Saturday, August 14, 2010

The Gopher To Badger Half Marathon Race Report!

Hi everyone! I ran another half marathon today! I ran in the Gopher To Badger Half and my daughter Kay ran the 5K. The half marathon started in Stillwater, Minnesota and ended in Hudson, Wisconsin. My hubby dropped me off by the start line and then drove Kay to her 5K start. I was one of the first runners there....just the way I like it:) I had the chance to use the Biffy and walk around some before the buses started arriving. There were 1,300 people registered to run today. (Note...only 736 actually crossed the finish line!)
I knew that Mark was also running today but didn't know if I would see him. Mark runs at a much faster pace than I do and there were alot of people there. Guess what? I got to meet Mark:) He came up to me and we were able to talk for several minutes before the race. Mark is a really nice guy and I am glad that I had the chance to meet him. Those of you who have been reading my blog know how much I enjoy the races. One of the reasons that I enjoy them so much is because I have been lucky to meet many of my blogger friends in person! Mark had plans to finish in under 1:45...so out of my pace zone:) I wished him good luck and he went off to find his running group friends. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted the Minnesota Pacers....AKA...pacer dudes:) I saw Allan who paced me for my PR at the Lake Minnetonka Half. He said, "Julie, I am pacing the 1:50 group, are you running with me?" I told him that I really didn't think that was possible for today but I hoped he would be pacing another 1:50 half sometime in the future:)

Once it was time to line up for the start I had to decide where I was going to place myself. I went back and forth between the 1:55 and 2:00 pacers. I settled on the 1:55 pacer and figured that I could always fall back if needed.
I am pretty sure that is pacer Sam. He was one of the guys who helped me find the start line for the Red White and Boom Half:)

This picture was taken just about ten minutes before the start. I could tell it was going to be a hot one. Everyone was talking about the weather and how today's run would be challenging in the heat. I was a little nervous because I know that I do not perform well in the heat.

Once the race started I positioned myself right next to the 1:55 pacer and tried to settle into a nice steady pace. The first portion of the race was okay in terms of the heat. Miles one, two and three were just fine. Once I hit mile four I knew I was in for a hellish run. It was starting to get hot and there was no shade. I stayed with my pacer until mile five....I just couldn't muster up enough energy to stay with her. She had been talking to me off and on those first five miles and told me that miles six through nine were the worst. Mile six was up hill and miles seven, eight and nine were out on the highway with no shade! Crap! I slowed down and made my way up the hill at mile six. It sucked big time! People were already starting to walk. I told myself, just make it to the top of the hill and then if you need to you can take a little walk break:) OMG, the hill wasn't any bigger than the ones that I run on in Maple Grove but the heat and humidity was terrible! Once I hit the top of the hill I slowed down and started to walk. A man behind me said, "Oh, don't stop, I was using you for pacing." I was like, "What? You don't want to use me for pacing...I am crashing out here!" He told me that he had been following me since mile three. He passed me and I walked for about thirty seconds. I figured that I would big girl up and continue on jogging (slowly).
I then ran on this road for freaking ever! Okay, well it wasn't freaking forever, it just felt like it! It went until almost mile nine. It was at mile eight where pacer Sam and the 2:00 group passed me. I really had no idea how the rest of this race was going to be. I was hot and feeling like total crap.
Oh joy, it was a water stop with a sprinkler hose:) There were water stops every two miles and I always took two cups and walked through. After grabbing my water and sucking it down, I set my camera down and had the girl spray me down. It was wonderful!
I picked up my camera and continued on. Mile ten was okay because there was at least a little shade at times.

Once I hit the bridge I was actually feeling pretty good. I ended up passing several runners on this bridge:) Mile twelve was alright but I know I was moving slower than what I was on the bridge. I was out in the sun and it was feeling hot again. I hit the last water stop and couldn't believe all of the people walking. Just keep moving...keep the feet moving...just a little farther and I am done:) OMG, when and the hell am I going to see the flipping finish line? I caught up to the guy in front of me and started small talk because I knew it would keep my mind off of the mental pain that I was in. We joked about how much fun this race was:) We were both dripping with sweat and hotter than hell! We ran the last half mile in together and I ended up passing him. Did I have energy to sprint in? Umm, that would be a high negative! There was absolutely no sprinting involved today! I saw Mr. Julie and heard him yell, "Go Jules!" I was moving at snails pace and finally crossed the finish line:) Oh happy day! I was done! Kay and my little guy were waiting for me and we walked over so that I could go through the snack line.

As I mentioned earlier, Kay ran the 5K. She was thrilled to take almost a minute off of her time from last week's race. She is pretty confindent that she will be able to PR with a few more races. She enjoyed the 5K course and loved running over the bridge:)

Here I am...hot, tired and ready to take a nap:)
I looked up my stats and my official final time was 2:02:45. This is not a PR...I am okay with my time because this was a tough race. It was hot, humid and I walked a few times:) It is all good, this race was character building and a great training run/experience.
After the race I caught up with Mark and Kay took this picture of us:) Mark was able to bring it and came in under his goal! I don't know how and the heck you did it with today's temps and blazing sun! Mark, hopefully I will see you at a few more races this year!
Happy running, biking swimming and lifting! Cheers to you all!
My family and I are leaving for our summer vacation and I will not have computer and internet use. I will catch up on everyone's blogs when I return:)
Pam is hosting a Sweaty Bands giveaway!
Marcia is hosting a compression sock giveaway!

57 comments:

  1. Great job on the race in this heat! I have ran that one before and that highway stretch is tough. :) Enjoy your vacation!

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  2. Good job on your race! I know how the heat really can slow me down. Sounds like you pushed yourself and that's all that matters! I think it's awesome that you got to meet one of your blogger friends!

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  3. Great job, Julie...I don't know how you run in that muckety-muck, I know I'd be running about 3 hours in that stuff for a half. Great job, girl!! And congrats to your daughter for knocking off a minute - whoohoo. She is just adorable, like her momma :).

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  4. Way to go Julie. Awesome job on a tough race (I hate hot and humid).

    You did great.

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  5. Julie -- you are a champion! Glad to see you're "taking it easy" BY RUNNING MORE HALF MARATHONS! I've heard the heat and humidity have been rough there lately... so I'm really glad you didn't push it too far on this race. :)

    Congrats on finishing a successful, challenging run! And congrats to your daughter, too! :)
    A

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  6. nice mix of everything on that race julie by the looks of it. well done to you and your daughter!

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  7. Wow--sounds like a killer out there! Way to tough it out. So cool that Kay took a full minute off. You guys look great together there at the end.

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  8. Well done, you ran an awesome race! The heat is a killer!! Well done to Kay too :-)

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  9. Nice job in some hot weather! How many half marathons have you done this year? You are a machine!

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  10. Wow, you ran an incredible time in those conditions - way to go!! Congrats to Kay also for a great 5K!!

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  11. Congrats Julie...you did awesome!
    Congrats to Kay for her great time in that heat!

    You guys rock :)

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  12. Julie the PACER GAL!!!
    hahaha

    what a effort out there in this heat. I think we are almost done with it?!!? 12.1 in this weather = a 20 miler...chalk it upo write it down in your journal...TWENTY!

    as always great pics
    the solo picture of Kay totally reminded me of you. Congrats to her run!

    have a great vaca!
    -Derek

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  13. Great race! Nice time for a tough course :)

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  14. Looks HOT out there. Congrats to you and your daughter. What a great day! Hope you guys have a great vacation. You always look great before and after the race. How do you do that? I'm always a sweaty, dripping mess.

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  15. You did great, especially considering the heat, humidity, and lack of shade! Have a great time on your vacation!

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  16. Great job suffering through the heat and humidity. It's KILLING ME here in TN!!!

    Hope you are going somewhere cool and relaxing for vacation! Have a great time and tell us all about it when you get back! :)

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  17. Great job finishing that race in the heat! I think your time was great! Glad you are getting some races in. Your daughter is too cute! I like going over bridges too. Last year my 100 on 100 was like that on the road with no shade and it was awful. It is in two weeks. It would have been yesterday but the date changed because the race director's wife was due to have a baby. Love the human element of smaller races! So I am hoping it is cooler this year and mostly that I can run it.

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  18. I think you did awesome in your race considering the heat! The heat just sucks energy out of you and it makes it so hard to run "normally."
    Congrats to you daughter too! Woohoo for both of you! :)

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  19. Great job to both of you! I love your reports and all the pictures in them!

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  20. Great job. It looks hot in the pictures!

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  21. Well done Julie! I don't like running in the heat either and I'm proud of you that you kept on going.

    I use the same strategy on hills: just keep running and if I need to I can walk when I reach the top. Most of the times I just keep on going.

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  22. Great job in the heat! I'm not sure I could have done as well as you. Congrats on a good time!

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  23. Congrats!!! Great time under these conditions :)

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  24. Great job Julie! Sounds like some hot and humid conditions out there -- way to suck it up and keep running!

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  25. i can't imagine running a half in that heat...very brutal..you should be proud of your time, and for finishing...i've been to stillwater, very pretty town..

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  26. Wow, didn't look like many opportunities for shade when you needed it most.
    Long, flat stretches of highway do seem to go on forever. It is useful to find some objects to count or run towards along the way to help quell some of that agony.

    But, 2:02 is a great time. Remember that race during your next half, I am sure you can build off of it.

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  27. Congrats on gutting through a tough race. It's during difficulty that we learn the most about ourselves. And a big congrats to Kay!

    Have a fun vaca with the family!

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  28. Great to see you at the race. The hardest part was along the highway, and your picture makes it look so nice with the green grass and blue sky, but everyone was slowing in this section.

    You did great!! -Mark

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  29. That's a great time in that heat Julie! Congrats to both of you!

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  30. Great job! I did that race 2 years ago, and although I PR'ed, I thought it was a tough race and we also had hot weather. Your time is fantastic, especially in such hot, humid weather. Great that you got to meet Mark, too. I hope you have a wonderful vacation!

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  31. Nice time on that race Julie! You look great, but I can tell from the pictures it looked to be a hot day and a very exposed course. So double congrats for all your hard work! Cheers!

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  32. Julie Julie Julie...

    You are notsomuch "taking it is easy" sisterfriend!!!! You better walk when needed!!

    So happy for Kay- you really must be such an amazing inspiration to her!

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  33. congrats julie!! awesome race and race recap. and congrats to ur daughter! yay!!!

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  34. Very good race and two states to boot!

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  35. I ran the Gopher to Badger in 2007 as my very first half marathon. It was really hot that day too and it was before they gave out medals! Congrats on the awesome finish in the heat!!!

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  36. Great job!!! (and I love the Minnesota Pacers! I met them in Red Wing last week!)

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  37. Nicely done! Those peeps that run faster ALWAYS finish when its cooler :-) and it has just been hot as heck all over pretty much.

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  38. Great half Marathon again considering that heat! And congrats to your daughter :)
    Have a wonderful vacation time Julie!

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  39. Nice race. look how cute you and your daughter are;-)

    have a great vaca!!!

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  40. wow those pics sure don't show much for shade. Those races are the worst! You still ran a great time for not so stellar conditions. You'll get that 1:50. ;)

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  41. dang - closed the window before typing the word verfy dealie.

    Good for you for finishing in that heat. I was in Iowa last week and about roasted my brain trying to run. Nice work!!!

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  42. Wow you ran a great race - heat and all. In the photos you surely did not look like you just ran 13.1 miles! Great recap.

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  43. Hi Julie, Holy Guacamole, 2:02 is awesome in that heat. I am such a big baby, I don't even run long races in the summer :-) Looking forward to hearing about the vaca. I am taking my 16 yr old daughter on some college visits this weekend to Northern California.

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  44. Well done Julie! The way you described it I thought your time was slower, but 02:02:45 in the heat...really good! Great photos and report as always. You are really lining up the halfs lately. It's so great that your family was there as well. It just makes the finish more special when you see them. Enjoy your vacation!

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  45. it's crazy what the heat and humidity can do to you during a race....way to tough it out, and congrats to you AND Kay!

    have a great vacation!

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  46. GREAT race!! I hope you have a great vacation!

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  47. I have that same shirt! It looks sooo much better on you!! :-)

    How flattering to be someone's pacer. That's quite a compliment, at least in my book!

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  48. AWESOME job, Julie! Your time is phenomenal in and of itself but with those conditions it is amazing! You don't even look a bit winded in the pictures afterwards. I'm impressed!

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  49. Hi Julie! Congrats to both you and your daughter on your races. Your daughter is awesome for being able to take off a minute on her race!

    The heat is awful this year and is taking its toll on everyone it seems like. I'm certainly glad that I don't have to run in that crap!

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  50. Geesh, I was signed in under the wrong account, that last post was from me too. :)

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  51. Wow, does anything slow you down?? Your such a rockstar!!!

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  52. Wow! You ran a half in this kinda heat? You are amazing!!!!

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  53. Great, great race! That fast in the heat is so inspiring! Glad we both had good half marathons this weekend :)

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  54. A great finishing time under that heat, great race! You must be a real runner to enter and finish a competition in those weather conditions. Anyway you had the control of the situation: mom in the half and Kay in the 5km.
    Beautiful pictures. enjoy your vacation.

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  55. Great job, Julie!! So sweet that your daughter ran too.

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