"The 'City of Angels' put on a divine show at the United Airlines Rock ‘n’ Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon and 5K on Sunday. Thousands of runners, many dressed in costumes of all shapes and sizes, toed the scenic start line downtown to take part in the largest Halloween half marathon. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect for this iconic race with temperatures in the high 50s at the start. A thick fog covered much of the course, upping the 'spooky' factor as costumed runners ran along L.A.’s iconic boulevards and byways." - RunnersWeb
What a fun race! There were three 1 hr 30 min pacers: Michael, Glimber, and myself. I dressed as a prisoner and Michael dressed as a cop. As a pacer, not only did I get free registration, line up at corral 1, all the race swag (shirt, medal, snacks), and access to the post-race concert, but I got to help other runners achieve their goal of finishing under 1 hr 30 min. At the start of the race, a group of runners stayed with me and the other 1 hr 30 min pacers, but after a series of hills, the group narrowed to only three. The course felt quite hilly and the weather was muggy and cool. When I woke up at 4:30 am, I had a fever and my throat was too sore to talk or swallow and my whole body was aching, but I was excited for this race because I would get to wear my Halloween costume and take joy in helping runners achieve a personal record or goal time of 1 hr 30 min. Even though I wasn't able to cheer on or encourage the group of runners that stayed with us, I believe that my presence was motivating especially since Michael told the group that I was the 1st USA female at the LA Marathon. The runners turned their eyes on me and one runner came up beside me and asked me about the LA Marathon. I love to share my training and race experiences, and tips with runners! It gives me purpose and brings happiness. It is exciting to be running beside a professional runner and it is just as exciting to be that person!
I didn't take any fluids from the aid stations (even though it would have helped) because I felt that I sort of had to use the bathroom and taking in additional fluids would necessitate a bathroom stop. At the finish line, I planned out a fun skit to top off the end of the race. At about 100 ft before the finish line, I stole the pacer signs from Michael (who was dressed as a cop) and Glimber and sprinted to the finish with a huge grin on my face as they chased after me. Thousands of people cheered for us as the cop yelled "Get her!" and the announcers jumped in on the action and said "We have a run away prisoner! He's not going to get her!" The photographer liked the skit so much that he asked us if we could do a retake so that he can photograph it and capture the moment up close. He even asked the crowd to smile and laugh in the background of the photo. He said that this was the first time anyone did a fun skit across the finish line. The photo just might show up in the promotion for next year's race.
To be honest, this race was not easy because I was sick and the last thing my body wanted to do was run. I felt like I was really pushing which is unusual because I am capable of running a half marathon at a much faster pace (at 1 hr 16 min when I am in peak shape). I also wasn't in my top shape because I took two weeks off from running after the Chicago Marathon to recover from injury. I feel fully recovered both physically and mentally, and for the past 10 days I have been running every other day, incorporating hills to build strength and speed. The Skyline Trail in Corona is a fun scenic trail, with as much as 500 ft incline in a mile, ascending 2,000 ft over 5.8 miles. It feels great to get back into running! I booked a massage a couple weeks ago, which did no help because the lady gave me only a light massage. I felt that she was nervous about making my injury worse after I told her that I'm a professional marathon runner. To prevent future injury, I should get a weekly massage especially when I am in the building phase of marathon training.
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