This was my ninth consecutive year running the Wisconsin Half Marathon, but the first year in several that I wasn’t trying to run it fast. That took a burden off my shoulders and made it stress free. I didn’t even check the weather until race morning (although several people told me it was supposed to be windy).
I ran this race in its inaugural year in 2009, as my first half marathon, and haven’t been able to quit the streak.
I did have a time goal in mind, though. I figured 10:00 minute miles would be an easy pace and wanted to finish around 2:10 overall.
We caravanned to the race (Rachel, Alicia, and Kim spent the night) and I was surprised that our normal parking spot had a “no parking” sign this year! Weird! We quickly found other parking and made our way to the race start.
BRRRR. There was a wind (from the north at 10 mph with 16 mph gusts, it was 14 mph with 20 mph gusts at the finish). And per usual, it was much cooler by the lake front (44° and feels like 37°, 49° and feels like 46° at the finish). We huddled in a tent until race start, and I even started the race with arm warmers on!
Me, Rachel, and Alicia
But with the wind at our back for the start, I quickly warmed up. I took the arm warmers off around mile 1 and tucked them in my belt, in case I wanted them again when we headed back north. I realized why we couldn’t park in our normal spot a few minutes in – that road is now part of the course. The race course changed quite a bit this year. The first half of the course was still in residential and downtown areas, just somewhat different ones (more on my opinions on the new course after the break – I had written way too much about it in the first draft of this, zzzzzzzzzzzz), and the second half still went out and back along the lake.
When I started the race, I had my watch screen showing me overall time, distance, and current pace. In the first few minutes I had already looked at it several times to make sure I wasn’t starting too fast, then thought to myself “What the heck Kim – you’re running this for FUN. You never run with your watch screen showing your pace – just time of day and overall time. Switch over to that.” So I did, and just looked at my pace when my watch beeped at each mile, and looked at my overall time when I got to the mile markers. That works out much better for me than watching current pace all the time.
Unfortunately, I felt bored during the race. I started without music, and wasn’t running with anyone. There weren’t many spectators in the first half of the course, especially in the new parts. I felt physically fine, but mentally bored. I was happy when I saw a friends on a new out and back around mile 4, and when I caught up with a group of friends pushing someone in a racing stroller a little after that. I guess I needed to talk to someone! I saw Bobbi and John around mile 6 and mentioned my boredom and John ran with me and told me some awesome dad jokes. Ha!
Things picked up after I saw Steven around mile 6.5. I talked to another runner for several minutes and that gave me energy. I also decided to put my headphones in around mile 8 to block out the wind. We had been running in to the northern wind on and off since we made the turnaround around mile 3.5, and we were about to go in to the more open (and even windier) lake area. That made a world of difference (even if I got a bit goofy and felt the need to tell Rachel “I just wanted to tell you I am bringing sexy back” when I saw her at the turnaround – any guess what I was listening to?).
I kept the pace going for the last two miles in to the wind, then at the turn around at 10, I had enough energy to finish with my fastest splits! Oh, and that push from the northern wind helped too, ha!
I was happy the part of the course along the lake is now re-paved – it had been full of pot holes the previous eight years. And I was also happy that changing the first half of the course to run more in that area meant we no longer had to pass the finish line then run a mile out and back to get to it – now we just ran right in to the finish!
I didn’t tangent well (13.21) but I finished close to my goal time of 2:10 – 2:10:45! I’m proud of my even-ish splits and faster last three miles!
I was relieved to finish. Even though the race was successful, I took me being bored as a sign I shouldn’t run long distance “for fun” unless it’s with a friend.
Rachel finished five minutes before me and Alicia finished right after me (Kim ran the 5K and placed third overall!). We hung out for a few minutes, and hung out with some Efit people too, then headed home.
Ha, on our way to the car, a guy stopped me and said “You’re a great racer – I was trying to catch you the whole time and couldn’t! Maybe next year!” I thought that was a nice thing to say.
Steven spectated and was our official photographer. I really appreciate him being there.
Ha, funny story – he said while he was spectating, four ducks managed to cross the street between runners!
This race used to be a lot bigger deal for me than it was this year. We used to have family come to town to spectate, and hang out for hours after the race watching people we know finish the marathon portion. I’m happy it’s become much more low key. Get there 45 minutes before, run, chat a bit, go home. Ha!
We’ll see if I am back next year… I have to go for ten years in a row, right?
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