Rock ‘n Roll Dallas Half Marathon Recap Part II

This is going up a few days later than I had planned, but I had an extremely bad week this week studying my ass off for a test that I ended up failing.  I don’t even want to think about it right now and I especially don’t want to think about the fact that it might tack an extra year on my post bacc if I fail the class.  Nope, not thinking about it at all…

So anyway…

Here’s my recap of race day!  If you missed part one of my recap you can see it here!

Race day!!

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I had gotten everything together the night before and it was all waiting at the door for me to drag my booty out of bed and get going.  I woke up with some GI issues (we’ll just leave it at that) and it certainly made my race pretty miserable.  Once I got to the race I took some back roads and would around the back way to fair park and didn’t hit a lick of traffic!!  This is a great race day tip by the way- find the back roads to get to the race and you won’t have to sit in race traffic!

My only complaint about the race was the shuttle situation to the starting line.  There was no information on how to catch a shuttle.  No signs.  Nothing.  So myself and a huge group of people were wandering around fair park trying to find the shuttles.  We couldn’t find anyone who actually knew where they were, they were all pointing us in different incorrect directions.  We wandered around for 30 mins trying to find these shuttles.  When we finally found someone who knew where they were they were a freaking half mile away!  Across all the parking lots (if you’ve ever been to fair park you know how gigantic it is) on the other side of the park!  WHAT?!  So we all take off running because it’s like 7:45 at this point and the race starts at 8.  As soon as we round the last corner and finally see the shuttles they tell us that they’re closing down the shuttles for the morning so we’re flat out sprinting and I am literally the last one that they let onto the shuttle.  Holy crap!  Seriously why couldn’t they start and end the race at fair park.  There’s more than enough parking and space.  I mean c’mon people the shuttle situation was ridiculous!!

We finally get to the starting line at 8:05 and the race had already started.  But I was in one of the last corrals so it was okay.  They had a countdown and a fresh start for each corral, so that was pretty cool!

So we get started.  The weather is lovely and I’m feeling pretty good despite the tummy troubles I was having.  I am making really good time for the first six miles and was loving that they had so many bands along the course.  At 10K I was on pace to do my half marathon at around 2:30.  Then around mile six all hell broke loose.  The course was straight uphill from miles six to about mile 9. 

Pure. Misery.

My stomach was hurting and my legs were hurting.  The hills were so steep that I eventually had to give up on trying to run the whole thing.  I started to do a walk/run and the course got a little easier after mile 9 but my legs were shot.  My 2:30 pace went to a 3:00 pace.  I didn’t really have much of a choice since my legs were done at that point and I made a new plan to just finish in under 3 hrs.  So I tried to just enjoy the bands along the course and the conversations of the people around me (most of them were doing the walk/run thing too).

The plan was to just finish!  And I did!!

I finished in 2:56:46 which is about 8 minutes faster than my last half marathon!

 

Exhausted face…

 

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Second half marathon.  Done!

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Rock ‘n Roll Dallas Half Marathon Recap Part I

Well, I did it!  I finished my second half marathon!  This past weekend I did the Rock ‘n Roll Dallas half and I survived!  I’m going to split my recap into two parts to make it easier to read.  And also because I have lots to say!

Part I is the Expo and Part II will be the actual race recap.

Expo Day

So I went to pick up my packet at the Dallas convention center and there also happened to be an auto show there the same day.  It was nutso!  Parking was almost impossible.  I couldn’t find any free parking so I ended up having to pay $10 for parking.  Blah. Hey Rock ‘n Roll, you should have your expo at fair park next time! (seriously)

Finally got my packet and race shirt and got to wander around the expo a bit.  It was a good expo- I got lots of free samples!

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Really Brooks?  So weird!

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I love when CLIF is at an expo- they put out SO many samples!  You can pretty much eat a meal at their booth!

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Race goodies!

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Hey look- it’s a race shirt that’s NOT WHITE! (YAY!!)

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I wandered around downtown for a few mins after the expo- I wanted to get my money’s worth since I had to pay for parking!  Even in the middle of the city we like to incorporate a little nature!

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And then off to my favorite food truck (Zombie’s Food Truck) for a little lunch!  They just happened to be about a mile away from downtown Dallas that day.  They’re usually in Fort Worth.  I eat there a LOT!  Like enough for the owner to know me by name and yell out “hey it’s Sarah Snacks!” as I walk up. Whoopsie… (Hey, you gotta support the small local businesses!  Especially veg ones!!)   Next time you’re in fort worth look them up!!

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Hey….

What’s a vegan zombie’s favorite thing to eat?

Graaaaaaaains!!!

Hahaha!

 

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I got the beer braised (vegan) brat (braised in local beer, Rahr out of Fort Worth to be exact!), topped with caramelized onions and two kinds of mustard on a whole wheat bollio roll!  Oh my goodness so good!!!

I’m going to do a whole review of the Zombie Food Truck eventually, but I want to try everything on the menu first! 

Then it was home to relax for the next day’s events!

Part II of the recap coming at you tomorrow!!

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Cowtown Marathon 10K

Hey there!  Time to update the race page!  Last weekend I did the Cowtown Marathon 10K.  I’ve previously done the 5K but this year I wanted to try the 10K.

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The day before the race I headed over to Will Rogers Memorial with Laura to pick up my race packet and peruse the expo. 

Before we headed over there we hit up the Fort Worth Food Park with her cousin Jennifer and chowed down on some Food Truck food!  I got the spicy asian flatbread from the Good Karma Kitchen Truck.  It’s my new favorite thing in the whole entire world.  I’m completely obsessed with it.  The Good Karma Truck is fantastic- I’ve tried their chili and their taco salad before and I’ve yet to have anything from them that wasn’t delish!

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And the ladies that own the truck are soooo sweet!!  They just gave us a lemon bar to try and it was FANTASTIC!!!  To die for.

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When hitting up the expo I was on a mission to test out a marathon stick.  I finally found the booth and I loved it!  I bought one and I have used it every day to work out my muscles and haven’t gotten sore once after working out even though I’ve been pushing myself really hard this week and would normally be incredibly sore.  Bottom line get one!  This little thing is life changing! (though I would recommend trying it out at an expo before you buy it because there are several different kinds)

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RACE DAY….

The weather was great- a little chilly, perfect for race day!  The 10K started at 7 am.  At first I thought that sucked but since it started so early I didn’t have to sit in one bit of traffic going into or out of the race.  I also got a primo parking spot right by the starting line.  Score!  After that I didn’t mind at all that it started early.

The course was great too.  It definitely wasn’t easy.  There were several pretty tough hills but I kept going and only walked through water stations(I cannot run and sip- I end up with water up my nose and hacking it out of my lungs any time I try).  It also helped that a chunk of the race was on the part of the Trinity Trails where I do my training!  Familiar territory= super awesome!

This was my second 10K and my time was much much improved!  My last 10K time was 1:24:52.  This race my time was 1:16:46!!! I took EIGHT MINUTES off of my previous 10K time!  WOW!!!  Eight. Minutes.

Happy camper face!

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Sweet finisher medal…

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Tired face crossing the finish line… (look at my Polar HRM on the outside of my sleeve- nerd alert!)

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Apparently I give photographers dirty looks (this is my “I do NOT plan on paying $40 for this picture so why bother” look) 

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Has anyone ever had a good picture taken of them at a race?  Just curious…

 

The only negative thing about this race was the post-race food.  It SUCKED.  This is what they gave us.

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I wish I was kidding about this. I didn’t even realize this was what was in the bag till I got out to my car.  Needless to say it went in the trash.  They were offering some kind of nasty fake yogurt too.  GROSS Cowtown- seriously?!?!?!

The last time I ran this race (I did the 5K) the post-race food was fantastic.  What in the world happened???

Anyway I had a blast running this 10K and I’ll definitely do it again next year.  Hopefully they’ll have better food!

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Uptown 5 Mile Race

Hey guys and gals!

Another race recap here!  Last weekend I ran the Uptown 5 Mile race in downtown Dallas.  Laura was originally going to run the 13.1 Dallas Half Marathon but she’s recovering from an injury and rebuilding her mileage so she offered me her bib for the 5 miler.  

The course went through uptown Dallas, along a bit of the Katy Trail, and through downtown Dallas.  I couldn’t have asked for a better day for a race.  The weather was absolutely perfect.  The scenery was amazing along the course and I had an amazing run!

The first 4 miles were pretty easy.  I just trotted along and enjoyed the scenery- and saw parts of Dallas that I hadn’t seen before.  Once I got to the Katy Trail I almost got run over by a roller blader (do people still roller blade??) who got pissed at me for being in his way.  Ummmm… okaaay.  I think the hardest part of the race was the last mile, which was completely UPHILL!  Gah, I do NOT understand why race planners do this!  It was torture!  My time ended up being 59: 37 which is pretty darn good for me!

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I also learned the significance of wearing proper socks during this race.  Look what happened! Sad smile 

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Ouch!  I do have proper running socks, but they weren’t clean so I just grabbed the first pair of socks I came across that morning when I was getting ready.  Big mistake, definitely learned a lesson!

Stina and Laura’s cousin Jennifer were there running the half marathon.  Total badasses!  I’m SO proud of those two!!!

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That’s one good looking group of ladies!

 

I do have some complaints about my race though… I have to say the 5 miler was quite obviously not important at all to the race planners.  The whole 5 mile race felt like a complete afterthought.  There were booths and entertainment set up for the half marathon portion but none of that was going on for the 5 miler.  I felt like they made it fairly obvious that the 5 mile race didn’t really matter all that much.  And the race was also longer than 5 miles.  I stopped my Garmin at 5.2 and I still wasn’t at the finish line.  I’d say the course was probably like 5.3-5.4?  I had a good run, but I would probably not do this race again.  I don’t think I’ve ever felt so insignificant in my life. I definitely don’t like feeling like that, so why should I give them my money in the future for it- know what I mean?

 

Anyhoo- Just about another month until my half marathon and I am SO freaking excited!  I had a glorious 8 mile run yesterday that left me super pumped me up for the race!

Later gators!

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Oktoberfest 5K

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This past weekend I ran the Oktoberfest 5K and got another PR!!  35:34!!  YAY!  I’m getting much faster- it’s so exciting!

This race was eventful in many different ways-

1. I got a speeding ticket on the way to the race (seriously I usually drive like a granny- the one time I speed I get a ticket. Bah!) which made me almost late for the race. 

2. I wasn’t able to find Laura and her cousin Jennifer and they had my bib for the race.  So I ran the race without a bib(hey I paid for the race, I wasn’t about to not run in it!).  The whole time I was terrified I was going to get in trouble for not having a race bib on and I don’t really think I ran as well as I could have.  Moral of the story- pick up your own race packet, you never know what might happen on the morning of a race!

3. I got to see my friend Laura run for the first time in 5 months!  She’s been injured and this race is literally the first time she’s been able to run in a very long time.  She looked so happy when Jennifer and I spotted her running up to the finish line.  I very seriously almost cried. (which basically IS crying for me cause I’m dead inside Winking smile ).  I’m so proud of her!!

4. Another PR!  Who AM I and how did I get so fast?!  My next goal is to get into the 34s!

5.  They ran out of water and snacks by the time I crossed the finish line but they had plenty of beer. (seriously?!)  So I rehydrated with a beer.  What? 

 

Lessons learned from this race

I did not take a single picture!  I have got to start taking pictures at races so I can be not lame for copying and pasting the logo from the race website into my blog post!

I’ve got to work on running hills more!  (which I’ve been doing this week- more in my post tomorrow about my 1/2 marathon training!) My calves were screaming at me by the end of the race.

Pacing.  I’m still not good at it.  I still have no ideas for this one!

I did better on the food thing before this race- I had half a bowl of cereal before I left the house and this worked so much better than what I have been eating, which was dry toast.  My problem is that I can’t handle eating much before a race- it sits like a rock in my stomach and gives me horrible stomach pain when I’m running.  But the toast wasn’t quite cutting it and I was getting hungry during my runs.  I think the cereal’s going to work for these shorter distances. 

 

Make sure you come back and check out my 1/2 marathon training recap tomorrow!

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