It’s that time again. The Seattle Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon is this Saturday, June 22nd.
Since the first Rock ‘n’ Roll in Seattle five years ago, I have had a love/hate relationship with this particular race. This was my first ever half and not once has this been a terrific race for me.
The first year, the Inaugural, I ran the race without knowing I had a stress fracture on the bottom of my right foot. I finished it in over 3:30. I could barely walk by the time I got done with it. By the following Monday, I was in a boot for over 8 weeks and my running was put on hold.
With that type of experience, you would think I was crazy when I signed up immediately for the following year. But I was sure this was just a blimp in my desire to run a half.
I rehabilitated my foot and was back to running by the end of that year. Training went fairly well except I had an occasional IT Band and shin splints issues.
By the time the second Rock ‘n’ Roll arrived, I felt I was ready. What I didn’t know was my body wasn’t. Halfway through the half, intestinal problems and IT Band issues plagued me. With several stops at the port-a-potties and limping to the finish line, I was able to beat my time from my first half by about 10 minutes but not break the 3 hour mark.
I was extremely disappointed and down. But I signed up right away for the next year’s Rock ‘n’ Roll. Somewhere in my heart, I knew I could conquer this race even though I, again, could barely walk, much less manage the stairs in my house.
Again, I took some time off to get my body healed and was back training by the end of the year. Training went well except I started to have shin splints issues. Frustrated, I went to the sports doctor. He checked my orthotics and my running shoes. He did some adjusting to my orthotics, not once but several times as I kept having shin splint issues.
Three days prior to the Rock ‘n’ Roll half, he told me I had a choice. Run with a very good chance of getting a stress fracture in my tibia or try again next year! I wisely decided not to run. But I did immediately signed up for next year’s race.
When I started training for last year’s half, I added strength training to my mix. My running started out well then the shin splints came back. Frustration set in. I added Laura Houston, a ChiRunning Coach, to my coaching team. She corrected my form which eliminated the shin splints.
For a trial run, I did the Portland Rock ‘n’ Roll Half . For the first time, I felt deep down that I could do this. I ran that in under 3 hours with just minor IT Band issues and no shin splint issues. I was now ready for the Seattle Rock ‘n’ Roll Half.
The day of that half, I was definitely pumped to be slowly walking as my assigned corral neared the start line. I was sure I could beat my Portland Half time.
Unfortunately by mile 8, I started to have IT Band issues. Somewhere along the way, all of my ChiRunning training exited my mind. I finished but just over 3 hours. I thought long and hard about signing up for this half again.
But I did. And in fact, just a few days afterwards. Call me crazy!
In between the last year’s Seattle Rock ‘n’ Roll half and this one coming up, I trained and ran the Eugene Women’s Half (I PR-ed), Los Angeles Rock ‘n’ Roll (just over 3 hours due to the heat), and Pasadena Rock ‘n’ Roll Half (I PR-ed).
As the days and hours count down to this Seattle Rock ‘n’ Rock, I wonder will I be able to conquer my nemesis? Or will I be signing up right away for next year’s to try again?