Icebreaker Indoor Half Marathon 2013 Race Report

Well, I finished my second indoor half marathon.  I even brought along a few friends this time.  I set the alarm for 5:45 for the trek to the Milwaukee-area's Icebreaker Indoor Half Marathon (HERE) at the Pettit Ice Arena.  The weekend was full of events and there were two half marathons - one at 7am and one at 9:30 am.  It was nice to enter the later event, so that the kids could sleep-in, stay home with grandma and grandpa and I didn't have to splurge on hotel accommodations.

 

The Boyfriend and I

We arrived about an hour early to get our packets, get settled, have some last-minute carbs ... and use the restroom about four-five times.  Hey, there were no lines - you've gotta take advantage of it.  We got some nice 13.1 shirts in our goody bags - probably better suited for the female athletes, but I'm not complaining.

I was excited for The Boyfriend, as this would be his second 13.1 journey.  He also recently signed up for his first 26.2 mile journey in May.  I love how he has related to my passion and found passion in it, too.

I ran into Amy from Running is Cheaper than Therapy (HERE).  She had just finished her event, which we ran together last year.  She was given the opportunity to run the full marathon the next day and took them up on the chance, on the spot.  Yep, she's pretty amazing.

I had carpooled with Patti and Christina, who were in my previous Couch to 5K programs.  They then went onto 10Ks and both ran their first half marathon last fall.  I was really excited to have them join me at this rare, indoor half marathon event.  Something that most don't get to experience.

We were off, shortly after 9:30 for 47ish laps around the ice arena.  It was a great time.  We were in the later - supposedly slower - event.  So, it was nice not constantly getting passed, like I did last year.  The Boyfriend passed me a few times.  I passed friends a few times.  It was nice just to touch base once in awhile.

My left foot (aka massive bunion) has been bothering me since the holidays.  It's just gotten worse.  Around mile six, it really started aching and I could tell that I was compensating for the pain.  I must have been bracing myself with my middle toes and they were starting to cramp.  I pushed the pain, lap after lap.  Never had a side stich or stomach ache.  So, I'll take the good with the bad.

I carried mmy handheld water bottle, filled with plain H20.  They also offer a volunteer water station.  I left a labeled bottle filled with Powerade Zero, since I know I would turn my nose up to the usual lemon lime Gatorade.  I simply called my number out a few times during the race.  And, on my next lap, the bottle was waiting for me.  I ran double-fisted for a lap, and returned it to the table after I closed the lap.  A pretty simple process.  By the end of the race, I had consumed both bottles, despite the cold ice arena temperatures.

I watched the runner board count my laps.  There were about 125 runners in the event, as we ran in the right lane and passed in the left lane.  Towards the end of the race, someone yelled "Go, Running Diva Mom!".  It was Koreen, a reader of RDM, that I was fortunate to meet out on the course.  Gave me a little extra post those last few laps.  Finally, I heard my bloggy buddy Bill - who was also the announcer, call, "Jamie Edge - you have one mile to go!".  I sped up and saw that two hours was fast approaching.  I started feeling gaggy and pulled it back a bit.  It's one thing to get sick at an outdoor race, but I had already seen Bill clean up someone else's vomit earlier off of the track.  I pulled back and saw my watch say a 2:00:02.  A little disappointing, but not too shabby since I really hadn't been "training" for the event.  I looked up my time online and it was off by about a 1:30.  So, I'm not sure what happened with their timing system.

A really fun event, that I will do again and again to break up the boredom of Wisconsin Winter running.

 

Amy and I

Me, Patti and Christina

 

 

 

 

M



y foot

 

 

Me with Koreen, and RDM reader

 

 

 

Watch Time:  2:00:01

Chip Time:  1:58:30