- Miles:
- 1843 total / 756 in 2013
- Goal:
To get a new P.R.! Current: 5k: 21:19. ...... 5 mi: 37:23. ... 10 mi: 1:17. .....13.1: 1:44 ...... 26.2: 3:41.
Amy O race recap & advice n...
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Race Recap & Advice Needed
I woke up yesterday at 4:30. I slept ok, considering. Drank coffee, had a banana and tried my best to eat a bagel. We left at 5 and it took about 50 minutes to get to Lehigh Valley hospital in Allentown. This was a marathon, half and a relay. The half starts at 13.1 miles in though. So since its a smaller race it was actually like lining up for a 5k. Maybe 500-600 people? No corrals, no slow start but also no pacers, which I could have used for sure. Anyway, I lined up and saw Thomas and Stein from DM so I chatted with them a bit and they are really nice guys. I think this was a fairly fast field. I feel like everyone I talked to was trying to get a BQ. I guess if your picking a marathon just to get the experience you select one of the bigger ones.
Before we knew it the gun went off. My goal was 3:39:59 or less...8:23 pace. As soon as I crossed the start I was passed by a massive amount of people. It's impossible to tell who was running the marathon and who was running the relay but I vowed not to get caught up in it. "Pass no one, pass no one" I kept repeating that and checking my watch. My pace was all over the place. I really suck at pacing I have to say. I got to mile 1 at 7:50. I knew this was an issue so I really pulled back and started to run 8:00-8:20. My husband had told me to find a person and pace them but that never worked, no one seemed to be keeping an even pace.
The crowd support was really only at the relay exchange points (about 6, 12, 16 & 22). My strategy was to not use music until after I was half way through. I tend to run to the beat but too much music and my mind drowns it out. So I only wanted it when I needed it. So it was just me and my watch. I have to say that my watch kept my mind engaged the whole time. I was constantly checking my pace and trying to get in the groove with the right pace. When I got to the first exchange point around mile 6 I was a bit ahead of schedule (I wrote my target times for each exchange point on my arm) but I thought of it as a cushion if I needed to use the bathroom. Thank goodness I never needed to because I didn't see one porta potty on this course. I heard they were at the exchange points but I didn't see them. Anyway when I got to the half way point I was 2 minutes ahead of schedule. I felt great though. I was still running easy. From mile 2 until 20 I just said "run the mile your in" over and over. I tried not to think ahead and it really worked. If I started to think I have 10 miles to go I just started chanting that in my head and squashed those thoughts. Somewhere after mile 14 I started to realize my watch wasn't lining up with the mile markers. I did zig zag a bit due to puddles and rocks/roots but I also must not have paid attention to the tangents. That's when I started having to do math. Math is much harder after running 18 miles. :)
Slowly from mile 13 to 22 I lost my 2 minute lead. I hit 22 exactly on schedule. The whole race from mile 1-22, I felt good. I was thinking " Why don't more people do this, it's pretty fun." and I vowed not to get to ahead of myself but I did think I had the BQ. Here at mile 22 I realized I was in some trouble. I tried to pick it up and when I got to mile 23 I had 27 minutes left. I needed to run 3.2 in 27 minutes. "You can run a 27 minute 5k in your sleep"' I told myself and tried as hard as possible to push it. It wasn't until this point, mile 23, that I started to hurt. Up until this point the race was very flat. The last 5k had a few climbs though and my tired little legs just couldn't run them fast enough or recover from them fast enough. I got to the last two miles and all I could think of was the end. I just pushed and pushed and I could see the finish line. My husband jumped into the course with me at this point and was encouraging or yelling at me (ha!) I couldn't tell. At this point (50 meters or so to go) I could finally read the clock 3:41. That was the worst feeling, seeing the clock. It made it so much harder to get across the line.
I walked and sat on the curb and put my face in my towel. When I looked up the girl sitting next to me was crying. I guess she just missed it too. My calfs started cramping and I couldn't even get up off the curb. I made my way over the a water fountain and put my legs in. The water was freezing. Thank goodness for that fountain. It made it tolerable to get back to the car.
The marathon course was very nice. It was a great event. It was my first. I was nervous because I had heard it hurt like childbirth or you feel like you are going to die. No, I can assure you childbirth hurts 100 times worse. :) I was really bummed afterwards though. My four kids were all there watching me along with my husband and even my Mom came up. They were all really supportive of me and it made it a lot easier. I always tell the kids if you get knocked down you get right up, dust yourself off and try again. So that is exactly what I plan on doing :)
So here is where I need advice. I could do a spring marathon. I have been looking at different options already. However, most of the flat and fast marathons are in the fall. Including Philadephia in Nov and registration is still open. I'm already in race shape and they will have pacers. Plus it's still two months away. What do you all think? Should I go for Philly? Then I could always sign up for a Spring Marathon if I don't get it in Philly. Let me know your thoughts wise running people! :)
Interesting read, thanks for sharing.
9 months ago • Like • 1 person
I hate to throw it back at you, but it's really a question for you. I say that because since Philly is so long from now, more than 2 months, are you mentally and physically up to getting back into training? That will be the determining factor. If you are, then go for it. If not, then your heart won't be in it, and it will be a bad experience. Use this recovery week as reflection time to determine if you want to give it a go. And be honest with yourself. You'll need to be all in.
9 months ago • Like • 2 people
Otherwise, take some time, run for fun, and regroup for the spring. If you want a flat and fast spring marathon, look at Shamrock in VA Beach.
9 months ago • Like
You should sign up for Philly, you are in race shape now so you allow yourself a couple weeks to recuperate from this race then a few weeks of one long run a week to get ready before you taper off.
One thing to be careful of is if you are injury prone to get more rest or you could end up with some foot or calf issues. The busiest race year I ever had I ran 5 marathons, a half and bunch of 10k races besides training. I BQ on the last marathon when my watch died and I just wanted to get it over with.
9 months ago • Like
Mark- thank you for your thoughts! :) I looked at the Shamrock this a.m and the reviews said its really windy. I'm from that area-ish and I know the spring winds. I can do freezing, I can do humid, and I can do rain but I hate wind. Lol! But I'm not going to rule it out :)
9 months ago • Like
Good point Chris. I have only really had issues with mild tendonitis but I've always found it to be a shoe issue.
9 months ago • Like
how about the bucks marathon also in november. flat horsepath along the canal.I did it last year and it was a good small town race.
also higdon had some ideas on multiple marathons in a year
http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51153/Marathon-Multiple-Marathons-Training-Program
9 months ago • Like
I think you could do Philly! Just ease back into training and that gives you a solid month to train before tapering again. Just make sure to start back easy, no injuries!
9 months ago • Like • 1 person
I think that it really depends on where you think your weak points were at and if you think Philly can fill those voids. I think that two months is an adequate amount of time to be able to rest but are you going to be exhausting yourself doing so? You were so very close and now with new mental thinking you can very well push yourself further so I say go for it but keep your race smart.
9 months ago • Like • 1 person
Of course, I have no advice...but I can say THANK you for giving me this glimpse into what a real marathon is like! I'm so amazed that you went so far!
The part where your husband jumped in? Yeah, I burst into happy tears. :D What an amazing experience this must be. I'm so proud for you!
You are so awesome. :)
9 months ago • Like
Joe - That actually looks like my kind of race ( except where I read you run down a flight of steps, lol). But I don't think it has pacers and I wanted to try my next one with pacers. That Hal link is awesome! I am using that for sure.
9 months ago • Like
what are you shooting for? i ran it last year in 3:40 and hope to be closer to 3:30 this round
9 months ago • Like
Amy, you did great for a small marathon. The big ones are easier because you have more people targeting the same pace as you. Unless you feel really spent, I recommend you get right back into it. I ran Columbus Ohio las October and got my PR there (3:29); this was actually almost 25 minutes faster than my previous PR. They have great crowd support and great pacers. For a BQ, I strongly recommend a race with pacers.
9 months ago • Like
As for running back to back races, I don't see an issue with that. To me, it means less long runs! I usually run 3 or 4 marathons starting in the fall about every 2 or 3 months, with some halves scattered in between. Treat this one like one of your long runs and get back into training, although you might go easy on miles for a week or two. Of course, the main thing is to listen to your body. If you start getting back into it and feel blah, give it a rest and try again in the spring.
9 months ago • Like
There is one in May called the Qualifier in Michigan. With a name like that, sounds pretty nice. I'm doing that one if I don't get a BQ between here and then.
9 months ago • Like
Joe - 3:40, well anything less than that actually.
Thanks Joel! I went ahead and signed up for Philly. I think it's 11 weeks away, so I think that's doable. Then I went and noticed they don't have a 3:40 pace group. They have a 3:35 and a 3:45. Haha! I have to laugh. Of course I go and look AFTER I sign up. I saw that Qualifier race when I was searching races. Must be flat as a pancake! I noticed they said the fastest race is Steamtown which is in these parts in Oct but it was sold out long ago.
9 months ago • Like
hear the end of steamtown is uphill. but heard good stuff about that one as well
9 months ago • Like
Love the attitude of getting right back in it and this is without a doubt an impressive marathon Amy!
9 months ago • Like • 1 person