11 Mile Boulder Back Roads Half Marathon Race Report

No I’m not drunk or high. I know a half marathon is 13.1 miles. Read on.

Today’s plan was to run/pace the last 11 miles of the Boulder Back Roads Half Marathon with my running client, Deb, and her husband, Steve. I probably could have done the full distance, but am still feeling very cautious and don’t want to push it. If you’re a regular reader, you know I’m coming back from a hip stress fracture. If you’re not a regular reader you should be.

Deb is 50 years old and training for her first marathon on May 1. Our goal today was for Deb to run a 2:17 keeping about a 10:30 min/mile pace. She has never run a half before and is a newer runner, so it was tough to know how it would all shake out. I’ll spoil the ending and tell you she NAILED it.

One bagel thin and one cup of coffee down, I dropped some kids at the pool x 2. Ken dropped me at the two mile point to wait for Deb. It was about 30 degrees so if I look cold, I am. If I had balls, well, they’d be shriveled.

I brought my own water, which I never do in races, but I was afraid that running as a bandit, the aid station people would kick me in my non-nuts if I tried to sneak some hydration.

The only reason I was nervous about this “race” was that it was my longest run post-injury and I wouldn’t be incorporating any walk breaks. Don’t tell my doctor. I figured with the slower pace I would be okay and I was.

While waiting I saw the leader blaze by. He thinks he so cool. “Look a me. I can run a 4 minute mile.” Okay, I guess he is a little bit cool. But he doesn’t’ have an SUAR sticker on his back and he hasn’t crapped himself. At least not that I can see.

Deb and Steve showed up and we began our journey.

Go Deb Go!

Deb also suffers from asthma and can sometimes cough a lot and have trouble getting enough air in. Steve and I kept checking her to make sure she was doing okay. We kept getting the thumbs up.

At the halfway point I took my GU Roctane Island Nectar. Basically a pina colada in gu form with no rum. Pretty yummy. No hip pain and going strong for all of us.

The great thing about this course is it is 80% dirt roads. Nice and soft on the joints.

As we neared the ten mile point I knew we were ahead of schedule. The second half of the course gives a bit of a downhill advantage. And the scenery isn’t too bad either.

There’s my favorite potty. I tried to resist the urge to stop and blow it up.

I love this picture of Steve and Deb. Steve took such great care of her along the way, continually checking in and calling her “dear.”

We approached the finish. Love how they give you a nice hill at the end. I felt awesome. No pain. I had that utterly fabulous running feeling where you think you could go on forever.

I dropped out right before the finish chute and watched Deb and Steve cross together holding hands. Time: 2:15!! She KILLED it.

I’m such a third wheel. Their illegitimate child. Except that would make me six years old.

We grabbed some bagels with almond butter, coffee and beer. The also had grilled cheese which I think is probably the best post race food idea I’ve heard of.

Great job, Deb & Steve. You are going to OWN the Colorado Marathon on May 1st!

This was an amazing run for me. I felt incredible cardio-wise and had no pain anywhere. It gave me a better idea of how to plan to pace for Boston. I also got some confidence back. One of the hardest things about injuries is believing in yourself and your body again.

I know for the full marathon I will have to take walk breaks to give my hip a rest. I plan on walking through every aid station and keeping my overall pace pretty slow (as in, if I normally run a 8:30 average in a marathon, I will drop to a 9:30/10:00 pace for Boston. If I’m lucky).

Thinking that GU needs to make an exit out the back door. Poor Sam just cleaned the toilet.

SUAR