February 27, 2019
Colchester Half Marathon is one of those races you love to hate. It’s at a questionable time of year weather-wise. The hills are ridiculous…not one of those races you go out to try to get a negative split. Knowing where your big climbs are, running by feel to try to stay steady and strong overall, and saving just enough in the tank for the last long mile, which of course is uphill. But it’s a well organized race, and everyone is there for a good time, from the runners to the spectators to the volunteers.
After my athletes finish a race, I always look forward to their race report. Because looking back and reflecting is where growth lies. So here it is…my five take aways from this year’s Colchester Half Marathon.
1.It’s important to meet up with old running buddies.
I used to have a group that I ran with on a regular basis 2-3 times a week. Different faces would come and go, but the core remained the same. As time has gone by, life happened. New jobs, marriages, children, different obligations. This race brought us together for the morning, for which I am truly grateful. I miss my old friends. Even though we were all out there running our own race, we were together again. Just because someone is a running buddy, doesn’t mean the only time you can get together is for a run. Have an old running buddy you haven’t seen for a while? Give them a call and meet for coffee. Reminisce about old times. People we train with know us well…you have a lot of time to talk out on the road. These people are part of you. Love your tribe! I love mine!
2. Reinforcement of course study.
Story…I did not study the run course for Lake George last year. It was much more confusing than anticipated, and in the middle of a good run I suddenly realized I may have made an error and over run the course. I was immediately angry at the young people volunteering at the turn where I thought I made my mistake and took my frustration out on a couple of race volunteers. Turns out, I did not make an error, and I apologized to the volunteers. In truth, if I had taken a wrong turn, it would have been my own fault for not doing my homework. Know your turns, know where your hills are, know where you refuel. Being race ready is more that completing your training runs!
3. Pay attention to pre-race registration details if you want to take advantage of the perks.
Colchester is a pretty low-key race. No awards, no finishers medal, but a great post race feast and a low registration fee. A couple of years ago, they started offering a really cool race shirt…but there was a deadline. Since I didn’t even look into pre-registering due to weather concerns, I totally missed the boat. In this case, it was only a shirt. It’s important to remember that important race details can change from one year to the next. As an athlete,it’s your job to pay attention to all of it!
4. Pay attention to the scenery.
I have a friend who ran this race that I lovingly tease. He completely admits that he has tunnel vision and pays no attention to the scenery. So when I excitedly ran by the farm with a couple of pigs and the field of horses, I was sure to check the mileage. Later—“Did you see the pigs? The horses?” NOPE! Maybe it’s because I am a huge animal lover that I saw them. Maybe it’s that he is just running WAY faster than I am and doesn’t have time to sight see! Staying focused is super important, especially when you are after a goal (my friend, by the way, took 4 minutes off his finishing time from last year… so he is doing something right). But make sure you take a look around every once in a while!
5. Thank spectators, volunteers, and accept the high 5’s!!
I think my favorite part of Colchester is the Race Director, Rick Konon. He is in it for the love of the sport! He has consistently kept the race fee low and says if you really can’t afford it, to come out and run anyway and you can settle up when you can afford to! He doesn’t want to turn anyone away from a course this tough! He walks through the crowd at the start thanking us for coming. Then he goes to mile six at the top of one of the more challenging hills. He stands in the middle of the dirt road and high fives every single runner. I was sure to tell him how great I think it is that he comes out to see us. His response…”This is where all the fun is!”
Where the fun is, indeed. Out on the open road for a couple of hours with friends. It doesn’t get much better than that. Until we meet again, Colchester!
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