I awoke at 5:00 am on Saturday morning with a lingering bout of the sniffles and a cough. My situation was not acute enough to warrant skipping the race. I have not run competitively for four months and was very anxious to run a race. Because I was ill, I had slept the entire evening before and did not pack my gear the night prior. I did very well packing my gear at 5:00 am for this race. I packed several potential race time outfits and a complete outfit for after the race. I packed several race time outfits because I was not sure how windy the morning would be. I did not want to be drenched in perspiration and have the cold winds blow through my clothing and make the outing fitting for a polar bear. I packed an outfit for after the race because I would be both foul smelling and drenched with perspiration.
The drive to Chambersburg requires little more than an hour for me and most of the commute is on a major highway. I left my house about 6:00am and stopped at a Giant food store for some pre-race food such as orange juice, bananas, a PowerBar energy bar, etc. The temperature at 6:00am was 39 degrees, which at the time was promising. I had anticipated the temperature rising several degrees until the 8:30am race time. Unfortunately, the temperature did not rise due to a very cool breeze which kicked up about a half hour before race time and persisted throughout much of the race.
This race was held at the Chambersburg middle school. Using the condition of the men's room as a barometer, the school is in need of funds for refurbishment. Similar to our middle school in Palmyra, the building is past its prime. I noticed the walls were plastered with signs to the effect of "Believe in Yourself" and "You Can Do It". This is in contrast to the "Go Cougars" pep rally centric signs I can remember adorning our high school walls back in my day.
Parking accommodations were very good, or at least for someone who arrived an hour early for the race. The lot was very full once the race began.
I ran a similar race in a rustic farmland setting in July of 2009 in Ephrata. It was called the Freshburst Five Miler and was sponsored by the local Johnson & Johnson plant. It was one of the most enjoyable races I have run because of the fresh country air and peaceful rural landscapes. I was looking forward to this run as the course was located in a very similar rural setting.
The registration for the race was slightly congested. It appeared a cafeteria or gymnasium was being used for registration. Instead of locating the registration tables at the rear of the room to allow for a long line to span from the front receiving door to the tables, the tables were placed at the front of the room near the door. This resulted in a very long line outside of the receiving door well into the hallway. This was not a major downer in any way. I met a gentleman named Steve who appeared to be in his 50's while waiting in line. We swapped stories regarding how we started running until we arrived at the registration table.
I had about a half hour before the 8:30 am race time to determine what I was going to wear for the race. I am not sure why, but the temperature was not much warmer than two hours earlier and a stiff breeze was present.
I decided to don my shorts, long sleeve technical shirt, and a hat and then jog around the parking lot to get an indication for how well I would be able to withstand the relatively cool temperature. I was cold with the wind.
I was imagining someone throwing a bucket of water upon on me and then running thirteen miles. I am drenched with perspiration after a race. I decided I would have to contend with hypothermia if I ran without a jacket. I decided to opt for long running pants and a jacket for this race. After all, I was running this race strictly for fun as a long distance workout for my upcoming Ukrops Monument Avenue 10K race in Virginia.
In the time leading up to a race you see runners with all kinds of gear, hair, attitudes, etc. I had the occasion for this race to be parked next to a gentleman who apparently has issues with nipple chaffing. As he stood behind his car bare-chested in the 40 degree weather, he proceeded to place square duct-tape adhesive patches over his nipples. Add one more use for multi-purposed duct tape.
The race went off without a hitch. I knew I had to conserve energy for very large hills at around miles three and ten. I had possessed no other strategy. I was merely on a fun run with no predetermined goals, split times or expectations in general.
I breezed through the first six miles, began to falter in the seventh mile, and completely bonked in the eight mile. I would like to attribute my poor performance to both having the flu and a course which was tougher than I had anticipated. For a newbie half marathoner like myself, this was not a venue for a good first time experience.
The hills were omni-present. I don't mind hills in my training, because they build your muscles and a lot of character. When you run a half marathon, no one asks you about the difficulty of the course. This course was not easy. If you are a seasoned half marathon and want a course (and conditions) to test your mettle, then this is the course for you. I was eaten alive by this course.
There was a photographer taking pictures at the beginning of the run and at the end of the run. For all I know, it was the same spot on this out and back course. I was straddling a delirious state at the end of the race. In any event, I would love to compare my fresh faced early picture at the beginning of the race versus my dogged tired picture at the end of the race. I hope the pictures are affordable.
I finished a couple seconds over 2 hours and 5 minutes. My post race sentiments were a mixed bag. I was glad I had the drive to finish this race. I was disappointed because I am arriving at the realization long distance running is not a forte of mine. I finished 226th out of 323 runners. I am most proficient at the shorter distances of one mile and five kilometers (3.1 miles). I feel as though I am potentially throwing in the towel with regard to pursuing half marathons and marathons, but I have to look at my historical track record and accept I am not very good at running long.
I admire those who can run long distances and need to learn to not feel deficient in any way because I can't run long. As the phrase goes, "You gotta use what your mama gave ya." I don't have long running genes.
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