My love affair with the Seattle Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon started four years ago. It was my first half marathon I had ever trained for.
It has now become the one race I also hate as something has happened to me either before or during this half. Hence, my love/hate affair with this race.
This year was no different. As I approached that Saturday at the end of June, I was feeling fine, no real aches or pains. I was ready! My training runs had, on the most part, gone well. Besides just finishing the Portland Rock’n’Roll Half Marathon at the end of May, I was starting to pace at around a 12 minute mile. My strength training had also been going well. I am certainly stronger this year compared to the previous three years.
The pre-race fun began with most of the ladies I had been training with over the last four years meeting near the Space Needle. There were hugs, high fives, and, of course, the last minute run to the port-a-potty.
I started in corral 30. In this corral, you are expected to finish the half around 2:30 hours. A bit fast for me but I figured I would probably finish around 2:45 hours.
Within a 1/2 mile of crossing the start line, I noticed I was pacing around a 10 minute mile which was way too fast for me. I pulled back and tried to settle into a 12:15 to 12:30 minute mile pace. At this pace, I would be able to comfortably finish the half within my target goal.
My first five miles were magically. I settled into my normal running routine of run 9 minutes, walk 1 minute. I was able to reach that “high” where running becomes effortless for several minutes at a time.
As the route turned onto Dearbon, the elite half marathoners were heading back to the finish line. Of course, they started right at 7am, while my corral started almost an hour later. It was hard not to be envious of their effortless ease and fastness. But I reminded myself, these runners were probaby 30+ years my junior as well as been running for a good portion of their lives.
Around mile 6, my left IT Band started that familiar ache just on the outside of my knee. For most of my training this year, it has been my right IT Band that has bothered me on and off. Though I tried to adjust, listen to my body, and slow down my pace even more, the knee continued to hurt. I made the decision to walk up and then down South Dakota Street to help ease the pain with hopes that by the time I turned onto Lake Washington Boulevard, the pain would be gone.
I ran but only until it hurt, then I walked. I repeated this process while trying to assess then correct my running form.
Before I headed onto I-90, I got hugs and high fives from Erica Hirschmann Rintoul and Elizabeth Mountsier, two ladies in our group who weren’t doing this race.
I continued my run/walk until I came out of the I-90 Tunnel. From there, I tried to play a mind game of running for one or two lengths of the jersey barriers along the I-90 then walking one length. Unfortunately, I found that running even one length was painful.
As I came down the off-ramp onto 4th Ave, Elisha Weinburg was standing there. She gave me a huge hug and also tried to give me some quick relief by applying acupressure. I felt relief and was able to run for about a half of a mile until the pain started again.
By the time I got onto the Viaduct, I was only walking. Though the pain was still there, I tried to just enjoy the view, be thankful for no rain, and listen to the band that was playing along that part of the route.
Once I was in the homestretch, I decided to see if the walking helped enough to be able to run the last part. But that wasn’t happening. Instead, I walked over the finish line feeling dejected and frustrated.
As to whether I will try this race again, I don’t know. The previous three years, I had immediately purchased my race entry for the following year. This year, I didn’t. And for now, the jury is still out.