Rockin' the Relay!

This past Sunday I ran the San Diego Rock n Roll Half Marathon as a relay with a good friend of mine. Not only did we kick butt, we had a fantastically good time. I swore off this race when I injured myself running the full marathon version of it last year, but was convinced to give it another try by my pal. It helped that she offered to run the first leg of the relay, which included the nasty portion of the freeway where I hurt myself before. (The camber was ridiculous!) So with a drumstick for a baton, she headed to the start line while another friend and I made our way to the relay exchange point.

What was really fun for me was getting to see all the elite runners go by. Normally, I am in a corral way back at the start line and those elites are finishing up their race almost before I get to cross the start's timing mat. Being positioned on the course gave me an opportunity for the first time to watch these athletes run by. Meb K, who you might recall is a big favorite of mine, took an early lead in the half and when we saw him he was all alone, at least 12 seconds ahead of everyone else. He didn't just run past, he floated. It was surreal and amazing to watch him run! The elite runners for the half all went past and pretty soon we saw the elite runners for the full, too. Very, very cool.

It wasn't long before we heard my team's number being called and I jumped into the exchange chute. My friend blew in and passed the drumstick, and suddenly I was off and running. The major downside to running the second leg, I found, was that everyone else had already been running a while. With my fresh legs and adrenaline pumping I was ready to GO, while others were ready to take a walk break! I spent a lot of time weaving around people, and it wasn't as easy to find a "sweet spot" where I could run unhindered. That said, we still turned in a very respectable time, a new "joint-PR" that was better than our individual bests!

I definitely recommend the relay option to anyone looking to participate in a big race with a shorter distance. It came at a good time for me with the hamstring rehab...I wasn't quite ready for 13.1 yet but wanted to push it a little at a shorter race to see how it did. (I had NO pain, by the way. HOORAY!!!!!) If you Google "half marathon relay" you'll get a TON of races back that offer relays at the half (and some at the full) distance. Check it out!

Before I go, I have to give a couple shout-outs to some of the cool booths and new stuff I saw at the race expo:

Run Pretty Far www.runprettyfar.com  SUPER cute arm warmers, gaiters, tech shirts and they carry BIC bands, which I love. It's all very girlie, though. Guys, I warned you.

Fuel Belt  These guys aren't new and if you're reading this blog you probably know I'm a big fan. However, THIS waistpack is new, at least to me. I ran with it today and I can say that I adore it. It does not bounce or slide around. Perfect for a shorter run where I don't need to lug the whole four-bottle belt. And, if it's a little longer and I do need SOME water but don't want the whole belt, this handheld is perfect. I didn't pick one of these babies up but it's on my list for sure. I liked the size and way it fit my hand, unlike a lot of bigger bottles I've tried.

Pentax Yes, this is the camera people. I got to check out a COOL new camera they've launched called the Optio. This thing is waterproof (seriously, you can even submerge it!), crushproof, sweatproof and fairly foolproof. It'd be great for runs, hikes, bikes, pretty much anywhere you wanted to take it. Now, if it could just remember to pack itself, I'd totally own one.

Brooks Again, not new. I'm shouting out because they ALWAYS give away cool free stuff at the Expos. If you are at an expo where Brooks is, VISIT THEM. Thanks, Brooks. In addition to having awesome shoes, you guys are just amazingly cool.