BAA Distance Medley – Half Marathon Recap

The last race of the BAA Distance Medley is done! And it proved to be the hardest of the three races. I had originally hoped that this race would be a goal race – a chance to chase a PR. Then I took a tumble a week before the race and all bets were off. In the week leading into the race, the most my right foot and knee would tolerate was a 4-mile fartlek run.

When I checked in with Coach Bennett that Friday morning he actually asked me if there was another race I could do and take a pass on this one. But not completing the BAA Distance Medley that I started back in April was just not an option I wanted to entertain. I also really wanted to be out on the course with my running buddy E as she took on her first half. So in the end we agreed that I would run a very conservative race, taking walk breaks as needed and if necessary stopping if my foot or knee wouldn’t cooperate. So my race goals were simple  – to finish and to not do any further damage.

Es husband dropped us off so we just had a short walk to the start.  As soon as we picked up our race shirts, I got a text from Nicole and we caught up with her at the bag check. After missing each other at the first two Medley races this year it was great to finally see Nicole!

The three of us faced the crazy long lines for the port potties and then worked our way towards the front of our wave. Soon we were off. Within the first half mile, Nicole started to pull ahead and knowing that she was targeting 2:30 I had hoped to just keep her in my sights. E & I were moving well until about 3.5 miles in when my right foot made it clear it wanted to slow down. Around this point Amy & her husband had caught up with us – Amy was also injured and had planned to do a run/walk in hopes of finishing. I would end up leap-frogging back and forth with them throughout the course which really helped keep me going. I told E that I was going to need to slow down and she should keep going. I slowed and just as I started walking a guy passed me encouraging me to join him and keep going. I started again and just tried to focus on staying just off his right shoulder. It was funny for a while we didn’t talk at all – he would just check over his shoulder to see if I was still there. We ran that way for a bit and then I just needed to walk again so I let him go.

I kept plodding along, soaking in all of the encouragement from the volunteers (BAA Volunteers really are awesome!) I shuffled passed the water stop just after the 7 mile marker and heard someone call out to me – it was Jose who volunteering! Thank goodness for friendly faces! I soon came across the guy I’d been running with – this time we introduce ourselves (he was Charles) and started chatting as we ran. We picked up a woman named Rachel along the way and the three of us ran together for a bit. Having them to chat with and seeing Amy & her husband off and on were all great distractions from the growing soreness in my foot and now my right knee had joined the angry party!

Run, shuffle, walk is how I continued to make my way. E & I passed each other on the last out and back and high-fived. We were back in Franklin Park now and soon I spied my cheer squad! At this point I knew if I could just get through the last killer hill that was mile 11 it would be a fairly flat loop through the zoo and then into the stadium to the finish.

Walk, shuffle, run and finally the finish! E had finished about a minute before me and was waiting. I’m so proud of her!!

Once I had completely stopped moving it really hit me just how much my right knee and foot were hurting. I couldn’t wait to get home, get a shower and become one with the couch 🙂 Race #11 for this year done!

 (Awesome double bling – one for the half and the other for the Distance Medley!)

The BAA Distance Medley was a great series of races – as I’ve said before the BAA does not disappoint! If you’re looking for some great courses through Boston and crazy-well organized races I encourage you to check out the Distance Medley.