Another sad day of race reporting. This year I had run 524.7 miles (a few more than the 297.8 I ran last year) before the Ogden Marathon. But it turns out that no amount of training can over come the best FAWL (fast acting weight loss) plan - a.k.a the flu. On the positive side - this is the lightest I've ever been for a marathon! In fact, it's the lightest I've been in 15 years and 4 months! Since this is where I keep track of all the details, this may be long and boring, but I'll start with a very short race description: EPIC FAIL. Total time: 4:27:05.9. By my watch, the first half was 1:43.24 and the second half was 2:43:58 (4:27:22 total). I had a heart rate plan, with a time goal. Using data from my training this year, last year, and races from May and June last year, I figured (three different ways) that my training had me in line for a 3:18 marathon. Then after two all-nighters driving to and from Disneyland a couple weeks ago, I figure I lost about 4% of my fitness. So 3:26 seemed more like it. With a little heart, I thought I might PR, but probably wouldn't BQ. With a miracle, I might hit 3:09:58 - but I really didn't think that was going to happen. After packet pick-up, we hung around the expo, the kids played on the trains, then we went to my parents house for dinner (spaghetti and homemade bread stick) - it was delicious - and to spend the night.
The plan started with proper nutrition - breakfast at 4:15, 12-16 oz of gatorade and a couple Hammer Bars by 6:00 and one Gu at 6:45. Electrolytes/Gatorade every 4th mile starting at 3. Then Gu and water every 4th mile starting at 5. Reality - my daughter, who appeared fine all week, seemed to come down with something around bed time Friday night. Then I got whatever she had. By 3:50 a.m. I was down at least 2 lbs, but finally slept well, until my alarm sounded at 4:15. I didn't feel like eating anything. I thought about which would be worse - a DNF, or a DNS. Oh well, I got ready, then my mom took me to the buses. I chatted with a first time marathoner who wasn't sure he could finish and sipped Gatorade. I did my best to convince him that he could finish, and told him everything I could to give him the confidence to keep going. As we got off the bus he thanked me, asked his name and bib number - to which he replied "I'm Eli, but now your expecting too much." I said that I expected to see a time at the end and not a DNF. His time was 5:27! He had run 18 miles once before and hoped to not get kicked off the course at mile 17 at 11:30 (cut-off time to enter the canyon). I decided I had better eat something - a hammer bar. No frost, but before the sun came up it was definitely cold enough to see your breath. Got in line for the POPs and before too long the race was about to begin! Gu - a little thicker than I remember it... I lined up around the 8:00/mile - only because I heard so many people saying things like "Yeah, I can run a mile this fast!" sarcastically to their friends as they got in line way ahead of their ability. I would rather have started a little slower, but figured this would be right with that many people in the wrong place. Even with everyone starting off too fast, I was passing a lot of people the first couple miles.
The following numbers are in this order: actual miracle plan
mile mm:ss HR mm:ss:hr 1 8:02.7 149 7:30 163 A little slow, but I was fine with this.
2 7:30.1 163 7:15 166 Still a little off, but the plan was for a miracle
3 7:38.7 163 7:10 166 Ok, so the miracle isn't happening, but maybe a PR still
4 7:27.8 166 7:10 166 Water. Nice scenery, good weather - though no tail wind
5 7:36.9 168 7:10 166 Notice a little sweat on my upper lip - that's not normal. HR high
6 7:42.8 168 7:10 166 Gu after 5. Seems a little richer than I remember it. Still high
7 7:45.3 167 7:10 166 HR is closer to target
8 7:45.3 167 7:10 166 I forgot to press my lap button at the aid station...
9 8:19.8 167 7:15 170 This is to slow for a PR, but the second half is more downhill!
10 7:54.2 167 7:15 170 Doing OK - trying to keep HR in check
11 8:21.0 166 7:20 172 Time isn't good, but HR is!
12 8:121 165 7:15 170 After 11, the shot blocks made me sick.
13 8:19.2 167 7:15 172 Not great, but OK.
13.1 0:48.6 168 0:43 172
14 8:21.0 160 7:00 169 Took my only planned restroom break.
15 9:32.6 159 8:10 172 Took the hill slowly
16 9:19.3 153 7:10 175 Took electrolytes with water - my stomach isn't happy.
17 11:33.1 138 7:10 176 Running is too much for my stomach - walking ensues...
18 12:17.7 130 7:10 176 Sucked on an orange, had some water. Powerade is gross.
19 13:02.5 131 7:10 176 Obviously, I'm doing this for the finisher medal (usually it's about the time, but this time, it's about not wanting a DNF.)
20 15:14.2 124 7:10 177 Clearly I'm getting passed by everyone as I search for shade.
21 16:00.7 113 7:10 177 I run a little once in a while, wish I could throw-up, but can't
22 16:25.8 117 7:10 177 Samething
23 11:35.6 131 7:10 178 I start running at the mouth of the canyon, where my worrying family awaits. My wife asks if I'm ok, I say no, paramedics laugh as I run into the tunnel. She had asked them if anyone had gone down, 'cause she was worried about me - they said no.
24 12:29.3 138 7:10 180 My sister joins me for two miles - talks to me to ease my mind.
25 13:30.0 132 7:10 180 Shade is nice and the scenery is too.
26 12:56.2 130 7:10 182 I told my sister we were running from now on - then I tell her that's not gonna work... My brother and his wife join in for a couple blocks.
26.2 1:40.5 164 1:15 187 Ran the last 0.2 with my wife - almost a decent pace even! After the race, I drank a half liter of water but that made me ill. My wife and brother massaged my legs while we waited for my niece to run the Kids K. I would have signed my girls up, but we had a wedding luncheon in Logan at 1:00 (that we obviously missed). I laid around with a bowl all day. I had a little Sprite around 3:30 pm. By 7:30 I was willing to try broth and a piece of toast. Every food sounded good, but the thought of actually eating did not. I knew it was just temporary (so I never said anything to anyone) but I did think I would be all right if I never ran another marathon.
Sunday was a soup and toast day. I thought I was feeling well enough that I would go for a run Monday morning. It's a good thing that we went for a walk Sunday, probably close to a mile, but just enough to realize that even if I felt ok, I still didn't have any fuel in my tank...
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