On not getting a PR

My "New Years Resolution" in 2018 was to PR in every distance that I ran. I got my 5k and 10k PR but not my half (and I didn't run a marathon in 2018). The Galloway 13.1 is a little less hilly then some other Atlanta halfs so about a month and half ago, I decided to throw that into the mix. Training hasn't been great...but it never is. All in all I felt pretty prepared.

Leading up to race day the weather was predicted to be "miserable". The specifics were 37 degrees, raining ("heavy at times"), high winds, and real feel of 24ish. On the drive down, I was getting nervous. It was pouring and the wind was crazy but I had paid pretty late into registration so I continued on. As if the weather wasn't enough, I started my period (and I was unprepared) at the start line. I say this not to be giving TMI but just to really set the stage.

Despite all of these factors, I still had high hopes for a PR. I met up with my friends and we lined up behind a pace group. When we first started, I felt pretty decent. My pace wasn't exactly where I wanted it to be but the weather and my body felt "not bad". The first 3 miles went by pretty quickly, in fact I never felt my watch vibrate so I looked down to see how close I was to mile 1 and we were at 2.8.

Around mile 4, we encountered a small pond in the middle of the course, I started having some technical difficulties with my shoes laces and we feel behind the pace group. Our pace slowed but I honestly still felt pretty good and the weather wasn't really that bad. Although it was cold and windy, the rain was just misting on and off. We even joked that it needed to pour at the finish line so our photos would make us look like bad-asses.

Around mile 6, I started feeling really crappy. I had menstrual cramps and foot pain and I started walking more and more. My friend Nicole did such a good job reminding me that I was supposed to be "running" . She gave me visual points to start running again. She also assured me that we could still catch up to my goal.

Unfortunately things just kept getting worse and worse.  Some where around mile 9, I really started to feel like crap. This is when you run up 10th street with Grady Stadium on your right and Piedmont park on your left. In addition to the lower back menstrual cramps, I started having these weird spasms in my left calf. The best way I can describe it is a "pre charlie horse". Like a lil warning. When you get to the top of the hill, you turn right and run past Flying Biscuit. This is where the weather got worse. The wind picked up and so did the mist. It still wasn't "raining" just this very cold mist slapping us in the face.

The route goes up for awhile but once you pass the Botanical Gardens, it starts to go down hill. That is when I realized I really had a problem. I couldn't even run going down hill. That right calf just kept cramping. Stretching seemed like it helped but not for long. Nicole continued to be so encouraging. I really did appreciate it. It helped for a long time because mentally, I really did want to go but eventually my body just couldn't do it. By mile 11, I committed to walking. It sucked. It really did.

The only other running steps I did was for the photographer. As soon as he got the pictures, I walked...I might have even walked over the finish line (I can't really remember for sure).

Now that it is over, I don't really care. I didn't get a PR...I didn't preform how I wanted, so what. I did it! I got out of bed and rain 13 miles in cold rain. I have put a lot of thought into the cramps though. I had this problem in Chicago too (but it was worse this time). Although it was about 30 degrees colder for the Galloway half marathon, the weather conditions were similar.  Was this a factor? Does it have something to do with my gait? My shoes? One thing I keep going back to is my compression socks. At the time, I thought my compression socks were saving me. I thought I would have a full on charlie horse if I wasn't wearing knee length compression socks but now I am starting to think the opposite. What if the compression was restricting movement too much? I'm considering trying some long runs without compression but then using compression for recovery. Any thoughts?