The conditions were perfect, 50-60 for the temperature. Sunny with a breeze. I am unemployed for two weeks. I EVEN remembered my running shoes this time. What could go wrong? Famous last words.
Pick up was on Saturday at Rhode Runner with the infamous black bag of stuff after a trip around Barrington with my landlord/friend. At least this time around the shirt seemed the most normal (a white shirt). The day was going swimmingly, I slept Friday night from 7:30pm-4:30am.
I went out for a quick 4 miler and came back to a bit of alarming news personally that threw me for a loop. Like, forgetting to eat dinner before a half marathon loop.
The night before I oddly did NOT dream about missing my half marathon which should have been warning sign number two.
Oh, Knapp is sitting this one out. Warning sign number three.
The first half I decided to run at 7:30 pace and go from there. It seemed like I had used all my reserves on the hills (which should've been warning sign number four; last year I remembered only one hill but this time had my butt handed to me).
By mile six, the rails came off, the hammys got tight, and the wall was hit. Not the same Magneto-bruise inducing wall (a different story for a different day). I tried holding on and hit mile 8.5 where I, in dramatic fashion, unbibbed myself, took my watch off, and my Tang Clan Running Club t-shirt since I was basically disrespecting it. Very much like Andrew Bynum in the 2011 playoffs.
I imploded, exploded, ___ploded.
Walked to mile 10, dicked around and could only muster an 8 minute pace before my hammys felt overcooked.
At around mile 12, I walked off the course and walked to my car to change and eat a whole chicken.
I did not pass go, I did not collect 200 dollars, I did not collect my medal. Contemplated tossing my bib.
OK, ranting over, objectively:
Lessons learned from this race:
-the treadmill times are not to be taken literally.
-DNFs are OK if you hit the wall?
-EAT THE NIGHT BEFORE
