Clearwater Half Marathon

Ah where to start.  After finishing the Clearwater Half Marathon, my 5th half marathon, I felt so many emotions. Pride, for one, for pushing through the physically hardest race I’ve ever done.  On the other hand I felt disappointment and embarrassment about how slow my race was.

Slowest half = my hardest half.


I originally wanted to call this post, “How to NOT PR a race“. Here’s why…
How to not PR a race: 
1. Pick a race labeled the “toughest half marathon in Florida”. 4 long, high bridge climbs.

2. Sprain your ankle 24 days before the race.
3. Spend 3 days on crutches and only manage only a 2,3, and 5 mile run before your half.
4. Run your first 4 miles faster than you’ve trained.


Add those 4 things together and at mile 5 things get ugly.  Chills, goosebumps, inability to feel hands….and a burning desire to quit set in.
But let’s start at the beginning…

I set out to PR this race.  I plotted out a training plan that included long runs, tempo runs, and repeat 800’s.  I had high hopes.  My ankle injury derailed me, however I still had hope for a good run.


On race day, Kyle’s sister, Kelsey, and I woke up at 515am.  We wanted plenty of time to eat, use the bathroom, and warm up before the 705 start.

Am I an elite runner or a jet plane?

I had a whole wheat bagel with PB, coffee, and a banana for breakfast.  I had 2 power bar pre-workout bites and some honey.
I felt like I had to go to the bathroom right before the race, so I got in line….a very long line.  I didn’t want to have to go on the course so I waited…for 20 minutes!! That’s crazy!
I made it to the start with 1 minute to go and was off!


Miles 1-4 felt great.  I had good speed and my ankle wasn’t bothering me.  I kept speed up the first bridge and made time going down.


Mile 1- 8:54
Mile 2- 8:20
Mile 3- 8:52
Mile 4- 10:13
I knew that I was going too fast.  I kept trying to “slow down” but I’d find myself at 8:45 pace again.  I needed to maintain 9:09 to reach my goal. I know the dangers of going out too fast, but I did it anyway. And I paid for it.
I came to the second bridge climb and gave myself a walk break going up it then I ran the way down.
I slowed to get Gatorade at an aid station around 4.5 and when I tried to run again I instantly felt awful. I couldn’t breath, I had chills, and I honestly couldn’t feel my hands.  It was so weird.  It felt like they were asleep.
Mile 5- 10:03
Mile 6- 11:10
I let myself walk for a minute or so to try and recover.  I started running again and I was “gassed”. I agreed with myself that I would run at a slower pace and allow myself a walk break every 1/2 mile. 
It didn’t help.  By mile 6 I felt horrible. I was exhausted and not even halfway done.  I seriously thought about quitting. I didn’t know how I could go farther then I had already run feeling this bad.  I could blame it on my ankle or on my lack of training….I could quit.
Mile 7 – 10:52

Source: Uploaded by user via Carissa on Pinterest

Yeah right? Quit! I’m not a quitter.  If I quit I couldn’t enjoy my post race cheat meals!
I couldn’t imagine having to tell all those cheering for me that I didn’t finish. Sure I could’ve said that my ankle hurt, but it didn’t.  My body just wasn’t prepared for what I was asking it to do.
I pressed on.  I had no strategy.  I’d run a little then walk.  I don’t know which one was harder. It all hurt. 
Kelsey passed me on her way back. She was close to mile 9 and I was just past 7.  I screamed to her to tell Kyle that things were going bad and I was going to be much later then anticipated.

Kelsey finishing – 1:35

At this point I was just so so so mad at myself.  My brain wasn’t remembering that I hadn’t run this far in a month because I was injured.  All I could think was that here I was, “failing to do what I set out to.” I was crawling along and being passed left and right and I simply couldn’t go any faster.
Mile 8 – 11:42
Around mile 9.4 I turned my Garmin off.  I didn’t want to see just how ugly things were getting.  In hindsight this was another bad idea.  I think if I knew my overall time I could’ve structured a run/walk plan and tried to finish better.
I barely made it across the third bridge.  I was walking at an 18 min pace.  Are you kidding me? My hands were on top of my head and I was just a zombie.

At mile 10 I passed our hotel.  Again I had a burning desire to quit.  I could go inside, get a key, lie in bed and cry.  Oh how I wanted to. I couldn’t fathom how slow I was going and how long it was going to take me to finish.  It was depressing.
Somehow I trudged on.  I’d walk, I’d run, and I kept beating myself up mentally.
My first 4 miles took 36 minutes…my last 4 took over an hour!!!
Somehow I managed over the final bridge and finished.  I don’t even want to tell you but it was in 2:25.  The slowest half marathon I’ve ever run.
I saw Kyle and the beautiful/hilarious poster he made me and I just broke down in tears. I was covered in goosebumps, dizzy, and defeated.

Isn’t Kyle a good poster maker?

My great cheerleader!

Kyle’s sister, Kelsey, also said this was the hardest race she’s ever done physically and mentally.  She finished in 1:35 and took second in her age group.

Our posters!

The moral of this story? I don’t know that yet.  
I don’t have some glaring revelation about how this race will make me stronger or how I can run faster.  But I didn’t quit.  I finished.  When every part of me wanted to stop and cry.  I finished.

What wisdom I can offer you is this: 
Don’t try to PR on a clearly difficult race AND don’t start too fast. Oh – and finish!


Love and a snails pace,
Carissa & Kyle