When I heard that the Rock ‘N Roll race series was coming to Providence on August 7th, I knew I had to be there for the event. I signed up…and what and event it was!
The Expo
The {ontherun} crew arrived at the expo on Saturday afternoon. Our local races are typically smaller, more low-key events, so it was impressive to visit the convention center and see thousands of runners browsing booths filled with gear, food, and other running fun.
We rocked out.
We carb-loaded.
And we even ran into another blogger!
Hi Heather!
I left with a bag full of swag and lots of excitement as I prepared to run my fourth half marathon.
The Race
Oh…the race!
Rain, rain, and more rain! I wasn’t a fan. I knew I wasn’t going to break any records on the course yesterday, but I hoped for some serious rock ‘n roll running. When I woke up to a downpour, I knew this race would be interesting…
Luckily, I had a close friend along for the run. Lizzy and I both went into this race with minimal training and decided to make the most of a rainy day by sticking together through 13.1 miles.
7,000 runners registered for this race. The runners were separated into 15 corrals. By the time Lizzy and I arrived at the start, the crowd was so thick that we couldn’t get near our corrals. We started with Corral 12 well after the official 7 AM start time. The first mile was crowded and slow as we wove through runners and walkers along the course.
By the second mile, Lizzy and I settled into a more consistent 10:00/mi pace, but I felt anxious. I went into this race unprepared and worried that I couldn’t handle 13.1 miles. My stomach was in knots. Lizzy gave me pep talks as I spouted off my concerns.
My foot hurts. Wet shoes = blisters.
My shorts won’t stay on. Rainy runs require shorts with a drawstring. Lesson learned.
I don’t like Cytomax. I wish the race had Gatorade.
The course is too hilly. Maybe it wasn’t. Everything felt like a hill to me.
But each time I whined, Lizzy came back with something positive. We focused on running through each mile, sprinkling in walking breaks (and bathroom breaks!) when necessary.
At mile five, I got the boost I needed when I saw my boyfriend’s parents cheering for me. I never expected them to come out in the rain for the race and I was so surprised and happy. Their support was super motivational and carried me through a few tough miles. Thank you!
Lizzy and I forged on as the rain came down and the wind blew. Our pace was slower than usual (for us), which is always a little disheartening, but we made our own fun. We jumped in puddles and said crazy things to keep each other laughing. Never a dull moment on the race course!
And at mile 11, I heard the {ontherun} crew in full force. Yay! Every time I see them, I feel a surge of energy from the cheers. And I knew I only had a couple miles left before I would see them again.
Together, Lizzy and I rounded the corner and tackled the final hill on the 13.1 mile course. I was tired, wet, and ready to be done!
Seeing my favorite guy made the finish so much sweeter.
Another half marathon in the books!
Official Time: 2:15:32 – 10:21/mi
I really need to thank Lizzy for sticking with me for the entire race. I’m sure there were moments when she wanted to run away, but she didn’t. We crossed the finish line hand-in-hand. That’s a true friend. Thank you, Lizzy!
The Post-Race Pizza
This recap wouldn’t be complete without some serious pizza goodness. Breakfast pizza? Why not?! After the race, we moved the party to Federal Hill for some half marathon celebration at Caserta Pizza.
It’s always fun to refuel and exchange all the gory details of the race. Rain or shine, we all had some serious fun!
***
This half marathon was the last on my race schedule for awhile. I plan to stick to shorter distance running that requires a less demanding training schedule. I love running, exercising, and staying fit, but I’m ready to take a little break from “marathon” things…for now.
Rock ‘N Roll Providence – thanks for the fun!
Aww suga!!! I had a blast with you and I absolutely cannot wait to see the puddle jumping professional pictures. The race was just a hysterical mess but so much fun. I’m glad we stuck together and finished holding hands!!!
Oh man, I was TOTALLY thinking of you this weekend in all that nasty rain!! You’re a total trooper for sticking it out and that race time is AWESOME! I’d be thrilled to race my next half at that pace – and you did it all in the rain! Go YOU!!
His parents came to your race!!! So sweet!!! This Mr. Wonderful seems like such a keeper. I love it.
I’m glad you guys stuck it out and made the race happen, puddle jumping and all. I’m sure tons of people saw the rain and stayed in bed! So power to you, Lizzy, Lauren and your wonderful support team for getting out there.
Another NYC race soon? I’ll make sure it doesn’t rain. Bring your BF.
Yay Becky!! I’m really glad you and Lizzy both ran this race and made the most of it. You guys sound like you had a great time together (rain had nothing on the two of you!!). And of course the post-race pizza party made it all worth it. Right??
And I second Lizzy – I can’t WAIT to see the professional photos of your race! I’m sure they will go down in {ontherun} history.
Congrats on your race! Way to stick it out and finish despite all of the obstacles. Lizzy sounds like a great race buddy in addition to have your whole Beck on the Run support team out there!
Congrats on the half! I’ve never actually ran in the rain, but if it rains during a race I’ll be excited. Thanks for the advice on drawstring shorts!
Congrats on the race! That last hill…oh, I know that hill from the CVS 5k. Always a killer.
Glad to hear you had fun!!
I love running in the rain, but not a half marathon in the rain…too many blisters!! Great job of toughing it out! Tough races are always made easier when you are with friends….where would we be without them?
Great job Becky — looks like you had an excellent attitude going into this race!
congratulations on making the best of a tough situation and finishing with a positive attitude! sometimes it’s just not about the time but the experience. so nice that you had lizzy to run it with.
i have never run a race in the rain but i can only imagine that it adds a whole extra challenging element to an already challenging distance.
post race pizza celebration looks perfect!
Congrats on another great race! I can imagine running that distance in the rain would be tough but it sounds like you and Lizzy are true troopers!!
Great job! Rainy races are tough..especially an entire half marathon, but you have a huge smile in every picture. Love your attitude!
Despite the whining, I love your attitude! I would have whined wayyyy more in that rain! Good job, Becky
Congrats Becky! I hate racing in the rain, but I’m so glad you had Lizzy there with you to make the 13.1 miles more enjoyable!
Way to go Becky! I think that was the worst weather I’ve experienced in a race, but is it crazy that I am so glad that I did it anyway? I got a glimpse of you and Lizzy on the bridge and just wanted to say congrats on your accomplishment.
yay! it was so good to see yall at the expo! thanks for coming by the booth, and thanks so much for the encouraging cheers, twice, as we passed each other on the crazy zig-zags! I was so not a fan of this race or the hills. bleh! and what sicko decided it would be a good idea to end a race on a huge hill?!
Congrats!!! So glad you made it through. what tough conditions and sounds like you guys had a blast and carried each other through. I looked hard for you, but couldn’t find you in the crowd
Congrats Becky!!! I thought of you all while coming back from Newport during the monsoons. I wish I could have been there cheering! I think my favorite part of this recap (besides your awesomeness) is your boyfriend’s Team BeckontheRun shirt. SO CUTE! I can’t even stand it.
Congrats, Becky! I am so glad you and Lizzy ran together and had fun. Races in the rain can be miserable, but running with a friend and having family to cheer you on always helps. You guys definitely made the best of it and enjoyed the race, which is all you can ask. Great job!!