Crush New Bedford Half Marathon: Check

Something you don't want to see come Race day!

Race report

Yesterday was the 38th annual New Bedford Half Marathon and with 5 weeks to go to the Boston marathon, it seems training through the winter has really paid its dividends. As we drove down to New Bedford Sunday morning, I really had no idea what my goal for the race was that day. I knew I wanted to break an 87 minute half-marathon, what would be a personal record by 90 seconds but I really was winging it. My chosen gear for the day was my conventional Lulu on the top/Nike on the bottom with a Lululemon tech t-shirt, luon long sleeve and gloves and Nike shorts, tights, socks and shoes. If anyone really wants more details, let me know. Mother nature threw me a curve ball though, as the weather turned out to be much warmer than anticipated or prepared. With no other options, I basically removed the tights and the long sleeve and hoped for the best. My first run in shorts and a tshirt in over 2 months!

Pre-race at the starting line. Ben wasn't allowed in the area!

Pre-race

Chris and Sean from TMIRCE were also running the race, as well as DFMC teammate Sarah. Ben came out to cheer us on, which is amazing because New Bedford's course is not a spectators' course to put it mildly. We got ready for the race knowing our reward of a fish sandwish and clam chowder awaited us at the finish line (seriously - they advertise this as a selling point). Highlighting how not focused I was pre-race, I left my shades in the car and I forgot to take my pre-race Gu. Gu is a gatorade supplement of concentrate sugar in many delicious and revolting flavours.

Chris and I moved towards the front of the start line and when we settled on our location, we heard some runners (one of which I knew, let's call him 'douche' from here on in) talking about their strategy for their upcoming 81 minute half-marathon. At this point I felt that perhaps we had moved to close to the front but figured it wouldn't be too much of a big deal. As the minutes ticked down to the start of the race, the race director said his schpiel and they had a local singer do the American national anthem, which she promptly forgot the words to, about 20 seconds in. The runners were kind to her as they picked up where she got stuck and carried her to the finish, something no one would do for them over the next 13.1mi/21.1km. Chris and I wished each other a good race and we were off!

Race 

Miles 1-4

To say that I started conservatively would be a lie, as I ran a 6:12 on the mostly flat first mile. Probably not a good strategy but I was feeling the energy of the runners around me. The next few miles of the course have a pretty substantial incline and while I slowed to the low 6:30s, this was still well ahead of the pace for an 87 minute half marathon (~6:38min/mile) and I was still passing people as they struggled with the hills, all that winter training on the Newton Hills seemed to be paying off. 

Miles 4-7

As the course began to head downhill, people began to catch up and pass me. Initially this was very disheartening until I realized I was actually running 6:15min/miles. Downhill is by far my weakest area, which may come back to haunt me in Boston. However, I was able to maintain a steady pace and didn't let myself get sucked into running even faster. At mile 4.7 or so, I had my first Gu and felt a boost, soon after. At mile 6.5, 'douche' pulled up along side me and looked super confident and smug that he was going to pass me, since in all our encounters he has been pretty condescending about his superior speed. I was still feeling good but was running my own race and let him get slightly ahead of me. He didn't even return my head nod at this point.

Miles 7-12

As the downhill ends in the race, you get near the coast and have ocean views for part of this section. It is really the only decent scenery you see anywhere on the course. Unfortunately, it also means it gets windy, really, really windy! Wind sometimes is the end of me because of my larger frame but it also helps prevent me from getting thrown around by the wind. As much as I tried to draft behind or next to other runners, it was proving impossible and I just decided to break off from the pack of 4-5 runners that we had formed. By mile 8, I had pulled alongside 'douche', gave him a nod and went right by him. This would be the last time I'd see him until after the finish line. At mile 9, I had Gu number two, which I had planned to be the final one. Again it gave me a huge boost of energy, and I passed some more people as a result. In my mind, I knew I had to save some energy, as mile 12 of the race is a monster hill. At mile 11.5, was the last water stop of the race. Since I forgot to take a Gu at the start, I had an extra one and with the knowledge of the hill ahead, I downed my 3rd Gu in 7 miles (oops?!) and embarked on the challenge ahead.

Miles 12-finish

I thought the hill was only mile 12 through 12.5 but I was wrong, it actually stretched all the way through 12.75. Last year, when I hit this hill my race totally went to shit and while I finished, the hill definitely got the best of me. This year, while my pace did slow slightly, I just plowed through it, knowing that on the other side was the massive downhill to the finish. Based on the earlier splits, I knew a sub 85 minute half was possible at this point. As I finished the hill, I didn't know what I had to do the last 0.35 miles in but it didn't matter, I just started running with everything I had left. I passed the 13 mile marker clock at 1:24:13 or so. Since I started at least 20 seconds post-gun time, I knew I had sub 85 in sight. I sprinted down the hill and made the turn to the finish and checked behind me to make sure there was no one there to pass me. There was no one to pass in front of me either as they were too far ahead and sprinting as well but I chugged my way as fast as I could to the finish and a 84:38 half marathon. Soon behind me was Chris, who also PR'ed by almost 3 minutes and finally over a minute later, 'douche' crossed the finish line. I went over to congratulate him but he didn't seem in the mood and sulked away. Just some icing on top of a great race!

Sean finished in an awesome 99 and Sarah encountered some garment issues and somehow moved her bib from her jacket to her top while running, on her was to a respectable 118.

Sean and Sarah part-took in the awesome fish sandwich and chowder, while I passed and just ate the crackers and banana :-)

Everything on track now with just 5 weeks to go and now a huge question ahead for me, what time should I be aiming for in the Boston Marathon?!

Thanks for reading!