Yippee Ki Yay half marathon - race report by my daughter :)
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Yippee Ki Yay half marathon - race report by my daughter :)
Julie Fri Nov 03, 2023 8:04 pm
*This was Jocelyn's first race. I ran it with her and she wrote this report and gave me permission to share here. She is my 14 year old daughter and oldest child*
I started running because of my mom, and would definitely not have run this race if it weren’t for her, partly because I wouldn’t have thought myself capable of it and partly because it is way more fun running with someone and would probably be rather boring when running alone.
At first, when mom suggested I run a half marathon I was uncertain about it, but once I had decided to do it, I found myself looking forward to it eagerly.
My mom and I had been training for it for a few months (well, I had been training with my mom, it barely qualified as a long run for her). However, due to heat, and my school, which I like to start as early as possible, and my not wanting to get up very early, we mostly ran longer runs and didn’t follow the training plan as faithfully as we might have. Although I was never worried about whether or not I would finish it, I was a little concerned about what our time would be, as we really aren’t very fast. I am usually a few steps ahead of mom, but I honestly doubt that I would run much faster on my own, and although mom mentioned being worried about if she would hold me back too much, I would probably have done worse on my own rather than better, and if I had done better, it would’ve probably been only by a few minutes.
We arrived at the race early, but we weren’t waiting for very long, or so it seemed. There was a walk of about 650 yards to the actual starting point for the race, so it was good that we got there early. Besides, then we could see the 50K runners starting and cheer them on.
Although the half marathon was supposed to start five minutes after the 50K started, for some reason it was pushed back, so that we ended up waiting for another ten or fifteen minutes, although again, nobody seemed to mind. When we were told to cross over to the start, we ended up being close to the front because most of the other runners stood in the middle of the highway. However once a large truck tried to cross the road, they all quickly moved over. When the race started, we waited on the sidelines for the fast people to get ahead since we knew we weren’t about to win first place and didn’t want to get in their way.
For some reason, we seemed to have a very distinct pace from the other runners, because there was a large group of fast people ahead of us, and then a distance of perhaps ten feet, then us, then another large group of slower people behind us. After a while the fast people spread out and most of them disappeared ahead. The slow people also fell behind after a while.
Thanks to mom’s skills at pacing us, we ran quite steadily, unlike many other runners, who started out ahead and then ended up being passed by us.
It was surprising how fast we reached the marker for 1 mile. Mom said that it only took us 11 minutes, according to her watch. Although she tried timing our miles, we missed seeing several of the markers and there is no guarantee of their accuracy, so I highly doubt anything she recorded is really useful to us.
We came upon the mile 2 and ¼ equally fast, although we didn’t see the mile 2 marker, and continued at the same pace until we reached an aid station at around mile 5 without walking, which is very unusual for us.
Although we passed an appreciable amount of people, nobody permanently passed us. One couple passed us, but then stopped to walk a few minutes later. We then passed them, and although mom saw them later, they soon fell behind us and I didn’t see them again. There was one woman who stayed about fifteen feet behind us for quite some time, but she also fell behind us after a few miles.
As we got closer to the turnaround point, we could see the people who had already turned around and were in all likelihood going to place. We said good job to all of them, and most of them replied with something similar, although a few were too concentrated on what they were doing to notice us.
Once we arrived at the aid station, we gave our sweaters to dad, who was waiting with the boys and Nug to see us. That was the first time we had stopped running in the entire race.
After that we continued to run. Before long we reached a station with people cheering. Mom told them that this was my first half marathon. Shortly afterwards, we reached the turn around point.
When we reached the cheer station again, one of the people there pointed out that I was halfway done with my first half marathon. Everyone was very enthusiastic about it being my first race.
When we got to the aid station again I had a Honey Stinger waffle, which is basically two thin wafers with some honey in the middle, and mom had some sort of energy drink. We were walking briskly while I ate the waffle, and my siblings decided to go beside us. Although this was ok at first, I was glad when we started running again and they couldn’t keep up.
The rest of the mile was uneventful. So was mile four, except for a boy with a stick that was swinging said stick a little too close to my head for comfort.
At around mile nine we reached another aid station where we both had Honey Stinger waffles. Mom told the people there that it was my first race, and they said that I only had a 5K left. This didn’t have much meaning for me, since I had never actually run a 5K.
At mile eleven I suddenly became very tired, even though for the rest of the race I had felt quite energetic, but I think it was because I had was going further than I ever had before and just wasn’t used to it. Mom was also getting short of breath, so we ended up walking a bit off and on. Then we began to see familiar landmarks. Before long we had reached the mile 1 ½ and then the mile 1 marker again.
In the distance I could just barely see a large group of people and objects, which I realized was the finish. When we were a little ways from the finish, I suddenly felt completely reenergized, and sped up a bit.
Now, all this time there had been an older man ahead of us. He also looked rather tired from his gait, and seemed to get slower rather than faster as he neared the finish. It had been at the back of my mind for a while that we could try to pass him, but first I thought it was impossible, and then I thought that it was possible, but for one, that might not be considered very nice, and for two, I didn’t want to leave mom behind.
But then, as we were just a few yards from the finish, mom suddenly sped up. I followed her lead and before long we were both going so fast it felt like we were flying! We passed the man and ran practically side by side through the finish line.
I started running because of my mom, and would definitely not have run this race if it weren’t for her, partly because I wouldn’t have thought myself capable of it and partly because it is way more fun running with someone and would probably be rather boring when running alone.
At first, when mom suggested I run a half marathon I was uncertain about it, but once I had decided to do it, I found myself looking forward to it eagerly.
My mom and I had been training for it for a few months (well, I had been training with my mom, it barely qualified as a long run for her). However, due to heat, and my school, which I like to start as early as possible, and my not wanting to get up very early, we mostly ran longer runs and didn’t follow the training plan as faithfully as we might have. Although I was never worried about whether or not I would finish it, I was a little concerned about what our time would be, as we really aren’t very fast. I am usually a few steps ahead of mom, but I honestly doubt that I would run much faster on my own, and although mom mentioned being worried about if she would hold me back too much, I would probably have done worse on my own rather than better, and if I had done better, it would’ve probably been only by a few minutes.
We arrived at the race early, but we weren’t waiting for very long, or so it seemed. There was a walk of about 650 yards to the actual starting point for the race, so it was good that we got there early. Besides, then we could see the 50K runners starting and cheer them on.
Although the half marathon was supposed to start five minutes after the 50K started, for some reason it was pushed back, so that we ended up waiting for another ten or fifteen minutes, although again, nobody seemed to mind. When we were told to cross over to the start, we ended up being close to the front because most of the other runners stood in the middle of the highway. However once a large truck tried to cross the road, they all quickly moved over. When the race started, we waited on the sidelines for the fast people to get ahead since we knew we weren’t about to win first place and didn’t want to get in their way.
For some reason, we seemed to have a very distinct pace from the other runners, because there was a large group of fast people ahead of us, and then a distance of perhaps ten feet, then us, then another large group of slower people behind us. After a while the fast people spread out and most of them disappeared ahead. The slow people also fell behind after a while.
Thanks to mom’s skills at pacing us, we ran quite steadily, unlike many other runners, who started out ahead and then ended up being passed by us.
It was surprising how fast we reached the marker for 1 mile. Mom said that it only took us 11 minutes, according to her watch. Although she tried timing our miles, we missed seeing several of the markers and there is no guarantee of their accuracy, so I highly doubt anything she recorded is really useful to us.
We came upon the mile 2 and ¼ equally fast, although we didn’t see the mile 2 marker, and continued at the same pace until we reached an aid station at around mile 5 without walking, which is very unusual for us.
Although we passed an appreciable amount of people, nobody permanently passed us. One couple passed us, but then stopped to walk a few minutes later. We then passed them, and although mom saw them later, they soon fell behind us and I didn’t see them again. There was one woman who stayed about fifteen feet behind us for quite some time, but she also fell behind us after a few miles.
As we got closer to the turnaround point, we could see the people who had already turned around and were in all likelihood going to place. We said good job to all of them, and most of them replied with something similar, although a few were too concentrated on what they were doing to notice us.
Once we arrived at the aid station, we gave our sweaters to dad, who was waiting with the boys and Nug to see us. That was the first time we had stopped running in the entire race.
After that we continued to run. Before long we reached a station with people cheering. Mom told them that this was my first half marathon. Shortly afterwards, we reached the turn around point.
When we reached the cheer station again, one of the people there pointed out that I was halfway done with my first half marathon. Everyone was very enthusiastic about it being my first race.
When we got to the aid station again I had a Honey Stinger waffle, which is basically two thin wafers with some honey in the middle, and mom had some sort of energy drink. We were walking briskly while I ate the waffle, and my siblings decided to go beside us. Although this was ok at first, I was glad when we started running again and they couldn’t keep up.
The rest of the mile was uneventful. So was mile four, except for a boy with a stick that was swinging said stick a little too close to my head for comfort.
At around mile nine we reached another aid station where we both had Honey Stinger waffles. Mom told the people there that it was my first race, and they said that I only had a 5K left. This didn’t have much meaning for me, since I had never actually run a 5K.
At mile eleven I suddenly became very tired, even though for the rest of the race I had felt quite energetic, but I think it was because I had was going further than I ever had before and just wasn’t used to it. Mom was also getting short of breath, so we ended up walking a bit off and on. Then we began to see familiar landmarks. Before long we had reached the mile 1 ½ and then the mile 1 marker again.
In the distance I could just barely see a large group of people and objects, which I realized was the finish. When we were a little ways from the finish, I suddenly felt completely reenergized, and sped up a bit.
Now, all this time there had been an older man ahead of us. He also looked rather tired from his gait, and seemed to get slower rather than faster as he neared the finish. It had been at the back of my mind for a while that we could try to pass him, but first I thought it was impossible, and then I thought that it was possible, but for one, that might not be considered very nice, and for two, I didn’t want to leave mom behind.
But then, as we were just a few yards from the finish, mom suddenly sped up. I followed her lead and before long we were both going so fast it felt like we were flying! We passed the man and ran practically side by side through the finish line.
Julie- Explaining To Spouse
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ounce and nkrichards like this post
Re: Yippee Ki Yay half marathon - race report by my daughter :)
ounce Sat Nov 11, 2023 11:15 pm
It's part and parcel to running to write the race report. Very nicely written. She relishes the alone time with mom, after her siblings and Nug were left in her dust. I presume Nug is a 4 legged dog?
Did she acquire any street cred from her friends for finishing the half?
It's amazing how a sudden burst of speed magically appears when the finish line is seen.
Thanks for the report.
Did she acquire any street cred from her friends for finishing the half?
It's amazing how a sudden burst of speed magically appears when the finish line is seen.
Thanks for the report.
ounce- Needs A Life
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Age : 67
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Re: Yippee Ki Yay half marathon - race report by my daughter :)
Julie Sun Nov 12, 2023 9:18 am
ounce wrote:It's part and parcel to running to write the race report. Very nicely written. She relishes the alone time with mom, after her siblings and Nug were left in her dust. I presume Nug is a 4 legged dog?
Did she acquire any street cred from her friends for finishing the half?
It's amazing how a sudden burst of speed magically appears when the finish line is seen.
Thanks for the report.
Oh, I meant to edit that! Nug is her nickname for her little sister, Eliana. She used to be called Little Nugget but of course they shortened that to Nugget, and now it's just Nug. Not nearly as pretty as Eliana, I know.
I think her friends were surprised. Yeah, good old finish line.
Julie- Explaining To Spouse
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Re: Yippee Ki Yay half marathon - race report by my daughter :)
nkrichards Tue Nov 14, 2023 11:45 am
Excellent race report. It's fun to hear her perspective. Sounds like she has a great attitude...about running and about life. I laughed when she mentioned that maybe it wouldn't be nice to pass the old man and/or leave Mom behind.
I hope you both enjoy sharing running adventures in the future.
I hope you both enjoy sharing running adventures in the future.
nkrichards- Explaining To Spouse
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Re: Yippee Ki Yay half marathon - race report by my daughter :)
Julie Thu Nov 30, 2023 4:03 pm
Thanks , Nancy! It was fun to train with her and run this with her. I'm glad she had a good time. Not sure what next year will hold but she's definitely welcome to join me on another half or longer
Julie- Explaining To Spouse
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Points : 8950
Join date : 2011-06-17
nkrichards likes this post
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