Race Report - Ocean Isle Half Marathon
Race Information
Name: Run Ocean Isle Beach Half Marathon
Date: October 28, 2023
Distance: 13.1 miles (13.28 GPS)
Location: Ocean Isle, North Carolina
Time: 3:08:17
Goals
Goal 1 - Finish
Goal 2 - PR
Results:
Goal 1 - Did it!
Goal 2 - Did it!
Course Map
Splits
Mile 1 - 11:18
Mile 2 - 13:47
Mile 3 - 13:35
Mile 4 - 13:35
Mile 5 - 14:21
Mile 6 - 14:18
Mile 7 - 13:49
Mile 8 - 14:16
Mile 9 - 14:30
Mile 10 - 14:54
Mile 11 - 15:04
Mile 12 - 15:32
Mile 13 - 15:57
Training
This was my second half marathon so I was way more confident stepping into training than my Disney half marathon. This time I planned to follow Hal Higdon’s Novice Half-Marathon plan with Jeff Galloway’s run-walk method. I was also going to radically transform my diet to lose weight in the process of training. I began in August and I was confident
Maybe I was too confident.
About 4 weeks into training, I hurt my foot pretty badly after running 5 miles then walking 18 holes of golf. From what the orthopedist told me, this could have been some form of tendonitis or a stress fracture. I was too cheap to get the final diagnosis through an MRI since the recovery was the same.
This held me out for 4-5 weeks which really put me behind the 8 ball in training. I lost a lot of the base that I could have built up, but I didn’t want to give up on it. So I crammed 7 weeks of training into the last 3 weeks with my top milage being an 8 mile run.
Oh and the diet? Forget about it.
Pre-race
If it wasn’t enough to have a poor training, the week of the race I caught a horrible cold. My sinuses were all messed up, I had a nasty cough, and I couldn’t breathe. It was delightful.
On the Friday before the race, I picked up my nutrition from target then drove up to Ocean Isle to pick up my bib and check out the expo.
Picking up the bib and the expo was quite the reality check for me. They did a fantastic job and had a great set up for the size of the race. I just unfairly compared it to the Disney experience, which was just overwhelmingly large and amazing. That being said, I enjoyed the pick up because it felt like a small community of people joining in something together. Both this and the race were definitely a different vibe, but enjoyable all the same.
After dropping off the girls at my parents, I had a massive meal of Chicken Parm and Spaghetti then tried to crash out. Before I knew it, it was 4:30 A.M and it was time for Katie and I to make the hour and a half drive. I tried to eat a little in the car, but as normal, I don’t like eating right when I get up. So I choked down a muffin and didn’t get to the banana…. Which was a mistake as you will see later. But at least I felt slightly better from my cold.
Once we arrived we walked over and I tried to get mentally prepared despite my training and sickness. Before I knew it, it was time to take off.
Race
Mile 1-2
So for both of my races, I have said screw it when it comes to the Galloway plan at the start of the race. Starting the race and then walking right away just feels weird. I pushed through the plan and before I knew it, I hit a mile. It was not a sustainable pace and I created unnecessary tension on my ankle tendon, but I was pleased with my time as I knew it gave me a great buffer to finish in the time limit and allow to me to breathe if I needed to later.
These first two miles were not the most fun. I would call these the take up space miles. We were dipping and dodging through neighborhoods, creating a weird path with no specific purpose. But in a small area like Ocean Isle, it’s pretty much what you have to do. The good news is the lack of activity and strange terrain allowed me to take a moment and settle into my Galloway method, drink some water, and focus in on the run once I got past my first mile
Miles 3-5
Oh that stupid, stupid bridge. When I saw that bridge on the map…. No big deal. Most bridges by beaches are pretty chill. Not this one. This one was crazy steep. Even worse on the way back.
But we pressed through the challenge and still created a good time despite the incline shift. The following miles got us into the beach houses of Ocean Isle. They were extremely pretty and there were many hanging outside cheering us on. That was a lot of fun.
Miles 6-7
I really got into a great groove here. While my times were beginning to feel good and I felt like I could even press my pace which lead to a great time at mile 7. This course was extremely flat here and I had settled into a nice pocket where there wasn’t really anyone around me. My confidence started to shoot through the roof. I was going to finish and finish with a great time. The course led us to a turn into a beautiful stretch of running right on the edge of the water. Perfect time to send a picture to my family.
Here is said photo. And the last happy moment of the race.
Miles 8-9
It was as though as soon as I hit the 8 mile mark, reminder the furthest I had gotten in training was 8 miles, that cement was put in my shoes. Every little bit of distance felt as though it took triple the amount of time. I was in the midst of a mental war. If I didn’t get my mind right, then i would never finish.
In classic Pastor move, I turned to a scripture that I preached just before to get me through this section.
Hebrews 12:1-3, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
Miles 10-12
I thought I won the mental battle, but it really had just begun. At this point I was sick of my podcasts, I was tired of looking at beach houses, I just wanted to be done. I was having zero fun, but we were getting closer to the finish.
And then the cramps hit.
I began to fight a double calf cramp. Every step began to feel as though both calves would pop at any second. I was terrified that I made it this far and wouldn’t be able to continue on. I was so close but so far away. You can see how defeated I was getting by my huge decrease in time.
Mile 13
That stupid, stupid bridge. It was back and with a vengeance.
Unfortunately as I start to go up the bridge, I realize if I am able to press through the pain, not catch a cramp, and keep moving I could actually P.R.
I was shocked, but I wanted to do it so bad.
This led to me completely emptying the tank while on the bridge. Which then created a double groin cramp in addition to the double calf. We are in full on speed limp, trying to use as little muscle as possible, speed shuffle at this point.
I beat the bridge, make the turn and I am absolutely bawling. Everything hurts, I want to finish so badly, the whole process from training to race day was harder than I wanted. All I could think about is if I miss my P.r. by 30 seconds or a minute and that made me press on through the pain.
13.1
I may have looked like a wounded water buffalo after an attack by a lion, but I crossed the finish line.
Post-race
I cross the line, nearly collapse, finally collect myself to grab my medal. Then I see Katie.
We hug. I cry….. A lot. I don’t know if it was pain, pride, or both. I say I think I may have PR’d, we check my time when I crossed on her photo’s and what do you know, despite the pain, I beat my last time. Freaking incredible. I cry some more.
On top of that, by the grace of Jesus she has a banana, pistachios, and beef jerky for me. I love that woman.
In addition to those snacks, they had food and drink vendors and after getting some to refuel and catch my breath we went to the beach so I could shower before we left. It was the coldest shower of my life, but it probably helped with recovery.
We ended up driving another hour north to Wilmington, stopping at the Copper Penny and ate one of my favorite foods ever… Cheesesteak Egg Rolls. Praise God.
We planned on hanging out there for most of the day, but with the difficulty of the run and my sickness starting to drain me even more. We ended up heading home after just a few hours and a couple shops looked at.
Now a week later, I feel fully recovered. The plan from here? Probably the Myrtle Beach Half Marathon in March. Goal would be to lose 40-60 pounds and beat that 3 hour mark. We would be leaving for Disney a few days later so it would be a perfect motivation factor to double down on both.
Time for new shoes and a heart rate monitor. Let’s stomp some tarmac.
