Palm Desert Half Marathon Race Report

Last weekend I ran my goal half marathon. While I didn’t reach all of my goals, overall, I was pleased with my results (and ready to train to improve next time). Here is my 2018 Palm Desert Half Marathon Race Report.

Instead of giving you a mile by mile breakdown (because that would be pretty boring for this race..tell you why in a bit), I’m going to share the good and not-so-good aspects of my race performance, my race experience, and my opinions of the race itself. So let’s get going!

Palm Desert Half Marathon Race Report

While it says the 20th anniversary on the medal, the first 17 years or so of this race it was called the Palm Springs Half Marathon and took place in some of the older (read where the stars used to live) areas of Palm Springs. It was a great course and surprisingly fast considering it had some hills and turns. In fact, I ran my half marathon PR on that course (1:33:11) 15 years ago a while back. I was even the volunteer coordinator while Alan was the announcer for quite a while.

Several years ago, the race was sold, Alan was out, and the event was moved to Palm Desert. This was the first time that I had participated since that time, so I was a bit curious about how it would turn out. Considering the map of the course looked like a large rectangle over relatively flat roads, it looked like it might be a good route.

Here is my Palm Desert Half Marathon Race Report.

Part One: My Race Performance

Since I don’t post regularly about my training, I didn’t advertise my goals for this race. That was mostly because I wasn’t sure what I could, um, pull off. My recent half marathons were inconsistent, as was my training, so they weren’t exactly guidelines. Yes, I’m a little vague, but that’s what happens when you get older, don’t race regularly, and have exercise-induced asthma. You really don’t know.

As a side note about my asthma. Even when I was younger, in great shape and able to run sub-3:30 in the marathon, I really never knew if that 3:30 would turn into 4:00. That’s what asthma can do. These days I don’t take regular medication because it’s really not a problem except when I’m racing.

Anyway, after my success in the Palm Springs Health Run10k, I was feeling pretty optimistic that I could pull off a 2:10 or so in the half, so that is what I set my sights on. My training supported that too. My tempo paces were in the 9:20-9:45 range.

So, what happened? The first half went great! My pacing was spot on, I felt good, not even a bit of breathing problems. At the halfway point I was right at 1:05, exactly where I wanted to be. Then the second half happened.

Actually, it wasn’t that bad. As I turned the corner heading back toward the finish line I could feel the uphill (even though I didn’t feel that much of a downhill before the turnaround!). It seemed to go on forever, though it was closer to two miles. By that time, I felt myself slowing down, I had a couple of what I’d call “close calls” with my asthma. I’d get a little lightheaded, which I was able to head off by slowing down for a bit.

At that point, I was still on pace for about a 2:12 finish, which would be about 10-minute mile. That was my new goal. Which I couldn’t keep up with. No asthma signs, but I was tired. I kept running, just slower. When I finally turned the corner and was within two miles of the finish, my goal had changed to 2:15.

And then…I was within about a mile of the finish. I could feel it. The subtle signs of an asthma attack coming on. I start to feel lightheaded (even though at that point my breathing is fine). My vision feels strange, like I’m seeing flashing lights. I feel like my extremities aren’t getting any oxygen. And I have to slow down. I have no choice. If I don’t, it turns into a full-on asthma attack.

So, I slowed down. I walked, focused on breathing, was able to calm myself and get the dizziness to back off. And I started running again. Slowly at first, then I could pick up the pace a bit. I even pushed the last tenth of a mile. And finished, feeling pretty strong, in 2:17:41. Not my goal, but nevertheless, my best time in a few years, so I can be happy with that. And ninth in my division.

Part Two: My Race Experience

I think the best part of the Palm Desert Half Marathon was the chance to meet Maria, one of my Skirt Sports Sisters! Maria has been a Skirts Sports Ambassador for four years (this is my third year). It was great to meet her and her friends.

Another great part of the race was that Alan came with me and brought his mountain bike. Even though he’d ridden the Tour of Palm Springs the day before, he tracked me down at about mile 10 of the race, provided me with a little hydration, and took a picture. Actually, he was supposed to get a few pictures, but at least the one that he took was a good one!

After finding myself limping along with a really stiff knee on Saturday, I was worried that would really impact my race. As it turned out, I can’t blame my results on my knee. After spending the day icing, rolling, and applying heat, my knee felt just fine on race day. Or as well as it ever feels, which is good enough.

I did, however, wake up with a headache. It had eased up a bit by the time the race started, and gradually subsided altogether during the race, but I did take a generous amount of acetaminophen, which is probably not a good thing before a race. That, along with super dry air, probably accounted for the dry mouth I felt throughout the race. I don’t carry my own hydration for half marathons, but I really needed it for this one.

Another not so good thing about my experience was that I completely forgot to bring any gels with me for the race! Even though I’d packed my Race Recovery Pack the night before it didn’t even occur to me until right before the race started. Instead, I ate about a third of a Clif bar and hoped for the best. Fortunately, they had GU at mile 10, so I did get a little extra fuel.

Part Three: The Palm Desert Half Marathon

As I mentioned, this was the first time that I’ve run this race since it moved to Palm Desert. Now I will admit to some bias, since the previous race director was my friend (the one who allowed Alan and me to get married at the Tram Road Race). So that being said, here is my opinion of the Palm Desert Half Marathon.

The organization seemed fine. I was able to pick up my race packet about 6:00 the morning of the race (they also had packet pickup on Friday and Saturday at the New Balance store in Palm Desert (they were the title sponsor). Easy to get my bib and goody bag. The bag itself was pretty blah, with just a couple flyers and a jar of pain-reducing lotion. Of course, if the lotion works it will be worth a million bucks!

The race started on time, which is important. I felt the announcer was pretty boring, but again, I’m biased because my husband is the best announcer ever. I do know that I didn’t even hear my name at the finish line, let alone “my favorite person in the whole wide world!”

Frankly, I hated the course. It was basically a rectangle after a few turns within the park where the race started. About six miles north, one mile east, then six miles back to the finish. Very boring. Basically flat, except for the incline I mentioned above. No cheering crowds.

There was plenty of course support. Lots of police officers out there to direct traffic, and COPS (Citizens on Patrol) at the smaller intersections. Only one complaint here: At one intersection the runners were actually stopped so that the cars could go through! I’ve only had that happen once before (and it affected Alan and not me) and I feel it’s just wrong. Yes, I know that I’m slower now, but I paid to race and we should not be stopped for about 30 seconds so that the police can get cars through.

There were water stations about every two miles. It’s probably because my mouth was so dry that I felt that wasn’t enough. While it wasn’t hot (by desert standards) it was dry and windy, which requires more hydration. Also, at many of the water stations that had those stupid hard plastic cups. Impossible to drink without spilling water all over yourself.

The finisher’s medals were nice. Nothing spectacular, but pretty. I have never run for the bling, but I do appreciate a nice medal.

The results were posted quickly. Actually, I think they were almost immediate, though I didn’t check right away. You could go to the registration table and look up your name. I appreciated that.

All in all, it was a well-run race, and despite the boring course, I would run it again. While still missing that old, faster, route in Palm Springs.

 

Did you race this past weekend? Link up your race report!

 

And Now It’s Time for the Running Coaches’ Corner!

[inlinkz_linkup id=758937 mode=1]

 

 

---

Weekly Linkups

My weekly linkups! Please stop by and check out all of the great recipes, workouts, and information that all these awesome bloggers share every week!

Meatless Monday with Sarah and Deborah
Meatless Monday with Annmarie  and Dixya
Tuesdays on the Run with Marcia, Erika, and Patty
Inspire Me Monday with Janice
Wild Workout Wednesday with Annmarie, Jen, and Nicole
The Plant-Based Potluck Party with Deborah
The Running Coaches’ Corner with Rachel, Lora Marie, and Me!
Friday 5 2.0 with Rachel and Lacey and Meranda