Disclaimer: I received an entry into Rock n Roll Los Angeles as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!
Going into LA, I knew it was going to be less race and morning training run. With the last few weeks of work kicking my tush, I knew it might turn into a stroll around LA instead.
The parking situation from the day before had me super stressed and then I realized that my hotel was further away then I thought so I set a very early alarm for Sunday. I used Siri and Waze and still ran into road closures but found a spot in a parking garage near the start before 5AM. I hung out in my car for a bit then headed out to find the start. There was a short line at the potties so I took advantage, I then headed off to the #werunsocial meetup.
I jumped in corral 9 after the National Anthem and just stayed there. I didn’t feel like shoving my way up to my corral and I knew I wasn’t going to be fast.
Miles 1-4 9:47, 10:31, 11:11, 11:27
We were off and headed out on the first out and back. I was actually feeling pretty good which was surprising considering the dense fog and poor air quality warning I had woken up to. I took a walk break in mile 3 for water and the pavement seemed more slippery than usual at the water stations. Mile 4 I felt a little fatigued so I went to my run/ walk intervals, it also had the biggest climb on the course. I like hills but after a week of crap sleep in a hotel- yeah I walked.
Miles 5-6 10:55, 14:19
My little reset mile helped so I picked up the pace for mile 5. I was feeling good, we were running down Wilshire (?) BLVD and things were going my way. Then they weren’t. At 4.8- 1/2 mile past an aid station, my stomach cramped- hard. I came to a complete stop. What the hell?? I walked until about 5.4 trying to calm my stomach. Then it was a slow jog while I prayed for an aid station and a port-a-pottie. Just before mile 6 there was and thankfully there was no line.
Miles 7-10 10:51, 12:03, 12:10, 11:48
My stomach was ok but not great. From then on, it was run/ walk. I was actually running a decent pace but when I walked I was so slow. Normally I power walk pretty well but my stomach was either run or crawl. I tried to just enjoy some of the buildings around me, the other runners in costume and major shout out to the Korea Town Running club- their cheering section was awesome. Oh and zombies on stilts?
Miles 11-13 12:13, 13:07, 11:39
We were on our way back of the biggest out and back. My stomach was starting to really act up again and trying to ignore it was making me tired. This was also the first time I’ve seen a sweeper car on a race damn near on top of the last runners. Kind of a drawback to courses with such long out and backs. I walked most of mile 12 and 13 before I finally told my stomach it just had to shut up for 1/2 mile and I ran it in.
Finish-2:34:43
Considering I walked 45% and spent 3 minutes in a bathroom mid run- that ain’t bad. In fact, if my stomach had not been an asshat, this probably would have ended up being my fastest half of the year, instead it was my slowest, haha. And that is perfectly fine considering how the last 2 weeks went. Not my best, not my worst, either way I have no problem entering my time into Athlinks while I wait for the official results.
While I did like the course- good hills and buildings- and Rock N Roll always puts on a great race, the parking and the traffic were nuts. Too many things going on in a small area and I just don’t deal well.
Slacker Runner 