Race Recap: Shamrock Half Marathon

My Shamrock Bling collection!

Finally wrapping up my Virginia Beach race weekend... If you missed part one, click here to read about the race expo and the 8K run last Saturday.

Sunday, March 16...
My morning alarm went off too quickly. I didn't feel well rested, and a quick glance out the window told me the wind had not eased up.  The half marathon started early at 7am (the full marathon was later at 8:30am). I grabbed my ClifBar for breakfast, only to realize it had chocolate in it (I gave that up for Lent!). Ah!  Thankfully, I had a sample-size granola bar from the race expo.

Temps were in the low 40's (which is my favorite race temp), but that wind had a chilling effect on me all weekend. So I grabbed a long sleeve tech shirt that I just bought at the expo. Hubby drove me to the start line - about 15 blocks down. I had originally picked my hotel based on the starting line for the full marathon, which was a different location than the half, also a different time.  We arrived a 1/2 hour early to meet up for the Half Fanatics and Tough Chik pictures. While hanging out in front of the Cavilier, I found a bunch of other online friends too!

Team Tough Chik!

Online friends finally meeting in person!

I was having so much fun chatting with my new friends that I almost forgot the time on the clock. By time I walked to the portapotties, it was less than 5 minutes to the start. When the gun sounded and the first corral set off down the street, I was literally inside the toilet. First time for that.  I found my way to corral 4 in the nick of time.

My goal for the Shamrock Half Marathon was to maintain a 10 min/mile pace for the first 10 miles and then see what I had left. It was essentially a long training run and a little test to see where my endurance was at. My legs weren't exactly rested and didn't feel as fresh as the prior day's 8K, but I felt good.

Hubby found me first near mile 2. Once running, I warmed up quickly and was second-guessing my choice of long-sleeve. The wind just didn't feel so bad once we were running in mass.

Hubby jumped in the car and caught me again at mile 3. He typically catches me a 6-7 times during a half marathon. But being a cheerleader in a car proved to be a difficult task at the Shamrock Half Marathon. The north side of Virginia Beach is a narrow area and most the roads were closed off for the race. There just wasn't a way around unless you were on bike.

I skipped the first water stop because it was a cluster, but then quickly reminded myself, "Don't be stupid. The majority of my hydration yesterday was beer. Take the damn water."  From that point on, I snagged a water cup at every water station and drank on the run.
Mile 1 - 9:54
Mile 2 - 9:54
Mile 3 - 9:49

After mile 3, we veered off on on the heavily wooded area along First Landing State Park. I loved this stretch, probably my favorite of the whole race. Three miles of quiet woods with a wide road to spread the runners out.

Mile 4 - 9:49

Mile 5 - 9:58

Mile 6 - 9:54

bad photo on-the-run, but you get the idea...

I was unglued from my watch most of the race - just trying to maintain a comfortable pace. Every once in a while, I'd look down to check a mile split and always happy with what I saw... nice and even. After mile 6, we entered Fort Story, a joint Army/Navy base. As we broke out of the wooded area and approached the Atlantic Ocean (large sand dunes blocked any views), the wind gusts slapped me in the face.  For the most part, the miles through the base were rather boring, except for when we passed between the old and new Cape Henry Lighthouses.

I was feeling really good and took my first and only energy gel to make sure that feeling would last. As we rounded the coastline and headed south again, I started to itch for the finish.
Mile 7 - 9:53
Mile 8 - 9:57
Mile 9 - 9:53

Coming out of the base, I grabbed a cup from one of several 'beer stops' along the course. Hmmm, it tasted good; a sneak of what was to come at the post-party. I was trying to hold myself on-pace until the mile 10 marker; but once that beer went down, my patience wore thin. I slowly stepped up my pace, plugged in my music for the first time... and the fun began.

As tired runners slowed down, I picked it up and began passing people non-stop. It takes control and patience to hold a slower pace early in the race... but this is the reward. It is so wonderful to feel strong and in-control at the end of 13.1 miles. I found my tempo pace and picked people off one by one. I even dropped the hubby a couple texts to let him know where I was. He had grown weary of the traffic rat-race and just took the car back to the hotel. I got a good laugh when he texted me (at mile 5), "Hurry up! I'm at the finish!"

I felt taxed in the last mile, but was determined to make it my best split of the weekend. The course zigzagged back towards the beach. We rounded the last corner onto the boardwalk and got our first oceanview of the half marathon. The strong wind put a damper on any kind of finishing kick. The flags waved us in for the finish, but that final stretch seemed to stretch on and on.
Mile 10 - 9:31
Mile 11 - 9:18
Mile 12 - 9:31

Mile 13 - 8:58

VIRGINIA - State #20

Official Chip Time 2:07:40

average pace 9:44

overall #3443 of 8936

F35-39  #300 of 921

Female  #1594 of 5510

This is nowhere near a PR for me (1:56), but I was really happy with my run at the Shamrock Half Marathon. I've been slow coming back from plantar fasciitis - building endurance and my speed again. A 9:44 pace for this distance is good for me right now... so I was all smiles with the results. I should mention if you are pushing for a PR, this is a great course. Seriously, the FLATTEST 13.1 I've ever run!

The race was fun... but the post-party was awesome!  We immediately went to the big warm tent on the beach. What a set-up inside! Hot soup, cold beer and a complete concert setup with four great bands throughout the day.

One of the best things I did the day before was buy a cheap sweatshirt. Sweaty and now cold, it felt awesome to put that sweatshirt on. We hung out for an hour before walking back to the hotel to change and try to catch my friend Patty in the midst of her full marathon. After a change of clothes, we returned to the post-party, waited for Patty to finish, and drank Yuengling beer until the band played their last song - 4:00 in the afternoon!! I loved one of the Irish bands so much that we followed them to Murphy's and celebrated our Shamrock runs well into the evening.

I had such a fabulous time at the Shamrock Marathon events. It lived up to its well-deserved reputation and I was extremely pleased that I chose this event to fulfill state #20 Virginia on my journey to Race All 50. Not only was event execution flawless, but the swag involved with these races was stellar!

Thank You Virginia!

Race Recap: Shamrock 8K

Time to recap the awesome weekend I had in Virginia Beach for the Shamrock Marathon events! I went into this trip with the mere goal of knocking off another state (#20!) and a much-needed getaway with my husband.  I tried really hard not to take the races seriously. What?! My running is not fast right now; I'm no where near my standing PR. I'm okay with that, but sometimes the time on the clock can overshadow the experience for me. Honestly, I felt like Virginia Beach was the first time that I was able to release myself from performance expectations and just be happy with where I was at.

We arrived in Virginia Thursday evening. (All four of our flights there and back were either delayed or cancelled. Travel was not the fun part of this trip.) Arriving in Richmond, we drove down to Williamsburg for the first night. It was such a cute historic town. In the morning, we walked around the downtown and university area. There were so many runners - since a large part of the roads were closed to vehicles. It seemed like a runner's paradise and my feet were itching to run there.

We took our time traveling the final leg into Virginia Beach, adventuring along some smaller roads. This is my favorite part of the #RaceAll50 quest... I enjoy getting outside the bustling cities and off the interstates to see the different countrysides and get a real feel for the area. We came into Virginia Beach from the north side, stopping at Fort Story to see the Cape Henry lighthouses.

We arrived at the race expo shortly after it had opened on Friday. Traffic and parking around the convention center was crazy, but I tried to remind hubby that we were on vacation; no hurries. Indeed, we took our time in the expo - nearly 2 hours! I'm usually in/out of expos because of the kids, but today we stopped and visited with everyone. Several of the races that I have earmarked for eastern states were there, so we talked with each of them in detail. I didn't plan on buying any clothing while I was there, but found some sweet deals and ended up with bags of goodies! We also happened to be the first people in line when they announced Yuengling beer samples...

Samples at the race expo was just the start. Beer became a popular theme for us on vacation...

After checking in at the LaQuinta hotel, we went in search of food since we had skipped lunch. We found an amazing seafood buffet... Not the best pre-race food, but it was perfect for two hungry travelers on a Lenten Friday!

I was having problems determining what to wear for the races. The temps were mild, but the wind was vicious (all weekend) and cold. I just couldn't shake the chilly feeling. On Saturday morning, I immediately grabbed the one and only long sleeve run shirt I had brought along. Our hotel was right by the 8K start, so I didn't leave my warm room until 15 minutes before race time. The sun was on its way up and I hurried over to the oceanfront to snap a few pictures of the gorgeous sunrise before jumping into my race corral.

I've run a lot of races - many who attempt to do corrals and fail miserably. J&A Racing, who hosts the Shamrock Marathon events, did an impressive job with their corrals and movement. The start was so smooth!!  I had planned on running the 8K with my husband, but he was unable due to a knee injury (He had surgery the day we got home). I lined up at the front of corral 7, which worked well for a nice start. My legs felt fresh and it was so good to run!

My goal for the 8K was to keep my pace around the 10 min/mile mark... in order to save something for Sunday's half marathon. I knew within a few blocks that I started too fast and reeled it back. For the first two miles, we ran south along Atlantic Ave, mostly hotels and tourist businesses.
Mile 1 - 9:34
Mile 2 - 10:00

At the end of Rudee Inlet, we looped around onto the oceanfront boardwalk. Oh-yeah! THIS is what I came for! It was a gorgeous sunny morning (and I wasn't cold anymore). This was exactly where I wanted to be!

It got a little congested along the boardwalk as people were stopping to walk. I don't mind walkers as long as they move to the side before they come to a stop. I weaved my way through and managed only one collision. I tried to relax, enjoy the ocean view, and soak in the sun. Shortly before mile 4, we zig-zagged back onto Atlantic Ave. The spectator crowds were big through this area so it was kind of fun. My posse of cheerleaders was waiting there for me there too...

 They had planned out the best race photo ever... photo-bombed by my own spectators! Ha!

The last mile was oddly the most congested of the run, as I was catching the slower folks of early corrals.  "What the heck, let's pick up the pace."  It's my own little quirk, but I love making the last mile of every run the fastest.
Mile 3 - 9:56
Mile 4 - 9:52
Mile 5 - 9:12

We turned the corner onto the boardwalk again, this time heading south - smack into the wind. The finishing stretch was pretty cool, lined with waving flags, spectators and the statue of King Neptune looking over us.

Official Chip Time 48:38

average pace 9:43

overall  #2230 out of 8310

F35-39  #151 out of 783

Females  #935 out of 5157

The first race of Shamrock weekend was done. I went a wee bit faster than my 10min/mile goal, but I felt good and happy. Somehow, I totally forgot about the post-party on the beach until after we were back at the hotel (Duh!).  Oh-well, I was able to use those beer tickets the next day.

If I were seriously racing this weekend, I would have relaxed the rest of the day to recover, hydrate and prepare for Sunday's half marathon. Instead, the hubs and I enjoyed our vacation time together. We rented bikes and tooled up and down the beach, stopping for drinks (the non-hydrating kind) and ice cream along the way.

After a fun afternoon, I was exhausted and ready for a nap. But there was no time for that! We hit up the pizza joint next to our hotel - sitting on the outdoor patio, listening to live music, drinking (more) beer and visiting with my dearly missed running pal.  It was perfect. Eventually, I grew tired and logic told me to go to bed.

The Shamrock half marathon was the next morning...

Shamrock Prep & Giveaway!

After a long winter, I am excited to once again toe the line of a race. This weekend, I'm heading to Virginia Beach to run the Dolphin Challenge (8K on Saturday; Half on Sunday) at the much-hyped Shamrock Marathon. I've heard so many good things about this event and its organizers that I can't help but have high expectations for a fun weekend.  It's been almost four months since I've colored in a new state, so I'm pumped to make Virginia #20 in my quest to RaceAll50.

If you remember, I was registered for the full marathon and had to downgrade after pneumonia and plantar fasciitis derailed my training. It's still a disappointment in my heart, but I know it was the right thing to do. I'm nowhere near ready for 26.2 right now. My goal this weekend is to finish, but also to run consistent splits and then test what I have left in the last mile - just to see where I'm at.  I want it to feel like a tough training run, but not an all-out race. With 18.1 miles on tap for Sat/Sun, the Shamrock weekend will wrap up Phase 1 (base building) of my yearlong training plan for Milwaukee. After Shamrock, I'll reincorporate speedwork into my weekly repertoire.

There was no taper for Shamrock. In fact, I hit a peak last week when most people would taper... 35 miles! That was my highest mileage week since last October. Combine the miles with yoga, swimming and Spinning, and I was pleased with how my body handled it all with relative ease. Oddly enough, I also had two complete rest days. Unplanned, of course. I hate rest days.  But it has me rethinking my training plan going forward...

So now the details of our Virginia trip begin... weather stalking and the packing. Of course, the weather forecast keeps changing, but safe to say we'll have temps in the 40's for race time on both days... that is my favorite run temperature! Now I just hope we can avoid rain... especially since I'm looking forward to Shamock's grandoise post-party! Weather determines a large part of raceday clothing, so I will be packing a variety of options... layers, layers, layers. With hubby there as a spectator, it'll be easy for me to drop as I run if need be.  (Note: My hubby was registered to run the 8K, but he now has a torn meniscus in his knee. So instead he's looking at surgery the day we return from Virginia. Serious Boo.)

With the help of Runner Decals, I created this Boston Strong emblem to make a festive green outfit for one of the Shamrock races...

Boston Strong iron-on from Runner Decals
Compression Socks from ProCompression
Sparkle Skirt from Sparkle Athletic

I've worked with Runner Decals on a number of projects now and always love the result!  While some view the "run outfits" as tacky, it's the fun part of pre-race for me. I enjoy creating outfits that are festive, but yet I also want them to be comfortable on the run. By using Runner Decals, I'm able to pick the perfect-fit shirt for me and then iron-on the design. I've washed the shirts multiple times and never had a problem with it peeling off.

Look - My pal Patty and I used custom iron-on decals from Runner Decals last year too!

So excited that Patty is meeting me in Virginia Beach this weekend.
She moved to the East Coast last year and I miss my run buddy so much!

GIVEAWAY!

Runner Decals was nice enough to send me some extra BOSTON STRONG iron-on decals. So let's have a quick fire GIVEAWAY!!  The randomly-drawn winner will receive their choice of...

WINNER MAY CHOOSE FROM....

Lime green short-sleeve moisture-wicking shirt (size Large) 

dark green BOSTON STRONG on front; RunWithJess.com on back

- or -

Black long-sleeve moisture-wicking shirt (your choice on size)

white BOSTON STRONG on front; RunWithJess.com on back

- or -

Your choice of white or green BOSTON STRONG decal 

and you can iron it on a shirt you already have at home

You have 24 hours to enter!! 

Winner will be drawn via the Rafflecopter app below 

at 12noon on Wednesday, March 12.  Good Luck!!

This BOSTON STRONG iron-on decal is also available to purchase at Runner Decals.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway