Race Recap: Newport Half Marathon

On Sunday, I ran the Unitedhealthcare Newport Half Marathon in Newport, RI. My goals for this race were to negative split, start slow-finish fast (1:25:00), and win. I knew the course would be challenging, but I was ready for a vacation!

Monday was an easy run; Tuesday was a 3 mile race at work (18:00 flat!); Wednesday was a light run; Thursday was a day on the elliptical; Friday was my travel day (did lots of SMR during travel) and I jogged 4.5 miles and did core work; Saturday was completely off. I told myself it would be a nice vacation, race win or not.

On Friday, I did some basics--picked up my packet, drove the course, bought Oktoberfest tickets, ate lunch in Newport, and checked into my room at Bay Willows Inn. Packet pickup was easy. There was a lot of parking at Second Beach, and it was free in the off season, so I got to check out the beach after I picked up my race packet. I bought a tube of anti-chafe cream (it works) and had some good science talk about mentors. Lunch was very filling, so after my light jog, I just ate an apple and banana from my hotel goodie bag (yes, they gave me a goodie bag of fruit, bars, Tootsie Rolls, and Dunkin Donuts gift card for breakfast each day). I watched some television (Hunger Games and Haven) and went to bed early.

Saturday was a rainy day! I had a sandwich and hot cocoa at Dunkin Donuts, bought an umbrella and some food (Gatorade, oatmeal, water), and did some sightseeing at Fort Adams and Purgatory Chasm. Finally, I went to Oktoberfest. I had Newport Storm's Pumpkin beer and a platter of two brats, sauerkraut, bread, and some fries. I talked to a young Navy officer while listening to music and watching the dancers. I decided it was too cold outside, and so I left. I went to church at St. Barnabas, which was quite lovely. I saw the race was forecasted to be colder than I had expected, so I bought a pair of sweats, gloves, and ear warmers (excellent decision!). I bought some bread and a microwaveable pasta dish for dinner. Throughout the day, I had eaten the two apples and other banana from my hotel. After some dinner and poor television, I went to bed.

On Sunday, I woke up at 6:00am, ate breakfast (banana and protein bar with water...wasn't feeling the oatmeal), and drove to the parking lot for the shuttles. There was ample parking, and the line to the buses boarded quickly. The drive was short, but I didn't want to jog along Aquidneck Ave that early before the race. I walked around until 7:30am. Bathroom lines were short and fast. I was freezing, so I was glad to have bought some last minute cold weather gear. I checked my bag at gear check and jogged for about a mile. The marathon started before us, and they were delayed until 7:45am. After waiting around in the cold, we lined up and took off not too long after 8am. It was about 46-48 degrees Fahrenheit and sunny.

The first mile has a huge uphill, but that doesn't matter, since you're supposed to start slow. I held it back at a 6:40 pace, but I couldn't help but follow when a girl in our small pack dipped down to 6:20-6:30 for the next couple of miles. I could have sworn I heard someone yell, "Go Anna!" along Memorial Blvd (?). I looked back to smile and saw a women with long hair; my eyesight sucks and I couldn't tell who it was. It gave me a little boost.

Around mile six, I had dropped the girl I was running with, and I was running past marathoners. I slowly reeled in two runners who I would run the rest of the race with (red shirt and blue shirt). Red was steadier with his pace, but Blue threw in bursts of pickups. It was slightly distracting, but I tried not to let it affect my pace too much. I missed where the gels of Carb Boom were being given out, and the one time I got Gatorade there wasn't much in the cup (and I had expected water).

I remember distinctly struggling at mile nine. The course had more twists and turns and slight inclines than I had felt during my drive. I was glad to have Red and Blue nearby. Mile ten came around 1:05:xx, and I knew I would have to push to get under 1:25:00. I hadn't driven through Salve Regina University, but it was very pretty. Miles 11 and 12 were tough; it felt like I was putting in more effort than my watch was displaying. Later, I'd see the elevation profile showed a steady slight incline in this area. In the last mile, Red and Blue took off, never to be caught. Seeing the finish line from the Cliff Walk is a tease; it's still far off. We finished along the boardwalk. I was glad to see a 1:24:40 on the clock when I knew I could cover the remaining distance in less than 20 seconds.

I was the second place overall female in 1:24:50. I did not meet my goal of winning (or come close to the winner), but I did start slower and finish faster.

1:24:50 isn't a PR, but I'd say that was a good effort for this course. Afterwards, I grabbed a free Del's Shandy in the beer tent, had some great conversation, and picked up my [wrong] award. Again, shuttles were quick and gear check was smooth. I cleaned up, visited Jamestown to look at the lighthouse, and went to Oktoberfest.

Legs feel great today. I took today as a rest day and did some more sightseeing, grabbing some Flo's and an Awful Awful on my way out of town. I will miss Rhode Island. It is beautiful and clean and filled with great memories. It's like walking through one of my favorite memory reels, while creating new memories.

I would definitely do this half marathon again. I would stay at Bay Willows again. I would fly SOUTHWEST next time. US Airways has not been satisfactory.