The Runner Within

So, I just today decided to register for the Nike+ Women’s Half Marathon. At some point, I’d like to run the full marathon for Nike in San Francisco, but this year it was sold out with lightning speed and is at a time when I couldn’t make it anyway. But, Nike is making it possible for 20,000 women (or men even) to run a half marathon using their Nike+ sensors during any time on October 21, 2007. All you do is run/walk the mileage and then upload it to Nike+ by October 28, 2007, and you are considered a finisher. So, basically, it’s a virtual race. This seems like the perfect thing for my first half-marathon. It will be a couple weeks after my Race for the Taste 10k and about a month before the Space Coast Marathon, but it seems like a good race for me to get at least one half marathon distance under my belt. Plus, I’d get a keychain for my effort, so, yeah… cool! Anyway, so if any ladies are interested in this, they should check it out, because it seems like a great way to run a half marathon virtually (if you have and ipod nano and nike+ sensor, which I do).

In other news, I’ve been cleared to run, so I really need to get back into it. It’s hard when you’ve been out for a while and you know you’ve lost cardio ability. Blarg! I will get running again though.

Well, I figured that I should post my experience with the Iron Girl 5k, since it was my very first race of any kind. My mother and stepfather decided at the last minute to watch me race, so we all got up exceptionally early and drove over to Clearwater’s Coachman Park for the race. It was actually pretty chilly out. I met a friend there, and we stood around, waiting nervously for the announcer to call the start. I never realized that they sang the national anthem before a footrace. I commented on this to my mom and added that I guessed it was a sport. She replied that, yes, it was a sport, and I was now an athlete. I sure didn’t feel like one! And I still don’t, but I imagine that some day, I will.

Start/Finish Line

I got pretty lucky for my first race. It was all ladies, and everyone was very supportive. Also, they honored each finisher with a medal, even for just a 5k and a very nice technical t-shirt. However, I was surprised by the fact that we would have to be running over a 90 foot bridge near the park, twice. It was pretty daunting. I had not trained for such steep inclines, and it made me nervous. When the race began, my friend and I stayed at a steady pace together. Going over the bridge the first time, I felt a stitch in my side, which I had never gotten in training before (must have been pretty lucky), so I was in a lot of pain for almost half of the first time over the bridge.

The Bridge

I made it over the first time without walking, but right at about the second mile marker, I just kind of lost it. It was probably mental. My friend went on ahead of me and walked part of bridge the second time. I didn’t walk far, though, before I picked up the pace again.

Crossing the Finish Line

I finished the race 264/388 over all in my event, and I was 30th in my age group. But frankly, I had never even completed the two mile run required in high school, so I was pretty proud of myself. My finishing time was 00:38:24, which is hardly impressive for a 5k, but it is now the time to beat. Also, I maintained a 12:22 pace, which is actually faster than I usually manage on the treadmill, and that was with some serious uphill running. Overall, the experience was fantastic, and I’m looking forward to future races. I have already registered for the Race for the Taste 10k in October, and I’m currently training for a full marathon. I really have to up my training if I’m going to finish a marathon. My goal at this point is just to finish. Even if I have to walk a bit (or a lot)! I’m not attempting to qualify for the Boston Marathon or anything.