Sand
Footballguy
I know what you're trying to do here, old timer. Your Jedi mind tricks won't work on me....
I'll be waiting to see what both of you put up...
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Ran a 10k in June (8 Viewers)
- Thread starter GStrot
- Start date
I'll be waiting to see what both of you put up...
gruecd
Footballguy
If I didn't already have plans to go to Minneapolis for the Packers/Vikings game this weekend, I'd drive my ### to Oak Park and win my age group on Saturday.P.S. Tri-man - You gonna let that other old geezer beat you by 10 seconds again this year?
P.P.S. Damn it. Your stupid Jedi mind tricks did work on me!
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SteelCurtain
Footballguy
17 miles? Wow. What are you doing with all your free time? Any new hobbies?Oh, yeah. You got me for sure. I was trying to let the hamstring heal up, so I didn't run at all this week until Friday. Only 17 total miles for me this week.Not sure if I got Gru this week on the miles, but I took him down on the duration of running time.
gruecd
Footballguy
I actually worked a bit more. Novel concept, I know. But not to worry, I should be back to my normal, high-mileage self before you know it!17 miles? Wow. What are you doing with all your free time? Any new hobbies?Oh, yeah. You got me for sure. I was trying to let the hamstring heal up, so I didn't run at all this week until Friday. Only 17 total miles for me this week.Not sure if I got Gru this week on the miles, but I took him down on the duration of running time.
tri-man 47
Footballguy
P.S. Touche - great memory. And: no. He beat me with a 21:10 last year. I'm already down to 20:40s, and hope to run 20:28 (Sand:If I didn't already have plans to go to Minneapolis for the Packers/Vikings game this weekend, I'd drive my ### to Oak Park and win my age group on Saturday.P.S. Tri-man - You gonna let that other old geezer beat you by 10 seconds again this year?
P.P.S. Damn it. Your stupid Jedi mind tricks did work on me!
)P.P.S. :circularwaveofhand: This is not the race you're looking for.
prosopis
Arizona Chupacabra
I was feeling like I could get back out there. My cough is better and less congestion. I spent Saturday with my son at urgent care. He was diagnosed with strep throat. Maybe I had that 
Anyway I went out with no plan. I did not worry about speed or heart rate. I just ran. It was in the 90s here. Can you believe 90s in Oct? I hit 100 at my house last week. WTF
Anyway I did 3 miles at 10:22 avg pace and HR avg 161. I felt good afterwords. I expect to pick up the mileage Wednesday.
Anyway I went out with no plan. I did not worry about speed or heart rate. I just ran. It was in the 90s here. Can you believe 90s in Oct? I hit 100 at my house last week. WTF
Anyway I did 3 miles at 10:22 avg pace and HR avg 161. I felt good afterwords. I expect to pick up the mileage Wednesday.
gruecd
Footballguy
Whatcha mean?
pmbrown_22
Footballguy
Went out yesterday and ran my 5 miles. Aferaged 7:50 and felt strong throughout. Good sign for me this weekend as I did not have any hip pain for the run. However, I have some this morning so I am not sure what is going on with that. I am hoping that an extra day of rest will do me some good and heal me up. It has slowly gotten better over the last couple of weeks with me taking it easier here and there. Next week is a complete off week to hopefully feel completely back to normal.
Have a great day all.
Have a great day all.
tri-man 47
Footballguy
I have no idea. I just like to paraphrase that line from the movie. FWIW, be careful about jumping on a 5K too soon. Your overall conditioning is top-notch, but a fast race could expose the hammy and do some damage. It's fun to banter about racing, but you're still in long-distance, slow-twitch mode.Whatcha mean?
The Duff Man
Footballguy
Great race sho! I have my first half on Sun. I need to get my head fixed over the next five days. I have had a bad month personally and am feeling a bit worn out. It is mental though, I lowered my miles a lot the last two weeks after I hit my 13 mile long runs for training.
I would love to push for 2 hrs, (ran the training distance in 2:07) but I am not feeling it right now.
Maybe I need another long lap around my house...uh...compound.
I just saw that comment from three weeks ago....nice.
I would love to push for 2 hrs, (ran the training distance in 2:07) but I am not feeling it right now.
Maybe I need another long lap around my house...uh...compound.
I just saw that comment from three weeks ago....nice.
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Sand
Footballguy
Tapering sucks. The lack of that regimented exercise really tends to screw with your body and head. You have a fighting chance at 2 hours, for sure. I can't even come close to race pace on training runs. I'll guess 1:58:37.Great race sho! I have my first half on Sun. I need to get my head fixed over the next five days. I have had a bad month personally and am feeling a bit worn out. It is mental though, I lowered my miles a lot the last two weeks after I hit my 13 mile long runs for training. I would love to push for 2 hrs, (ran the training distance in 2:07) but I am not feeling it right now.Maybe I need another long lap around my house...uh...compound.
I'm already down to 20:40s, and hope to run 20:28 (Sand:
The_Man
Footballguy
Holy Crap, I really haven't been around enough lately. PMB, you ran a 3:17 marathon this month (saw it in your sig)!? How did I miss that? Congratulations, that is really fantastic. I need to go find that race report.I'm just still trying to build up my base, bit by bit, hoping to peak at 50 miles the week after next - I've never gone that high. Six miles at 7:55 pace in the pitch black this morning, and I was pleased with the way I was able to pick up the pace with each mile, without feeling like I was running much harder: 8:29, 8:05, 7:55, 7:50, 7:49, 7:23. OK, that last mile felt a little harder.Thinking I'll go for 22 on Sunday, instead of 20, but I'm not committed to that quite yet.
pigskinliquors
Dr. Parrothead
Loving the 5k banter girls 
Prosopsis: your weather is sick! It was actually too cold/windy (51 degrees 30 MPH gusts) to ride this morning here = I'll postpone 'til after work.
Duff: If you trained at 2:07, 2:00 is more than feasible. Trust the taper!!!
Grue: if you went from 70 miles per week down to 17, assuming 7:00 pace for all your miles; you gained an extra 6+ hours of free time! You could easily take on a second job, or turn into an Otis on these boards.
Prosopsis: your weather is sick! It was actually too cold/windy (51 degrees 30 MPH gusts) to ride this morning here = I'll postpone 'til after work.
Duff: If you trained at 2:07, 2:00 is more than feasible. Trust the taper!!!
Grue: if you went from 70 miles per week down to 17, assuming 7:00 pace for all your miles; you gained an extra 6+ hours of free time! You could easily take on a second job, or turn into an Otis on these boards.
pigskinliquors
Dr. Parrothead
2Young2BBald
Footbaldguy
Hopefully you return from the purchase with that bike, and both kidneys. :jealous: if this turns out to be legit.
Ned
Footballguy
Quick drive by for me, but wanted to say it's great to see you back more regularly. I hope you decide to go for 22. I think what tri has to say makes a load of sense. I did 21 for my second 20 and plan on doing 22 for the third and final 20. I'm off work this week for a bunch of deer hunting (again). No running yet since saturday's HM has me feeling like a bum. My quads were shredded on Sunday and Monday so I think the extra time off while hunting will do some good. I will be heading out this afternoon for some sort of run after I make a trip to the butcher to get this deer processed.'The_Man said:
pigskinliquors
Dr. Parrothead
So far no reply'2Young2BBald said:'pigskinliquors said:
pigskinliquors
Dr. Parrothead
What did you get, and what type of sausage are we makingI will be heading out this afternoon for some sort of run after I make a trip to the butcher to get this deer processed.
pmbrown_22
Footballguy
No, no. I ran that last October and just have not updated my sig since then. I am a slacker that way. I have kind of taken a step back this year nad ran a few halves and the Bourbon Chase. I got into a rut big time late last December and just decided my head needed a break from it. I was not even out here updating what I was doing, but recently started to get back at it for the motivational aspect of things. Keeps me honest. All good though as I have that drive back for next year. Keep up the good work. Glad to see you back out here posting and runing.'The_Man said:
The Duff Man
Footballguy
If you want to take care of right in the camp next time, let me know. My dad put out a book and sold it locally on how you can do it yourself.What did you get, and what type of sausage are we makingI will be heading out this afternoon for some sort of run after I make a trip to the butcher to get this deer processed.
tri-man 47
Footballguy
Harris - one that comes to mind is North Park University up on the north side. Their website shows a full athletic facility, including the track (the description says '8 lane, 800 meter track' but I'm guessing that's wrong). I see lights in the pictures, and it talks about its shared use with the public ...so they might have lights on at night. I'm right by Concordia University in River Forest. They usually have some soft lighting at night, making the track functional. I'll try to take a better look over the next couple of days if I drive by during the dark to see if the gate is open and some lighting available.'Harris said:
sports_fan
Footballguy
On Sunday I felt a pain in my foot immediately following my run. It's on the bottom of my left foot, about half way between my heel and the front of my foot on the outer edge (pic). I only feel it when I'm walking, if I'm standing in place or sitting down I don't notice it. While walking, when I push off I feel a slight pain/tightness in that area. It isn't enough to keep me from walking, but I do notice it with every step I take.
I didn't run yesterday (planned day off). I'd like to go a few miles tonight but I don't want to make it worse. I've never dealt with foot pain before so I have no idea what this could be. Does it sound like something I can run through? Or do I need to give it more time to heal?
I didn't run yesterday (planned day off). I'd like to go a few miles tonight but I don't want to make it worse. I've never dealt with foot pain before so I have no idea what this could be. Does it sound like something I can run through? Or do I need to give it more time to heal?
pigskinliquors
Dr. Parrothead
If you want to take care of right in the camp next time, let me know. My dad put out a book and sold it locally on how you can do it yourself.What did you get, and what type of sausage are we makingI will be heading out this afternoon for some sort of run after I make a trip to the butcher to get this deer processed.
I'm off to get my butt home and attempt to ride in 30 MPH gusts. I've finally found a reason to be thankful for the extra 12 pounds I've put on!
The_Man
Footballguy
I had this after my first Half Marathon. In my case it turned out to be my shoes. When I first started out running, I had a stride analysis done and they said I was a huge pronator so they gave me these shoes that had massive support on the outside of the sole. As I got more fit and became a better runner, I didn't need that kind of support any more, and the shoe was giving me pain in that area of the foot where the support was.
sports_fan
Footballguy
Several months ago I went the minimalist route with the Saucony Kinvara. In the past I've run in custom orthotics and a bulky motion control shoe, basically the exact opposite of what I'm running in now. Those shoes seemed to be contributing to my knee problems. I read that a shorter stride with flexed knees and a mid/forefoot landing would help reduce the stress on my joints and that the shoes I was running in made that harder (the cushioning makes anything other than a heel strike difficult). Since the switch my knee pain has reduced drastically but it seems I've transferred the stress to other areas that weren't conditioned to handle it from the outset. I strained my calf about a month after getting the Kinvara's (I'm pretty sure my calf strength has improved a good deal since) and now I have this foot issue. I anticipated growing pains as my body adjusted, but I'm not sure how best to handle this foot problem.
tri-man 47
Footballguy
sports_fan - do you do any exercises for the feet and ankles? A couple that I include in my stretching routines are (1) stand on one foot and squeeze the foot ..push the toes/heel down into the carpet (I use a hand for balance during this); (2) stand on one foot (without the additional balance) in a superman-like stance - the feet and ankles work very hard to keep me balanced ...lots of twitching going on as they work to keep me steady; (3) from that position, rotate into a karate kid-like stance, dipping down so that the calf muscle gets engaged. I haven't had problems in those areas all year despite lots of mileage over the past eleven months. Maybe they'd help.
I also wonder if wearing compression socks at times when not running would help.
Maybe they'd help.I also wonder if wearing compression socks at times when not running would help.
sports_fan
Footballguy
No, but I'll give what you've posted a try. It came on suddenly, I hadn't experienced any soreness or pain with my foot prior to Sunday. I'm worried that it's something structural. Is it possible that it's a ligament or tendon? I could run with it now, but I'm worried that if I make it worse I'll have to miss a significant amount of time.sports_fan - do you do any exercises for the feet and ankles? A couple that I include in my stretching routines are (1) stand on one foot and squeeze the foot ..push the toes/heel down into the carpet (I use a hand for balance during this); (2) stand on one foot (without the additional balance) in a superman-like stance - the feet and ankles work very hard to keep me balanced ...lots of twitching going on as they work to keep me steady; (3) from that position, rotate into a karate kid-like stance, dipping down so that the calf muscle gets engaged. I haven't had problems in those areas all year despite lots of mileage over the past eleven months.
I also wonder if wearing compression socks at times when not running would help.
SteelCurtain
Footballguy
I apologize for the length. I do this for me as much as I do it for you. I want to remember these experiences and hopefully learn from them. It may be too detailed for some and feel free to skip to the bottom (where it says, "In summation...") if you really don't care. 
Baltimore Marathon Race Report
10/15/11
My first marathon was Disney in January 2011 where the weather was almost perfect upper 40's and lower 50's) and the course was flat. I ran a 3 hour and 39 minute race (8:23/mile pace). I had decided to make my second marathon in Baltimore that would present more difficult challenges as it is known as a very hilly course. In addition, this marathon would include me bringing my kids which adds another level of complexity (and expended energy helping to feed, entertain, etc) to the weekend.
I had spent the previous week battling a sinus infection which left me feeling run down. We arrived the day before the race and I stopped at the Expo and picked up my packet. We stopped back at the hotel for a quick early dinner before heading to the Baltimore aquarium at 5 p.m. After a few hours there, we headed back to the hotel to get some rest. I slept okay but awoke at 4 a.m. in anticipation of the race. After quietly eating breakfast (dry bagel, corn flakes, Gatorade, and water). I left the hotel at 7 a.m. to check my bag. I made it to the starting line at 7:45 (for an 8 a.m. start). I barely missed my brother in law as we were hoping to meet up at the starting line - I guess it's to be expected as there were 5,000 people.
Usually, before a race, I feel like a boxer entering a ring. I'm jumpy and excited. I feel ready. On this day, I felt anything but. My training had been fine (but less intense than for my first marathon as I tried to limit my injury potential.). I think the last week of battling illness had left me feeling spent with 26.2 miles to go.
The weather was forecasted to be in the 60’s with windy conditions. Approximately 20-25 mph winds with gusts to 50 mph. The starting line was almost perfect conditions. Low 50’s with very light winds at the beginning of the race.
I lined up near the 3:30 (8 min/mile) pace group thinking I may run with them for a mile or two. The starting gun had started the race. as the mobs of runners started off, my area didn't really move so the 3:30 group was well ahead of me, the 3:40 (8:24/mile pace) pacers had passed me and now I was next to the 3:50 group and I hadn't even started!
The course is hilly as evidenced by the elevation chart located here --> http://www.thebaltimoremarathon.com/Assets/Marathon+Elevation+2009.pdf
The first three miles are all up hill. As with all big races, you need to just go with the flow in the beginning as there are a lot of runners. Regardless, my pace was okay but it wasn't easy. I had to work to run pretty average times even with the hills. I was definitely worried.
Pace per mile/Average Heart Rate
Mile 1 -- 8:17/152
Mile 2 -- 7:59/161
Mile 3 -- 8:33/162
I knew the next several miles would be downhill or flat. They were more rolling than I thought they would be. The fourth mile was through the Baltimore zoo where they had penguins, ravens, baby alligator, etc outside of their cages and "cheering" the runners. It was pretty cool! While working on mile 5, I was already hungry. I was concerned as I didn't want to consume one of my three GU's this early. I knew my family was between miles 8-9 with a banana for me to eat. I decided to wait until I got to them. I tried to pick up the pace on these next few miles to try to give myself a shot to beat my previous time. As I was starting mile 8, I had caught the 3:30 pace group. I saw my family (and my sister and her kids) and since they had come all this way to cheer me (and my brother in law) on, I wanted to stop. I spent a minute or so with them. I downed a Tylenol, took a banana, GU, and bottle of water. I got a chance to take in the scene of my kids with bells on their ankles and them dancing to make noise with them. It was time for me to continue. With the stoppage, my pace went from 8 minute miles to 8:06. To a non runner, doesn't seem like much, but knowing that miles 16-22 are mostly up hill, I knew I wouldn’t be catching the 3:30 pace group today.
Mile 4 -- 7:39/160
Mile 5 -- 7:46/160
Mile 6 -- 8:00/161
Mile 7 -- 7:52/157
Mile 8 -- 7:51/156
Mile 9 -- 8:48/158 (visited with family for approx a minute.)
At this point is where I ran through a very busy section of the course, as it was where the half marathon start would be happening shortly so nearly 10,000 half marathon runners were starting to get into their starting corrals. There was a 3 mile section where it was an out and back so I was able to see many of the runners in front of me. It also allowed me to see the 3:30 pace group at the turnaround around mile 12 – just for the record, they were 0.20 miles in front of me at that point. During this stretch, the wind definitely started blowing and was clearly noticeable. Admittedly, I can’t say it really was against me a lot but since it was an out and back, I’m assuming as much as the wind helped me….it hurt me as well. I ran this stretch knowing that the hills were looming on the second half.
Mile 10 -- 8:14/162 (ate a banana)
Mile 11 -- 8:08/161
Mile 12 -- 7:58/163
Mile 13 -- 8:44/157 (walked and consumed a GU energy gel)
Mile 14 -- 7:55/161 (saw my family again – a nice surprise!)
Mile 15 -- 8:11/160
As the hills came up, I wanted to be strong but not burn out. This was also the area where the half marathon and marathon combined. It was a little bit of a challenge as the half marathon runners were running a slightly slower pace than I was so I had to make sure I didn’t get into their malaise. I have to admit, on one hill I was running up, the wind was at my back as a leaf was blowing about 10 feet in front of me and that lasted over a city block. It was nice!
0.07 miles – 0.40/161 (just to align my Garmin to the mile markers on the course)
Mile 16 -- 8:02/164
Mile 17 -- 7:54/165
Mile 18 -- 8:41/164 (walked and consumed a GU energy gel)
Mile 19 and 20 were around a beautiful lake. The winds were strong up here but it was nice and flat which had been rare on this course. This was one of my favorite sections of the race. The only negatives were the wind and there was no shade and the sun was blazing at this point with the temps in the 60’s.
Mile 19 -- 8:37/167
Mile 20 -- 8:21/164
Miles 21-23 were a bit worrisome for me. During mile 21, I felt my forehead and it was completely dry. No sweat at all. I knew that no sweat was an early sign of heat stroke or exhaustion. I told myself I had to drink extra water at every water stop which would necessitate a little walking. In addition, a bit later that mile, I felt a tingling in my right food as if the foot had fallen asleep. This with the lack of sweat had me paranoid. I was thankful I was wearing my heart rate monitor and watched my heart rate carefully for the rest of the race. I wasn’t sure if the heart rate would spike or go down, but any significant change would cause me to walk or pursue medical attention. In addition in mile 23, I had decided I would check in at the medical tent at the end. All in all, I pulled back my pace slightly as I was worried I would crash and burn here at the end.
Mile 21 -- 8:41/162
Mile 22 -- 8:29/166 (walked and consumed a GU energy gel)
Mile 23 -- 8:41/163
The final three miles were mostly downhill but they all had some up hills as well. I was careful to keep stopping for water at any point. I smartly chose to pass on the shots of beer that one of the neighborhoods was offering at mile 24! You can see at the end, I picked up the pace once I felt low risk due to the health concerns identified in mile 21.
Mile 24 -- 8:16/162
Mile 25 -- 8:51/165 (took three cups of water at a stop during this mile)
Mile 26 -- 7:38/164 (my family saw me, but I missed them as there were a lot of fans at this point)
The last 0.26 – 7:33 pace/168
Total time – 3 hours, 36 minutes, 44 seconds.
Average pace per mile – 8:14, Average heart rate – 161, Max heart rate – 172
Overall finish – 352 out of 3212
Age Group finish – 34 out of 281
In summation, this marathon was simply a grind. I never really felt like I was cruising. I have to be pleased with my personal best time of 3:36:44. In addition, my half splits were much more even with a 1:47/1:49 (compared to 1:46/1:53 in my first marathon) and I didn’t experience the extreme cramping in my calves (probably due to wearing compression socks in this race) in the last few miles that I experienced in my first marathon. Overall, the race was a success as my time improved and that was my goal. I have to admit, I wish I knew - how much faster could I have run if I felt strong that day? I wonder if 3 hours 30 minutes is a realistic goal for me in the future. Only time will tell.
Baltimore Marathon Race Report
10/15/11
My first marathon was Disney in January 2011 where the weather was almost perfect upper 40's and lower 50's) and the course was flat. I ran a 3 hour and 39 minute race (8:23/mile pace). I had decided to make my second marathon in Baltimore that would present more difficult challenges as it is known as a very hilly course. In addition, this marathon would include me bringing my kids which adds another level of complexity (and expended energy helping to feed, entertain, etc) to the weekend.
I had spent the previous week battling a sinus infection which left me feeling run down. We arrived the day before the race and I stopped at the Expo and picked up my packet. We stopped back at the hotel for a quick early dinner before heading to the Baltimore aquarium at 5 p.m. After a few hours there, we headed back to the hotel to get some rest. I slept okay but awoke at 4 a.m. in anticipation of the race. After quietly eating breakfast (dry bagel, corn flakes, Gatorade, and water). I left the hotel at 7 a.m. to check my bag. I made it to the starting line at 7:45 (for an 8 a.m. start). I barely missed my brother in law as we were hoping to meet up at the starting line - I guess it's to be expected as there were 5,000 people.
Usually, before a race, I feel like a boxer entering a ring. I'm jumpy and excited. I feel ready. On this day, I felt anything but. My training had been fine (but less intense than for my first marathon as I tried to limit my injury potential.). I think the last week of battling illness had left me feeling spent with 26.2 miles to go.
The weather was forecasted to be in the 60’s with windy conditions. Approximately 20-25 mph winds with gusts to 50 mph. The starting line was almost perfect conditions. Low 50’s with very light winds at the beginning of the race.
I lined up near the 3:30 (8 min/mile) pace group thinking I may run with them for a mile or two. The starting gun had started the race. as the mobs of runners started off, my area didn't really move so the 3:30 group was well ahead of me, the 3:40 (8:24/mile pace) pacers had passed me and now I was next to the 3:50 group and I hadn't even started!
The course is hilly as evidenced by the elevation chart located here --> http://www.thebaltimoremarathon.com/Assets/Marathon+Elevation+2009.pdf
The first three miles are all up hill. As with all big races, you need to just go with the flow in the beginning as there are a lot of runners. Regardless, my pace was okay but it wasn't easy. I had to work to run pretty average times even with the hills. I was definitely worried.
Pace per mile/Average Heart Rate
Mile 1 -- 8:17/152
Mile 2 -- 7:59/161
Mile 3 -- 8:33/162
I knew the next several miles would be downhill or flat. They were more rolling than I thought they would be. The fourth mile was through the Baltimore zoo where they had penguins, ravens, baby alligator, etc outside of their cages and "cheering" the runners. It was pretty cool! While working on mile 5, I was already hungry. I was concerned as I didn't want to consume one of my three GU's this early. I knew my family was between miles 8-9 with a banana for me to eat. I decided to wait until I got to them. I tried to pick up the pace on these next few miles to try to give myself a shot to beat my previous time. As I was starting mile 8, I had caught the 3:30 pace group. I saw my family (and my sister and her kids) and since they had come all this way to cheer me (and my brother in law) on, I wanted to stop. I spent a minute or so with them. I downed a Tylenol, took a banana, GU, and bottle of water. I got a chance to take in the scene of my kids with bells on their ankles and them dancing to make noise with them. It was time for me to continue. With the stoppage, my pace went from 8 minute miles to 8:06. To a non runner, doesn't seem like much, but knowing that miles 16-22 are mostly up hill, I knew I wouldn’t be catching the 3:30 pace group today.
Mile 4 -- 7:39/160
Mile 5 -- 7:46/160
Mile 6 -- 8:00/161
Mile 7 -- 7:52/157
Mile 8 -- 7:51/156
Mile 9 -- 8:48/158 (visited with family for approx a minute.)
At this point is where I ran through a very busy section of the course, as it was where the half marathon start would be happening shortly so nearly 10,000 half marathon runners were starting to get into their starting corrals. There was a 3 mile section where it was an out and back so I was able to see many of the runners in front of me. It also allowed me to see the 3:30 pace group at the turnaround around mile 12 – just for the record, they were 0.20 miles in front of me at that point. During this stretch, the wind definitely started blowing and was clearly noticeable. Admittedly, I can’t say it really was against me a lot but since it was an out and back, I’m assuming as much as the wind helped me….it hurt me as well. I ran this stretch knowing that the hills were looming on the second half.
Mile 10 -- 8:14/162 (ate a banana)
Mile 11 -- 8:08/161
Mile 12 -- 7:58/163
Mile 13 -- 8:44/157 (walked and consumed a GU energy gel)
Mile 14 -- 7:55/161 (saw my family again – a nice surprise!)
Mile 15 -- 8:11/160
As the hills came up, I wanted to be strong but not burn out. This was also the area where the half marathon and marathon combined. It was a little bit of a challenge as the half marathon runners were running a slightly slower pace than I was so I had to make sure I didn’t get into their malaise. I have to admit, on one hill I was running up, the wind was at my back as a leaf was blowing about 10 feet in front of me and that lasted over a city block. It was nice!
0.07 miles – 0.40/161 (just to align my Garmin to the mile markers on the course)
Mile 16 -- 8:02/164
Mile 17 -- 7:54/165
Mile 18 -- 8:41/164 (walked and consumed a GU energy gel)
Mile 19 and 20 were around a beautiful lake. The winds were strong up here but it was nice and flat which had been rare on this course. This was one of my favorite sections of the race. The only negatives were the wind and there was no shade and the sun was blazing at this point with the temps in the 60’s.
Mile 19 -- 8:37/167
Mile 20 -- 8:21/164
Miles 21-23 were a bit worrisome for me. During mile 21, I felt my forehead and it was completely dry. No sweat at all. I knew that no sweat was an early sign of heat stroke or exhaustion. I told myself I had to drink extra water at every water stop which would necessitate a little walking. In addition, a bit later that mile, I felt a tingling in my right food as if the foot had fallen asleep. This with the lack of sweat had me paranoid. I was thankful I was wearing my heart rate monitor and watched my heart rate carefully for the rest of the race. I wasn’t sure if the heart rate would spike or go down, but any significant change would cause me to walk or pursue medical attention. In addition in mile 23, I had decided I would check in at the medical tent at the end. All in all, I pulled back my pace slightly as I was worried I would crash and burn here at the end.
Mile 21 -- 8:41/162
Mile 22 -- 8:29/166 (walked and consumed a GU energy gel)
Mile 23 -- 8:41/163
The final three miles were mostly downhill but they all had some up hills as well. I was careful to keep stopping for water at any point. I smartly chose to pass on the shots of beer that one of the neighborhoods was offering at mile 24! You can see at the end, I picked up the pace once I felt low risk due to the health concerns identified in mile 21.
Mile 24 -- 8:16/162
Mile 25 -- 8:51/165 (took three cups of water at a stop during this mile)
Mile 26 -- 7:38/164 (my family saw me, but I missed them as there were a lot of fans at this point)
The last 0.26 – 7:33 pace/168
Total time – 3 hours, 36 minutes, 44 seconds.
Average pace per mile – 8:14, Average heart rate – 161, Max heart rate – 172
Overall finish – 352 out of 3212
Age Group finish – 34 out of 281
In summation, this marathon was simply a grind. I never really felt like I was cruising. I have to be pleased with my personal best time of 3:36:44. In addition, my half splits were much more even with a 1:47/1:49 (compared to 1:46/1:53 in my first marathon) and I didn’t experience the extreme cramping in my calves (probably due to wearing compression socks in this race) in the last few miles that I experienced in my first marathon. Overall, the race was a success as my time improved and that was my goal. I have to admit, I wish I knew - how much faster could I have run if I felt strong that day? I wonder if 3 hours 30 minutes is a realistic goal for me in the future. Only time will tell.
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SteelCurtain
Footballguy
Ned -- when I saw this post before your race, I definitely paused. I think you are pushing your body too hard to go 175 HR average. I know my HR runs lower than yours (just based on watching your posts). For your marathon, I think you should shoot for a 165 HR for the first half and see how your feel. If you feel good, then ramp it up from there. Admittedly, you know about 50 times more about HR than I do. We both know a marathon is a totally different animal than a HM. I am still confident that you can break four hours with your marathon. Just realize that you won't do it in the first 13.1......the first 13.1 is just to put you in position so you can achieve your goals in the second 13.1. I'd advise you to shoot for a 165 average HR and about a 2 hour first half in Philadelphia. Hopefully, you will have conserved enough energy to ramp up your pace a bit on the second half and exceed your goals.Good luck GB. You deserve a good race.
tri-man 47
Footballguy
sports_fan - I don't dare speculate as to what the issue might be. But I would suggest being cautious. Maybe try some light stretching and massaging (maybe a soak in some ice water) ...try some slo-mo walking to see if it loosens up when it's feeling semi-normal. (Though it might be better to identify the problem before trying solutions.) Others here might have some wisdom on all this.
Steel Curtain - great report! Impressively steady HR data. You controlled yourself and your pace well, and that paid off in the final miles. Congrats again!
Steel Curtain - great report! Impressively steady HR data. You controlled yourself and your pace well, and that paid off in the final miles. Congrats again!
Darrinll40
Footballguy
Congratulations, and well done.I apologize for the length. I do this for me as much as I do it for you. I want to remember these experiences and hopefully learn from them. It may be too detailed for some and feel free to skip to the bottom (where it says, "In summation...") if you really don't care.
Baltimore Marathon Race Report
10/15/11
My first marathon was Disney in January 2011 where the weather was almost perfect upper 40's and lower 50's) and the course was flat. I ran a 3 hour and 39 minute race (8:23/mile pace). I had decided to make my second marathon in Baltimore that would present more difficult challenges as it is known as a very hilly course. In addition, this marathon would include me bringing my kids which adds another level of complexity (and expended energy helping to feed, entertain, etc) to the weekend.
I had spent the previous week battling a sinus infection which left me feeling run down. We arrived the day before the race and I stopped at the Expo and picked up my packet. We stopped back at the hotel for a quick early dinner before heading to the Baltimore aquarium at 5 p.m. After a few hours there, we headed back to the hotel to get some rest. I slept okay but awoke at 4 a.m. in anticipation of the race. After quietly eating breakfast (dry bagel, corn flakes, Gatorade, and water). I left the hotel at 7 a.m. to check my bag. I made it to the starting line at 7:45 (for an 8 a.m. start). I barely missed my brother in law as we were hoping to meet up at the starting line - I guess it's to be expected as there were 5,000 people.
Usually, before a race, I feel like a boxer entering a ring. I'm jumpy and excited. I feel ready. On this day, I felt anything but. My training had been fine (but less intense than for my first marathon as I tried to limit my injury potential.). I think the last week of battling illness had left me feeling spent with 26.2 miles to go.
The weather was forecasted to be in the 60’s with windy conditions. Approximately 20-25 mph winds with gusts to 50 mph. The starting line was almost perfect conditions. Low 50’s with very light winds at the beginning of the race.
I lined up near the 3:30 (8 min/mile) pace group thinking I may run with them for a mile or two. The starting gun had started the race. as the mobs of runners started off, my area didn't really move so the 3:30 group was well ahead of me, the 3:40 (8:24/mile pace) pacers had passed me and now I was next to the 3:50 group and I hadn't even started!
The course is hilly as evidenced by the elevation chart located here --> http://www.thebaltimoremarathon.com/Assets/Marathon+Elevation+2009.pdf
The first three miles are all up hill. As with all big races, you need to just go with the flow in the beginning as there are a lot of runners. Regardless, my pace was okay but it wasn't easy. I had to work to run pretty average times even with the hills. I was definitely worried.
Pace per mile/Average Heart Rate
Mile 1 -- 8:17/152
Mile 2 -- 7:59/161
Mile 3 -- 8:33/162
I knew the next several miles would be downhill or flat. They were more rolling than I thought they would be. The fourth mile was through the Baltimore zoo where they had penguins, ravens, baby alligator, etc outside of their cages and "cheering" the runners. It was pretty cool! While working on mile 5, I was already hungry. I was concerned as I didn't want to consume one of my three GU's this early. I knew my family was between miles 8-9 with a banana for me to eat. I decided to wait until I got to them. I tried to pick up the pace on these next few miles to try to give myself a shot to beat my previous time. As I was starting mile 8, I had caught the 3:30 pace group. I saw my family (and my sister and her kids) and since they had come all this way to cheer me (and my brother in law) on, I wanted to stop. I spent a minute or so with them. I downed a Tylenol, took a banana, GU, and bottle of water. I got a chance to take in the scene of my kids with bells on their ankles and them dancing to make noise with them. It was time for me to continue. With the stoppage, my pace went from 8 minute miles to 8:06. To a non runner, doesn't seem like much, but knowing that miles 16-22 are mostly up hill, I knew I wouldn’t be catching the 3:30 pace group today.
Mile 4 -- 7:39/160
Mile 5 -- 7:46/160
Mile 6 -- 8:00/161
Mile 7 -- 7:52/157
Mile 8 -- 7:51/156
Mile 9 -- 8:48/158 (visited with family for approx a minute.)
At this point is where I ran through a very busy section of the course, as it was where the half marathon start would be happening shortly so nearly 10,000 half marathon runners were starting to get into their starting corrals. There was a 3 mile section where it was an out and back so I was able to see many of the runners in front of me. It also allowed me to see the 3:30 pace group at the turnaround around mile 12 – just for the record, they were 0.20 miles in front of me at that point. During this stretch, the wind definitely started blowing and was clearly noticeable. Admittedly, I can’t say it really was against me a lot but since it was an out and back, I’m assuming as much as the wind helped me….it hurt me as well. I ran this stretch knowing that the hills were looming on the second half.
Mile 10 -- 8:14/162 (ate a banana)
Mile 11 -- 8:08/161
Mile 12 -- 7:58/163
Mile 13 -- 8:44/157 (walked and consumed a GU energy gel)
Mile 14 -- 7:55/161 (saw my family again – a nice surprise!)
Mile 15 -- 8:11/160
As the hills came up, I wanted to be strong but not burn out. This was also the area where the half marathon and marathon combined. It was a little bit of a challenge as the half marathon runners were running a slightly slower pace than I was so I had to make sure I didn’t get into their malaise. I have to admit, on one hill I was running up, the wind was at my back as a leaf was blowing about 10 feet in front of me and that lasted over a city block. It was nice!
0.07 miles – 0.40/161 (just to align my Garmin to the mile markers on the course)
Mile 16 -- 8:02/164
Mile 17 -- 7:54/165
Mile 18 -- 8:41/164 (walked and consumed a GU energy gel)
Mile 19 and 20 were around a beautiful lake. The winds were strong up here but it was nice and flat which had been rare on this course. This was one of my favorite sections of the race. The only negatives were the wind and there was no shade and the sun was blazing at this point with the temps in the 60’s.
Mile 19 -- 8:37/167
Mile 20 -- 8:21/164
Miles 21-23 were a bit worrisome for me. During mile 21, I felt my forehead and it was completely dry. No sweat at all. I knew that no sweat was an early sign of heat stroke or exhaustion. I told myself I had to drink extra water at every water stop which would necessitate a little walking. In addition, a bit later that mile, I felt a tingling in my right food as if the foot had fallen asleep. This with the lack of sweat had me paranoid. I was thankful I was wearing my heart rate monitor and watched my heart rate carefully for the rest of the race. I wasn’t sure if the heart rate would spike or go down, but any significant change would cause me to walk or pursue medical attention. In addition in mile 23, I had decided I would check in at the medical tent at the end. All in all, I pulled back my pace slightly as I was worried I would crash and burn here at the end.
Mile 21 -- 8:41/162
Mile 22 -- 8:29/166 (walked and consumed a GU energy gel)
Mile 23 -- 8:41/163
The final three miles were mostly downhill but they all had some up hills as well. I was careful to keep stopping for water at any point. I smartly chose to pass on the shots of beer that one of the neighborhoods was offering at mile 24! You can see at the end, I picked up the pace once I felt low risk due to the health concerns identified in mile 21.
Mile 24 -- 8:16/162
Mile 25 -- 8:51/165 (took three cups of water at a stop during this mile)
Mile 26 -- 7:38/164 (my family saw me, but I missed them as there were a lot of fans at this point)
The last 0.26 – 7:33 pace/168
Total time – 3 hours, 36 minutes, 44 seconds.
Average pace per mile – 8:14, Average heart rate – 161, Max heart rate – 172
Overall finish – 352 out of 3212
Age Group finish – 34 out of 281
In summation, this marathon was simply a grind. I never really felt like I was cruising. I have to be pleased with my personal best time of 3:36:44. In addition, my half splits were much more even with a 1:47/1:49 (compared to 1:46/1:53 in my first marathon) and I didn’t experience the extreme cramping in my calves (probably due to wearing compression socks in this race) in the last few miles that I experienced in my first marathon. Overall, the race was a success as my time improved and that was my goal. I have to admit, I wish I knew - how much faster could I have run if I felt strong that day? I wonder if 3 hours 30 minutes is a realistic goal for me in the future. Only time will tell.
pmbrown_22
Footballguy
Steel - Great report and a great race. I think you did what most runners find hard to do and that is to control yourself once you realize that your original goal was not going to work out. Too many times, we as runners, are very stubborn and that can lead us to crash and burn at the end of a race. You were able to curb the pace to make sure you did not do that. Plus you still got a PR and got to stop and spend some time with yoru family. They will remember that more than the time that you posted.
The_Man
Footballguy
Great job, Steel Curtain, and great Race Report. I live in Baltimore and won't touch that marathon - the course is just way too demanding for me right now. And the wind was very tough this weekend. The tri-woman I work with got blown off her bike during a ride! Good going, and good for you to stop and spend a minute with your kids. So awesome.
A 3:30 is well within your reach. You just need to find a flat course.
A 3:30 is well within your reach. You just need to find a flat course.
sho nuff
Footballguy
Got in 3 miles last night...first run since the half and everything felt great...other than that biting wind.
Some rain came through yesterday that took temps from the low 80s/high 70s we had Sunday and during the day yesterday down into the 40s last night and today. And windy damp 40s...still felt great to get out and take some easy miles (though, a few times I had to slow myself down...funny saying that now considering my recovery pace is where I needed to be to even finish 2-3 miles in January).
Contemplating another half in a few weeks...guy at work is trying to get me into it...waiting to see if another friend is running it (he is more my speed and is trying to get down close to 2 hours...figure we could run more together). Hillier course though, but one of the events put on by hard rock. Couple years ago they had issues with this one though.
Then plotted a few races for next year. A nice flat course in March, heading into the hilly and crowded Country Music Half in April. Going for sub 2 on the flat race, just running the CM half for fun and with some friends from college.
Wanting to do Oak Barrel in Lynchburg at some point (yes, the home of Jack Daniels). Pretty cool race with a pain of a hill (Whiskey Hill, they play Highway to Hell at you as you run up it).
Likely will do the Middle Half again...as a warm up for the December St. Jude Marathon. Yes, Marathon.
Some rain came through yesterday that took temps from the low 80s/high 70s we had Sunday and during the day yesterday down into the 40s last night and today. And windy damp 40s...still felt great to get out and take some easy miles (though, a few times I had to slow myself down...funny saying that now considering my recovery pace is where I needed to be to even finish 2-3 miles in January).
Contemplating another half in a few weeks...guy at work is trying to get me into it...waiting to see if another friend is running it (he is more my speed and is trying to get down close to 2 hours...figure we could run more together). Hillier course though, but one of the events put on by hard rock. Couple years ago they had issues with this one though.
Then plotted a few races for next year. A nice flat course in March, heading into the hilly and crowded Country Music Half in April. Going for sub 2 on the flat race, just running the CM half for fun and with some friends from college.
Wanting to do Oak Barrel in Lynchburg at some point (yes, the home of Jack Daniels). Pretty cool race with a pain of a hill (Whiskey Hill, they play Highway to Hell at you as you run up it).
Likely will do the Middle Half again...as a warm up for the December St. Jude Marathon. Yes, Marathon.
sho nuff
Footballguy
Agreed...HR was just smooth as silk...took some breaks for the family.Would love to run a 3:36 like that. Hell, Id love to struggle mightily to a 3:36.
Sand
Footballguy
During your protestation stage we really had no doubts this would happen.
sho nuff
Footballguy
Well, I still doubt some of it. Got to keep that doubt and challenge in my mind as I strive for this.Going to try working up close to 20 at some point this spring to see how that goes, back down to 10 mile LRs durin the summer building for the October half...probably have LRs close to 15 again before that...then building up slow into December.Key word for next year is miles....lots and lots of miles.
jb1020
Footballguy
Alright, dealing with sharp knee pain for the first time. I have no problem with you guys giving me the "I told you so" treatment because I went working on my speed the wrong way. 
At least I assume its just stressed from being over worked. Felt great running yesterday, went 3 @ 8:37, kept my HR at 150. Felt really good about it all.
Then I get to crawling around with my 18 month old and my left knee just started killing me, but only when I'm on my knees playing around with him. It doesn't hurt to walk or anything.
Whats the play here? Rest 2-3 days and then go easy on it? I actually feel like I could run a little bit on it, but don't want to make things any worse.
At least I assume its just stressed from being over worked. Felt great running yesterday, went 3 @ 8:37, kept my HR at 150. Felt really good about it all.
Then I get to crawling around with my 18 month old and my left knee just started killing me, but only when I'm on my knees playing around with him. It doesn't hurt to walk or anything.
Whats the play here? Rest 2-3 days and then go easy on it? I actually feel like I could run a little bit on it, but don't want to make things any worse.
pigskinliquors
Dr. Parrothead
Steel: Great race report! For starters, a sub 3:30 is certainly within your reach. I only ran two sub 3:30's; one when I was 28, and the other when I was 42 = you are way too close to NOT have it be possible. I'm a bit shuked as to why you only carried 3 gels for 210 minutes + of exercise. A typical rule of thumb is every forty minutes = you should have had at least 5 with you. Also, wind always hurts more than it helps, which is the same rule with hills. The fact that you were trudging through both at the same time is a large net loss of needed energy. With lack of fuel (gels), and extra energy needed (hills/wind) a 3:36 is an AWESOME outcome!!
Sho Nuff: Welcome to the Holy Crap I think I'm going to run a marathon club! There are many proud members in this thread, and most have lived to forward us race stalking pictures.
__________________________
My update:
I thought I'd be riding in 30 mph gusts yesterday, what I didn't know was that the constant wind would also be well over 20 mph. The first 7 were extremely brutal and right into the wind. At one point I was going so slow that my Garmin actually paused (thought I had stopped!). My HR was well over 170 for most of these miles, and I was averaging exactly 15.0 MPH (4:00 miles) after the 7th mile. Miles 8, 9, 11 and 12 had side winds, while the rest was all down wind. I was easily averaging 28 MPH on the flats coming in, but unfortunately that stretch also has 4 way stops approx. every .75 mile. I finished a total of 18.1 miles at 18.9 MPH. I thought about going around the neighborhood to get the average up over 19, but I was whomped. This afternoon = elliptical heaven again!
Sho Nuff: Welcome to the Holy Crap I think I'm going to run a marathon club! There are many proud members in this thread, and most have lived to forward us race stalking pictures.
__________________________
My update:
I thought I'd be riding in 30 mph gusts yesterday, what I didn't know was that the constant wind would also be well over 20 mph. The first 7 were extremely brutal and right into the wind. At one point I was going so slow that my Garmin actually paused (thought I had stopped!). My HR was well over 170 for most of these miles, and I was averaging exactly 15.0 MPH (4:00 miles) after the 7th mile. Miles 8, 9, 11 and 12 had side winds, while the rest was all down wind. I was easily averaging 28 MPH on the flats coming in, but unfortunately that stretch also has 4 way stops approx. every .75 mile. I finished a total of 18.1 miles at 18.9 MPH. I thought about going around the neighborhood to get the average up over 19, but I was whomped. This afternoon = elliptical heaven again!
2Young2BBald
Footbaldguy
Are your orthotics made just for your running shoes or for any shoe? I have a bone deformity in my left foot closer to my arch than where you circled. It has caused me issues from time to time and at one point, it was treated as a tendon issue with cortisone. My podiatrist (who is also a triathlete & marathoner - so she gets it when it comes to running) did a focal X-Ray that ultimately pin-pointed the deformity. Two bones meet at the arch and press in to a "V" causing the pain. We had custom orthotics built, but not for running shoes, instead, for all other shoes. The idea here makes a lot of sense, as she stated "you spend 8+ hours a day in shoes for work, but only an hour or so a day in running shoes". Taking the pressure off the deformity for the most hours possible. If the orthotics are made for any shoe, try wearing them part or all of the time when not running. I'll slack off wearing mine and the pain will creep back in if I don't.'sports_fan said:No, but I'll give what you've posted a try. It came on suddenly, I hadn't experienced any soreness or pain with my foot prior to Sunday. I'm worried that it's something structural. Is it possible that it's a ligament or tendon? I could run with it now, but I'm worried that if I make it worse I'll have to miss a significant amount of time.sports_fan - do you do any exercises for the feet and ankles? A couple that I include in my stretching routines are (1) stand on one foot and squeeze the foot ..push the toes/heel down into the carpet (I use a hand for balance during this); (2) stand on one foot (without the additional balance) in a superman-like stance - the feet and ankles work very hard to keep me balanced ...lots of twitching going on as they work to keep me steady; (3) from that position, rotate into a karate kid-like stance, dipping down so that the calf muscle gets engaged. I haven't had problems in those areas all year despite lots of mileage over the past eleven months.
I also wonder if wearing compression socks at times when not running would help.
2Young2BBald
Footbaldguy
I am suffering from some kind off postseason funk and burnout. To be expected, I'd guess after doing a 10-Leg Survival Tri, Oly Tri, 100K Dirt Relay and 200 Mile Team Relay in less than 9-weeks. Since the BC, I have ran 3 miles twice, swam 2,000 yards once and rode 12 miles on the trainer. Each time, I had to force myself and other than the swim, I cut short what I'd planned on doing. And, I have eaten more pork products and candy in the last two weeks that I have, probably in the last 2 years. Damn you Costco for the huge bag of thick cut, pre-cooked bacon 
You'd think being signed up for a trail race in November would light a fire under me, but that race is really just an excuse to get together with running friends and drink Bloody Marys after. Seeing what the chasers have been doing post chase has got me wondering when my mojo will come back. Not really whining or worried as I typically take a bit of a victory lap each season, but this one is coming earlier that I want it to.
You'd think being signed up for a trail race in November would light a fire under me, but that race is really just an excuse to get together with running friends and drink Bloody Marys after. Seeing what the chasers have been doing post chase has got me wondering when my mojo will come back. Not really whining or worried as I typically take a bit of a victory lap each season, but this one is coming earlier that I want it to.
sho nuff
Footballguy
I need to work on my stalking...I can't remember a single bib number I tried to remember.I was noting them in my head the whole race...even some after. I can't recall a single one.Going to search through the facebook page for the event now that the official pics are up on brightroom.
pigskinliquors
Dr. Parrothead
2Young: Get your ### signed up for an event and quit your whining.
sho nuff: Great dedication to pre-stalk Remembering nobody during your last race = unacceptable.
sho nuff: Great dedication to pre-stalk
Remembering nobody during your last race = unacceptable.Darrinll40
Footballguy
Sho, I am sure you can do a marathon, just don't think about the 20 mile runs.
Cold front coming through Florida today, it is 72 now and and expected to be 40's in the morning. I hope it holds out until Saturday.
I have been increasing my miles on every run, shooting for a 10 miler on Thanksgiving and a half on January 2nd.
After dying on the Kentucky hills during my last leg I decided to try and work on hills. Today I went out to the steepest, highest hill in my area, about .15 miles long and only about 50ish ft high. Not a great one, but I am calling it a starter hill.
2 miles total with 8 hill repeats as fast as I could go, averaging 7 to 7:40's for the climb. I plan to do this one for a few weeks on Wednesdays and then go find me bigger hill. There is a bridge about 12 miles away that would work well.
Cold front coming through Florida today, it is 72 now and and expected to be 40's in the morning. I hope it holds out until Saturday.
I have been increasing my miles on every run, shooting for a 10 miler on Thanksgiving and a half on January 2nd.
After dying on the Kentucky hills during my last leg I decided to try and work on hills. Today I went out to the steepest, highest hill in my area, about .15 miles long and only about 50ish ft high. Not a great one, but I am calling it a starter hill.
2 miles total with 8 hill repeats as fast as I could go, averaging 7 to 7:40's for the climb. I plan to do this one for a few weeks on Wednesdays and then go find me bigger hill. There is a bridge about 12 miles away that would work well.
gruecd
Footballguy
Good point on the Gu, and I was also wondering.... Had you been on antibiotics for the sinus infection? If so, they could help explain the dehydration you were experiencing.Regardless, congrats on getting the PR and running a smart race! Darrinll40
Footballguy
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