Deseret News Marathon Race Review

Well, I've been writing about this marathon for a while now, I've been training for even longer!

It's over and done!  On to the next one... I'd like to run another this fall, a flat course this time!  Registration for the Wine Glass is already full so I'm looking at a couple of others near me.

The race was last Wednesday, Pioneer Day.  I feel I did a good job prepping for the race.  I started eating more carbs on Monday and didn't eat past 5:30 on Tuesday.  My only hesitation for this marathon was the downhill.  I'd gotten more of that in last year as I was here sooner.  I figured of course I'd go for it and if I couldn't walk after, well, it would only be bad for a couple of days right?

My goal was to finish 3:30, which is an 8 mile pace.  I've been training at 7:30, 7:45 with it feeling great... on a flat course.  I thought I'd try to stay between those two paces and see how I felt.

I got all of my stuff ready and went to bed around 10:30.  I didn't sleep too well, no surprise.  I was up at 2:20 to be ready to leave at 2:40... yes a.m.!!!  So crazy right?  Lynette was still asleep so I had to wake her up, poor girl, it's so early!

I ate oatmeal on the way to our drop point, Rice Eccles Stadium.  I had my belt full of goo and gatorade, also my music, just in case.  I also brought Imodium and my fleece.  When I woke up and we headed out it was warm, but it's always cooler in the canyon.

Lenni dropped me off and I got onto a bus.  The buses left between 3:15 and 3:30 to get us up the canyon.  I was on one of the first buses.  I sat down and Amber sat next to me.  She is fast and hoped to finish around 3:00... I think she finished 3:15.  Anyway, we visited and then I tried to rest.

We got to the top of the mountain, it was still dark, and cold.  I hit the porta potty, nice thing about being the first bus up!  Then you wait and wait and wait!  That is the lame part of this race.  They should try to condense that time.  I was freezing, wish I'd brought a blanket or jammy bottoms.  I visited with two other friends until it was about time to line up.

I had taken my Imodium, hit the john one more time, plus peed in the woods, then dropped my jacket off.

The race started and we were off.  This year they had pacers, first year.  I took off.  Last year I ran mile 1 at 8 pace, paying attention to a slow start.  This year I took it easy, but ran mile 1 right at 7 minutes.  Hmmm.  I consciously slowed it down and ran comfortably at around a 7:30.

Remember I don't own a Garmin... I'll get one before the year is over, so I wanted to check my time every 4 miles to make sure I was on pace.  The first four flew by.  It was dark coming down the canyon, but so pretty.  I ran through pockets of hot and cold air, felt cool!  There were a couple of girls running near me so I paced with them until mile 5.  My first 4 miles were 29:54 (7:28).  This is a tricky marathon because you naturally go faster downhill, but the severity of the hill drains your glycogen stores.  So does it do any good to try to slow yourself down?  Your going to use energy with the hills anyway, may as well go with the flow right?  I didn't feel like I was pushing to go, my pace felt comfortable and easy.  I feel like like I'm faster this year, but performed worse because I didn't run down hills for my training!

Around mile 5 is where the 2 miles of uphill starts!  One of the gals ran ahead of me and the other fell behind, so I was back on my own.  This portion was a bit harder than I remembered last year.  Particularly the breathing!  As my heart rate increased it felt a little harder to breath.  I didn't feel too affected by the altitude, until this portion.  I ran it well, but for sure felt it in my legs.  I ate a goo chomp to try to help restore some energy loss.  After mile 7 we head back down the hill.  I hit mile 8 at 33:07 (8:16).  I felt nervous about being slower, but if I could consistently even stay at an 8 I'd be ok.

I ate my goo around mile 10.  I ran behind some girl in brown.  Kept right close to her.  I kept hydrating, I feel I did that well.  Down the canyon, we started seeing half marathoners, cyclists... my legs felt tired already!  My left calf was starting to tighten, but I went with it.  I hit mile 12 at 32:07 (8:07).  I felt comfortable, it's always a challenge to know how much to push and how much to hold off.  I pushed a little bit, then came back to around an 8.  The bottom of the canyon is around mile 16.  Thank heavens!  These 4 miles I ran at 32:10.  I was right on pace with where I wanted to be.

I grabbed a fuel and took a drink.  Then there is another hill!  This one felt hard, I felt like I was super slow up this shorter hill.  It ended and I could feel my energy and confidence fizzle a little!  You run through a neighborhood for a couple of miles.  I stopped at the water station to drink my drink and walk for a minute.  I was hurting a bit!  Around the corner onto Foothill Blvd.  I knew I'd be seeing my cheering section soon!  They were around 19, cheering me on!  I love them all!  G cheered and yelled see you at the finish line mom!  They all gave me love!  Lenni changed out my liquid.  Man that felt heavy as I started again.  Not sure if that was a good choice, but I ended up drinking it all, so I'm glad I had it.  I've been training w/ the belt and like shooting liquid into my mouth rather than trying to drink from a cup.  Maybe next race I'll try slowing to drink then starting again, is that harder?  I feel like you have to exert more to get back to where you would've been had you just kept running... anyway!!!!

Little break there, then I actually stopped for a potty break around 20.  I started feeling light headed it was nice to sit down!!! :)  Mile 16-20 was 38:46 (9:41) the bulk of that added time being my potty break.

As I came out there was a gal walking and I told her to run with me.  She said she was tired... I agreed!  We ran together for a mile or so, she stopped to walk, then I stopped to walk and stretch my calf.  I started again and wanted to run for two miles then stop to rest.  I could make it two miles!  Almost!  At 22 I told myself that I'd trained this far I could go 4 more miles... only a half hour!  My legs were totally hurting.  I turned on my music for some distraction... it worked here and there...  I ran a mile, then walked, then kept on for another mile.  I drank all my gatorade.  My time from mile 20-24 was 40:38 (10:09) ouch, that doesn't feel good!  I kissed my old time goodbye, had already kissed my goal time goodbye and really didn't care at this point!   I just wanted it to be over!

Just 2 more miles... c'm ON.  I can run the rest of this!  Nope!  I stopped to stretch my calf's as I felt them start to lock up.  As I stretched them my shins locked up!  It killed!  I ran trying to not move my lower legs!  Crazy!  One mile to go I ran past all of the parade goers, they cheered and that helped, plus who can walk in front of a ton of people?  Not me... too proud!  Just a half mile!  I ran that, turned the corner for the .02.  I saw my cute family and they cheered for me.  Lenni told me that she told all of them to be super nice and supportive to me as she waited and watched my time slip by.

G ran out to run to the finish line w/ me, after he came out all of the other kids did too.  I loved that!  I guess he'd seen others do it and asked if it was against any rules.  L told him to go for it, so he did and all the kids followed.  It was super cute!  I love my little family, and L's fam.  It was so fantastic.  So I finished at 3:52:12 funny, that is the time on the clock in this photo!

Molly and Syd were there as I finished!  That made me so happy!  I did introductions and the kids loved the C's.  We took some pics and I just wanted to sit.  Oh man, I can't tell you how bad my legs hurt!  I'd run my 22 miles of course w/ no soreness.  I did the 8 down the canyon no prob.  I don't know, it was bad!  I got some water and we stood in line for a massage.  I never do this, but the line was short.  I'm so glad I did!  All of my friends waited for me.  They cheered for me.  It was great.

I do get discouraged when I don't perform as well as I want, who doesn't?  All I can do is continue to practice and try again!  I told them I'm never doing this race again!  This is my second marathon, maybe it's time I run a flat course!  Maybe I'll do the half here next year!  It's like having a baby, you forget the pain and do it again!  Even a few days out I want to do it again... I must conquer this marathon!

My massage was a delight!!!  As she was rubbing down my right leg, my left started cramping up, I was like, hurry and switch legs, I can't get it out!  The arch of my foot was cramping which went into my calf.  Molly said as the girl was stretching me out she could see my legs in spasm mode.  I couldn't feel that, but don't doubt it!  Did I mention it rocked my legs!?

Molly took off, I love that she came!  She is such a good friend.  I loved having both of my best friends there at the finish line, it rocked!

The kids were so good, so patient!  L got to the finish line easy this year, and ended up waiting a long time for me since I was slower!!!

We walked to the car, super far away... already I knew I was in for a couple of days of hurt!  The second day is always worse than the first... true, really couldn't walk.  I was NOT this sore last year!

It was another race under my belt.  Not my best, but another race under my belt!