I'm Going For a Run: Shoreline Half Marathon- Race Recap

July 13, 2014

Start time: 8am

Weather- low 70s

Felt like- HOT! Which is weird, because it was by the beach and because it was about 20 degrees cooler than it has been the past few weeks.

As with all of the races I have participated in put on by Elite Sports Ventura County, this race was organized and started on time. They even spend time before the race going over the course..

As with all of the races I have participate in put on by anyone, I made a plan to go out slow and steady. I wanted to use this race as my long distance training run for this week, which is supposed to be 1-2 minutes slower than your race day pace.

I knew that race day jitters/adrenaline would push me to go out faster than I should be going, so I told myself to try to stay around a 12:30-13:30 minute mile. But then I got to the start line..

This race is half number 16 overall, half number 8 of 14 for my goal for this year. It's not my first race and it wasn't my first solo race either. For whatever reason though, I got a strange panic attack before the race started. I stood there doubting myself, which is not what you want to do 5 minutes before you start your 13.1 mile run.

It went away pretty quickly after the race started, and I can honestly say that the thing that helped were the spectators. The shouts of encouragement pushed me to focus on what I needed to do in that moment. Focus on mile one instead of looking on to being finished.

I need to remember to look up the course before I sign up.. I usually don't have a problem and definitely prefer and out and back course that begin and end in the same place if not very close by. There are very few things running related worse than having to walk a mile or more to your car after a race. This particular course included a 5.5 mile loop that you had to run twice. The horror!

But in all seriousness it does play a mind game with your head when you are running by the same things you've already seen.

I had a few difficult moments during the race. A few "I'm done/over this" thoughts. And a few texts for support were needed from my mom and Patrick. I made it though. I may have started stronger then I planned and may have hit a slower paced middle, but I finished strong and with a smile on my face.