Just Keep Runnin'

26.2 3:30:56 167 - Ogden Marathon

I used to have a report here... Here I go again

1	00:08:15	1.00	08:15
2	00:08:21	1.00	08:21
3	00:08:06	1.00	08:06
4	00:08:11	1.00	08:11
5	00:08:05	1.00	08:05
6	00:08:07	1.00	08:07
7	00:08:07	1.00	08:07
8	00:07:49	1.00	07:49
9	00:08:29	1.00	08:29
10	00:08:27	1.00	08:27
11	00:08:38	1.00	08:38
12	00:08:57	1.00	08:57
13	00:08:55	1.00	08:55
14	00:09:06	1.00	09:06
15	00:09:37	1.00	09:37
16	00:07:18	1.00	07:18
17	00:07:14	1.00	07:14
18	00:06:53	1.00	06:53
19	00:07:20	1.00	07:20
20	00:07:16	1.00	07:16
21	00:07:21	1.00	07:21
22	00:07:08	1.00	07:08
23	00:07:16	1.00	07:16
24	00:07:39	1.00	07:39
25	00:07:57	1.00	07:57
26	00:07:51	1.00	07:51
27	00:02:24	0.31	07:44

I started out with my cousin (who wanted to get 3:40). At first I was just going to pace her for the first mile or two so that she didn't start out too fast. She had the flu starting 2 weeks ago for 10 days. She felt pretty good by Tuesday and so she ran Wed-Fri. After the second mile, I decided I'd go three, and then I decided just to hang with her until 15. We were doing well and holding back and were right on target until about mile 12. She said that her heart rate seemed good, as well as her breathing, but her legs felt tired (seems like the results of having the flu to me). So we lost some time in 12-15. At that point, she told me to go on without her, so I took off! I think I averaged 8:28 for the 1st 15 miles and 7:23 for the last 11. I'm happy with that, considering that I've been running about 30 miles per week the past 5 weeks (not including this week).

Nutrition went something like this: Hawaiian Haystacks Friday night (about 7:30 - a little later than I had hoped) and Chocolate Chip-Banana-Oatmeal Cookies. Wheaties (1 cup) for breakfast, then 2 more cookies about 20 minutes before the race (about mile 3 I decided that eating them probably wasn't ideal, but no big deal.) Gatorade at most aid station. At mile, 7 I tried a Vanilla flavored Clif gu thing. At mile 11, after getting my cousin what she needed, I tried a Mint Chocolate Clif bar - nice! A little before mile 17, I had a hammer gel, then tried another flavor of Clif Gu around mile 21. After mile 15, at the aid stations I used cold water to cool me off.

It was awesome to see my family at the mouth of the Canyon (mom and sis tried to run with me as I gave them updates on my cousin and brother, but at that point, my pace was a 7:10) then I saw my wife and daughters! Passed a few people I knew in the last 1.5 miles - they had started towards the front, but were loosing speed. This holding back thing may not give the best times, but it sure is motivating to pass people at the end!

Normally I start out with my HR at 166, then 169, at half and 172-whatever for the last 5. My plan in January was to run this as a long training run and keep my HR between 153 and 160, where I thought I could easily run a 3:20 since I ran 20 in 2:35 the day after running 20 in 2:40 - both out and back in the freezing cold with a lot of cold. Then tendonitis hit...so my plan changed a little. I had decided that I would aim for 158 at the beginning, allowing it to climb to the upper 160s by the end. I was sure that I could finish between 3:26 and 3:35 based on my most recent long runs. The last 11 miles, my HR averaged between 178 and 181 each mile - the longest I've ever sustained an HR like that.

Because my plan was not to race or PR, I slept great! I realize I should have gone to bed well before 11:30, but since I don't normally sleep well, I stayed up chatting. Once I fell asleep, I was out until my alarm!