At least I'm consistent!
.. and not just to the minute either. I ran the same time for this half marathon as I did for my last one, to the second! 2 hours 14 mins and 20 secs.Things got off to a slightly dodgy start when Garth decided he didn't want to play and locked up. Jen was going to give me hers which was extremely generous of her but fortunately Minersrun was there to give Garth a good talking too and managed to re-set it. Thanks Miners.
So after standing around waiting for people to register and then doing our warm up, we headed to the start line. More standing around and it wasn't really the weather for standing around as it was wet and windy. It didn't bother me particularly(I'm English after all) but it was getting a bit chilly.
Finally, after some instructions we were off. I self seeded myself at the back of the pack and so pottered along. Jen was running just in front with the Owl and Caro but kindly came and ran with me until the turn around for the 9km race. We ran fairly consistent kms and I was feeling pretty good.
I waved Jen off (she went on to run a 9km pb) and a couple of kms later was where the trouble started. My left calf, which had a twinge on Tuesday after the track session, decided to rear it's head. Not too bad but just letting me know it wasn't happy. I figured as long as it didn't get any worse I could live with it.
I caught up with The Owl and Caro and we hit the turnaround. I got to half way at 1 hr and 3 mins which was a little ahead of my target. However, my target was clearly a bit ambitious as at about 12 kms things started to go pear shaped. Caro had headed off and then The Owl started to pull away from me. It was probably at this stage that I realised that not only did I have a sore left calf but now I had cramp in my right foot as well. I have never had cramp when I've been running before and I can't say I enjoyed the experience very much.
Now I was really struggling and it didn't seem to matter how hard I tried to move my legs quicker, they just refused or the cramps came back. My splits tell the story as I went from comfortably running at about 6.10-6.15 pace to a nasty 6.54 min km for km 13. I did have a short walk break in this km to drink some Endura and have a couple of Glucogel jelly beans and they perked me up a bit.
After that I just focussed on at least keeping moving and trying to keep the pace up, despite the voice in my head telling me that I should walk the rest. The little hill at about 18km actually perked me up as I tried to attack the hill but the left calf seriously complained when I tried to use the downhill to gain some momentum.
I was really relieved to see Mr lulu who had come back to do the last km with me and I realised how slowly I was running when he started running alongside me... he looked like he was only just breaking into a jog.
Under the bridge where we started and The Owl came to cheer me in the last few hundred metres and the rest of the girls were there to cheer me in. I tried to put in a bit of a surge to the finish line and there it was, the exact same time as last time.
Splits were: 6.09, 6.13, 6.09, 6.12, 6.11, 6.09, 6.10, 6.05, 6.14, 6.11, 6.13, 6.19, 6.53, 6.36, 6.33, 6.38, 6.44, 7.00, 6.47, 6.47, 6.01 (900ms). So, although the time was the same it's probably a little bit slower as the course is 200ms short according to Garth and most other people's GPS say the same. I'm going to ignore that for now though! I also conveniently ignore the fact that this is a much flatter course.
I'm a bit disappointed, as I could swear I'm fitter and lighter than when I did my last half but obviously lack the necessary endurance. I'm hoping the calf is not seriously injured and I have to have more time off. I'm sure Easy Tiger will enjoy punishing it for its disobedience tomorrow!
A big congratulations to my running buddies who left me in their wake. Caro, The Owl and Ellie all had fantastic runs and big PBs. Plus there were lots of other PBers from the SWEAT squad too.
And Mr lulu had a brilliant run finishing in 86.50 which is not a PB (which is somewhere around 85 mins) but it's the first time since I've known him (8 years) that he's finished in under 90 mins. It's great to see him running well again after last year's calf tear.
One thing I did achieve today was hitting the 1000km mark for the year, so that's something else to celebrate.
posted by Lulu @ 2:59 PM
19 Comments:
Don't be too disappointed Lulu, it didn't sound like ideal conditions today. Also having a few leg issues along the way and still equalling your time shows that you have the potential to better that time it just wasn't the day for it today.
I hope the calf is nothing and congrats on the 1000k for the year.
Congrats to Mr Lulu aswell that is a great time :)
as i mentioned on my blog - i think you are amazing! you are one strong lady and I think that given the circumstances (no racing of late, the calf, the cramp, the travelling) that you did an absolutely unreal job. You still have a ways to go to catch Mr Lulu... but I think maybe next year? :)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
You are not only consistent but gorgeous, talented & wise :-))
Thank you for keeping me company for the first half of my run!
I'm sure your calf will enjoy & respond to the Tiger's TLC. Tell Mr Lulu that he has to take good care of you tonight - me thinks a glass of vino might be in order ;-)
Hugs
Jx
That is amazing lulu to do the exact same twice - I think that is an achievement all of its own - it proves it really is your personal best :-)
You will slay it next time though.
So sorry I couldn't be there today - the legs were fine after yesterday but other circumstances intervened.
Good on you for toughing it out mate - all Jens comments are true.
Congrats to Mr lulu too ;-)
Fantastic to see you again lulu - and I'm glad I was able to help out with something on the day, even if I couldn't do much for your recalcitrant calf. Great result for you considering the calf playing up, and the bleak conditions.
Can't wait to see you and Steve again soon. Might just take you up on that offer for the great cirque de sydney :)
Huge congrats Lulu! So, what do we call that, an EB :-)
You're a machine. Well done on the equal PB. Loved that attack on the 18 km hill.
Congratulations to Steve too.
Congratulations on the HM and the 1000k :-)
Nice one Lulu. Nothing wrong with an EB !
Well done to Mr Lulu as well. :)
Well done Lulu on your EB. I think you should get credit for swimming through the puddles as well ;)
Yes Lulu
I wouldn't take this the wrong way. I mean you are obviously fitter than last time but it may take another race or two before it shows in actual time.
Well done and keep at it. Rest up a bit before next time.
'Consistent' gives the promise of improvement to come Lulu.
If only the calf hadn't escaped the paddock... Try Virbamax - that works for me ;)
Great effort Lulu considering what you have had to endure to get to where you are. Stick at it and the results will come. Great run by Steve as well. He was flying!
You did a great job going on despite the pain! Bet you enjoy the race close to friends and lots of people, so don't think at all about dissapointment!
Hope the calf doesn't agravate longer.
Will some of you post some photos?
Great run Lulu given everything conspiring against. You were more consistent than me...I was 5 seconds off matching my time ;) Congrats to WTR on the PB. Nice to see you both again.
I think your troublesome calf had a lot to do with you not being able to run faster despite being fitter and lighter. Imagine what you could have done if the calf hadn't played up. So well done *pat on the back* and hopefully Easy Tiger sorts out that blasted calf for you!
And well done to Mr Lulu for goig under 90mins - amazing!
Lulu, don't mistake an injury for lack of endurance. You're much fitter than you were, and were it not for the playful calf, you would have been storming home. Don't worry. The calf will be tethered (eventually) and the Lulu will run free :-)
Gnome
You are a running machine!
You've had a great year, Lulu...congratulate yourself on all that you've achieved.
I hope you & Mr Lulu have a very happy Christmas.
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