Clyde's Comeback!

Ojai to Ocean Marathon

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Location:

St. George,UT,U.S.A

Member Since:

Apr 02, 2005

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Local Elite

Running Accomplishments:

97th at Boston

1:09:40 Half Marathon

2:25:50 Marathon

 

Short-Term Running Goals:

Get healthy enough to enjoy a run again.

Long-Term Running Goals:

To be able to do it... long term. 

Personal:

"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the Gift" -Steve Prefontaine

Live your life. Take chances. Be crazy. Don't wait. Because right now is the oldest you've ever been and the youngest you'll be... ever again.

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Baby Jogger Lifetime Miles: 623.95
Kinvara Lifetime Miles: 313.32
Asics TRI Lifetime Miles: 610.65
Pegasus Lifetime Miles: 520.90
Kinvara2 Lifetime Miles: 350.20
Ghost Yellow Lifetime Miles: 374.25
Kestrel Bike Lifetime Miles: 1883.75
NB- Rainbow Lifetime Miles: 57.80
Red Cumulus Lifetime Miles: 594.95
Neon Launch Lifetime Miles: 533.40
DS Trainer Lifetime Miles: 467.77
Green Pegasus Lifetime Miles: 479.75
Lunerglide Lifetime Miles: 276.70
Blue Pegasus Lifetime Miles: 528.06
NoosTri Lifetime Miles: 283.07
BlueKinvara Lifetime Miles: 216.60
Innov Lifetime Miles: 58.50
Ride Lifetime Miles: 207.45
NavPeg Lifetime Miles: 162.50
Green K5's Lifetime Miles: 88.00
Race: Ojai to Ocean Marathon (26.2 Miles) 02:30:52, Place overall: 2
Total Distance
27.40

Never felt into it today. Just couldn't get going. Did't sleep at all last night- totally soaked my bed in sweat. Felt like I was sleeping in a garbage bag. Spits from the race weren't too bad but the effort was way too hard. Humidity was off the hook and I've never sweat that bad in my life. Was covered in salt.

Got caught at mile 25.5 and ended up second. Just kind of bummed all around. Can't wait to get home and see Myler. He's been at Gramps and Grammys house for 11 days. Too long. Anyways full report tomorrow when I'm home.

--------------------

Race Report*

The course starts in Ojai a smaller city about 12 miles from Ventura Ca. You make a 6 mile loop in Ojai then run down in to Ventura and then do about 5.5 miles up and down the beach front. So the course is semi aided starting at 700 ft and dropping to sea level. But you actually climb up to 800 ft or something. There's a good uphill from mile 2.5 to 5. Continual climbing throughout.

Mik'L drove us up to Ojai that morning. Our motel was on the beach a mile or so from the finish down in Ventura. Temps were just under 60 F. Humidity was like nothing I'd ever seen (while running). I did live in northern England for 2 years and this was very similar. Think, wet air. Almost like running through a membrane or something. In the car on the way up we had to keep using the windshield wipers but it wasn't raining. Just a ton of moister in the air.

Anyways got to the start with about 45 min's to spare. Hit the porta pod. Then sat in the car for a while. Then we did a warm up with another potty stop and it was basically time to start. Race started 10 mins late which was bothersome. Some guy liked the sound of his own voice on a megaphone and just kept rambling on and on about who know what. Finally I yelled out "lets go". He didn't seem too happy about being called out in front of the 1000+ other runners.

1. 5:35- Went out shoulder to shoulder with the eventual winner (Jay I think was his name) but by .7 I started to pull away.

2. 5:23- The first 2.5 miles kind of drop around the west side of Ojai before you start the climb up around the east side to make the loop. I just tried to relax and run smooth. But in hindsight this mile seems too fast now.

3. 5:28- Half mile downhill and half mile up as we start really the only ONE uphill section. As I round the turn I glance back and don't even really see Jay anywhere.

4. 5:43- My plan for the uphill miles was to stay relaxed and not force the pace at all. But I did want to keep all my splits under 6 min pace. By now I'm completely saturated in sweat and for some crazy reason my left quad is cramping really bad... just have to keep grinding.

5. 5:52- Steepest uphill mile. Goal was to keep it under 6 min pace and was happy to see a 5:52 when I felt like I was really taking it EZ. Mik'L met me at the end of this mile and top of the hill with my first GU.

6. 5:37- Start repeating the first part of the loop past the starting line and down out of Ojai. Just trying to kind of work into a smooth pace. The crazy thing is that this was the same leg as the 2nd mile and now that I was "warmed up" I was expecting to run it faster... but was 14 seconds slower.

7. 5:42- Same mile as the 3rd give or take. Not trying to force any pace just trying to conserve energy. But things just feel harder than they should.

8. 5:34- Take the paved trail out of Ojai and start the downhill miles to Ventura. Heart rate seems high and both quads are cramping.

9. 5:47- This mile seemed really hard. Didn't feel like I was going anywhere and was already having thoughts of the worst...

10. 5:39- Happy to see the pace come down a little on a section that wasn't as fast as mile 9. Tried to tell myself that things were ok and that we could do this.

11. 5:25- The best all out  downhill mile of the course. No rollers just straight drop. 

12. 5:33- Kind of flattens out for a few. Still a net drop but much less grand than the likes of mile 11. I'm hanging in there. Basically just grinding out every mile. Never felt good and just had to work for  everyone. But was happy to see that each mile would still come to me even feeling so blah.

13. 5:42- Fairly flat with a couple little drops. Hit the half at 1:13:30 on my gps (13.11). But when I got to the race clock half it was at (13.35 and 1:15:00). I'm pretty sure my watch was right and they were set up a little long. At this point Mik'L tells me I'm about 1:20 up on Jay who's in 2nd place and a long ways up on 3rd. So I kind of stop worrying about "racing" anyone and just try to focus on my own splits.

14. 5:42- Very similar mile to the last.

15. 5:37- I don't remember this mile at all.

16. 5:39- As I'm approaching the mile marker I'm thinking that I'm coming up to 15 and as I get close I see the "16" mile sign. Sweet! It was like a free mile. You think your at 15 and then hit 16 in a marathon... a plus for sure.

17. 5:42- Grinding it out. The course is just a 1% or so downhill through most of these miles. I'm super uncomfortable throughout. Just not mentally there plus physically really feel like I'm killing it every single mile... just cannot get into a groove. Heart rate had to be sky high. I did see a GIANT bullfrog right on the trail during this mile. The guy on the bike that was escorting me down the trial turned around and we discussed just how big that sucker really was. At least 2.5 softballs or bigger.

18. 5:34- This was a fast mile and I'm not sure why or how. Not any steep downhill just more of the same. I sure didn't feel like superman all the sudden. But I'll take it.

19. 5:45- Mentally just really trying to work hard til mile 20 or so. Wanted to get down to the beach and then see how I'd fare on the last 5.5 of the course

20. 5:52- I can tell that things are going to get UGLY. Hit 20 mile in 1:53:00. So with some quick math still think I can totally go sub 2:30 if I only hold 6 min pace....

21. 6:04- Mik'L was here with a drink and some chomps. But we missed the handoff and this really through me off. She had to sprint up and get them to me and between the handoff... trying to drink and chew... I just totally lost momentum.

22. 6:07- running on the road on the beach front. Passing half marathoners. I'm really, really not doing good.

23. 6:00- Past the Ventura pier. Think to myself "Clyde just dig deep here". "It's right there and you can go get it". But I just cannot go any harder.

24. 6:10- This was the longest, hardest mile in all my marathons. It was a turn around mile and as we just kept going farther and farther away from the finish line the mile seemed to drag on forever. I yelled at the bike guy "are we going the right way... shouldn't we have turned by now". I wasn't joking either- very concerned and desperate. Plus as the mile ends we did hit the turn around and all the sudden I see Jay (2nd) place guy only about 20 seconds back... OMH. I know I'm toast. 

25. 6:05- Tried so hard to dig here. Wanted to win. The day before the race I didn't care about winning. But now 25 miles into this death march of a race I wanted something....  I'd earned a win.... Jay catches me at 25.5 and hit's me like a brick wall. It was sad. I couldn't respond and that was the end of my glory. The bike escort that had become my buddy over the last 25 miles was so easily won over by the new guy. All we had gone through together and it meant nothing. I was the old cow and Jay was the new cow. New cows are better:)

26. 6:22- With the win gone and finish line in sight I just finished. Not grand not victorious. My heart hurt and so did my quads and calves.

.2  in 5:54 pace.

So that's that. A very emotional week. A long hard race. And a downer of a finish. Guess it's time to move on past this episode in my life. So glad to get home last night and see Myler. The last 11 days have been hard on Mik'L and I.

Looking forward to a little recovery phase and then I'll try to get ready to run a good half at Bryce and TOU... and that's that. 


Kinvara Miles: 26.20
Comments
From JPark on Sun, Jun 03, 2012 at 16:24:09 from 174.52.34.169

2:30:52 and 2nd place is pretty darn good for not "feeling into it". You should feel good about the effort.

From Little Bad Legs on Sun, Jun 03, 2012 at 20:04:27 from 68.186.0.46

Nice job Clyde. Enjoy being back together as a family. Looking forward to hearing how things went.

From Clay on Sun, Jun 03, 2012 at 21:31:29 from 71.195.211.7

Nice race considering everything you've been through in the last 48 hours! Running in humity is a different animal but a second place finish and not feeling into it is pretty dang good. Get home and hug Myler and then it puts everything into perspective. Hang in there.

From Kory on Sun, Jun 03, 2012 at 22:08:05 from 184.155.135.194

Hey still a great time and under all the emotional stress.

From James on Sun, Jun 03, 2012 at 22:16:38 from 174.23.153.141

Sorry it didn't go quite as planned.

From Paul on Mon, Jun 04, 2012 at 07:45:55 from 71.208.133.240

Is this a non-aided PR for you? If so, congrats on that, especially given humid conditions. These are two pretty solid marathons you've put together so far this year.

From Jake K on Mon, Jun 04, 2012 at 10:58:28 from 155.100.226.54

Great job Clyde. Looking forward to hearing more about it. The coast was really socked in w/ clouds and it was really humid. I was drenched after running a mile and immediately thought - uh oh, this isn't good marathon weather!

Two really good marathons already this year. You're running really well. Congrats. I know its probably tough to get passed at the end, but you're batting .500 on winning marathons this year - if it was baseball, you'd be a hall of famer!

From Superfly on Mon, Jun 04, 2012 at 11:21:17 from 74.211.21.81

Thanks guys. Full report up now.

Paul- this is a aided race. Starts a like 750ft and drops to 6ft.

From jun on Mon, Jun 04, 2012 at 11:48:19 from 205.158.160.209

Thanks for the report. Sorry you weren't feeling it. Still wicked fast. At least you're home with family now.

From Fritz on Mon, Jun 04, 2012 at 22:01:53 from 76.27.28.67

Nice report. Sorry that it didn't go as planned but still a great time especially considering the less than ideal conditions.

From Steve on Tue, Jun 05, 2012 at 00:17:02 from 66.87.64.196

That is one sweet run. I'm going to carry a Taser for the next guy that passes me in the last 1/4 mile of a marathon. Hate that..

From JamesH on Tue, Jun 05, 2012 at 12:25:38 from 209.33.214.26

Sounds like quite an experience. A good race even with the struggles though. Get some well earned rest.

From Logan Fielding on Thu, Jun 07, 2012 at 16:38:37 from 74.211.12.125

Nice job with your race Clyde. I know it has been a tough time for your family the last little bit. We need to get together next week for some fun runs.

From Superfly on Sun, Jun 10, 2012 at 10:08:00 from 74.211.21.81

Thanks again guys. After a week of reflection... I'm still bummed about the outcome but I'm almost over it but still not ready to jump back into "training mode". I think one more mild week is on the menu.

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