Race Review: DeLeon Springs Half Marathon

I ran half marathon #16 yesterday. I can’t say it went well, but I finished, so there’s that.

This was sort of a last minute race. I heard about it through my friend, Kate, a month ago and then asked my friend, Brad, if he wanted to run it. I never heard back from him either way, so it kinda fell off my radar until Brad said he wanted to run it last week. And really, I’m a sucker for anyone that wants to run a race with me.

So, Brad picked me up at 6:00am and we made the hour drive to DeLeon Springs so we’d have plenty of time for the (way too late) 8pm start. By the way, DeLeon is pronounced day-lee-own. Took waaaay too long for me to figure that one out.

The race starts at Chuck Lennon Park.

There’s a half marathon and a 5k and they are both super small. So small that there were only three port-o-potties (and 2 park restrooms).

That one on the right is like the Cadillac of port-o-potties. So much room I just wanted to stay in there longer!

Anyway, the 5k had 150 runners and the half marathon had around 125. We were able to park about 20 steps from the finish line and 20 steps in the opposite direction to pick up our bibs.

You’d think from that picture that it was cold out, but it was 66°F. People in Florida get super weird if the temperature dips below 75. Everyone complains on Facebook how cold it is and people on the street dress in wool jackets and moon boots. I don’t get it.

Anyway, we were pretty early so we walked around a bit to kill some time. I tried to get Brad to ride this bird but he wouldn’t do it. Fine. I’ll ride the bird.

Then we were ready to run.

Both the half marathon and the 5k start together. There’s no timing pad at the start, so the race goes by clock time only. Usually I find that annoying but it didn’t matter with this race because there are so few people that it’s not like you’re waiting more than a few seconds to cross the start line. Whereever that was. Maybe that first cone?

Everyone lined up a few minutes before the start.

That’s about as crowded as it got.

Oh, and before we started, I also made Brad take a picture with me so you don’t all think I’m always talking about an imaginary friend.

He exists!

The course was an out an back on a long, quiet, country road. There was no crowd support and the water stops were minimal with only water (no Gatorade, not that I drink that).

***You are now entering the lack of pictures zone***

By mile 3, I’m usually feeling pretty good and can just run on autopilot for about 6 miles or so. I never felt that way during this race so I could tell the whole thing was going to be a big effort.

By mile 4, it was starting to get hot. (WTF Florida, this is January!) And who starts a race in Florida at 8? So lame.

Just before Mile 5, I could tell Brad was feeling good, so I told him to go on without me. He always seems to start too fast and fade at the end, so as he was leaving, he joked that he’d “see me at mile 10.” (Pretty sure he jinxed himself.) I could see Brad about a quarter mile in front of me for almost five miles and then caught up to him at mile 9.6 and he was dying. Although, so was I. I took 10-11 walk breaks during the race because I was so, so tired. My hamstrings were killing me and I just did not want to be running.

By mile 11, my shoulder started hurting again. This shoulder business started in Savannah during my first marathon a year and a half ago. I don’t think I mentioned this, but I ended up going to an Orthopedic doctor back in October and had some x-rays. Turns out I just have some fancy word for inflammation which needs anti-inflammitory drugs. It likes to go away and come back at the most annoying times.

Anyway, for some reason, the only thing on my mind for the last half of the race was how much I hate bananas and how I wish races had apples. That’s right. Deep thinker here. I finished in 2:18:19. Over 10 minutes slower than my race a month ago.

I waited to cheer Brad on at the finish. He came in about four minutes after me. I really wanted to get a picture of him but my camera (the new, little Nikon) battery died. We went to get some race food afterwards and they had a nice little spread. Including apples!

Death to bananas! Also, Fig Newtons after a race are amazing.

So, it wasn’t my race but I’m glad I did it because I thought it was well organized and had a nice course. I would definitely do it again. It was super affordable ($35 the week before the race) and it’s the first race I’ve run that gives you the option to pay $10.00 less if you don’t want the race t-shirt. Awesome.

This Sunday is the 3M half marathon in Austin. Running 13 miles is harder this year than it was last year and I think my Garmin stresses me out and makes it even harder, so I’m making the executive decision to leave it home.

By the Numbers

1. I’d love to tell you that I rang in the New Year with a sweat-tastic workout, but I didn’t. I sat on the couch all day and watched Twilight Zone episodes on SyFy. When I say all day, I mean from the time I woke up until the time I went to bed.

It was kinda awesome, plus I didn’t really have the energy to do much else.

2. I’m so glad the holidays are finally over. It is exhausting being so joyful all the time. I’m ready to go back to being miserable. You know, gotta switch it up a bit. Plus, I’m ready to start eating food when I’m hungry again and not just because it happens to be in front of me.

3. I registered for this race.

The race is Sunday and I’ll be running it with Brad. If you’ve been reading for awhile, he’s the one I ran the miserable Savannah Rock ‘n’ Roll with. We’re basically pace twins (our half marathon PRs are the same down to the second), so unless one of us starts dying out there, we’ll run the whole thing together.

Since I have a race this weekend, I skipped my long run this week. Not that I wouldn’t have skipped it anyway. I don’t have much motivation to run lately. So obviously signing up for more races makes sense.

4. Got my bangs cut again.

That picture was straight out of the salon. My hair looks nothing like that when I style it. Usually I tell stylists not to style (or dry) my hair because I’m not going to live up to their styling the next day anyway, but my new girl styles my hair first and then cuts it dry. Weird order to things but it totally works.

5. I started watching Season 1 of Louie.

Does anyone else watch this? It’s a show based on the fictitious life of Louis C.K. with interludes of his stand-up comedy. Kinda like Seinfeld, but not. I thought it was a comedy and I guess it kinda is, but it goes from being horrifically depressing and sobering one minute to hilarious the next. It’s like an emotional roller coaster to watch. I’m liking it so far. Louis C.K. is ridiculously funny.

6. I bought a pair of Pro Compression socks. (That’s my Twilight Zone-a-thon in the background.)

They were 40% off, so I thought I’d check them out. I bought the largest size and I’m not even sure they fit. The top band part is kinda uncomfortably tight and they give my knees muffin top. Knuffin top? I like my Zensah calf sleeves better but they look a little nerdy so I was looking for something new.

7. I finished Beautiful Creatures.

I liked it better than I thought I would after most of you said you didn’t care for it. I didn’t think it was ZOMGamazing like The Maze Runner series, Hunger Games, or Unwind but it was good and kept my interest. It ends with a cliffhanger and there are three others in the series already out there. I figure I’ll get to them once I read some others on my list first.

8. Speaking of other books on my list, I’m almost done with The Surgeon.

This is the first book in the Rizzoli and Isles series. I saw an episode of the TV show and thought it was pretty good, so Michelle suggested I read it.

I find it weird to read about how unattractive Rizzoli is and picture Angie Harmon. I guess her personality fits the character but her looks definitely do not. Overall, the book is really good but it’s not typically the kind I like to read. It’s like an episode of CSI, which is fine if you like crime dramas, but it’s not really my thing. If it’s your thing, I would definitely recommend it.

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Ok, that’s the end of my blabbing for today. It’s time to get back to work after two 4-day weekends in a row. I’m gonna get back to that misery thing now.