Monumental Marathon Race Report

So much for having a good race. I was cooking along well until mile 19, then at mile 20 the wheels fell off. I simply cratered. There really isn't much I can say, except I was not trained for the distance. But it wasn't all bad.

The expo was okay, though clearly not on the scale I saw at Big Sur, which was worth visiting every day for the good stuff that was free. The Flying Pig was also decent. But I really don't care much about the expo anyway. Check-in was a breeze, and I was quickly on my way to see what interesting stuff was around. I did see running legend Bill Rodgers at one of the tables, and picked up some shot blocks at the Runner's Forum "booth" which saved me a stop on my way home.

I ate well during the week, and had a decent night's sleep. I awoke and had my normal pre-race meal: oatmeal, bagel, peanut butter, and coffee. I arrived at the venue an hour before the start, and hung out at the Westin. I liked that there were corrals this time, though given my finish it didn't really matter...

The race started well, and I was able to move freely the entire time. There were no walkers or slow people around me, and the congestion was clear in the first half mile. Very cool. The temperature was such that I dumped my $4 Goodwill fleece before I got to Lucas Oil stadium and was beginning to question my Pearl Izumi arm sleeves. These I pulled down around mile 3. I was running comfortably and pretty steady, finally settling in at about mile 10. I realized I was going too fast, though to get a BQ again I'd have to average 7:49. I actually PR'd the first half, getting a 1:41:09, which leads me to believe I could have run a 1:38 or better, had I chosen the half marathon and entered the pain cave.

But by mile 17, the soles of my feet were beginning to hurt, and I was struggling to consume anything. Throughout the whole race, I consumed one gel, and six Clif Shot Blocks, all before the 1st half. I didn't have anything after that. My stomach and mouth would not have it.

Around mile 20, I was passed by a guy - actually at this point I was passed by at least a hundred people - but he commented on the cross I had on my back. He said, "God bless you" and gave me a fist bump, telling me he was in a dark place and it had lifted his spirit. I was glad to hear it, as it was the sole purpose for putting it there, as I had also been inspired seeing similar things in the past.

During the last six miles, I had to walk some, as shown by my pace. My feet hurt, and I didn't have the energy to run. Mentally I was spent and just wanted to get to the end. I had someone pass me and said, "Come on." She was also in distress, but I appreciated the kick in the rear. I ran for a bit, but the legs did not want to go with the rhythm. It was like I had forgotten the normal breathing rate, which had been a normal 3-step the entire time (until the meltdown),

Anyway, I finished the race at 3:48:08, a lousy finish for me. While the 1st half was a 1:41, the second half was 2:07. Ugly. And much of that loss was in the last six miles.

But hey, along with the finisher medal was a stocking cap. Sweet! And Jimmy Johns was giving away Scooby snacks too. I wasn't hungry, but saved it for later.

Overall, I learned something this race, as I always do. This was number 7 full marathon for me. When and where will number 8 be?

My splits:

Mi	split	HR
1	7:20	156
2	7:28	160
3	7:39	160
4	7:34	160
5	8:01	160
6	7:28	159
7	7:34	161
8	7:41	162
9	7:53	162
10	7:50	160
11	8:04	158
12	7:49	159
13	7:59	160
14	7:52	159
15	8:10	158
16	8:13	161
17	9:09	157
18	8:27	156
19	8:50	155
20	9:13	152
21	10:44	138
22	11:20	135
23	11:31	134
24	10:39	142
25	11:23	142
26	10:28	144
0.2	1:58	158

Carmel Marathon Race Report

This was marathon number 6 for me. I don't know why I sign up for these things in the spring, since I can't seem to get ready for them. The hard winter and later back pain really delayed my training. Realistically, if not for that it would have been something else. Anyway, I was delusional about what I did to get ready for the 2010 Monumental Marathon, in that I didn't seem to remember the long runs I had completed. I may have not had any structure last October (I didn't), but I did log necessary miles. This time I had just one long run, and I didn't start logging decent miles and training until May.

So why was I doing this race? I signed up for it last summer. Why would a person who usually waits until the final days before the price increase sign up six or eight months before necessary? To use it as motivation to train well in the off season, ensuring better preparedness for the race, ensuring another BQ? Nope. To get a low bib number... That's just plain stupid, and I am not saying anything more about it.

As I entered race week, my plan was to get a run or two in, eat well, hydrate, and get rest. My race strategy was to simply not suffer, and to finish under four hours. Further, I wanted to minimize the post-marathon recovery, as this is the beginning of the du/tri season, and I have other events I want to do in June and July, yet have not spent any time in the pool or on the bike. How did my plan go? I managed to eat well, hydrate, and get one run in. Rest was a bust, including the night before the race. I was glad to at least have my weight in the range where I wanted (154), as useless lbs make a difference over distance.

Packet pick up and Expo

Packet pickup was simple and efficient, after which I toured the expo. I don't know why I even bother at the expos, since I generally don't purchase anything. I just look to see if there is anything that interests me. The Big Sur Marathon expo was awesome, as it went for days, was huge, with all kinds of free stuff. The Flying Pig marathon was also pretty good, huge, and with useful free stuff. Last year's Monumental wasn't bad either, though I didn't see much of interest. The Carmel Marathon expo was small, but had the usual players you'd expect. But I did see one that interested me: St Vincent has an anti-gravity treadmill. And they were giving out coupons to promote it. I learned there are three of these in the city. I simply have to try it. And the cost for future visits isn't bad. There was a bit of irony in all of this: my reason for signing up early. I don't think I had a low bib number (unless the numbers started at 5,000, which is entirely possible).

Race Day

I woke up around 4:30, and made my usual pre-race meal: oatmeal, bagel, peanut butter, and coffee. I had my race gear out the night before, and quickly got things ready to go. As a member of Falkee Triathlon, I had some body stickers to apply, but found the ones applied to my arm and legs did not stay on long enough to even make it to my car (I tried, Ryan - same thing happened at Geist). Though I left the house a bit later than planned, I arrived at the race site about 30 minutes before the race. Parking was easy and uneventful. The walk to the start was maybe ½ mile. I found the line to the facilities to purge some of the fluids I had consumed, and while waiting ran into an old buddy, Steve Martin, whom I haven't seen in years. Crazy stories of Spring Break Fort Lauderdale 1985 were going through my head after I saw him. I will not endeavor to repeat those here.

I headed to the start line and lined up around the 3:40 pacers - not that I was using the pacers. There was a half marathon starting at the same time, and it seemed most of the people were in this group. Note to race directors: I like differentiation in the bibs between events. The single line color and name difference isn't much. Why does it even matter? Vanity. When the full and half courses join again at mile 12, sharing until mile 17 or so before splitting again, then joining again in the final couple of miles, I keep catching the walkers and don't want there to be any question as to why I look red-faced, sweaty, and perhaps a bit uncomfortable, as I pass a 250lb person on the short course. Does it really matter? Of course not. It's stupid on my part, but I'm running a long course, and I want credit for it - from people I don't know, or will ever see, who wouldn't even notice different bib colors. I know. Stupid.

The Race 3:48:54

The race started on time, and I was close enough to the front that things moved out pretty quickly. The field opened up enough in the first ½ mile where I had room to maneuver and find a spot. I found myself passing people for the first mile, and just settled in for a long race. The first mile went by at 7:39, which I knew was too fast, but we had been going slightly downhill. When mile 2 split at 7:34 I thought, "What the heck am I doing?" I needed to slow down. And then the next at 7:52. I knew this would be a problem. I wanted to run in the 8:50 range, but it wasn't happening. As the race progressed, I did slow down. It just happened naturally... One of the problems for me running slower is this: I have a natural stride length and cadence/leg turnover. For me to slow down (or speed up), one of these has to change. Shortening the stride tends to start bothering my hips over distance, and slowing the cadence too much is bouncy, wastes energy, and is hard on the knees due to braking. So how do I maintain stride length and leg turnover? Training, which means in this case I can't maintain it. Eventually, the form and stride degrade into a geriatric shuffle. Well, maybe not that bad, but running efficiency goes out the window when fatigue increases. Which makes the second half of the race interesting... And I mean second half in the sense the first half is 20 miles. The second half is a 10k.

I have to say I really liked the course, with just a few areas of concern (though not worth mentioning specifics). It was pretty flat, open, and nice. I used to live in Carmel, but the course went places I've never seen. The volunteers were plentiful, and I was thankful for so many water stops. I had a drink at almost every one of them. I was thankful for the weather having cooled due to an overnight storm. The sun was behind the clouds for most of the race, except for the last two or three miles. I did see a traffic control issue when some dingbat woman pulled her minivan onto the course and attempted to drive through the runners. She was supposed to cross over the northbound race course on Carey Road, then turn south. Pretty obvious with the cones and runners. Nope. She turned north into the runners and tried to drive through them. I was about 100 meters behind her, and almost caught up, as she couldn't get around some of the people, since they were not moving over for her. Moron. I had almost reached her with the intent of yelling at her through her driver's window when she decided to bail out and turn into a neighborhood.

The miles were ticking by, and my pace seemed to be okay. I did the math in my head and thought I could finish comfortably around 3:45 or so. I was consuming Clif Shot Blocks every 30 minutes or so, and had a Roctane as well. A funny thing happened around mile 9: I suffered an injury, caused by a Shot Block. I popped one in my mouth and as I tried to chew it popped my jaw. It hurt on the right side enough that I couldn't chew for a while. And my jaw hurt for the next two days. Really.

The rest of the race was uneventful, though I walked for a minute on two occasions to try to stretch my hip flexor. I never had any dark places, as I have had in other races. I felt pretty good. The speed wasn't there due to lack of training, but I was okay. And I never pushed my heart rate. Final time 3:48:54 (8:44 average pace).

My splits:

mi lap HR
1 7:39 149
2 7:34 153
3 7:52 152
4-5 16:16 154
6 7:58 156
7 7:40 153
8 9:08 151
9 8:22 151
10 8:25 152
11 8:24 152
12 8:22 153
13 8:39 154
14 8:42 155
15 8:22 157
16 8:32 158
17 8:50 158
18 9:14 156
19 9:08 157
20 9:15 155
21 9:33 152
22 10:37 143
23 9:37 151
24 9:23 154
25 10:24 149
26 9:21 155
0.2 1:42 166

Recovery

Every previous race had some level of soreness or sensitivity on Monday. This time was different. I had a little sensitivity, but felt good enough to go running. I might have been different had I pushed harder, but I have felt fine all week.

So what's next? I am already signed up for Powerman Muncie (10k/60k/10k), and the Monumental Marathon. I am trying to figure out the others. I am planning on the Blacksnake Duathlon, and a couple of the Eagle Creek sprint triathlons. I am also looking at Tri Indy, provided I am back from a trip in time. And a big one on 9/11: Rev 3 70.3 Cedar Point. I am also planning on the Fishers tri and Cancer Free Lungs 5k. We'll see what I can swing this year.

Delayed Race Season

Well, today should have been the kickoff to my race season, but my light November, followed but a paltry December and January (ice), and then made worse with the back issues I had, meat racing today would have not only wasted my $, but burned a race marker. Further, I'd have just felt bad with the result, as my time would have merely confirmed what I already know. I was not prepared. I haven't been swimming or biking.

That said, the back thing is much better, and though not completely gone, doesn't seem to hinder me. What I do have is hip flexor issues, which extend into IT band issues. I think this is caused by the six mile daily walks at work, with huge clunky work boots. I have to stretch at work four or five times per day.

So, I have simply delayed the start of my season. I am signed up for a few races already, and will pick others as the calendar progresses. My revised list is this:

May

• Energy2Action duathlon*
  
• Energy2Action Time trial
• **Geist mini-marathon (already signed up)

June

• **Carmel Marathon (already signed up)
• Blacksnake Duathlon*
• Indianapolis Sprint triathlon
• Energy2Action Time trial*

July

• Energy2Action Time trial
• Indianapolis Sprint triathlon*
  

August

• Tri-Indy
• Indianapolis Sprint triathlon*
  

September

• Rev 3 Cedar Point 70.3 triathlon*
• Fishers Triathlon*
• Cancer Free Lungs 5k*
  

October

• **Powerman Muncie duathlon 10k/60k/10k (already signed up)

November

• Monumental Marathon*

I have to really look at being smarter with training. I have regressed a great deal, but and slowly getting back to feeling normal.

And lastly, I noticed the time revision impact for the 5-minute reduction in Boston qualifying times isn't five minutes, but 5:59. Bummer...

Boston Marathon Plans Torpedoed

As you may already know, or not, the registration process for the Boston Marathon has changed. From the press release:

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced today a change in its registration process for the Boston Marathon, allowing the fastest qualifiers to enter the earliest and with a rolling admission system while also offering all eligible runners an increased registration period. The changes in registration are a response by the B.A.A. to greater than ever demand by runners to gain entry into the Boston Marathon and culminate more than three months of analysis, including input from the running industry. Rather than accepting runners who have met the qualifying standards on a first come, first served approach, a more systematic, performance-based process will be employed.

What does this mean for me? My race time from last November qualified me for the 2011 and 2012 events. Since 2011 was already sold out, I have to wait until September 2011 to sign up for the 2012 race, which I had planned on doing. Since the 2011 race sold out in eight hours, I figured I'd have to be at my computer as soon as registration opened.

Meanwhile, I'd train to improve my marathon time, in hopes to qualify again. But the bigger issue is 2013 on - qualifying times have been reduced by five minutes across the board. This was necessary, but the impact for me is significant. More about this below the rest of the press release.

2012 Boston Marathon
For the 2012 Boston Marathon, registration will extend for two weeks, beginning on Monday, September 12 and continuing until Friday, September 23. The qualifying times for the 2012 Boston Marathon will not change from recent past years since the standards had been previously announced and have been in effect since last September. However, the new registration process addresses the increased demand among qualified runners to participate in the Boston Marathon and will accommodate those who are the fastest qualifiers first.

Registration will occur on a "rolling admission" schedule until the maximum field size is reached, beginning with the fastest qualifiers. On the first day of registration for the 2012 Boston Marathon, those who are eligible for entry by having met the qualifying standards for their age and gender group by 20 minutes or more will be able to enter on the first day of registration (September 12). On the third day (September 14), registration will open for those who have met their qualifying standards by 10 minutes or more. On the fifth day (September 16), registration will open for those who have met their qualifying standards by five minutes or more. During this first week of registration, applicants will be notified as they are accepted and their qualifying performance verified.

If the field size is not reached after the first week and additional space remains, then registration will open to all qualifiers at the beginning of Week Two (September 19) and those who have met the qualifying standards by any amount of time will be able to apply for entry. The application process will remain open for the entire week, closing on September 23. At the conclusion of Week Two, those who are the fastest among the pool of applicants in their age and gender will be accepted. Accepted athletes will be notified on September 28.

Registration Process for the 2012 Boston Marathon First Week Day 1 (Sept. 12) Qualifiers who have met their age/gender qualifying times by
20 minutes, 00 seconds or faster may apply Day 3 (Sept. 14) 10 minutes, 00 seconds or faster Day 5 (Sept. 16) 5 minutes, 00 seconds or faster

Second Week
Day 8 (Sept. 19) Qualifiers who have met their age/gender qualifying times by any amount of time, including qualifiers who could have registered in Week One.

Day 12 (Sept. 23) Registration closes for qualified applicants

September 28 Qualifiers from entry during second week of registration are notified of their acceptance.
If the field is not filled at the conclusion of the two weeks, then registration will remain open and qualifiers will be accepted on a first come, first served basis until the maximum field size is reached.

2013 Boston Marathon
For the 2013 Boston Marathon, in addition to the new "rolling admission"
process for registration which will be in effect for the 2012 Boston Marathon, the B.A.A. will adjust the qualifying times by lowering them by five minutes from the times which have been in effect in recent past years. The adjusted qualifying times will go into effect on September 24, 2011, and are as follows:

Age Group MEN WOMEN
18-34 3:05:00 3:35:00
35-39 3:10:00 3:40:00
40-44 3:15:00 3:45:00
45-49 3:25:00 3:55:00
50-54 3:30:00 4:00:00
55-59 3:40:00 4:10:00
60-64 3:55:00 4:25:00
65-69 4:10:00 4:40:00
70-74 4:25:00 4:55:00
75-79 4:40:00 5:10:00
80 and older 4:55:00 5:25:00

So what changes? The new registration process forces me to wait eight days to sign up, allowing faster qualifiers first dibs on the slots.

Fair? Sure. Am I bummed? You bet. But what really hurts is looking at it from my qualifying perspective. I am currently a blade runner qualifier. I made the cutoff by 35 seconds. That puts me in the last registration pool for 2012, meaning I probably won't get a slot. I can work hard in training, and cut off five minutes plus from my current PR (a questionable feat for the Carmel Marathon just three months away), but that would only improve my registration access by three days.

Worse, future prospects are even more brutal. My 2013 qualifying time has to be 3:25, which is five minutes better than my current PR. I'd be stoked to get 3:25. But for 2013 on, that puts me where I am right now - a bladerunner qualifier who has to wait until day eight to sign up for any remaining slots. In a race that sold out in 8 hours. For me to be able to sign up at day 3, I'll have to run a 3:20 this spring, or 3:15 in the fall.

That is an order of magnitude improvement that will require a completely different training strategy. Like a serious one. None of this figuring out what I'm going to do as I get my shoes on. A smarter, efficient approach. My time is limited like everyone else. My challenge is that training in the afternoon simply doesn't work for me, for many reasons.

So, that leaves before work and during lunch. And I don't really have enough time during lunch anymore, which brings me back to before work, meaning workouts need to be COMPLETED no later than 4:40am, leaving just enough time to stretch and shower, before heading to work. Though I like getting up early, getting up at 2:30ish to get a ninety minute run in gets old. I used to do this. And doing this creates family tension, as your level of commitment to the family is compared to the commitment to training.

In the end, I just want to run Boston for the same reasons as most everyone else. I want to train to do well in multisport, and the result will be better run times.

2011 Race Schedule

There are many races I'd like to do in 2011, but time and budget will not allow me to do them all. That said, here is the list of races I'm looking at for 2011. Clearly I can't do them all, especially with significant changes that will be happening in the future. I have already signed up for two of them, while ten others are races I really want to do. The others are just alternatives to consider, or sign up for if i am able. In the end, I just need to beat my buddy Dave (his blog) sometime this year. He may be younger, but old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill.

February

• Polar Bear Run

March

• Sam Costa Half Marathon

April

• Carmel sprint Triathlon
• Terre Haute Triathlon
  

May

• Energy2Action duathlon*
  
• Energy2Action Time trial
• Geist mini-marathon*
  

June

• **Carmel Marathon (already signed up)
• Blacksnake Duathlon*
• Indianapolis Mudathlon
• Indianapolis Sprint triathlon
• Energy2Action Time trial*
• Morse Triathlon
  

July

• Ironman Muncie 70.3 (Muncie Endurathon)
• Energy2Action Time trial
• Indianapolis Sprint triathlon*
  

August

• Tri-Indy
• Indianapolis Sprint triathlon*
  

September

• Rev 3 Cedar Point 70.3 triathlon*
• Fishers Triathlon*
• Cancer Free Lungs 5k*
  

October

• **Powerman Muncie duathlon 10k/60k/10k (already signed up)

November

• Monumental Marathon*

Monumental Marathon Race Report 3:30:23

I went into this race with low expectations. I didn't do any structured training, core training, speedwork, or long runs. Worse, I had 3-5 day breaks between runs most of October. So, I just wanted to have a decent race, and would have been happy with a 3:45. Really, my goal was to not have to walk, and to just be under 4 hours. I simply hadn't trained for it. Not that I wasn't in shape for a long run; my endurance is decent, but a marathon is a long race.

The latter part of the week I tried to eat well, and hydrate a little more than my usual 1.5 gallons of water per day. I had a hamburger and potatoes for dinner Wednesday, 1/2 lb of pasta on Thursday, and 1/2 lb pasta Friday. I got to bed around 9pm Friday, planning on getting up around 4:30 Saturday. I ended up waking up at 3:45, and couldn't sleep any longer. I went downstairs, made some coffee, and oatmeal, and though it was earlier than I wanted to eat (I wanted to have a meal two hours before the start), I wanted to ensure I got things "moving" before I left the house. I watched something stupid on TV (I think it was part of "The Crazies"), had a bagel, some peanut butter, and yogurt, and rechecked the stuff I was planning on bringing to the race. My race belt was ready, and was loaded with twelve Clif Shot Blocks and four Gu Roctane. It was going to be cold, but I didn't want to overdress. It was about 30 degrees, with highs expected to be 40. I was planning on shorts and a tank top, with my Pearl Izumi arm sleeves I used in Powerman Muncie. I also brought my Mizuno gloves, figuring I'd need them the whole time. It would be too cold to just have just this at the start, so I went to goodwill and picked up a fleece top and hat for $5. I'd shed these once I was warm enough. In my truck I had packed tights and a compression top, just in case it was too cold for my planned attire. One thing I did this race was to make a cross to put on my back. While in dark periods during my previous races I was passed by people who either had crosses or religious messages, and they helped. I thought I'd try it for myself; maybe it could help someone I pass.

I picked up a Starbucks coffee on the way downtown, in part for the caffeine, and also to try to influence my system to finishing what I didn't finish at home as planned. I parked on Senate Avenue, which is about four blocks north of the start/finish area, and headed to the Marriot to link up with some friends. Getting to Washington Street, I stopped in the Westin, which had plenty of room to stay warm and wait to get closer to the start time. And the bathroom line wasn't bad. I went back out to the gear check to drop a backpack that had a sweatshirt, my phone and truck key, and Gatorade G3 recovery drink. I then went back to the Westin to use the bathroom, which I found had no line. The coffee worked. I then headed to the Marriot to link up with my buddies. The Marriot was a little different than the past two years, as they closed off most of the lobby to runners, which made it a little easier to find people. Note to self: The Westin is better place to hang out before the start. I did link up with my buddy Dave, and we hung out for about ten minutes before heading to the start. I had a Gu Roctane, and though I couldn't find any water, figured I'd get some at the first water point. Much of this race report is for my benefit, as I will read this before my next marathon, since I won't remember some of the detail. Like the water I drank at nearly every point was just 1/2 cup, and it was enough, in cold temperatures. I walked as I gulped it, as I have choked too many times trying to pinch the cup and gulp while running.

The starting area was packed, and I couldn't get any closer to the front than the 9:15 pace area. It becomes clear that people don't follow the guidelines, since I was passing people for many miles. I hit the first water point as planned, and decided I would hit almost every water point during the race. My nutrition plan was to alternate between Gu and Clif blocks every 30-40 minutes. As I passed mile 1, I figured it would be getting close to time to ditch the fleece. I figured I'd wait until I was headed northbound, since I'd be going into the wind for a little while. I pulled off the fleece at 1.5 miles, and ran with it for about 100 meters before I reluctantly let it go. I say reluctantly because I just bought it, and it was a decent fleece. Okay, it was $3.98, but it was comfortable. Well, I wasn't going to carry it for the whole race. My main concern was that I'd drop it and get cold.

I hit the water point after mile 2 and continued to pass people. My pace was steady and I felt good. My heart rate monitor went kaput, and though it had new batteries, I am convinced it was the cold that kept it from working. I tried cycling the watch to find it a few times, but it didn't work. I figured it would come back if things warmed up. I skipped the water at mile 3, and had Gatorade at mile 4. I also had 3 Clif Blocks. My pace was still steady, and though I thought I might be going a little too fast, I didn't have heart rate information to sabotage what I was feeling. I felt good and was just talking it a mile at a time. At mile 9 I settled into a steady 8 minute pace, which continued until mile 22. I had water and Gatorade at miles 5 and 7, and water and Gu Roctane at mile 9. I grabbed a Clif gel at mile 10, as I usually take them for future use. I skipped taking any more at the next two fuel points, as I didn't want to carry them, and was simply focused on the race. I had more water at miles 11 and 12, and I hit the 1/2 marathon mark at 1:43:46. I still felt good, and was wondering how the 2nd half would be. At this point I was occasionally passing and being passed by three of the same people, and we'd continue to do so for a little while. I got water again at miles 15, 16, 17, and 20. At mile 16 I had three Clif Blocks. Funny thing is, as I turned south on College, I blew my nose, and out came part of a Clif Block. What the?? I guess I had it hang in my throat and it just came out… As I passed through the Butler University campus, it was warm enough to take off the hat, and to pull down the arm sleeves. I was going to throw the hat away, but this was a brand new hat, and though it was only $1.49, why can’t I keep it? I stuffed it in the back of my shirt. I took off my gloves and stuffed them into my pocket as well.

During this time I prayed, thanked God for giving me my health and the ability to do this, and for the strength to continue, and began giving serious consideration to qualifying for Boston. This was my 5th marathon, and given my first two were good, and the second two not so good, I had concerns with falling apart after mile 18. This time I felt good, and did the math, figuring I could make it as long as I don't slow down. I'd make a commitment at mile 20 for the final push. After exiting the Indianapolis Museum of Art, there is a long descent (1/2 mi), and I stepped it up to make up a little time. I was still feeling good, and shortly after getting water at the Naval Armory, came to mile 20. It was time to commit. My time so far was 2:38:23, leaving me 52:36 to finish and qualify for Boston. I can do this. I was talking to myself. "Dig deep!" "BQ baby!" "Don't Bonk!" Though my pace was still steady, I had to push the effort higher, to the point approaching having to breathe on a 1/4 steps, verses the 1/6 I had been running. After mile 21 I had more water, and around mile 22 mile I started to feel tired. My calves were beginning to revolt, but I just pushed through it. I had the last of my Clif Blocks and knew the pain that was to come would be over soon. My pace dipped sharply for two miles, and looking at the time, knew I had to dig deep to make it. I started to notice people around me who I would never expect to be up here (like, people who looked out of shape). As I headed down Meridian I upped the effort, trying to decide when to make a final push. I was running an 8 minute pace at a 7 minute effort. Passing through Monument Circle, I was keeping on the heels of a couple of guys who had sped up as well, but were clearly not in distress. I knew exactly where I was, and where the finish line was. Turning north on Capitol, I kept the pace, knowing there were just three more turns. I increased my effort as I turned on New York, and as I turned again on Martin Luther King Drive, closed my eyes and gave what I had left. I made the final turn and glanced at my watch, I'd make the cutoff. "Try not to look stupid crossing the line" was what ran through my head.

Crossing the finish line and looking at my watch, I saw 3:30:27; I made it. I grabbed a bagel, a banana, chocolate milk, peanut butter, and water. I went to the results tent and got my results slip. Strangely, my finish time was recorded as 3:29:24. I’m not sure how or why, but this was in the preliminary results. Later, that was adjusted to 3:30:23, more in line with my watch. Which means I made the cutoff by 36 seconds.

There were plenty of volunteers at every water point. I never had to wait or skip a stop due to not having enough people with cups. The volunteers were great, and plentiful. The race medal is cool, the shirt nice, and I like the addition of a hat. I’m disappointed with the failure of my Suunto heart rate monitor, as the data could be useful. At the same time, it might have made me slow down. Or speed up. But hey, BQ BABY!

Splits

Mile time
1 7:56
2 7:42
3 7:53
4 7:53
5 7:44
6 7:43
7 7:52
8 7:54
9 8:01
10 8:05
11 8:09
12 7:59
13 8:02
14 8:06
15 7:46
16 8:05
17 7:59
18 8:00
19 7:33
20 8:02
21 8:00
22 8:13
23 8:39
24 8:38
25 8:13
26 7:59
.2 2.22

The Nicest Muggers Ever

I've never really been mugged, though I think I once had a close call on the A train headed from the George Washington Bridge to 72nd Street when I was fifteen years old. Two unsavory chaps wer eyeballing my overnight bag, which did actually have some valuable stuff in it (my Nikon FM and lenses). I had enough sense at the time to simply open up my bag (which had clothes from staying at my buddy Walt's house for a couple of days). I casually displayed my dirty socks, underwear, and shorts, keeping the good stuff hidden. They lost interest and moved on.

But in another sense, I witnessed a mass mugging last week. I spent the week in Orlando, with visits to Disney, SeaWorld, and the Kennedy Space Center. I have been to Disney before, am am still amazed at how good they are at getting people and their money to part ways. From the expensive food to the stuff kids must have, there cannot be any spending restraint. It would probably be easier to simply hand over your wallet upon entry, and kindly asking them to please let you keep your driver's license and family photos. And the muggers always say "Thank you." I felt bad for the families with little girls who just had to buy a princess dress to wear around the park, or go to the salon for the princess treatment (it was packed). The giant Disney store at Downtown Disney appears to be a printing press for cash for The Walt Disney Company (DIS). They were really good at it.

But, the parks were super clean, well-staffed, and set the standard for how parks should be. The boys had a great time, loved Space Mountain, and didn't nag about buying junk (maybe the drills are starting to take??). As crazy expensive as it is, I really do enjoy Disneyworld. They don't cut corners; the FastPass system is great, and even the line queues are nice. No fake backdrops, lots of shade.

SeaWorld's shows were nice, though shorter than I expected (must be a limit to the working hours set by the Whale & Dolphin Union Local 383). The park was nice, and the boys had a great time. They loved the Mantis roller coaster (very cool coaster). Gabriel has become a roller coaster fiend, and I think given the chance, will ride anything.

Kennedy Space Center

I have wanted to go to Cape Kennedy (as it was called in my youth) for four decades, and as much as I enjoy the space shuttle stuff, it is the Apollo program and the Saturn V building I really wanted to see. I was not disappointed. This is the "space stuff" I grew up with, fantasizing and playing with models of the command and lunar modules, and watching launches on television. The Apollo astronauts were the heroes of my youth (and still are). There really was much to see, and I'm really glad I went. The gift shops had tons of stuff, some cool (enough Apollo stuff (some signed by the astronauts) to construct an Apollo shrine at home), to junk (who wants an "official" Matchbox tour bus like the ones used to ferry tourists around KSC?). Anyway, KSC is a pretty neat place for people (like me) who like this kind of stuff.

Even now, I am still in awe watching launch videos: here is a sample:

Marathon Preparation

October has not been a very solid training month; I have basically gone for runs, deciding what I was going to do as I started each time. I didn't put in the miles, nor enough speed work, and had too many inactive days between runs. I'm feeling it now, as I have what appears to be the initial stage of shin splints in my right leg. Not enough to keep me out of the race, but an annoyance. I'll have plenty of time to rest after.

Tough Day on a Long Run

With the Monumental Marathon just under three weeks away, I figured I had better get some long runs in. I also figured I should have actually trained for this event. Last Sunday I ran 14 and change, at an easy 8:30 pace. I could have easily run longer, and though I wanted to, had to be back to help get the kids up and ready. Today I had planned an easy 18 miles. I put a water bottle drop at a point roughly 7.5 miles, knowing I would need it. I never carry water, and don't even bother with a drop, unless I'm going longer than 14. Since I drink about 1.5 gallons of water every day, hydration issues are generally not a concern. I had planned on running about 4:30 am, but by the time I got back from dropping the water, I didn't really have enough time. I decided to go after church.

The weather was really nice: about 71 or so, very low humidity, and a beautiful cloudless sky. I felt great the first few miles, but started to feel a bit off. What's this? I was running 7:50s, then 8:30s, and still slowing down. My HR was higher than it should have been, and before long I was have=ing to make an effort to slow down to keep my HR in zone 3. This continued until I was running a 9 minute plus pace, with my HR in zone 4. What the heck? I drank the water at my drop, and had a gel and some shot blocks on the way, but couldn't wait to finish this run. Something wasn't right, and I ended up cutting out a loop near the end, so I could finish at 16.25 miles.

We I got home I was drained, and confused as to what had happened. I had a drink, walked for a few minutes, and went into the house. The scale told the story. I was really dehydrated, as I was down to 150.4 lbs. That's pretty low for me. The part I don't get is why. I have been drinking plenty, and it wasn't hot out. The air was very dry, and the fact I started feeling it early in the run tells me I was not hydrated well to start. But why? I have been drinking about the same amount of water as usual, and I don't think I am eating more poorly than usual. The weather change? The amoxicillin I have been taking for the sinus thing I had? I don't know.
What I do know is had I not felt fine on my longer run last week, I would be more stressed about the race than ever. I'll take it as a bad running day, but a good lesson. Next weekend I'm planning on a 20 miler, as it will be my last long run before a short taper. I'll be out of time. I'll prepare a bit for this one, and it should tell me a little more about what I can expect on the Monumental Marathon.

Powerman Muncie Race Report

This is a long race report, but Powerman Muncie Duathlon was an experience. I signed up for it early in the season, partly because I thought getting ready for this would help me be ready for the Monumental Marathon a month later, and partly for the Aerocat bike drawing they were having after the race. This is a sweet ride, one which I can't possibly afford, as it was decked out with Zipp everything. This ride was worth $10,000. So, I was influenced to sign up early. Anyway, I didn't do near enough to prepare for this race (story of my life). Seriously. My bike shoes were still in the pedals from the Fishers Triathlon two weeks earlier. I only rode 63 miles in September, and 94 in August. My running mileage was off for September as well. But this race would still be fun, though maybe a sufferfest. I had targeted 3:35 as a finish goal, thinking it realistic and achievable. I talked a buddy (Dave - his blog) into the race as well, as he has a solid training base after Ironman Louisville. These events are always more fun to share with a friend. I didn't expect it to be a shared war story. There were three options for the Powerman Muncie:sprint 5k/20k/5k, Olympic 10k/40k/10k, and Powerman 10k/60k/10k. We signed up for the Powerman distance.

Race Day

The start time was pushed out about forty minutes due to the pro race being moved up to the start of the event. This gave us even more time to look at the field against who we'd be competing. Unlike local sprint events that have folks from all levels, from weekend warriors to elites, this was different. We weren't close to anything, competing in a harder event. There were expensive bikes and Zipp wheels everywhere. There were no overweight people. These people had trained. I felt so outclassed. Having had sinus "glue" issues for a couple of days didn't make me feel better either.

It was cold, and was going to stay cold. The temp was low 50s, which is great for running, but not so great for a ride. I purchased Pearl Izumi thermal arm warmers just two days prior, thinking I'd need them on the bike. I think they saved my life (certainly my race), but more on this later. Dave was checking the weather radar, and my quick glance made me look away like I had seen something terrible, which I had. The radar showed a solid weather front coming our way, hitting us about the time we would be starting the race. It was ugly, and about the size of Texas. We were going to be rained on, in 52 degree weather, while half naked. Terrific.

The professional race started, and we listened to their progress during their first run. They were running a smoldering pace, and would finish the first run around 32 minutes. Holy smokes these guys are fast. Meanwhile, we were trying to stay warm in the car. I was trying to get another potty break in, but the movement wasn't with me; I was too cold. I just hoped the one I had earlier in the morning would be sufficient. I knew there was more, but hoped a wave wouldn't hit me, as I had very recent issues with the "wave" being undeniable during a run, forcing me to become one with nature. As it came time to line up at the start, I decided to wear my arm warmers for the first run too. I thought they'd be too warm for this, but didn't want to mess with them at T1. If I got too warm, I'd pull them down to my wrists. While milling about, I saw a guy I see at every race. Every one of them. He's an older guy, and wears the same race suit every time. I was going to go talk to him to finally ask his story, but I ran out of time.


The Race

Run #1 10k 45:42 7:23/mi

The start was fast, and crowded (all distances started together). I was trying to break through to an open spot, which took about a mile. I had already pulled my arm warmers down to my wrists, when I started feeling the first drops of rain. Dave popped in next to me and we ran together for another mile, when he pulled ahead. My heart rate was 168, and being a long race, I was pushing too hard. My HR would go even higher if I tried to stay with him. I stayed within about 50m of him, and started "chatting" with the two people by me. Before long, I realized I had lost focus, and Dave was 100m+ ahead. Get back in the race! I kept a steady pace for the rest of the run, but started feeling a "movement" starting to churn. This is one of my worst fears for a race. First, having to stop and pooh, while the clock is ticking, is not good for PR. Second, and far worse, I don't even like to pee in a Porta Potty. Now I had to pooh, and in a heavily used (pre-race) facility. I considered waiting for another down course, while on the bike, but 1) I didn't know if there would be one, and 2) this couldn't wait.

splits

1 - 6:52
2 - 7:12
3 - 7:08
4 - 7:42
5 - 7:38
6 - 7:25
.2 - 1:46

T1 3:37

I put on my helmet and glasses, changed shoes, stuffed my gloves in my arm sleeve, grabbed my bike and headed to the Porta Potty halfway towards the T1 exit. I saw Dave, as he had finished his run in 44:07, and was on his way out. I hit the facility, and it was bad. I was being timed, and wanted to get away from the horror as quickly as possible. Fortunately, what need to happen did so, and quickly. But now there was no paper. WTF!!! I have always heard to bring paper, and to leave it for good karma. But this advice is pre-race. I wasn't carrying a roll. Panic? There's two wrapper from rolls of paper. They'll have to do. Finish up, hand sanitizer (thank God), and get the hell out of Dodge.


The Bike 60k 1:56:59 19.7 mph

By now the rain was getting heavier, but I wasn't yet noticing it too much. The wind was in my face, and I was trying to get settled in. As I looked at the Clif Shot Blocks in the snack bag stuffed in the top of my Aerodrink container, I thought that I should stuff it in my pocket. One mile later the thought was moot, as a bump bounced it out and it was gone. Okay, I'm stupid, but did bring extra nutrition and should be fine. I had two gels on the bike, and two in my GelBot. I also had my Aerodrink filled with GU Electrolyte Brew, which I had never tried (yes, I know, no new stuff on race day). I was thirsty, but the stuff wasn't going down as easy as I had hoped. The rain was picking up, and as I hit the westbound leg could really see it. The pavement was new, so there was more water on the surface. My feet were soaked, but I could feel the water washing through my shoes. Good thing there were drain holes. I passed a couple of people, and was passed by some others, but overall didn't see many people on the course. Starting lap two (of three), I saw my heart rate data was kaput. Figures. I thought about changing the battery yesterday, but decided not to, since it wasn't in very long. It was probably getting close to time to change, but the cold killed it. And I thought how nice it would be if I had signed up for the Oly; this would have been my last lap. The rain was really coming down now, and mentally I was on borrowed time. I tend to check out while racing, so much so that even simple math challenges me. I still had my gloves (soaking wet) stuffed in my sleeve, and hadn't consumed near enough calories. I hit the GelBot, which worked great, having slightly thinned the gel when I loaded it. It was just hard to hold the bottle, since my fingers weren't very functional. Coming around the middle of lap two, the hills were taking a toll. I made it around to start lap three, and had to focus on getting some fluid in me. I finished the 2nd gel in the GelBot, the Gu Brew, and most of my water. I looked at the two other gels, and though I knew I needed them, couldn't work it out on how to open one and wash it down. It was too hard. The final hills killed my pace, and standing to pedal was not helpful. Previous climbs I had made the rear wheel slip. Not now. And it was really raining. I was freezing, and couldn't wait to run just so I could warm up. I was so glad I had the arm warmers. I figured I must be in last place, and that the SAG wagon would be behind me soon. The end of the ride was coming, just a few more miles.

T2 2:13

Getting to the end of the bike, I was relieved and tried to run to my spot on the rack, but I was just kind of hopping. I saw Dave in T2, and thought I still had a chance to beat him. I was surprised, as I thought he'd be way ahead, not having seen anyone for some time on the bike. I ditched my stuff, and tried to put my running shoes back on. My fingers weren't functioning, and I struggled to get my second shoe on, as the top by the heel had rolled, and I couldn't easily fix it. Once corrected, I ran (or tried to) run for the exit.


Run #2 10k 50:09 8:06/mi

Exiting T2, I found I couldn't feel my feet. It felt like my feet were hard bricks. I concentrated on just keeping my feet moving, hoping I'd warm up soon. I was scared that I might fall on my face, because I wasn't very controlled. I had passed Dave and was passing others. Everyone else had numb feet as well. Mile 1 was crazy slow, and seeing the split I was surprised, since I actually thought I was like, moving... I started feeling my feet in mile 2, but only in a way that made it feel like there was a block of wood under 1/2 of the outer edge of each foot. I saw Dave again after the turnaround, and by mile four had warmed enough to not be cold any longer. At mile 4.5ish, I hit the last turn, and was surprised enough to make a double take: Dave was hot on my heels. I was running a semi comfortable pace, and he had hit the jets of pain (and had to have been for the last two miles). I tried to lag behind him for a bit, but he was going too fast. He was going to beat me. I was beginning to feel the outer edge of a bonk. I'd finish okay, but there was little left in the tank. I hit the finish chute and Dave was at the end with a bottle of water for me. He'd gained a minute on me in the last 1.5 miles. He dug deep for that.

splits

1 - 10:44
2 - 8:03
3 - 7:41
4 - 8:12
5 - 8:08
6 - 7:53
.2 - 1:42


Epilogue finish time 3:38:37

Within two minutes of finishing, I was freezing again, and shaking. We grabbed some of the hot pizza they were offering, and went to the car. I don't like to eat after a race, but hot anything was welcome. My finish time of 3:38:37 was a little slower than my goal. Dave beat me by 1:29. Maybe if I hadn't stopped for a nature break... I was spent, mentally and physically, and struggled to just figure out how to get changed and the bikes loaded. We loaded the bikes and went to the park's changing area/restroom to change. It helped to get into dry clothes, but I was still freezing and shaking. Dave headed back before me, as I was moving kind of slow. When I got back to the car, I didn't see Dave, but got in the car to warm up. A few minutes later Dave knocked on the window to say they called my name for an award; I was second in my age group. Huh? No way. By a strange twist of fate, the really fast people (like Smitty), signed up for the elite class to be eligible for prize money, and I was the beneficiary of some of them vacating my age group. Sweet! I got a "trophy" which is unique: a mason jar with printed stuff on it. Cool. We waited about 30 minutes for the Aerocat to be raffled. Well, we didn't win it. That would have rocked, but all in all, it was a good day, even though it was a brutal experience.

It just helps us to be better next time. This was a great race and I recommend it to everyone looking for a well-organized race at a reasonable price.

Next race: 11/6 Monumental Marathon

Training

This is an amusing application of text to video. Disclaimer: This is satire. I have heard that people have this type of experience, but I don't know anyone who actually has. The names have been changed, and any similarity to anything that might get me in trouble is purely coincidental.
Link to video


Here is another: Link to video2

Marathon #4

Well, another marathon under my belt. It didn't go as well as I had hoped, but still went okay. I had hoped to run a 3:35, or at least beat last year's 3:39, but I ran out of steam. I started feeling it around mile 16, as my heart rate was starting to climb, while my speed was not. By mile 22 my pace was tanking, resulting in a 3:49:34. Not too bad, considering I wasted September as a training month. For that matter, August too. I simply failed to devote adequate training time towards this endeavor. Though I did well in the short races, going over two hours is another dimension.

The race was well organized (TuxBro always delivers), and I liked the new course. The weather was great. It was clear, and low 50's to start. There was a bit of wind in places, but not too bad. There were plenty of water stations, though some of the later ones did not have adequate manning; I skipped two stations where I wanted to get water, but didn't want to stop to wait for a cup. Not a big deal. The post-race food/drinks were decent, though Fazoli's pasta isn't what I'd consider to be very good. No matter, as I wasn't up for much food at that point anyway.

I felt great for the first 16 miles, and was on pace for my target. Then my heart rate started to climb. And I think I was becoming dehydrated, as I was not sweating very much. I started hitting every water stop (except for two), but it didn't seem to be helping. I felt hot, though the temp was mid 50's. Here are my splits:

Mile Pace HR Mile Pace HR
1 8:00 152 14 8:24 163
2 7:53 159 15 8:26 163
3 8:03 157 16 8:35 162
4 7:57 160 17 8:40 162
5 7:52 160 18 9:01 161
6 7:58 159 19 8:14 161
7 8:10 159 20 8:50 163
8 7:51 158 21 9:02 162
9 8:03 160 22 10:22 156
10 7:56 160 23 11:55 152
11 8:04 160 24 9:28 153
12 8:11 161 25 12:29 140
13 8:07 163 26 10:07 153
0.2 1:56 164

By the end of the race, I was spent, mentally and physically. After last year's race, I went home for the afternoon, then went to a Halloween party. After the Flying Pig, I went home and worked in the yard. After this race, I went home and showered, and was too tired to do anything. I napped for almost an hour, and then made a giant bean burrito for lunch. My legs were tired and uncomfortable. I later remembered my new 2XU compression pants I got as a prize (from Athlinks). They are for running and recovery. I wore them for the rest of the afternoon, and they seemed to help a bit. But I was just spent.

Like before, I learned a few lessons that will eventually help me in the future. Some lessons I need to have thumped in my head repeatedly, like, put the time into training, get adequate rest, train with a plan, and devote time to recovery. I clearly didn't put the time in for this event. My time and mileage for 2009 will be about 60% of what it was for 2008 (only two pairs of shoes this year…). I have been getting about 5-6 hours of sleep every weeknight for the past nine weeks. I generally didn't know what distance or effort I was going to train until my shoes were on. I'm surprised I didn't flame out even worse on the run. I think the mini a few weeks ago gave me a little more hope about my endurance. As far as dehydration, I drink a great deal of water. Nearly two gallons per day, and rarely less than 1.5. I realize this may flush beneficial things I fail to replenish, but the past week has been kind of strange. You'd think drinking all this water, I'd never be thirsty. Or have chapped lips and dry hands. Wrong. I was really thirsty all week, my lips were chapped, and I was getting splits on my hands. What's up with that? I think I should probably look into it. My system is probably a mess.

What next? I normally do the Drumstick Dash, but will be in Tennessee this year. There is a Turkey Trot called the Habtrot, and is very close to where I'll be. I may sign up for it, though I'm not yet sure. For 2010, I need to evaluate some things. Like why marathons? Do I really like the distance, or is it to simply do a distance most people won't? Strangely, I want to do something harder, but first I have to be successful at this. I don't think this race is representative for me, and I really think if I align myself with efficient time and effective training, I can break 3:30. Yes, its nearly ten minutes off my best time, but I think it's doable. I want to be faster, in both long and short distances. I simply want to do well in my age group. It seems multisport is where I can find this.

Flying Pig Marathon Experience

The Flying Pig was an experience. The race was well-organized, and there were many people cheering along the course. There was water/gatorade every mile, and with the half marathon folks splitting off around mile seven, the course was not crowded. But let me back up a bit. The race and trip were an experience.

I got to Cincinnati later than I should, found my motel, then went to the expo to get my race packet. Arriving at the expo, I got my packet and then embarked on my quest for schwag (I love free stuff), of which I quickly realized was not going to go well. As I approached the GU booth, they were giving away GU (which I wanted), and the person in front of me got the last one. The people manning the booth then proceed to start tearing the booth down as quickly as they could, as the expo was over for them. Continuing through the expo, there were plenty of things I could buy, none of which I wanted, needed, or even cared to look at. The booths that would have had the good stuff had cleared out. Oh well, walking around an expo the day before an endurance event is really not a good thing to do.

As I walked back to my truck, I started thinking about dinner, and realized I had a problem. Actually, multiple problems, since my motel was not exactly a nice place. It was a little worn out. Okay, it was a three star dump. I stopped at a CVS I found next to the convention center to get a gallon of distilled water. Now, I'll drink tap water from most any tap in the USA, but the tap in my motel was not one of them. I did not want any GI issues on Sunday, and with my water consumption being 1.5gal/day, I didn't want to shock my system with some parasite or condition from the motel. I realize my worries were likely unfounded, but you'd have to see the motel to understand.

The Motel

I expected the room to be a little worn... I wanted to spend as little as possible, since I just needed a place to sleep and shower; my alternative was to return home Saturday (there was no race-day packet pickup available), and then get up around 2am Sunday to drive to the race. So, checking in was uneventful. The clerk was watching some Asian video that had women/kids screaming and crying, and it was turned up a bit loud. No matter. On my way to the room, I noticed the dozen Harleys parked in the lot… Huh. So, I go to the second floor and opened the door to my room. It was interesting. The carpet was a little worn. And maybe a little dirty. The bathroom light, a single exposed mini-fluorescent tube, flickered a bit, then died. Huh. Okay, the towels look clean, and there is toilet paper. And a couple of wrapped soap mini-bars. Too bad they don't know what Tilex can do for a shower. Michele would never stay here, nor would I subject her to it. Okay, pull the bedspread, as I'm not touching it again. Damn, I forgot to bring Clorox wipes. Remote control in plastic bag - damn, someone stole one of the batteries from this thing. Oh well. So, I head to the expo.

Returning from the expo, I stopped at the front desk to inquire about the bathroom light, and some extra towels (so I can lay them on the floor for a path). "The light's out? We don't have a key for that. You should just know where your stuff is. Ha ha ha. I can get you some towels." Fine. Now it's time to find dinner. I don't know what I was thinking, but I thought dinner would be an easy affair. The only thing nearby was White Castle, Big Boy, and a host of Soul Food places. With a marathon twelve hours away, I was not going to try anything new, unusual, or high residue (ruffage). started driving north, and after fifteen minutes, settled for Cracker Barrel. It wasn't my first choice, but I needed to eat something and get ready for bed. I opted for pancakes, hash browns, and biscuits, which is a tasty meal, but later learned to be a critical flaw in my pre-race strategy. Shoveling my dinner and a pitcher of water (I later learned the server was not supposed to leave a pitcher with me, as another server kept trying to confiscate it), I returned to the room and took a shower.

I set my phone alarm for 3:30am, and though I wanted to get a wake-up call as well, I didn't want to touch the phone. I went to bed around 9:30, and starting around 10:30, was woken up pretty much every forty-five minutes by noises outside. Most of the noise was from the people next door, either talking loudly, or from their television. I would wake up, look at the time, laugh, then fade out once again. Many times I thought about calling my voice mail to record what I was hearing, but I would doze off again. I heard the lady next door talking about how "You have to add 1/2 lb of lamb, 1/3 lb beef, and 1/3 lb pork"; I never learned what it was for. There were many noises from the parking lot, like yelling, but the 2am Harley engine check was a priceless aid for slumber.

Alas it was finally time to get up. I took a shower, had a bagel and oatmeal (made with instant oatmeal in a cup of cold distilled water). I brought my stuff down to my truck, and while I can't be positive, I'm pretty sure the night clerk was watching porn. It was raining and cool. Well, I expected it might rain. I guess I'll need my hat.

The Race

I parked downtown, and made my way towards the start, stopping at a major hotel (The Hyatt, I think) to hang out in a dry place with many others who were waiting to go to the starting area about a mile away. This was also an opportune and important time to use the facilities. Leaving with the throng of people, we headed to the starting area. As we got close, I realized I was cutting things closer than I should, and barely made it to where I wanted to be for the start (the 3:30 finish time group). So, the race starts, and with the rain gone, I stashed my hat inside my shirt - another lesson in abrasion…). I realize people want to start towards the front, but walkers? Come on, if you are going to clog things up, at least have the decency to walk in single file for awhile. The pack quickly steadied, and I felt good. Then came the long climb starting around mile 5. I decided not to push too hard, and let the 3:30 group pull ahead. Jeez, when does this climb end? Around mile 8, I started feeling a pain in the ball of my right foot. Huh. Then there were more hills. Where were these things on the course profile??? How did I not see this? These short hills are steep! Push on. By mile 16, I was really hungry, and thinking of a big, heavy meal (damn those useless pancakes!). It was getting hard to maintain a high cadence (170-180 steps/minute). By mile 20, my foot was really hurting, and my pace tanked. I ended up walking parts of miles 23-25. I lost around twenty minutes in the last six miles (I was 2:45 at mile 20).

It felt really good to finish, and I learned a few critical lessons. Where you sleep the night before a race does matter. Consider dinner options before you go. Pancakes are not a good pre-race dinner. My foot make have clobbered me, but energy was also a major factor. When parking, find a spot closer to the finish, instead of the start - walking two additional miles after poor marathon finish is not much fun, especially when you are starving.

Oh, my finish? 4:03:04

Performance

mile time HR
1 7:50 155
2 7:51 159
3 8:00 164
4 7:55 164
5 7:59 165
6 8:16 164
7 9:09 163
8 8:39 162
9 8:23 161
10 8:20 160
11 7:25 160
12 8:44 160
13 8:21 158
14 8:34 157
15 8:28 160
16 8:41 159
17 8:44 157
18 9:16 157
19 9:12 154
20 10:30 148
21 10:41 142
22 10:08 145
23 11:24 134
24 14:53 119
25 13:14 123
26 10:40 140
0.2 1:52 155

Five days

Only five days to The Flying Pig Marathon. Actually, in five days, I'll already be back home. I am as ready as I'm going to be. I did not put in as much time as I should, and I neglected doing as much core work as I needed (I hope that doesn't bite me again), but I feel good, and want to test some different strategies. I am also going to try out running with music this week. Normally, I cannot listen to anything while running. I like the silence, and music messes up my cadence. The silence also allows me to tune out. But, I'm going to try something different. I borrowed an ipod shuffle, and have a short playlist of music that may be beneficial later on when my leg turnover/cadence starts to lag (I try to keep 180 steps/minute).

Oh, I am runner #3144. You can get text messages of my progress during the race by signing up here.

3:39:57

So what have I been up to? I have continued running, and after a number of races ran another marathon, the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon (3:39:57). There are photos from it, as well as the Indianapolis Marathon (half) HERE. I’m planning on two for spring 2009. I’m considering running the Illinois Marathon, followed by the Country Music Marathon three weeks later. We’ll see. I’d really like to do a fundraiser/destination marathon again, but The Wellness Community isn’t doing it in 2009. I’m looking at Team in Training, but haven’t heard back from them yet.

I’ll be changing this blog theme a bit over the coming weeks, once I figure out what I’m going to do.

3:56:16

I did it! I achieved my goal of completing the Big Sur International Marathon in less than four hours. Not bad for a first marathon on a hilly course where one should expect to add 20 minutes to a normal marathon time. The course was challenging and what surprised me was that going up the hills wasn’t an issue for me. In reality, I should have pushed myself a little harder going up some of the hills. What became a factor was going down the hills. I’ll cover this shortly.

At 4:30am, we boarded the buses for the hour-long drive to the start line (quite a logistical feat, since 3,200+ people were running the full marathon, with another 6,800 people eventually taking the same buses to the start points for the shorter runs/walks). Arriving at the starting area, there was a massive throng of people milling about, with music playing to help pass the time as we awaited the 6:45am start. The competitors ranged from really fit folks, to others you wouldn’t guess would/could run 26.2 miles in six hours or less (the course closes after six hours). And there was a guy in white tights, a cape, a curly moustache, and a French cap (not a beret), who ran with a baguette. Yes, a baguette. I know he had a baguette, because he passed me around mile 5. I don’t know where he got the baguette, because he didn’t have it when I was standing behind him at the bag drop-off before the race (if you had sweats or other personal items to shed, you could have it sent to a pick up area at the finish line).

So, the race started, and I stuck to a comfortable pace, keeping my heart rate in the 152-159 range. The first six miles were downhill or flat, and I was keeping a good pace. At each mile mark, there are people calling out times, along with anticipated finish times. For the first eight or nine miles, I was on a 3:20-3:35 pace to finish. Of course, I knew the real climbs started at mile 9.8. Here is the course profile (bottom of the page): Big Sur marathon course

I made a point to not attack the hills too hard, as I was concerned about energy management – I didn’t want to hit a wall (bonk) at mile 20 or so. I shortened my stride, swung my arms, and kept at an effort so my breathing was not hard, and on a cycle of inhale/exhale/four steps, instead of the six to eight step patterns I usually breathe. Hurricane point was daunting to see (2.2 mile 4.5% climb), but not as bad as I thought. There were more climbs after that, but what became a factor was going down the hills. I tried to step it out enough on the descents to keep my heart rate up, making up for the decreased speed on the inclines. Somewhere after mile 18 it was getting too difficult to make the long strides, so my heart rate was dipping to the low 140s on some near the end. I couldn’t get enough leg turnover, and making a longer stride might have put my face on the pavement due to braking action.

Another factor was the camber of the road. Some areas, and especially the curves, have significant camber, and when combined with a decline, cause your foot to the front and side of your shoe. My feet were starting to hurt at mile 20.

And lastly, I started to have GI issues at mile 18. I was debating on stopping at a port-a-let, but I didn’t really want to. Eventually, I was really uncomfortable, and decided I would have to stop to take care of the situation. But before every water point/john stop was a mile marker, and nearing a 3:55 finish pace, decided I could not stop.

My dark place was probably miles 20-23. What really helped me around mile 23 was seeing the Strides for Hope team coach, Deseri Garcia, who ran with me for about ½ mile. Support and encouragement at this point really helped snap me out of my funk [read: self-defeating mindset].

At mile 24, I was just thinking,” I’m there. Step it out, pick up the pace.” Then I hit the last hill at mile 25, hoping there was not a decline after the top. Time was going really slow for me, because I just wanted to get across the finish line, knowing it would feel so good to stop. Approaching mile 26, I could see the finish line, and as I got closer, knew I was going to make 3:56.

It did in fact feel really good to stop, though I had to keep moving and couldn’t sit for another two hours (with the exception of the short, light massage I received in the massage tent). Walking around and getting drinks at various places, it began to sink in that five months of effort had paid off, and it was kind of an emotional moment for me (from someone who doesn’t show emotion). Since December, my accumulated training time is over 139 hours, over 590 miles running, and over 710 miles riding, with about 30 in the gym. I wish Michele could have been there with me.

In the end, my hips and outer quads were smoked, and it was hard to go down stairs most of the day. I took a brief ice bath, followed by two hot showers. I used my massage stick periodically to work out the kinks, and feel pretty good, though the next day my morning resting heart rate was up quite a bit (55 vs. 39 the previous week). I had hoped to run negative splits the second half of the race, but I don’t think this course is conducive for that. I could have been faster on the hills, and I learned my energy management plan may have been too conservative. I had started the carb load process four days earlier, and consumed gels at 45 min before the race, 1 hr, 1:45, and 2:45. I think I could have pushed harder and maybe bumped my average heart rate to the low 160s, instead of 156. I don’t know. Fatigue management is another story.

My splits:

mile time HR
1 7:50 145
2 8:28 157
3-4 16:12 156
5 8:15 158
6 8:23 160
7 8:44 159
8 8:58 159
9 9:12 159
10 8:26 153
11 10:38 159
12 9:35 158
13 8:00 152
14 8:31 153
15 8:36 158
16 9:06 157
17 8:56 154
18 9:35 155
19 9:47 156
20 9:46 156
21 9:31 154
22 9:50 157
23 9:54 154
24 9:34 159
25 9:09 159
26 9:34 161
0.2 1:48 167

621/3208 overall
79/245 age group


And the course? It was spectacular! For the first six miles or so, you’re in the hills, with tree canopy and limited visibility. Then you break out and head for the coast. It became pretty windy, and I was really wishing I could find someone to draft. Once you hit the coast, it is just amazing, seeing the cliffs and surf, and once you’re closer to the water, can hear the waves crashing below. There were musicians along the way, ranging from high school bands to rock bands, from cultural drummers to a guy playing a grand piano on the Bixby bridge. I liked the drummers at the base of Hurricane Point the best. The thumping was in a seemingly south Pacific rhythm, and not only could I hear it for the next ½ mile, it was in synch with my cadence. The thousands of volunteers (literally) really helped the race go smoothly.

And my fund raising? It looks like I will just about hit $8,500. And I was stressed about getting $3,500. Thanks to everyone for their support, both financially and with goodwill, as I could not have otherwise done this. It was a wonderful experience, and all for a good cause. I’d like to do this again next year (my thoughts at mile 21 were just the opposite), though I think I would be even more stressed about the fundraising aspect.

My friend Brian was with me at the start. He signed up for the race right after I told him I was running in it (what a pal). He hadn’t run a marathon since the mid-90’s (Honolulu), but being the most spontaneous person I know, he just signed up. Since I don’t/can’t listen to music when I run, nor do I talk much, I told him he was either going to be ahead of me or behind me during the race, but if he was with me, they’ll be no yammering because I have to tune everything out when I run. We got separated and I didn’t see him again until after the race. We walked around for awhile, went back to the hotel to clean up, then went to a pub for some pints and chow. I found it was still too hard to eat, and could only consume half my Guinness.

What’s next? I’m running the Geist half-marathon on 5/17, and want to do one of the local triathlons in June, while getting ready for the 2008 Muncie Endurathon in July.

Here are the race results: Big Sur results. I am bib 3374.

I have posted a few pictures, as I don’t have many (I hope to get some from the team), but here is a link to the ones taken by Marathon Photo during the race: Marathon Photo