Race weekend on the Central Coast was epic - great friends, amazing food, total relaxation and perfect weather.
After a long drive up on Friday, I finally arrived at Philippe's place in San Luis Obispo with enough time to take a quick little nap before going to Atascadero for sushi with his co-worker and friends. After dinner, we headed to Black Sheep in downtown SLO. Nothing like a college town bar to make a 27 year old feel ancient. And obviously I didn't get the "no big purse" memo. It was like dragging a body bag through the crowd. We somehow scored a table out of the way, so I could store the body bag.
Saturday we went out for a quick run at 9:30am along a portion of the course and it was SO HOT! We only did about 2.5 miles and I was drenched in sweat. We both weren't feeling the run (it couldn't have been from the sake and beers from the night before...), so I was to end it early. After that we started to run errands and prep for the race.
First stop: Madonna Inn! When Mindy and I drove back from San Francisco in July, we traveled through San Luis Obispo and I wanted to stop at the Madonna Inn SO BAD to get a slice of dutch apple pie, but we couldn't since I was already way behind schedule and about to be late for work. I then talked incessantly about how amazing the pie tastes to the point that Mindy made me promise to get the pie on this trip. So, we picked up a slice, I had the teeny-tiniest bite (ohmygodsogood) and then helped devour the slice of pumpkin pie that Philippe bought.
Second stop was Ralph's for some lunch items and things for the race. Third stop was to Pismo Beach to meet Christopher for some sun n' sand before heading back to SLO to pick up our packets. When we got the race expo we were handed release forms for a Kashi commercial that was filming at the race. Who knew I could be famous and $500 richer for doing what I love! Then off to BIG SKY for dinner! Mmmmm! I got my usual order - ginger noodle bowl with chicken and veggies and an Anchor Steam beer.
Sunday morning was race day! The race starts in downtown San Luis Obispo and runs nearly parallel to the 101 into Pismo Beach. Since it was a point-to-point race and Christopher was meeting us at the finish, I had to bring my phone. I was going to wear my capris with the zipper pocket in the back, but after the short run on Saturday, I went with shorts and stuffed everything into a little pouch that clips onto the waistband of my shorts. I messed around with the placement until I found a place where it didn't jiggle. We stretched out, talked race and Kashi commercial strategy and I decided that I wanted to race and take it easy next Sunday at Long Beach.
The race starts, we are all together and after a block I look down and the pouch is GONE! My phone! My ID! My debit card! My SHARKIES!!! I turned and looked at Philippe and he knew immediately what had happened. He went back to look while Matt and I raced off down the course. I inwardly freaked out about the fact that my stuff was gone and my phone was destroyed. I figured out how I could get in touch with Christopher (call Kat or parents > have them look up his number via Facebook > then find someone with a phone that I could borrow).
I tried to focus on the race and let Matt pull me along the course while I silently freaked out. After 2 miles, Philippe returned without the pouch and I grew more and more frustrated. The course so far was nice and flat, but they had us in one lane. That would be great maybe 5 years ago, but this race is fairly popular now and one lane with so many people makes it difficult to maintain your pace and/or not trip over other runners. After about 3 miles, it thinned out enough that we could all run in the bike lane. I felt strong the whole first half of the race. Once the hills started to appear at about 6 miles in, I was getting more and more thirsty and needed a Sharkie. I usually eat one around this time and I could tell my body was craving it.
I maintained focus and the three of us kept heading down the course. At mile 7 as we crossed back over the 101, I was getting pretty upset about the fact that I had no idea where I lost my pouch and the state it was in. We blew past a water station, I grabbed a cup and walked a bit to down it quickly. I told Philippe how bad I wanted a Sharkie as we were approaching a turn around. I saw a couple volunteers in a truck at the turn around and decided to ask them about a lost and found at the end of the race. I barely got out, "Do you have a lost and found? I lost something at the start line..." and the girl goes, "Oh my god, is this is!?" And it was!!!! I told her how much I loved her, told Philippe to pick his jaw off the ground and we bolted off.
First thing first though, I pulled out a Sharkie and munched it down. Then for the most nerve racking part... how was the phone? I unzipped the pouch expecting shards of my phone to fly out, but it was perfectly intact! I yelled, "IT'S ALIVE!!!!" and screamed incoherent things. I was so happy.
We continued along in the shade toward the hardest part of the race. The Sharkie hadn't kicked in yet, so I chugged a Gatorade and conquered the first big hill. We slowed our pace a bit, asked a guy with a Pacifico box if he had extras and chatted about the upcoming hills. Then my stomach started churning and I felt sick. So much sugar in so little time. I had to walk a few steps because I was sure I was going to vomit. I told Philippe to go ahead, but he stuck around for another mile as long as I puked on the other side of the road.
I really started to feel it coming up a little before mile 10 and I was ready to be done. I knew I had a small hill to run over before I would be greeted by the most beautiful view of the ocean and start my descent into Pismo. I pushed along, but my stomach was not having it. I spent the next three miles stopping, bending over ready for it to come up, scowling at people that were trying to encourage me to keep going, then taking off again. I tried to focus on the gorgeous scenery, but the desire to throw up was too much for me. Finally, the last half mile heads down to the bluff along the beach where the crowd really started to push me along.
I couldn't see the finish and I thought it was a bit farther down, but after making a turn into Dinosaur Park I could see the banner and crowds and I upped the pace to finish strong. I saw a Kashi crew and smiled as they girl was reciting her lines to the camera ($500 for me! Pick this shot!), then saw the time clock clicking up to 1 hour 44 minutes. "Oh hell no!" and I was off. I had to beat those seconds. And I did. On gravel (really?).
I finished in 1:43.46... my second best officially recorded half marathon time.
I would have been 1:38.something had I finished with the boys and thus clocking in my best time ever. But I was only 5 minutes behind. Not bad for walking about a mile overall.
It was a great run and I would do it again. You go through the quaint little downtown, into the residential neighborhoods of San Luis Obispo, through the rolling vineyards of wine country and down by the crystal waters of Pismo Beach. Very pretty.
Long Beach will be different and I know I'm capable of getting a PR time. I won't have my phone, I won't have a thrown off nutrition plan and I won't be going into the course blind. This is my run and I'm ready to run it!
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