As many of you know, when I finished the Dog Town Half Marathon almost 2 months ago I began to set my sights on the Utah Valley Half Marathon in June as my next big PR race. Shortly after that, we got the opportunity to sign up for the SLC Half and of course we jumped on it. I was originally planning to try to run a 1:24 in June. When I began my training for the Salt Lake City Half instead, I was feeling pretty good and thought that a 1:25 would be an ambitious and yet attainable goal. Having that time in mind gave me something to work towards and focus on in the last mile of a Tempo run or the first mile of a Long run.
On Saturday I didn’t quite earn the sub 1:26 that I was shooting for but I did learn a lot – and that it what is going to help me continue to improve.
We woke up at 4:30 the morning of the race in order to be out the door at 5:00 and at the starting line by 6:30 (30 minutes before the race start). I ate a granola bar and had a little bit of Cytomax on the way up to Salt Lake City. After a stop for the porta-potty I warmed up by doing a half mile jog and then a couple of strides to try to get the legs used to the idea of running so early in the morning.
In line for the bathroom
Trying to get warmed up before the race
I usually run in the evenings and so it always takes me a little while to get warmed up for morning long runs and races. As we looked around near the starting line we were surprised by how many people were running the half marathon as opposed to the full.
The view from the start looking back at all 5,000 runners
Janae and I pushed our way to the front and waited for the gun to go off. My first mistake of the day was not making sure that both shoes were tied tightly before I started. Almost immediately after I started my first mile I noticed that my left shoe was a little bit looser that my right. I looked down to make sure that it was still tied and saw that it was as I tried to push the thought out of my mind. I hate it when one shoe is looser than the other…
The first miles were fairly downhill and pretty fast. My second mistake of the day was going out a little too fast. I got caught up talking to a guy and we subconciously tried to match each other’s speed but I think I ended up pushing the pace a little too hard because of it.
Mile 1 was done in 6:06.
Mile 2 was fairly flat and then mile 3 was back to the downhill.
Miles 2 and 3: 6:36 and 6:09.
By this time, I could feel that my left shoe was becoming looser with every step. I looked down again and saw that my shoe was tied and I tried to remember if Ihad double knotted it. Again, I tried to forget about it and hoped that it would hold until the end of the race.
Mile 4 – 6:11
Mile 5 was the first one that had really any uphill component to it and it was the first time that I felt like I was running hard. I really had to push myself to get the pace that I wanted and it served as another reminder that I may have gone out slightly too fast. Luckily, it was during this 5th mile that there was a turnaround point and I got to see Janae running past me in the opposite direction. I was surprised and encouraged when I saw her looking strong and yelling for me. Thanks for the picture Janae!
That’s me waving on the first real uphill
Mile 5 – 6:30
It was during mile 6 that my shoe finally managed to become untied. I hurriedly pulled off to the side of the road and tried to tie it as quickly as possible. As it turns out, my fingers don’t work as well as I’d like them to in those conditions and it took a good 10-15 seconds to get it tied. The hardest part about stopping during a race (or Tempo run) is getting your pace back. Stopping completely throws off my rhythm and I find it extremely difficult to get back into the zone. I did my best to recover some of those seconds that I lost and finished
Mile 6 in 6:40
For the next several miles after I had to stop I had to continuously push discouraging thoughts out of my mind. That makes it tough to run. Luckily, I had a couple of guys near me that were willing to talk. The talk of previous courses and new PR’s distracted me for a little while from the discouraging thoughts but it also threw off my focus and I began to slip a little bit in my mile splits.
Mile 7 – 6:37
Mile 8 – 6:37
It was here in mile eight that I took my Blackberry Gu. I had never had that particular flavor before but now having tried it let me tell you that it is delicious. Seriously. It’s like eating a spoonful of blackberry pie filling. And as a bonus it has about 70mg of caffeine which I needed. I was starting to feel the effects of going out a little bit too fast and began to seriously doubt that I would be able to hold on.
Mile 9 – 6:31
Our friend Rachelle who is recovering from a killer PR in Boston was waiting just before mile 10 and had an assortment of goodies for me to choose from. I opted for water (out of a squeeze bottle so I actually get more than a tiny sip into my mouth) which she handed to me as she ran beside me. We chatted about the race and about her Boston performance for a minute or so as she ran beside me. I told her that I was getting tired. She told me that I looked strong and to keep running. It was shortly after we parted ways that my other shoe came untied. Boo. Rookie mistake. I’m not sure how it happened but now I know to double check my shoes before I start. I had to once again pull over and struggle with my shoe lace and worse, try to regain my rhythm before the tough uphill finish that I knew was coming.
Mile 10 – 6:51
At the beginning of mile 11 I could see the challenge in front of me. You know that the race director and planning committee were all laughing and high-fiving each other when they planned the one mile hill at the end of the race. Beginning at about mile 11.5 there was a steady uphill climb that seemed to continue on forever in front of me. Then about half a mile later the grade got much steeper and continues on for another half a mile or so. I would take breaks from looking down to scan the horizon hoping to see orange cones marking a turn ahead. The course didn’t turn until the very top of the hill and it took everything I had not to pull off to the side. I knew the hill was coming but I was still not prepared for it.
Mile 11 – 7:09
Mile 12 – 7:15
Ouch.
After the hill it was slightly downhill for the last 0.6 miles or so and I started to push myself hard with about 0.3 miles to go. I tried to pass the couple of people that were in front of me and managed to do so.
I’m not sure how fast I ran the last mile since I forgot to pause my Garmin when I crossed the finish line.
Final Time – 1:27:35
Good enough for a new PR and 5th place in my age group.
Admiring my Bling
Overall, it was a great race. I learned a lot that will help me improve for the next one. I’m going to take it easy running the Provo City Half in a couple of weeks as part of my training for the Utah Valley Half in the beginning of June. I’m hoping to set a new PR there.
Thank you guys for all of the encouragement and kinds words that you have given me! You are all such inspirations.
You can follow my training on twitter or dailymile if you’d like.
__________________________________________________________________
Would you tell me about some of the things that you’ve learned from running/racing/competing so that I can learn from you?
__________________________________________________________________
Congrats on your PR Billy!
That’s a smoking fast time, especially with the hills mixed in there.
I’ve never raced a half marathon before, but I know that when running marathons, I always start out relatively easy so that I have gas in the tank at the end…but I wish I were a little more ambitious/less scared and pushed it a little more in the beginning because maybe I’m selling myself short. Anyway, something different for everyone.
Best of luck on getting that super PR in June, it’s all yours!!!
Thanks Katherine! I think the key is finding that middle ground between going out too fast and too slow. It’s tricky though… I’ve still got a lot to learn.
Congrats on your PR! Great finish time. I did the same thing you did though at the NYC Half. Went out a little too strong so the last few miles were pretty tough. I’ve learned my lesson now though to hold back on the reins a bit for the next time. I think its one of those things where you have to actually experience going out too fast and you won’t do it again (hopefully)!.
Also I always have problems with my shoes! I can never get them “just right” and usually have to adjust them at some point. Its SO annoying. I usually re-tie them a few times in the corrals until they are as close to good at they can be.
Thanks Megan! It’s just so hard to hold back in the beginning of the race when you’re feeling so great. I need better self control.
Congrats on the PR!
I can’t believe how crazy fast you and Janae are!
Thanks Lauren! I’m training hard so that when Janae starts racing again she doesn’t beat me too bad. Haha
You are super speedy! Nice Job!
I think as runners we all suffer from the same thing at one point or another. Going out too fast! I do it all the time and it is something I am trying to work on. I find if I take my time going out and properly warming up I have a much better run. All of this I am sure you already know :)
It’s just so hard to pace yourself at the start. I just need to keep reminding myself to slow down. Thanks for the reminder Sarah!
Awesome job Billy! Congrats on your PR.
I usually start out too fast as well and forget to double knot my shoes. I have also learned that I have to have positive phrases prepared to repeat when I am feeling sluggish. Usually when I start to feel tired physically, I start thinking negatively, so I really have to practice turning that around.
Do you think you will ever run a marathon?
I’m going to have to think of some positive phrases for when I’m feeling discouraged. Any ideas? I think that when Janae starts training for marathons after the baby I’ll run one with her and see how I like it. For now I’m really enjoying the HM distance.
Nice run! With that time, I should be asking YOU!
I wear a HRM when I train and race and use that as an objective measure for how hard I am working. From wearing it during practice runs, I have a sense of what heart rate ranges I can maintain for long periods of time (like for a marathon) and which ones I can’t. During a race, it’s easy to run too fast in the beginning because of adrenaline, so my HRM keeps me in check and from starting out to fast and then hitting the wall later.
The HRM is a great idea. I have one but I don’t use it often enough. I know a couple of people that really enjoy using a HRM to gauge their training. Thanks for the reminder!
Congrats on your PR, Billy- I’m sure you will break 1:26 in your next race!
Thank you! I can’t wait to start training again for June!
Way to go Billy! You are improving so quickly and getting so speedy! 1:25 will be yours!
Thanks Ricole! It looks like you’re killing your RnR Seattle training!
Wow, I have got to get better at reading titles! The whole time reading this, I was amazed at trying to set a PR while pregnant. And then, somewhere near the end, I remembered the title.
Way to go, Billy!
Haha Janae would love to be racing right now but she’s doing a great job holding herself back.
I know the feeling! I’m 39 weeks tomorrow- still running, but not speedy at all.
Wow congratulations! And good job for continuing to run. I don’t know how you guys do it.
Despite the set backs and that monster hill you still managed to kill it! You’ll definitely reach your goal in June! Congrats on the PR!
Thanks Carolynn! I want that burger you posted a picture of. Now I’m going to have to go get one.
Congrats on the race! I ran my first half marathon and learned a LOT of lessons. I also didn’t do as well as I’d hoped but I made it in under 2 hours so I was happy and now I’m ready to start training for my first full!!
Wow sub 2 for your first half?! That’s great! I’m sure all of the things you learned will help you in your training for your full. Great job!
Your running pace is INSANE!! Awesome job! Good luck in June.. It will be a piece of cake for ya!
Thanks Nicole!
Way to go Billy!! I always love reading your race reports and I learn something from them. Your last one was timely – I had struggled in a half marathon after going too hard up hills and not accomodating for them in my pace plans. This time I will remember to double knot those shoes :)
Way to go Billy, 1:27 is amazing!!
Thanks Jenn! Good luck with your marathon training. Which one are you doing?
Congrats on the PR! You guys are so fast!! Good luck in your training!
Thank you Meagan!
Great PR on a hilly course. I did the shoe thing in the RnR Mardi Gras marathon – one came untied and I was annoyed to have to stop and retie it, but worse waas when I realized i should have retied the other shoe as well!
That’s the worst. Hopefully we’ll never do it again though.
Congrats, Billy! What a bummer about you shoelaces, though!! At least you won’t make that mistake again! :)
Haha seriously. Thanks Kristen!
Congrats on your run! I think I always have to remind myself that I am running MY race – and not someone else’s. In other words, don’t try to meet or beat someone else’s pace because there is always going to be someone a little faster than you. I have a problem trying to keep up with much faster people at the beginning and getting tired for the last two or three miles (and end up going much slower than I wanted). Since I am a rookie runner, I’m still learning about pacing myself (harder than I thought it would be) and exactly how many GU’s I’ll need. I’ve found that packing one extra GU (one more than I thought I would need) works well for me.
That’s so true! It’s just hard not to get caught up in the competition of it all. Thanks for the reminder Leyna
Congrats on a new PR, Billy! Loved reading your race recap and although it was frustrating, it is nice to know someone else has shoelace issues, too! I ran a half this past weekend that I knew would be pretty rough as I am recovering from a hip injury. I knew I’d be taking it slower than usual, and within the first mile, my shoelace came untied; and then again with about .75 miles to go. Frustrating! I never remember to check my laces until it’s too late. This is another good reminder to do so!
I just know your PR at Utah Valley will come and it will be awesome! One thing that helped me through the hills this past weekend was to tell myself “chug, chug, chug.” I have no idea why this word came to mind, but repeating it as I battled each hill made me breathe steady and I could focus on each step I took as I said the word “chug.” Finding a word or mantra that you can repeat is a good way to regain focus.
Man that’s the worst! Having to stop and then start again is brutal. Haha thanks for the “Chug” mantra. I’ll have to try that out ;)
Awesome job! I have learned the hard way with my laces too…
Hopefully we learned our lesson so there are no repeats. Thank you!
Wowza! That’s some speedy running right there. The inspiring part is the support you and Janae give each other. What a great example to share something that’s new-ish to you (Billy) and have another outlet to motivate and enjoy each other’s success.
Having Janae as my biggest fan is for sure my motivation. Thanks CJ!
the thing I most learned from races is mini hand sanitzers in my tights pocket. That’s the truth.
I think this is going to need an explanation…
Congrats on the PR! If you set a PR in a hilly race like that, you should be good for June.
That really sucks about the laces.
If I start having negative thoughts, I just remember that I’m out there to have fun and I run to have fun. I shouldn’t do it if it’s not enjoyable. It usually gets me back to a positive frame of mind!
Thanks Abby! Good reminder – running should be fun!
Billy you are such a speedster! Janae should just start calling you Billster the Speedster, that is awesome! It is cool reading your recap because I always wonder what goes through the minds of the people who are at the head of the pack! This is crazy that you had shoe problems because I ran my 7th half yesterday and had to pull over to tie my shoe and it definitely threw me off, especially since it was right before a huge hill! I always go into a race with a positive, relaxed mindset, keeping my goal in the back of my head and go with it!
Haha I’m going to tell Janae that’s what she has to call me from now on. Sorry about your shoe coming untied yesterday. That’s so hard especially right before a hill. Congrats on your 7th HM! That’s awesome!
WAY TO GO on the PR, billy!! i loved reading your recap (and yours, too, janae, yesterday). so fun to get two perspectives on the same race!
sorry about the shoelaces – yup, live and learn.
when negative thoughts start to invade, i focus on a short-term goal ie catch that runner in the red shirt, just run to the next mile marker, etc.
all the best in the next race!!
Thanks Cathy! Good reminder on the short term goal. I’ll keep that in mind in my next race.
Congrats! You guys are just amazing. At life. Glad it was a successful weekend!
Thank you so much!
That is one heck of a time!! Congrats!
Thank you Brittany!
Congrats on your PR only 2 minutes off your goal; you are almost there! I hate when my shoes are a different tightness (we girls also have to make sure our hair is pulled back perfectly tight)
I have learned: 1.wear sunscreen 2. don’t eat cafe rio pre-race 3. staying positive mentally is SO important 4. don’t compare yourself with others, especially friends; their success is theirs, your success is yours, and neither has to take away from the other.
Thanks Tiffany! I wouldn’t know about the hair thing but if it’s anything like the shoe thing I completely understand. Haha and cafe rio prerace sounds awful.
Wow! That incline at the end sounds killer!
When I first started running (not that long ago), I definitely ran too fast in the beginning… darned adrenaline.
And Billy… you are wicked fast.
Thanks Michelle!
Congrats, Billy!! I don’t get how you have conversations with people running at a 6:09 mile! I don’t think I will ever understand ha! I get crazy about my shoes too. If one is looser, it drives me bananas! I spend a few minutes before ANY run to make sure try are equal in terms of tightness! I thought I was crazy but now at least I know Mr. HRG think the same ;)
You two are simply amazing! I hope you have a great day!
Seriously the shoe thing is the worst. I’ll have to try harder to remember to check them before my next race. Thanks Christina!
Congrats Billy! Way to ROCK it!
Thank you so much Allie!
CONGRATS Billy!!! You did AWESOME!!
Totally 100% agree with this statement: “You know that the race director and planning committee were all laughing and high-fiving each other when they planned the one mile hill at the end of the race.”
I swear, sometimes all of the directors sit around thinking of ways to torture runners at the very end of races, just to see HOW hard they can push them. Rude ;)
5th place in your age group?? That is Killer!! Congrats again!!
I guarantee they sit out there on that hill and watch all of the runners struggle to get to the top. I would probably do the same thing though haha
Awesome job! The race director comment was hilarious. Perhaps they are the same people who made the serving size of ice cream 1/2 cup. It has to be a joke, right?
I always seem to feel stronger and more confident during a race when I have worked hill repeats into my weekly workouts. But then again, I am not running a 1:27 friggin half marathon so perhaps you should not be listening to ME!
You are gong to rock it in June!
Haha seriously. Hill repeats are a great idea. I’ll have to work them into my training for June. Thanks Megan!
Considering all the challenges of this race, hills/laces/morning, I think you did pretty darn well! Your next race is sure to be awesome!
Thanks Shay! I’m looking forward to start training again that’s for sure.
Billy, congrats on the new PR. You are ready to go sub 1:26. It is just mean to put a long hill at the end of a race. I make sure to retie my shoes as part of my warmup routine. I tie them a little tighter right before I start doing my strides. That way I can adjust them as needed before the race. I also tuck the excess laces into my shoe.
Thanks Michelle! I’m going to try to make checking my shoes become a habit in my warmup routine. Great idea!
OH MY GOSH BILLY-We almost had a twinnzies half! I am the same way-I don’t like morning races and it seriously takes me about half the race to warmup. I normally run around 11 or 12 after I’ve walked around or been up for a while. You are def ready for that sub 1:26 though-I feel it!
Wow Hollie great job in Plattsburgh! You killed it!
Great race on Saturday Billy and awesome new PR! You are well on your way to that 1:24 at Utah Valley. It has about 150 additional ft of downhill and no mean planning committee to put a ridiculous hill at the end of the race like SLC! :) And you will probably save about 45 seconds just by double-knotting your shoelaces – haha.
It was great to meet you at dinner and then get to talk to you after the race. We’ll be in touch when we come down for Provo in a couple weeks!
Thanks Andrea! I still can’t believe how well you did on Saturday. You are ridiculous. We’re looking forward to May 5th. We’ll have to do lunch afterwards.
Congrats! I am running my first half May 19th. But I learned a killer lesson during a 15K – don’t take ibuprofen before you run :)
Thanks Meghan! Which half are you doing on the 19th? That’s so exciting! I’ve heard that you shouldn’t take ibuprofen before a run so I’ve never tried it. Although the thought has crossed my mind on several occasions. Hopefully it was nothing serious!
You and Janae are little speedsters for sure! I can’t even imagine how fast little Janilly is going to be!
Awesome job on the PR!!! No doubt you will crush that record in June!
Haha Janilly. That would be awful. Thanks Natalie! PS now I want a chocolate coconut smoothie.
Congrats Billy!……..and shoelaces, we have all been there.
One thing I have learned is to do my weekend long runs at the same time as race time. That way I can mimick everything I will be doing that day to a T, including getting my body used to running at that time.
Thanks for the reminder Erica! You sound like you have a few races behind you.
Negative thoughts!!! Nooooo!!!!! When these start entering my mind, know what I do? PRAY. Lots of thanks to my Father in Heaven for giving me a body that is able to participate in the sport I love. That bites about the shoes, but I bet it will never happen again! I have no advice about competing because the only person I can beat is myself, but the prayer thing helps me a lot. Keeps me focused and in a good state of mind. I think you killed this race! I know you’re a bit disappointed, but what a stellar performance to read about. And the fact that you could TALK while running in the low 6′s? INCREDIBLE.
Keep it up, Billy!
Thanks Amylee! Good luck with your ITBS… I had that and it’s not fun but it looks like you’re getting it taken care of.
Congrats on your PR! It was fun reading your race report, thanks for sharing.
I have a pair of Brooks green silence too, and those laces are terrible. even if you double knot them they still come undone. I would suggest switching out the laces the shoes came with.
Yeah my laces have never come untied on any of my other shoes… I love the Green Silence I just have to remember to tie them better next time. Switching the laces is a good idea too…
Congrats on the PR! Every race teaches me new ways to improve.
Thanks Danica!
Awesome race! I tried the “speed laces” like the triathletes wear but I wasn’t thrilled with them. The best I’ve found are the laces they use in some of the New Balance shoes with the kinks in them….excellent. I’ve the laces on the Green Silence particularly slippery too.
My brother uses those laces that have kinks in them and he loves them as well. Thanks for the tip David!
I also wear the green silence and they come untied a lot. Even double knots. Funny thing is I have a tough time untying them after. I do love the shoes but maybe different laces in them is a good idea. I don’t race in them so luckily it’s never cost me precious seconds there!
Congrats on the PR!
Billy, great job on the PR dude!! I have been following your training on DM and I knew you would crush it! I would definitely say I’ve been the culprit many times on starting out too fast like a caged animal being let loose! I think it’s so important to conserve energy out of the gate. I am still working on it even after a few years of racing…I think it takes a lot of practice. Congrats to you and Janae – you two are my running heroes! :-)
Thanks Chels! Daily Mile is a great place to feed off of the training and energy of others so thanks for being my DM friend. All of you guys are so motivating!
Congratulations on the big PR Billy! You should be incredibly proud of yourself. I am so sorry to hear about the shoe problems, dang that had to have been SO frustrating. And seriously what is SLC thinking by putting a hill at the end of a race? Sheesh! That said you should not be dissapointed in your performance at all. It was great to see you and yes you did look great and hopefully I didn’t slow you down at all.
Thanks Rachelle! You really were such a big help on Saturday at a time when I needed it. Hopefully I’ll get to repay the favor soon!
Nice PR!! I agree-that hill at the end was killer!
Thanks Annette! Great job on Saturday!
Congrats Billy! You both are seriously amazing. I love that you like to chat with people while basically sprinting a half-marathon. I think if I tried to talk to someone I would collapse :)
I always check my shoes before a race but my last 10k I was running along and a woman actually came up and told me to pull over and tie my shoe. I have no idea how I didn’t notice it but my shoe has been untied! Stopping, bending over and trying to tie it definitely messed up my breathing and rhythm.
Haha talking to people is nice because it distracts me from how hard I’m working. At the same time it makes be breathe a little bit harder and lose a little bit of focus so I’m not sure that it’s a good trade-off… Great job on your duathlon. That’s awesome!
Awesome PR Billy! It is insane to me how you can carry on a conversation running 6 minute miles!!
Thanks Lauren! The guy I was talking to at the beginning was local and so he had tons of people cheering for him. I pretended like they were cheering for me too. Haha
The Jet Blackberry flavor is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE!!!!!! I had it for the first time last year during my first half ironman and it is amazing. Now I have it in the rotation every time :-)
Great job on the race!!!!!
Seriously so good. That’s amazing that you do 1/2 Ironmans. Good luck training for Alexandria!
Yay! New PR! Way to go, Billy. 7:00 miles are still WAY out of my realm of possibility, so IMO your time is super stellar!
Thanks Karen!
Congratulations – that’s an awesome PR!
I’ve definitely had my shoelace come untied near the end of mile 1 in a 5K that I was hoping to PR in. It’s surprising how hard it is to tie your shoes quickly in the middle of a race!
Seriously you don’t think about how hard it is to tie your shoes quickly with your adrenaline going and all that. Having to do it in a 5K would be the worst.
Nice job Billy!
Have you ever tried yankz shoe laces? If not, you definitely should give them a try. I want my shoes to be the same tightness too. You never have to untie them and they always feel tight & secure. They cost about $8.
Thanks for the tip Brooklyn! I’ll have to give them a look.
I have learned that at the start I can’t look around to other runners, I get so freaked out that they are more elite and question why I am up near the front. In the end, it won’t matter so now I just sing to myself at the start (yep a little crazy). Also, smiling I always remind myself people cheer for the smiling girl and that helps a lot!!! Especially those killer hills!
So true! Haha I love the singing thing. I’ll have to give that a try.
Great run Billy. Next time just remember – Saucony flats don’t come un-tied! :-)
I think you are going to see 1:24:xx on the clock at UV, if not faster.
Thanks Jake. Seeing you guys after the race was great. Any big plans for Andrea’s winnings? :)
I’ve learned that no matter how much you prepare for a race, anything can happen on race day. Congrats on the PR.
Thank you for the reminder! That’s so true!
Congrats! I want some of that GU now!
I wore a pair of green silence this winter and the shoe laces were always coming untied. And, I found that they were harder to re-tie quickly when I needed to do so in the middle of a run (maybe it’s the material?!). They still look great, though ;)
Haha try it! I was expecting it to be so so just like all the other flavors I’ve tried and was pleasantly surprised when it was delicious.
Congrats on your PR!!! From what I can tell from Janae’s descriptions of your training, you are so committed to your time goals and I have no doubt that you will PR again in June!
Thanks Diana! All of the support from you guys makes a big difference!
Big time bummer about the shoes. Thanks for sharing though. I will make sure to check mine a few times before the O-town marathon. You are still smoking fast and your wife I can’t believe she can run a 1:40 pregnant. I ran my first 5 k race on Saturday so I could get a better idea of what pace I should pick for the marathon and I had the same experience of going out WAY to fast and paying for it the last two miles. Another mistake I hope to not repeat on the big day.
Good idea to run a 5K to help determine your training/marathon pace. Janae is crazy. I don’t know how she does it…
Bling’s so bright you gotta wear shades Billy! I love reading your recap from an engineer/math perspective-you are very analytical–an I mean that as a compliment!!!
CONGRATULATIONS on a OUTSTANDING race! Hills shred your legs both up and downhill and you managed a killer pace. Dang shoes–but your racing career is so young and your learning curve is still steep, so your potential is seriously through THE ROOF!
By the way, the picture of you by yourself needs to go in a running magazine–perfect midfoot strike! WOW!
Thanks Jess! Seeing all of your workouts on DM/twitter makes me want to work harder so thanks for the motivation. Hopefully we get to see you guys sometime soon!
Good job! Not going to lie, your mile by mile of the race made me really want to go out for a run! That is a great time though and good job on the new PR! You and your wife are so awesome :)
Haha nice! Thank you so much Jaeme (& Randy)!
Great race! Someone probably already wrote this (I couldn’t read through the million comments you already have here!), but an old runner dude at the gym showed me a cool shoelaces trick because he noticed I was ALWAYS stopping to retie my shoelaces. He said to double knot them and then thread the two loose ends of the shoelaces back through some of the tightened laces below. I started doing it before every race to help them stay tied. Not sure if it really makes a difference, but I feel better. And because an old runner taught it to me, I feel like I’m in on some cool runner secret.
Haha that’s a great secret tip – thank you!
Billy, congrats on the great race! Now, can you convince my husband that he should become a runner? :) I told him about how you surprised Janae and started running for her and now you love it, but he is not convinced. I hope you both have fun at the Provo 1/2, I’ll be running it too!
Haha that’s a tough one… If you’re in the area we should all meet up sometime and run a mile or two – Running is always more fun with a bunch of people. Hopefully we see you at the Provo 1/2 in a couple of weeks!
good job!!!!
Thank you Jackie!
Wow that’s an amazing time! Get it girl!
Haha although Janae could no doubt run this time when she’s not pregnant it was me (Billy) this time. Thanks Missy!
What an awesome time! You are definitely going to get 1:24 in no time:) Thank you so much for your post because I needed to hear those important reminders (shoes and going out to fast) to help me prep for my upcoming race…glad we can all learn from each other! Oh and Janae…your time was also really amazing. I just barely got 1:40 in my last half and you did it all cute and pregnant:)
Thank you Arrienne! What race are you training for?
I am training for the Ogden Marathon…I did it last year but had some health problems and had to be ambulanced out at mile 17-yikes! I was way dehydrated from a flu virus I didn’t know I had. So I’m hoping for a good comeback race so of course all the little tips help especially any hydration tips;) Keep up the awesome training. Oh and I also forgot to thank Janae for my new found LOVE of cottage cheese and grapes. I only feel bad I have been missing out on this delightful treat for so long.
You did AWESOME! I am weird about my shoelaces too…too tight, too loose it’s just no good! You really did great especially on the hill at the end, I know you weren’t happy with your time on the hills but that’s really fast for going uphill, it’s fast for not going up hill :) You and Janae are going to have the cutest little runner baby in the world. I think starting out too fast is a big problem for lots of people, you live you learn! As nerdy as I feel and look I have decided that I like to race with my own water (a handheld bottle for halfs and my nerdbelt, I mean fuelbelt for marathons). I hate having to walk through water stations so having my own water is great! Great job! I can’t believe how fast Janae did it with child :) AWESOME!!
Good idea with the water bottle! I always spill 3/4 of the water or gatorade on my face as I’m trying to drink it. Haha. I don’t feel too bad though because I saw a couple of elites running Boston who did the same thing… Thanks for your comment Stephanie!
Congrats on the impressive race!
When I was marathon training, I learned that sleep was important and that coconut water and chia seeds were my stomach’s best friends. During the marathon when I couldn’t eat anything (I tried banana, blocks, etc), I learned that oranges on a hot day are amazing!
Thank you! I do love chia seeds and I’ve heard good things about coconut water – I’ll have to give it a try.
It was great to see you again at the finish! I think you’ve gotten a lot of great advice thus far! I’m a slow poke and could probably use some advice, but here are a few things I have learned.
First, you need to read Allie’s race report on FRB (she placed 2nd in the marathon). She talked a lot about “mental band-aids”. Great report!
At the risk of sounding like a total running dork, I do a lot of mental visualization…..running the Boston Marathon…motorcycle escorts…people holding posters with *MY* name on them….running in the Olympics and people shouting GO USA. I know none of these will ever come to pass…but a girl can dream :)
AND it keeps me from getting bored in the darkness of the morning (I know…total dork).
When I ran the SGM in October, I wrote my slogan “I can do hard things” on my arm. I took a picture of it at the start (before it became all sweatified). I still look at that picture all the time. It helps me to dig….dig way down deep. But I’m starting to like the slogan, “Find Your Strong”.
And don’t forget the vaseline.
Good luck!
Such great advise! Thank you Toby – It was great to see you there!
Wow, that is one speedy Billister! :) :) :) Congrats on your PR. You are more then capable of going sub 1:25, if you reached this time even though you went out too fast at the beginning. Way to go!
Thank you so much! And thank you for featuring Janae in your most recent post!
There is nothing to be thanking for. You are one cute and adorable couple and I can’t way for the HRG baby to be born. I suppose he / she will already have running shoes on and will be super nice person as all your family is. I hope once little time goes by, you will all come visit me in Europe! Trust me, some delicious meals you need to try in their original versions! :)
First of all, congrats on a great run!
Then onto the advice portion…what I’ve learned about running/racing/competing …that stuff…
1. if you run fast and hard either in training or in a race, you get pretty tired.
2. if you run slow and easy in a race, you almost never win. But you don’t get so tired.
3. when you’re competing, if you run faster than everyone else, you always win.
Pearls of wisdom right there ;-)
You’ll get that shiny, new PR super soon, Mr. Fast.
Haha thanks for the advise! I love it!
I’m a little late on this sorry! :(
Great job Billy! Rachelle is such a sweetheart. I love following her training on DM, your too! Great race re-cap! All of your hard work is definitely paying off. Great pace & PR!!
Tips? hmmm…I feel like I still have soo much to learn also. I tend to go out too fast on my first few miles as well. It’s hard to hold back when you want to GO. I feel like the track is helping me with turnover & fast-twitch muscles. So, I think you should just keep doing what you’re doing & you’ll imporve with time. Good job Billy!! :)
Thanks Pam! We miss you!