2012 BRR 50 Race Report

The short version: It was a much better day than I expected and I finished in 11:46:18.

The long version:

I was feeling very unprepared – both physically and mentally – for BRR. My mileage had been extremely low topping off with a single 51-mile week at the end of February and that only happened because of Hashawha. Most of my other weeks hovered in the high-30s to low-40s. My last long run was 26.2 miles and that was 3 weeks ago in Barcelona. I had also been blowing off most of my Sunday runs. Get the picture?

My mental training wasn’t much better. I had only gotten into the race the previous Friday so I didn’t have the months of mental prep/anguish to psych myself up for such a long day. Despite knowing that this day could end miserably, I showed up to see how far I could get.

My plan for the day:

• Don’t get injured. If things really got ugly, I would rather DNF than have to recover from a serious injury.
• Eat real food. Last year I bonked during the last 10 miles. I think my bonk was because I was relying primarily on gels and Chomps and not eating any real food at the aid stations. This year my plan was to supplement my hourly gel or Chomps with PB&Js.
• Stay hydrated. With the high forecasted to be in the 70s I knew I’d be a sweaty mess.
• Get in and out of the aid stations quickly. Since I knew what I was going to be eating, there was no reason for me to browse through the various goodies at the aid stations. My plan was to get in, get what I needed, and get out.

Rooibos Vest

Life is a journey, not a destination.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Bummer dude. My 2.5 month journey to complete this vest ended up somewhere that was as uninspiring as Texarkana. Trust me; I spent a week there and never plan on returning.

The Rooibos pattern was exactly what I had been searching for in a vest pattern: casual (i.e., no lace or cables), falls just below the hip, and had an open front. I really wanted to love it when it was done, but I don’t.

Meh

Easter Egg Hunt

You’re never too old to hunt for Easter eggs.

Fierce Competition

Our eggs were filled with dollar bills; I think our Easter bunny may moonlight as an exotic dancer.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

This Might Hurt a Little

I didn’t get into the BRR 50-miler back in February and have been waiting patiently on the wait list. I got this email on Friday – 8 days before the event which is on April 14th.

Uh Oh

Running this event is probably not one of my wiser decisions, so wish me luck.

Barcelona Marathon Race Report

Also known as the Pulling-Bunnies-Out-of-Butts Marathon. My expectations for Barcelona were pretty low. I hadn’t done any speedwork in over a month before the race so I fully intended for it to be a 26.2 mile sightseeing odyssey.

The short version: I PR’d with a 3:57:34 and felt fantastic the entire race.

The long version:

Our group of four arrived in Barcelona on Friday and decided to pick up our bibs. The race expo was within a 10-minute walk from our apartment so it was a perfect way to see what was nearby. The expo was nothing spectacular. I was a bit disappointed that they didn’t have any branded gear for the event for us to buy because I was fully prepared to shell out some Euros for a hat or shirt with the race name emblazoned on it. Andrea, Mandy, and I decided to pick up free bibs for Saturday’s Breakfast Run since we were planning to do a short shake-out run anyway.

Post-Expo at Montjuic

I thought that the 9:30am start for the Breakfast Run was a bit late but was thankful it didn’t start any earlier since I slept until almost 9am Saturday morning. We joined about 2,000 or so other runners for the 4k jog around Montjuic. It was a bit hilly and not as easy as I’d like considering we were running about an 11:00 minute/mile pace. It was pretty cool – and cushy – to finish the Breakfast Run with a lap around the Olympic Stadium.