Race Weekend: Fort Worth Half Marathon

 

Downtown Cowtown

I fell just short of my goal this weekend with a 2:01:51 race time in the Cowtown half marathon. My goal was to finish just under 2 hours, but given the hilliness of the course I’m content with my time. It was clear during training that I wasn’t going to keep the required 9:00 pace for the big event. Throughout my practice runs the best I could do was keep 9:30 for 10 miles. After that I pretty much fell off a cliff time wise. I’d worked to improve this over the last couple of weeks. It paid off.

It’s not enough to get the right pace, you also have to hold it right up to the end. I know that sounds obvious. But the biggest difference between other races I’ve had and this one is the last couple of miles. Thankfully I was much stronger in the legs and in the lungs this time. I didn't fall apart once I'd finished either. Exhausted for sure, but not ready to throw up and swear off any mention of a race ever again.

 Despite a cold start (32 degrees) I was never uncomfortable or wished I’d have dressed differently. I had a long sleeve t-shirt and cold gear tights under shorts. I almost opted for shorts but I didn’t want to freeze for the first 30 minutes. The gear I had on was comfortable the whole time.

My brother and I drove into Fort Worth on Saturday before the race. I needed to get my packet and try and map out the course. I like to do this so I have some idea of where the tough spots are. This allows me to plan my run a little better. For instance, I knew I’d need extra energy for the big hill at mile 9. It’s late in the race by that point and a lot of my energy is already dwindling. I sucked down a gel packet just after mile 7 hoping to get a boost for the climb.

Usually I don’t eat before or during a race. Any amount of food just sits heavy in my stomach. Some runners always eat something, even fruit or cereal just before a race. It depends on what you’re used to. Lately I’ve been feeling dizzy after longer runs and I couldn’t risk not having enough strength to finish. How much of that depended on mapping out the route beforehand? It's tough to say but I wouldn't change it.

The first half of the course went through the northern chunk of the city. We started at the Will Rogers Memorial Center, went up to the Stockyards and continued south into the downtown area. From downtown it was a straight shot back at the Will Rogers Memorial Center. While driving around on Saturday and trying to follow the map, my brother kept pointing out how long some of the hills were. I noticed it too but didn’t say much. Fortunately I always practice running hills, the question is did I practice enough? The race organizers mostly front loaded the tougher parts of the course. The last 2 miles was downhill, a relief when you’re tired.

One unexpected part of large races is the enthusiasm from the bystanders. You might think it doesn’t matter that random people are cheering you on along the way, but it does. That’s why city runs are more fun than trail or nature marathons. And also because you get to see a different city than you’re used to. There were at least 10 different live bands playing along the route while friendly onlookers held funny signs. I think the funniest one I saw said “We’ve been trying to reach you about your car warranty”.

My brother surprised me at one point. Just as I entered the downtown leg of the race he waved at me and asked how I was feeling. I gave him the thumbs up and continued lumbering down the street. He left the convention center and followed my progress on the race app. He found the best spot to stop and encourage me. That in itself was tricky. The city shut half the roads to accommodate the race. He’d found just the right area and hurried back to the finish line. All the driving we did the day before helped him navigate the city.

Despite missing my time goal, I improved considerably from the last race so I’ll take the win. I had fun and I plan to do it next year.