Comments on My Dirt Road Anthem: Half Marathon Strategy, Votes Wanted, Aspaeris Winner!! oh and a blog hop!

42 degrees?!?!?! I can't even imagine that!! N...

2011-09-21T17:47:35.280-06:00

42 degrees?!?!?! I can't even imagine that!! No wonder why you started out like a gazelle??!!!

Hoping you did awesome at your half this weekend! ...

2011-09-18T13:03:05.476-06:00

Hoping you did awesome at your half this weekend! I loved seeing your RW photo... it's fun to see yourself in random places!

I will go vote now....

That is awesome! Love how you took a "not wha...

2011-09-18T04:05:58.844-06:00

That is awesome! Love how you took a "not what you expected" race and challenged yourself to do better rather than letting it defeat you.

Off to check out and vote at Team Refuel!

My first half marathon I saw a sign at mile marker...

2011-09-16T22:15:26.634-06:00

My first half marathon I saw a sign at mile marker 10 that said a half marathon was a 5k race with a 10 mile warmup. I thought it was cruel but find it is an excellent strategy. Conserve energy the first half or 10 miles and race the rest like a 5k or 10k. Running the competition down and passing them can be motivating.

good luck! I think you are going into this so well...

2011-09-16T18:52:43.235-06:00

good luck! I think you are going into this so well prepared!! cant wait to hear about it!

this post made me double envious. Once b/c you got...

2011-09-16T18:07:11.628-06:00

this post made me double envious. Once b/c you got to be in runner's world and twice b/c I didn't win the shorts :P Yay Christina.

Even though I didn't win, I still voted for yo...

2011-09-16T17:53:28.898-06:00

Even though I didn't win, I still voted for you!

Good luck! Can't wait to hear all about it!

2011-09-16T17:21:27.597-06:00

Good luck! Can't wait to hear all about it!

Good luck with your race! Your first half experie...

2011-09-16T16:49:34.302-06:00

Good luck with your race! Your first half experience sounds a lot like mine :). My 2nd one wasn't quite as big of an improvement, though!

That's so cool that you got in Runners World! ...

2011-09-16T15:55:08.415-06:00

That's so cool that you got in Runners World!

I would say that starting out slower is for the best. I am not a fast runner. I always hang back in the beginning and run at a comfortable pace. It is easier to end a race feeling strong rather than feeling like you might die.

My half-marathon PR (1:58:57) was obtained by goin...

2011-09-16T14:39:05.655-06:00

My half-marathon PR (1:58:57) was obtained by going out slow and even, taking a gel every 5 miles, high fiving lots of little kids along the way, and having a pace partner to run with me and keep me motivated!

AHHHHHHHH I have been DYING all day! I got your ...

2011-09-16T14:17:20.659-06:00

AHHHHHHHH I have been DYING all day! I got your comment through my phone but I couldn't comment on your blog from the computers at work! Damn those restrictions on high school computers!! I am so excited that I won!! This absolutely made my day/week. I was feeling so blahhhh but I now have a HUGE smile on my face!! I actually just got the red ones but want the black ones SO BAD. They look so good on you (but everything does!). I can't wait! I guess I should e-mail you my info?? Eeee!!

Also, you know what's really funny?!?! My first half I ran in 1:58 and my second one in 1:44! A 14 minute PR!! TWINS! I didn't break it down the way you did. I just didn't train for the second one and I think my legs were just really well rested!

You totally deserve that grant and I am going to vote for you EVERY SINGLE DAY as many times as I can and from whatever computers I can get my hands on. I will even do a post on my blog to notify my readers that they need to help you out!!

THANK YOU AGAIN! You are the best!! <3

Good luck on the race! Your race strategy in ho...

2011-09-16T14:04:24.992-06:00

Good luck on the race!

Your race strategy in how you got your 1:41 time is exactly what I did to get the exact same 1:41 half marathon time in my first one, haha I ran the first 7 miles at 8 min pace, then the last 6 at 7:15 pace or something - I didn't know what I was doing, haha

But yea it seems like you got race strategy down now. My general race strategy is:
-try to start out a little bit slower than goal pace
-stop at every water stop, walk at least as much as it takes to fully drink what I have in my hand
-take a energy gel and salt tablet every 4-5 miles
-most of all, enjoy the race!

I saw you in that Runner's World--how cool is ...

2011-09-16T13:39:01.260-06:00

I saw you in that Runner's World--how cool is that? You will definitely get your "redemption" this time around on the half marathon!

Good luck at your race! It sounds like you have f...

2011-09-16T12:15:16.107-06:00

Good luck at your race! It sounds like you have figured out what you did wrong previously, so I am sure you will ROCK this one!!!

I loved seeing that pic in Runner's World. Ma...

2011-09-16T11:55:57.747-06:00

I loved seeing that pic in Runner's World. Made sure to pick it up and look at it in a local bookstore and made a point of showing it to The Captain and telling him "I know this girl!"... lots of heads swivelled!

Good luck with your half - you are going to be so awesome! What cute outfit have you picked?

Congrats to Christina... I hope she picks RED - I am dying to see them on her.

And yes, voting for you NOW!

Have a wonderful weekend.

If it makes you feel any better, I did the same th...

2011-09-16T11:22:48.192-06:00

If it makes you feel any better, I did the same thing and it wasn't even my first half. Ugh. Live and learn right?
Good luck!

Good luck on sunday!! I always hold myself back at...

2011-09-16T11:01:44.468-06:00

Good luck on sunday!! I always hold myself back at the start of a race, I find my pace and stick to it. Then about halfway through I pick it up a bit, to make sure I have enough steam to get me to the end. Have a great race, love the picture!

good luck!! ps i would pee my pants if i saw mys...

2011-09-16T11:01:19.058-06:00

good luck!!

ps i would pee my pants if i saw myself in runners world!

I hope you have an AMAZING Race! I took a minute t...

2011-09-16T10:52:44.977-06:00

I hope you have an AMAZING Race! I took a minute to send you a vote! Best of luck.

Good luck on your race! I have had similar experie...

2011-09-16T10:15:45.682-06:00

Good luck on your race! I have had similar experiences and have found that knowing what my pace can/should be is key. I am a SLAVE to my Garmin and running my plan. My best half marathons have started out conservatively and finished strong with negative splits. Even on those races (I have run 15 half marathons) where I am not feeling my best, running that strategy still gives me decent finish times without feeling like crap at the end.

I'm excited for your race this weekend! I feel...

2011-09-16T09:45:02.204-06:00

I'm excited for your race this weekend! I feel like what happened for your first marathon is what happened to me with my 20k a couple weeks ago. I pretty much forgot everything I've ever learned about running and killed myself. Oh well. Next time will be better, right?

Wow, you are fast! Even with your bad race, you we...

2011-09-16T09:14:02.481-06:00

Wow, you are fast! Even with your bad race, you were faster than me!!! I am trying to get a sub 2 hour Half this weekend, so I am glad of your advice. I agree with you. I have also found that slow and steady wins the race, no matter what your "slow" and "steady" are! The race I have run the fastest was run just like that. My boyfriend an I run together sometimes and he is a gazelle with a fast pace at the beginning and a slower one at the end, so I am trying to get him to run at ONE pace!

PS I voted for you!