Race Report: Big Sur 1/2 Marathon November 9, 2008

PR baby!!

2:17:37

Thank God. I feel like my last few races haven't gone so well. It is certainly not that I am all about speed, but it is nice to have a run that just comes together.

The run is called the Big Sur Half Marathon at Monterey Bay because it is NOT at Big Sur, it is in Monterey. It is put on by the same people as the Big Sur International Marathon, so they keep the name. This is very irritating to most people. Me, meh, I don't care. But I felt like I should explain.

My Run Buddy decided to not do the race, but still offered to come with me for moral support so that was cool.

I don't know why I always look like I am wired on crack in these pictures.

We got there at 5:45 for packet pick up and the race started at 7:05. It was cool (not fucking, FREEZING like Bizz Johnson) and lightly raining (not POURING like Stinson Beach) I actually got perfect running weather. Maybe the curse has been lifted.

It was a much bigger race than I expected. The news reported 6,000 runners. It was really crowed for the whole race I was dodging people at Mile 13. That NEVER happens to me. At my speed, I practically get a private finish. I spent so much time dodging people that my Garmin read 13.37 miles at the finish. My pictures are pretty awful because I didn't slow down to take them.

Of course, the lack of blur in my pictures taken at full running speed DOES harm my self esteem a bit.

A very boring shot of running through downtown Monterey

For the first 3 miles I felt like crap. My legs felt heavy and I was thinking it was going to be a long morning. Then around Mile 4 I got a burst of energy. and I started to feel pretty great. At Mile 6 I started to feel super human (Look there are nines!!)

Map

Elevation (ft)

Pace (min/mile)

Splits

Mile	Pace (min/mile)		Speed (mph)		Elevation Gain
	actual	+/- avg	actual	+/- avg
1	11' 34	+1' 15	5.2	-0.6	+10 ft
2	11' 01	+0' 42	5.4	-0.4	0 ft
3	10' 13	-0' 06	5.9	+0.1	+10 ft
4	11' 16	+0' 57	5.3	-0.5	+3 ft
5	10' 44	+0' 25	5.6	-0.2	+42 ft
6	9' 52	-0' 27	6.1	+0.3	-56 ft
7	9' 52	-0' 27	6.1	+0.3	-13 ft
8	9' 53	-0' 26	6.1	+0.3	+26 ft
9	9' 50	-0' 29	6.1	+0.3	-7 ft
10	10' 01	-0' 18	6.0	+0.2	-17 ft
11	10' 14	-0' 05	5.9	+0.0	0 ft
12	10' 25	+0' 06	5.8	-0.1	+13 ft
13	10' 11	-0' 08	5.9	+0.1	0 ft
end	01' 22' 11	+01' 11' 52	0.7	-5.1	-7 ft
Versus average of 10' 19 min/mile

We got to run through the tunnel which was fun, except it was still when I felt like shit at that point, so I was cranky about all the yelling. Boo.

Heading into the tunnel




Running down Cannery Row (a bunch of old fish canneries turned into tacky
tourist shops. I just don't see the draw)


Sammy the Sea Otter, the mascot from the Monterey Bay Aquarium, came out to cheer on runners. Now THIS is something you MUST see if you come to California. The aquarium is amazing. Simply amazing.

At Mile 6 we turned down to the water's edge and the views were stormy, but beautiful.

My pictures do not do it justice.

I felt like I was working pretty hard, but when the Mile 8 guy called out the splits I did some quick calculations and decided a PR was not in the cards today.

An all female Taiko Japanese Drumming group at Mile 9


Last beautiful view at Mile 10.

At about Mile 11.5 I regained the ability to do math and realized that I could get a PR on this race. I kicked it up a notch (well, as much of a notch as I could muster) and brought it home. I was passing people left and right (that NEVER happens to me) it may be because I was breathing so hard they thought a freight train was bearing down on them so they were diving out of the way.

I was thrilled to see that I finished in 2:17:37 almost a 2 minute PR over the Santa Cruz half marathon in April.

At Denny's for a celebratory breakfast. Again with the crack eyes?

By the way, that last picture was taken with my new PINK blackberry! I have had a crappy couple of weeks, so I did me some retail therapy!