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2015 Savannah Rock’n’Roll Half Marathon Recap – The Short Version

Going into Saturday’s half marathon, my goals were simple: leave everything on the course in hopes of breaking the elusive sub-2 hour half marathon and help my mom and aunt finish their first and second half marathons.

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I spent the week leading up to the Rock’n’Roll Savannah Half Marathon tapering like a seasoned pro. I slept an average of eight hours each night, I hydrated, I ate well, I practiced some gentle yoga, I put together a great pump-up playlist, and I prepared my mind for a great race.

If you want the abbreviated, short version of how the race went down, here is what you need to know as well as a few pictures:

  • The temperatures during the race hovered around 80 degrees with 99% humidity.
  • Due to conditions, I abandon my PR goal at mile 5.7 when my pace went from a solid 9:01 avg to 9:40 due to conditions.
  • My dad and brother were incredible cheerleaders, along with what felt like most of Savannah, and supported us five times along the course! 
  • My mom, aunt and I all finished the half marathon together while Bo pushed forward and ran the 13.1 miles.
  • The race organization and experience was wonderful and Rock’n’Roll continues to impress me though only half the course was in what I’d consider “gorgeous, downtown Savannah.”
  • Due to conditions, the marathon course was closed if you had not reached a certain point by 9:35 AM.
  • This was a smart decision as there were two deaths and hundreds of medical issues for both the half and full marathon. (News articles can be found here and here) 
  • The word that best describes this year’s running journey is FRIENDS. The majority of this year’s races have become more about spending time with friends (Yes, I consider my mom and aunt to be friends, just ask anyone who knows me well!) and helping others complete a race than toeing the starting line and pushing for a number on the clock. I do not regret this decision and am thankful for the experiences I’ve had. There is always another day for that number on the clock but how often can you run with friends in multiple countries, states and races?

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Now, if you want to read the longer version, come back later. Between work and life, this recap has taken longer to type than expected!

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A PR-Worthy Half Marathon Playlist

half marathon playlist

While I have no music ability whatsoever and am 100% tone deaf, I do believe in the power of music. Music can transform a dark hour-long spin class into a dance party or a dreaded treadmill run into the most invigorating part of your day.

Over the past year, I’ve become far less dependent on music as many of my training runs or workouts have been with Bo or other friends. The miles fly by as we catch up on life and talk about upcoming plans.

Fast forward to race day, when I have two hours of running ahead of me, and nothing to take my mind off the miles or the deep breathing that is about to begin. In certain races, this is fine. Focusing on the gorgeous scenery and just having Kristine’s company was more than enough to get me through the hills of Nike San Francisco Half Marathon. But, in order to push through the “pain cave” or mentally hard moments of Saturday’s PR attempt, I know that I need a perfect playlist. I need some hard-core rap that makes me feel tough, I need some Whitney Houston and boy band music that will make me want to dance and I’ll need some fast, upbeat songs to help me push my tempo and pace towards the end.

So, with that being said, here is my playlist for Saturday’s half marathon. At three hours in length, it is far longer than I’ll need, but perfectly long for the pre-dawn to the race start and a pre-race pump up while I go through my dynamic stretches and warm-up. It is a mix of everything from Adele’s soon to be overplayed hit to NSYNC. Come Saturday at 7 AM this playlist will be placed on random and the work will begin.

While I can’t predict the outcome of the race, I know that I have an awesome half marathon playlist that has made me break out in dance moves more than once tonight and will bring a smile to my face during the hardest miles on Saturday. It’s been ages since I was this excited to run alone!

If you want to open this playlist in your Spotify account, just click here. Otherwise, just use the scroll bar on the right side of the playlist to see each of the 46 songs.

Tell me, what song did I forget?

 

 

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Finding Inspiration

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The discarded cups and thrown confetti has all been cleared from the streets of New York, but the inspiration I gained from yesterday’s race is still very fresh.

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For the first time in six years, I spent yesterday spectating, cheering and supporting friends and strangers alike as they conquered 26.2 miles. Back in 2009, when I last spectated, it was from the sponge station on First Avenue, while volunteering with the New York Junior League.  I didn’t know a soul running the race but watching these strangers conquer such an intimidating race, lit the fire inside of me, inspiring me to join the New York Road Runners and qualify for the New York City Marathon via 9+1.

From my cheering spot on Fourth Avenue I was able to cheer, scream and motivate runners as well as spot my friends Ireen, Theodora, Frank, and Kelly before lacing up my shoes for a few miles with Melissa. These running inspirations made it look so easy yesterday!

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After a less than stellar final month of training due to an injury, Melissa was hesitant about yesterday’s marathon. In order to help her achiever her goal of finishing, I offered to run alongside her for a few miles, taking her mind off the marathon while providing her with some fuel and water. Exactly on plan, around 11:45, I spotted her as she crossed the mile 7 marker and quickly hopped in. We had a blast for 3.5 miles, as I gave her a tour of the Brooklyn sites. Humorously, a few friends spotted me, very confused including Emily and Kim.

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As I prepare to conquer the heat and humidity of this weekend’s Savannah Rock’n’Roll Half Marathon, my third half marathon this season, I’m going into the weekend more excited than ever before thanks to these friends. I know the 80% humidity and predicted temps of 75 degrees aren’t ideal for racing but my goal is to finally break that elusive sub-2 hour half marathon mark. The sweat, tears, smiles and determination that these friends showed during yesterday’s marathon reminded me that so much of racing is mental. I can’t control Saturday’s weather but I can control everything I do leading up to the race, so I can go into the race feeling physically rested, mentally strong and smiling.  Until Saturday when I’m not working, you’ll find me foal rolling, sleeping and reading posts like this, reminding me of the most important things to do before racing in humid and hot conditions.

So here’s to you marathon runners, thank you for showing up yesterday and giving 110% to the boroughs, bridges and streets of New York City. A huge congrats to those I knew yesterday including Sashea, Camille, Jen, Theodora, Frank, Melissa, Chloe, Kelly, Greg, Ireen, Kayla and Dani.

Your turn: Did you spectate or watch the marathon this weekend? For those half marathon runners who have recently achieved new PRs, what are your tips? Do you run in humidity and heat often? Any tips?

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