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| Easy Miles | Marathon Pace Miles | Threshold Miles | VO2 Max Miles | Total Distance | | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
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Off day. Still riding the high from having a great race, but some post-marathon thoughts I want to save so I don't forget them:
- Mental preparation was critical for this race. I have a problem with 5Ks and Marathons. I don't like the way 5Ks hurt and it's difficult for me to race as hard as I should. Marathons are more insiduous....I tend to "not believe". I worked hard to quash these thoughts during training and to consciously tell myself I could do it. They got worse the final month or so of training so it really became an effort to not slip up. That mental discipline helped tremendously when the same thoughts crept in early in the race and was key to not fading during the final 8 miles. When the headwinds kicked up, my mind kept trying to telling me it was over, but I kept pushing that thought back and telling myself I could do it (run the sub-3). It worked. It also required a lot of practice, just like everything else leading up to racing a marathon.
- During my 3 day carbo-loading, I actually counted the grams of carbs
I was injesting and tried to hit 4g/lb of body weight (648g). Harder
than I'd thought to get that many, but considering how I felt towards
the end of the marathon, if I hadn't I probably would've bonked.
- Decision to take 4 GU with me was also key. Whether real or psychological, the "extra" GU I took at 24 just before my final push felt like it was critical at a time when I was very tired, hurting, and trying to gather myself for the push up the hill followed by the final push towards the end, which I knew would be incredibly painful. It was.
- Gatorade consumption alone would not have been adequate. It worked for me in Seattle last year, but the aid stations here didn't fill the cups with much (probably 4oz versus 6-8oz in Seattle). Having the GU saved my bacon.
- Sticking with the Adrenaline shoes was smart. Heavier and with a higher heel, yes, but the last miles my feet were hurting and the extra support was critical. I need to train more in lightweight shoes/flats, but for now this decision was a good one.
- Reduced taper got me sharp for race day. If I would've tapered more, my legs might've felt fresher, but I'm pretty sure I would've felt more sluggish. With the taper I did, my legs only felt okay fresh by 2 days prior, but I didn't feel any of the sluggishness I normally feel during a larger taper.
- Why do I still underperform the marathon? I'm not complaining, mind you, but my best 1/2 marathon time predicted a 2:56:44 marathon and I'd like my 153 seconds back, thank you very much. I guess this will be one of my goals coming out of this....figure out how to out-perform a marathon.
- Having someone to run with at your pace during the event is *very* helpful, but another key is talking beforehand to set expectations if one or the other slows. I broached the topic with David when we were waiting for the start, primarily because I seriously figured I'd be the one fading and he'd be the one running away from me, and I didn't want to hold him back. I felt a bit guilty leaving him (still do) and tried to help pull him along for a mile or so but when it came down to it, I was able to go without feeling too badly.
- Wearing race singlets opens up new possibilities for rubbing skin raw....like between my arm and back on my right side. Need to apply body-glide there next time!
That's all for now, but I'll add to the list as they strike me.
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| Night Sleep Time: 8.00 | Nap Time: 0.00 | Total Sleep Time: 8.00 |
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