Wednesday, September 16, 2015

My 1st R'nR- Virginia Beach Rock'n'Roll Half Marathon


I have been wanting to do a Rock'n'Roll series race for a long time now so I jumped at the chance to do this one! (The REAL reason I did this race in the next VA Beach post :) And I am in training for another R'n'R the Savannah Marathon so this fell right in place with my training! And who doesn't LOVE a #Roadtrip?? Well this road trip wiped me out and was not good to my sinuses....I was sick the whole time I was there and couldn't enjoy anything at all! I was so disappointed and hated that I kept my mom from enjoying anything as well since I spent the entire time in bed in the hotel. We got stuck in traffic and missed most of the expo and by that time I was really not feeling well so we pretty much got my number a pair of compression sleeves and left!


Although I hadn't done a long run for 2 weeks prior to race day I was very hopeful on a decent finishing time for this half 
A. 2:10 B. 2:15 C. Finish

All week leading up to the race doing the daily race weather check there was very little chance of rain, woke up that morning to cloudy skies, extremely humid & warm and what do ya know SPRINKLES! While waiting in the coral to start it poured down rain...Oh yay....NOT! I had already used the port a potty twice while waiting but I really had to go again I was just hoping I would sweat it out as I went.  Of course this was a crowded event with close to 10,000 runners and I started in the back so I spent at least a mile weaving through people which used up lots of energy so I tried taking it slower and easy. Finally close to mile 3 the crowd was starting to spread out I had seen a couple of potties already but they had large lines so I keep looking. I thought it was really hard finding them as they were tucked in behind buildings or trees but I found one right at mile 3 with no line!! Came out started running again looked up saw a sign that said 5k split ahead half marathon keep straight and what do I do? Of course I took the turn for the 5k and had to back track about 50 steps!

Have I mentioned I wasn't feeling well the entire time I was there?? Well I couldn't eat the night before either so I had no food energy in me. I held in until about mile 4½ - 5 then I started going down hill from there! I got dizzy and light headed like I wanted to pass out and/or throw up not that I was running fast but I started walking hoping to rebuild some strength. From miles 5 -9 I would run/walk (mostly walk) until I reached the .70 mark and would run the entire .30 to the next mile marker. I had hoped to do that until the end except around mile 7 my good ole' plantar fascitis foot started acting up something terrible! WHY NOW?? It started hurting so bad I didn't really know what I wanted to do more Cry or just quit??!! Well quitting is not an option in my book unless its something major wrong so I just kept on pouting and walking and barley running I just so wanted to be DONE!! I pretty much stayed in the same group of people I think we was all feeling the same way, although oddly enough I didn't talk with anyone! Another sign I wasn't feeling well as I always make a new friend out on the course??!!


I think that look says it all!

Finally I was reaching the last mile, oh my goodness that was the longest mile ever! I had hopes of at least slowly jogging the entire thing but that thought went really quick. There was 2 different blow up things to go under that I kept having wishful thoughts it was the finish then I finally saw my Mom and knew it was finally the end! Except when I saw her I really did want to cry?? After crossing through the finish I hobbled straight to the medic tent to have my foot looked at and get some ice for it. I told the nurse lady "I think my foot may be swollen, to me I think I can see it through my shoe it looks twice as big as my other foot?" The look on her face said it all but she replied with "Oh my goodness! Yes it IS!" So she wrapped it up with ice I sat there for a few minutes several other runners was coming into the tent and it was getting crowded, so I just got up and hobbled off to find my Mom. 


Listening to the Hubs not fussing at me LOL!

By the time I made it back to her she had already called and told all of my friends and husband that I was hurt and didn't look to great coming in! She even told the Hubs not to fuss at me cause I really looked miserable. Thankfully he listened but did fuss a little at me, he's just worried about my foot issue :)


Even after a terrible in my book race I could still Smile a little :)
So needless to say this was by far my worst half marathon finishing time EVER of  2:49:08 but I am thrilled that I was able to finish! And finally complete a R'n'R race!!


What was your worst race and Why??

Run Happy ;)


Pictures belong to The Picture Lady so please don't steal them!!

4 comments:

Darlene said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Darlene said...

I ran the Asbury park Half with foot pain for the whole 13.1 miles. I never wanted to run again after that. But I did.

Darlene said...

Congrats on finishing despite the pain. I'm doing my 1st RNR on Oct 10 in Brooklyn.

Christy @ My Dirt Road Anthem: A Runner's Blog said...

Oh that sounds like it was a rough one! Between not feeling well, and rain and porta potty lines and then your poor foot. Congrats on finishing! My worst one was a HOT one and it was also my first one, I went out like it was a 5k and was completely zapped halfway through. I swore off half marathons forever and or course signed up for another a week later.