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Ran a 10k - Official Thread (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Ned
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Juxtatarot
Footballguy
Carmel Marathon race report
This is what I wrote earlier in the week about race goals going in:
Pre-race:
I have trouble sleeping well before races but it is particularly tough when it’s before a marathon and when I’m not in my own bed. I fell asleep pretty early (about 9:30) but awoke at about midnight. I probably slept for about another hour in total after that. No worries, though, after the alarms went off at 4:50 (I was already awake) and made a cup of coffee, had a good #### #1, and felt pretty good.
I did some hip stretches, got changed and hit the hotel gym’s treadmill at about 5:15. I was the only one there. Lots of runners stayed at the hotel but apparently they all didn’t understand the importance of neurostim! Anyway, ended up running a nice, easy .75 miles starting at 8:40 pace or so and speeding up to about 8:20. I forgot to read how long I should run for but by the end I felt loose and felt good.
Then it was back to the hotel room for two beet shots, a shower, and more bathroom activities. Then I putzed around the room for a while before meeting ChiefD and his wife in the lobby to take the shuttle to the starting line at 6:45. That ended up being earlier than we needed but it allowed us to find a nice spot under a building overhang to stay out of the wind and rain. It was such a nice spot that a perky, young news reporter came by with a camera guy to do a runner interview. She asked ChiefD to be on TV but he declined?! She ended up interviewing an older, local guy who gave much worse answers than ChiefD would have given.
About 15 minutes before the race, we headed to the start. I ditched my rain poncho a couple minutes before the start and then we’re off.
Miles 1 - 2: 6:36, 6:31
I was back in the pack at the start a little farther than I should have been. Since it’s a mix of half and full runners, it was a little congested and I had to weave around a lot of people.
The shorts that I wore had a hole in one pocket. I forgot about this when I decided to take them. That made me have the my Clif Bloks and two Clif Shots all on one side. That proved to be too much weight as they were flopping around every step. Also, I had forgotten to tie the drawstring and my shorts and they started falling down. I was able to get that tied while running and decided to carry the Bloks in my hand. That was probably a good thing because it encouraged me to start taking them early.
It was raining heavily and against the wind but a little downhill so these miles felt OK.
Miles 3-5: 6:31, 6:33, 6:34
We switched directions so the wind was at our backs. The rain stopped. Still a little downhill. I was feeling fine but worried about my heart rate. It was flirting with and then exceeded 150. That was what I averaged in my marathon last year and would have liked it to be lower this early.
Miles 6 - 12: 6:37, 6:33, 6:38, 6:40, 6:40, 6:33, 6:46
A little net uphill here and against the wind. I started talking to another runner who was very nice and had a similar goal. I was kind of looking for someone to run with and he was a good partner. I noticed the splits were a little slower but I was fine with that. Heart rate was still higher than I wanted it (around 154 average) and the effort level felt at the edge of what I could handle for that point in the race. We went off the streets at this point onto a nice paved running trail. During mile 12 it started pouring but that didn’t last that long.
Mile 13 - 16: 6:34, 6:34, 6:41, 6:36
We were still on the trail. I think the wind was mostly at our backs making things easier. We got catch by a pack of three runners so now we’re running as a pack of five. There is a little conversation but not much. Heart rate is in the mid to upper 150s.
Mile 17 - 21: 6:49, 6:43, 6:33, 6:41, 6:34
We get off the trail back onto the streets. There was a lot of elevation gain on the stretch and mostly against the wind. It was tough. The first guy that I was running has dropped back and the rest of the pack started separating. I kept thinking that what I have in the tank in a few miles short and I tried to not fall too far behind the other runners. I new my A goal wasn’t going to happen but I hoped to still be able to salvage my B goal. I knew I had a lot of time banked for that. C goal (don’t quit) is also in my mind. My heart rate is over 160.
Mile 22-24: 6:48, 7:00, 7:10
The race of the race would be slightly downhill but that didn’t matter much. The bonk (glycogen depletion) happened here, I think. The effort was just too hard to keep pace and I started seeing that 7 as a first pace number. I was a little at peace with it though because I knew I was doing the best that I could. I didn’t think it was about willpower, it was my body doing what it is naturally designed to do. I just couldn’t waited for it to be over.
Mile 25-26: 7:21, 7:04. Last .2: 7:13 pace
The last stretch had the wind at our backs. I was able to do the math and knew that I’d have my PR if I didn’t completely fall apart. I got passed around mile 26. A spectator warned me. “He’s going to pass you!” I replied, “I don’t care.”
Final time 2:55:37. 20 out of 849 overall. 1 out of 75 in age group. I posted on Strava that I was second because that’s what they told me when I picked up my age group award at the end (a coffee cup). However, the results have me winning so there must have been an early mistake. However, the guy that finished 11th was in the 50-54 age group so I’ll put an asterisk on that first.
Overall, I’m happy with the result. It’s not a big deal that I didn’t get my A goal and it gives me something to shoot for this fall. From a technical race strategy standpoint, my mistakes were obvious. I stubbornly ignored the early warning signs my body was giving me that I should slow a little more. I’d like to say I’ll learn from that but I probably won’t. I am what I am.
Finally, I’d like to mention it was nice seeing @gruecd again and nice meeting @The Iguana . I also had the chance to spend a lot of time with @ChiefD and his wife before the race and afterwards for a meal and drinks and, no surprise, they are truly wonderful people.
This is what I wrote earlier in the week about race goals going in:
In retrospect, these goals were appropriate to make. The A goal would be one achieved if everything went nearly perfectly. The B goal, I think, ended up being more realistic. I thought it was achievable going in, but I had reason to be skeptical. My PR set last year was in near ideal weather conditions on a course that was chosen because it’s almost pancake flat. As you know, weather was far from perfect from this one with wind and rain. And although it’s “flat” compared to Boston and many courses, it’s not close to a pancake with several hundred feet of elevation change including a lot of that from miles 16 to 21. That said, I had a great stretch of training and racing last fall and training went reasonably well this winter. Goal C is important for me to have since I’ve walked off courses before and really didn’t want to do that for this one.
Pre-race:
I have trouble sleeping well before races but it is particularly tough when it’s before a marathon and when I’m not in my own bed. I fell asleep pretty early (about 9:30) but awoke at about midnight. I probably slept for about another hour in total after that. No worries, though, after the alarms went off at 4:50 (I was already awake) and made a cup of coffee, had a good #### #1, and felt pretty good.
I did some hip stretches, got changed and hit the hotel gym’s treadmill at about 5:15. I was the only one there. Lots of runners stayed at the hotel but apparently they all didn’t understand the importance of neurostim! Anyway, ended up running a nice, easy .75 miles starting at 8:40 pace or so and speeding up to about 8:20. I forgot to read how long I should run for but by the end I felt loose and felt good.
Then it was back to the hotel room for two beet shots, a shower, and more bathroom activities. Then I putzed around the room for a while before meeting ChiefD and his wife in the lobby to take the shuttle to the starting line at 6:45. That ended up being earlier than we needed but it allowed us to find a nice spot under a building overhang to stay out of the wind and rain. It was such a nice spot that a perky, young news reporter came by with a camera guy to do a runner interview. She asked ChiefD to be on TV but he declined?! She ended up interviewing an older, local guy who gave much worse answers than ChiefD would have given.
About 15 minutes before the race, we headed to the start. I ditched my rain poncho a couple minutes before the start and then we’re off.
Miles 1 - 2: 6:36, 6:31
I was back in the pack at the start a little farther than I should have been. Since it’s a mix of half and full runners, it was a little congested and I had to weave around a lot of people.
The shorts that I wore had a hole in one pocket. I forgot about this when I decided to take them. That made me have the my Clif Bloks and two Clif Shots all on one side. That proved to be too much weight as they were flopping around every step. Also, I had forgotten to tie the drawstring and my shorts and they started falling down. I was able to get that tied while running and decided to carry the Bloks in my hand. That was probably a good thing because it encouraged me to start taking them early.
It was raining heavily and against the wind but a little downhill so these miles felt OK.
Miles 3-5: 6:31, 6:33, 6:34
We switched directions so the wind was at our backs. The rain stopped. Still a little downhill. I was feeling fine but worried about my heart rate. It was flirting with and then exceeded 150. That was what I averaged in my marathon last year and would have liked it to be lower this early.
Miles 6 - 12: 6:37, 6:33, 6:38, 6:40, 6:40, 6:33, 6:46
A little net uphill here and against the wind. I started talking to another runner who was very nice and had a similar goal. I was kind of looking for someone to run with and he was a good partner. I noticed the splits were a little slower but I was fine with that. Heart rate was still higher than I wanted it (around 154 average) and the effort level felt at the edge of what I could handle for that point in the race. We went off the streets at this point onto a nice paved running trail. During mile 12 it started pouring but that didn’t last that long.
Mile 13 - 16: 6:34, 6:34, 6:41, 6:36
We were still on the trail. I think the wind was mostly at our backs making things easier. We got catch by a pack of three runners so now we’re running as a pack of five. There is a little conversation but not much. Heart rate is in the mid to upper 150s.
Mile 17 - 21: 6:49, 6:43, 6:33, 6:41, 6:34
We get off the trail back onto the streets. There was a lot of elevation gain on the stretch and mostly against the wind. It was tough. The first guy that I was running has dropped back and the rest of the pack started separating. I kept thinking that what I have in the tank in a few miles short and I tried to not fall too far behind the other runners. I new my A goal wasn’t going to happen but I hoped to still be able to salvage my B goal. I knew I had a lot of time banked for that. C goal (don’t quit) is also in my mind. My heart rate is over 160.
Mile 22-24: 6:48, 7:00, 7:10
The race of the race would be slightly downhill but that didn’t matter much. The bonk (glycogen depletion) happened here, I think. The effort was just too hard to keep pace and I started seeing that 7 as a first pace number. I was a little at peace with it though because I knew I was doing the best that I could. I didn’t think it was about willpower, it was my body doing what it is naturally designed to do. I just couldn’t waited for it to be over.
Mile 25-26: 7:21, 7:04. Last .2: 7:13 pace
The last stretch had the wind at our backs. I was able to do the math and knew that I’d have my PR if I didn’t completely fall apart. I got passed around mile 26. A spectator warned me. “He’s going to pass you!” I replied, “I don’t care.”
Final time 2:55:37. 20 out of 849 overall. 1 out of 75 in age group. I posted on Strava that I was second because that’s what they told me when I picked up my age group award at the end (a coffee cup). However, the results have me winning so there must have been an early mistake. However, the guy that finished 11th was in the 50-54 age group so I’ll put an asterisk on that first.
Overall, I’m happy with the result. It’s not a big deal that I didn’t get my A goal and it gives me something to shoot for this fall. From a technical race strategy standpoint, my mistakes were obvious. I stubbornly ignored the early warning signs my body was giving me that I should slow a little more. I’d like to say I’ll learn from that but I probably won’t. I am what I am.
Finally, I’d like to mention it was nice seeing @gruecd again and nice meeting @The Iguana . I also had the chance to spend a lot of time with @ChiefD and his wife before the race and afterwards for a meal and drinks and, no surprise, they are truly wonderful people.
bushdocda
Footballguy
Juxt noses me out at the submit report line...
Baltimore Annapolis Trail (paved rail trail sorry
)HM
March was a good month with 188 miles and I got healthier throughout after managing volume of some workouts most of Feb. Came into this week feeling good and shifted Thursday workout to today so I was relatively rested this morning. Was excited to test race and see if I could PR at the same time. This is a local half in my backyard and it kicked my ### in 2016.
Prerace was smooth with alternately feelings of good and meh legs during a brief warmup. Was going to rain but it was a non issue. Started light rain about 5 miles in and felt great. Wind was nothing too so lucked out. Strange start that went off about 2 mins early. Not enough volume on the announcer and you could barely could hear national anthem. Then GO. Lots of people not ready. I got into rhythm pretty well thanks to beets, neurostim and the little warm up. Planned to progress roughly 8:30 for 1, 8:15 for 2, 8:00 for 3 then 7:45 for 7ish and push that down to 7:35 if I could. Would have me right about PR. Wasn’t sure how those goal pace miles would go after 6 miles at a building pace since I usually go from easy pace into tempo in workouts. I was ahead of the above plan by about 1 minute through about 4. I was still holding a prerace bottle of tailwind and had 2 gels for later (took around 4.something and 9). I was not planning on lack of
️. I knew each step and the undulations & rolls of the paved trail and after about 4 miles comes a nice gentle downhill that would be a crime not to use so I kept it up slightly ahead of plan to the trail end. Down a decent hill and turnaround back up in mile 6/7 and now it’s time to hit goal pace. Let’s go. Reached top of the hill and gathered myself for the push. Water grab with one for my head and one to gulp. Water on the head is the smartest thing I do on race days. Couple slightly uphill miles then got to my favorite spot on the trail where it levels off and comes back downhill. Had to let it go a bit to see if I had it the rest of the way but I didn’t. Spent miles 9 & 10 ahead of goal half pace/mile and then I was fighting to hold on the last couple. Dumped the tunes around mile 11 it is was just me and pain and passing people. I was fading but not terribly. Would have had a side stitch if I pressed and I did not. Mile 12 went fast thankfully and I was turning for home. Pushed it to the line and really like the day. I could have smoothed it out a bit pace wise but I got my test. All in all I’m thrilled and encouraged for the rest of this training (Hanson HM book) and race day in 6 weeks. It will be on a flat course and I am driving down to do a recon run in a couple weeks. We’ll see if a few more weeks of workouts, tapered and flat course adds up to 10 seconds less per mile. Always forget this part:
Guy who won ran 1:15. I was 12/34 AG and 75/750ish overall which still is not good enough according to my daughter.
Baltimore Annapolis Trail (paved rail trail sorry
)HMMarch was a good month with 188 miles and I got healthier throughout after managing volume of some workouts most of Feb. Came into this week feeling good and shifted Thursday workout to today so I was relatively rested this morning. Was excited to test race and see if I could PR at the same time. This is a local half in my backyard and it kicked my ### in 2016.
Prerace was smooth with alternately feelings of good and meh legs during a brief warmup. Was going to rain but it was a non issue. Started light rain about 5 miles in and felt great. Wind was nothing too so lucked out. Strange start that went off about 2 mins early. Not enough volume on the announcer and you could barely could hear national anthem. Then GO. Lots of people not ready. I got into rhythm pretty well thanks to beets, neurostim and the little warm up. Planned to progress roughly 8:30 for 1, 8:15 for 2, 8:00 for 3 then 7:45 for 7ish and push that down to 7:35 if I could. Would have me right about PR. Wasn’t sure how those goal pace miles would go after 6 miles at a building pace since I usually go from easy pace into tempo in workouts. I was ahead of the above plan by about 1 minute through about 4. I was still holding a prerace bottle of tailwind and had 2 gels for later (took around 4.something and 9). I was not planning on lack of
️. I knew each step and the undulations & rolls of the paved trail and after about 4 miles comes a nice gentle downhill that would be a crime not to use so I kept it up slightly ahead of plan to the trail end. Down a decent hill and turnaround back up in mile 6/7 and now it’s time to hit goal pace. Let’s go. Reached top of the hill and gathered myself for the push. Water grab with one for my head and one to gulp. Water on the head is the smartest thing I do on race days. Couple slightly uphill miles then got to my favorite spot on the trail where it levels off and comes back downhill. Had to let it go a bit to see if I had it the rest of the way but I didn’t. Spent miles 9 & 10 ahead of goal half pace/mile and then I was fighting to hold on the last couple. Dumped the tunes around mile 11 it is was just me and pain and passing people. I was fading but not terribly. Would have had a side stitch if I pressed and I did not. Mile 12 went fast thankfully and I was turning for home. Pushed it to the line and really like the day. I could have smoothed it out a bit pace wise but I got my test. All in all I’m thrilled and encouraged for the rest of this training (Hanson HM book) and race day in 6 weeks. It will be on a flat course and I am driving down to do a recon run in a couple weeks. We’ll see if a few more weeks of workouts, tapered and flat course adds up to 10 seconds less per mile. Always forget this part:Guy who won ran 1:15. I was 12/34 AG and 75/750ish overall which still is not good enough according to my daughter.
MAC_32
Footballguy
The Barkley hasnt won yet. Two made it to loop 4. Got into camp with less than 20 minutes to spare, quick re-fill, then back out on the course 2 mins before cut off. Next one made it back to camp 4 mins after the cutoff. Probably a blessing in disguise. Gonna need a miracle for those two to make it to loop 5
MAC_32
Footballguy
MAC_32
Footballguy
Marathon spectators and their blissful ignorance. Great race, man. You have been on quite the roll over the last year plus.
ChiefD
Footballguy
2019 Roundabout City...errrrrr.......Carmel Marathon Race Report
Looks like I'm pulling up the rear on race reports today, which sounds about right.
This report is going to take awhile, so if you don't like to read or are impatient like @gianmarco, just scroll down to the end.
The Build Up
As most of you know, I've been chasing a ghost. I started this running journey in November of 2012. My neighbor wanted to run a half, so she needed a training partner. I had been thinking of working out for awhile, and I was heading down a path in my life that wasn't good. I was drinking too much, and gaining weight, and I was turning into my dad. He passed away at the age of 41 - an alcoholic who drank and smoked and did a lot of things as a dad that I still struggle with to this day.
But 7 years ago, I made a decision to reverse that statistical probability for myself. I jumped in. My first ever run was 1.54 miles, at a pace of 16:32. I weighed 172 pounds.
As I got into shape, and over the years, I ran a bunch of half marathons. I had some relative success - my best was 1:46, but in 2015 I was ready for the marathon challenge. I set an arbitrary goal of sub 4:00. I figured with my HM time and proper training I "should" be able to accomplish that. I was wrong.
I didn't know what I was doing wrong. I thought I was doing the right things. But I failed - miserably. And as most of you know, I've "quit" more times than most. Mentally I have been a pooosay - in the training and in the mental side of racing. I've had these demons raging in my heart and soul for many years, and somehow all of this stuff with my dad is intertwined in this.
But this time would be different. I had a ghost to chase (in more ways than one). I had to give this one more try. But if I was going to do it, I had to let go of my stubbornness and my mental weakness and get it done. And this thread made that happen. All of you Hanson wankers planted the seed.
One of the race reports that resonated with me and stuck with me was one from @SteelCurtain I think, where he ran the plan and was true to the plan and didn't miss a day or workout. I almost succeeded here. I did take one extra day off, but I put everything into this. Some days were hard, where I had to work around kids schedules and illness and wife traveling issues, but I only missed one workout in 18 weeks.
So leading up to the race, the last 3 weeks gave me some hope. @MAC_32 noticed it - he mentioned I was in a groove lately, and he was right. So I appreciate a guy noticing those things so close to the race.
I started my pre-race diet a week in advance - every meal was planned to carb load and eat the proper amounts of protein and also hydrate. I felt good driving to Carmel. I weighed in at 146 on race day.
Holy Effing Carmel, The Effing Roundabouts, and Meeting The Boys
The roundabouts. Holy Jesus someone needs to redesign this city. I will never come back here until they re-install the 4 way stops with stoplights.
Anyway, on Friday I got to meet @Juxtatarot, @gruecd, @The Iguana, and grue's friend who was running his first marathon. (would love to hear how he did, btw).
Iguana was kind enough to drive all the way north to meet with us for dinner. Grue and his buddy went off on their own, so myself, my wife, and juxt and Iguana had a pasta dinner at the hotel. The conversation was great, and juxt gave me some awesome info during that dinner that helped me tremendously on race day. We started talking about race day nutrition, and he mentioned that he started taking nutrition pretty early - within the first mile or two and continuing until his body was done wanting to take nutrition. So at this point I decided I would start doing the same at every mile. This proved to be tremendous advice.
Juxt also talked about how during some races that the simple things can sometime throw him off or, in his words "piss me off" during a race. And it would alter sometimes his mentally on how the race was going. This proved to be a foreshadowing to the next morning.
Race Day
Fell asleep about midnight, and actually slept pretty good for 5 hours until my alarm went off at 5:15 am. Got up, drank a few sips of coke, and ate a couple of pieces of bread with peanut butter. Wanted to get my GI track moving, so decided to try one of those neurostism runs, so I jogged back and forth in my room for a few seconds until realizing - #### that @gianmarco guy. But something worked, and ended up with two productive dumps.
As we all know by now, the weather was horrible. We woke up to a southern wind and rain. Luckily I could see this from the hotel room. My whole plan for the last 18 weeks was to run with my phone and some music. But as soon as I put my armband on with my phone in it, something wasn't right. It didn't feel right. So then I started thinking about how in mile 18 this thing is going to be sliding down my arm and I'm going to be fooking with it the whole time and it's gonna piss me off. This is where juxt's words came into play, so I sheeeit-canned the phone and music.
Met juxt in the lobby and grabbed the shuttle and off we went. My wife was also with us. God bless her, and more about her later. So, a few words about the news reporter. She looked at me and juxt and asked us where we were from. He said Chicago, me Kansas City. Her eyes lit up like we were fresh meat. We were EXACTLY what she was looking for - out of towners on a miserable day running a marathon in her town. I looked at juxt, he had this look like - no fooking way I'm doing this, and I then said no. Looking back, I wish I had done this. A video of me on the news posting an interview would make @SFBayDuck's report look like amateur hour.
Anyway, went to the corral and saw @The Iguana literally two guys away from me. It was raining pretty good, but the wind was actually subsiding a bit. We chatted for a few minutes, and I'm glad he was there. It made me forget the rain for a few minutes, and we were off.
Miles 1-6
Based on my pre-race research, I knew this section would be relatively downhill. So the plan going in was to try and keep my average pace somewhere around 9:00 or something better. For me to hit my goal, I didn't want to see anything worse than 9:06 on my watch. I ran this race pretty much by average pace and glanced at HR from time to time just to keep me honest.
The rain also stopped during this section, so it was really pleasant to run. Finished this section at 9:01, with a HR of 160. Right where I wanted to be. I also established a pattern here with nutrition and fluids. Take a chew with every mile, (thanks @Juxtatarot) and drink my Tailwind every time there was an aid station. I continued this pattern all the way until mile 16 or so.
Miles 7-13.1
As juxt said, this section takes you through some neighborhoods before you end up the rail road trail that Iguana referenced earlier. It was also at this point that it started to rain - hard. The rain was in our faces, and my clothing was soaked. Praise the Lord to Nike and all the research that goes into Dri-Fit clothing, because a lot of that moisture wicked off. But for a while there, my shirt and shorts were plastered to my body. One of the benefits of this course it that it zig-zagged quite a bit, so for the first part of the race you never were into the wind much at all. That would change in the second part of the race.
My average pace was good here, and I would check the heart rate periodically to make sure I was good. But I knew I was good. Everything felt solid. I wanted to hit the halfway point under two hours, and did that with no real pain or issues.
I also saw Iguana here, and hearing his time seriously pumping me up for the next 3 or 4 miles. As I passed him we gave a huge high-five after I heard his time and it was a cool moment. On that type of day, I really appreciate him sticking around to see me there.
This section: 9:02 pace. HR 165
Miles 13.1 - 17.0
This was a pretty non-descript section, other than the fact I knew what was coming. At mile 17 the course would turn north, at which point the course would be on a steady incline for a long while. Also, based on the weather report, I knew the wind would start coming out of the north and northwest. So the following segment would be the tester. This is why I tried to push the pace early - I knew it was coming so tried to plan for it.
You guys always talk about perceived effort - a lot of this race was like that. I pretty much ran the whole race on an effort that felt "right" - I never felt like I overworked or underworked. It just worked.
Anyway, this section was a little slower, but I was ok.
9:06 pace. HR 164.
Miles 17 - 24
Whoever said Carmel was flat can suck my sack. This section tested my resolve. As soon as I turned the corner to head north, the wind was there. For 7 ####### miles. It also started to rain here, so that added to the discomfort. This was the point where in previous marathons my fitness and mental fortitude died. Not today.
Not once during this section did I want to stop and walk. Not once did I question whether I could finish this race. I just put my head down and thought about you guys. I thought about the #BMF mentality of all of you. I thought about this report - I didn't want to let you guys (and myself) down. I dug deep mentally here and finally crossed a threshold I didn't even know I had.
I thought about my wife - she was out there in this rain and sheeeity weather supporting me and screaming encouragement. She was there at mile 20 at the back end of this incline running alongside me - pulling me up that last stretch.
I knew at mile 22 I had sub 4:00 in the bag. While this stretch was slower, my average pace on my watch was holding steady. That was my focus. And thanks to juxt again for such a simple suggestion a month ago. I would NEVER have put my watch on that setting if not for him.
9:15 pace. HR 170.
Miles 24 - 26.2
At this point the course turns back to the south and is pretty much downhill from here. When I hit mile 24 I had 22 minutes to cover 2.2 miles. This race was mine. This last stretch was awesome. The rain stopped, and I just couldn't stop grinning the whole way. This one was in the bag, so I enjoyed the last couple of miles.
9:05 pace. HR 172
Chip Time: 3:58:34 (I caught the ghost)
This was a PR by 33 minutes. I hoped I could get there, but never thought I had a realistic shot. But I did
The Aftermath And What is Next
First off, a word about the other guys in the race:
@gruecd - you can tell within 5 minutes this guy is a good dude. I know his race didn't go as planned, but he's smart enough to shut it down and live to race another day. I'm also excited to have him come to KC this fall when the Chiefs play the Packers and we can go check out the game. There will definitely be some beers and ribs and tailgating involved with that.
@The Iguana - this guy has come a long way in 6 months. He mentioned he has lost 35 pounds, and the quick speed progression he as shown in such a short time is impressive. There are great things in store for his running career. And I learned a lot about his character in three ways - he drove all the way up for dinner to meet us, he waited on a cold and rainy day to see me at the halfway point, and then celebrated his success with lunch with his daughter. This is a good man.
@Juxtatarot - i clearly spent the most time with juxt. After the race he and my wife and I grabbed a late lunch at an irish pub, followed by drinks at the hotel bar. The conversation flowed the whole time between the three of us, just talking about running and life and family. His knowledge of running is off the charts, and you can tell by as many times as I've referenced his advice in this thread. When we were at the hotel, a group came into the bar from Nashville. They were a running club, so they all wore their medals into the bar. There were probably 40 or so people. After a while, one of the member ended up close to us, and most of them had run the half and a few had run the marathon.
For those of you who have met juxt, he is a very humble person. So when this lady came over, we were talking about the race and I said something like (looking at juxt): "that guy over there finished 20th overall in this marathon!!!!" And needless to say she and her friends were impressed. I'm not sure he was impressed with me showering him with attention , but he deserved it.
This dude is a superstar guys - his talent is off the charts - especially on a day like yesterday. And his humility speaks to the type of guy he is. My wife and I both had a great time having beers and just talking - it was a fun night and I am proud to know him as well.
As for what's next, the June relay race is next on the agenda. And after that - not sure yet. This race broke a barrier - and I have to decide the next steps. I am definitely going to keep running. I think a fall half is in the cards for sure - I'm not going to let this fitness go to waste. I think I finally turned a corner from a guy who runs to a runner.
A final word about my wife. This weekend helped us tremendously. With 3 kids, it's hard sometimes to connect with your spouse as much as you should. And this cycle was hard on us. We needed these days to just be "us". And her running basically 8 miles during the day to meet me 4 times on the course speaks volumes to the kind of person she is. This woman is my rock. And @gianmarco, me and juxt just may have talked her into driving the van in June. She wants to talk to your wife first........Stay tuned.......
Looks like I'm pulling up the rear on race reports today, which sounds about right.
This report is going to take awhile, so if you don't like to read or are impatient like @gianmarco, just scroll down to the end.The Build Up
As most of you know, I've been chasing a ghost. I started this running journey in November of 2012. My neighbor wanted to run a half, so she needed a training partner. I had been thinking of working out for awhile, and I was heading down a path in my life that wasn't good. I was drinking too much, and gaining weight, and I was turning into my dad. He passed away at the age of 41 - an alcoholic who drank and smoked and did a lot of things as a dad that I still struggle with to this day.
But 7 years ago, I made a decision to reverse that statistical probability for myself. I jumped in. My first ever run was 1.54 miles, at a pace of 16:32. I weighed 172 pounds.
As I got into shape, and over the years, I ran a bunch of half marathons. I had some relative success - my best was 1:46, but in 2015 I was ready for the marathon challenge. I set an arbitrary goal of sub 4:00. I figured with my HM time and proper training I "should" be able to accomplish that. I was wrong.
I didn't know what I was doing wrong. I thought I was doing the right things. But I failed - miserably. And as most of you know, I've "quit" more times than most. Mentally I have been a pooosay - in the training and in the mental side of racing. I've had these demons raging in my heart and soul for many years, and somehow all of this stuff with my dad is intertwined in this.
But this time would be different. I had a ghost to chase (in more ways than one). I had to give this one more try. But if I was going to do it, I had to let go of my stubbornness and my mental weakness and get it done. And this thread made that happen. All of you Hanson wankers planted the seed.
One of the race reports that resonated with me and stuck with me was one from @SteelCurtain I think, where he ran the plan and was true to the plan and didn't miss a day or workout. I almost succeeded here. I did take one extra day off, but I put everything into this. Some days were hard, where I had to work around kids schedules and illness and wife traveling issues, but I only missed one workout in 18 weeks.
So leading up to the race, the last 3 weeks gave me some hope. @MAC_32 noticed it - he mentioned I was in a groove lately, and he was right. So I appreciate a guy noticing those things so close to the race.
I started my pre-race diet a week in advance - every meal was planned to carb load and eat the proper amounts of protein and also hydrate. I felt good driving to Carmel. I weighed in at 146 on race day.
Holy Effing Carmel, The Effing Roundabouts, and Meeting The Boys
The roundabouts. Holy Jesus someone needs to redesign this city. I will never come back here until they re-install the 4 way stops with stoplights.
Anyway, on Friday I got to meet @Juxtatarot, @gruecd, @The Iguana, and grue's friend who was running his first marathon. (would love to hear how he did, btw).
Iguana was kind enough to drive all the way north to meet with us for dinner. Grue and his buddy went off on their own, so myself, my wife, and juxt and Iguana had a pasta dinner at the hotel. The conversation was great, and juxt gave me some awesome info during that dinner that helped me tremendously on race day. We started talking about race day nutrition, and he mentioned that he started taking nutrition pretty early - within the first mile or two and continuing until his body was done wanting to take nutrition. So at this point I decided I would start doing the same at every mile. This proved to be tremendous advice.
Juxt also talked about how during some races that the simple things can sometime throw him off or, in his words "piss me off" during a race. And it would alter sometimes his mentally on how the race was going. This proved to be a foreshadowing to the next morning.
Race Day
Fell asleep about midnight, and actually slept pretty good for 5 hours until my alarm went off at 5:15 am. Got up, drank a few sips of coke, and ate a couple of pieces of bread with peanut butter. Wanted to get my GI track moving, so decided to try one of those neurostism runs, so I jogged back and forth in my room for a few seconds until realizing - #### that @gianmarco guy. But something worked, and ended up with two productive dumps.
As we all know by now, the weather was horrible. We woke up to a southern wind and rain. Luckily I could see this from the hotel room. My whole plan for the last 18 weeks was to run with my phone and some music. But as soon as I put my armband on with my phone in it, something wasn't right. It didn't feel right. So then I started thinking about how in mile 18 this thing is going to be sliding down my arm and I'm going to be fooking with it the whole time and it's gonna piss me off. This is where juxt's words came into play, so I sheeeit-canned the phone and music.
Met juxt in the lobby and grabbed the shuttle and off we went. My wife was also with us. God bless her, and more about her later. So, a few words about the news reporter. She looked at me and juxt and asked us where we were from. He said Chicago, me Kansas City. Her eyes lit up like we were fresh meat. We were EXACTLY what she was looking for - out of towners on a miserable day running a marathon in her town. I looked at juxt, he had this look like - no fooking way I'm doing this, and I then said no. Looking back, I wish I had done this. A video of me on the news posting an interview would make @SFBayDuck's report look like amateur hour.
Anyway, went to the corral and saw @The Iguana literally two guys away from me. It was raining pretty good, but the wind was actually subsiding a bit. We chatted for a few minutes, and I'm glad he was there. It made me forget the rain for a few minutes, and we were off.
Miles 1-6
Based on my pre-race research, I knew this section would be relatively downhill. So the plan going in was to try and keep my average pace somewhere around 9:00 or something better. For me to hit my goal, I didn't want to see anything worse than 9:06 on my watch. I ran this race pretty much by average pace and glanced at HR from time to time just to keep me honest.
The rain also stopped during this section, so it was really pleasant to run. Finished this section at 9:01, with a HR of 160. Right where I wanted to be. I also established a pattern here with nutrition and fluids. Take a chew with every mile, (thanks @Juxtatarot) and drink my Tailwind every time there was an aid station. I continued this pattern all the way until mile 16 or so.
Miles 7-13.1
As juxt said, this section takes you through some neighborhoods before you end up the rail road trail that Iguana referenced earlier. It was also at this point that it started to rain - hard. The rain was in our faces, and my clothing was soaked. Praise the Lord to Nike and all the research that goes into Dri-Fit clothing, because a lot of that moisture wicked off. But for a while there, my shirt and shorts were plastered to my body. One of the benefits of this course it that it zig-zagged quite a bit, so for the first part of the race you never were into the wind much at all. That would change in the second part of the race.
My average pace was good here, and I would check the heart rate periodically to make sure I was good. But I knew I was good. Everything felt solid. I wanted to hit the halfway point under two hours, and did that with no real pain or issues.
I also saw Iguana here, and hearing his time seriously pumping me up for the next 3 or 4 miles. As I passed him we gave a huge high-five after I heard his time and it was a cool moment. On that type of day, I really appreciate him sticking around to see me there.
This section: 9:02 pace. HR 165
Miles 13.1 - 17.0
This was a pretty non-descript section, other than the fact I knew what was coming. At mile 17 the course would turn north, at which point the course would be on a steady incline for a long while. Also, based on the weather report, I knew the wind would start coming out of the north and northwest. So the following segment would be the tester. This is why I tried to push the pace early - I knew it was coming so tried to plan for it.
You guys always talk about perceived effort - a lot of this race was like that. I pretty much ran the whole race on an effort that felt "right" - I never felt like I overworked or underworked. It just worked.
Anyway, this section was a little slower, but I was ok.
9:06 pace. HR 164.
Miles 17 - 24
Whoever said Carmel was flat can suck my sack. This section tested my resolve. As soon as I turned the corner to head north, the wind was there. For 7 ####### miles. It also started to rain here, so that added to the discomfort. This was the point where in previous marathons my fitness and mental fortitude died. Not today.
Not once during this section did I want to stop and walk. Not once did I question whether I could finish this race. I just put my head down and thought about you guys. I thought about the #BMF mentality of all of you. I thought about this report - I didn't want to let you guys (and myself) down. I dug deep mentally here and finally crossed a threshold I didn't even know I had.
I thought about my wife - she was out there in this rain and sheeeity weather supporting me and screaming encouragement. She was there at mile 20 at the back end of this incline running alongside me - pulling me up that last stretch.
I knew at mile 22 I had sub 4:00 in the bag. While this stretch was slower, my average pace on my watch was holding steady. That was my focus. And thanks to juxt again for such a simple suggestion a month ago. I would NEVER have put my watch on that setting if not for him.
9:15 pace. HR 170.
Miles 24 - 26.2
At this point the course turns back to the south and is pretty much downhill from here. When I hit mile 24 I had 22 minutes to cover 2.2 miles. This race was mine. This last stretch was awesome. The rain stopped, and I just couldn't stop grinning the whole way. This one was in the bag, so I enjoyed the last couple of miles.
9:05 pace. HR 172
Chip Time: 3:58:34 (I caught the ghost)
This was a PR by 33 minutes. I hoped I could get there, but never thought I had a realistic shot. But I did
The Aftermath And What is Next
First off, a word about the other guys in the race:
@gruecd - you can tell within 5 minutes this guy is a good dude. I know his race didn't go as planned, but he's smart enough to shut it down and live to race another day. I'm also excited to have him come to KC this fall when the Chiefs play the Packers and we can go check out the game. There will definitely be some beers and ribs and tailgating involved with that.
@The Iguana - this guy has come a long way in 6 months. He mentioned he has lost 35 pounds, and the quick speed progression he as shown in such a short time is impressive. There are great things in store for his running career. And I learned a lot about his character in three ways - he drove all the way up for dinner to meet us, he waited on a cold and rainy day to see me at the halfway point, and then celebrated his success with lunch with his daughter. This is a good man.
@Juxtatarot - i clearly spent the most time with juxt. After the race he and my wife and I grabbed a late lunch at an irish pub, followed by drinks at the hotel bar. The conversation flowed the whole time between the three of us, just talking about running and life and family. His knowledge of running is off the charts, and you can tell by as many times as I've referenced his advice in this thread. When we were at the hotel, a group came into the bar from Nashville. They were a running club, so they all wore their medals into the bar. There were probably 40 or so people. After a while, one of the member ended up close to us, and most of them had run the half and a few had run the marathon.
For those of you who have met juxt, he is a very humble person. So when this lady came over, we were talking about the race and I said something like (looking at juxt): "that guy over there finished 20th overall in this marathon!!!!" And needless to say she and her friends were impressed. I'm not sure he was impressed with me showering him with attention
, but he deserved it.This dude is a superstar guys - his talent is off the charts - especially on a day like yesterday. And his humility speaks to the type of guy he is. My wife and I both had a great time having beers and just talking - it was a fun night and I am proud to know him as well.
As for what's next, the June relay race is next on the agenda. And after that - not sure yet. This race broke a barrier - and I have to decide the next steps. I am definitely going to keep running. I think a fall half is in the cards for sure - I'm not going to let this fitness go to waste. I think I finally turned a corner from a guy who runs to a runner.
A final word about my wife. This weekend helped us tremendously. With 3 kids, it's hard sometimes to connect with your spouse as much as you should. And this cycle was hard on us. We needed these days to just be "us". And her running basically 8 miles during the day to meet me 4 times on the course speaks volumes to the kind of person she is. This woman is my rock. And @gianmarco, me and juxt just may have talked her into driving the van in June. She wants to talk to your wife first........Stay tuned.......
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Juxtatarot
Footballguy
When I got back to the hotel after the race, I checked out the site to see how ChiefD was faring. I think Mac was the first to post the result. I think I was happier for him than I was for myself.
Everyone who has followed this thread knows the struggles he’s had over the years in this “hobby”. I remember being so frustrated when he first started heart rate training and resorted to walking when his heart rate got out of zone. “JUST RUN!” I must have posted. I think that was before even the health problems.
When I started reading the section in his report about why he started running in the first place, I immediately thought of replying to you guys about his wife joking to me about how he decided to run with his “hot” neighbor. But he went deeper than that. And I think that’s a major component to why we all do this. And it shows the value of this thread and what it’s done for us all.
Kudos to @ChiefD!
Everyone who has followed this thread knows the struggles he’s had over the years in this “hobby”. I remember being so frustrated when he first started heart rate training and resorted to walking when his heart rate got out of zone. “JUST RUN!” I must have posted. I think that was before even the health problems.
When I started reading the section in his report about why he started running in the first place, I immediately thought of replying to you guys about his wife joking to me about how he decided to run with his “hot” neighbor. But he went deeper than that. And I think that’s a major component to why we all do this. And it shows the value of this thread and what it’s done for us all.
Kudos to @ChiefD!
MAC_32
Footballguy
I got to the gym for my lunch lift at 11:55. Instead of going in and getting after it I sat in the parking lot, staring at my phone, hoping for a notification within the next 5 minutes. A #### yeah and flurry of fist pumps followed about 3 minutes later.
gianmarco
Footballguy
I was driving to one of my kid's classmate's birthday parties after leaving gymnastics. I'm on the road and waiting for the text. It comes in and I'm similarly doing some fist pumps (and internal #### yeah's due to young children in the vehicle). I'm trying to pull up the site and it's taking forever and there's Mac's post. Made the rest of the birthday party for 6 year olds at an indoor trampoline center much more tolerable.
The Iguana
Footballguy
You can't imagine how bummed I was when I thought I missed you. After I finished, it took me a bit of time to gather up some snacks and the thermal blanket, find a place to try to gather my composure and then wander over to the corner I found. I knew you wouldn't be too far behind me but I also had little since of time. After being there for a couple of minutes I started to worry that 1 of 2 things had happened and I wasn't sure which would be worse... 1, that you had already blown past and I missed you. 2 that something had gone wrong and you were behind schedule. One of the pacers went by and I was pretty sure I wasn't too late. To see you come by and for you to have such a smile on your face over my effort when you still had another half to go was awesome.I also saw Iguana here, and hearing his time seriously pumping me up for the next 3 or 4 miles. As I passed him we gave a huge high-five after I heard his time and it was a cool moment. On that type of day, I really appreciate him sticking around to see me there.
The above is a work of art, IMO. Got a little dusty in here as I was reading that part. Nice work man, wish I could have stuck around for the finish!
I appreciate the kind words. Getting a chance to meet a few of the fine people that have encouraged me in this journey was a no-brainer. Totally appreciate that everyone was willing and able to hang out for a bit.
Your wife is a saint, and the two of you seem like a great team. I can only imagine what it is like for both of you at this time in life with 3 little ones running about with activities and such while also doing your own thing. Seemed obvious to me that the two of you have a good thing going on.
There's only one disappointment I have from this weekend... and that is simply not getting to witness a live rendition of the #BMF song! Truly a bummer.
The Iguana
Footballguy
@gianmarco also want to say thanks for taking the time to call me back between gymnastics and the birthday party. I appreciate it, as well as all the encouragement via PM, phone, this thread. You, my long time friend and FF adversary, are a great guy. Thanks, man!
ChiefD
Footballguy
That's awesome. Much appreciated.
This is why I run. Glad I could help you. I think you may have had the worst of it.
ChiefD
Footballguy
Yeah, this did cross my mind. If you had been around Saturday night when we were having beers at the hotel I might have cranked it out. Those beers were going down pretty good. And plentiful.
The Iguana
Footballguy
By the way, I totally was thinking about this conversation when my watched buzzed at me a little over a tenth of a mile into the rac and showed "Lap 1 - 1:08" or something like that and then every lap update from then to the finish was off of the mile markers by that distance. I had to have bumped it in some manner to trigger it - you tap the watch face to trigger it and I've started using it to track the number of laps when I run at the indoor track, per a wise suggestion from @gruecd. I need to turn it off before future races!
gruecd
Footballguy
Busy today trying to catch up at work, but hopefully in the next few days I'll have time to read everyone's race reports and give all of you guys the props and attention that you deserve. In the meantime, I just want to say to @The Iguana, @Juxtatarot, and @ChiefD that I'm super proud of all of you and that I really appreciate your friendship!
PS: Not exactly ideal conditions for one's first marathon, and he struggled a bit in the last 10K (to be expected), but my buddy hung in there and finished in 4:34:05.
PS: Not exactly ideal conditions for one's first marathon, and he struggled a bit in the last 10K (to be expected), but my buddy hung in there and finished in 4:34:05.
gruecd
Footballguy
I always turn off the auto lap when I race and just hit the lap button on my Garmin when I pass each mile marker along the side of the road. If I'm targeting a certain pace, it's the "mile" on the road that matters, even if it's actually 1.03 miles or something because I didn't do a good job of running the tangents. As far as Saturday's race is concerned, at least that's one thing that I did well....my Garmin says I ran 26.25 miles.
gruecd
Footballguy
worrierking
Footballguy
Hi guys. It's been a while since I visited. Congrats to all you racers this weekend. I enjoyed the reports.
I popped in to say hello, but also to explain my absence. I have had a couple of serious privacy issues, one a couple of years ago and another recently. I have pulled way back on any online presence that indicates where I am or where I might be in the future. Part of that was getting out of all running-related forums, etc. I realized this week that I was still signed up for Strava and that published my running routes, etc. I deleted that account, even though I truly appreciated all the kudos I received there. I just wanted to let you know why I was missing from here and from there. I check in here occasionally. Keeping running!
I popped in to say hello, but also to explain my absence. I have had a couple of serious privacy issues, one a couple of years ago and another recently. I have pulled way back on any online presence that indicates where I am or where I might be in the future. Part of that was getting out of all running-related forums, etc. I realized this week that I was still signed up for Strava and that published my running routes, etc. I deleted that account, even though I truly appreciated all the kudos I received there. I just wanted to let you know why I was missing from here and from there. I check in here occasionally. Keeping running!
gruecd
Footballguy
Zasada
Footballguy
@ChiefD fantastic race report. Really felt it. Congratulations on sticking with the training. Someone on this forum (can't remember who) said the real work is in the training and the race is just a "victory lap". Your report really came across that way -- the biggest effort you had to put in was sticking with the plan.
Hopefully I'll be able to get down south sometime and meet/race with you guys.
Hopefully I'll be able to get down south sometime and meet/race with you guys.
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ChiefD
Footballguy
tri-man 47
Footballguy
@ChiefD: First of all, let me again offer congrats on the great race. You planned your race and raced your plan. You held an incredibly steady pace through the bulk of the race and then toughened up as needed to hold that pace quite well over the final miles. Doing all that during some challenging weather conditions is true BMFing.
More importantly, I'm so thrilled to see such a successful culmination of what has been a life-changing process over these past several years. You're a better man, husband, and father because of it, and that means everything. It's been my joy to see all of this unfold and my pleasure to count you as a friend.
Now you need to get to work on a musical adaption of Michael Jackson's "Beet It." We can work on the dance moves when we gather in St. Louis.
More importantly, I'm so thrilled to see such a successful culmination of what has been a life-changing process over these past several years. You're a better man, husband, and father because of it, and that means everything. It's been my joy to see all of this unfold and my pleasure to count you as a friend.
Now you need to get to work on a musical adaption of Michael Jackson's "Beet It." We can work on the dance moves when we gather in St. Louis.
gruecd
Footballguy
The Iguana
Footballguy
Chief mentioned in his race report about my weight loss. I'm sure I've mentioned it here before (probably repeatedly) and maybe I even posted this update during a previous month but I figured I'd drop it in again for the fun of it. Back at the beginning of July, I got a new "smart scale" at home that connects to my phone. I started tracking my weight. At first I just changed my food intake slightly - basically just cut out junk. I didn't really start working out regularly until I started running to train for the November 4th HM that I did. That was about the end of September. Here is the progress I've made over the last 10 months:
Date weight body fat*
7/1: 235 30.8%
8/1: 232 29.9%
9/1: 230 29.8%
10/1: 229 29.5%
11/1: 224 28.3%
12/1: 222 28.2%
1/1: 219 27.4%
2/1: 213 26.2%
3/1: 205 24.5%
4/1: 200 23.6%
10 month total: 35 lbs, ~7.2% body fat lost
*NOTE: Body fat isn't particularly accurate, IMO. That is based off of the "smart scale" I have at home. I'm going to keep using it as a tracking mechanism but part way through March work had a "bod pod" screening thing as an option. I signed up for it and got a pretty detailed, and reportedly much more accurate, body reading. According to it, on March 15th, I was 18.8% body fat. That's allegedly a pretty accurate measurement. Who knows...
For the last week or so, I've been weighing in at about 200 pounds, several times being just a shade under (i.e. 199.7, etc). I went over the 200 lb barrier sometime during 1998, which is when my wife was pregnant with our firstborn. The last week or so is the first time I have weighed in under 200 pounds in basically 21 years. Of course, that's "first thing in the morning weight" but I'll take it!
Not exactly worried about a specific number but my soft goal is to eventually get to be about 185 or so. That said, I plan to continue the current plan for the next month. That plan is mostly centered around running 4 to 5 days a week with a couple days of light to moderate lifting. After the race on May 4th, I plan to continue running but to also mix in more "cross training" and/or increase the lifting/weight training.
Date weight body fat*
7/1: 235 30.8%
8/1: 232 29.9%
9/1: 230 29.8%
10/1: 229 29.5%
11/1: 224 28.3%
12/1: 222 28.2%
1/1: 219 27.4%
2/1: 213 26.2%
3/1: 205 24.5%
4/1: 200 23.6%
10 month total: 35 lbs, ~7.2% body fat lost
*NOTE: Body fat isn't particularly accurate, IMO. That is based off of the "smart scale" I have at home. I'm going to keep using it as a tracking mechanism but part way through March work had a "bod pod" screening thing as an option. I signed up for it and got a pretty detailed, and reportedly much more accurate, body reading. According to it, on March 15th, I was 18.8% body fat. That's allegedly a pretty accurate measurement. Who knows...
For the last week or so, I've been weighing in at about 200 pounds, several times being just a shade under (i.e. 199.7, etc). I went over the 200 lb barrier sometime during 1998, which is when my wife was pregnant with our firstborn. The last week or so is the first time I have weighed in under 200 pounds in basically 21 years. Of course, that's "first thing in the morning weight" but I'll take it!
Not exactly worried about a specific number but my soft goal is to eventually get to be about 185 or so. That said, I plan to continue the current plan for the next month. That plan is mostly centered around running 4 to 5 days a week with a couple days of light to moderate lifting. After the race on May 4th, I plan to continue running but to also mix in more "cross training" and/or increase the lifting/weight training.
SFBayDuck
Footballguy
Let me be yet another to quote this section, just great stuff.Miles 17 - 24
Whoever said Carmel was flat can suck my sack. This section tested my resolve. As soon as I turned the corner to head north, the wind was there. For 7 ####### miles. It also started to rain here, so that added to the discomfort. This was the point where in previous marathons my fitness and mental fortitude died. Not today.
Not once during this section did I want to stop and walk. Not once did I question whether I could finish this race. I just put my head down and thought about you guys. I thought about the #BMF mentality of all of you. I thought about this report - I didn't want to let you guys (and myself) down. I dug deep mentally here and finally crossed a threshold I didn't even know I had.
I thought about my wife - she was out there in this rain and sheeeity weather supporting me and screaming encouragement. She was there at mile 20 at the back end of this incline running alongside me - pulling me up that last stretch.
I knew at mile 22 I had sub 4:00 in the bag. While this stretch was slower, my average pace on my watch was holding steady. That was my focus. And thanks to juxt again for such a simple suggestion a month ago. I would NEVER have put my watch on that setting if not for him.
9:15 pace. HR 170.
The Iguana
Footballguy
Also, while I'm talking about me... really trying to figure out what my goal(s) should be for May 4th. Definitely want to repeat/beat the race from Saturday. I know there could/should/would be challenges for that. Weather might be better, might be worse. But more so, will be the crowds. Saturday had about 3k runners in all 4 races (full, half, 10k, 5k). The Indy Mini will literally have about 20K runners in it. I was able to submit a 5k time that got me seeded but not sure where I will be exactly. If I match my time from Saturday, that still has almost 1300 people in front of me. All reports are that it is a mess navigating the throng of runners.
ChiefD
Footballguy
I would do whatever I could to move myself to the front of the corral if possible. You are fast enough that you won't impede anyone's progress.
As for a time goal, see how the next few weeks go. You'll be a little tired this week probably. Maybe a soft goal of 1:40 or something, and see what happens.
ChiefD
Footballguy
Thanks guys. That section was so weird for me mentally. It's hard to describe, and maybe you guys have all been through all this and understand, but I was in this weird, calm place mentally. No negativity whatsoever - just the positive thoughts I mentioned in the report.
Might have been those zen moments on the treadmill this winter, where my mind just took the suck right out of it and just kept going at the pace I needed. It was wild. Still can't believe it.
MAC_32
Footballguy
Step 1- get north of 30 miles this week.
Step 2- add 10% the week after.
Step 3- and another 10% the week after.
Step 4- find a way toward the first 2,000 runners in the corral.
Step 5- 1:3X:XX
MAC_32
Footballguy
MAC_32
Footballguy
Also, @The Iguana, don't be afraid to schedule a 15 miler the weekend of April 13th. You'll be recovered from this and I think going beyond the HM race distance yields benefits race day. You probably don't have time to do it more than once though.
ChiefD
Footballguy
Tell him congrats. In those conditions for a first marathon, that's awesome. Glad he finished it off.
tri-man 47
Footballguy
ChiefD
Footballguy
Great race and report. Cool to see that you will be running that recon run here in a few weeks. Let us know how that goes.
Incidentally, you were one of my resources when starting the Hanson plan. I went back and looked over your training leading up to your fall marathon. I probably referred to your training block 3 or 4 times during my own training just to see how you progressed over that time period. And it was a great help. So thank you for that, even though you didn't now I was snooping through your business.
ChiefD
Footballguy
Yeah, but you are a beast out there and your goals are way different than mine. I think that would tend to put you closer to the edge than I ever will be.
Osaurus
Footballguy
The Iguana
Footballguy
1, me too.
2. If any of these guys had ever driven in/around Carmel before they put in the combo of roundabouts and over/underpasses for a few of the main roads, they would have a much greater appreciation for them, IMO.
A few years ago traffic in that area was absolutely ridonkulos. There's definitley been a bit of overkill, especially the funky "double helix" versions in the major intersections, but it's far better up there than the old way. No idea what those double versions are actually called but they are pretty whacky.
bushdocda
Footballguy
Happy to be a resource and hopefully I wasn’t too annoying with my warm up and easy comments over the weeks. The Hanson training drastically changed my perception of volume and fatigue and what I could handle in training and I am still enjoying my Hanson koolaid
Great race and report. Cool to see that you will be running that recon run here in a few weeks. Let us know how that goes.
Incidentally, you were one of my resources when starting the Hanson plan. I went back and looked over your training leading up to your fall marathon. I probably referred to your training block 3 or 4 times during my own training just to see how you progressed over that time period. And it was a great help. So thank you for that, even though you didn't now I was snooping through your business.
bushdocda
Footballguy
Agree on the get to the front of your corral and scope the course map out so you know the turns and can at least avoid pinch points if crowded and better hit tangents once clear.
You have 3ish weeks of training till May 4 so given you like to push pace (and have a fast dog), maybe push to HM goal-ish pace for the second half of runs and stretch out the faster chunk longer to like 6-8 miles over a couple workouts each week. Easy runs in between and go increasingly longer once per week and pop one over distance like Mac suggests for confidence builder.
The Iguana
Footballguy
Under 1:40 sounds awesome. The 9 seconds seems easy. The other 4 minutes feels a little daunting... that's about 19 seconds per minute, if my mental math is right... whew! I am going to have to talk myself into that one...
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ChiefD
Footballguy
MAC_32
Footballguy
Given what you've accomplished in this time frame, I have no doubts major gains await with just an increase in volume. So just do a few weeks of that and don't worry about May 4th. See what you can accomplish this month then circle back to May 4th the week of.
