Sunday, November 29, 2009

Catching Up... Richmond Marathon and Mountain Masters 16 mi trail race



Sorry it's taken me so extremely long to write this race report for Richmond. So much time has elapsed in fact, I have already ran a 16 mile trail race in harlan, Ky since then. So I guess I am somewhat recovered. :o)
 Richmond didn't exactly go as planned. Which is another major reason I didn't blog about it the day I got home. I decided I would give it a couple of days for me to be able to reflect -- I was really down on myself and disappointed. I felt I needed the time to be able to analyze my mistakes with some detachment.
 I was really hoping to run a 340 at Richmond and I really felt like my training indicated that I was in 340 shape.  I had ran a 144 half marathon 2 weeks prior and really felt I kinda dogged it during the race and could of raced harder. Even the day of the Marathon I started out with a 340 pacing group, it was my plan to just "sit-in" with them at 8:20 pace be patient and bide my time  just be relaxed and comfortable and then cross the line at 340-- easy, right?? WRONG! It did feel easy the first 13.1 I crossed in exactly 1:49 and it felt slow, sluggish-- like a slog-- but I was doing what I set out.. the pace that felt so slow to me, at mile 17 got difficult to hold onto-- and even though I wasn't really HURTING.... I just kept slowing and slowing.. so I crossed  mile 20 at 2:55.. I knew my race was out the window. My goal went from qualifying for boston to... not letting the 4 hour pacers catch me.  I never walked I kept plugging along trying to go faster but couldn't-- feet hurt.. joints ached, muscles SO tight..  although at this point I was extremely downhearted, I felt like a big failure.  a loser. It took me an hour to finish that final 10k and I crossed the line at 3:55 with my head down:o(
However, once I got across the line it was SO extremely crowded I couldn't find my family. I was actually relieved.. I didn't want to hear from them that I had ran well, when I knew I didn't. So I walked to the hotel alone for 7 blocks. In that time frame I had my little pity party for poor little Jenny, and by the time I got to the hotel.  I decided that it was what it was. I had a bad race. They happen. I just needed to put it behind me, and try again. So once brock came to the room, I was actually able to celebrate the fact I had finished under 4 hours  it was an 18 min PR for me.  and Sunday morning after Richmond I woke up and registered for Myrtle Beach Marathon in feb. So yes, I am going to try again. :o)

Mountain Masters was a very different story.  I woke up at 430 AM and drove to Harlan, Ky. Once there I met up with beth, JJ, lone wolf, gypsy, Eric Grossman and his wife Robin, Gil Furr, and Jim Bowers. It was like one big family reunion to have so many good friends running the same race. We all cut up and laughed and told stories until it was time to load up on the bus to take us to Shepherd's Trail.  This was my 3rd time running this race. I had ran 2:55 in 2005 and 2:42 in 2006. I was really looking to break 2:30 and just run hard so I could shake off the funk from my stinky richmond marathon performance.
It was about 30F at the start, brisk, clear and cold.  I started off behind the fast boys and had the lead until mile three this lady named cynthia ( who unbeknownst to me at the time is the mtn masters course record holder for females) and I kept passing each other back and forth.. I could tell just my running with her that she was a seasoned ultra runner/trail runner( and she is-- many 100's under her belt). She finally dropped me like a bad habit on mile 5.  I pretty much ran alone and just really worked hard..  I looked at the garmin but never tried to control my pace like I did at richmond. I just ran how I felt.  and I hammered.  I ran hard on the uphill and I ran even harder on the downhill.  I  felt like I was purging myself of all the yucky feelings I had about richmond. I felt so alive running those ridges and looking out at the panoramic splendor of Eastern Ky.  I stayed in 2nd until about mile 14 and another lady came up on me and challenged me for 2nd. I really wasn't wanting to relenquish it to her. So we raced back and forth and finally she just surged big time I and I went with her. We were running SO fast stride for stride..  it felt like an ALL out sprint. finally, I knew I couldn't hold this pace for 2 more miles so I slowed and let her have 2nd and I finished 3rd overall female and 1st in my age group with a time of 2:29. I was extremely happy to break 2:30 and just have a GOOD RUN. after I finished, the lady that got 2nd came and hugged me and told me that when we were sprinting and racing each other we were going 4:50 pace. NICE....

Road trip this weekend!!!!
Beth and I have been invited to go stay with Annette Bednosky on Friday( YAY!! LOVE annette!) and then go run Mistletoe Half marathon in Winston Salem, NC.  I will try to take pictures ( I have been failing at that lately) and post a race report when I return!!

8 comments:

Frank Lilley said...

Sorry about your Richmond race. Bad days happen. Some people will just dwell on those negative day. Just look forward. Better days are there . . . right before you.

Frank

pattyv said...

Loved hearing about your race in Richmond sorry it didn't go as well as planned.Richmond was my first marathon and I have run it several times, the half and five miler as well. Your comments on the race are motivating as I struggle to get back in running shape. Thanks for that!
patty valadka

jennifer Nichols said...

thanks frank and patty! Richmond was a learning experience. it wasn't all terrible! I got to hi-five bart yasso TWICE during the course of the run. The course itself is BEAUTIFUL! so many people it was never boring. it just wasn't in the cards for me that day! I will definitely run richmond marathon again! it's a wonderful race!

onward and upward!!:o)
happy running!!!:o)

jenny

Some guy named John said...

I say good job on two fine races! Yeah, I know the Richmond race didn't go as well as you'd have liked, but an 18-minute PR is enormous. Hope you get your BQ at Myrtle Beach!

One of these fine late Novembers, I'm gonna get over my stingy/cheap streak and ante up the $35 to run Mountain Masters, especially since it's practically in my back yard and all. I do go running on the Little Shepherd from time to time and love it there. I've heard lots of people say that's a good race.

jennifer Nichols said...

John! please do run mtn masters next year! it is such a fun event! we have a CREW of people who come from tri-cities area and then we all go eat mexican afterwards! it would be so cool for you to join us and hang out!! I know all my friends would think you are awesome!! :o)

take care and have a great week!!

jenny:o)

Rick Gray said...

Jenny, Do not look back. You ran great at both of these two races. Certainly more lessons were learned at Richmond, but that is ok. Your first ultra is quickly approaching and you are going to be ready. Enjoy the half this coming weekend. You are going to have a ball with Beth and Annette. Rick

jennifer Nichols said...

Thanks Rick! I am going to try to run "over the top" with Grossman and his crew for my long run the week after hellgate before christmas. i think he is running frozen sasquatch as well. what do you think will be a realistic goal time for me? or do you think I need to go into my first 50k when just a blank page and run to finish and no goals in mind?

I can't wait for mistletoe half!! I have both antlers and elf hats so we are going to be decked out!!! annettee is SO sweet to invite us!! beth and I are excited about road trippin to jefferson!

Rick Gray said...

I believe it is important to set goals, but as I am not as competitive as I once was, I set goals, but my ultimate goal is to get through the race with a reasonable time. For example, at Masochist I wanted to break 10 hours. Things did not go great with my run and I ended up with 10:25. I still had a ball and I am not going to beat myself up over it. Ultras are different animals. Enjoy the run and typically the time just takes care of its self. Be aware of how your body feels and push or relax accordingly. The three of you are going to be quite a group next weekend with all of your Christmas decorations in tow! Rick