Salem's Wicked Half Marathon

On Saturday, we ran the Wicked Half Marathon in Salem, MA (where the infamous Salem Witch Trials took place). It was an unseasonably HOT day, and it actually hit 90 degrees. The course was really nice, and winds around Salem and Marblehead, with some slight inclines and declines, but nothing too intense.

Ryan's Report:
I felt MISERABLE the entire race. My plan going in was to hover at a pace around 8:40 min/mile (about 10 seconds faster than marathon goal pace.) We did a mile warmup, and I was already feeling really hot. As soon as the gun went off, I knew it wasn't going to be my day. I had major stomach issues right from the start. It felt like a combination of rocks bouncing around in my stomach and a gremlin inside my stomach punching his way out. It was miserable. I suffered to hang onto 8:55 pace, and it was grueling. I usually love to run long distances, but this was a day where I just wanted to be done. I finished in 1:57:08, and it was one of my worst races I've had in a long time. I felt awful. Bethany came and tried to bring me in the last half mile, but I was too shamed and embarrassed of my poor performance that I told her I didn't want her to see me in such rough shape. Anyway, I felt better after the race, and I really love the race shirt. It's a long sleeve red tech-tee, with a cool black bat on it.

I drank some fluids and got something to eat and then felt better. We then decided to take the short ride up to Ipswich, MA to run on the Stone Cat Trails (where Bethany will be running her 50 miler in November, and I'll be running my first trail marathon). We found the trails, and popped into the woods for a few easy recovery miles. These trails looked really nice, relatively flat, very NON-technical (which Miss Bethany likes), and tons of snakes and chipmunks and other miscellaneous critters.

Bethany's Report:
I never have much to say in a race recap. I tend to just run and not really think about it. I had a good run. My plan was to run any pace under 7:50, my goal marathon pace. I started out on pace for a 1:38, which is reasonable for me but with the heat and the fact that I ran 31 miles 6 days earlier and I was out of work sick 2 days this week, I slowed down to a 1:41ish pace. My overall average was 7:41. I finished 10th woman overall (apparently I was 3rd before I slowed down) which is pretty rare for a race out here, most races here are VERY fast. I finished 7/172 in my age group. I'm glad I ran sub 7:50s, that's really all I cared about. If you count last Sunday to this past Saturday, I ran a total of 66 miles so I'm pleased with that. I went on to run 17.5 miles yesterday (I had to get in .5 because I ran 4.5 miles earlier in the week, I like a nice even number at the end of the week).
I got some chaffage on my back yesterday which was a first for me. I don't tend to get chaffage anywhere when I run. It wasn't from my bra but rather from my racing singlet (it was lower on my back) because my singlet got wet. I rarely sweat while I run, I'll finish a race and be bone dry so you know it's hot when I start sweating! I don't mind getting chaffage though because I love how it stings in the shower (true story!)

Post race pic taken at Salem Willows. Yes, it was windy, but my hair looks like this all the time wind or no wind 

Have a nice week everyone