The night before any big race you want to fill up on carbs, pasta being the best. So my friend who was running the half with me (She came from non-humid California for the race!) and I went out for dinner at a pasta place. While we were waiting to be seated, a veteran Nashville Rock n Rock marathon runner was talking to a newbie, telling her what to expect. She said, "I got an email saying that they took the last hill out of the race because so many people complained about it." I thought "I wish they wouldn't have done that because a big hill at the end gives me just the boost I need to finish strong. I listened as the veteran runner told the newbie more information and they talked about the heat advisory that was predicted for the run. Since I have now lived in the South for a few years the humidity and heat didn't worry me. I knew it wouldn't be fun but I wasn't going to lose sleep over it, especially because I thought they were over-hyping it.
Fast forward to race day. We woke up at 4:20am, ready to catch the shuttle to the race. We got there with plenty of time to spare and took in the sights. There was a heavy cloud cover and I told Amber that the clouds were moving fast, meaning it was going to warm up fast. Unfortunately, the race organizers were anything but organized. The start of the race was done in waves so by the time it got to my "corral" number I was starting 30 minutes past the official start time, meaning I was already starting in the heat. You wouldn't think it'd be hot at 7:15am but you'd be wrong if you lived in the South. As soon as the race started we descended a large hill....only to run up another one. Pretty soon I figured out the pattern...down one hill, up another one, down one hill, up another one. I ran the first 4 hills, determined to run as long as I could physically manage. But by Hill 5 I was tired of running up the hills. I decided that, since I hadn't trained properly, I'd use the hills as my walk time and would make up my pace time on the descents or the flat part of the course. However, soon the heat took over. I was watching people collapse on the race course. I was having to move over to the side of the course while stretchers were brought in to aid runners who were dehydrated or suffering from heat exhaustion. I decided to play it safe and walk from Mile 8 on because I wanted to finish the half marathon on my own two feet, not being taken to the medical tent. At some point, the event staff ran out of water so they used hoses from residents' front yards to fill up water cups and spray runners down, in hopes of cooling us off. Some good Samaritans held out orange slices and ice cubes to runners to help. By the 12th mile I was ready to be done. The heat was starting to get to me and I wasn't enjoying the run. But, like I said in a previous blog, I wasn't going to give up. So I pushed through and RAN across the finish line. Going into the race, I had wanted to finish in 2 hours, 45 mins since I hadn't trained. By the time I got to the 10 mile mark I didn't care what my time was as long as I finished on my own two feet. I was shocked when I got the race results and found out my finishing time was 2 hours, 47 minutes! I was thrilled to finish in such a "good" time given the circumstances.
I sat at the finish line, waiting for my friend, watching DOZENS of people being attended to by medics. Some barely stumbled across the finish line before needing assistance. Some didn't even finish. Some passed out while walking to the post race food/water tents. I worried that my friend wasn't going to make it because she was complaining about the humidity before the race had even started. Thankfully she finished. Like me, it wasn't a PR race for her but we both finished on our own two feet! The race officials ended up calling the race because of the heat. Some people, who had trained, were disappointed that they weren't given the chance to complete their half (or full) marathon. I personally was thankful they called it after seeing so many people suffer from heat exhaustion or dehydration.
The Nashville Rock n Roll Half Marathon was beautiful but not a race I'll do again. While I was running I thought back to what the veteran runner had told the newbie at the restaurant the night before. They had taken the hill out at the end of the race but they hadn't taken the 500 other hills out. I have no desire to run 13.1 miles on hills again. I also have no desire to drink from a hose water while running 13.1 miles. Don't get me wrong. I'm not above it and I used to love drinking hose water as a kid. But when you're running that far, in that kind of heat, hose water isn't refreshing. I wanted the water to be cool and to taste good. A small thing to ask for but maybe I'm being too picky.
Here are other things running 13.1 miles taught me that day:
* Porta potties at a race are important. Having a multitude of them on the race course is even more important.
* Post race snacks are important to refuel the body. I get why beer is important post race but some people don't like beer so give more option than just water and Gatorade. We had enough of that during the race. Also, plenty of fruit and less cookies is probably a good ideas as well (Who knew I'd ever promote fresh fruit over cookies??).
* Breathe, an essential oil, is essential for me. I remembered when I was already on my way to TN that I had left mine at home. I tried to buy a bottle of it at the Expo but they had sold out. Breathe helps me, well, breathe. I was so congested during the course because I didn't have it.
* If you're going to make a big deal about the temps being close to record high then make sure there are enough provisions to aid runners. They said there would be salt packets along the way but I only saw one...at Mile 12.5. Water stations ran out of water and didn't even turn on the hose at those stations.
* Spectators are awesome...until they're not. People were holding up great signs, encouraging us from Mile 1. My favorite was "Run like Summer break is at the finish line!". If I hadn't been pacing myself at that point I would've stopped to take a picture. Some spectators set up buffet tables and were eating what looked to be good food as we ran by. Yes, they cheered for us but that meant nothing while I watched them stuff their face (I had eaten a banana and bagel at 4:15am so by 9am and 10 miles into the race I was a tad hungry).
*Walkers need to stay to the right side of the course. At the start of the race, when I cared about my finish time, I felt like I was playing human Pinball because I was having to weave around walkers less than a mile into the course. It wasn't fun.
* The running community rocks. People were yelling out words of encouragement along the way when most people stopped to walk, to catch their breath. They kept me going and I am thankful since this was the first race I ran without my boys cheering me on.
It wasn't all bad. The course was beautiful (At the top of the hills there was a lot to look at). It was fun running down Music Row, knowing famous musicians often strolled the streets while taking a break from recording their album. There was a Baptist church that opened its doors to runners before the race, offering clean bathrooms and a place to stretch (or relax) beforehand. And overall, the weekend rocked. I had so much fun with my friend! From starting out sightseeing in Memphis to The Band Perry concert to walking Broadway to watching Amber get excited about Cracker Barrel breakfasts to riding a river boat through Opryland to touring the Country Music Hall of Fame we had a blast. I can't wait to go back to Nashville....just not for another half marathon.
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