2012 Indianapolis Mini Marathon Race Recap

Hard and hot!! I know those terms might make some people think I have been reading too much Christian Grey lately (girls will understand that comment), but really those are the words that sum up my feeling for this race. It felt very hard I think b/c I was hot (and we aren't talking looks). The day started fine. I actually think I got more sleep than usual the night before a race. That simply means I was up only 4-5 times instead of every 20 minutes. I did get up before my alarm ever went off at 4:15am. I got showed and ready to go!! I was proud of Clark b/c he knew when I wanted to leave and made sure he got himself ready in time. No nagging from the wife was necessary. If anything it was my fault we left the house 10 minutes later than planned. We leave early enough that we have no problem getting downtown and finding parking. On the way, I realized I hadn't had anything to drink except one sip of Diet Dr. Pepper to wash down my Mobic. I had forgotten to bring water. So once we got there we went into a hotel and found a Starbucks and purchased a water. Still I could only drink a couple of sips. Otherwise I would have to go to the restroom even more than the 4 times I did in the hour before the race. It was warm enough outside that we just stayed out while waiting. We checked our bag in and then headed to our corral. On the way we ran into some of our Hendricks friends, Keith, Jayda, Shane and Sparzo. It was great to use up the waiting around time talking. It also is when I started to get a little nervous. Keith's comment of "this is just a training run. One in which I hope to go REALLY fast" and Clark's comment of, "you will be fine since you have 2 weeks to recover before the marathon."was when I knew I would at least try and see what I could do during this race. It never fails that my competitive nature comes out no matter how hard to try and suppress it.  We said our final "good lucks" and each headed to our corrals. Clark and I were in C. Well, Clark's bib said B, but he was running with me. It seemed like an eternity before the race actually started, but I was glad to have my husband's company. Finally the countdown started and we were off. It took less than a minute to cross the start line. The race had begun....

I think I will just do my race recap mile per mile in the posted split part. Here are a few before pictures. For some reason the ones with my real camera taken at home before we left the house can't be uploaded. Clark is out of town and I am dumb when it comes to computers.

Here I am just hanging out waiting to drop off our checked bag. Guess my belt has some reflectors.

Here is Clark hanging out with some sexy WHITE legs.

 Keith was the first person we ran into. Clark actually ran into him while I was waiting in the port-a-potty line for the 4th time.  He was pumped and also got downtown crazy early. I think he said he was the second person in his parking garage. He also mentioned that he was actually nervous for this run. He had some goals and was really hoping to reach them. Keep reading to find out if he did....

 Next we ran into Jayda and her husband, Shane. That sounds like I barely know Shane huh? Actually Shane is the same Shane I talk about all the time. He is my physical therapist!!! Keep reading to see if I am happy with my race to see if he does a good job taking care of my legs..........
Jayda made me laugh pretty hard for reasons I should probably not blog about:) She and her husband were happy to be starting in the same corral (E).  Doesn't this fine looking group of people look like they are trying to be all matchy matchy. I did not get the memo that I was supposed to wear a white shirt and black shorts.

 Here I am in my corral C with my ear phones on and ready to go!

 Here is Clark who I made fun of for pinning his bib so very high on his shirt!!

Here some nice man standing next to us asked if we wanted a picture together. I made some comment about how I felt weird b/c I wondered if people thought I was getting cozy with a married man since he had his ring on, and I don't wear mine when I run. Next time I think I will at least where the band part.

 So now we are back to actual running details. Here are my splits according to my garmin which had me running 13.23 miles ,which I don't doubt bc I do a lot of weaving, and I made my way over to every spraying water station no matter how far away I was from it.

Mile1:7:27 I would say starting in corral C was much better than starting in corral E last year, but I still felt very boxed in at the start. We were kind of right in the middle of the road and so often I would put my hands up and shrug my shoulders b/c I couldn't go anywhere. I am sure this was driving Clark nuts b/c normally he would go along the side and run on curbs and go right past people. Last year my first mile was horrible so when I got to the mile mark and saw the split, I was kind of shocked. I expected it to be in the 8's. I was shocked and thought, 'oh crap I went out to fast and now I am going to die.' In fact I told Clark we had to slow down. For the first out of at least 10 times, he replied, "run how you feel and don't worry about time."

Mile 2: 7:38 Things started to space out, and I at least felt like we had some breathing room. Our pace was better but still too fast. I told Clark we needed to slow down and that I could not keep that up to which he gave his usual reply. I was a little worried b/c I was already feeling HOT by the 2nd mile. I remember thinking my mouth already felt very dry and I had a long way to go.

Mile 3. 7:48 I was okay with this pace but a little discouraged b/c we were slowing down a lot and I felt like it was just getting harder. I knew that I needed to be under an 8min/mile pace to get a PR. If were were already slowed down to 7:48, and I felt as bad as I did this early in the run, I was close to mentally giving up any goals.  I think I took my first drink around here or maybe it was mile 4. I wanted water but it was Gatorade and I think I got one sip and the rest spilled all over me. It was in my eyes, up my nose, down my shirt. I am clearly not skilled at running and drinking.

Mile 4: 7:44 I don't remember exactly how I felt during this mile, but I do know I must not have liked how I was feeling b/c I told Clark he needed to give me my gel early. He had one pinned to his shorts. It wasn't like I calmly asked for my gel. It was more of a "Clark, I need my gel NOW" kind of request. He even opened it for me before giving it to me.

Mile 5: 7:52 This was the start of my slow decline and overall slowing in general. It was only mile 5 and I was spent. We hadn't even hit my least favorite part...the track. Somewhere around here was the first water sprayer. I really wanted to stop and stand under it for 5 minutes, but I remembered Clark saying he would do whatever I wanted during the race, but we were NOT stopping. I had no regard for my ipod shuffle however as I went directly under the water and got soaked. It seemed like the volumed decreased for a short time but then recovered. Could have been that my ability to hear was going in and out and had nothing to do with water. It was during this mile we entered the track.  You go down a decent size hill (which is always hard of my legs) then up a very short hill. I was trapped behind two young guys who at the time I felt like should have been handling the hill better and needed to get out of my way.

Mile 6: 7:59 Now we are on the track. I normally think the track seemed like forever but I honestly I thought the first mile went fast. Nothing terribly special to report.

Mile 7: 7:54 This was when I told Clark I was dying and we needed to just forget about any time goals. I told him I needed to slow down or I was not going to finish and "FORGET THE TIME." I was saying this to him as if he was the one paying so much attention to the time. He wasn't. He was doing whatever I was. I guess I was really talking to myself. After the race he said that I kept saying we needed to slow down and that I was dying but when he would look down at his garmin, I was never going that much slower so he just kept going.

Mile 8: 7:59  That last 1/2 mile waiting to leave the track felt never ending. This was the only time during the race when I got a little annoyed with Clark. Still I never said one curse word to him. Huge improvement from our last run together. At this point it was just so obvious that he was out for a joy run, and I was doing all I could to put one foot in front of the other. Then he just kept pointing at the screen b/c as we were passing it right as the winner was finishing. He was like a little kid acting so excited to be watching it. He just kept pointing at this screen wanting me to look at it. I never looked up. I just kept screaming (b/c he would not stop), "CLARK I DON'T CARE. I DON'T CARE." Here I was thinking I could fall over and die at any moment and he wanted me to care about people who were done with the race. I still had a long way to go so really I hated those people right at that moment. Instead I found some comfort in watching people enter the track as I was leaving the track. At least I was 2 miles ahead of them.

Mile 9: 7:59 Last year I felt awesome when I left the track. This year...not so much.

Mile 10: 8:03 It was during this mile that I felt like I was going to have my first ever start but not finish race. I experienced what was probably a 30 second episode that had me a little freaked. All at once I got chills all over my body with a warm fuzzy feeling in my head and then I could no longer hear and finally I started to not be able to see. I screamed at Clark, "I CAN'T SEE." Clark being the amazing husband he is thinks I am referring to the sun in my eyes and tries to hand me his prescription sunglasses. I respond by saying, "no I AM going DOWN.  I am going to pass out." The next few minutes are a blur to me but obviously the feeling subsided, and I did not go down (not at that point anyhow). I was lucky in that we were at a drink station around that time. This might have been the time I took one sip and poured the rest of a Gatorade down my shirt. I also took my last gel.

Mile 11: 8:03 This mile felt long. I think it felt even longer for Clark b/c when we were done with it he said something to the effect of, "alright we're golden, we just did the hardest mile."

Mile 12: 7:55 Here is where I made a decision. I gave myself a little pep talk. If you run with me you know is not in my head...out loud I say, "come on Christy...you CAN do this." I knew I was going to be close to a PR. I knew that I would be pissed if I just barely missed it. I knew I just had to keep pace and not slow down. 2 miles. 16 minutes. Here again I am screaming to myself..you CAN do this. I am also thinking that I can die when I cross that finish line but right now I need to move. There was no time for chills and fuzzy thinking. Just keep running. So here is where I would say I dug deep.

Mile 13: 7:44 The last mile is one big straight shot. I say the same thing every year about this mile. You turn a corner and since it is a straight shot in you feel like you should start sprinting. What I always quickly realize however is that it is an entire mile long. It goes on forever. Normally they have signs at 3/4 mile, 1/2 mile, 1/4 mile etc. I kept thinking really I am not even there yet but no they just didn't have those this year. Slightly annoyed by that. I gave this last mile all I had b/c I knew I was not letting my PR go in the last mile. I would never live that down. Had I given up early on..fine... but NOT in the last mile. NO!!

Last bit: My garmin had .23 miles to go during which my pace was 7:08. Clark and I crossed holding hand but somehow he still ended one place in front of me. Jerk.. Just kidding. My husband was amazing on this run. He took care of me and did not annoy me. He pushed me but not to where I was mad at him for it. I enjoyed running with him!!!!! As soon as I crossed the finish line my body said enough. My knees buckled and down I went. Straight into the arms of my husband and some volunteer worker who both helped me get to some water. I chugged some water and poured some down my front and back and finally I was back and better. I was soooo happy to be done!!

Here I am getting my medal

My official race stats: Time 143:43 (a PR by 1min 15 seconds). Place: 1661. Sex: 247/16825. My division (age 35-39): 48/2674 

My body felt horrible during this run. My legs did great. Either that or the rest of me just felt so bad that I never even had the chance to think about my legs. No seriously I guess, Shane (my PT) does a good job after all. Thanks, Shane for all your help!!

Other updates: Keith got his goal/ PR. He felt amazing and had a GREAT race. He came in with a 1:29. He needs to comment on my blog with the specifics of his place and his thoughts on this race!! Super proud of my friend. Cathy got a PR at 2:01. She cut 6 minutes off her time and I could not be happier for her. Carrie PR'd by 10 minutes and came in somewhere around 2:28-2:29. Her bib must not have been working and so she has no official time. That is heartbreaking when you PR and just want it listed officially. They better give her a free entry for next year b/c of this!! Many of my other friends had good runs considering the weather. It affected most people and meant fewer PR's than normal. Even the winners were unhappy with their times. I say if you and ran and finished... be proud. That was hard one!!

After the race we tried to find our friends at the designated meeting spot H. That is what I was told. Clark and I stood there for an hour and never found the Hendrick's crew. We did find my neighbor and talked for a long time. Would have a picture with me and Hollie, but Clark had it on video and no photo. Then I saw the one person who I would I quite honestly can say I NEVER want to see again. EVER! I was not expecting to see her and when Clark pointed her out I promtly turned and walked in the opposite direction. I know that if I ever come face to face with this person there is nothing (except possibly the thought that God would be disappointed) to stop me from going completely postal on her. Shortly after that Clark and I gave up waiting for our friends and left. He had a plane to catch.

We got home. Showered and went out to a mexican restaurant for lunch. I was starving and ate A LOT!! It was yummy!! Then we came home and while I was exhausted I had not time for a nap b/c I had to make cookies for a post mini party I was going to. Clark left. Jenny picked me up and we went to Shane and Jayda's house for a post mini party. Since this blog is never ending and I really need to go pick up my children I will just say we had a FABULOUS time at the party. I laugh so hard around this group of people. Even though I don't work at Hendrick's, I feel like I am part of the family (I guess by marriage I am). They are my running friends, and I absolutely adore them ALL!!!