Journey in Running: Oh What a Day for Run the Bluegrass!

It's been a little over a week now since Run the Bluegrass(RTB) its come and gone! Going into the race that week two things became issues 1. My hip and/or whatever was hurting and hurting bad! 2. The weather forecast was Cool, Breezy and Rain! Oh this is going to be so much fun!

When we first started training for RTB I thought this really isn't a "goal time" race but of course I have to at least do better than last year and I think I could pull off at least a 10 min pace. The closer it got I decided to go back to original plan of just be happy and enjoy it no matter what!

Miles 1 - 4
So the weather it was pretty all week long until race day of course! I swear to goodness when we stepped out of the car it was comfortable maybe 50° but by the time we walked forever to the start went into the potties and came out I think it was about 40°! When the race started so did the rain but it was light and not soaking so thankful I wore my hat! I had also decided that I was going to stay with Sherry no matter what I was staying with her, a course like this you are much better off running it with someone and enjoy. The HILLS I've tried to count them before but I loose track of the count I've always heard 21 hills in 13 miles! The first one hits about a ¼ mile in but we took it like champs, in fact I think in these miles we took all the hills like champs! Other than stopping for the first potty stop in mile 4 there was no walking during the first 4 miles!

Not sure if you can see him but Gerard (my Hubs) is pointing!

Miles 5-8
The first 5 miles are pretty much tree lined and even though the leaves aren't out yet they still kept the rain from pounding us but once we turned onto Old Frankfort Pike its wide open. The rain still wasn't heavy but enough to chill you to the bone with the now 40° and 20 mph wind! We made another potty stop for me in mile 6 and right after that is when the roller coaster hills started, up and down one after another. My strategy was to run up as far as we could walk the rest and jog down back up the next again I think it was working pretty good we was able to keep up with the 2:15 pace group! And then my hip issue started becoming more present to me I was not going to push it into injury.

Miles 9-12
Mile 9 is the dreaded S curve that I bet you couldn't guess goes uphill! It is really long and goes on forever! And the rain was slowly picking up a little more each mile. Miles 10 & 11 it was all catching up to me, my legs were tired, my hip issue was hurting, my hamstrings were hurting from the hills along with my butt and lower back! This is probably where we did the most walking. We also met up with a girl and her dog and started talking with her. It was her first half ever and her first thing she said was "I sure wasn't expecting all these HILLS, these HILLS can kiss my As$!I'll never do this crap again!" I told her not to look at it that way get a buddy and run it together its so much MORE ENJOYABLE:)!! In 12 I got a little kick and said let's go and finish this thing I was beginning to get annoyed with it all!

Miles 13 - .13
My kick didn't last nearly as long as I hoped it would and we did some walking in the last mile! Then we made the final turn to the finish stretch, we made that turn and OMG the wind was blowing so hard I was running sideways on top on the now pouring rain. We saw another friend Jennifer walking ahead when we caught up to her she looked so sad and said "Where have you all been!" We walked together a little ways and pushed through to the finish line!

I was FREEZING COLD & WET with puddles in my shoes all I wanted to do was get inside the building and find the rest of our crew including Gerard. The building was suppose to be set up for a warm place for race participants spectators not allowed except that none listened to that. Thankfully we found everyone right away. The best thing ever was they had plastic "baggies" at the finish line to put your after race snacks in but with the terrible weather they was hard to hold. Then inside the building there was food set up. We ALL assumed as Half Classic participants (and some of us was told to enter) that we was included in the food area. So we all ate. There was lunch meat for sandwiches, grapes/strawberries, chips, beef stew and cookies & brownies! It wasn't the best but was really nice. Then the announcement was made that only VIP people that paid $50 was supposed to be in there eating?? Whoopsie! I really think we should have been included at no extra cost though!

Mile 1- 9:32 Mile 8- 10:09
Mile 2- 9:33 Mile 9- 10:00
Mile 3- 9:44 Mile 10- 11:10
Mile 4- 11:39 Mile 11- 11:07
Mile 5- 9:27 Mile 12- 10:31
Mile 6- 12:25 Mile 13- 11:07
Mile 7- 10:36 Mile .13- 1:09

Finish Time 2:18:15 with an overall pace of 10:32! Considering how I was feeling I am very happy with it. I am VERY happy with how I ran and even though I walked I'm happy with how little overall I walked! It wasn't my fastest RTB time but I beat last years time by 3+ minutes! And the Medal, the Medal by far made every last minute worth it. It is one of my most favorite Medals EVER!