Delaware races

Run hard, party hard: The 2019 Rehoboth Seashore Half Marathon

/ runningforunicorns / 3 Comments

Earlier this month, I ran my 22nd half marathon, the Rehoboth Seashore Half Marathon. This annual race, which also includes a full marathon, happens every year on the first weekend in December. I ran the full marathon to qualify for Boston two years ago, and decided that I’d like to return for the half every year that I am able to. (I don’t really want to repeat marathons unless it’s Boston.)

There is just so much to love about this race — it’s in Rehoboth, one of my very favorite places, it’s pancake flat, and the weather is usually pretty good. It’s cold, because duh, it’s in December, but I much prefer that to the heat anyway. And the after party! You won’t find a better one, seriously.

Last year, I ran a 1:42:56 half, and was hopeful that I could break 1:40 for the third time this fall. And I did, finishing exactly four minutes faster in 1:38:56!

My husband and I got to Rehoboth Friday afternoon and waited for my sister Catherine to join us. (She recently moved back to the Pittsburgh area from Georgia, so we are excited to be able to see more of her!) Of course, we went to Dogfish Head for dinner, where I got my usual veggie burger, fries and a beer (actually, two beers. I’m sure there are a lot of runners out there who won’t drink before a race, but I’m not one of them! Everything in moderation!) This was Catherine’s first time in Rehoboth during the Christmas season, and she kept marveling over how empty the boardwalk was. It definitely looks much different when we are there in the summer!

Dogfish Head Brewpub in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

We love Dogfish!

Rehoboth Beach at Christmas time

Rehoboth at Christmas! (Photo by Catherine Rebitch)

The next morning, I awoke promptly when my alarm went off at 5. The race starts at 7 and I like to eat my bagel with peanut butter and a banana (and drink my black coffee) about two hours before a race. We were staying in the Atlantic Sands hotel, about a block from the start line (another awesome thing about this race — getting to the start is so convenient!) Catherine walked to the start line with me so she could get some pictures of the beautiful sunrise and I did a very quick warm up on the boardwalk, mainly so I could literally warm up. It was in the 30s and windy — very windy. I was a bit concerned about that headwind, but it didn’t end up being too bad for most of the race. I lined up with the 1:40 pacer, planning to stick with him for a few miles and move on ahead.

As it turned out, I ran with him for about two miles, then sped up. As always, I knew this was risky, but I was feeling fresh. The wind picked up significantly around mile 1.5 and we were running into it until around mile 3, when the half marathoners turned around and the marathoners continued into Cape Henlopen State Park. To be honest, I didn’t feel much of a tailwind then, but I’m sure it was there because my pace picked up significantly after that.

Mile 1: 7:41
Mile 2: 7:31
Mile 3: 7:31
Mile 4: 7:13

At this point, the race takes you back through the residential streets of Rehoboth and then toward the Junction and Breakwater Trail, which is a lovely trail that I never even knew existed until I ran the marathon in 2017. Miles 7-11.5ish of the half marathon are on this trail, and it’s also home to the “flag alley,” where flags from all around the world are hung above the trail. There is a DJ and a timing mat at this part, too, so the DJ calls out runners’ names as you go past.

Mile 5: 7:23
Mile 6: 7:20
Mile 7: 7:35

I was hoping to hit mile 8 right at right around an hour, which I did. The turnaround is at mile 9, and I was starting to feel tired but like I could hold onto my pace. I’m pretty proud of how consistent these next few miles were. After the turnaround, we were running directly into the sun, which was somewhat annoying because I couldn’t see all that well even with my sunglasses on! The trail is pretty even, but I still kept worrying that I was going to trip and fall over a rock or something.

Mile 8: 7:33
Mile 9: 7:33
Mile 10: 7:37
Mile 11: 7:31

The last mile and a half of the race is back out on the road and for some reason, hitting the pavement after spending the previous few miles on the trail kind of bothered my feet this year. But I told myself I was almost done at that point and could power through. Micah and Catherine were at mile 12.5 and they started screaming as soon as they saw me. They told me my Maryland flag print tights helped me stand out (apparently — at least a dozen spectators called out “Go Maryland!” as I ran past them!)

Mile 12: 7:35
Mile 13: 7:36

Last 0.18 (per my watch): 1:21

Rehoboth Seashore Half Marathon

Almost at the finish

When I ran the half last year, I remember thinking the finish line was sooooo far away, and I thought the same thing this year. The last straightaway before the final right turn toward the finish seems extra long. I saw the clock read 1:39 something when I crossed, but I figured my official time would be in the 1:38s since it probably took me 20-30 seconds to cross the start line. I collected my medal and sat down on a curb to wait for my cheering squad. We walked over to the tent where the after party is held and quickly learned that the beer wasn’t available yet because apparently you have to wait until 9 am to serve alcohol in Delaware. Such silliness! Of course, we totally made up for it. The after party for this race is the absolute best I’ve ever been to, with a kickass DJ taking requests via Twitter, three Dogfish beer tickets for runners (with guests having the option to buy beer bracelets for themselves) and a spread of yummy food.

Rehoboth Seashore Half Marathon

Dogfish Head beer at the Rehoboth Seashore Half Marathon after party!

An off-centered pyramid for off-centered people!

I placed sixth in my age group out of 197 (I think I was 11th or 12th last year), 23rd out of 1,132 females (really proud of that!) and 118th out of 1,743 half marathoners. I plan on returning in 2020 for the half marathon — registration opens every year at noon on New Year’s Eve. If you’re looking for a flat, fast course in a beautiful beach town, check this one out!

Feeling strong at the 2019 Bottle and Cork 10 Miler

/ runningforunicorns / 1 Comment

Two years ago, I killed it at the Bottle and Cork 10 Miler in Dewey Beach, running a 1:13:27.

I will never beat that, I’ve thought to myself so many times since. I’m unlikely to even get close. Indeed, last year I had a terrible race, running a 1:23 (not a bad time, but I had been running sub-1:20 10-milers for the previous four years. In my defense, I was in the thick of Baltimore Marathon training and had grinded out six miles before the race even started.)

But on Saturday at the 2019 10 Miler, I got damn close, finishing in 1:14:28 — only a minute and a second off my PR! To say I was thrilled with that is an understatement. It was my second fastest 10-mile time ever and I felt pretty incredible the whole time.

This was my fifth year doing the race, and it’s always hard to know what to expect from the weather– September is an iffy time at the beach. The first year I ran it, it was 90 degrees and humid outside– just awful. Two years ago, it was cool outside, which I think definitely helped me PR. And this year, when I woke up, it was a brisk 57 degrees and I was so happy about that.

Regardless of the weather, I love this race (I love any race at the Delaware seashore.) Last year, the race organizers changed the course and now I like it even more. Before, the race route went from Dewey Beach down into Rehoboth, through Henlopen Acres, onto the boardwalk in Rehoboth, then through the neighborhood around Silver Lake and onto the highway before heading back to Dewey. I never liked the highway part, especially when it’s really hot — you just bake in the sun.

On the new course, you head out from Dewey and instead of going straight into Henlopen Acres, you turn by Silver Lake to go onto the boardwalk and then into the neighborhood. Miles 3-6.75ish are in Henlopen, and there are some minor rolling hills, but nothing serious. Then you had back onto the boardwalk and back into Dewey.

This race falls during an annual girls weekend, and we stay at a hotel about two blocks from the start line, so it’s super convenient. My friend Jill and I left the room shortly after 7 to arrive in plenty of time for the 7:30 am start time.

The race started right on time and we were off. I ran the first mile in 7:48, and definitely felt like I could go a lot faster, but it was pretty crowded at that point and I knew it would thin out. Plus, I didn’t want to make the mistake I usually do and go out too fast.

I ran mile 2, which was partially on the boardwalk, in 7:40, then started to speed up from there, running mile 3 in 7:29 and mile 4 in 7:24. At that point, we were in the residential area. The runners started to get more spread out at that point and we passed a few people who were out walking their dogs or riding their bikes. I frequently run through Henlopen Acres when I’m on vacation in Rehoboth, so I’m very familiar with the area. (Gorgeous homes!) The only part of the race I wasn’t crazy about is the entrance/exit into the neighborhood — runners basically have to cut through an opening in a line of trees along the main road to get in and out of Henlopen Acres. It’s just weird.

image1

In last year’s race, I started to tank midway through, so I was happy when I ran mile 5 in 7:31. But I told myself it was time to start cooking with gas (really, that’s exactly what I said to myself) and that I could go faster. I ran mile 6 in 7:19 and mile 7 in 7:14 (my second fastest mile of the race).

Then I was back on the boardwalk and it was crowded, but not with other runners in the race — just lots of people walking, cycling, etc. It was a gorgeous weekend, so there were a ton of people at the beach. I was afraid I was going to expend a lot of extra energy weaving in and out of groups of people, but I managed to run the tangents pretty well and logged a 7:24 for mile 8.

As I ran around and across Silver Lake, I looked at my watch and saw a sub-1:15 was very likely. I was getting tired at that point, but told myself to keep grinding and I’d be in the 1:14s. I hit the mile 9 marker in 7:29 and I knew I had it in me to pick it up from there. I pushed as hard as I could, ran my fastest mile of the race (7:13) and made it under 1:15 with 32 seconds to spare! I heard someone say “second female!” and I thought I might have gotten an overall award, but I ended up with second in my age group instead. Honestly, it would have surprised me if I had won an overall award. This race attracts some really fast runners. In fact, the course record was even broken this year by a guy who ran it in 51:41 (he was so fast I never even saw him out on the course.)

image2

I almost always stop for water during longer races (which to me are 10 miles and up), but I didn’t this time and also didn’t during the A10. I was well-hydrated from the previous days and the weather was so nice that I didn’t feel like I needed water. In both races, I was feeling so good that I knew stopping for water would just slow me down anyway …. So I didn’t!

I can’t say enough how excited I am about my time, and how hopeful it makes me feel. To be honest, I was starting to think I really peaked as a runner in 2017. I still haven’t had a PR since then, but these recent race times are making me feel more confident that I can smash my three-year-old half marathon PR and break 1:40 this fall. And even better, I think I can run a BQ again when I run the Coastal Delaware Running Festival marathon in April.

Time will tell, of course — but I think I’m on the right track.

The Rehoboth Seashore Marathon and Half Marathon should be on every runner’s holiday checklist

/ runningforunicorns / 2 Comments

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, is one of my favorite places in the world.

I’ve been vacationing there since I was two years old, and I look forward to my annual beach week in Rehoboth every year. I take comfort in the fact that in so many ways, Rehoboth in 2018 looks a lot like Rehoboth in the 1980s. Very little about the boardwalk has changed in 30 years — and I like that.

Still, even though I’ve been going to the beach for most of my life, last year was the first year that I ever visited during the holidays! I ran the Rehoboth Seashore Marathon to qualify for Boston, and had such a wonderful experience that I decided I will try to run the half marathon every year that I am able. (I don’t like the idea of repeating a full marathon unless it’s Boston — there are just too many I want to run! But I’ll happily run the same half more than once!)

So I ran the Rehoboth Seashore Half Marathon on Dec. 8, finishing in 1:42:55– a 7:51/mile pace, and my fastest half in almost two years! Truthfully, I had dreams of finishing under 1:40, and I know I can do it eventually — but I’m going to need to train smarter. This was my 17th half marathon, and I’ve yet to follow an actual training plan for that distance. I just run my normal 3-5 mile runs three or four times a week, and try to do a long run of 10-12 miles every weekend for about 4-6 weeks leading up to any half. It works for me, but maybe I could do better if I trained more seriously!

Anyway, my husband and I drove in Friday night after work and got to Rehoboth about 15 minutes before the race expo closed, so I was able to grab my bib and swag bag before we hit dinner at the Dogfish Head Brewpub. My eating habits before a race tend to be a little unconventional — if at all possible, I prefer to eat a veggie burger and French fries and wash it all down with a beer or two. Hey, it’s carb-loading! I wish I could remember the name of the stout I drank when we first got there — it was rich and chocolate-y and, at 10 percent ABV, probably a risky move before a race, but it was worth it. I also had a Seaquench Ale with dinner, one of my favorites and also one of the beers given out to runners at the post-race after party! (Did I mention that runners each get three beer tickets with their race registration? Seriously, if you are a beer lover who loves to run, sign up for this race!)

I knew it was going to be cold the morning of the race, but I wasn’t too worried. Like most people, I run much better in the cold. Last year, it was 45 degrees and sunny for the marathon; this year, it was about 15 degrees cooler. I was prepared for it in running tights, compression knee socks, a long-sleeved shirt, my Rock ‘N Roll Marathon windbreaker, neck gaiter and gloves. Oh, and my goofy “Meowy Christmas” cat hat that I wore last year.

Runners were treated to an amazing sunrise just before the start of the race! Sooooo many people were taking selfies, haha.

47574804_10161152673890176_153752583586971648_n

The gun went off promptly at 7 am, and once I started running, I warmed up almost immediately. All runners start off at the Rehoboth Bandstand and head down Rehoboth Avenue, then turn off into the side streets to head toward Cape Henlopen State Park. There’s a turnaround for half marathoners around mile 3, with marathoners heading into the park and half marathoners going back through Rehoboth and then onto the Junction & Breakwater Trail for much of the back half of the race.

I ran my first mile in 7:56 and it felt comfy. My next few miles grew progressively faster, and I held pretty steady between 7:30-7:40 for miles 3 through about 9! I was proud of that — not just the pace, but the fact that I was able to stay so consistent. I even had a woman run with me for a mile or two on the trail because she said I was pacing so well. Again, I think the cooler temps helped me a lot, as well as the flat terrain. There are pretty much ZERO hills in both the full and the half marathons, making both races good for PRs.

splits

Look how pretty and even! 

I did start to hit a bit of a wall around mile 11/11.5. By then, I’d been running on the trail for several miles and it is more uneven and tougher than road running — plus, I’m sure I was paying for all those earlier miles in the 7:30s. Whoops. That said, the Junction & Breakwater Trail is lovely and is home to one of my favorite parts of the course –the “flag alley,” with a variety of different flags hanging above the trail. I’m not sure who sets that up, but it’s so colorful and fun! There is also a DJ playing music right around that point in the race, too.

At mile 12, I was officially off the trail and back on the road, heading toward the finish line behind the Cultured Pearl sushi restaurant. I started thinking about finishing the marathon a year earlier, and seeing my husband standing on the side of the street at mile 26 yelling at me to “EMPTY THE TANK!” I can’t believe that was a whole year ago, and I’ll finally get to run Boston in four months.

It was really all such a blur that I don’t remember much about actually finishing (I legit look like I’m about to pass a kidney stone in the finish line pictures). This year, I was paying a bit more attention and felt like that last turn by the Cultured Pearl and through the finish line went on forever. Like, that last .1 might as well have been a mile long. Of course it wasn’t, but that’s how it felt!

I collected my finisher’s medal and called my husband (who decided to sleep in rather than see me finish — part of me wanted to be annoyed, and part of me was like, “well, it was your 17th freaking half marathon, this is not exciting for him anymore.”) I walked back to the hotel about two blocks away, showered and then he and I grabbed some breakfast and then came back for the after party.

The post-race party is LIT. The DJ was taking requests all week long in a Facebook group dedicated to the race, and he was playing all of them — including lots of ’90s music, my personal favorite. Everyone was dancing a lot and a group of runners who call themselves Team Fireball were there passing around, what else, a bottle of Fireball. I even saw the race director take a shot or two. I love me some Fireball, but it gives me two-day hangovers and so I stuck with my beloved Seaquench instead. 🙂

The party continued well into the afternoon, and some of the volunteers even walked the last finisher into the tent, to huge applause! I thought that was so awesome.

As for me, I probably had a little *too* much fun at the after party and then at the Purple Parrot that night for karaoke. If you had to hear me singing Donna Summer’s “Last Dance” (among other gems) …. well, I am truly sorry.

Registration for the 2019 race opens on New Year’s Eve! I believe both the full and the half sold out this year, so don’t wait until the last minute if you are interested!