Kaiser Half Marathon in SF. The best organized race I've ever done I think. Awesome course, closed most the way, flat (my fav), so many porta potties it was funny, lots of water, support & just so organized. A well organized race is essential to runners (especially first time racers) having a good experience and wanting to do it again. KUDOS Kaiser! The entire day was a total blast, carpooling with Miss A & plenty of parking at start, shuttle to line and then car was there at finish!
I felt pretty good the whole race until the end. I had only done a handful of short runs since the marathon 2 weeks before so I was quietly nervous about actually having the legs to run this Half. I knew I could just walk it though, didn't want to do that :-) Overall felt the groove for a long while until about mile 9 when I got a wicked right knee pain, hurt so bad. Dull deep ache on the outside of my right knee, below the knee cap. Got scared, don't want to be a jackass and get injured, I'm not that hardcore! So I walked a lot near the end and got ice immediately after. Zero pain after run was over and today perfectly fine. Something to watch though. Finish was the only slight hill of the day, funny I had no idea it was the finish until I looked up from my shuffling feet and aching knee and saw the balloon arch, funny!
I felt pretty good the whole race until the end. I had only done a handful of short runs since the marathon 2 weeks before so I was quietly nervous about actually having the legs to run this Half. I knew I could just walk it though, didn't want to do that :-) Overall felt the groove for a long while until about mile 9 when I got a wicked right knee pain, hurt so bad. Dull deep ache on the outside of my right knee, below the knee cap. Got scared, don't want to be a jackass and get injured, I'm not that hardcore! So I walked a lot near the end and got ice immediately after. Zero pain after run was over and today perfectly fine. Something to watch though. Finish was the only slight hill of the day, funny I had no idea it was the finish until I looked up from my shuffling feet and aching knee and saw the balloon arch, funny!
Only downside of the whole course was the 9-12 mile loop, you were running against the flow of runners who had already turned around and so it was a bit of a buzzkill (which I heard a bunch of people murmuring!) Just knowing you had a while to go before you turned around was mentally taxing. It was made better by the GORGEOUS ocean view on your right, it was truly breath taking and an insanely sunny day. Once I made the turn at mile 10 and was headed to the finish I got a burst of energy but along with intense knee pain...I was still a slow mo Joe.
Overall, so much fun and I just love events, feels social even when I run solo. Feels great to do a half so close to a marathon, I feel in shape. I had ZERO migraine post race (that never happens) and am only slightly sore today. Feeling pretty good in so many ways about it all. Now on to swimming, biking, Fonda and the foam roller this week!
Overall, so much fun and I just love events, feels social even when I run solo. Feels great to do a half so close to a marathon, I feel in shape. I had ZERO migraine post race (that never happens) and am only slightly sore today. Feeling pretty good in so many ways about it all. Now on to swimming, biking, Fonda and the foam roller this week!
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