuring it was a good pace to stay with but I couldn’t do it. I felt good and decided I wanted to run or walk as I felt like it not on their intervals. So, I passed them by and figured I would see them later in the race. For the most part this race is relatively flat. You are running on PCH (Pacific Coast Hwy 1) right along the ocean for most of it. Around mile 3 it turns and goes up and around a neighborhood and then back down to PCH. What follows here is pretty but also where it seems to just go forever. You run past the protected wetlands on one side with views of the the ocean on the other. It was cool and lovely and I was just smiling and enjoying it so much (thinking of what @ddmom0811 said she had read one time that smiling makes it feel easier). At one point I did have to stop to pee. Thinking back, I probably should have just kept going as the wait was so long, especially the line I was in. Only 3 guys in front of me but they just kept letting the lines next to them go first. I moved to another line (also with 3 people waiting) and still finished before them. I also stopped around mile 12 to pet a Vizsla puppy and chat just a minute with his owners. They were crossing the highway to go to the dog beach and I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to love up on another Vizsla!
All in all, my time was better than it has been for the last couple of years, even losing about 10 mins at the porta pots, but definitely not a PR. I never did see the 2:50 pacers again. I was sure they were somewhere way ahead of me but I beat them by a bit over 5 minutes. I guess it helps when you go into the race pretty relaxed thinking you are just going to have fun and enjoy it. I didn't stick around for much of the post-race happenings (Biergarten and free beer, food trucks, etc.), there were just too many people and everything was packed. So I walked, very slowly, the mile + up to a Starbucks where my husband would pick me up.

A few other observations as I was running… There was a lady with metal frame sunglasses hanging from the back of her waist pack. They made the most annoying noise with every step. I am not sure how she could stand it. A man was running with music on his phone but no headphones. I don’t think it was music anyone else wanted to hear as there were many comments. A woman was run walking with a walker. She was obviously very fit so must have had an injury or something that she needed the walker. She was encouraging everyone and so nice. The walker scraped along on the street so loudly that I don’t know how she managed it but I found it very motivating to see her there pushing along. Finally, there was an older man, a veteran who ran the entire race carrying a full size American flag. He and I kept passing each other and I was pretty amazed at how he handled that flag given all the people. It never dropped down, was never in anyone’s way. Pretty amazing.

I also saw multiple runner’s down with the EMTs and ambulance on route (they were staged all along the course). Somewhere around mile 11 a runner had gone down, they blocked the course and were doing CPR. All I could think about was MobyCarp and it made me sad. I just hope everyone was ok.