I’m not gonna lie–one reason that I was excited to run back-to-back-to-back halves (halfs?) was the prospect of extending the carb-loading another few weeks.
Thomas’, as in the English muffin and bagel thin people and the people sponsoring me for Sunday’s half, sent me over a little runner-friendly care package last week: three packages of bagel thins, foot cream and Ahava muscle-soothing bath salts. (I got them in another swag bag recently, and I definitely plan on buying some when I run out of the free ones.)
My love for bagels is well-documented on this blog. Really, the only reason I don’t have a bagel everyday is because there are too many empty calories in them. But these 110-calorie bagel thins are plenty filling once I put banana and sunflower butter on them.
Yesterday, I took a look at my split’s from Saturday’s race.
They were a little all over the place, but in general, I started out fast and burned out towards the end of this race. Except for that awesome mile 11. Maybe that’s when I was running with Becky. This race definitely felt hard because of my tired legs, but also, I think, because I started out fast. We talked about this on Saturday night. Liz and Ashley both preferred to start out fast and have nothing left by the end. If you run a good race, they reasoned, you’re going to feel burned out by the end either way.
When I ran the NYC Half, I definitely started out a little slower and saved it all for the end.
I definitely prefer to do that. After years of not being able to run, starting out really hard scares me. What if I can’t finish?
I do think it’s a matter of preference, though. Which do you prefer? Starting out fast or saving some energy for a strong last push?
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I got that kit from Thomas' too! The cinamon raisin bagel thins are SOOOOOOOO good. I froze the other two packages so they don't go bad!
I froze mine, too. As much as I love carbs, that's a lot for even me :)
I try not to but I tend to start out hard.. I know one day I am going ot have a race with negative splits but I think I need to perfect racing first..
Good Luck this weekend!
I love your love for bagels. <3
Loving the blog! I think I agree with your principle of starting out slow and making sure you have some left for the end. Trouble is I always slow down towards the end as the legs get heavier! Running my first marathon this year so need all the advice I can get
If I start out too fast I burn out really quickly. I also run for carbs.. nothing like the after race pizza and beer!
Okay, when we had dinner the other nite, I said you had to go out faster based on your mile splits {which I thought you said you went through the 5K at 30 minutes at the NY race}. I'm a big believer in finishing a race feeling like you had nothing else to give. So, on that note, if you want to break 2 hours which is 9:04 pace, you need to START the race running at 9:04 pace OR faster. I think its hard to rely on having a kick at the end. Thats my two cents. Your last three + miles were on pace, we just need to get the beginning ones up there too : ) You did fabulous and I believe you can totally do it again. say this weekend perhaps?
@Lizzy @ Food to Run For: Well, this weekend, I felt like I had nothing left to give by like mile 7--a scary feeling for me. If you look at my splits for NYC (above), you can see that like the last 4 miles, I was way under pace.
I'm just afraid of blowing my wad early and then sputtering through the last few miles. In the past, I've always conserved a bit and then just ran it out at the end. And I just calculated a 2-hr half on dailymile, and it's 9:09, not 9:04.
@Theodora: Also, one of my friends might come out and pace me.