ZOOMA Cape Cod Half Marathon Race Report

This was my 4th year being a ZOOMA Cape Cod ambassador.  The first year though I was delegated to water stop girl since I was 9 months pregnant!!  The past three years I have had the pleasure of being out on the course running the half marathon!  Each year brings a new experience and this year taught me a lot about the potential that I have inside me!  Above my own running of this race, I always treasure the time that I am able to spend connecting with fellow ambassadors....who are now not just ambassadors after many years together, but also my friends!

Dani and I upheld our yearly tradition of her sleeping at our house and going to the event together.  She got to our house Friday afternoon and after Aubs combed through all of her Run Disney photos with just about every Disney character (Aubs is a big Dani fan since she is clearly the coolest having run races with her favorite princesses), we headed to the expo.  The expo is held at the Seacrest Beach Resort and is very easy to get in and out of quickly.  It's well organized and even had some fabulous vendors there like Another Mother Runner and Run Far Girl!!  Let's not forget Luna who kept me well fed and laughing!!  LOVE their coconut bars and their new cupcake one!!  Yum!!

We headed out to the back for the mocktail party hosted by Hint water.  Every year never disappoints...seriously one of my favorite places on Cape to catch the sunset!!

After a quick bite to eat we headed back to my house and bed since we had an early morning wake-up!  Race morning is always a new experience as a mom since our Aubs is not so certain she wants to sleep anymore.  With a cold hitting her she was up with me while I sipped my coffee and we watched Dora!  Before I knew it it was time to get ready and head out!

The starting line, much like the expo, is well organized and marked.  You can snap some pics with the starting line and easily make your way to where you want to begin.  The 10k runners start a little way up the street which makes even more room for the half marathoners.  I milled around and found many of my friends who were running!  Of course they all said they weren't racing....but with the pace they kept I beg to differ ladies!!  Needless to say they are ready for NYC!!

Before we knew it it was time to start and I decided last minute to follow the 1:50 pacer.  I have never run with an official pacer before so this was a new experience.  She was easy to find since she had a big balloon flying off her shorts!  I didn't know if I would be able to hang but for about 6 miles this was my view...

I was feeling like it was an easy pace to keep...I was feeling great and sometimes too great since I went in front of her too.  Then it was like those V8 commercials....she passed me and as I literally got hit upside the head with her bobbing balloon, reality struck.  I hadn't trained for this pace for a while and a gift from Mother Nature (sorry guys!) made things get a little painful....ok a lot painful with a side stitch that radiated across my stomach making it very hard to breathe.  My pace slowed and I watched my balloon bob out of sight!

That mile was tough to say the least!  I struggled not only to breathe but to also get the cramp to stop! As we continued along the bike path, I began to feel better and gained some speed back.  From that mile on it was all about keeping my pace below a 9 min mile so that I could keep my sub 2-hour time. The course for this race, for the most part, is very beautiful taking us through cranberry bogs and along the ocean.  It highlights a lot of those Cape Cod scenes...meaning: distractions from the hills in the last 3 miles!!

I felt much better this year in the later miles (Thanks so a lot of hill work lately....need to add more of this for Runner's World) and was excited....but not really...to turn and see the last hill at mile 12.  That thing is a beast but I made it up....barely!!  There was far less swearing this year mostly due to the fact that I was alone!!  I let my legs fly down the last downhill and into the finish!!

1:56:41

I am psyched with this time and how I felt at the end!  I ended up coming in 14th in my age group and realized that I have far more in me if I just push.  I am working on not giving myself such a break all the time.  I want to do big things with my pace but I get in my own head and discourage myself.  This race showed me that it is there....I just need to push!

We headed down to the beach to enjoy some snacks, wine, and sun!  This Cape Cod girl always loves to be able to end a race with friends and the BEACH!

pic thanks to Dani!

Well half mary #34 certainly had it's share of ups and downs but overall I am walking away from it encouraged that I can do hard things if I just push myself!!!  I have it in me....now to chisel away even more to get it out!!

A big shout out to some fabulous ladies who just rocked this race....Dani scored herself another 1:40+ half marathon time (like anyone is surprised...this girl has wheels!)  Another fellow ambassador Jessica flew to a super fast 10k and 7th place overall finish!  Run Far Girl Sarah WON the 10k....seriously this mama can fly!  Two fellow coworkers of mine rocked the 10k...so proud of you ladies!  Melissa rocked her first half marathon as well!!!  Way to believe in yourself and do great things!!!