Run for the Green 1/2 Marathon 2010
By: Jamaar Valentine
I was very pleased with the UCRR representation even though so many others were off playing in the mountains for the Blue Ridge Relay.
Theoden, Christi, Brian and I all met to warm-up a couple miles an hour before the 7:30 gun time. Brian led us right down Concord Road for a predominantly flat out and back (not unlike the first half of the Bi-Lo loop). By the time we finished our warm-up those 70 degree temps to which we awoke were sure to have approached 80. The DLC put on a pretty decent budget event, unfortunately there were only 5 port-a-johns w/ lines equivalent of a marathon w/ a few thousand plus participants (slight exaggeration but this was a bigger factor for me this morning than most). Here, in the line, I saw Siobahn had arrived as well. By 7:15 the seemingly smaller group of 10K’ers and 1/2 -thoners were being corralled near the top of South Street.
Fortunately the first 2 mi was almost exclusively down hill with quite a fast start. Immediately after the gun, I lost all sight of Brian, started with Theoden, and had Christi just a few short steps behind. I thought it was a daunting task to not let the downhills sweep me away since I really wanted to do my best and stick with Theo (projected 7:28 pace) as long as possible, knowing what a smart runner he is. Winding down the Greenway and briefly through a small neighborhood there was a sharp downhill which was foreboding of the steep uphill for Mile 11. Somehow, at the 10K and Half course split, the volunteers seeming a little too distracted let a number of runners go the wrong direction (a story everyone has heard before that also comes into play later).
By mile 3, the course really started to level off and just roll through the hills without any notable elevation changes. Winding through the River Run golf community, we were blessed with a number of sprinklers and local resident cheering us on. Coincidentally, after the hills started to level off I began to feel unexpected fatigue and GI discomfort for which I errantly figured my training had prepared me. Even still , wanting to race smart, I laid off the throttle (back down to 7:40+ pace) and tried to keep Theo in my sights. By mile 4, I couldn’t believe it that my beloved had passed me and maintained a safe lead. She was very wise to latch on to a girl named Amy (a locally known runner from Davidson in Christi’s age group who had fans at almost every turn). Approaching Mile 6, my contacts faded and I couldn’t pick out Theo, Christi, or her new challenger Amy. Thankfully, as I found myself running with no other participants +/- 200m, I passed an elder gentleman rocking out in his driveway with a nice PA system and felt slightly rejuvenated with a pseudo – “runner’s high.”
Over the next few miles, I still felt like I was on an island passing one or two people at a time but I still didn’t have anyone to push me. Being a solo runner, I was looking again and again to the volunteers for inspiration, but it seemed 80% of them had something better to do other than acknowledge a passing runner. I should mention that every volunteer at the 6ish waterstops was more than helpful/ attentive/ energetic; it was just the pairs of volunteers at turns (excluding the men & women in uniform) who really burned my britches. At the station between Mile 9 & 10, there were a group of pre-teen cheerleaders in uniform, pom-poms and all, that really put a smile on my face seeing their energy. Hitting the greenway again after an extended downhill –> false flat, I knew the dreaded Mile 11 shouldn’t really be any match for training on David Taylor.
After conquering the “hill,” I knew all I had to do was focus on finishing, and figure out when I could start my kick and at least pick up to 7:30 pace if I still had it in me. Chalking it up to an opportunity for race experience, my D-tag timing chip came loose and started to dangle until I stopped to fix it right before Mile 11. Training with different members of UCRR taught me a long time ago how difficult it is for me to stop/start at any pace. Somehow I missed the marker for Mile 12, but I figured it was time to really start giving it the old college try. I passed one more officer ( the same one that I think Brian needed when he incidentally took the wrong turn leading him .15-.2 out of the way) and new it was time to turn it up even though I saw NO signs of any other runners or of an approaching finish. Suddenly, coming through the trees of a “Dilworth-esque” neighborhood, I could hear the cheers and finally saw the finish with all its spectators. My ever stronger “kick” led me sprinting up the final hill through the finish line harder than I can ever recall from my last twenty 5K’s. Some sort of adrenaline rush, right. I looked up to see Brian, Theoden, and Christi all of whom had finished within a few minutes of each other and before me.
In the end, I was somewhat disappointed with the problems that come from not having my “perfect race,” but I’m thrilled to have finally completed my first half marathon. Worthy congratulations to Siobhan and Brian for their top 3 age group placements. I hope our $5 Omega Sports gift certificates will come in handy. An outstanding ovation due to Christi for taking 3rd place overall female (all top 3’s just happened to be age 20-24 as well) in her second ever LONG distance race. All-in-all, I am very pleased with the event put on by the Davidson Land Conservancy, and would do it again (not for another month at least). Eric Reiner’s UCRR record for the course still remains for another year, but I hope that we’ll all give it another shot again soon. I can almost relate to 13.1 as Theoden’s favorite race distance. Cheers to UCRR.
