City of Oaks Marathon and Half Marathon November 1, 2015

COO pace group team - 2015

This is not much of a race report as it is more like a cliffs notes version...  Life has gotten in the way and my time to write has been limited…  I am getting around to writing it nearly 6 weeks later…. Still I want to keep a record of the event and highlight the important things that happened. 

Yay!  A local event!  I always love volunteering for races on my home turf.  This race is no exception.  I paced last year so I signed up again this year to pace.  Was hoping for a pace group between 2:10 and 2:30 but was given 2:45.  Hey it’s all good!  Just had to figure out a strategy to make it happen.

me ,blanca and amanda!

Race morning was clear and cool.  I met up with the other pace group leaders at the start.  Had an issue though… my Garmin was not syncing!  It would not get past the first home screen to look for the satellites.  Brads watch was doing the same thing…  Not good Mav!  I ended up downloading map my run and had that ready to go…  

Thankfully just before gun time, after the 25th hard reset the watch synced and it was working. Woooooo!  Good to go!!!  :D

The gun went off and it took us a long while to get to the start line.  I was with Blanca and Amanda – they were pacing the 5:30 half so we stuck together.  I hadn’t run with Amanda in so long and it was great to spend time with her again.  

Yeah, pacing makes me happy, esp in a sleeveless shirt! :)

Have to admit, it was a slow pace. I walked through the water stops and walked hills.  It wasn’t Galloway but my own thing…  I chatted with runners near me and passed the time. 

I was getting pretty warm in the long sleeved shirt they gave to me as a pacer.  Around mile 6 or 7 I think it was I saw a medic table.  I stopped and asked them if they had a scissors.  They did!  Told him I wanted to cut the sleeves off my shirt.  They laughed and the one guy cut them off for me.  Woo!!  Much better!!

I busted my tail at a sub 7 pace for about a half mile to catch back up to Amanda and Blanca then fell back into pace.  Made it!  :D  

I managed to bring it in on time!  I handed in my sign and went out for another 5K to run out the slow pace.  That was tough to run that half “that slow” - needed to stretch out the legs some.  Not sure I will run that pace again.  

Got back and yes, spent time at the beer garden with friends.  That is another fun thing about local events.  Lots of familiar faces to spend time with and local craft beer.  Spent some time there then headed home for a shower and a nap.  

Will I volunteer again next year?  Absolutely!!  Will it be the 2:45 group?  Probably not…  2:10 – 2:30 would be really comfortable for me to run.  

Til the next race *cheers*