Race Recap: Hungry Turkey Half Marathon

Hungry Turkey Half Marathon Race Report

When: Saturday, November 26, 2016

Where: Des Moines, IA

Weather: 30s-40s, mildly windy

Division: Open

The Hungry Turkey is a race series across the country that takes place the Saturday after Thanksgiving. This was to be my last half marathon before my full, so I had three goals in mind. First, I wanted to finish in under 3 hours. Call me a slave to my watch, but I figured finishing under 3 hours would bode well for about a 6-hour marathon. Second, I wanted to have even pacing. I didn't want to start out fast and end up limping. Third, I wanted to finish feeling good. Like I could go several more miles.

With those three goals in mind, I set out on my morning road trip to Des Moines (it's a couple hours drive). My outfit had been carefully plotted all week, since it was going to be chilly and windy out of the SSW. Since the race was an out-and-back that goes SSW for the first half, I knew I'd need long sleeves, gloves, and a headband to keep warm for the first part of the race. I wanted to wear a tank top underneath a light long-sleeve that would be easy for me to remove the top layer and tie off around my waist. I ended up doing this around mile 7, plus removing my gloves around the same time. Along with my capri tights, my outfit ended up being absolutely perfect, and I was pleased with how well-planned that aspect was. It had been a while since I'd raced in those weather conditions but I nailed it.

I knew it'd be a small race, and it was. Very small! Awesomely small! Maybe 500 participants or so, perhaps fewer. We started in a parking lot and there was therefore plenty of parking right next to the start line, plus tons of port-a-potties with no lines. Spending an hour pre-race in my car was just fine with me. There was morning packet pickup (I opted out of the mail option, but it was available) and it went smoothly. This race was very well-organized and, being small, super easy in and out. That's important to me when I'm driving in from out of town. 

The course was very rural considering we were in the middle of Des Moines. It was easy to totally forget you were in a city, because you were really in the middle of the woods on recreation trails adjacent to the river. Only around miles 3-7 (when you come into neighborhoods and then downtown Des Moines for the turnaround) do you feel any kind of urban environment. I love races that "break down into sections," and this was so perfect for that. Plus the out-and-backs gave me ample opportunity to see everyone in the race, which in a small race like this (where the back of the pack can get lonely) is important for motivation. As it was, there was still a stretch between mile 7 and mile 9 where I didn't see anyone, and it was kind of a trip. Then I hit another out-and-back section and saw tons of folks again. 

As for the course itself, it was just hilly enough. It was almost exclusively on paved recreation trail that was in good shape for the most part. It was easy to keep pace and the hills were well-spaced. The participants were very friendly (thank god, since the Des Moines Half Marathon in the same town was a total bitchfest) and everyone was in a great mood despite the chilly weather. 

Physically and mentally I felt very good. The wind was at my back for the last half. My hips stayed loose and fast. It felt as though I was well-trained, which is exactly how I wanted to feel. I hit all three of my aforementioned goals. And I got a delicious cinnamon roll at the end!

Good: 

-course. I love me a rural racecourse, and the little urban section was also fantastic. 

-start/finish organization. Loved having parking so close to the start line (literally a 40-second walk). And after the race, it was great to just stroll over to my car in under a minute and GTFO. Lots of port-a-potties.

-participants. Everyone was nice! Probably because they were still high on stuffing and green bean casserole. I know I was!

-shirt. A glorious 1/4-zip long sleeve fleece. Very comfy and warm.

-cinnamon rolls at the end! They were cold, but delicious.

Bad:

-we got lucky, but the weather can be unpredictable in late November. It is definitely a "do at your own risk" situation, but that's not the race's fault!

-not a huge post-race spread, but it's better than most races I do that are that small. If you hate cinnamon rolls, you might be slightly SOL. They also had granola bars. No Gatorade or chocolate milk, which would have been nice.

-they ran out of medals, which I thought was odd. They did say they would mail them out, though. As a walker, I've been in the "we're out of medals" situation before, and sometimes they aren't so courteous to order more, so getting a medal in the mail is just fine with me. If having that thing draped on your neck is important to you, though, caveat emptor.

Race Grade: A-. Not perfect, but close enough. Lots of fun, not expensive, well-organized and logistically very easy. A great fall race, and a great way to burn off your Thanksgiving carbo-load. I will hopefully be doing this one again!

Loving Your Twenties

I am in the throes of 20-Miler Madness! That is where, every weekend, you walk for 4 1/2 hours and discover the answer to the age-old question: "how many of my Lever 2000 parts can hurt at once?" Today, the answer was: my glutes; my hip abductors; my lower back; my mid back; my upper back; my neck; and my tummy (ooooog). My legs and hip flexors were blessedly normal, so it was definitely better than last week!

A few random thoughts as I am in the Madness.

1) Packing light. I have started bringing a few essentials with me - a wet-nap (usually stolen from a BBQ joint), two chewable Pepto, and two Tums. The wet-nap is because you might need it. Like, NEED it. Don't make me spell things out for you. The Pepto is for when the Dreadnought Nausea hits you, which it WILL, if you are going 20 miles. I took mine at mile 14 today which was way too early, because around mile 19 I was negotiating with the Lord so that I would not start dry-heaving. That's when you take the Tums, which have electrolytes (calcium) and tummy-settling powers, although not as much as the Pepto. How do I carry this crap around? I used to bring a fuel belt, but it's a bit rough on the back and I like to travel light. So now I put my little items into a plastic ziploc, then fold it up so that the corners do not stab me, then I stick it in the side of my bra under my armpit. It works. It works great. I don't even notice the plastic baggie at all, if it's properly folded. If you are not a lady, you can probably get away with stuffing such a thing into your hat or your shoelaces. The bag keeps sweat from getting all up in your Tums.

2) Decide how many 20-milers you want to do. I had originally planned on 2, then moving up to 22 for two weeks. Now I am going to do 20 miles four times. I want to really master this distance. Going farther will probably not be helpful for the race. I don't expect this race to be a PR, anyway. My new goal is to finish my final 20-miler with minimal limping, groaning, and holding my back like a pregnant woman.

3) You are at the point in your training where you can basically eat anything you want in the days surrounding your long workout. Go for it. Seriously. Indulge. Diets are great and all, but you cannot lose enough weight to make a difference in your performance at this point. You need the carbs and the salt. If you feel bloated, you know it's working.

4) In the weeks before a race, you must be vigilant about avoiding sickness. Especially if you are racing at a time of year where colds are rampant. Don't touch your face. Wash your hands frequently. Avoid sick people. Illness can cause you to skip a long workout, and you don't want it to screw up your race. You CAN work out with a head cold, but if you have a fever, chest cough, or a stomach bug, do NOT work out. Better to skip a long workout than to try and gut it out through a workout that takes a lot out of you on a GOOD day.