The morning started off great! I had an amazing 9 hours of sleep! Unlike the marathon, my race start wasn't until 9:15am. My husband and I leisurely got ready for our race, had a nice oatmeal breakfast and were out the door with plenty of time to spare. We decided early on not to drive to the start knowing that traffic and road closures may be a hassle with the marathon already running. And being in San Francisco, we were just a short BART ride to Oakland. I highly recommend this option if you have the choice since both directions were very quick and easy! The bart didn't actually open their gates until 7:57am but that still left us plenty of time to travel.
Tips once you get to the start:
Do all of your pre-race stuff early. The lines for the bathrooms were nonexistent when we got there but once we were done, there were so many people lining up to do their business! Same goes for bag check. We dropped off our stuff so easily but once we were done, the lines were massive! So plan ahead to come early and not waste time before getting ready - cause theres no reason to wait if you really don't have to.
The Start:
While at the expo, the pace team was greeting the racers and offered pace bands. They had 1:30s and 1:35s! I excitedly asked if they would have pacers for those times and one woman mentioned yes. So I started the race with the expectation of being able to follow and keep up with someone holding a pace sign. Unfortunately, on race day, there was no one for that time goal :( I was going to have to attempt this on my own. I was a little bummed but it is what it is.
The race began and the weather was fantastic. Not too cold and not too warm. I heard during the marathon, there were times of rain but we never experienced it during the half.
The first few miles of the race squiggled us through the downtown area. The great thing about this race was that they put up signs at the Start line with pace times and you plotted yourself in the pace you were going for. This really helped with the crowd issue that many races struggle with. I never had to worry about racer congestion on the streets as there was plenty of room throughout.
The first 6 miles, I was comfortably running 6:20s, 6:30s and 6:40s. I felt good but my mind was getting to me. I knew that I could run this pace for 6 miles but could I really keep that pace up for 13 miles? I was worried that I would blow up and not be able to complete the race. So, I decided to slow down and take the last 7 miles at a calmer pace. I really don't know how much I can push my body yet so this is all trial and error for me. So, each time that I run a race, I learn more and more what I can do with my legs. Its exciting yet scary! But with a course like the Oakland Half Marathon, you really can test it out!
It was funny running through the first and second mile. I had to jump over some shattered glass on the ground! But instead of getting frustrated, I felt like this was kind of appropriate being that we were running through Oakland. Cause sometimes Oakland can be hood like that... and I am okay with it!
The course was pretty flat throughout - until you get to the last three miles which travels along Lake Merrit. After not seeing hills for miles and miles, approaching one was daunting. But in actuality, to see the hill after the race, they are tiny itty bitty bumps that you would never consider a hill. But during a half marathon, anything of slight elevation can cause sadness. There were just about 2 or 3 little hills around the lake, small enough that before you can even contemplate if you should run or walk up them, you would already have gotten to the top! The only hill I would suggest you take note of is the last hill right before the finish line. You see can see the finish but that hill is the one thing keeping you from it. I didn't let the crowd push me too much - they are fantastic but I sure didn't want to blow up before finishing! Once I got to the crest, I started my sprint and sprinted as much as my legs could give for those last 200 meters.
Overall, this was a fun race where you can see just how fast you can run! I PR'd with a time of 1:34 and I am incredibly happy with that! I was super surprised to find that I got 2nd in the Women's 30-34 age group and 9th overall female for the race! I was glowing for hours!
About to run up the first hill of the course - Lake Merrit (don't mind my form! :)
I love that at each of these races, I get a chance to learn more and more about my body and what I am capable of. I am really looking forward to my next race and hope I can dig a little deeper and improve myself just a bit more!
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