Marine Corps Marathon - Race Recap

This is a marathon post (literally and figuratively), so here's the short version: Felt great the first half.  Felt like throwing up much of the second.  Finished in 4:34:05.  Far slower than I'd hoped, but there came a moment when I had to decide what was most important.  When faced with a choice between running fast and running happy, experience has taught me to run happy or risk doing neither.  So I ran happy. :)

The rest of the story...

PRE-RACE

Traveled to DC with my folks, who came out to support me.  We went to the expo Friday afternoon, where job #1 was packet pickup.

While we were there, Dad had nice chat with Jeff Galloway, and Mom was kind enough to wait in line to purchase these while I took in the rest of the expo:

 

Had a lovely visit with my cousin and his wife and stayed with them Friday night before checking into a hotel for Saturday.  Once we got to the hotel, I laid everything out for the next morning and managed to sleep about 4.5 hours.

We got up at 4 and caught a shuttle from the hotel to Pentagon City.  Walked 2-3 miles from the drop off point to the start line and arrived at Runners Village in time to take in a prayer service.  Also took advantage of VIP "Presidential Potty" privileges available as a result of my purchases at the expo.

When it was time to line up, I found my spot amongst the 30,000+ runners and waited for the opening ceremonies to begin.

Then I joined my fellow runners in stripping off throwaway layers we used to keep warm before the start.  I'm told they're collected and donated to charity.

I took a shot of caffeine shortly before they fired the Howitzer and popped an energy gel as we inched forward to start the race.

THE PLAN

The race plan was simple.  Start the first mile @ 9:45.  Then drop 15 seconds per mile until reaching 8:45 and maintain that the rest of the way.  Allowing for a 30-second walk break through each if the 12 water stations, the plan was for a 3:56 finish, giving me wiggle room for up to 10 extra seconds per mile if I needed it or up to an extra half mile if the course was long.  I correctly assumed it would be hard to run the shortest distance between two points with 30,000 people in the way!  I had created a spreadsheet with the target pace and course info for each mile (landmarks, elevation changes, aid stations).  But I also included something else.

One of the reasons I chose Marine Corps as my first marathon is that through working with them, I have come to love our veterans and developed a deep respect for them.  I dedicated each mile to a different person and had a Road ID made specifically for the race to help me remember who each mile was for, figuring it would serve as a nice memento of my journey.  While running, I thought about the person that mile was dedicated to, prayed for them, and reflected on how they'd inspired me and what I had learned from them.  Although I did so to honor them, this strategy turned out to be important for keeping me going.  I wasn't running the race alone; I was running with 26 people I care about.

THE RACE

Mile 1 - Remember your history, where you came from, where this journey began. Know that you are prepared.

Mile 2 - Commit yourself fully.  Especially going up that hill!

Mile 3 - Do the best you can in this moment. Fortunately, that meant making up the time lost on the uphill and being right back on plan!

Mile 4 - Make it a good story.  Realized one reason men have faster race times is that they don't have to wait for a porta-potty.  Saw several just off the course with their backs to us, urinating as thousands of people ran by!

Mile 5 - Keep it simple. Keep going.  Time for the energy gel I'd tucked in the strap of my sports bra.  Body heat made the consistency more conducive to consumption.  Those things can get a little on the chewy side when cold!

Mile 6 - There may be giants all around you, but you are a tiny powerhouse. Trust your training.  Ran behind a girl wearing a shirt that said: Spankings from men in uniform make me run faster!  Oh, my!

Mile 7 - Be resilient. Don't let anything stop you.

Mile 8 - Follow your plan.  Let go of anything that holds you back.  At the end of this mile, I was almost perfectly on target--one second ahead of planned pace!

Mile 9 - You have been transformed. Practice boundaries.  One of the biggest challenges was navigating the crowd.  I knew there would be a bottleneck the first couple of miles, but even a third of the way through the race, I was still fighting to create space to run.  Popped a second gel.

Mile 10 - Don't sabotage yourself.  Love yourself in the way you run this race.  

Mile 11 - Don't let this go to the dogs.  Find that secret part of yourself no one knows about and use her to get you through this mile.  That secret part of me got me through this mile just a little faster than I needed to be.  10 seconds ahead of schedule and feeling strong.

Mile 12 - Just keep hitting your target.  Again.  And again.  

Mile 13 - Seek first the kingdom of God.  Remember what is important and that God is with you every step of the way.  Nutter Butter instead of gel this time.  I've learned that sometimes too many gels in a row don't sit well, and on previous runs Nutter Butters have proven a nice alternative.  I've eaten them on the run before but found myself trying not to choke while doing it at this pace.  Lost about 15 seconds on this mile.

Mile 14 - You've got 2 legs.  Use them!  When my Garmin hit 13.1, I noticed my time was less than 2 hours, a good sign for a sub-4 finish.  But I also noticed the halfway marker was about .3 off what my watch was telling me.  As I'd suspected, weaving through the crowd to keep my pace was requiring me to run further.  I knew I would probably end up needing that entire half mile of cushion to get under 4 (which meant my 10 second/mile time cushion was gone).  And then, it happened.  I got light-headed and felt a wave of nausea along with abdominal cramping that slowed my pace.  To a full minute slower than I needed to be going.  Experience has taught me that pushing through that kind of pain only makes it worse and sets me up for a major crash, so I had to back off a bit in hopes that it would ease up.  Hated seeing my sub-4 slipping through my fingers after such a good first half.  Initially thought I might still have a shot at some kind of moral victory in covering 26.2 in < 4 hours, even though I knew I'd end up running over 26.2 and therefore over 4, but the worse I felt, the less likely it seemed I would be able to push as hard the second half as I had the first.

Mile 15 - God is in control.  Believe in good things.  And know that whether you think it's good or bad, everything happens for a reason.  I thought back to the Wounded Warrior Half, my worst race back in June.  Even though I was physically and emotionally wrecked after that one, I was SO grateful that what happened happened then because it prepared me for this moment--choosing between running fast and running happy.  I did as much of the former as I could without jeopardizing the latter.  I was able to go a little faster than I had the previous mile but couldn't push too hard without feeling sick again.  That was pretty much the way it worked the rest of the race.

Mile 16 - Don't be a coward.  Fly!  I felt like my wings had been clipped by the dizziness and nausea, but I kept pressing forward and didn't give up.  I was running smart but not scared.

Mile 17 - You are a survivor.  Keep your sense of humor.  Do what you need to do for you.  I skipped my planned gel because I was concerned about keeping it down, but I did grab a piece of candy because the thought of it didn't nauseate me as much as the idea of a gel.  I think this was the point where I really let go.  I went back to the beginning and remembered my original goals when I signed up in January: finish the race and have a good experience.  Pushing at this point was not going to get me any glorious time goal.  It was just going to make me sick and keep me from meeting my original goal of feeling good.  So I decided to accept that this was not my day and just enjoy the race.  It felt good to have the courage to let it be, and I was amazed at the peace that I felt when I would have expected to be devastated about the time.

Mile 18 - Power through.  I was struggling to keep mentally focused and struggling to run at this point, but I reminded myself that I only had single digits to go and tried to treat it almost like LSD (though hopefully not too slow!).  To the best of my ability, I wanted to run happy.

Mile 19 - No excuses.  Unlike some previous runs where weather and/or hills were a factor, this was the perfect day and a great course for a race, just not a perfect day for me.  I accepted that I simply hadn't been strong enough to sustain my first half effort over the long haul today.  But after backing off and running the last couple of miles just under 11:00 pace, I decided to see if I had recovered enough to push a little harder again and still try to get the best finishing time I was capable of for the day.  Managed to run this mile in 10:17.

Mile 20 - This is the stuff they make movies about--victory and defeat, struggle and resilience. And who knows what the future holds?  The rest of my story is not yet written.  Just because my second half was a disaster doesn't mean I won't triumph in my next race.  Nobody makes movies about teams that win all their games; we are inspired by stories of those who overcome obstacles to turn things around.  I paid for my increased effort in the previous mile, feeling worse and slowing to 12:00 pace.  Yuck.

Mile 21 - You are a runner.  And you are going to be a marathon runner as soon as you cross that finish line, no matter what your time is.  Take a cue from the Marines: Improvise, Adapt, & Overcome.  I switched to a run/walk strategy to get me through the final 10K, setting my watch for 4 minutes of running with 1 minute of walking.  I remembered that this strategy had only cost me 5 minutes over 20 miles on a training run and hoped it wouldn't cost me too much time in the race.  I thought if it allowed me to recover enough to push a little harder for a few minutes between breaks, it might actually save me time overall. 

Mile 22 - Be strong.  Draw on the strength that is part of your heritage--from your grandfather.  Run with Papa's heart.  My grandfather has been compared to John Wayne, and it's fair to say he was a man with true grit.  Which was what I needed to finish this race.  I made an attempt to run with the 4:15 pace group as they started to pass me, thinking being with a group would have helped me.  But I found I simply could not keep up and knew I was going to have to do this on my own.  At this point, even running "happy" had become a relative term. But I was determined to persevere to the finish.  No matter how bad I felt, quitting was never an option.

Mile 23 - Be smart.  Creative.  You will succeed.   I continued plodding along and cut my walk break down to 30 seconds when I thought I could run a little longer. 

Mile 24 - This has been ordained by God.  A week before, when it looked like the race might be cancelled on account of the government shutdown, my brother reminded me of Proverbs 16:9 - We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.  During the week, I had been praying about the race and put it in His hands.  I turned my thoughts toward Him for the strength to keep going.  And grabbed a Dunkin' Donut hole as I ran by the last food station.

Mile 25 - Do it for a deployed soldier.  I thought about my friend who is overseas right now.  My struggle to run a few miles is nothing compared to what these guys do. 

Mile 26 - Run!  I decided to run the whole mile as fast as I could (which at that point was not very fast) and didn't even walk through the water station.  I drank as I ran, considering it practice for the day when I try to run a full 26.2 without stopping.  Felt good to challenge myself.

Mile 26.2 - I kept on running and hit the lap button when my Garmin showed 26.2.  4:27:26.  Too bad I was still a half mile from the finish!

Mile 26.7 - I was in such bad shape, I took one more break before I reached the actual mile marker for 26 and then ran the rest of the way.  Over the final .2, my left calf was cramping like nobody's business, so it was more hobbling than running up the final hill, but I kept moving as fast as I could, looking up and seeing the Marine Corps War Memorial just beyond the finish line.

POST-RACE

It's hard to describe what I felt when I finished.  I didn't experience the intensity of emotion I'd expected but rather a quiet sense of satisfaction in my accomplishment.  I tried to stretch a little as I moved along in the line of finishers waiting to receive these:

I shook hands with one Marine after another, exchanging thanks for congratulations.  By the time I made it through the receiving line, the physical impact was starting to catch up with me.  But I still had the wherewithal to know I should go up and get my picture taken in front of the memorial and did so before making my way to the line for fluids, snacks, and recovery jackets.  

As I moved through the line, I became increasingly dizzy.  Before I knew it, I was struggling to maintain consciousness.  Thankfully, two American Red Cross volunteers spotted me staggering toward the family meet-up area and convinced me to stop by the medical tent to get checked out.  Turns out, that probably ended up being the most memorable part of the day.  :)

They had me lie down on a cot in the back corner of the tent and drilled me with questions when all I wanted to do was take some slow, deep, relaxing breaths.  But I understand they had to make sure I was oriented and get my info in case I passed out.  Initially, there was a team of people surrounding me, but then they left me in this guy's capable hands.  

He was super nice.  He got me some water, Saltines (which I could only lick at first because I was afraid of seeing them again if I tried to eat), and later some pretzels.  He also stretched my hamstrings and calves when I started cramping.  When it was time to try sitting up, I was concerned I wouldn't be able to support myself on the cot without something to lean against, so this Navy Corpsman came and sat behind me, letting me lean on him.  He even held my crackers!  :)

When I was ready to try swinging my legs over the side of the cot and sit up on my own, I started cramping, so they each took a leg, stretching and massaging my calves.  Talk about VIP treatment!  

They asked me to lie down again, and I was getting cold, so they got me a couple of blankets and tucked me in.  I got to keep this one as a souvenir.  :)

As I recovered, I was able to laugh at the whole thing.  I had wanted my first marathon to be special...this guaranteed it will be an experience I'll never forget!

ANALYSIS

In order to become the best runner I can be (even if I'm not yet fully sure what that means), I want to learn as much as I can from my runs, especially races.  Given how far off my finishing time was, not only from what I was hoping for but also from what some of my past performances predicted, I really want to understand what happened, so I can adjust my training, race strategy, and/or expectations if need be.  As best I can tell, there was a domino effect from the nausea at mile 14.  That jacked up my fuel plan, and I ran the 2nd half of the race on one Nutter Butter, a piece of candy, and a donut hole.  Seriously?  Even with a few sips of water and Gatorade, no wonder I slowed down and struggled to keep going!  That is also probably what landed me in the medical tent afterward.  A lot of people hit the wall around mile 20.  I was feeling depleted at that point but didn't really slam into until mile 27!  Thank God it didn't happen until after I finished.

So then the key is to understand what caused the nausea to begin with so I can keep that domino from tipping again.  Everything I ate and drank leading up to that point had been previously tested without incident, so I don't think it was nutrition-related.  On multiple occasions, I have experienced similar symptoms from overexertion, and the fact that I was also dizzy lends credence to the idea of that being the culprit, as that would not be expected if it was something I ate. 

It seems plausible that my symptoms were effort-related, but on my four-hour run three weeks ago, I actually ran the first half a little bit faster without any of those symptoms.  So why did I have them at the race?  What was different this time?  There are too many variables--most of them unquantifiable--and there is no way to parcel them out to accurately answer that question.  Believe me, I tried.  :)

But by considering the contributing factors, I've identified several things I could do differently in the future:

- Allow more time between the last, longest/hardest run and race day.  I thought 3 weeks would be enough, especially since I slashed my mileage by 25% each week for the last 3 weeks.  But maybe not.

- Arrive a day or two earlier.  Perhaps that would reduce the impact of jet lag and give me extra rest leading up to the race.  If possible, I could attend the expo a day earlier (before things sell out!) and put myself on a clock to limit time on my feet there.

- Set goals based on training data, not conversion calculators.  The best predictor of future performance is past performance.  Especially performance in runs of comparable distance.  My predicted marathon time based on 10 x 800m was 3:36:48--nearly an hour faster than my actual finishing time.  My mile time and mini-10K performance last month also predicted a sub-4 finish, as did my 5K and half marathon times from the summer, once adjusted for the heat.  Of course, none of those allow for what happened at mile 14, which is sort of the point.  It's much harder to sustain maximum effort and a lot more can go wrong over 26.2 miles than 800m or even 13.1. So if we look at times for runs closest to marathon distance, was it really realistic to think I could hold 9:09 for 26.2 (or in this case, 8:59 for 26.7) when my pace on the 24-mile and 4-hour runs were 9:33 and 9:43 respectively?  Probably not.  I told myself that taper, adrenaline, a flatter course, better weather, not having to carry my own water, and the training effect of those runs themselves would help me shave time.  But apparently not that much time.  Based on the conversion calculators, I developed a race plan to run more than twenty-six 9-minute miles, when my training data suggested something in the neighborhood of 9:38 would have been more realistic.  Wonder what would have happened if over the whole race I had only been trying to average the pace I thought should be my warmup pace for the first two miles???

- For large races, I can modify my training by incorporating short bursts of speed into long runs to simulate passing people.  I essentially did my training runs on "cruise control."  But at the race, I was repeatedly braking for slower runners, then accelerating to go around them and resume my target pace.  I did that again and again...for miles.  It's hard to imagine that not resulting in higher energy expenditure than just running at a steady pace with no acceleration required.  So if I'm going to have to contend with a crowd, I need to better prepare for that kind of effort.  I may also need to adjust my goals accordingly.  It's probably not realistic to expect to have the best run of my life (which is what this race would have had to be to meet my time goal) while essentially running with the entire crowd at a Major League Baseball game.  Duh.  :)  So I can practice bursting and recalibrate my goals...or just stick to smaller races where it's less likely to be an issue.  Like my upcoming 50K with just 80 people registered! 

- Should I find myself queasy on a future run, I can try forcing myself to choke down a gel when I know I need it, even if it means tossing my cookies.  I wasn't willing to take the chance on this one because that had never been tested, so I opted for a tough under-fueled 4:34 over vomiting with a risk of DNF.  But maybe next time, I'll try it and see what happens.

A few other little things that I'll keep in mind moving forward:

- One thing noticeably absent from the mile-by-mile report above: landmarks.  I remember running past the river, some monuments, the Capitol, and the reflecting pool, but I was really focused on my race more so than taking in the city.  As an athlete, I think this is a good thing.  But for future reference, it means I don't need to plan on doing much sightseeing during a race!

- Running with music often helps me, and unless I'm doing something like Rock 'n' Roll where there's a band every mile, I will probably pop an ear bud in next time.  I ran this one without for 2 reasons.  One was that with so many runners, I wanted to make sure I was paying attention to my surroundings and could hear others coming up behind me.  I was also told there was a ton of course support--which there was--just not a lot of the musical variety, unless you count cowbells.  (Those were so loud, they actually made me want to run faster just to get past them as quickly as I could!)  So next time, I'll put together a playlist, perhaps even one that has a similar motivational effect as my mile dedications for this race.

- I ran this race for Team USO, using it as an opportunity to raise funds to support the troops.  As such, I ran in a singlet with their logo and got a little boost when people shouted, "Team USO."  I knew that out of all these thousands of people, they were cheering for ME.  For future races, I'll consider putting my name on my bib or clothing because it really did help me keep going.

- All the stuff I normally do for recovery really makes a difference.  There was another domino that fell when I went to medical.  I didn't do my usual post-race stretching, and because of the way things unfolded, I didn't use my massage stick when I finally linked up with my family an hour later.  Thankfully, I wore compression during and after the race, but it was about 6 hours before I got to foam roll, and I skipped the ice bath altogether that night.  And paid dearly for it.  I have never been so sore in all my life!  At least now I know those things are not a waste of time.  :)

REFLECTIONS

I finished my first marathon.  I overcame all of the obstacles that once held me back.  Starting with not being able to breathe as a child and not being able to run as a young adult.  Even after I became a runner, I put off doing a marathon because I thought I could never run that far without a partner or music (which used to be prohibited).  At MCM, I did both. 

So I didn't meet my time goal.  This time.  I have the rest of my life to keep getting stronger and faster.  The more important goal for this race was to enjoy the experience, which for the most part I did.  And I still finished with more people behind me than ahead of me.  Even though I didn't meet the time goal (and my attempt to do so probably contributed to my demise), having it served me well.  It made the last six months of training a lot more exciting and motivated me to train as hard as I did, which I am so grateful for.

The night before the race, my brother reminded me that many of my fellow first-timers had probably reached the peak of their training with their first and only 20-mile run some time in the past month.  Over the past 6 months, I had done SEVEN runs of 20 miles or more.  Some may argue I was over-training and that fatigue actually compromised my performance, but in this case I think all those runs helped me more than hurt me.  My body had become well-adapted to the demand I was placing on it.  But equally important, I had trained my mind to keep going and wasn't shaken even when I had trouble.  I can only imagine how I would have panicked if I had only done a single 20-miler and never gone beyond.  Although I knew I had to be careful once things started going south, I never once doubted whether I would finish.  That confidence was runner's gold and worth all the hours and the miles it took to acquire it. 

After the race, I asked myself if there was anything I would have done differently, and the answer was no.  I can't think of a single thing I would have changed about my training or anything I would change about how I ran this race--based on the knowledge I had going into it.  Did I run as fast as I possibly could every single minute?  No.  But it's hard to fault yourself for not pushing hard enough when you land in the medical tent.  I was flirting with disaster and made a conscious choice to back off to save my race.  Thank God I did.  Or who knows what might have happened. 

After 18 months, 2000+ miles, and over 600 hours of training for this race, it feels good to say I have no regrets about how I trained or about how I ran.  I believe that I did my best based on the level of knowledge, experience, and fitness I had at the time.  I love knowing that I will continue to grow in all 3 of those areas, so my best will only get better. 

Home Stretch

2 noteworthy runs in the past 2 weeks:

- Ran my fastest mile ever!  6 months ago my best time was 8:02.  6 weeks ago, 7:19.  This week: 6:48.  I'm still kind of in shock over this. 

- 4-hour run.  This one was a mixed bag.  The first 2 hours were sublime.  I was enjoying the cooler temperatures, cruising along right around goal marathon pace.  Then my caffeine wore off.  I felt a tad fatigued as I tackled a small hill but got back on my game on the descent.  Everything was going swimmingly until I turned the corner... and got smacked by a double-digit headwind that beat me down for the last 90 minutes.  It was brutal.  On top of that, the last 5 miles were straight uphill. So much for a negative split!  I slowed to what felt like a snail's pace, certain I looked like one of those cartoon characters who's trying to run forward but going nowhere as the wind kept trying to blow me back down the hill. 

I couldn't help but compare this run to the 24-miler I'd done a couple of weeks ago.  Although this one was farther and got off to a better start, it ended up being slower overall.  On the last one, I picked up the pace at the end and finished feeling physically strong and mentally confident.  This time, I slowed to a crawl and finished feeling physically awful and mentally defeated and disappointed about the decline in my performance.  The one thing I was proud of was resisting the temptation to take more than the planned :30 walk breaks every 2 miles.  I thought about who I'm running for in the Marine Corps Marathon and kept going.  I reasoned that such a tough run only made me stronger.  And even the pace that felt so slow at the end was faster than what I used to run on a good day.  It's amazing how perspective and expectations shift.  Still, it sucked that my last true long run ended this way.  So much for a glorious, triumphant finish to my training. 

Perhaps the most redeeming thing about this run was where I finished--my friend Kirk's house.  As an ultra runner, he is one of the people who inspired me.  I remember running with him back in May of last year--not sure if I would be able to finish 3 miles that day.  Knowing that we lived 20+ miles apart, running from my house to his was one of those "someday maybe" things...and now I've actually done it!  By the time I arrived, he had already fired up the grill, and I got to enjoy lunch with him, his kids, and his fiancee before they drove me home.  In that respect, it was the perfect way to cap off my training.  :)

So now, with 3 weeks to go, it's taper time.  There are less than 100 miles left between me and the MCM start line.  Less running means more time to think, and I hope I don't do too much of it over the next 3 weeks.  I know I'll be taking with me all the physical gains I've made over the past 18 months of training, as well as all I've learned.  That includes 2 important lessons that I need to remember (and that were reinforced by this last run):

- Anything can happen on race day.

- If you must choose between running fast and running happy, RUN HAPPY.

I hope to break the 4-hour mark and think I've put in enough work to do so, if I have a good day.  But I have the rest of my life to break that barrier (which I wouldn't even let myself consider 6 months ago).  If I continue on my current trajectory, someday the sub-2 half and 4-hour marathon will be like the 30-minute 5K or sub-60 10K: what once was elusive will become easy.  If October 27th is that day, GREAT.  If it's not, it's okay.  It's more important to finish this once-in-a-lifetime experience with a smile on my face than a 3 on my watch. 

MCM Update: 5 weeks and counting...

The original plan was to take a day of rest after yesterday's 10K, but my legs wanted to run.  Maybe it was because yesterday's race wasn't even a full 10K or because I carb-loaded like a boss on account of my birthday.  Or maybe it was that after months of running in the Texas heat, today's forecast was just too good to pass up:

My goal was 24 miles, running 2 miles at a time with 30-second walk breaks, just as I had done a month ago.  I wasn't sure exactly what to expect but was pretty pleased with the result:

I learned a lot from this run that will help me when I step to the line 5 weeks from today for my first marathon:

- I can go the distance.  Add walking to warmup and cool down, and I covered 26.2 today.

- I can drink lemon/lime Gatorade with peanut butter GU and Nutter Butters.  I was a little worried about mixing a citrus-flavored beverage with the sweet taste of PB, but it was fine.  No need to carry my own electrolytes on race day.  Hooray!

- I can go over four hours without a bathroom break.  No time for a pit stop on race day!

- I still had something in the tank at the end of 24 miles.  My last full mile was 9:12, and I picked it up to 8:30 for the last .7. 

- I can go faster than I could a month ago.  Granted, I was pushing a little harder today and it was about 8 degrees cooler than the last time I tried this, but I dropped my pace 47 seconds, even going 2 extra miles.  Put another way, I ran 24 miles today, and it only took me 2 minutes more than it had to run 22.  It's even more of a confidence booster when I factor in that last time I made 4 stops to refill bottles and potty (i.e., extra recovery time).  Today, I only stopped once to refill.  If you look at total time elapsed (including when my Garmin was paused for taking care of the necessities), the 22 I ran 5 weeks ago actually took me over 10 minutes longer than 24 today! 

I still have a ways to go to get to the magic 9:09 if I'm going to run a sub-4 marathon.  To be exact, I need to drop another 24 seconds off my pace in 5 weeks.  But that's only HALF of what I dropped off my pace in the last 5 weeks, and I have several things working in my favor to help me get there:

- Five more weeks of training which should include a 4-hour run, a 26.2K simulator, 5 more speed workouts, several tempo runs, and a few easy miles on both roads and trails. 

- Even cooler temperatures.  It was 54 when I started today but 77 by the time I finished.  Over the past 10 years, there have only been 2 years where MCM started at 60 degrees and highs reached into the 70's.  Typically, the average temperature is another 10 degrees cooler (which supposedly equates to a 3% difference in performance).  I really felt the effect of the heat in the latter part of my run and look forward to seeing how I do when this is not a factor.

- A flatter course...I think.  There are a few hills on the new course, but I think the total elevation gain will be less than what I did today.

- Less to carry.  I will probably still wear my belt with my cell phone, fuel, and 10 oz. of water, but bringing just one bottle instead of three will save me nearly a pound and a half.  On a related note, being able to throw GU wrappers away instead of having to put them in a Ziploc bag will save time.  Seems like a small thing, but it's hard to maintain speed while doing that with a sticky mess on your hands!

- Fresh legs.  I have done a quasi-taper over the last couple of weeks due to babying my calf, but I'll have a proper 3-week taper leading into MCM and unlike today, won't have raced the day before.
  
- Race day adrenaline and emotion.  Being a part of such an amazing event with what I hear is an electric atmosphere (and hopefully some hotties I can pace off of!).  Dedicating each mile to someone I know and wanting to do them proud.  Knowing my folks will be waiting for me at the finish line and that when I cross it, I will finally be able to call myself a marathoner.

Hopefully, all these together will help me overcome the challenges of running with 30,000 other people and whatever weather conditions present that day (DC can be windy in October, and although it doesn't usually rain, I've run my share of races when it did). 

But even if not, I am determined to run happy and enjoy the experience.  I'm learning that I enjoy the challenge of training hard and setting goals to work toward.  But I'm also learning that running happy is the most important thing.  If I keep doing that, sooner or later, speed will come. 

5 weeks and counting...

Tour des Fleurs "Not Quite 10K" - Race Recap

If you just look at my PR's, you'll see something quite unexpected: my pace for the half marathon distance is faster than for the 10K.  It's not that I can't run faster if I only have to go half the distance; it's just that I rarely stop at 6.2.

I was really looking forward to this year's Tour des Fleurs as a chance to change that.  Last year, my time was 1:04:10, and even though I'd gotten under an hour and set a PR on a training run in March (59:20/9:34), I knew that I was capable of running much faster now, as evidenced by the fact that I held a 9-minute pace for my last 13.1.

Everything was shaping up perfectly.  For the first time in so long I can't remember, the temperature this morning was a cool 62 degrees.  I had my new racing flats, the Saucony Type A5s, which I've quickly grown to love.

My brother had driven down from OKC last night, drove me to the race, and dropped me off while he parked.  I arrived early so I had plenty of time to relax and mentally prepare.

Based on previous data, I was shooting for 8:45 for the first mile and hoping I could average 8:30 for the race, but I did not program my Garmin for a specific pace or heart rate.  I had learned my lesson about that and wanted to have the flexibility to listen to my body and adjust on the fly without my watch beeping and driving me bonkers.  Basically, my race plan was: Run smart.  Run fast.  Run happy. 

I started my warmup around the Arboretum, enjoying the scenery.

I looked out on White Rock Lake, where my last 2 races have also been, and got ready to run what I think has become my favorite stretch, making my way to the start line.

I found a place relatively near the front of the pack and did a good job of pacing myself out of the gate.

Mile 1: 8:41.  Right on target.  Awesome.

Mile 2: 8:20.  Not bad at all.  I was feeling good, with no calf pain that had concerned me a week or two ago.  All that resting (and ice, compression, and massage) worked!

Mile 3: 8:25.  Okay, gave a few seconds back on the hill, yet still under my targeted average pace....But wait, why does that sign say it's Mile 4?  Maybe that was signage for the 20K???

Mile 4: 8:05.  Awesome.  More than halfway, and I feel great.  HR is in the yellow zone (170s), which is comfortably hard.  I know I have a little bit more to give, but I'm saving it for the last mile...surely there's 2 to go, right?  This course was accurately marked last year.  Is it possible we could all be short a WHOLE MILE?  Surely not, but maybe...Still better to save something assuming I need to go the full distance.  Please don't let this course be short.  I really wanted a PR and some good data today.  (Did I really just pray that the course would not be short?)

Mile 5: 8:06.  Holding steady and ready to unleash the beast...but wait, is that really the finish line over there???  Aw, man....Might as well pick it up, I guess...

Mile 5.16:

Finished running 7:29 pace.  Based on the way I felt, I'm guessing I could've put up a sub-8 for the last mile and finished somewhere around 51 minutes, but we'll never know.

What we do know is that even with me purposely holding back for the last mile I never got to run, my average pace for this "mini" 10K was 8:18--about 2 minutes per mile faster than last year!  That is a win.

As for who won the actual race, we still don't know.  Apparently the motorcycle cop took a wrong turn, cutting the course a mile short (after arguing the point with the lead runner!).  Some runners familiar with the course stayed true to the route and went the full 6.2, but the majority of us were lemmings who ran just over 5 miles.  We waited around as it was taking forever for the race directors to sort things out, as there was prize money on the line for top finishers.

I'm grateful that my family was there to enjoy what is still the best post-race party around.  Not being much of a drinker, the beer garden was lost on me, but I managed to find all the sweets a girl could eat--and let the red velvet cupcake count as my birthday cake as my family sang to me.  :)

We also enjoyed the live music as we waited for results to be posted....only to find out that things were so jacked up, they won't announce results 'til MONDAY!

I hate, hate, hate that I did not get an apples to apples comparison on my progress from my first anniversary race, or a true 10K PR, or a 10K time off which to predict my marathon time (though the Jack Daniels calculator puts me at 3:59:01 based on the data I have!).  Yet I love, love, love that I ran smart, fast, and happy and crossed the finish line running faster and feeling better than in any race to date. 

The next time I pin on a bib, it will be for the Marine Corps Marathon.  

The Big O

Overtraining.  To anyone who looked at my training schedule, it's no surprise that this topic would come up sooner or later.  In a weird way, I take it as a good sign that it finally did because otherwise I might have questioned whether I was pushing myself to the limit.  But the goal is to the limit, not over the limit, and I'm seeing the signs that it's time to take a step back.

One of the first signs was on Labor Day.  The Saturday before I gave myself a do-over of a workout with 13.1 worth of mile repeats.  Given that by the time I got back to my car, I'd covered over 20 miles and the temperature had soared to 100 degrees, I was happy with the 8:29 average, even though I'd originally been shooting for 8:15.  Still a night and day improvement over the first time I'd tried it and completely blown up at the end of July.  Silly me, I thought I could handle an easy 4 the next day and incorporate some tempo work into my 15-miler on Monday.  I quickly figured out that I needed LSD that day, forgot about pace, and let myself just enjoy the run.  (I even found the house key I'd dropped a couple weeks earlier!)  But I should have known better than to attempt two 15-mile runs (with a significant number of miles at or faster than goal pace) in 72 hours and taken note when my body said no thanks that Monday.  I didn't.

My other big clue was pain in my lower calf on my left leg.  That started with the Hottest Half at the end of August.  I'd experienced similar pain with my right leg during a race back in May, but that time, it subsided soon after.  This time, the tenderness kept lingering.  It wasn't completely debilitating, though, so initially I didn't pay much attention.  When I had a pain-free run a week ago Friday, I even thought maybe I was out of the woods and proceeded with a 20-miler that included tempo work last Sunday.  It started hurting again around mile 7, and I pressed on, charging uphill, determined to maintain my target pace.  I met up with my friend Pam at the halfway mark and kept pace for another 3 miles until the pain, fatigue, and rising temperatures finally started to slow me down.  I kept pushing through mile 15, and Pam was gracious enough to run/walk the rest of the way with me.  What followed was perhaps my most painful foam rolling session to date.  Bad sign.

I'd hoped that an ice bath, compression, and a massage on Monday would fix the problem, and it wasn't too excruciating during Tuesday morning's easy run.  But it hurt enough afterward that I figured out I needed to scratch my evening run and the 14-miler I had planned to, from, and on the trails for Wednesday.  I hated to lose the miles but considered the cost-benefit analysis and figured that in the grand scheme of things, I wouldn't fail to reach my goals because I cut those miles...but could fail to reach them if I pushed too hard, further delaying my recovery and potentially risking more serious injury.

Because I wasn't up and out the door before dawn on Wednesday, I got to sleep in...til 8 o'clock!!!  I can't remember the last time I did that.  It also afforded me some time for reflection.  As I made more of an effort to listen to my body this week, I was tuning in and noticing how I was feeling:  A little sniffly and just an occasional twinge of a sore throat, like I might be on the verge of getting sick.  Fatigued.  Emotional.  Demotivated.  What???  Anyone who knows me knows that it is totally uncharacteristic for me to be anything less than 110% enthusiastic about running.  But I was finally able to be honest with myself.  As excited as I am about Marine Corps and the 50K, there's a part of me that looks forward to not training 10-15 hours a week.  For the past week or so, I think I had been carrying that around inside like a dirty little secret.  It was masked by excitement as I contemplated races for 2014, but in the back of my mind, I found myself wondering how long I could take a break after the 50K without losing fitness...

Even though I didn't run on Wednesday, I noticed that I felt heavy and slow, and it occurred to me that some of it had nothing to do with my training.  I have maxed out my caseload at the office and recently started attending a weekly training class for personal, spiritual, and professional development.  That investment is already yielding dividends, but like the work that I do, it's emotionally demanding.  So all at once, I've got a heavy workload, heavy training load, and personal growth work that is emotionally heavy.  No wonder I've been feeling...well...heavy.

All of this had me a little worried heading into Thursday's speed session, which I'm glad I still opted to do.  The plan was 6 x Yasso 800's @ 3:40.  To my surprise, I averaged 3:35!  Credit it being a few degrees cooler, the new shoes (Type A5s that weigh just 5 oz!), the shot of caffeine I took beforehand, and/or the day of rest on Wednesday.  Maybe a little bit of all of the above.  But I don't care.  I'm still encouraged because a month ago only one of my 10 repeats was < 3:40 and this time, they all were!  I was relieved that I wasn't as heavy and slow as I felt and that I got through the workout without pain...

...but then I felt sore again after the fact.  I pulled on a compression sleeve under my dress pants and headed to the office. I got through the rest of the day on Thursday but didn't get home until after 8, and by that time I was completely spent. The day ended with me eating peanut butter by the spoonful straight from the jar.  Disappointed about the unnecessary calories, I initially asked myself, "How could this happen?" Then I realized that was the wrong question.  How could it NOT happen when I was physically and emotionally exhausted and all kinds of rungry after not eating enough during the day and not getting home and getting dinner until late?  I told myself that if my worst indulgence in such a state was a few spoons of peanut butter, I was actually doing way better than a lot of people, including my former self. 

Friday I woke up still feeling exhausted.  I hit the snooze button, which I hardly ever do.  When I finally did get up, I had to face facts: calf pain + fatigue + sniffles + loss of motivation and self-discipline = overtraining...or at least as dangerously close to it as I need to come.

They say if you find yourself in a hole, the first thing you should do is stop digging.  I could not find a single convincing argument that running the 6 miles I had planned on Friday would help me reach my goals and determined that, to the contrary, it would actually only set me further back from full recovery.  Ditto for the leg workout at the gym.  How was that supposed to help my calf heal or give me fresh legs for this weekend?  I decided to take a day of rest, and for the first time in so many months I can't remember, I even entertained the thought of taking 2 in a row [gasp!].

Saturday morning, I woke up before the alarm, felt better, and enjoyed some quiet time...but then went back to sleep for a short nap before heading to the office.  When I got home from work mid-afternoon, I opted for another nap (2.5 hours!) over watching the Aggie game.  While that turned out to be a very good call, the fact that I would rather sleep than watch a huge football game is also a sign that something is wrong with me!  After getting extra rest, I did a little bit of strength training and decided to go for a short easy run, just 4 miles of run/walk.  I could tell my calf still wasn't 100%, but it wasn't a hindrance.  I don't think the run set me back physically, and it did me a world of good to run happy.  My mind needed that one more than my body--and more than it needed another rest day.  Win.

I also figured out that if I rested today, I could do today's workout tomorrow and keep the every other day pattern to aid my recovery.  It's disappointing that I had to cut more than half my scheduled mileage this week, especially when I had already planned to take it easy next week in preparation for Saturday's race.  But I'm choosing to think of it as giving myself a monster 2-week taper for the 10K.  :)

On the upside, I still got one really good workout in this week, which was both a confidence booster and good prep for MCM.  I also set myself up for another good workout tomorrow, which I'll be able to tackle being closer to 100% than I was a week ago.  I got FOUR rest days this week and have found a way to shuffle things around to give myself three rest days for each of the next two weeks. I'm hoping to get in a couple of solid weeks of training after the 10K, and then it will be time for a legit 3-week taper leading up to the marathon.  I still have some key workouts planned over the next 6 weeks, and I remain determined to get in as many of those as I can without overdoing it.  I selected them because I believe they will help me reach my goal.  But I also recognize that I might have to substitute no miles for easy miles like I did this week, or if I'm not up to a particular workout, easy miles for hard miles at some point.  I'll take it day by day, see how I feel, and adapt as needed.  I'm more concerned with the big picture than individual runs, so I think I still have my priorities straight and my eye on the prize, so to speak.  I'm keenly aware that crossing the finish line begins with getting to the start line.

6 weeks and counting...

Reality Check

I waited to write about Hottest Half, and I'm glad I did because it's taken time for it to all sink in.  A week after the fact, I am able to be happy that I ran well, turned in my best half marathon yet, learned a few things that will make me a better, smarter runner, and accomplished most of my goals.  But last Sunday, those things were being overshadowed by the disappointment of not meeting one particular goal. 

In my running log, I make a practice of labeling each run with a word or phrase that sums it up.  The first word that came to mind for that race was: Bittersweet.  I was really upset about missing the sub-2 finish.  I researched other half marathons and toyed with the idea of giving it another shot before MCM but eventually decided I couldn't do so without compromising my training schedule for the big event--not to mention that another entry fee would be about half the cost of a pair of new shoes!  Since then, I've realized I have yet to turn in the finishing times I hoped for at any distance:

5K - I signed up for the Labor Day 5K at Rangers Ballpark last year, just to get my first race under my belt.  I was doing it with a girlfriend who said she would show me the ropes (like what to do with that chip thingy that goes on your shoe) and figured we would run it easy together.  On the drive over, she said to me, "I think you should run for time."  I was just over 30 minutes, which would have been my goal if I had known far enough in advance to set one.  :) 

I did run a 25:58 on a training run a couple of months ago, but I simply haven't raced another 5K, so my official time is still over 30.  Oh, well.  One of these days (like when I'm willing to pay to run for a few minutes for a lousy cotton t-shirt), maybe I'll fix that.  ;)

10K - I had hoped to run the Tour des Fleurs in under an hour last September, but it didn't happen.  I was sure I could get there by the American Heroes 10K in November, but that didn't happen either.  In a way, it was probably a good thing that I had been battling injury in the months prior and was therefore content to run pain-free, as I would have been even more upset if I really been running for time when the poorly marked course turned out to be over a mile long! 

As with the 5K, I've since broken the hour-mark in training but have yet to turn in an official time under an hour simply because I haven't raced any more at that distance.  Planning to fix that when I return to Tour des Fleurs in 3 weeks!

Half Marathon - I've now run four of these things and didn't really expect to break 2 hours at Cowtown or Heels & Hills.  Last February, it was just a someday maybe.  By May, it seemed like a goal that was in sight, and then disaster struck in June when I tried to go for it too soon. Technically, I have now covered 13.1 miles in less than 2 hours (possibly twice if somehow that Jog Log data was right), but again my official race time does not reflect that. 

As I think about it, I've never had a race that went perfectly according to plan.  (I didn't even have a plan for Too Hot to Handle 15K, thinking at least that way I wouldn't be disappointed, and then that backfired.)  The closest thing was Heels & Hills, and even that day I had a cramp.  Every other race, something has gone wrong.  Sometimes those were my mistakes (primarily going out too fast), but often they have been circumstances beyond my control, such as weather, a long course, or at my last race, equipment failure. 

Thinking about this has given me pause as I target a sub-4 finish for Marine Corps.  I have every reason to expect that I will be able to meet that goal based on conversion formulas suggesting that I'm already close enough that another 8 weeks of training (and a 30-degree temperature drop) should push me under the line.  But what if something goes wrong?  Or what if having 30,000 people in my way keeps me from running the fastest time of which I would otherwise be capable? 

I am not for a moment giving up on my goal, just beginning to prepare myself that if something happens, I could be disappointed.  So what can I do?

- Train as hard as I can without breaking myself.  This has been the goal from the beginning, and I want to be as strong, fast, and smart as I can be in order to give myself the very best chance of overcoming any and every obstacle on race day.

- Remember where I started.  My initial goal was to finish.  And to finish feeling fantastic.  So that I would want to do it again...which would give me as many chances as I need to hit whatever time goal I might have.  When I filled out the registration form in January, I tentatively put down a goal of 5 hours because my fastest 13.1 at that point was predicting a 5:28 marathon.  That was 7 months ago.  Now that's dropped to 4:09.  We've come a long way, baby!

- Remember what's important.  This journey has not just been about finishing a marathon.  It's been about finishing the Marine Corps Marathon, raising money for the USO, and honoring those who serve our country and sacrifice in order to defend our freedom and our way of life.  I am grateful to be making my first trip to our nation's capitol, to have a spot at this year's race, and to have 2 legs to run it on.  Regardless of what happens on October 27, I hope I can keep things in perspective.

Hottest Half - Race Recap

I had been looking forward to this race and went in with multiple goals.  Obviously, I wanted to run it as fast as I could, and there were several times/paces that would be significant to beat:

- Race PR from Heels & Hills - 2:04:55 (9:32)
- PR from Rainbow Run according to Polar - 2:01:57 (9:18)
- Sub-2 (9:09)
- PR from Rainbow Run according to Jog Log - 1:59:57 (9:09)
- McRun equivalent of 4:09 marathon (with 9 weeks to go) - 1:58:19 (9:01)
- 9-minute miles
- McRun equivalent of 4:00 marathon - 1:54:02 (8:42)
- McRun equivalent of 3:45 marathon (predicted by Yasso 800s) - 1:46:55 (8:09)

I also set a few goals that had nothing to do with time:

- Finish.
- Breathless.
- Knowing that I had left it all on the course.
- Average HR > 175

My plan was to start getting my HR up in the first mile and try to hold it in the upper 170s for miles 2-10, then go 180+ the rest of the way.  Based on past experience and data, this seemed like the best strategy to maximize performance without pushing myself into the danger zone and crashing.

I had a good warmup and felt ready to go.  My HR was in the 160s for the first mile, which I ran in 8:42.  In the 2nd mile, I turned my HR alert on to cue me if I was below 175.  It kept beeping at me, and I kept pushing...and ran mile 2 in 8:26.

Common sense should have told me something was wrong, that I was running too fast, and that I should slow down.  This was way faster than I expected my average pace to be based on the majority of my data, but I reasoned that maybe I was seeing the effect of a week's taper, and since the Yasso/McRun conversion suggested I might be able to average 8:09, I thought maybe it wasn't entirely crazy....

Until I finally noticed what my monitor said my HR actually was.  I ran mile 3 in 8:40, supposedly with an average HR of 113???  That average dropped to 99 for mile 4 and 74 for mile 5, despite running both around 8:52.  Clearly, I was getting bad data.  I was furious, since my whole race strategy and most objective non-time goal was based on this stupid device.  I took it off (no sense chaffing if you're not even going to get good data!) and put it in the pouch on my belt.  It continued to take readings, which initially were more accurate OFF my body!

I felt good, though, and continued to run well.  I found a couple of guys that were running my pace and tucked in behind them, matching them step for step until we got separated at the water stop.  The change in the bounce when crossing bridges felt super weird, and I couldn't believe they had us zig-zagging down ramps with railings on either side, but I pressed on.

During the 2nd half, my fast start and the climbing temps were catching up with me, and a couple of times I pulled alongside other runners just to keep me going.  The first guy and I never said a word, and I left him behind as soon as I realized he was going too slow for me.  The 2nd guy was about 6'6" and had super long legs.  I said something about just 5K to go, and he began to pull ahead of me as we started uphill.  I pushed myself to keep up...and kept going, right past him.  :)

Even from the first mile, I had been noticing a discrepancy between the mile markers and the distance on my Garmin.  Sure enough, it was a long course.  Thankfully, I had the presence of mind to hit the lap button as soon as I knew I'd run 13.1.  But I still had to run an extra third of a mile to the finish!

It was so nice to have my mom at the finish line.  She is a great assistant, and I'm super happy I'll have her with me at MCM!  It took me long enough to recover that I knew I had given my best effort, but it wasn't so bad that I was incapacitated the way I had been after Wounded Warrior (which I think was a relief to Mom since that was the last race she came to).  We waited around for the awards ceremony with my friend Pam (who took 2nd in her age group!) and her husband.  We also bumped into another friend from our group runs, and the tall guy I'd dropped with 3 miles to go came up to congratulate me on leaving him in the dust.  :)

Post-race, the data-crunching began...

My 13.1 time was 1:58:11 - right where I wanted to be for that 4:09 equivalent 9 weeks out.  Total race time = 2:00:55.  I was pissed that the long course had cost me an official sub-2 finishing time, but I still averaged 9-minute miles, so I was happy with my performance.  I'll never know for sure if I averaged HR > 175, but I definitely accomplished my goals of finishing breathless and knowing I'd left it all on the course.  Even though I missed the 2-hour mark, I felt much better about this race than Too Hot to Handle, when I hadn't had a firm goal and finished feeling like I didn't run hard enough.  In fact, based on the 13.1 time, I had met all of my time goals except to run the equivalent of a 4:00 marathon or less...which I hadn't really expected to do with it so hot anyway. Despite the long course, my official time was still a race PR and a personal PR (based on the earlier Polar time, which I believe was more accurate), so just about any way you slice it, this was my best half marathon to date.

I'm learning it is wise to accept (and perhaps expect) that there may be factors beyond one's control on race day, like temperatures in the 80's, a HR rate monitor giving bad data, or a long course.  My goal is to become strong enough to overcome those things and not cost myself any extra time because of a mistake like going out too fast.  Of the factors within my control, that's the only thing I would change about this race.  Being deceived by my HR monitor (and seduced by the Yasso/McRun conversion) cost me a negative split, and I'll never know if the difference had I run just a little smarter would have been enough to get me under 2 hours in spite of everything else....

Either way, I had a good race and learned things that will help me for MCM and beyond:

- Let the data speak.  Come up with a target pace based on the majority of your training data, and let that be your guide on race day.  Take conversions with a grain of salt; they're not as trustworthy as data from runs you've actually done. While taper and adrenaline will hopefully give you an edge on race day, the difference is more likely to be seconds (not a minute or more) off your pace.  Plan accordingly and run conservatively to start.  If something unprecedented or miraculous is going to happen, let it happen in the 2nd half of your race.  :)

- Listen to your body, not just your Garmin.