The Perils of Self Betterment

TOU Marathon

Recent EntriesHomeJoin Fast Running Blog Community!PredictorHealthy RecipesJD's RacesFind BlogsMileage BoardTop Ten Excuses for Missing a RunTop Ten Training MistakesDiscussion ForumRace Reports Send A Private MessageWeek ViewMonth ViewYear View
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022
15% off for Fast Running Blog members at St. George Running Center!

Location:

UT,

Member Since:

Jan 17, 2008

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

yearly mileage totals (actual running miles, not crosstraining etc)

2008 - 1,317

2009 - 2,654

2010 - 2,578

2011 - 2,618

2012 - 3,083 (ran everyday this year. PR's in half and full marathons, at age 48!)

2013 - 1,177

2014 - 1,716

2015 - 1,060

2016 - 951

2017 - 786

2018 - 1,058

2019 - 1,211

2020 - 1010

2021 - 1064.9

2022 - 1135.9

Short-Term Running Goals:

reacquaint myself with my long lost running freak, and then proceed to get my running freak on

run faster

increase mileage in the Spring 

keep running

 

 

 

Long-Term Running Goals:

run

 

Personal:

born in 1964. married 25 years. one wife one dog

6 ft tall, nation wide

"Engaging in a little suffering — however self-imposed, arbitrary and contrived — before breakfast each morning tends to demand some humility and injects some marked relief into the rest of the day, making things sharper, more inspired, more immediately aware of the powerful presence of being. And that seems really worthwhile." A. Krupicka

 

"I cruised down hills, churned up hills, and floated over the asphalt, existing in a world that seemed to lack the confinements of such ubiquitous rivets as time, obligation, or pain. I knew then that this was destined to be one of those serendipitous runs for which so many of 
us strive yet so rarely achieve." J. Nevels

 

 

 
Click to donate
to Ukraine's Armed Forces
Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Switchbacksblack Lifetime Miles: 176.50
Kinvara11(2) Lifetime Miles: 362.50
Kinvara11blue Lifetime Miles: 327.70
Rincon2 Lifetime Miles: 262.40
Spg 4’s Lifetime Miles: 135.50
Skechers Razor3 Lifetime Miles: 160.90
Rincon2(2) Lifetime Miles: 85.50
Asics Noosa14 Lifetime Miles: 73.00
Sauconyaxon2 Lifetime Miles: 73.80
Mach 4 Lifetime Miles: 34.50
Sat, Sep 19, 2009
Race: TOU Marathon (26.2 Miles) 04:05:55
Total Distance
26.45

Splits: 1)8:17 2)8:06 3)8:19 4)8:28 5)830 6)8:37 7)8:35 8)8:16 9)8:26 10)8:37 11)8:38 12)8:30 13)8:18 14)10:57 (long awaited POP stop) 15)8:30 16)8:35 17)8:30 18)8:54 19)9:48 20)11:21 21)9:17 22)10:07 23)12:06 24)12:10 25)11:00 26)10:42 +.45) 4:05 (9:00 pace)

I ran the first 18 miles in 2:35:10 (an 8:37 avg. pace, including 2+ mins. POP break). I ran the last 8.45 miles in 1:30:44 (a 10:44 avg. pace!). BONKAGE! Still, I had me a pretty good 18 mile tempo run today, with a long cooldown.

Yikes! Well, in spite of not getting a 3:45 like I had hoped. I did get a 15 minute PR, and I'm ten years older than when I ran my previous PR (albeit without training). So, I feel like it wasn't a complete disaster. At mile 18 I was on pace for a 3:45:45, then the wooden wheels began to crumble. The aid station at mile 19 resembled a war scene with runners walking, stopping to stretch, groaning, and no conversation going on. I knew I was in trouble. Even if I hadn't crashed, I wouldn't have run the last 8 miles fast enough to reach my goal, as the previous 18 miles were downhill, and mile 19 is where a lot of uphill began. I ended up taking walk breaks somewhere in mile 22, and they increased in frequency as I got closer to the finish. Yeah, good stuff. Marathons are fun!

 So, a great experience for me. I got to meet some bloggers finally. Thanks to Paul for graciously offering a room at his house, AND for feeding me. I believe Paul's performance today had a lot to do with his new coffee maker. I was pleased to meet Ashbaker, as he stayed there too. I also met Allie and Redrooster at the pickup. At the start I got to tag along with the local elites on a journey to Oz (line - free bathroom facilities!), where I also met AdamRW, Cody and Sasha.(I don't know how I missed Jon, looking forward to meeting him down the road sometime).  Everybody was great and offered words of encouragement and advice to me. I really think we have a group of outstanding individuals here on the blog. 

I'm looking forward to running another marathon again and improving on my time. I'll need to train better so I can maintain through those last 8 miles!

GSS 3 (2) Miles: 26.75
Weight: 0.00
Comments
From Lysa on Sat, Sep 19, 2009 at 17:51:56 from 76.23.52.240

James!! Good job!! where are the details? how do you feel? whats a POP stop?

From Kelli on Sat, Sep 19, 2009 at 17:55:22 from 71.219.96.151

Well, to start with, congrats on the PR!! Sorry it was not what you wanted, though. I know that is tough. BUT you finished, made it through the war scene (which cracks me up---especially the no talking, serious business, on the verge of death battle that we all know is going on within every runner). Marathons are tough, only those who have run them understand just what it takes to finish.

Now, take a nice break, eat a bunch of ice cream or whatever it is you love, and get a nap!!!

From Lysa on Sat, Sep 19, 2009 at 17:55:42 from 76.23.52.240

never mind, there they are. Congratulations!!! You need to be proud of yourself.

From Kelli on Sat, Sep 19, 2009 at 17:57:16 from 71.219.96.151

POP=Port O Pottie---those things can kill you, both waitng for them and using them!

From Carolyn in Colorado on Sat, Sep 19, 2009 at 18:11:52 from 24.8.167.243

Congratulations on the PR! It's great to be getting faster as you get older.

I'm sorry it was so tough at the end. How much uphill is there in that course? I'm not familiar with it at all.

I agree that you should be proud of yourself and should get yourself a treat of some kind.

From Jon on Sat, Sep 19, 2009 at 18:27:43 from 75.169.140.248

A 15 minute PR is huge, especially since it was 10 years ago- big congrats. More training is definitely the key to doing well in the last 8 miles, which I'm sure you can do for your next marathon.

I wondered where you were hoping to meet you since I knew you had stayed with Paul. If you were at Oz this morning, I think I saw you- I ran up when you guys were talking in front of it (I was wearing a brown beanie)- were you wearing a dark blue-ish jacket and dark beanie? But I'm not the most talkative guy pre-race. Hopefully we can officially meet soon in the future.

From redrooster on Sat, Sep 19, 2009 at 18:34:57 from 71.219.152.116

JD, nice PR, great job, taking a 15 minute chunk off is a real accomplishment. It was great to meet you at the Marriott and talk a bit. you are always welcome to stay at my place anytime you want to come back for the marathon or the half.

wishes for a speedy recovery! Scott

From Lysa on Sat, Sep 19, 2009 at 18:54:00 from 76.23.52.240

everytime I get on here, you have added more. I must've been commenting as you were writting. So, okay, duh, of course pop is porta pottie. I think its great you met so many of the bloggers! And again, Congratulations on a great marathon, dont dwell on the last 8. I think you have been amazing with your training. Go take some much needed rest, you deserve it.

From allie on Sat, Sep 19, 2009 at 19:07:03 from 67.177.43.41

congrats on the PR today. very nice. it was great meeting you yesterday. hope you found an excellent parking spot htis morning. :)

From Paul on Sat, Sep 19, 2009 at 19:10:23 from 174.23.74.252

James - it was awesome meeting you, and I enjoyed your stay with us. Congrats on the PR. True, it was not a 3:45, but still a massive chunk off your old time, and good experience to boot. Let me know the next time you're in Cache Valley.

From Snoqualmie on Sat, Sep 19, 2009 at 22:40:52 from 24.18.192.33

Nice PR and good job on your race! That course sounds brutal with 18 miles downhill followed by uphill sections (quads: "Ow!"). The best part was that you wrote you'd like to run another marathon - that's the best indicator of a successful race, imo. I would LOVE to have a 4:05 (BQ for me), but I'm not expecting it any time soon. Envy, envy, envy... I am so happy for you! Enjoy the recovery.

From Bec on Sun, Sep 20, 2009 at 00:01:08 from 67.177.35.60

Dang, I wish I would have known you were doing this race and would have watched for you! Great job today. That course is a little "junky" at the end. (Lack of better words). You PR'd, and you have to be proud of your marathon effort. Way to go.

I thought you did the Provo marathon last week?

From auntieem on Sun, Sep 20, 2009 at 01:30:01 from 67.182.145.8

JD! Congratulations on the PR and bustin' through the war zone scene (sounds gruesome). That is a truly great PR. Sorry you didn't make the time you wanted, but, man, hills at mile 19??? That's crazy.

Recover well and smart!

From april27 on Sun, Sep 20, 2009 at 10:12:24 from 99.188.251.180

Great PR!! 15 Minutes is awesome! I could only hope for your timing! Do you have another marathon in sight? Glad you want to run another! Now rest those quads! They have to be burning!

From Adam RW on Sun, Sep 20, 2009 at 22:52:28 from 67.186.226.36

JD, It was great to put a face to the blog. Thank you for sharing a great and up beat race report. It looks like you took a lot from this experience and your tone makes it sound like this race has made you stronger for all your effort. A 15-min PR and getting a taste for the beast after 10 yrs is great. I hope we meet up again soon. Congrats on the PR!

From Burt on Mon, Sep 21, 2009 at 02:00:27 from 98.167.151.26

Congratulations JD. That's quite an accomplishment.

From JD on Mon, Sep 21, 2009 at 13:26:08 from 64.65.159.206

Thanks everybody. I really appreciate this blog and being able to read about all of our experiences with this crazy sport. I learn a lot from everybody here, and find it very motivating that we all get to share the running experience with each other. Because, frankly, I don't think it's possible to really understand what it's like to do this unless you're a runner yourself.

This blog is great. Running's great. You're all great! Now go run!

From jtshad on Mon, Sep 21, 2009 at 17:38:40 from 204.134.132.225

Great job on the huge PR!

From Cookielover on Tue, Sep 22, 2009 at 11:59:15 from 97.81.82.211

Congratulations on your marathon! I know that the results weren't exactly what you had hoped for, but a 15 minute PR rocks! You should feel great about how you did.

Enjoy a few days off and let your body heal. If you really want to get moving, take the dogs on a long walk.

From Andy on Tue, Sep 22, 2009 at 16:59:36 from 159.212.71.77

Congrats on the PR. The last 8 miles of TOU are tough. Glad to see you are planning on another.

Add Your Comment.
  • Keep it family-safe. No vulgar or profane language. To discourage anonymous comments of cowardly nature, your IP address will be logged and posted next to your comment.
  • Do not respond to another person's comment out of context. If he made the original comment on another page/blog entry, go to that entry and respond there.
  • If all you want to do is contact the blogger and your comment is not connected with this entry and has no relevance to others, send a private message instead.
Only registered users with public blogs are allowed to post comments. Log in with your username and password or create an account and set up a blog.
Debt Reduction Calculator
Featured Announcements
Most Recent Entries:
New Kids on the Blog
(need a welcome):
Lone Faithfuls
(need a comment):
Recent Comments: