Half Marathon #80: National Women’s Half Marathon

National Women’s Half Marathon
May 5, 2019
2:26:57

Temp: low 60s and rainy
What I wore:hat, tank top, a Skirt Sports Lotta Breeze Skirt, compression socks, and Altra One 2.5

I ran this race last year and enjoyed it, so when I got the chance to get the race for ~$40 for 2019, I jumped on it. But we’ve had a crazy rainy spring (like it’s rained almost every weekend) and huge downpours were in the forecast. The race starts and ends in a not very convenient place, so I was less than thrilled with the forecast. I don’t mind running in the rain, but I hate standing around in it and walking home in it.

However, thanks to the rain preventing Beer Geek from going out on a bike ride, I was able to convince him to give me and a couple of others a ride. He dropped us off on the Virginia side of Memorial Bridge, so it was just a short walk in the drizzle. I managed to trip getting out of the car and then slipped while walking to the start, so my goal for the race became staying upright.

We got there with just enough time to hit the porta potties, check my bag with my umbrella and rain jacket for the walk home, and get in the corrals. I missed out on the MRTT pictures, but I was happy to not be standing around for long. 

My real goal for the race was to run a pace that I could maintain for the entire 13.1 miles. I’ve lost a lot of my confidence this year, so I just wanted a strong race to help me get back where I used to be. I am happy to say that I totally nailed it. My pace for each mile fell within a 20 second window. I finished feeling good and decided to walk the 5 miles home. I picked up my raincoat and umbrella and a few snacks and started the trek home. Right as I headed on the path around Arlington Cemetery (aka the area with no cover and no way to be picked up), the heavens opened and it POURED. I was so thankful for the umbrella that I’d throw in at the last second. By the time I got up to Rosslyn, where I could have gotten on the metro or called Beer Geek for a ride, the rain was over. So, 18 miles total for the day!

The good:

• It’s local and is very well organized. There was no line to drop off my checked bag and when I picked it up, the volunteer saw me walking up and had my bag by the time I got there.
• There were no hills to speak of.
• The rain held off for the majority of the race.
• Lots of porta potties and I had no trouble finding one with TP after the race. There were also a reasonable number of porta potties (and real bathrooms) on the course.
• It was mostly women running, which is a vibe I like.

The bad:

• It was a tad too warm and the humidity was awful.

The ugly:

• The rain on the walk home. Five miles is a long ways to walk in soggy shoes. I was surprised that I had no chafing or blisters.

Would I run this race again?

Yes. I already registered and got my entry for $1! It was well organized, the price was reasonable, the medal and shirt are nice, and the logistics were pretty simple.