Philadelphia half marathon was not a goal race for me. While I know I am currently in PRing shape, it wasn’t the race for that. I felt tired throughout the week, and I never felt physically motivated to run either.
I have a post about the race as well as biting off more than you can chew on a big race week.
To training: The week itself was a solid training and taper week.
| Monday: | 9 miles easy |
| Tuesday: | 5X3 mins hard |
| Wednesday: | 8 miles easy |
| Thursday: | 7 miles easy |
| Friday: | 30 mins easy |
| Saturday: | Philly Half (1:27.44) |
| Sunday: | 6 miles easy |
| Total: | 53.5 |
Tuesdays Workout:
5X3 minutes hard (6:23 pace)
This workout went well. The goal was to run at half marathon goal pace. Running the workout felt moderate but not difficult. I finished feeling confident that Philly half might be a PR race for me(My PR Carlsbad was 1:22.57).
As the week progressed, I fell into a funk. I can’t pinpoint why but I wasn’t excited to run the race. I went from “YES half marathon” to please get me through this week.
My legs started to feel heavy during each run. On Friday, I knew the race wasn’t going to be a PR. It wasn’t going to be a miracle race.
Philadelphia Half:
As most people that follow me on twitter know, when I went through security on Saturday morning, they confiscated my Gatorade.
They gave me two options: to drink it on the spot or toss it. So 45 mins before the race, I was forced to toss my fluids. These are the same fluids I know have worked for me every single race. After that fiasco and being thirsty at the start of the race, I made it to the start line. At that point, I had mentally checked out of the race.
While I had a “gold seed,” bib with the elites, I chose to start with the first corral. I didn’t want to run alone and honestly while I had qualified for that spot, on Saturday I didn’t think I had that time in me. That was accurate, and I didn’t run below a 1:27.
During the race itself, I never felt good. My legs were physically tired; I was mentally tired and to be honest, I just wasn’t into the race. As a “running” blogger, not wanting to run a race is hard to admit, but it happens to everyone. When I finished, I felt as though I had run a workout, not raced a half.
Honestly, the course was harder than anticipated, and even if I felt amazing and perfect, I’m not sure I would have PRed. Some races don’t go as expected and that is what happened to me. I’m sad but I’m not devastated. I’m looking forward to recovering and enjoying Thanksgiving this week.
Questions for you:
Have you ever run a race that you just “didn’t have it”?
How was your week of workouts?
I had a similar run in April – I was running a local half marathon that I’d run the previous year but on the morning of the run, my heart just wasn’t in it. I didn’t feel well, I was tired, my training wasn’t as it should have been and that reflected in my time – I was slower than the previous year! It turned out I had tonsillitis and a chest infection so I forgave myself for running such a slow time but it’s frustrating when you want a PR but know it isn’t going to happen! Well done on your time though – you should be proud to run such an incredible pace on an ‘off’ day!
I appreciate your support my friend. It always stinks but it’s nice to put those races in the rearview mirror.
More and more races are like this for me (read, as you get older) – it’s horrible starting a race that months before you think you can do wellin , then as it approaches you just *know* … the key would be to say, hey, I’m just going to enjoy it, not race, but that rarely seems to happen 😉
It looks like you had a great week of workouts, Hollie. I have signed up for races before then woke up just not feeling it, and forced myself to do it because I paid. It’s a rough feeling.
In the end it is only one race of many, so even if you felt like you ran a workout, it still “counts”. Those are still miles in the bank and the run will help you when that magical race day does happen and you PR. You were able to run the race, and you finished injury free, and sometimes that is a win.
Yes I have. My last marathon. It was heartbreaking because I had trained do hard for it. I still am not entirely sure where I went wrong…that’s the frustrating part! Solid race though Hollie!
Loss of motivation is rough – I got it bad before my last race and it just makes the whole experience miserable. I hope you are back to your normal LOLZ-self soon.
Look at you go! Even though it wasn’t what you had planned, you still ran a perfectly respectable time and I have no doubt the next one will go better for you!
I think it takes a really strong and smart runner to acknowledge that some days it’s just not there and not beat yourself up over it.
Yesterday I ran a 5K in the pouring rain and my training has been blah since my marathon in October. Definitely did not feel like racing.
5ks in pouring rain can be tough. I hope you can get your motivation back Scott.
I definitely have races when I’m just not feeling it. And that’s hard to admit, I hear you on that one! But sometimes just making it through those days will get you on the path to better races!
I just read another recap about this race and how awful it was so you are definitely not alone! As for the “off” feeling, I have been struggling with it for weeks and desperately trying to get over the hump with two weeks of semi-rest. I hope we both recover and come back ready to ROCK!!!