Long Branch Half Marathon - 5/3/03

It took two and half years to beat my PR in the NYC Half but it finally happened. It was my last remaining PR to conquer and it was worth the wait. I was able to beat my previous time by about four minutes and break 1:40 for the first time. The chip time was 1:38:21. The conditions were my favorite for running - overcast, cool (in the 50s) and a slight drizzle (enough to cool you off, but not hard enough to distract you).

Pacing can be such a big determining factor in the outcome of a race. If you go too fast, then you start to crumble at the end of the race. If you go too slow, then you spend the rest of the race trying to make up time and think what might have been. If you fluctuate throughout the race, then you run the risk of exerting too much energy and you tiring yourself out. If it is done right, it has the ability to relax you, lower your stress level and give you something to focus on during the race. In addition, it gives you the opportunity to run negative splits and push out strong miles towards the end of the race. You end with a positive attitude, instead of wishing for the pain of the race to be over.

Up until this point, the race that I consider to be my best was the Queens Half in 2007. It wasn't my fastest time, but it was a complete and consistent effort. I was calm and efficient, and for the first time, I consciously went out with a race plan (and goal pace) and was able to follow through with it. It felt great and I ended up feeling like I could still run more at the end of the race . After it was over, I wondered when or if I would would be able to have that kind of a race again. Well, Sunday at the Long Branch Half was the day and I owe a debt of gratitude to the pace group that I ran with and the energy and support that I extracted from them.

Leading up to the race, I was figuring out what finish times to go after. I have been running strong so far this year, especially in the longer 15K and 10 mile distances, and knew that I would have a good shot at breaking my PR (1:42:22 - NYC Half 2007) if the conditions were right (I couldn't have asked for more favorable weather). My main goal was to go after a new PR, but I was secretly trying to make a run for my first sub 1:40 half marathon as well. My last few races taught me that I was capable of going out at a fast pace and sustaining it. However, I was a bit nervous to go out aggressively in a half all by myself. What if I went out too fast? I would have a lot more distance to cover if I fizzled, and that would make for a miserable day. Pacing is a discipline that I have not yet mastered and I was afraid that if I had to rely on my own skills, that I would go out too quickly and the race would be over before it started. Therefore, for the first time, I decided to run with a pace group. It would allow me to go out at a steady, consistent pace, and it would be fun to run with a group of other runners. It takes the guesswork out of pacing, and puts the burden on someone else, allowing me to concentrate on other things. I was looking on the website a week or so before the race to see if there was a 1:40 pace group. To my disappointment, it was one of the only groups that was not available. The closest times left were 1:35 and 1:45. I was a bit bummed and was afraid that I was have to run the entire race on my own. Luckily, when I got to the starting line, I was so happy to see someone carrying a flag for a 3:20 pace (that was the marathon pace, with the half pace being a 1:40). I spoke with the leader and he said that a bunch of potential leaders canceled, and that he stepped in at the last second. That gave me a renewed sense of excitement and I was ready to get the race underway.

The race was supposed to start at 7:30AM, but the gun didn't go off until almost 8:00AM. I was up since 3:50 in the morning and I was not happy about any delays to the start. I was stretched and ready to go, and everyone was getting antsy and a bit pissed off that we had to spend a half hour standing in the cold and the rain. Once the gun went off, I was ready to go and made sure to keep the orange flag of the pacer in sight. After pacing several of the Long Training Runs in Central Park, I know how hard it is to do, especially having people relying on you to keep a consistent time. It is tough enough to do in a "fun run" atmosphere, but it is a whole different story doing it in a race. Therefore, I was using the first few miles to see if my leader would be able to hit the mile splits he was supposed to or if he would be erratic. As expected, the first mile was a bit congested and I figured that we would need a couple of miles to get on pace. I positioned myself in the middle of the pack and was just concentrating on not tripping and falling. It felt like we were going considerably slower than a 7:37 pace (needed for a 1:40 finish) in the first mile, but I committed to staying with the group and told myself not to go ahead. Before I knew it, the first mile marker was fast approaching and I looked at my watch and to my astonishment, saw a time of 7:45. We were almost right on pace. This is why I still need a lot more practice at pacing. I usually go by how I am feeling (instead of thinking rationally) and unfortunately if it was up to me, I would have sped up and probably tired myself out too quickly. When the adrenaline is pumping at the beginning of a race, it clouds your judgement and tells you to go faster. You need to have the strength to not give into that temptation. We passed mile one with no problem, and I settled in behind the leader, trying to get a feel for his running style. Mile 2 came along - 7:38. Mile 3 came and went - 7:36. So far, through three miles, Bob (the leader) was able to hit our desired pace almost exactly. At this point, I put my trust in him and knew that he was a very capable leader. Wherever he went, I would follow. The plan at this point was to stay with the group through mile 10 and then pick up the pace, if possible, on my own for the remaining three miles.

Our group had about 15 or so people in it and we seemed to get pretty cohesive. I didn't talk with anyone (I had my music on), but I felt so much stronger with other people around and seeing the same faces next to me for a considerable length of time. Bob, was chatting with many of the runners and he let us know what hills, turns, fluid stations, etc., were coming up. It helped alot and put me at ease. For miles 4-10, he was dead on and was able to get us within 2-3 seconds of 7:37 for one mile after another. He was automatic, even on the hills. It was fantastic and made my life a lot easier. The stress of trying to figure out and adjust my own pace was gone, and all I needed to do was concentrate on staying calm and conserving my energy. I was very content to leave all of the heavy lifting to someone else this time around. The miles were just flying by and I felt great and very comfortable. My breathing was calm and steady. I wasn't straining. By about mile 8 or 9, I knew I had a very good shot at running my first sub 1:40 half, barring any unforeseen breakdowns on my part and I was starting to get excited. I just needed to resist the urge to pick up the pace and divert from my original plan. I remained with the group through mile 10, and was getting a bit ansty to try and pick up the pace a little bit. So, just before we hit the marker for mile 11, I left the group to run the remaining 3.1 miles by myself. I immediately felt the difference of running without the group. It was a bit lonely and I felt the strain of relying on myself for pacing. I tried to pick up the pace slowly and not make any sudden changes. I was able to run mile 11 at 7:28, only 8 seconds faster than the previous mile. I still felt quite strong at this point and knew that I was well on pace to go under 1:40. I looked at my watch and saw that I ran 11 miles in 1:23:38, and knew in order to reach my goal, I would have to run a little under 8:30 pace for the remaining miles, almost a minute slowly than what I was running for the previous 11 miles. I was pumped and knew that this was the time to go for it. I picked up the pace considerably running mile 12 in 7:14. Once I saw the ocean, I knew that the finish line was fast approaching. The only thing that I needed to worry about was not slipping on the boardwalk. I made sure to stay on the road as long as possible, avoiding any slip or fall that would derail my race. I gave it everything I had left and was able to bust out a 6:35 mile pace for remaining 1.1 miles. I couldn't believe it. The consistent pacing throughout the beginning parts of the race allowed me to run my fastest 3 miles of the race from mile 11-13.1. It was a great feeling of accomplishment for me when I crossed the finish line. I had done it.

Mile Splits:

Mile 1: 7:45
Mile 2: 7:38
Mile 3: 7:36
Mile 4: 7:36
Mile 5: 7:34
Mile 6: 7:39
Mile 7: 7:37
Mile 8: 7:38
Mile 9: 7:34
Mile 10: 7:34
Mile 11: 7:28
Mile 12: 7:14
Last 1.1 miles: 7:14 (6:35 mile pace)

Overall: 1:38:21 (gun time: 1:38:35) , Overall Pace: 7:31

Final thoughts/lessons:

This was a great course and I would definitely run it again, or even consider running the marathon in the future. The course is extremely flat, with only 2 or 3 minor hills that were much less than I am used to while running in Central Park. The race is very well organized, and for a relatively small race it had very enthusiastic crowd support. On a nice day, running along the ocean during the finish would be a great sight.

I felt extremely comfortable throughout the whole race. My breathing was fine (never really strained) and I felt very strong mentally. This is the best I have felt in a long race since the Queens Half in 2007 and the most consistent race I have run since then as well. A consistent and reliable pace(r) helps SO MUCH throughout the duration of a race.

You need to trust your plan and not go by how you feel - I know that this is much easier said than done. I felt great at the beginning of the race and even felt like I was holding back some. Since I felt good and thought I was going slower than I should have, I would have gone faster way too early in the race and probably paid for it dearly at the end. If you come up with a well thought out plan, stick to it!

The next big half or marathon that I do, I will definitely look to use a pace group. The energy is great and you are able to feed and gain strength from the other runners. You are not doing it alone. Running with a pace group, I believe, could allow me to try for a better time than I thought possible. It did this time around. Finally, I know that good fortune in running comes in streaks, and I was just happy to see that this race continued mine for a little while longer. I will ride this one for as long as it lasts, but know that it can't go on forever. Although tough phases are never fun to go through, they allow you to learn new things and make you stronger.