Shamrock run race report

Kristin and I woke up early this morning, both of us a little groggy. After getting all of our gear together, and listening to the wind howling outside, we set off in the rain to get drenched.

We arrived to the race around 8 (the race started at 8:40), and wondered around a bit and found Tim and David at the Fit Right NW tent hanging out. We talked to them really quick and headed off to the bag check to drop off some of our heavier rain gear and use the restroom. After using the restroom I was planning on running for a mile as a warm up to the race. I was planning on running along the path in Tom McCall Waterfront Park. As it would turn out, the 5k fitness walk was using that path, and all roads around were being used for races, etc. So, I decided to just do a nice warm up at the start of the race and I would have to run a little longer post race to get some mileage in.

I started the race at about the right place in the pack as I only had to run around a few people, and only a few people had to get past me. The gradual uphill started after about a half mile, and nothing was special there. The main good thing is people spread out better when the road goes up. After 2.5 miles, the first steep climb starts and the large hill, a road named Terwilliger. I was feeling good all the way up the main hill. I am not saying I was fast, just feeling good! On the first downhill, I started to get in a nice stride going at about a 7:30/mile pace. I then climbed up another short hill and then back down to start the last elevation game of the race. At the bottom of the downhill there is a gradual left turn to go up the hill.

When I was going around this corner I suddenly felt this large shooting pain in my right hip and when I put my foot down the pain was sharp again and my leg would not hold any of the weight and I almost fell over. I then stopped to walk for a few feet and see if I couldn't "walk it out". I decided to take in some water and Perpetuam and walk up the last 1oo yard uphill. Towards the top, I tried running again and I had severe sharp shooting pain again. This was the end of the race as I was not going to risk Eugene Marathon and try and push through sharp shooting pain. I was pretty upset though that my race had ended 5.5 miles in.

I started walking again and got to the next aid station at which point I hoped there would be a shuttle back as I was not running again. I made it to the aid station to find out there is no shuttle to take me back to the finish. Yuck! I had to walk the rest of the way in in the cold, wind and rain. To add insult to injury, I had dressed to run, which means lots of heat generated by my body, not a walk so I was damn cold at the end of the 9.3 miles.

Along the way Kristin caught up to me and she saw me walking on the side of the road. She walked with me for a few seconds while I told her why I was walking. She offered to walk the rest of the way in with me, but this was her race too! I told her to catch all the people who passed us while we were talking so she could finish her race at her best. It was really nice to see Kristin though, and I would have enjoyed her walking with me, but I was good doing the walk alone, with my own thoughts.

So, I thought I was going to beat my time from last year, I think I even used the word crush. Instead, I got crushed today. However, when my hip gave out, I was at the highest elevation point, with all downhill the rest of the way and my pace was faster than what I finished the race in last year. So, I definitely was going to beat my time, but not 100% of my body agreed with my desires.