Winter
Race Recap
Jen Vucinich
Napa Valley Marathon (Half Marathon)
Personal Best - 1:16:14
After three years, it was great to be back at the Napa Valley Half. Despite dealing with a stomach bug the day prior, I was excited to test my fitness on a picturesque course with a competitive field. The name of the game this winter season has been to race frequently and have fun before building towards the next marathon. After a couple of disappointing results last year, we decided to take a conservative approach with the hope of gaining valuable race experience and clocking a PR in the process.
Before the start, I saw many friendly faces and met a few other local women in the staging area. Following a long hiatus from racing due to the pandemic, I’d garnered a deep gratitude for any opportunity to line up at the start and connect with the running community. The chilly and calm morning lent itself well to fast times along the Silverado Trail. During the first few miles of undulating hills, I glanced at my watch to ensure I wasn’t wildly off pace. While it was tempting to chase the lead from the gun, I made a concerted effort to stay patient until the later miles.
For the first half of the race, three of us women were separated by about ten seconds. Around mile seven, I gradually closed the gap to second place. By mile nine, we’d worked together to catch the leading woman. I was feeling better as the race progressed and tried my hand at sharing the lead. Seeing Dena on the bike and knowing I had loved ones waiting at the finish, helped energize me along the way. At mile ten, one of the women put in a surge. While I wasn’t able to respond, my pace stayed consistent and I managed to hold off third. This was one of the first races where, instead of focusing on mile splits, I practiced the art of competing. I was able to finish second and achieve a nearly four minute PR by way of a negative split. As someone who didn’t run collegiately, I’ve aspired to hone the skill of racing. Training with PDC this past year and a half has opened my eyes to the possibilities with this mindset. Not to mention, the top three women all achieved personal bests that day. An incredible reminder of the power of teamwork.