Race Recap and Pacers

34 Comments

Well first you, my blogging bffs are the greatest.  Everyone was so  supportive of me on the tweeting, blogging, texting, bffing end (perhaps you knew I was having a little bit of a panic attack!).

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I don’t find long race recaps (with a few exceptions) to be that exciting.  Mine are always short and sweet and give you a general feel instead of being so indepth.  I lack the memory of an elephant so god knows I can’t remember all the details either.  But besides if you feel great one mile but feel vom.com the next and then someone cut you off mile 3…blah blah blah at least you finished and I’m super happy for you.  Not all races will be your best or you favorite that is why you have one of each.

Another pet peeve of mine is people that complain about  particular road races because of hills, rain, snow, the course or ect.  Unless you are forced to run the race because  if you don’t run your great grandma will be sacrificed please don’t complain because you signed up for it.

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Anywho with that being said.  That giant hill in the middle of the race was awful but I made it through and for that I’m happy.

Here Is that whole hill breakdown thing incase you wondered or didn’t see my twitter: 

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I wanted to talk a little bit about pacers.  I had never run with a pacer ever before.  I mean they had them in a few races I had been too but I had always done by own thing.

My ultimate goal is to run a half marathon in sub 1:35.  That may happen next half, that may happen 2 years from now but that is what I want to do.  Of course, they had a pacer for 1:30, 1:40, 1:45, 1:50 and up by five minute increments.  Did they have 1:35?  No.

I didn’t mind too much though because I negative split my races anyways so I thought it wouldn’t be a problem.  I thought the pacer for 1:40,  would start out at a 8:00 mile pace or so and work our way down to below 7:37  to compensate.  Oh no, we just went all willy nilly at a below 7:30 pace on the first mile.

That is not the way this girls rolls.


I thought I was going to have a heart attack at mile 2.  I kept wondering to myself why is he going so fast, this is going to put us well below a 1:40 half marathon.

Then mile 7 came and enter Highland Park. Highland Park-I’ll let you do the math.  I was the only one who kept with my pacer bestie up the hill so we kind of bonded for a while.  I told him I wasn’t going to be happy with myself at 1:40

My exact words to him were were “We can be ten mile besties but we have to break up after that”.   I don’t talk much through races (actually unless I’m not “racing” I don’t talk at all.  But the pacer asked me about my previous running and I told him essentially my whole running life story in 1 mile and then told him I’d be breaking up with him at 10 miles and he would have to find a new bestie.

He told me he I was the most interesting person he has paced with.

I um seem to get that a lot.  I think I have a future in being a pacer. 

All in all, I enjoyed my time running with a pacer but it made me really realize that no one runs the exact same way.  Obviously, I already knew that but some people go for the method of taking it out strong then dying, negative splitting each mile, or just an even split.  I’m personally a negative splitter but I got out of my comfort zone at the race which was what I needed.

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Here are some important fun times:

I like to be bundled before races.
After the race I had my first serving of sunflower butter on a bagel. It needed to be documented.


Katelyn and I with the infamous New Balance Shoe.
And finally I needed to get my recovery of champions froyo.
Oh yes and my BFF Justin went a 1:26 and was super pumped.

So my enjoyment of the race was from the crowd, the actual race course and running (and froyo) makes me happy.

My not so enjoyment is now I need new running shoes (RIP Baby Newtons) and my glutes are sore from hill climbs.

Worth it?

Always.

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Question for you:

  1. 1.       Ever ran with a pacer?
  2. 2.       Favorite race? 

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Published by Hollie

Posts are written and maintained by Hollie. I'm just runner who is blogging her way through internet life. If you see me in the real world, you might be dreaming. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to email me at fueledbyLOLZ@gmail.com

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34 Comments

  1. LOVE that you and the pacer became BFF’s!! And it’s TOTALLY on my bucket list to be a pacer someday!! JOIN ME WON’T YOU?!?! Although I’d be the 7 hour marathon pacer and you’d be the 2.30 but whatevs 😛

    CONGRATS AGAIN you speeeedy gal!! 😀

  2. That’s a crazy hill! 😮 And wow youre at such a low elevation… Haha we’re at 4000 feet. I wonder if it feels different running in a (much much!) lower elevation. My favorite race is the 8k I did just the other day 🙂 But the Doggie Dash was really fun too. 😉

  3. AWESOME girl! Anyone who can run 13.1 miles is a supaaah star in my book! Sounds like you killed it! And I love all that bagel lovin’ at the end…that would totally be me after 13.1 miles!

  4. I tried having my friend, who is also currently serving as my free coach, pace me (on his insistence) during my last 5K and didn’t like the experience at all (race report, long (sorry), with lots of discussion about my mental torment re trying to run faster:

    http://runtosmile.wordpress.com/2011/04/30/somewhat-obligatory-first-5k-race-report-with-pics/

    Major kudos trying to run that zippy in a half-marathon–plus love the attitude of your blog!! So happy I stumbled upon it searching through tags. 🙂

  6. I have not run with a pace group but I plan to for my marathon in June.

    I laughed about the “don’t complain about the hills, weather, etc” — so true. Although I will always complain about the 1/2 I did last July where they ran out of water and gatorade at the first 3 aid stations!!! It was horrible.

  7. hahaha love the infamous new balance shoe! ok, I totally agree with that pacer that you probably are the most interesting person like EVVA’! seriously I read and re-read your posts all day everyday, i love ’em! 🙂 secondly, you are totally too cute prerace with your sweats and gloves..oh and the hillyness of that course looks so much like the cincy marathon (which was also yesterday) that I thought for a split SECOND you ran that. woahhh! last thing is that sunflower seed is totally BOMB isn’t it?!! I’ve totally found my new love.

  9. I said it before, but just running that hill – much less in the middle of a freaking half marathon – makes you a badass in my book.

    In pool swimming races, I like to turn other people into my pacers by staying behind them in the first half and then decimating them in the second half. It’s how I roll.

  10. Way to rock those hills! I wanna hire you as my pacer/entertainment for a future half. My favorite race was a marathon relay I’ve done 5 or so years because there’s always tons of spectators, bands, and a huge post race event. I’d love to do the Disney marathon at some point.

  11. I think you did amazing! You were like a few minutes off of a 1:35, but come on. You killed it.

    Running with a pacer sounds interesting. I would like to that. At least you always have someone by your side.

    I haven’t done many races that weren’t school related so I don’t have a favorite yet. (: I will soon.

  12. hahahaha.. you’re too funny! i’m sure your pacer BFF was heart broken that you had to break up with him 😉 you still did sooo great either way girl, you’ll defs PR sometime soon!

    i’ve never ran with a pacer but that’s because i’ve never ran a race since i was in 6th grade.. which probs also answers my race question! i suppose you could count the 5k i did last fall but i only walked it because i had foot surgery right before.. but it was for breast cancer so it was for a good cause nevertheless!

  13. I’ve never ran with a pacer but I may during my first marathon?? Who knows! I run much slower than you and I’m okay with it…I’m trying to actually enjoy running. I found out making myself want to throw up makes me not like running so much…lol, so I run slow:) My favorite race was the 26.2 with Donna in Jacksonville, Fl. I did the marathon relay and it was really fun!

  14. My exact words to him were were “We can be ten mile besties but we have to break up after that”. –> that made me laugh so hard!!!
    You are so tan and tall… jealous. Be a model.. NOW 🙂

  17. I’ve never run with a pacer, but then again I’ve never run any race that requires a pacer! My coach has paced me for workouts though, which is convenient because he always hits perfect splits when I would overdo it.
    I actually think being a pacer would be a really cool job. They probably don’t get paid much if at all, but I just love the racing atmosphere so it would be cool to be around that and call it work!

  18. I’m so proud of you!!! Do you plan on doing another one anytime soon?
    I have had a pacer for a couple of my races, but I choose them…ha…I pick someone and work off of their effort in an attempt to push myself. I have also been a pacer for a 15k and half-marathon. I thought it was fun to play coach for a bit.
    My favorite race would have to be a 10k that I did in the summer last year. It was my first one ever and I came in third overall for women…coming in just behind the head xc coach at Northwestern…that was pretty sweet!

  20. no 1:35 group? that is weird. I think they need to go by 5’s. You and katelyn did awesome. congrats!

  21. I think using “bestie” in public is why he found you “interesting” lol! Way to go Hollie, you’re a champ!
    And you’re right, people shouldn’t complain about races having hills! Would they prefer it was totally downhill? For every up, theres a down, and not all race courses are PR courses. It’s a race, its supposed to be tough!

    Thoughts on sunflower butter? I think I might have had it once… but I’ll stick with nut butters.

    And 3 hours on the arc trainer everyday, but I’m still faster- someone should reevaluate his training

    1. P.s. NOT trying to seem like a dick on that last part of my comment!

  22. You are too funny.
    I hope I can be as fast as you someday. What is your secret? Tell me! Tell me!!!

  23. You are awesome girl! That hill does look INTENSE! 🙂 I have never tried to run with a pacer before, but I have thought about it! I might try down the road, but so far I like running at my own pace!

  24. That sounds like an awesome race congrats! and good for you on going out of your comfort zone in race strategy! I’ve always been a negative splitter too I like to be able to finish hard rather than straight die.

    I’ve never run with a pacer but the half I did in the fall I ran with some people that were faster than me so they kinda pacers in an unofficial way?

  26. yeeaaah girl! gosh, I’m looking forward to runs togeths. I’ve never run with a pacer before, either. I’m so intrigued.

  27. Sunflower nut butter is EPIC I love it! It was so worth documenting 😀
    Hey and a big kudos to you on the compliment from pacer dude! I don’t think I could ever be a pacer, I’m always so ADD with my running haha

  29. Wowza that hill is brutal! I ran one half and I absolutely loved it! I want to sign up for one this summer in Chicago. And I totally second you on the complaining thing, I couldn’t have said it better myself!

  30. I’m not a runner but I think it’s so cool that you ran with a pacer. And I still haven’t tried sunflower butter 🙁

  31. I have never run with a pacer. I completely agree that everyone runs differently . thats why I liek to run by myself.
    Awesome job on the half!!

  32. Congrats!!! You are too funny! Break up at mile 10, you are too sweet! 🙂 That is a crazy hill! I hear ya on the complaining about the course and conditions and I will try to not post like that about races because you make a very good point. I’m so glad you had a grear time!

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