tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19794031252273316712024-03-05T01:33:46.732-08:00Andrea's Party in the U.S.A.A. Bonaccorsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320905872877346562noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1979403125227331671.post-44120628397083527152012-10-31T10:46:00.000-07:002013-04-19T10:48:10.103-07:002012 Marine Corps Marathon 3:26:41 (VIRGINIA)<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Marine Corps Marathon would satisfy the “last” of many
things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be my 6<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
and final marathon of 2012. It would also be the last of my “must do” marathon
list – when I started this journey I knew there would be a fair chance of my
not finishing all 50 so I tried to front load my list with the marathons I *knew*
I wanted to run someday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be the
last marathon in a city where I or my husband had a family member...I’ll miss having an excuse to visit family. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I knew I was running on fumes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The two marathons (Flagstaff and Findlay) in
the previous five weeks were about the only work I had done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Factor in the three week taper going into
those and it had been quite a while since I had seriously trained. I can’t
remember the last time I lifted a weight, maybe mid-September? I could see it
in my body - my core muscles non-existent, my quads not as cut – I was not feeling particularly confident.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After Findlay I knew I had to do a little speed work if I
wanted to have any chance of posting a decent time at MCM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I attempted a couple of short tempo runs that
were not particularly successful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t sure if it was due to my lack of
fitness or the fact that it is so dark in the mornings now. One day I went out
to do 3 x 1 mile repeats at 6:45 pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
really wanted to bump up my turnover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
did these on a dark and crappy dirt track in my neighborhood and although I hit
the pace (6:43, 6:41, 6:43) it was a struggle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
Again, </span>I was not particularly confident but during brief conversation with
Michelle she talked some sense/confidence into me by pointing out that my workouts were "fast enough." We discussed my plan for the race which would be to go out
with the 3:25 (7:49/mile) pace group, stick with them for as long as
possible then hold on for a sub 3:28 finish which would get me a personal
best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt I was in low 3:30s
shape and I could sneak in just under 3:30 if I had a good day. I had no idea
what would happen if I went out faster than that. This was a new tactic for me
as I like to finish strong and just hoped I could keep my head
together when things started falling apart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A little stress to start the day, I now know the D.C. metro
system is pretty crappy. They claimed it would be open at 5:00 for marathoners,
which it was, however the train did not arrive until 7:00. Start time is 7:55
and we needed to change trains en route! I tried to remain calm and figured if
I missed getting into my spot with the pace at the start line, I would just have to figure
out how to roll with it. We got to Pentagon City at about 7:30. It
was a long walk to the athlete village then to the start line and I needed to
check my bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I eventually got there,
got the bag stored and ran up the side of the start corrals until I found the
pace group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was even able to get a
last bathroom break in and get in the corral with about 5 minutes to spare.
Adrenaline pumping, I even broke a sweat. Whew!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Howitzer blew at exactly 7:55 and off we went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was only one pacer and he was going to
be leading the whole race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I later found
out that he’s mid 2:40 marathoner, so this was a piece of cake for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took it out a little fast, but I put all
my trust in him to pull us for the distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The early miles clicked by quickly, as they always do. The pace felt
challenging, but I remained calm and tried to use easy patches as opportunities
for recovery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were timing mats
every 5K which I love. I always think that someone (hopefully Ty) is out
there watching my splits and I always feel like I can sense their energy and
confidence every time I clear another mat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhAkQBsb3HW7gqpTtrU3cNtulFkdipd2nAKe5QNA8cEefrsLDJEBentYOVpn57N027i1bQ2__VKmp0hfio_TjvSxamEZKApzsGi0iU96ZEcVFcGqh-byjCl3CwkyZ9s0hdxlPOwXqtiSj/s1600/723871-1278-0002s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhAkQBsb3HW7gqpTtrU3cNtulFkdipd2nAKe5QNA8cEefrsLDJEBentYOVpn57N027i1bQ2__VKmp0hfio_TjvSxamEZKApzsGi0iU96ZEcVFcGqh-byjCl3CwkyZ9s0hdxlPOwXqtiSj/s320/723871-1278-0002s.jpg" width="212" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUn4_RQ_YcURqnYob7bOgpN3AybkpYieasGrCrZn0X8fcRJz2nVAakdYGHUGvp2G832HFFXwMZFhmtWWUy2_g-uJao0B7kHPlf4yZh7Ew3sh0T9rS5Dlo4n0_oq3eP1xfL9FFWz5Kwav5Z/s1600/723960-1028-0029s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUn4_RQ_YcURqnYob7bOgpN3AybkpYieasGrCrZn0X8fcRJz2nVAakdYGHUGvp2G832HFFXwMZFhmtWWUy2_g-uJao0B7kHPlf4yZh7Ew3sh0T9rS5Dlo4n0_oq3eP1xfL9FFWz5Kwav5Z/s320/723960-1028-0029s.jpg" width="212" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Around mile 12 we headed out for the most quiet part of the
course, the run around Haines point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was really windy in here, but having the pace group around me helped mitigate
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone tucked in tight and like
a freight train we kept rolling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through
halfway it was still feeling hard and I was starting to feel tired and I told
myself to just hang on until just after 16. I felt I needed to get to the
single digits then assess my situation. In here I was feeling the fatigue of
the early miles and the wind and every so often I’d lose a few steps on the
group, but I’d charge back. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Coming
through 16 I knew that if I let the group go there was a strong chance I would
miss my PR. 10 miles is a little too long for a blow up so I told myself I
needed to hang on longer - I needed more time in the bank. I pulled out my ipod
and ironically Maroon 5’s “Harder to Breath” was the first song to play. I had a little
chuckle about that. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As always, with
races this long, there’s plenty of ups and downs and a little after mile 16, I
came out of my “down” and felt pretty good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had eaten a gel with caffeine and no doubt it had me feeling much better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was feeling confident and miles 17 and 18
flew by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My plan was evolving and I even
started thinking about the possibility of breaking 3:25.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I </span>pushed aside that stupid idea,
but I did start thinking about maybe inching away from the group at mile 22 or
23.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s a good thing I held back because by mile 20, I was
slipping off the back of the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
group was much smaller now and spreading out and I couldn’t get back on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spent the next mile focusing on getting
back, but it was useless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hadn’t been
paying attention to my watch but knew I would have to start focus on the time so
I could figure out how to tackle these last few miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At mile 22 I looked down and saw 2:51:51.
That was 9 seconds under pace for a 3:25 finish assuming I was going at 7:49
pace, which I wasn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started doing
the math on what I needed to go 3:28.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
kept pressing on, occasionally looking at my watch, but mostly just checking at
the mile markers to make sure it was still within reach. At this point the wind
was very stiff, and I was simply running as fast as I could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There wasn’t much I could do about pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a tough mentally and I lamented the
wind and not having a bunch of people around to block it, but I stayed engaged
and on top of the situation, even while wishing it was all over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">At mile 24 the wind was like running into a brick wall and
people were dropping like flies. I would be running and a person just up ahead
would just stop, defeated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> So tempting to just stop and end the pain. </span>I
pressed on and tried not to look at my watch, but I was certainly counting down
the tenths. I knew I should be able to break 3:28, but was also getting had no
idea how long I could keep charging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
shortened my stride, lengthened my stride, heel-striked, anything to change
things up and keep my legs churning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
can’t believe I didn’t think of skipping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Finally I passed 25 and right at about a mile to go there was a curved
descent off an overpass. I charged down like a crazy person hoping to gain a
few seconds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were back at
the start area and would go past what had earlier been the start line. I didn’t
know where the finish was and I tried not to look too far
ahead. It always seems so futile looking for the finish arch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The ipod was driving me crazy so I stuffed that away. Along this </span>straight-away we finally hit mile
26 and the turn for the infamous MCM finish line hill. The Marines did not
disappoint, the hill was short, maybe a tenth of a mile, but steep enough that
there would be no charging it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I jogged
/shuffled up and charged the last little bit until we came around a curve and I could see
the finish line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw 3:26 low and knew
that I would be just fine for my PR.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">3:26:41! The Marines were there to award medals and shake
hands and give food and assistance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
thanked every person I could for serving our nation. What a fantastic feeling
it was to run this race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt like I
respected the distance and the race as well as I could have by staying in control of virtually every minute. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am relieved to be finished for 2012, although
coming off a successful race always makes me itchy to race again.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I am now in a situation I haven’t been in quite a while.
I’ve got no marathons planned and I don’t have anything even on my radar
screen. I am looking forward to sitting down and planning my 2013 schedule.
</blockquote>
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A. Bonaccorsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320905872877346562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1979403125227331671.post-70838315966006422452012-10-09T09:59:00.000-07:002013-01-02T18:20:22.138-08:00Red White & Blue 26.2 Marathon (OHIO)<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My Ohio marathon will go down as my “best worst idea.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found out about a year ago that I would be
in Columbus, Ohio for my cousin Jenny’s wedding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew that I needed to do a marathon in Ohio
so once the wedding date was set, I began looking for a marathon a reasonable
distance from Columbus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found the Red
White and Blue 26.2 in Findlay, OH being held the morning after the
wedding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Findlay is about 90 miles away
from Columbus so I planned to drive out there in the wee hours. It would be a
tight schedule as we were also flying back to Seattle that afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The goal was to just get it done so I tried
not to dwell on the less-than-optimal conditions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Flagstaff really beat me up and I really could have used
more than two weeks to recover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With
that said, I didn’t feel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that </i>bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nonetheless my head wasn’t in a great place
for this race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was really excited about
seeing my extended family at the wedding and I hadn’t factored in how much I
would not want to leave for the marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It meant I would miss brunch and my last chance to see most before they
headed home. By Saturday night I was giving myself a 50/50 chance of bailing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Coming from a family of mostly non-athletes,
I felt like a fool saying, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“yeah, I’m
getting up in a few hours to drive to Findlay and run a marathon.” “You see it
makes sense because I’m trying to run the 50 states and I’m in Ohio so it would
be stupid not to.” “Right?”</i> “huh?” “What’s wrong with you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I don’t even know when I fell asleep, maybe 2:00. I tossed
and turned and got up at 4:30 to get on the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The roads out there were not freeways so it
wouldn’t necessarily be a quick drive. I already felt sick, my stomach was in
knots, whether it was nerves or lack of sleep I had no idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I got to Findlay and found my way to the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As is usually the case with small marathons,
parking was easy, number pick-up a breeze and I was all ready to go with a few
minutes to spare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having run the
Flagstaff marathon two weeks before, I knew I could go the distance. The
problem was I hadn’t done anything remotely close to speed work, so I didn’t
have a good sense of what my race pace should be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sensed that I could go in the low 3:30s if
I had a good day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I decided to go out at 8:00 pace (a 3:30) for no other
reason than that it’s a round number and easier to track.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The course is two loops on dead, dead flat
road so I wouldn’t have to worry about trying to average hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was tired and simply not in the mood to
have to pay attention to my watch and do math problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a prayer and the National Anthem we
were off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ended up running with a man
and woman both running my pace. The woman was running the half, the man would
be going the full distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We chatted
on and off and I’m not sure whether this was good or bad for me. I wasn’t
feeling so good and as much as it was kind of taking my mind off things, I
didn’t feel up for conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within
a few miles my stomach was in full knots and I knew I was going to have to take
a break. At mile 5 I excused myself for the porta-potty and knew that this day
would be about surviving, and hopefully minimizing the misery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took my time, knowing it was going to be a
long morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Back on the road I went, working back to an 8:00 pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I chugged along then started feeling sick
again near mile 9.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was going to be a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i> long morning… Miles 10 & 11
were a little miserable, and just after mile 11 I took another bio-break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was in there wishing I could just time warp
this whole thing to be over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This honey
badger didn’t give a $#%! but I needed to get back on the road and get this
done and I needed to get back to Columbus to catch a flight. My legs felt fine,
but my stomach (entire GI track actually) was clearly not in a good place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also in here is where I realized I had been
running in tail wind for a while and was now in head wind, adding to my overall
malaise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Opps – I always forget that if
you don’t feel wind, it’s a tail. The head wind was pretty strong and I was
struggling a little so I quit paying attention to my splits, I was just trying
to stay comfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I passed through
the spot where the half marathoners would turn off for the finish still
battling the wind. I was a little bummed not to be finishing, but at least I
was at the halfway point and headed back into tail wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Miles 14 – 15 were not so great, just
survival. Luckily as I got closer to mile 16 my stomach had settled down a little
and I was feeling much better. I just went with it and as such my pace came
down closer to 8:00. Around mile 19 I passed an older gentleman who was
volunteering and he yelled “you look great kid!” It made me laugh that he
called me kid. To this old lady it might be the best compliment I can get! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was an out and back section just after that
was a little over a mile long so I could get a good look at where I was in
terms of the women’s field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kind of
paid attention on the first round, but I couldn’t easily determine who was
running the marathon vs. half marathon and a relay. Anyway, around here I was
still feeling good and didn’t see any women ahead and the women behind me seemed
at least a half mile back, so I knew that unless I stopped for a long time I
would be holding whatever position I currently had. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pressing on through mile 22 I was starting to
feel crappy again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really wanted a
break and started thinking about hitting the next porta-potty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily my will to finish was strong and I
didn’t want to waste any time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was in
survival mode and focusing on every step that got me closer to the finish
line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other than my internal struggle
the last few miles were uneventful. I wasn’t breaking any speed records but I
was moving as fast as possible and thrilled to finally finish. The finish line
scene was quite good for a small marathon. There was an announcer and he called
my name and hometown and noted that the top 10 women were still coming in. By
my watch my finish time was 3:37:xx so a top ten finish was fine with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went into the park building and grabbed a
banana and a cup of hot black coffee to perk me up for the long drive back to Columbus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To add to the craziness of the weekend I needed to get back to
the hotel ASAP to grab a shower and head to the airport. My family would have
everything packed except my toiletries and some clothes to wear home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This day wasn’t going to get any less
painful!! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The rest is a whirlwind trip. The family got me to the
airport and since our flight was going through Philadelphia, my parents and
some other extended family were on the same flight (they all live in Philly). I
was able to spend some extra time with them, even if I was sucking on Pepto Bismol
tablets and barely capable of a coherent sentence. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The next morning I lay in my bed in Seattle and thought I
would check on the results. I wanted to see my official time and place. My time
was 3:37:42 and as it turns out I was the first woman and 20<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
finisher overall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The announcer guy must have been including
relay finishers when he said I was in the top ten women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not nearly as excited about this win as there
were only 72 people in the race and honestly, it was a half-hearted attempt. On
the other hand, it was nice to tell my kids that mommy won another race.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have three weeks to get ready for Marine Corps Marathon. I
don’t have a race plan figured out but know that if I want a shot at breaking
3:30 I need to cram in some speed work. I am planning on a week to recover then
7-10 days of training that includes race pace work, then taper. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">I didn't get any pictures from the marathon so here are a couple from the wedding...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the mile - (1) 7:42, (2) 7:58, (3) 8:00, (4) 7:46, (5) 7:50, (6) 9:05, (7) 8:06, (8) 7:54, (9) 8:04, (10) 8:10, (11) 8:14, (12) 9:23, (13) 8:04, (14) 8:21, (15) 8:30, (16) 8:11, (17) 8:12, (18) 8:08, (19) 8:10, (20) 8:20, (21) 8:05, (22) 8:28, (23) 8:19, (24) 8:32, (25) 9:05, (26) 8:27, (.2) 2:40</span></div>
A. Bonaccorsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320905872877346562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1979403125227331671.post-75160074260963473502012-09-30T20:25:00.000-07:002017-12-10T14:04:21.799-08:00Flagstaff race report (spoiler alert...my first marathon win!)<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">September 22, 2012...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Marathon number 15 in the can, or as I’ve heard mentioned on the TalkUltra podcast “done and dusted.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A fitting description as I ended the race about as filthy as I’ve ever finished a run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On to the race report…<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">For a while I planned on Sedona <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>being my Arizona marathon; however<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>knowing that I would be spending some of the summer training on trails and using my hypoxic tent in preparation for supporting Michelle at the Leadville 100 trail run, I saw an opportunity to put the training to work for my marathon goals and signed up for Flagstaff. In the universe that sees running 3 marathons in about 5 weeks as a reasonable<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>goal, it fit nicely with my fall plans. With OH (The Red White and Blue Marathon in Findlay, OH) two weeks later and VA (the Marine Corps Marathon) three weeks after that I viewed this race is as my last long run before the road marathons. After studying previous year’s results on Marathon Guide, I realized if I had a decent run I could probably win.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t as tuned up as I would want to be for a road marathon but I was ready to be on my feet and grind it out for a few hours, hopefully I would finish in four. My only real concern is that I’m not a fast trail runner. When I hit the trails my body just goes into slow mo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However I knew with a little luck I could pull off a win which would be pretty cool for a rower turned runner like me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">By the way I LOVE Flagstaff. I had only been there once before over 14 years ago with my husband as we drove across country. For some reason we both have always thought fondly of the town and keep it on that short list of places you dream about someday living.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I flew in Friday and was able to mill around the old section of town checking things out and even bought a few pieces of art from a local photographer. Packet pick-up was in a cute little coffee shop/café and I got a chance to speak to one of the volunteers about the size of the field, whether trail shoes were appropriate (YES), etc. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Saturday morning I headed out Rt. 180 (the road that leads to the Grand Canyon) for the 8:00 start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With only 350 participants total between a 10k, half marathon & marathon, it was a super mellow scene.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had my waist pack on with some gels, my iPod, my rental car keys and an extra piece of gum. At the last second I ditched the lip gloss I usually take on trail runs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mostly out of concern that I would look like poser if I started glossing on the trail :o) I didn’t bother taking a water bottle as it looked like all the aid stations were about 2 miles apart so I figured I would be o.k. without and I didn’t need to carry that extra weight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The course is what I would call two flower petals – two different loops of about 6 -7 miles each going through the start/finish area. One time through the loops is 13.1 so the marathoners do it twice. I was happy about the loop course as I knew I could use the information gathered on the first round to prepare for the second round.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The start/finish line - very low key</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Off we went promptly at 8:00 with the half marathoners and 10K-ers starting 5 – 10 minutes after the marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perfect, there would be no crowds on the trail and I never even saw other racers until almost halfway where the leaders of the half caught up to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My plan was to go out with the lead women and run my own pace hoping it would be enough to stay in the game and make something happen near the end. I wasn’t sure how narrow the trail was so I didn’t want to get stuck behind a conga line. The course has about 2200’ of elevation gain (not crazy but more than 2x any marathon I’ve ever run other than Pikes Peak) so I did not want to over exert myself. I figured I would stay calm and controlled until miles 18-19 then start reeling in the finish line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I consider myself a good “closer” - I typically know my limits and can run a patient pace and negative split my marathons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With that said, with the altitude and elevation gain I knew this race would be less about having a negative split than managing how not to slow down too much in the second half.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As planned I started by hanging a few paces behind the lead woman (“the girl in the blue shirt”).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon enough - around mile 2 - she was running a little slower than I thought I needed to go. I didn’t really want to run in the lead but the pace was a little too comfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I edged past her determined to do my own thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This required a quick change on the mental plan as I wanted to continue to run comfortably but hopefully put distance on the women.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Trying to get my head wrapped around running in the lead it was bugging me that I didn’t know where anyone else was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no way I was going to try to turn around to see how close the next woman was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, it’s a trail and you can’t see that far anyway, second I might fall trying to look around and third and most important, if she was really close and saw me looking she would know I was concerned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can’t have that. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We climbed for what seemed like forever and every so often would hit a flat or descending portion. Through here I chatted with and passed a guy wearing Luna sandals – made in Seattle by Barefoot Ted, named after Manuel Luna in the spirit of the sandals worn by the Tarahumara Indians. Craziness, his feet had to get really beat up on this trail. By my standards it is a technical course – loose lava rocks (sharp! And when was the last volcanic activity? A million years ago? Apparently those rocks stick around!), sticks and other trail debris and the occasional packed dirt. Nothing groomed and at times I swear it looked like debris was trucked in and dropped on the trail just to keep things fun!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many times we would turn off the trail and just follow landscape flags through the forest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was true off road running and simply wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The climbing continued to seem endless but I reminded myself that it had to come down eventually since the finish line was the same as the start.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I kept plugging away, running easy but as strong as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a good section of descents and flat areas before coming into the start/finish and I tried to use it to run a pace more similar to my road pace. I didn’t look at my Garmin much, but when I was moving “fast” I was anywhere between 7:30 and 8:30. I knew this wouldn’t be the area that made or broke my race, but I figured (with absolutely no evidence) I probably had one of the faster road times of the women and shouldn’t waste the opportunity to get my cadence on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We finished the first loop (approx 10k) passed a few cheering spectators and headed out to the second loop. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The second of the loops was more formidable than the first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hadn’t really picked up on this looking at the course maps <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- mostly because the elevation map made me want to throw up so I didn’t really look at it. While the first loop had more ups and downs, the second had a steady climb starting about the seven mile mark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took advantage of the early flat sections then settled in as we started to climb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really felt the altitude on this climb even though the highest point was only ~8,600 ft. but I guess it’s that much worse when you’re pushing your body. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somewhere in here I took my first fall. Just a little trip while going up I landed with my hands and knees on the trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No apparent damage, I was up quickly and back to moving forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I noticed that my hands were blue and bloated, it’s funny how altitude does that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was good that I didn’t have any idea how long the climb would be or I might have hiked/walked it, but I ran the whole thing. I was able to control my heart rate and breathing rate fairly well by staying calm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We finally reached the top a little before the 11 mile mark then started descending.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was almost 2 miles of descents back to the start/finish area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was in here the lead half-marathoners passed us and I can honestly report that I didn’t even feel jealous that they would get to stop soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt great and was having fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As much as this first round was tough I was thrilled that I was still leading and I knew exactly what I would be facing in the second half and knew I could handle it. It would be tough, but I only needed to not slow down as much as my competitors and I would stay ahead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I passed a volunteer I had spoken to the day before and as I was passing the third time she said “you’re still in first!” to which I replied “that was really fun, I think I’ll do it again!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A young guy passed me right at the halfway point and asked if I knew the elapsed time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked down and saw 2:01.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hadn’t thought to look so I was glad he asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would have liked it to be under 2 hours as I knew the second round would be slower, but there was no reason to fret, I was in the lead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Through all of this I was trying to catch a glimpse of who was behind me but the course didn’t have switchbacks, just gradually winding turns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At aid stations I would stop to suck down some water and look back and whenever the trail would make a sharp turn I would try to steal a peek at who was behind me. I kept seeing the “girl in the blue shirt” and was a little bummed I couldn’t shake her so I just tried to stay consistent - not pushing too hard, trying not to slow down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately more than a few times I lamented being the one chased and really wished I was doing the chasing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pushed those thoughts out and continued to focus on my running knowing it is the only thing I can control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Going the through the first loop for the second time, I ended up falling twice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time I whacked my left knee badly. I was on the ground for a few seconds assessing the pain then popped up thinking I would just run it out and I’d know soon enough if it would be problematic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pain slowly eased up and after a mile I felt nothing. Then on a downhill section I took my 3<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">rd</span></sup> and biggest fall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As always, it happened fast and I basically body slammed my left side then slid a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It happened as I was going past someone walking (maybe a half-marathon walker?).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once again I popped up, this time with no sharp pains but bleeding from my left elbow & shoulder and my right hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was a real mess but felt fine. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t want to waste any time!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I continued on and finished this 3<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">rd</span></sup> quarter of the race blazing through the start/finish area still concerned about getting chased down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I headed out for the 4<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> loop and final quarter of the race. As mentioned, I knew the last quarter of the race would be the hardest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A steady and steep climb with a couple mile downhill to the finish as a reward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is not much to report here other than I started getting paranoid about the girl in the blue shirt catching up to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few times I would catch a peek back and I would see a blue shirted person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was pretty sure that person was closing the gap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was still having fun but definitely running for my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had spurts of alternating power hiking but I kept powering up and up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few times I let my mind go a little dark and thought how embarrassing it would be to get passed in the last 10k after leading for so long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I was at an aid station grabbing water (maybe around mile 23?) and the blue shirted person finally caught me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turns out it was a man NOT A WOMAN! I immediately said “I thought you were a woman!” He was momentarily confused and we exchanged a few sentences as I explained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He finally said “there isn’t a woman anywhere near you.” I was relieved and so for the last few miles I ran much smoother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still wasn’t comfortable not knowing what was going on behind me but I figured there shouldn’t be anyone in striking distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finally plowed to the tippy top of the hill and started the descent into the finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I passed a few guys in here – some were having trouble with rocks in their shoes or had cramping or simply ran out of steam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t care much about my overall pacing, but I was energized to be running well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I reached the finish in 4:10:14. Well off my goal of 4:00 but that was really just a swag number, I had no idea how long it would take me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was good enough for a women’s division win and 13<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> place overall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> place woman was over 40 minutes behind - it would have been nice to know that while I was out there!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the other hand, I am sure I stayed stronger thinking she was catching me. There were 62 finishers. I am not sure how many started but the field was full at 100 entries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I heard afterward that they let you drop down to the half distance after the first round and more than a few people took the option.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPf1QeUMbV8zUs-RXeQxmgXhjHJmmf7vB7Exwednr2IaIf93ocOSwXPf3u7h0xZNm8ng0deMnCVXfZnjwcUzNeFTlVKZrBAkRAUZ5yOgltAiRKprMFOGn6J0Dv-ScKEpawQwczk0lUVHRl/s1600/Flagstaff+at+finish+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPf1QeUMbV8zUs-RXeQxmgXhjHJmmf7vB7Exwednr2IaIf93ocOSwXPf3u7h0xZNm8ng0deMnCVXfZnjwcUzNeFTlVKZrBAkRAUZ5yOgltAiRKprMFOGn6J0Dv-ScKEpawQwczk0lUVHRl/s1600/Flagstaff+at+finish+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"> </a><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPf1QeUMbV8zUs-RXeQxmgXhjHJmmf7vB7Exwednr2IaIf93ocOSwXPf3u7h0xZNm8ng0deMnCVXfZnjwcUzNeFTlVKZrBAkRAUZ5yOgltAiRKprMFOGn6J0Dv-ScKEpawQwczk0lUVHRl/s320/Flagstaff+at+finish+-+Copy.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="201" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy to get the win!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPf1QeUMbV8zUs-RXeQxmgXhjHJmmf7vB7Exwednr2IaIf93ocOSwXPf3u7h0xZNm8ng0deMnCVXfZnjwcUzNeFTlVKZrBAkRAUZ5yOgltAiRKprMFOGn6J0Dv-ScKEpawQwczk0lUVHRl/s1600/Flagstaff+at+finish+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
</a><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Overall I really enjoyed this race. I enjoyed visiting Flagstaff, even if it was a quick one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately I really banged myself up badly on the falls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked like I survived a bear attack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That concerns me a little with regard to future trail racing, but I am thankful it wasn’t worse.<o:p></o:p></span>
</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I didn't get a picture of the massive bruise on my thigh which was still visable 10 weeks later. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEingspZXftwN3iOVDWoJzQNvjPUzkUSYhFXe9vLFxKlQadCEha4EaX0GnsAeDrdRcsYCkxNTZ6RGEZD5aah0dIbvHwTVIpnF2Yu_b2lAg-t73HrSCm-NV0fGAtBrP3WuB7-Tr7L-Y3muruB/s1600/hand+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEingspZXftwN3iOVDWoJzQNvjPUzkUSYhFXe9vLFxKlQadCEha4EaX0GnsAeDrdRcsYCkxNTZ6RGEZD5aah0dIbvHwTVIpnF2Yu_b2lAg-t73HrSCm-NV0fGAtBrP3WuB7-Tr7L-Y3muruB/s320/hand+-+Copy.jpg" width="239" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Now I will rest up for a few days then get my head wrapped around my next race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In two weeks I head to Ohio!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
A. Bonaccorsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320905872877346562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1979403125227331671.post-19493239803602049242012-06-19T08:10:00.004-07:002012-11-30T21:54:22.608-08:00Coeur D'Alene Marathon race report<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sunday, May 27, 2012... </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Coeur D’Alene would be my second attempt at breaking 3:30. I
was cautiously optimistic about my prospects – with a few days to go, I was a
little stiff (from inactivity no doubt) but my hip was feeling better and my
hamstring issues while not great, were not too bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the first time in over 7 years I would
have my family with me for support.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Frankly, I was not sure how that would all pan out but in the end the
race would prove to be almost perfect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We headed over to Spokane, WA where Ty’s grandmother lives
as it is only 30 minutes from Coeur D’Alene and we could tie in a visit to
celebrate her upcoming 90<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> birthday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We left Friday evening along with the
gazillion other people heading East for Memorial Day weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each minute in traffic eroded the minutes
available for sleep that night. As I drove at a snail’s pace and fretted over
it I realized that this weekend would be as much about my ability to give up
control over the situation at hand. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinSM4WyQn0eGahsddvWLFJoYZZWHa-GdP-V2t6ROEWNSMTBtQj-E6tSSyiFqCUWhCYehInTp8zullsqg-rFshyG8hl-SwFNibqQWbZH2dT2Fo3FjitxPAxIooIbJDb8GfB7ik8_FGnuhcX/s1600/girls+sleeping+in+hotel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinSM4WyQn0eGahsddvWLFJoYZZWHa-GdP-V2t6ROEWNSMTBtQj-E6tSSyiFqCUWhCYehInTp8zullsqg-rFshyG8hl-SwFNibqQWbZH2dT2Fo3FjitxPAxIooIbJDb8GfB7ik8_FGnuhcX/s200/girls+sleeping+in+hotel.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's so hard to get up sometimes!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After a busy Saturday around town Ty took the kids to the hotel pool
while I pulled together my race gear and settled in for bed. We would
need to be on the road early for the 7:00 start and while I didn’t sleep all
that well, at least I was horizontal for 8ish hours.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We met up with Tina who had her husband and father with
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She would also be running for a PR
as she wanted to run a 3:40 – 5 minutes under her Boston qualifying time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pre-race area was a breeze with easy
parking, good porta-potty access, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My only issue (there’s always at least one) was that I didn’t synch my
GPS before getting to the start line. For some reason it did not want to synch
up so I ended up having to start without it. Note – I have a GPS issue about
every other race and it’s always due to user stupidity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having been through this before, my plan was
to synch it on the run then start the timer at mile one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My race pace was to be 8 flat, so I planned
to run the first mile at sub 8 on feel. Not being able to see my exact pace I
didn’t want to take any chances of going too slow and missing my goal time by a few
seconds.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I felt pretty good considering I didn’t warm up and fell into pace with a couple of guys going my speed. As they
chatted, I heard them note they were at about 7:45 pace. Perfect. I figured I’d
hang with them for the first mile, then go my own way once I had my watch working.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately at mile one I realized
that it still wasn’t up (user stupidity again) so I started the process again,
figuring I’d get it going by mile 2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
the meantime I was now chatting away with Tim & Tony. They are a few years
younger than me and have been running together since high school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both from the Seattle area they are prolific
marathoners (60+ marathons each w/ recent PRs of 3:15) and ultra-runners (both
have run Cascade Crest 100 and multiple 50 milers).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although I got the watch going at mile two I
ended up running with Tim and Tony for 10+ miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t pay a lot of attention to the pace
other than to look down now and again to make sure I wasn’t running too fast. It
felt like we were on a training run with no pressure to stay with or push the
pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We chatted about real estate (Tim,
now a police officer, was once in real estate), the recent crime in Seattle
(lame mayor, DOJ), minimalist shoes (Tony is a P.T.), must-do races (Pikes
Peak!), and myriad other topics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">By mile 10 Tim was ahead and Tony dropped back so I was on
my own which was fine with me as I knew it was time to focus on the task at
hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were running along the lake for
what is the out and back portion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
would be a large up and down hill then the turn around so I stayed
relaxed and on pace and ready for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
saw my family a bunch of times which was great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My stomach was becoming disgruntled and I considered stopping at a
bathroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By my watch I figured I had
anywhere from 20 to 40 seconds cushion, but I didn’t want to take any chances
by stopping so I pressed on willing it to settle down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At mile 12 came the first one mile climb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t terrible, a nice change of pace so
I pushed it a little bit but well within my comfort zone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It ended up
being an 8:23 although I didn’t look at my watch at the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My family was at the top and they let me know
they would be staying there and catch me on the way back. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now down the other side for about a mile. I
could tell this side was steeper - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">note to
self – it’s going to be harder on the way back</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lead marathoners were on their way back
so I could check out where I was in the order of women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I noticed a few women then got distracted so
I wasn’t sure but I figured I was in the top 10. I turned on my music and continued
to focus on making my stomach cooperate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I noticed that whenever I ate or drank it would cramp up. I had no
choice but to take in water and calories but at least I knew what to expect and
could brace myself for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We turned
around at mile 15ish and I settled in behind a guy who seemed to be running
well. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew I would eventually pass
him, but I thought he would keep my mind and pace calm for a while.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDFML_7ElpMmvCPeU7GcXNPCPEKlcGZbgoB_94YY9C5NWhzWxD77Gtwqqty6LBA95gjHsJrSfW8yIBjbG_v0wmedCxXL7Kiwcve-BJPa-swYCG_335kzVSas0Q1l_iRiLV0Lrn5Q3P2Xk3/s1600/edited.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDFML_7ElpMmvCPeU7GcXNPCPEKlcGZbgoB_94YY9C5NWhzWxD77Gtwqqty6LBA95gjHsJrSfW8yIBjbG_v0wmedCxXL7Kiwcve-BJPa-swYCG_335kzVSas0Q1l_iRiLV0Lrn5Q3P2Xk3/s320/edited.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alessandra and I (Angie trailing)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now running back I was able to see Tina and give her a shout-out.
We got to the hill at 16 and I started pushing it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I passed my pacer guy and set my sights on passing
anyone in front of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was painful
but I knew I would see familiar faces at the top and then it would be smooth
sailing to the finish line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw the
family and took Alessandra’s hand to run with her a bit I mentioned my quads
were on fire but gave smiles and high fives all around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This mile would be 8:17 and my last mile in
the race to be over 8:00.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At mile 18 I checked
my time and figured I was right on pace for 3:30 if I assumed my first two
miles were 8 flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That meant I likely
had a small cushion, but not enough to stop for the bathroom or make any
mistakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All things considered (the 18+
miles I had just run) my body was feeling good, and my mind was engaged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew I had it and the key would be to not
screw it up. Now it would be a mental battle to stay focused when I was
starting to want the whole thing to be over! At mile 19 I thought, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“o.k. you only have 7 miles, that’s nothing”
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“ what’s<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>a 7 mile loop from home?...damn that seems long.”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So then I thought about how many minutes...<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“o.k. at an 8:00 pace that’s only 56
minutes. Wow that’s almost an hour, that’s a long time.”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed to stop thinking about it and just
run! One mile at a time…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">With blinders on I worked on reeling people in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There weren’t really any women in sight so I
focused on the men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I passed Tim
somewhere in here and that gave me a little boost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The family drove by for what would be the
last time until the finish line. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pushing on I finally saw another woman up
ahead. I steadily gained on her so that by mile 23 I passed her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looking at my watch I knew that 3:30 was a
given and that breaking 3:29 was possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now I was pushing as hard as I could for the finish line but man it was
hard!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">With about a mile to go I saw another woman. In fact she was
the woman I knew had been in 2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> place. I tried not to get too
worked up but knew I was gaining on her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In about a half mile I was in striking distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The finish line area was in a shopping center
to our right and I could see her looking that direction - she was hurting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was on her heels when we made the right
turn and I zipped past her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew I
probably wasn’t in 2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> place but I was thrilled at passing a woman
much younger than me. Unfortunately the last .3 is uphill so it is a bit of a
trudge to the finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trudge I did and
was happy to see my daughter Catherine with a quarter to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took her hand and we ran up together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We turned the last corner and I saw the
clock. It was in the high 3:27s so I charged ahead thinking I might break
3:28.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3:27:55!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A new PR - 32<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> overall out of 470, 4<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
woman and 1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> in my age group. My fifth marathon in eight months,
all of which were faster than my previous PR set 18 months ago. It’s a good
feeling.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I felt fantastic at the finish line and walked back up the
course to cheer on my three Ts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tina ran
a 3:45:48 and did not get her Boston qualifier, but it was a PR nonetheless and
her first marathon in over 10 years, so a success in its own right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZccenpYLu2GNBluwx8a6PGyZv4n9_PJfAMx7sF07QeSb27myF0NYJxnebhsn-r3yB5qu6Yz2mvAAsqawb_WR0ln5m6j4vMY6sfv7UZbjeeyZOz2NVyxpAQYE5-oaWY-h15hVlbsqcPudc/s1600/Tina+&+Andrea+@+Finsh.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZccenpYLu2GNBluwx8a6PGyZv4n9_PJfAMx7sF07QeSb27myF0NYJxnebhsn-r3yB5qu6Yz2mvAAsqawb_WR0ln5m6j4vMY6sfv7UZbjeeyZOz2NVyxpAQYE5-oaWY-h15hVlbsqcPudc/s320/Tina+&+Andrea+@+Finsh.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The intrepid marathoners - I look so tall next to Tina</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I feel so spoiled having my family with me that it’s going
to be hard to run without them. They did a great job hanging in there and
although Alessandra & Angelina were exhausted and bored by the end, they
enjoyed cheering mommy on. I was happy I gave them something to cheer
about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll have to figure out a
schedule that gets them to at least one race a year although something tells me
I’ll be more excited about it than they.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>3:27:55 (7:55 average) per mile splits:</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">(1)missing (2) missing (3) 7:56 (4) 8:04 (5) 7:42 (6) 7:50 (7) 8:02 (8) 8:03 (9) 7:59 (10) 7:50 (11) 7:51 (12) 8:00 (13) 8:23 (14) 8:01 (15) 7:50 (16) 7:58 (17) 8:17 (18) 7:54 (19) 7:55 (20) 7:54 (21) 7:42 (22) 7:36 (23) 7:35 (24) 7:48 (25) 7:55 (26) 7:43 (.2) 7:23</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu33OKaPBHNgaBWAbUEjtTg5PXJwhXv69GZwv1TnhUuZEJ35UIu7c7dskcOAZ5WHe0b8CKr1qMKIz7KDwVlxIzZXdAvlgfDpnBTBPFuaj5KwF1WsNpAQjMK6T0Uz3D9J_6ehLf7zigSfe2/s1600/Soaking+in+lake+-+cropped.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu33OKaPBHNgaBWAbUEjtTg5PXJwhXv69GZwv1TnhUuZEJ35UIu7c7dskcOAZ5WHe0b8CKr1qMKIz7KDwVlxIzZXdAvlgfDpnBTBPFuaj5KwF1WsNpAQjMK6T0Uz3D9J_6ehLf7zigSfe2/s320/Soaking+in+lake+-+cropped.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's good being near a cold lake!<br />
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<br /></div>
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A. Bonaccorsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320905872877346562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1979403125227331671.post-46508094672572475532012-06-19T07:32:00.001-07:002012-11-30T21:53:18.475-08:00The Delaware Marathon Race ReportSunday, May 13, 2012...<br />
<br />
Marathon #13 done!<br />
<br />
The Christiana Care Health System Delaware Marathon, which apparently is one of only two marathons in the state. It draws runners who are working on their 50 state goal as well as marathon maniacs and mega-marathoners (those crazy people who will run hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of marathons in their life). I loved the positive atmosphere and eavesdropping on conversations in the early miles of the race.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
My goal for 2012 is to break 3:30 by October. After decent training feedback this spring I amped up the training so I could make a go of it in now. With two marathons planned for May ideally I would achieve the goal here, then run the second one a little easier. Summer weather arrived early on the east coast and as race day approached I knew I would need a perfect race to achieve the goal. Nonetheless I went into it with an open mind and a plan. I considered my race options to be either to try to put time in the bank knowing that I would be slower as the temperature rose, or conserve my body temperature and plan on either maintaining speed or picking up speed later. I went with the latter because I figured the risk of overheating too early in the race (see Surf City Marathon) was too high. I’m not really a mantra person, but for this race mine would be “you ran Pikes Peak, you can run Delaware” which is what my friend Tina texted me the day before after I complained about the heat. Thanks Tina!<br />
<br />
The morning was as good as I could have asked for - in the 60s and humid but it was a little overcast. The course is a figure eight-ish loop with a small loop of 2 miles then an 11 mile loop with the finish line at the center; you run the whole thing twice. I’d never run on a course like that and was somewhat apprehensive about how I would like it. I gleaned this from an e-mail from the RD describing it and telling folks not to burn out in the first loop. For some reason they don’t have an easily accessible (to me at least) elevation map on the website so I didn’t know anything about hills but his e-mail had my spidey sense on high alert. I had assumed it would be flat<em> it’s Delaware, how hilly could it be? </em> Well it’s a pretty hilly place. <em>But I’ve run Pikes Peak, I’m a monster…</em><br />
<br />
My plan was to stay near or just over my 8:00 pace for the first half. I knew there was a hill after mile 3 but to my surprise it was mostly up and down hills with substantial climbs out of miles 6 and 19 and fair climbs at 11 and 25. The good/bad thing is that I could see the mile markers for the later miles that we would be coming back for so I knew where the hills would be. No doubt I was a little more tentative in my pacing because I knew what was coming in the second half.<br />
<br />
Other than my surprise over the challenge of the course, the first half went by smoothly. By mile four I knew I was off pace and just tried to keep things under control and strived to get the pace down to 8:00. With hills it’s harder to gauge the pace/effort so I ran as fast as possible within a safe perceived exertion zone. It was warm and sunny now, but thankfully a lot of the course is shaded. I sipped water and poured it on myself at every station and never slowed to anything less than a jog because I knew I would need every last second to stay within striking distance. I still couldn’t quite get the pace at or under 8:00. I started doing the math…I’ve negative splitted most of my marathons and was telling myself that I could pull it off in this race too. I didn’t notice the half marker but I figured that by then I was about a minute and a half off. That’s a chunk of time, but I was feeling very good and confident I could turn reel it in. <em>For Pete’s sake I’ve run Pikes Peak, I can run Delaware! </em> I pulled out my ipod, cranked up my pop music <em>…and all the other boys try to chase me so here’s my number, call me maybe…</em>and bopped along into the second half. I capitalized on the flat part of the middle of the course, but I wasn’t really making up a lot of time. Side note – somewhere in here I passed a group of 50 Staters, one of whom was on his 50th, I congratulated and high-fived him, how awesome! As I entered the hardest part of the course (mile 18-ish), I knew it was unlikely I could make up the time. As it turns out I ran exactly one minute slower on the back half. I still wasn’t ready to give up, and figured I could run for place we’re all in the same heat. I turned my focus to catching people in front of me, some of whom were running legs of the relay so they were moving well. There weren’t many women but enough that every so often I could make a move. Thankfully my legs were responsive.<br />
<br />
Throughout the last 10 miles there was one woman I couldn’t quite catch. I’d reel her in then she’d pull away. With the exception of hills, my pace was fairly stable and I could see it was her speed that was vacillating. She seemed to have a great attitude, as she caught up with people she would chat and encourage them to stay strong. Whenever I got close enough for her to see me, she would speed ahead. She was/is a fighter for sure and a good hill climber. Somewhere in the mile 21-22 range I passed her at a water station. It was on the outside of a turn and when she went in, I ran the tangent, grabbed water from the far end then booked ahead. She caught me in a mile or so and so I had to play catch up again. I was now pretty hot and tired and didn’t really make up time on her. We passed mile 25 which had a .4 mile climb. I was inching toward her but not making up much ground and figured I’d go for it after the crest. At about .4 to go I knew I was in striking distance but I didn’t want her to see me because she was clearly not going to give up. Unfortunately it wasn’t very crowded and the race lane was narrow and she saw me as I pulled up even. I said “I’m going to make you work today,” she replied letting me know I was killing her and she knew I wasn’t going to go away. She also was clearly not going to give up without a fight! We spoke briefly even though we were now charging for the finish. She asked me about my goal and I explained I clearly wasn’t going to make it and that since she led me all day, there was no way I was going to try to pass her at the finish line. <br />
<br />
We charged side-by-side on the downhill stretch for the finish line. 3:33:27! Not 3:30, but I was happy nonetheless. She gave me a big hug afterward and thanked me for pushing her. We chatted about where we live, etc. I was happy to find out she is 10 years younger than me although she’s on her 68th marathon and 35th state <em>Yikes! </em><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW-Chb9tmSnJQp-AEZzhRgn6yqK1KvN7EpGfIASOaIpqxiIDrnvcnhk461dFGFXMDwPgJ71t8wSUhYCR7u1S9oya3cXPIliUrUmC5chhv1z4By9AdK-tVt1BaD7WemKTbu1uvj3BNJh1gk/s1600/soft+pretzel+in+delaware.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW-Chb9tmSnJQp-AEZzhRgn6yqK1KvN7EpGfIASOaIpqxiIDrnvcnhk461dFGFXMDwPgJ71t8wSUhYCR7u1S9oya3cXPIliUrUmC5chhv1z4By9AdK-tVt1BaD7WemKTbu1uvj3BNJh1gk/s320/soft+pretzel+in+delaware.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Packed with glutenny goodness!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
They had an amazing post-race hospitality tent that included one of my favorite snacks – Philadelphia soft pretzels. I try to eat gluten free at home, and I’ve been 100% good about staying away from gluten bombs like bread, pastry, etc. but knew if I was going to cheat with a bomb of glutenny goodness, it should be now. It was so fine and I am proud to say I only ate one. Thank goodness we don’t have them in Seattle.<br />
<br />
I headed back up to Philly to spend my last day with my family. It was wonderful to spend Mother’s day with my mom, sister & sister-in-law.<br />
<br />
Because the race draws from all over they award a prize to the fastest person from each state. A while back I looked at the start list and based on ages and the fact that there were only a few of us from WA I thought I had a shot at being the fastest. I also thought I had a good chance of winning my age group. Based on 2011 results, even a slow time would be 10 minutes faster than last year’s winner. So a few days later I check out the results to find that I was in fact, 2nd in my age group to a woman who ran a 3:28. <em>Bummer but surely I’ve got the Washington prize locked up.</em> I look at the state by state and see that I was second to a woman 11 years older who ran 3:22:35. <em>What the heck?</em> I looked her up on the start list and find notations next to her name “50 state club” <em>okay, she’s experienced </em>and “1984 Olympic Team” <em>oh come on!</em> Couldn’t she have picked a different year to run Delaware?? <br />
<br />
Unfortunately I am not 100% healthy. My left hip is still a problem; in fact at a few times during the race I was running with my fingers shoved in the socket trying to perform some self ART. A few times I joked to myself that I was taking my left leg for a drag around Wilmington. Thankfully between my small army of specialists - chiropractor, massage therapist and a phone session with my physical therapist friend I think I’ve got things under control and on the mend. That’s what I’ll tell myself anyway because either way I’m running another one in two weeks.<br />
<br />
Ready or not Coeur D’Alene here I come!<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>3:33:27 (8:09 average) per mile splits: </strong><br />
(1) 8:02 (2) 7:59 (3) 8:06 (4) 8:09 (5) 7:59 (6) 8:15 (7) 8:32 (8) 8:15 (9) 8:01 (10) 7:59 (11) 8:07 (12) 7:46 (13) 8:08 (14) 7:55 (15) 7:49 (16) 8:00 (17) 8:12 (18) 8:03 (19) 8:02 (20) 9:05 (21) 8:25 (22) 8:13 (23) 8:36 (24)8:12 (25) 7:50 (26) 8:08 (0.2) 6:35A. Bonaccorsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320905872877346562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1979403125227331671.post-3429598568525595192012-02-05T03:33:00.000-08:002012-11-30T21:52:46.034-08:00Surf City Marathon Race Report<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwalaP58gzwR-xe3gENxkeex8iIypPiWfSYsDIU5HtBvlK2llyDW57Fn7cwf3mgJranovxGm_acGu-wYY3NbkovIKlyK4LHH66QkffYY_3wsDcfGoLofCjbH6nf4mOs0o6LfXko-bAfkjC/s1600/surf+city.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwalaP58gzwR-xe3gENxkeex8iIypPiWfSYsDIU5HtBvlK2llyDW57Fn7cwf3mgJranovxGm_acGu-wYY3NbkovIKlyK4LHH66QkffYY_3wsDcfGoLofCjbH6nf4mOs0o6LfXko-bAfkjC/s320/surf+city.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This was as much of a training run as a marathon could be,
at least for me. After heavy training and two races last fall, I needed a break
to recharge and repair some of the self-inflicted damage. When I registered for
this race I wasn't even sure I'd be able to run it due to nasty tendonitis in
both knees. On the other hand I REALLY wanted to go because a few good friends
would be there and I didn't want to miss out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My goal for this race was to break 3:35 (8:12/ mile pace). I
was a minute short of my goal, but all things considered I am pleased with the
result. Due to my sore glute from yesterday, I could barely walk at the start
let alone run. Luckily it worked itself out by mile 5 or so. As planned I got
in with the 3:35 pace group from the start. Tina was signed up for the marathon
although she couldn't get the training in so she planned to run with me for the
first 16 then drop out. In any event, at some point we decided that she would
drop out as planned then join back in at mile 23 to pace me to the finish. She
also jumped in and paced Michelle for a few miles in there so she got about 23
total for the day! The miles clicked by pleasantly enough and I was planning to
stay with the pace group until mile 20. I was unable to do that and soon after
Tina peeled off I started to push past them a little bit. By mile 18 I was
feeling a little sick to my stomach. I had a caffeine gel earlier in this race
than I usually do and with the heat and intensity it quite possibly could be
the source of my stomach woes. A little before mile 20 I decided to pull out
and hit the restroom. I lost about 90 seconds! I thought I was moving fast, but
clearly not. I got sucked into using the sink - washing my hands, face, pouring
water on myself. Good grief. I jumped back onto the course and as I am coming
up to the turn around at mile 21-ish I see the pace group heading the other way
as they are now in front of me. Ugh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If taking too much caffeine was my first error, I now made
my second - I decided that I needed to run as fast as possible to catch up to
the group. I figured I could rest once I caught up, but it doesn't really
happen that way when you're 20+ miles into a marathon. Mile 22 was 7:39, mile
23 was 7:57. So I start booking toward the group. I'm already thinking that the
finish line seems like a long way off, but I'm pushing as hard as I can. I am
maybe 10 seconds behind the pace group by mile 23 and I see Tina standing on
the side waiting to jump in. Mistake #3. Although it was nice to see a familiar
face, I immediately blurt out what transpired and I that I needed to run fast
to catch up. Then I start having a panic attack and have to stop because I
couldn't breathe. I think it only takes a minute or so for me to get a grip and
start running, but now I've lost all my ground, again. It's hot as hell (70
degrees and sunny is hot for this seattle-ite), the cross wind that I battled
the other way is still blowing and my quads are sore and for some reason my feet
are numb but in a bad way. Every step hurts like hell I'm not feeling up for a
fight -three miles seems like a long way to go. With a few ups and a lot of
downs, I keep moving forward and run the last three in 8:29, 8:23, 8:54, 7:53
pace for the last .2 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We finish! <strong>3:36:06</strong> A little ugly at the end, but it's another
marathon in the bank and I learned a few things. It gave me the motivation to
run through January so I'll be headed into 2012 in better shape than usual. It
was a great excuse for a girls weekend (w/ Tina, Michelle, Lisa & Jill) in
a warm spot. A whirlwind weekend with a little running lot of laughs, it was a
ton of fun.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
A. Bonaccorsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320905872877346562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1979403125227331671.post-1753536757116031192011-10-09T03:37:00.000-07:002012-11-18T22:28:15.376-08:002011 Chicago Marathon Race Report<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This fall, my life's motto could be "it seemed like a
good idea at the time." For some reason last year I thought it would be at
least an o.k. idea to run back to back marathons 8 days apart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Admittedly it wasn't my original plan, but
it's how things worked out and so against all better judgment, I was going with
it.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The week between the two marathons was brutal - crazy busy
at work (I'm a CPA and dealing with the last big deadline of the year), crazy busy kids' schedules, social commitments, etc. all with post
marathon soreness at a level I swear was the worst I'd ever experienced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On top of it I was crabby because I hate to
leave my family, so I was stressed over that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I kept thinking that a sane person would not do this, what is wrong with
me?? By the end of the week I came to grips with it all and reminded myself
(over and over) that I alone got myself into this and I was going to make the
best of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The plan for Chicago was (1) not think about it until after
St. George and (2) "phone it in." I would try to run as comfortably
as possible and enjoy the experience. For me this should be something in the
high 3:40s, a slightly faster pace than my long training run pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once I got through St. George I knew there
was no way I was going all the way to Chicago to not put everything out there -
I have more respect for the event than that. Plus, I owed it to my husband and
kids for all the nonsense they put up with from me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My co-worker Brian was also running, it would be his first
marathon. We worked most of the day Friday then shared a cab to the airport. He
was excited, I was trying to be. With slight trepidation but feeling more
comfortable every minute, I headed off to Chicago. I would only be there for
two days so I had just about every minute of each day filled with either
socializing with friends and family or running the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lucky us, the city rolled out perfect weather
for the weekend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjneWCnxrWLDK7NDPXcXnhJEJzAFayAWwyzwDL8-FkEOkrBXvl61xSdjvpWpKpXqffDQHbXLNgbGo9jF9EqVyd-KEcJMM1T4Y_wjSHxqm1qgjNIyKWA3dvSnXJlLsIOxovhxjc1H7lVgG-r/s1600/expo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjneWCnxrWLDK7NDPXcXnhJEJzAFayAWwyzwDL8-FkEOkrBXvl61xSdjvpWpKpXqffDQHbXLNgbGo9jF9EqVyd-KEcJMM1T4Y_wjSHxqm1qgjNIyKWA3dvSnXJlLsIOxovhxjc1H7lVgG-r/s200/expo.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">at the expo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I had a good sleep on Friday then headed to the expo late
Saturday morning. They had walls with all the participant names and I found
that there was another "Bonaccorsi" running the race. I have no idea
who he is, but that's exciting, there aren't that many of us in the U.S. I
spent time walking around with my brother-in-law Alex, who ran last year but
had to bail on this year. He gave me a great tour of the immediate area and I
would have liked to do more, but there just wasn't enough time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I had dinner with my old friend Michael and after chatting
for hours I tried to settle in and get to sleep. For some reason I was super
keyed up and nervous. I know that night before a race means virtually nothing
in the scheme of things so I always get a full night of sleep the night before
the night before. I wasn't that worried about the lack of sleep but I was
concerned about my state of mind. I wasn't supposed to be nervous, this was
supposed to be fun damnit! I finally fell asleep then woke up continually all night.
At around 2:30 I noticed the battery on my watch had died. That was supposed to
be my alarm, thank goodness I woke up and saw it, or it's possible I would have
overslept! I set the alarm on my phone and cat napped until 5:30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Note to self, set a backup alarm next time.
What a stressful night!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I will admit I was skeptical that a marathon as large as
Chicago could pull off an organized start process., especially without wave
starts. I am happy to report that I was proven wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was in a seeded start corral so I was right
near the start line, but from everything I saw, it was well organized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thing they could improve on is the number
of porta-potties. The lines were crazy long so I didn't even bother trying to
empty my tank. Luckily I assumed this would be an issue so I stopped drinking
farily early and figured I'd worry about bathroom issues later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I got into my start corral and sat down with the 3:40 pace
group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had about about six runners
ready with their little signs. I thought about what my plan would be. It was
hot already - low 60s so I knew I would be needing to drink and cool off at
every aid station. Not losing sight of the pace group would be crucial because
I knew that being only a block or two behind could mean I would lose them for
good. My plan - I would blow through aid stations as quickly as possible while
sucking the energy from the group for 20 miles then pick it up for the last 10k
and finish under 3:40.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After a somewhat over the top but very nice rendition of The
National Anthem we were off!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the
first mile I checked my garmin to see if we were at pace and noticed that it
hadn't actually started. Most likely I held the start button a touch too long
and it never started. It's.always.something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I hate when my timer is off. I start it up and will myself to just let
it go. I'm with the pace group so I don't need the watch nor waste energy doing
math.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>O.k. My head is back in. With less
than 2 miles down I notice I am sweating and my cheeks are hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My breathing was definitely a higher rate
than it should be at this pace and this early in the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not a good sign so I'm thinking I really
can't predict how this whole thing is going to pan out. I note that other than
a little pain in my left knee my muscles feel o.k.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Starting up at the front was a bonus,
although it is crowded and you always have to be careful about someone crossing
in front. Again, I am thinking how pleased I am with the race organizers. We
cruise through these early miles and by mile six I am feeling great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, miles 6 through 9 seemed almost too
easy. There was tail wind for sure and I was banking on head winds on the way
back, anything to cool me off. Note, I never felt any head winds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJ7FSiMHbSePO-HHUl2CplFkhfiNk7wcNJoPV8hRCMlNA9NfThQQbueXbhPuI4D7kWr4sJcEdNpD_bLkTrh2q26C3Bks2weJ_VeTpKKz7XrrsEDyFVjH3vvzf-DbBAl3sNz_7elyW9E8Y/s1600/715925-3037-0008s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJ7FSiMHbSePO-HHUl2CplFkhfiNk7wcNJoPV8hRCMlNA9NfThQQbueXbhPuI4D7kWr4sJcEdNpD_bLkTrh2q26C3Bks2weJ_VeTpKKz7XrrsEDyFVjH3vvzf-DbBAl3sNz_7elyW9E8Y/s320/715925-3037-0008s.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love when a pic catches<br />
both of my feet off the ground!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The miles ticked away quickly and somewhat
uneventfully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mostly zoned out, never
looked at my watch and focused on using as little energy as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We passed through halfway dead on a 3:40
projected finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started thinking a
little about race strategy and I decided that I wanted to take a shot at 3:35 -
so much for hanging with them til 20.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
had to do it soon or I would run out of race so at mile 14 I popped in front of
the pace group. The plan was to inch away as comfortably as possible then make
another move at 18 then another at 20. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Inching away would be the opperative word here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At mile 16 I notice that I am still only a
few feet ahead of the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keeping it
a little too comfortable I guess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drop
back into the group again and figure 3:35 is looking to be out of reach. I'll
regroup and pick it up again at 18. I just tried to take it all in, but it's
really hard to remember details.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think
it was in the 16-18 miles that we pass my favorite part.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a big crowd out and they were
blasting "YMCA" by the Village People.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Needless to say that when they got to the
part where they sing "Y-M-C-A" I threw my hands up to make the
letters, I would be impossible not to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Everyone within earshot did it as well and it was a beautiful
sight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How American is that?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I continue on to mile 18 and decide it's time to make my
"big move" again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Adios pace
group, I'm going for it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's pretty hot
out there, the sun is relentless but I try to feel any breeze or spot of shade
I can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I keep my eyes peeled for anyone
with a hose or open fire hydrant and take advantage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, as I pop out of the mile 21 aid station
what did I see? The 3:40 pace group. Again. They were right back with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn't shake those jokers (except I
didn't call them jokers in my head). I had to laugh at myself at how ridiculous
this was and I was trying not to think about the possibility I would slow down
even more before this was over. I only had five miles to go, I could not let
3:40 slip away from me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I picked it up
again - this time it's for real! I had recently read another runner's blog in
which she wrote "I went to the well and the well was dry so I dug
deeper." I was having one of those moments, I was not getting the results
I wanted, I was going to have to dig deeper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I also took a moment to reflect on the fact that I have been an athlete
for the better part of 25 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
those years I have continually asked my body to push through limits, most times
with little regard for how much my body might not want to play along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this moment I knew it was a blessing to
have the opportunity to push once again. The heat is slowing me for sure, but
my body feels relatively good. I suck down a gel with caffeine and my only
focus is relentless forward progress; I am going to put as much space as possible
between me and that pace group.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I truck along and as much as I don't want to, I need to
check my watch every so often to see if I am below the pace group's 8:23 pace.
I felt pretty slow, but I was mostly at 8:00s. I didn't even notice when I passed
the mile 23 marker so I got one of those great moments where you realize you're
farther along than you had thought. Those are the best! Inside the last mile I
was running past a guy who kept looking behind us. I had been resisting the
urge to look around for the pace group (no need to trip myself) so since he
already was, I asked him if he saw the pace group. He looked back then said
with a lovely French accent, "hmmmm, I'd say 30 seconds, you've got
it!" I kept going and passed my brother-in-law Alex and Aunt Diane
cheering for me. in the last half mile. I knew they might be there, but
unfortunately I didn't know where and I never saw them. Alex shot a few seconds
of video, it's the only video I have seen of myself running! With about 500m to
go I make the last right turn and see what looks like a HUGE hill at the 400m
mark. WTF? how could they do this to us? It was the steepest grade (possibly
the only uphill grade) of the whole race, right there in the last quarter mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was only 100-150m long so I could easily
see the "crest" and power up. At 300m you make the last left turn to
the finish line. It is here that I see the man who ended up dying. He is being
attended to by medical personnel, but I am struck by the whole scene because
it's the only time I saw someone who seemed to be in real trouble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I steer clear and book it to the finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately at this point I don't even know
what my finish time was because my watch was screwed up but I knew I made it in
before 3:40!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> 3:38:59! One minute to spare!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yay! What a great experience Chicago was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a "mega-marathon" for sure,
but it felt much more intimate than that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Beside the great organization, a loop course that doesn't entail taking
planes, trains and automobiles (and boats in the case of NYC) to get the
starting line, really helps. Using the pace group was a great help too. I am so
happy I ran with them and will use pace groups whenever I can in the future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ain't no rest for the
wicked so after the race I hoofed it to the hotel to clean up and meet my
cousin Dave. It was such a treat to see my younger cuz. We had a nice lunch and
some sightseeing. Then I met Brian and his friend Jason for drinks in the lobby
bar. Then off to meet Alex, Rich and Diane for dinner. Whew! What a trip! I
need to get home to rest :o)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My goal for 2011 was to break 3:40 and I did it twice, and I
learned a few things along the way; it's a very good feeling. Oh and I was the
Bonaccorsi champion that day. I can't remember "Joe's" time but I
think I was a good half hour faster than him. While it feels a little weird to
be finished with my racing for 2011, it is sweet relief. I finished up my
training cycle borderline overtrained and with tendonitis in both knees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got lucky in that I had just enough taper
to take the edge off and be ready to race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I've completed 11 marathons in 11 states - double digits! Four of those
marathons were in the last 12 months (plus one 5k and 21 miles of a ragnar
relay). It's time for a little break, but needless to say I'll be formulating
my plan for 2012. Relentless forward progress...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
A. Bonaccorsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320905872877346562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1979403125227331671.post-5797316646937581762011-10-01T04:00:00.000-07:002012-11-18T22:27:05.587-08:002011 St. George Marathon Race Report<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I now understand the hype of the St. George marathon. There
may be a faster course in the U.S., but I doubt it is a better race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The downhill is such a positive experience,
it would make the most recreational runner feel like they were flying. Beside
the fast and beautiful course, the organizers really know how to put on this
event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is fairly large at 7,500
runners, but with a very small town feel so you get the benefits of both
worlds.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I flew through Las Vegas - Bleh, possibly my least favorite
place in the U.S., but I'll refrain from ranting about that - and drove the
scenic and fast 120-ish miles to St. George. Checked into a super friendly
hotel, went to the expo, then settled in for a quiet night before the race.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Out of bed at 3:30. That's early even for me (luckily I was
already well awake), but it's a point-to-point race starting way out in the
boonies so they need to get everyone to the start line for a 6:45 start. It's a
smaller version of Boston, everyone meets at a park in town and they use school
buses to transport runner via the one road out to the start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The start area is fairly typical although
they usually have dozens of bonfires to keep people warm. The temperature was about
70 degrees so it was pretty warm and I never bothered to get near a fire.
Knowing the day would be over 90 I was concerned about the heat, but I had
prepared as much as possible - I was hydrated, I was wearing minimal clothes,
and planned to carry very little on me. Still, I knew it would be a race
against the clock in more ways than one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Going into this race, I knew I would run a PR, I just didn't
know by how much. My only concern was some knee trouble. My left knee was not
happy with me for upping my miles in the last few weeks of training. I
planned/hoped that I could use my quads enough to protect it as much as
possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Based on training, I felt
confident running with a sub 3:40 goal, but at some point the week before the
race I thought that something faster would be acheivable on such a fast course.
I targeted 3:35. I figured out an even pace (8:12s) then scribbled a few target
distance/time goals on my forearm. I had 10, 13, 20 & 24 written out. I
always plan to negative split with the general race plan being to stay patient
for 13, comfortable until 16, then start reeling in the finish line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the time goals I just wanted to be in
striking distance at the 10 and 13 mile marks, then gradually pick it up so
that I would have cushion at 24. I wanted that cushion in case of a blow up in
the last two. So just before the start I lined up somewhere between the 3:25
and 3:35 pace groups.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Off we go in the dark. Love the pre-dawn start as I always
feel like the miles in the dark somehow don't count. As mentioned, there's only
one road back to town. A house here or there, there is very little along this
road until mile 7 then almost nothing again until 16 or so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is crowded, but since I started close to
the front everyone was moving along nicely. It is somewhat surreal because
there is nobody else out there except the runners (and helicopters!). Like a
really big training run. Other than chatting runners, all you can hear are
footsteps. I absolutely loved it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So I stick to plan and try to keep the pace feeling
ridiculously easy, the first few miles were 8:15ish then worked down to just
under 8 by mile 6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The course is
somewhat rolling, but very gentle and net down for sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At some point the 3:35 pace group caught up
to me so I ran with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pacer was
chatty and around mile 6 he mentioned that they had a 50 second cushion for the
"Veyo Hill" and he expected they would give that all back. There were
a few people around me talking about the hill and the hills to follow and I
quickly realized I was coming into the hardest part of the course. The hill(s)
although long, had grades were not much by Seattle standards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Veyo Hill is almost a one mile climb, but
by this point in the race a nice grinder felt good. The Pace group slowed down and
so I went a little ahead, using my perceived exertion as my pacer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now the water stations were coming up every 2
miles so I took advantage and drank gatorade and water at each plus dumped
water on myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was steady
headwind that provided a cooling effect and I was thankful for it. Miles 8
through 13 were my slowest of the whole race because of the hills, the water
stations and stopping for a potty break somewhere in there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At mile 10 I was about 30 seconds over my
goal time, at 13 I was about a minute over, so I felt good about where I was on
the pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was now behind the pace
group, but I felt fine and with the dead straight course I could see them and
knew that I would work myself back in a few miles. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">By Mile 17 I was back with the group. My stomach was
starting to bug me and feeling too full but I wasn't willing to stop adding
fluids. I had only eaten 2 gels which is all I would eat during this race. It
was just too hot to think about getting anything down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At some point I asked the pacer if he knew
where he was on chip time and he said he'd check it at 18.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did and noted they were 1:15 ahead so he
was going to slow down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were headed
up a little hill and I felt great so I thanked him for his great pacer work and
said I was moving on. Now I knew I just had to stay head of them and I would
break 3:35.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was around this point in the race that I started feeling
fatigue set in to my quads. I knew it would happen and I was somewhat pleased
that I got this far relatively pain free. Only 8 miles to go!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course as anyone who has run a marathon
knows, you never want to get too far ahead of yourself, because you just never
know if/when the wheels are going to fall off :o) It ain't over til it's over
so I tried not to be over-confident in thinking there was only 8 to go. So I
buckled down and kept grinding away at each step.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A few times I got a little too up in my head and wondered
how hard I was going to be willing to fight for this, because it always comes
down to a fight and it comes down to mental toughness. I have no delusions
about my mental toughness, I can be as soft as anyone. Then thoughts of
"how are you going to do this again next week in Chicago?" slipped
in. I tried to stay in the moment and control any negative thoughts, focusing
on my legs. They hurt in a way that felt like rowing and so I told myself it
was "just" rowing pain and I know how to deal with it. So I kept
pushing and would let things get numb until the terrain changed, either to an
uphill, or flat or back to downhill, and the pain would come back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>O.k. nothing to do about it except relax,
stay calm and keep the legs turning over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I came up on mile 20, checked the time and saw I was a solid minute
under goal time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A large part of the middle of the marathon is in or next to
Snow Canyon. An absolutely stunning place. I had hiked here 5+ years ago while
pregnant with my 3rd daughter so I thought about her and what a great trip that
was and used it as energy to reel in that finish line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By mile 21 or so we reached the outskirts of
town. A little more protected from the wind so I could really feel the heat.
There were people out and cheering and I was slapping hands with little kids
and wishing I could see my own :o(<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">By mile 23 we were now on mostly flat streets that after all
that downhill, feel more like hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
just tried to stay focused, will away the pain, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew that my last time check was at 24 and
I wanted as much in the bank as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>By mile 24 I figured I was about 1:30 under. I'm somewhat dreading
having to run these last two miles but I am happy with the cushion. Knowing
that you can hit your goal even if you slow down can be a powerful
motivator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew I didn't have to
sprint, but I had just enough fight in me to not want to lose any time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a fight though and each quarter mile
was getting harder and harder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I get to
the last mile which feels like forever of course. The last aid station had
ziplock bags full of ice so I grabbed one and held it to my neck as I ran.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn't a magic bullet, but it certainly
felt good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Miles 25 & 26 were 8:14
and 8:22 respectively - I was seriously slowing down! Finally I'm inside the
last quarter mile and can see the finish line. I tried not to even look at it,
but how can you not? My last quarter was a 7:55 pace and it couldn't come soon
enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">3:32:16! A PR by 12 minutes! I know that at least half of
that is due to the course, so I am realistic about where I am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stood under the mister, got a popsicle, a
coke w/ ice (love, love, love coca cola) and some fruit. I was seriously
over-heated and sat down under a tree for some time before I felt steady enough
to get up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">People often ask me what my favorite marathon is and I
always say it's hard to pick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pikes Peak
is the one I am most proud of, but they are all special in their own way. St.
George is no different and I am thrilled that I was able to do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I've always said I plan to never repeat a
marathon (except maybe the really special ones) because to some degree knowing
that I only get one shot motivates me to prepare for and savor each one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I finish writing this it is three days later. I am still
really sore, maybe the most I've ever felt after a marathon. At least my knees
don't feel any worse. I am trying to get my head wrapped around running Chicago
this weekend. My goal was to just phone it in, but how can I go all that way
and not give it a shot? I think I'll ensconce myself in the 3:40 pace group and
see how long I can hold on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I saw a t-shirt while running, it was a crossfit shirt that
said "it never gets easier but you get faster." So true.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
A. Bonaccorsihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320905872877346562noreply@blogger.com0