7 Allowed Excuses For Not Running A PR Race
By admin
The following post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Mizuno. Like always, thoughts and opinions are my own.
Prepare for a picture-rific post!
As you may have gathered from yesterday, I didn’t set a new PR (personal record) for the Myrtle Beach Mini Marathon like I had hoped.
To be honest, I knew going into it that it would be a long shot, after all, last year my fitness revolved around running.
This year not so much. But even without the PR, I was pretty satisfied, no, I was very satisfied with my race outcome.
Of course I have a few reasons why I didn’t accomplish my goal.
These are the excuses we can all use to help justify one race and help motivate us for another.
But before I jump into what I did wrong… let’s cover what I did right. Shall we? We shall!
What I Did For A PERFECT Half Marathon.
I had all my gear laid out.
This was a destination race, meaning that we traveled and stayed in a hotel. If I had left anything at home, I would have been very upset. Luckily, I’m anal about pre-race planning and had everything listed out that I would need.
The night before the half, I laid out everything out. Everything!
My outfit was folded and beside the bed, my bib and pins on top, and finally my phone, Cliff Blocks, Garmin and headphones topping off the pile.
No race anxiety wondering if I was forgetting anything.
The perfect shoes.
The shoes I wore for a majority of training had lived a good life and it was time to put them on the porch with the status of “mud run shoes”.
I was fortunate enough that the day before I was going to Fleet Feet to buy a pair, my partnership with FitFluential provided me the ability to get the new Mizuno WaveRiders 18 for review.
Well, since I have been wearing WaveRiders for years even before I became a part of FitFluential. You can guess that I am 100% a loyal costumer.
I simply love them. I loved the previous ones (though I won’t lie, the 17s weren’t my favorite) and I love the 18s. The most comfortable pair to date, light weight, and they look fast too.
Anytime you get a new pair of shoes around a race, you want to make sure you give yourself plenty of time to break them in. I had 2 weeks and felt very comfortable. Having done both long and short runs in them.
A few quick stats on the Wave Rider 18s:
- It’s a neutral shoe with just enough support to cushion runs.
- It’s light weight… just 7.8 ounces! With a lift of 12mm which is what I prefer. So definitely not a barefoot shoe of any sorts.
- I have a narrow foot which is why I have loved Mizuno for years. The toe box is slightly more narrow than other brands and allows for a snug, comforting feel. I hate boxy, big shoes/
- And they look fast. Of course looks is important. I simply love the sleek looks that Mizuno offers, I feel like a runner at the starting line… if that makes sense.
Okay, so shoe talk is over. Let’s move on.
Traditional pre-race breakfast.
Ashton and I woke up at 5 am (the race started at 7) to eat my traditional pre-race meal: Whole wheat English muffin, almond butter and banana slices.
We ate our race sandwiches while sipping on Starbucks Via coffees in our hotel room.
Pre race potty
Let’s just say I wasn’t worried about having to go during the run. Coffee is amazing.
Perfect running temperatures.
The weather in Myrtle Beach was amazing for a half marathon. At 7am, it was around 57-degrees and stayed between 55-60 for the entire run.
Of course it was dark when the horn blew, so the sun wasn’t bearing down on us much of the run.
Perfect running friends.
Every year I do this race (this is my 3rd time), I have different friends tag along. This year our group grew to 5 total.
Even though we didn’t all run together, it’s awesome to know that all of us were on the roads and going through the same experience. The feeling of seeing one another at the finish line? There is nothing like it, I love cheering my friends on!
Okay, so that’s what went right…
7 Excuses For Not Running A PR Race
I could say…
- I didn’t sleep well because I was in a hotel.
- I was dehydrated.
- My calves were tight and my legs felt tired.
- I stopped to switch from my audio book to music for the final 2 miles.
- The head wind was crazy the final few miles.
- My stomach was off from eating restaurant food for 2 days.
- My right arm pit was chaffing (weird but the one spot I chaff)
And while those are true, it doesn’t yield an allowable excuse.
There is no such thing as an allowable excuse…
Well, okay an injury. But that’s it.
Yes, last year I ran a 1.46.06. This year I ran a 1.47.38.
Bummer.
But it’s my fault.
I followed a fabulous training plan thanks to Amanda, but it just didn’t happen.
The Real Reason I Didn’t PR
It was all mental.
I’ve suffered from runners confidence for the past 11 months.
I even told Jeanette and Ashton about a month ago that I had already accepted the fact that I wouldn’t hit my PR goal. Of course they scolded me, as they should have, but in my mind I had already announced defeat.
Could I have finished faster?
Yes. I think I could have.
I could have pushed harder. The first 1/2 of the race was a goal pace. It wasn’t until the last few miles that I slowed. Almost as if my mind was telling my body it had to slow down because it wasn’t allowed to PR.
But guess what?
The Perfect Race
PS- My race bib cracks me up. Don’t get it? Find out who Kindal is here.
Even though I didn’t PR, it was perhaps my finest race to date.
Sound crazy? Hear me out.
This year hasn’t been about running, it’s been about so much more. Strength, personal confidence, growth, acceptance and self-love.
This race helped accomplish those things.
I trained, I ran and I sprinted to the finish.
In fact, I had such a great kick at the end that Dan didn’t make it to the finish line in time to capture it.
That race, that sprint helped me gain my confidence back. To capture my mojo, if you will.
He didn’t get my finish, but we made sure to be there as my fellow runners crossed over…
I started strong, finished strong and walked away craving more. This race may have not been my PR race, but I know I have it in me.
I’m aiming for Kiawah.
That is the race that took my confidence away, and it’s the race that I’m going to make my biotch.
Final Thoughts
I LOVE this race. We always make such a fun weekend out of it. If you are in South or North Carolina and want a flat course, a beach breeze and a sandy finish… then check out the Myrtle Beach Mini Marathon.
I will be there again next year!
Had such a blast with Dan and my friends.
Special shout out to Ashton, Courtney and Marissa for successfully running their very first half marathon! And of course a shout out to my girl Jeanette who once again put on a race bib with me and smiled her way over the finish line.
(The medals are huge surfboards that are magnets/bottle openers/and potential weapons for solo runs).
I don’t know why I love this race so much, but it’s hands down my favorite. My dream race is a wine tasting marathon in Italy!