Reflecting on the Haulin Aspen Race
I've been wondering why I just wasn't that happy with my race at Haulin Aspen, even though my time was pretty solid for me. I've realized that it really comes down to the fact that I after about 4 miles, I just wasn't enjoying it, and wasn't running strong. I had really been looking forward to this race, felt I'd done some good training, and just couldn't wait to get to run that distance again!
The week leading up to the race I'd taken it super easy based on various things I'd read, some slight pain in my right knee, and partly time. I only ran twice during the week, and they were both 4 mile or less runs, that I took easy. In hindsight I think that was a mistake. I should have run one more day, and I should have done at least one or two 6-8 milers. That may or may not have helped, but I think that I'd simply have liked it better, I missed running this week!
Probably regardless of the training, I think the key was that unpleasant, sustained road climb. I haven't done any climbs that have lasted that long where I was also able to run all of it (I did walk a few minutes, but not that much). Where I run it's either too steep to run the entire climb like that, or the climbs simply aren't that long. Top that off with the fact that that hill was just plain boring and ugly to run up: a big wide dirt and sometimes gravel or sandy road. I knew it was coming, but I think it still just wound up taking a real toll. Pretty much from that point on I never felt strong again. And that is really where I get bummed.
I'd have been happier if I felt strong running - even if I was just going the same speed I did. The "strong" is about how I felt mentally and physically in terms of enjoying the run, having a good time, being happy I was out there running, regardless of how fast I was going. I didn't get that, yet I did both times on my two longest training runs. Both of those runs ended with me feeling like I could have gone longer, and in fact, on the second one, I had really really wanted to go longer, but felt the blisters and knew I should cut things short. But, with this race, I got to the point where I was yearning for the finish. So, all that winds up leaving me a bit bummed out about it as a run.
It has made me wonder - what could I have done differently to have changed that? Could I? Without being practiced on longer sustained climbs, I'm not sure. Although I do suspect I really should have just walked a chunk more of that climb, left more energy in my tank, and that may have then allowed me to run stronger for the rest. My time probably would have been just as good, who knows. But, that's tough, when you're in a race, and the climb is quite runnable, you simply don't want to walk when "everyone" else is running (I only remember seeing one guy, maybe one woman, doing any walking).
I try to tell myself, hey, you've only been running about a total of a year, with your longest run being 6 miles until June, and here you are racing a half marathon, that's solid, you can't expect to have a strong run every single time. In the end, it's disappointing, but I guess motivates me to continue, get stronger, be stronger more often, and to get faster.
