I received a Tour Pass to run the Rock n Roll Marathon series races this year. The races may be free, but my opinions are my own.
I hope you didn’t miss my Rock n Roll Denver 5K recap so if you did go back to read. This is the second part of my Rock n Roll Denver recap. I had a remix weekend which means I ran two races for three medals. On Saturday I ran the 5K and on Sunday, I ran the half marathon.
It was another cold morning in Denver but it was an earlier start than the day before. I had VIP for this race so I got to enjoy private gear check, food, and heaters before the race. If you haven’t tried VIP yet you should. There is a light breakfast and private bathrooms. And when you’re done running, you can enjoy a brunch and bar…and get massages. I didn’t take any pictures of VIP because it was cold and it was hard for me to use my phone. Remember, I’m from Texas. Fall in Denver is our 3 days of winter back home. I did meet up with some of my Team Chocolate Milk teammates before so it was a nice way to pass the time.
Expectations for this race were low. I really just wanted to have a good time and just finish it. My running hadn’t been going the way I wanted it to go due to life. The weekend was all about having a good time and seeing friends.
I assumed the race would be hilly, but the 5k was the worst teaser. I think the 3 miles of the 5k had more hills than the entire half marathon in Denver. The course limit for the race was 4 hours so I knew there would be plenty of time. I ran when I could and walked when I had to. I really did take the time to see what was going on around me.
We ran past all the downtown sites including the Convention center with the big blue bear, Coors Field and of course, plenty of things I didn’t recognize. The best part was running 3 miles through City Park. This was my favorite part of the race. It’s just cool to see that massive park with people out enjoying themselves. I love the green space to break up the city running.
The last miles of the course consisted of an out and back where you got to see people. I was happy to see some friends. I was very happy to spot Briana on the course. She’s a Rock n Roll Hall of Famer!
So the big question is how did I feel during this race? The weather was cold so that was a blessing because I was able to run more without the huffing and puffing. The first 5 miles went the best and I expected it to be that way. My mileage really didn’t justify really running the half marathon, but I knew I could get it done. I’ve been having pain in my hip flexor when running, which I’m sure had something to do with pregnancy. I think the cold weather kind of aggravated it too. When I felt like I could run, I ran and when I felt like I needed to walk then I started walking.
I ran off and on for the back half of the race. I can’t say that I ran a complete mile during it all, but I ran what I could; that’s the best I could do. But it didn’t matter because the course was beautiful and I had a great time. My spirit was never low. This was a low-pressure situation for me. I may be training my body to get back into long distance running, but I’m also training my mind to stay positive even when I see no reason to do so. When I finished, I was proud.
I finished the half marathon in 3 hours and 12 minutes and I made a couple of stops for pictures. I can’t be mad about that. Of course, I was ready to refuel with ice-cold low-fat chocolate milk to aid me in my recovery. It’s got the right carb to protein ratio to help with all that recovery business, but guess what? It just tastes good after finishing a long workout, too. It’s definitely a motivation to get reach the finish line.
Ok, maybe being able to see my baby at the finish line is a big motivation for finishing. I hope I’m setting a good example for her future. I hope she will look back on this and be proud of me, even though she won’t remember a thing.
The rest of the day was spent enjoying a beer or two and roaming through a corn maze. Denver is really a great place to visit and a wonderful place to run. Put this race on your list and enjoy every moment of it.
