State to State Half Marathon

Traveled northwest of Cincinnati on Sept. 16 for the 5th annual running of the State-to-State Half-Marathon in Oxford, OH. As one of just 38 people who have finished all four previous editions of this race, I had to drag myself across the finish line a fifth time in order to receive a special gift--- a copy of “C.C. Pyle’s Amazing Foot Race,” published by Rodale Books and signed by the author, Geoff Williams.

Well, I had planned to be there anyway but it was nice to have a little added incentive.

The race is an out-and-back over rolling hills that takes you across the state line into Indiana. There are a couple of detours on the way out, through an upscale neighborhood and the campus of an assisted living community for seniors.

Picked up my race packet a week ago at our local Fleet Feet store. Volunteer automatically assumed that I was walking the 5k rather than “running” the half, no doubt due to my excessive girth. She spent much time instructing me on directions to Oxford and where to park, etc. (I did mention that my daughter went to college up there and I had done the race before!) all while forgetting to put my t-shirt in the bag. Had to remind her at the end. It’s a white technical t-shirt, and although not as nice as last year’s (this year they only had men’s style shirts) I wanted it.

Found out that even though I had my number, I needed to arrive early in order to pick up my chip. Chip timing was added this year even though with just about 600 finishers they hardly need it. Arrived in Oxford at 7:30 am, just as the walkers were starting out. As always, ignored official parking instructions (for a lot about a mile from the start) and found a convenient spot on a side street a couple of blocks away. Picked up my chip and returned to my car to obsess over my shoe selection. Kept going back and forth between Brooks Adrenalines and Nike Structure Triax 10s. Literally kept going back and forth, as I would alternate between the two on my perpetually problematic right foot, and jog a bit up and down the street. The Adrenalines are very supportive but lack cushion. The Nikes have good cushion but less support. Since I expected my form would deteriorate rapidly, I finally went with the Adrenalines, a good pair of go-slow shoes for fat girls.

Strolled up the street, stopped at the portapotties, and lined up near the back of the pack. Had an overly ambitious race goal of breaking two hours. Planned to start out with a cut down: 9:30, 9:20, 9:10, and hit goal pace in mile 4. But that’s hard to do on a course with these rolling hills.

I noticed that while my race number had my name handwritten on the tear off tag by the goofy volunteer at the running shoe store, most of the other people around me had computer-generated labels. This bothered me, because it made me feel less “official.” I wondered if I was for sure, and accurately entered in this race, and if my official time would be in fact recorded, so I could officially have five finishes and be entitled to my free book. I know some might call this “immature” but I can’t help it. I guess I am just not yet so enlightened a being that I can race just for the sake of running without recognition or some form of prize as an incentive. And I probably never will be. J

I thought I was starting out conservatively, and I tried to hold back in the first mile. Even though I was starting near the back, it still seemed like most people were passing me. The first mile is mostly downhill, and the first quarter of it is on red bricks. I didn’t feel like I was going that fast, so I eagerly awaited the first mile marker so I could know for sure. Hit mile 1 in 9:12. Faster than I planned, and it wasn’t all that comfortable. Not sure what to make of this.

It was a chilly morning, overcast and in the low 50s, so I had worn an old windshirt to the start, which I kept on during the first mile. Finally got warm enough to take it off, and tried to tie it around my waist but it wasn’t that comfortable so I ditched it by the side of the road just before mile 1. It was something I picked up at a race expo years ago for $5, from a race that I had not run, so I didn’t mind throwing it away.

Mile 2 has a lot of uphill, and my watch said I ran it in 9:31. So much for the idea of a cut down. In retrospect, I probably should have taken it a bit easier in the first mile, but not sure how much difference it really would have made in the end.

In mile 3, we ran through the senior citizen complex, where cheery older ladies reminded us to be careful going over the speed bumps. My time was 9:13.

More uphill in mile 4, and a time of 9:42. I realized the sub-2:00 was out of the question, so I tried to just relax and enjoy the day. At least I was starting to pass some of the walkers who had started a half-hour early!

Mile 5 was 9:15 and mile 6 was 9:34. We crossed into Indiana at the Flying Pig aid station, and turned around past mile 7, which I reached in 10:08.

Noticed how few people were behind me, which is always a bit disheartening. I really was in the back of the pack!

In the prior years, the weather for this race has always been warm and sunny, and the way back has always been a struggle for me, with the sun in my face. This year, faced with a chilly headwind and slight drizzle, I found myself longing for the sun. I know it was perfect long run weather for most people but not for me. I seem to run relatively better in hot weather than in cold. At this point, I was wishing I still had my windshirt, and envying the people running in long pants and long sleeve tops---all of whom were passing me.

Mile 8 went by in 9:05. Must have had a lot of downhill in that one. By mile 9, I was starting to wish my shoes had a little more cushion, or maybe a few less miles on them. It was now death march to the finish time (10:28, 10:38. 10:48). Wondered if my wind shirt would still be on the side of the road where I left it.

Hit mile 12 in 10:33 and started looking for my shirt. There it was! Had to cross the street to get it but it was so worth the effort! Thus heartened, I picked it up a tiny bit for the last mile and even passed a couple of people with a time of 10:10. Then it was just a little climb up those red bricks to the finish line in 51 seconds, for a final official time of 2:09:11.

I heard my name announced as I crossed the finish line, which was a bit of a relief, but I thought they might say something about me being a five-time finisher and they did not. Oh well. It’s a relatively small race and we five-time finishers are still a relatively large percentage of the field, after all.

Good thing I had my windshirt because there were no space blankets and for once we could have used them at this race. I got my medal, and then before even hitting the food I started trying to find where I could pick up my book. Had to ask about five different people before finally being directed to a small table in a corner where author Geoff Williams was sitting with a stack of copies.

I told him that I had read the excerpt in Runners World (August issue), enjoyed it, and was looking forward to reading his book. We chatted for a minute about the weather, and he mentioned that he wondered if the runners were cold. He was bundled up in a warm jacket and he looked cold. I do not think he is a runner himself---see Jen, I am making the same assumption based on his appearance that I get so offended about when people make it regarding me! (well, if he were a runner, wouldn’t he want to do the race?) ---but anyway, he is a good writer and this was a nice touch on the part of the race director to arrange this special book signing for the five-time finishers.

My final results put me 14 of 21 in my age group, 151 of 224 women, and 415 of 532 runners---this really was pretty far back! There were also about 150 walkers, who got that half-hour early start. Funny thing about this race, relative to other local races, is that it does not seem to draw many people over 55. So if I can just hang in there until I get into the upper age groups, I might actually get hardware at this race some day. Plus someday maybe I will be one of just a handful of 20-year finishers, and possibly the only woman because most of the five-time finishers, even now, are men. It’s a war of attrition and I am going to win!