Pecos Valley Stampede Half Marathon Report

So,  today I went ahead with the already scheduled half marathon in the land of the UFOs...Roswell, NM. Even though I had not run for most of the week due to my nasty cold I want to join Half Fanatics so bad that I figured I'd walk the course if I had to! Thankfully that wasn't necessary. :)

The morning for me started out at 3am when I got up after only 3½ hours sleep...I'm showing a trend here for lack of sleep before races! Took my shower to wake up, taped up my knees with KT Tape and my both my feet (turf toe) with regular athletic tape. A quick breakfast of a whole wheat English muffin with 1 Tbsp of super chunk peanut butter and some lemonade started my carb load for the morning. We were on the road for the just over 1½ hour drive to Roswell by 5:05am...wow, pretty much on time!

We arrived in Roswell around 6:50am and since we had some extra time, since packet pick up didn't start until 7:15am, I stopped to get gas, my post run chocolate milk and to use the restroom because I was thinking that there would only be porta-toilets which I hate to use...especially when it's cold. When we got to Cahoon Park, where the race started and finished, I got out of the car and immediately jumped back in because it was so cold. We waited a few more minutes and at 7:15am we headed in to check in and get out bibs and shirts. It was cold! It really felt colder than the 30-something degrees that was forecasted. After checking in I just sat in the car until about 7:50am at which point I braved the cold and started walking around to warm up. I saw some of the other folks that had come down from Clovis and chit chatted until everyone started heading to the starting line. Thankfully it had started warming up, especially in the sun, so I wasn't quite as cold although I would have loved to have remembered my gloves because my hands are always cold when I run.

When the starting gun fired I was already in the back of the pack...my only goal was to actually finish the race even if I was the last one in. There were a bunch of cadets from the NM Military Institute who were either running or hiking the route as part of training for the Bataan Memorial Death March late next month. The first three miles...as usual...were my worst. I don't know why but it usually takes me the first 3 miles or so to find my rhythm. During that time it was me and an older gentleman bringing up the rear of the runners, there were several cadets hiking the course in back of us. I swear, I don't think he wanted to be passed because if I did get ahead of him he'd move to the left and at least get next to me or slightly ahead of me. lol. Anyway, by the 5K mark I had moved pretty well ahead of him so I was no longer the last runner! Also by this time I was running more than walking so everything was good.

Now, around this time I started to get hot and sweaty so I decided to take of my long sleeved tech shirt that I had over my running dress. It was then that I noticed that my running dress had hiked up to my waist!! Thank goodness I was wearing shorts underneath! :-o I got everything settled while running/walking and arranged the way it needed to be and went about my way. I wasn't tracking how fast I was going, I just kept at a comfortable pace that I referred to as my "sightseeing" pace. I think it was around mile 5 that I started seeing the Clovis group go by me one by one. In the group that was there I was the slowest one running the half marathon. We high fived as we passed each other and I just kept trotting on my way.

At the finish line.

I finally got to the turnaround, halfway point and headed back towards town. The first mile wasn't too bad and then I hit the wind head on. Now, I truly hate running into the wind...I can handle it from the side and I love it at my back, but a headwind sucks. I ended up probably walking much more of the next few miles that I should have. I should have just pushed through the wind, but since I was only in it to finish I wasn't too worried about my time. The final turn back into town was at the original 5K point. I tried to get myself to run more, but I was definitely starting to hit the wall. The Clif Shot Bloks that I had eaten for energy weren't sitting well so I stopped all intake to keep from hurling. I did about a 60/40 run walk for the next couple of miles until I hit the limits of the park. At that point I started to run a little more and did my best to push through the last mile which usually whoops my butt and where I just end up walking to the finish line, but not today. As I come jogging up to the finish I hear my name being called, there's like 4 cameras pointed at me and it's the Clovis folks cheering me on! :D It's the first time that I've had people I know at the finish line instead of only the husband. It was pretty cool!! :D

The race was over, I finished in an upright position and I set a new PR by what I think is about 8-10 minutes without even trying!! Not bad for being sick for the last week or so. It will be about a week before final results are in so I won't know for sure until then. I went to the car got my chocolate milk, walked back down to the awards area where they were just getting started handing out the awards. Over and over names from our little group of 9 were being called. Our members ended up walking away with 2 of the top 3 overall women's finishers and 4 age group award winners. Not bad!!

The Clovis Nine!

So, that's 2 half marathons down towards my Half Fanatics membership goal. One more to go and I meet minimum requirements to join! I'm actually going to see how I feel this week, if things seem to improve I may drive to Wichita Falls and run the new Xpress HM that they'll have next Saturday...if not, I have a half scheduled and paid for in Midland, TX at the end of the month. Woohoo!! Can't wait!

What I Ate Today:

• 1 whole wheat English muffin
• 1 Tbsp super crunchy peanut butter
• 16 oz pink lemonade
• 8 oz water
• 8 oz chocolate milk
• 1 banana
• 5oz smoked sausage with sauteed onion and green pepper
• 1½ cups white rice