4th of July Race Morgan Hill

Let me begin with filling in some details prior to the race. The race took place on Saturday July 4th, 2009. On Thursday, I came home from the Commissary feeling very weak and light-headed. I thought may-be I was just dehydrated or hungry or something. Later that day I spike 101 fever and begin having this really nauseaus feeling come over me. I had the feeling of food backing up to the top of my throat the whole day. Needless to say my want for eating or drinking ANYTHING was all but lost to the cosmos. So finally in the afternoon I PUKE! I mean so hard it came out my nose! Yeah not pretty. Christina had to leave the room next to the bathroom because of the retching sounds I was making. Of course, Mark wanted nothing more than to give dad backrubs and tell him it was going to be ok, but it was best he stayed out. Then followed the brown river. Yeah it was a great day. So two days before I am to race it was not a pretty picture. The following day I felt much better, but had a headache and was clearly dehydrated. While feeling better, my appetite was not there and I went much of the day not eating much. Drinking wasn't very much either! So I go onto race day very depleted of nutrition and hydration and let me tell you I felt it!



Race morning it thought I'll get some quick energy into me. NUTELLA AND TOAST (for lack of bagels)! Plus a powerbar (which is part of my normal routine) but my appetite was still absent and I never had the powerbar. I drank Powerade, but not as much as I should.



Trying to get to the race was ridiculous, after parking and walking we got directions for an alterante route to the start of the race. I arrive with 10 minutes to start. I do a quick warmup...aka jog from parking lot to registration...quick stretches...aka major muscle groups (quads, hams, calves)...and then a couple of quick maybe 5m strides/jogs to the start line. Needless to say not my usual warmup.



So here I am thinking I run slower, but try to nail the paces. Here are the results:



Mile 1 - 6:35 a little fast, but felt ok. HR - 180 bpm

Mile 1.5 - DEHYDRATED...Spit is super sticky and I have major cotton mouth

ALAS water table, but not volunteers, is it for racers or personal racers? Don't know, don't care, grab cup. Now in my mind I am think I am thirsty, but my arm translates this as I am hot and so instead of going to my mouth it goes over my head. GREAT...now I am wet and thirsty, all I needed was Dusty Bottom to offer me lip balm.

Mile 2 - 7:05 (13:40 total) Fell off pace by 30 seconds. Tired but felt I could finish strong at least maintain 7:05. But I am really thirsty and feel like I have a weak drive. HR - 191 bpm

Mile 3 - 7:19 (21:01 total) Ok...realizing I am feeling pretty crappy I say hit three miles at 21 min because now I know I was not going to get under 21. Did it...Just push this last bit with whatever you have left and bring it home. HR - 195 bpm

Last .1 mile - 42 seconds (If I could kept looking 7:00 pace). Ok I picked up with whatever I had left. I am done. I feel like crap and my head hurts. I am dehydrated and need water! Find shade, keep walking. HR - 201 bpm!



So I finished strong. Everything I had and I can be proud of that, if my pace had been near 6:30 for that last .1, I would have held too much back and just been a wuss for the middle portion of the race, but not the case. Good race...NO...but I finished it even with everything against me and I didn't say I was just not going to run.



Final time
21:44 (6:59 miles)

So overall what does this tell me. I probably should have gone out even slower! Perhaps it my first mile was actually 7 minutes I would have been able to keep the pace a little more consistent...still feel shitty, but at least more consistent. Still under 7 which is better than nothing. I am a strong runner...can't forget that.

As for the race...not doing Morgan Hill again. It was poorly organized...and a water table with no volunteers is weird. No Goody Bag, and an ok shirt. Frankly not worth the drive or race fee. Santa Cruz 4th of July next year. And I'll be ready!

As for the next couple of weeks I am busier than hell. I have to Tri-Training Monday and Wednesday. I have to sign the paperwork on tuesday to move to a new home. I need to primer the house that night and then paint the next day. School starts up next week. And after painting I begin moving whatever I can into the house with a big move on Saturday. Thanks to all the guys that are going to help on that one. Hopefully, should be a smooth transition. But I have some thoughts that maybe I get fnish up tomorrow before class and inbetween breaks. Until then, just keep kicking.