South Shore Half Marathon Race Report (2013)
First half marathon of the year! And! I got to run it with Rachel! Woo hoo!!!
Rachel and I signed up to do this race awhile ago. Then I kept forgetting I was running it! People were asking me if I was racing this weekend, and I kept saying no.* Then, “Oh yeah! I am doing a half marathon! Just not ‘racing’ it! I’m doing it for fun.”
Do you like to run races “for fun” or do you tend to focus more on running for personal records?
Rachel and I randomly ran the North Face Endurance Challenge 50K together in September. We had never met before then, but had a fantastic time running 31 miles together, and have both been itching to meet up again. And we finally had our chance – 13.1 miles together + lunch?! Yes, please!** What a treat to spend so much time with an awesome friend!
We both arrived early at South Shore Park in Milwaukee and luckily had time to chat with Jessica for awhile. Jessica moved to Milwaukee from California about a year and a half ago and is a newer blogger, training for her first marathon (Green Bay). Check out her blog and show her some love! This was my first time meeting her, and I loved getting to know her better! I hope we have a chance to meet up again.
Rachel, Jessica, me
As we were getting ready to visit the porta potties and ditch our jackets, we ran in to Riyanti! Time for another pic! <— yes, I am that annoying blogger.
Okay. On to the race. Rachel and I made loose plans to run 9:00 minute miles or “whatever felt good.” Ha! We hit the first mile in 9:36! We were not able to hit pace with the congestion on this (paved) trail race. I didn’t feel like we hit a good open pocket to run in until after the halfway point turnaround. And we were completely fine with that. We ended up averaging 9:24s, according to my watch. No idea what our “official” time is. Maybe I will see it later this week!
A few thoughts/notes on the race:
- I keep telling people this course is hilly. Hmm. Not really. I think I just wasn’t used to running hills when I first ran it in 2011. It’s not that bad.
- The course was paved, but there were some puddles. People were going WAY out of their way to go around the puddles (and causing some congestion on course). Rachel and I just ran through the puddles. I’d rather run quickly through a puddle than through the saturated grass! That is going to get your feet wetter!
- For a few miles a woman ran right behind us. It was in the second half, which was much windier, and she was probably using us to block the wind. Anyway, she got to hear us talk about our thoughts on having children, “interesting” vegans (that was me) and “interesting” family members (uh… I won’t say who that was). I bet that was an interesting conversation to listen to for a few miles. We lost her at the water stop.
- Speaking of water stops (there were three total), I didn’t bring water. I was impressed I remembered GUs. I was totally just treating this as a fun run and not worrying about anything. Including using Vaseline. Oops. There was a bit of chafing.
- I tend to run a step or two ahead of people. This is not very nice. I think I do it because I don’t want to fall back, but I need to be more conscious of this!
I had a really fun time running while chatting with Rachel. I felt great until the last mile, when I started to feel a bit fatigued and sore in my lower back.
And you cannot beat the value of this race – $13.99! You get bib with chip timing, a pair of gloves, and a schweet spread of Aldi treats at the end. We all know, I heart Aldi. <3 <3 <3
We ran in to Alyssa after we finished. Alyssa is a bad@$$ and made this half part of her 20 mile run! You guessed it – one more group pic:
The guy who took this picture ran the half marathon in 1:2x:something. He is running Boston. It’s his third year. I teased him for running a slow 4:00 marathon at Boston when it was so hot last year. Geesh. Impressive! You inspire me, random nice dude who took our pic!
After (me) harassing people to take our photos, Rachel, Jessica and I headed to Palomino Bar to eat, while Alyssa finished up a few more miles then met us there. I got a vegan skillet, which looks entirely unappetizing in the photos, so naturally, I must show it to you:
I promise. It was awesome. Tofu scramble and gravy on top of tater tots?! Yes, please!
We chatted for a long time at the restaurant until I realized how late it was and that I had to haul my butt back home and pretend to study (but really write blog posts, ha).
What a fun day with new and old friends! I can’t wait for another fun race next weekend!
*Because when someone asks me about “racing,” my mind thinks of going all out at a race, usually for a PR. I guess I think of “running” races, even though asking someone if they are “racing” could mean either!!! What do I expect people to say -“Are you participating in any running events this weekend?” Derrrrrrrrrrrp.
**AND! She will be in town next weekend for the Double Down! WOO HOO!
Themocracy
I wonder who an “uninteresting” vegan is?
I am not using the quotes to mean uninteresting. 😉
Sounds so FUN! And you know how I feel about RACING every event. Um no. In the “April of Running All the Races” I have already “raced” all the events I was planning on racing. The rest are totally for fun!
YAY! for Double Down!
I think that you are doing them for fun will take away the risk of it being a drag to race every weekend (not to be negative – it can just be draining if you are getting anxious and psyching yourself out for each event).
love how the race treats are a mile long table of the most random collection ever of potato chips…that’s my kind of post race meal!!! looks like you had a blast!
Sounds like such a fun time! I do have to admit that skillet does not look good at all! At least it tasted delish 🙂
Sounds like a fun race!!
I have decided I prefer smaller races without congestion, because then I get less irritated with people. Haha!
I think this race had you at Aldi 🙂 But it’s pretty amazing that you can just go into a half that you forgot about and still rock it.
Overall I run for fun, but I’m still pretty competitive with myself, so a PR is at least at the back of my mind.
I swear Alyssa mysteriously pops up at every single race…girl really is badass.
13.99 WHAT?? amazing!
Haha thanks Kelsey! I always pop up because I always randomly decide to run a race about 2 days before the actual race.
Unless I’m pacing someone else or it’s a super fun race, I prefer to stick to only doing races I can properly train for. I’m competitive with myself. I like to PR 🙂
I do some races for fun but I usually still push myself… unless I’m pacing someone like I’ve done with my mom before. I’m sure if I had more friends who ran I’d do more fun races and run with them.
That sounds like my kind of race. $13.99?! Freakin’ awesome.
A $14 half marathon?! I need to get in on this!
I can’t believe how cheap that race was. What a deal compared to the Shamrock. Can’t believe they had the budget for a post-race “treat table”, but I guess that’s thanks to shopping at Aldi! 🙂
Ahh it was so much fun. It may be one of my favorite ‘fun’ races to date. I can’t imagine trying to PR in that crowd! (Although Jessica rocked it!)And that poor woman behind us. She knows too much. Too much!
Besides the Aldi cookies I inhaled I even got a post race beer! At a $13.99 race! hah!
I am so happy we did it together! And it was the perfect meeting place for us! I’d like to do a race in Madison with you too. I need some Madison redemption (after a Madison Marathon attempt).
We need to track her down in race photos and tell her NOT TO EVER SAY A WORD TO ANYONE 😉
I can’t believe they had beer too! I mean, yeah, I saw you with it, I can’t believe how awesome it was!!!!
Did they have Aldi chocolate chip cookies? Mark eats them (160 cals per cookie) and I’ve taken a bite or two. Very indulgent for interesting non-vegans.
Congratulations on a great race! I so rarely do races because a) they are all Saturday a.m. when I teach BP; b) we don’t have many in the area besides the 5 bajillion 5Ks; and c) I tend to focus on one big event. Like running a 1:20 half so I can qualify to take your group picture.
Side note: I would pee in laughter/glee if I got a card like the one you described.
They didn’t! Are you talking about the soft ones that look like Matt’s brand (http://www.mattscookies.info/)? Steven really wants to try those!!!!
I never thought about your class conflicting with races. But if they are all lame-o 5Ks! ha ha ha. Oops, you didn’t say lame. Will class be canceled on May 4th?!
AHHH!!!! I should’ve gotten it. I hope the one I sent is shocking enough :/
It was nice to see you again! That race was a serious steal even at $20 for race day registration. I definitely learned my lesson about going through puddles vs. trying to go through the grass. I thought my toes were going to be freezing but they actually dried out and were fine.
I used to approach every race as a “race” but I really like doing them for fun or as part of a training run. I don’t have to worry about hitting a certain pace and can just enjoy the race atmosphere.
I didn’t think the course was too hilly although I would have really like to run behind someone and used them as a windblock.
It was nice to see you again too! Congrats again on getting your final 20 in! 🙂
I am like you – I like to do races for fun and enjoy them without the stress!
Whoooaaa $13.99?? That’s unreal!
I think if I’m going to run a race for fun I have to know that it’s just going to be for fun ahead of time. I’m running a 5K in a couple of weeks with a friend (her first 5K ever! I’m converting my non-running friends to the dark (bright?) side! Mwahaha!), and obviously my goal in that will NOT be to PR or kick booty — I’m there to support my friend! Otherwise I always try to give a race my best effort (which is definitely dependent upon the weather/distance/how I’m feeling…but I think my best effort is always my best effort, even if it doesn’t result in my best performance).
That is a good point – definitely give it your best effort if you can! But that doesn’t have to be a PR.
So exciting that you are running your friend’s first 5K with her!
FYI – This comment is just to not break my streak of commenting on all your posts. At least, I think I’ve commented on all your posts. Anyway, now I’m going to stop typing, look up, and ask you about the wind.
LOL!
$13.99! Whoa! Awesome! Looks like a great morning.
I always run as hard as I can in races unless I am pacing someone else and then I try to do whatever the prescribed pace is. I ran WAY too fast in the first 5K at Shamrock. In fact, it was faster than the best 5k I have done since 2005 or so. Oops, it was a nice day for a run. The last 3k were not as fast but not totally embarrassing. So that’s something. I had fun. 🙂
I think a 13.99 half would be worth it’s weight times 100 in fun! Seemed like it was a nice no frills race which is quite refreshing after the “must get in your corral 30 minutes before the start of the race” type events. I love running with friends! And during races is even better! Every race need not be a PR!
Sounds like a total blast!!
$13.99!! That’s amazing! I love cheap, simple, no-drama races.
Awesome job girl! And wow, that’s so cheap!! That’s great that you got to run with lots of friends too!
Such a great race recap!
I signed up for a half-marathon in May with the hope that I would ‘race’ it, but I’ve now revised that goal down and want to enjoy the experience.
I know this is off-topic, but are you planning on another ultra?
Has your training not been going as planned for the half?
I probably will do the North Face Endurance Challenge 50K again this year 🙂
I laughed at the unappetizing vegan skillet and how you felt compelled to show us. It seriously does look good though and not like a plate of puke. 🙂
I can’t fathom running 9:00 min/mile pace as “just whatever feels good.” Then again, I can’t fathom running all the miles you do, either!
I don’t usually run races for fun because (1) I don’t have a consistent racing friend and (2) they’re usually expensive. I’ll have to scout out more good value races like this one!
Sounds like you had so much fun!
I so want to run a race with you!!!! Maybe next year?!?!
YESSSSSSSSSSS! That would be amazing!
I like that the bibs are sponsored by Asics.