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SRRC Race Reports
LAWS Half Marathon : Purcellville, VA--March 19, 2006
by Siva Natarajan
Before they were racers, they were runners. Before they were runners, they were joggers. Before there was a report, there was a race to run. (Adapted from the movie "The Patriot")
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| Joy, Maria, Siva, and BJ prepare for the LAWS Half Marathon |
Pre-Race:
My thoughts as I woke up on race day:
"Why did I sign up for the LAWS* half Marathon?"
My recent vacation compounded with my abysmal training regimen, left me unprepared for the race. Further, on race day the weatherman's liberal use of words like "shivering, cold, unpleasant, windy" did little to get me excited about the race. I soon found out that the other racers, Maria, BJ, and Joy, were also in a similar state of mind—weak, unprepared, and still questioning our decision.
However, like the revolutionaries in "The Patriot", who despite the knowledge that they were up against an insurmountable challenge, marched ahead, we the army of four SRRC runners wore our armor (layers), decorated our faces with war paint (moisturizer), bid good-bye to our loved ones (other SRRC runners who wished us luck), and rode our cavalry (Maria’s car) to the frontlines (Franklin Park, Purcellville). There we dug up the trenches (port-a-john), and then laid low waiting for the ‘IT’ to begin (and END).
Race:
"Why did I sign up for the LAWS half Marathon?"
I hoped that I would find the answer sometime during the race.
The “SRRC” now stood for “Slow Runners Running Club”. My strategy was to do 12-minute miles and run for as long as I could. The others were also planning to go super-slow. We spotted John Winkert (another SRRC runner) near the start. When I asked him what kind of course he expected, he answered “some hills, some road, some dirt roads, some trails”—basically a bit of everything—and his guess was as good as it could get. This was the first time the race was being organized in this park, so no one knew what to expect.
When the race was flagged off, BJ, who had until then promised to go slow and give me company, took off like the Road Runner speeding away into the distance. I stuck with the rest of the team only to catch up with BJ around mile 3. The hills right at the start of the course must have slowed BJ down. Remember the articles about proper technique on how a runner’s foot must hit the ground? Forget it. Here every step I took felt like my foot was making a 45 degree angle with the vertical axis. The surface was rarely flat the first mile or so.
By the end of the first five miles, here is how one would summarize the course:
If you were Prepared: beautiful rolling hills, scenic, quiet countryside.
If you were Unprepared: terrible hills, deserted (no crowd support).
I was starting to get exhausted. I could only eye with envy the stronger runners who were passing me like the HOV riders who zip past me when I am stuck in the non-HOV lanes. Things took a turn for the worse when I noticed something ugly behind us. The sighting of a cop car right behind BJ and me was a sign that we were the LAST of the pack. For a while, I found myself thinking that dropping out would be better than being listed last on the Race Results. That looming threat of humiliation, along with some pain, marked the latter half of the race. I could have given up (and believe me I thought about it every time a race crew car went past me deliberately slowly, and the driver had this look that wondered “Is this runner going to make it? Should I ask him if he needs a ride?”), but had to force myself to keep my promise to the SRRC team and especially to BJ—we are going to finish this race. I was so glad that BJ was there. I drew a lot of inspiration from him and forced myself to try and keep up with him.
Finally, when I stepped on the finish mat, I can only say that I was glad that it was over. However, as I walked over to meet up with SRRC team, their euphoric cheers and jubilant high-fives made all the pain disappear and the whole experience worthwhile. Little did I realize that it was a part of their secret strategy to get me all excited to do the “race report”.
Post-Race:
Today, as I sit behind my desk, doing ankle rotations and massaging my calves, I still ask myself the same question: "Why did I sign up for the LAWS half Marathon?"
Lessons learned:
. Train well
. Ending up almost last is still better than dropping out, and yeah, I was the last male finisher
. Dropping out halfway is still better than not attempting one
. Never Give Up
In my opinion, experienced race enthusiasts would enjoy the LAWS for the "Give me a challenge and leave me alone" experience that this race offers. The rolling hills and the tranquil settings against the backdrop of the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains have plenty to offer to anyone who is looking for both a challenge and a relaxing time. However, I would not recommend this race for anyone who is looking to do their first race. Instead, I would suggest that first-timers look for a bigger Race (like the MCM) where you have a lot of crowd support and activities. Finally, my thanks to the SRRC runners for giving me company and helping me keep my promise.
Here is how the others summarized their race experience:
Maria: Well, that was fun. No pain yet. I've had my chocolate milk and am heading off to the mall to buy my middle some spring clothes. My watch said I burned 1400 calories. so I happily chowed down about three servings of tortillini . . . yum yum. Thank-you Siva for planting the seed—this was all your idea. And, Joy, thank you so much for running with me the entire way. You really helped me overcome all the aches and mental pains.
Joy: After a nice hot jacuzzi, I had a fantastic 2 hour nap with Nathan (the 4-year-old). I'm sure I'll pay the price tomorrow, but it felt gooooood! Thanks for a great run with fantastic company!
BJ: It was an excellent experience. I am a bit sore. I did come home and soak in a hot bath. Probably should have soaked in ice water. It was a milestone for me and I couldn't have done it without you all inspiring me and keeping me company. It was pretty interesting watching the deer jump the fences and the turkey buzzards following Siva and me the last few miles. When I saw the 10 mile sign I figured I was going to make it one way or the other. My knee is a little sore and I have a blister on my foot. Other than that I will survive till the next time!
March 2006
The SRRC would love to hear about your running, racing, or crewing experiences! If you would like to submit a race report, to be posted on the SRRC website, please email srrunner@srrunners.org.