Denouement

Spanish Fork 1/2 Marathon

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Location:

Kowloon Tong,Hong Kong

Member Since:

Jul 02, 2007

Gender:

Female

Goal Type:

Olympic Trials Qualifier

Running Accomplishments:

Unaided:

5K - 17:11 (track Pre-kids and at BYU) (1998)

10K - 35:48 (track Pre-kids and at BYU) (1998)

10K - 35:34 (road - Shek Mun 10k 12/12)

1/2 Marathon 1:19:44 (UNICEF HM 11/12)

Marathon 2:47:08 (ING Hartford Connecticut 10/10)

Aided:

St. George Marathon 2:50:40 (10/08)

1/2 marathon - Hobble Creek 1:17:14 (8/08)

10K - Deseret News 10K - 35:02 (7/08)

Short-Term Running Goals:

PR 1/2 marathon AGAIN


Long-Term Running Goals:

Break 2:46 in Boston!

Personal:

I used to run for BYU, but only after trying out three times and finally walking on, so I was never a star. However, it was wonderful to run with great people and under Coach Shane. When you run with fast people, you can't help to improve! I graduated BYU in 1998, and didn't run a race until 2002, after having my second child. My hiatus and other crazy life commitments have made my competitive running suffer, but the last couple of years I have tried to get back into it the best I can. I have been married since 1996, to Paul Lowry, who is a runner himself. I have three boys (my three rascals), ages 12, 10, and 8.

After a great 2008 season, I was injured and eventually diagnosed and cross-diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis, a type of arthritis disease, which precludes running for all but the most stubborn.  So I am on medications, trying to stay healthy, and seeing my PT often.  And running!  Now beating the streets in Hong Kong.

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
NB RC900 Black/yellow Lifetime Miles: 183.31
NB RC1300 Red/Black Lifetime Miles: 195.31
2012 MTR Lifetime Miles: 4035.70
890 Blue Lifetime Miles: 310.55
NB RC 1600 Lifetime Miles: 96.76
RC 1400 Lifetime Miles: 90.60
NB 890 Baby Blue Lifetime Miles: 233.26
NB 890 Electric Blue Lifetime Miles: 319.67
NB 890 Tokyo Turquoise Lifetime Miles: 163.54
Race: Spanish Fork 1/2 Marathon (13.1 Miles) 01:31:38, Place overall: 2, Place in age division: 2
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
4.750.0013.100.000.000.000.0017.85

Well, this race was really a good one for me.  I felt good, and I ran according to how I felt.  My primary goal was to be 7:15-7:20 pace (marathon pace) during the first half, even allowing myself to slow more for the uphills.  My Garmin proved unreliable again in this race (should I return the dang thing?), showing a pace slower than the what my actual time between mile markers showed.  I will post my Garmin splits though they are generally slower than my time between mile markers (my overall distance according to my watch is 12.95, and I am sure the course was dead on).

I warmed up 2.5 miles before the race.  I bought new running shorts yesterday with three mesh pockets in the back, and I put a gu in one and I lost it somewhere in my warm up!  I was assured there was gu on the course.

1 - 7:04 I felt good but felt like I may be getting myself in trouble by going out too fast.

2 - 7:17 I think this was the first mile that measured significantly longer than the mile marker, the real pace for this mile was probably more like 7:12.  I started to run with a man from Hawaii.  He was too small of a frame to draft much off, but he was a great companion.

3 - 7:21 according to garmin, but 7:10 according to pace from marker to marker

4 - 7:11, there was the uphill to Osmonds in this mile, stayed strong, fell behind Mr. Hawaii in the uphill but caught up on the gradual downhill

5 - 6:59, gradual downhill and flat, felt good, started to think that perhaps I would do much better than my projection of 1:34ish

6 - 7:20, (7:10 by marker) Zephyr hill in this mile and water station.  There was a water station at about 5.6 miles but NO GU!!  Mr. Hawaii heard me ask for one and was kind enough to share one with me.

7 - 7:18 (7:26 by marker) crest the final hill and suddenly realize I am over halfway done, and I am looking forward to a couple of downhills.

8 - 6:41 - downhill baby! I pass Mr. Hawaii.

9 - 7:01 still feeling good, and I pass Hal as he slowed down too much at the water station.

10 - 7:01, some downhill, I close the gap on Hal and Mr Hawaii, but never quite get them, but I kept them in touch and ran the same pace, which was an improvement on many races where I just let people pass me and then the fact that they pass me encourages me to slow down.  So am toughening up.  My next step is to actually catch up to them and give them a run for their money.

11 - 7:08 I realize I will break 1:32 if I keep around 7 minute pace

12 - 6:56 I am feeling good

13 - 6:37 pace for the last .95 my Garmin recorded.

These splits were generally slower than actual because my Garmin measured short, but they show that I did do negative splits.

I kicked at the end somewhat but Hal and Mr. Hawaii stayed ahead.

Overall pace is 6:59.4 (yes, Tom, the .4 matters and it matters that it was under 7 minutes).

I then ran .6 cool down then had to get home.  When I got home I ran really slow to the nearby park for a pancake breakfast as part of Woodland Hills Day, still in my running outfit.  I wasn't very hungry (one sausage, half a big pancake, and some toxic Sunny D) so when the boys wanted to play I said "Sure" and I did the "Sasha", I ran around the park while my boys played and got in about another 1.5 miles.

I wonder if the "flat 1/2 marathon" on the race predictor means a flat 1/2 marathon or if it nets flat (has uphill and downhill but starts and ends in the same place).

This race and others predict me under 3:10 marathon in St. George (this one predicts 3:06!!) but I am afraid to go out planning for under 3:10 since it is my first marathon ever.  Tom has given me a spreadsheet that gives projected splits which takes elevation gains/losses in account, but I am not sure what my goal ending time should be.  I surprised myself with the race today, but I don't want a negative surprise in St. George.  I am going to need some advise on this topic.  Help!

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments
From Sasha Pachev on Sat, Sep 08, 2007 at 14:18:33

Michelle - flat means pancake flat, like the track. Net elevation gain/loss is almost meaningless without the course profile. For example, the Striders 5 K has a net zero change, but it is 50 seconds slower than a pancake flat 5 K.

I am going to make a list of racing mistakes sometime, and one of the top items on it would be counting on being able to pick it up in the last 6 miles of a marathon. Relatively few people run their best marathon with a negative split. Even on the world class level, many runners will not run their best if they can negative split, although for some negative splitting works. Of course, in a race, a fast early starter gets passed by a slightly more fit negative splitter, and we often see it on TV, so a faster early start has a negative publicity. What we do not see very much, though, is the failure of the negative splitter to catch the fast early starter, which happens just as much, but the media does not care about somebody who did not win, or that is not in the lead.

I would say go out comfortably hard, entirely based on effort, ignore the pace, get to 20 and then just hang in there. What often happens is that the last 6 miles are run survival mode regardless of how slow you start. Sometimes getting to 20 a little quicker actually makes it easier to run the last 6 - when you crash you have a reason to hang on because you are still on target for a decent time, also certain types of fatigue are a function of time on your feet more than a function of muscular exertion, and will happen anyway, and sometimes having the neurological momentum when you hit the wall pulls you through the first couple of miles of it at a faster pace.

From Tom on Sat, Sep 08, 2007 at 14:42:54

So the $100 question....to run SG marathon all scientific using spreadsheets and pace bracelets and Garmins OR to bag all that stuff and run by 'feel'. The art vs. the science of running. For some reason on longer races for me when I try to ignore the pace and run by feel I always seem to go out way to fast and I crash-and-burn and hit the wall and all the ugly stuff whereas I feel like the scientific approach has helped be better reach my goals (but perhaps not reach my potential). But I also run with guys at work who always leave the garmin home for races and who do very well by running by 'feel'.

Michelle I guess the question is what kind of runner are you? Since this is your first marathon perhaps there isn't an answer and we'll have to wait and see....

From Cody on Sat, Sep 08, 2007 at 15:00:06

Michelle-

Great Race! You are looking great for ST. George. Your training is paying off.

I will add my two cents worth to the discussion about how fast to run the SGM. I feel like I am often in similar situations. I rely too much on what my watch says and not how I feel. I think we all need to ditch the watch to some degree. I like it early on in the races too keep me in check so I don't blow up, but then it is discouraging to have it later on as I get down on myself over slower paces. For you, I think Sasha hit it right on the head, go out what feels hard, (probably 7's) but comfortable and once over Veyo, go for it. You might crash and burn the last few miles, but you should still come out with a faster time than if you start slow and finish slower. I plan on using the same system and see what happens. Although I hit the wall every marathon, I feel like it gave it my all and would run the race the same way if I had the chance to do it over.

Are you running TOU too?

From Lybi on Sat, Sep 08, 2007 at 15:03:45

Yay Michelle! What a great race! Of course it is HUGE that you ran it at sub 7:00 pace, no matter how close, you DID IT! Congratulations!

I don't know what your goal should be for St. George, but I am positive you will be surpassing your very feasible goal of sub 3:10.

From Michelle on Sat, Sep 08, 2007 at 23:06:23

Thanks for the feedback everyone. It's something I will have to chew on.

Cody- Since this is my first marathon ever I am only doing one, St. George. I would like to consider TOU in the future. I loved the course and it was well run (the 1/2 was at least).

I am sure you'll do well though! Best of luck!

From josse on Sun, Sep 09, 2007 at 20:34:00

Hey great job on the race, I find that my garmin is often alittle bit off in fact I ran this half last year and got the same distance. this can be a little annoying but I love haveing it to train and race with, I just use it for averages. I can't wait to be back in race shape it make me just a little jealous to see all the race blog race reports. But everyone has a time and a season. Great job and you will rock in St. George this race is pretty good predictor of your marathon preformance.

From Katie on Mon, Sep 10, 2007 at 11:59:08

Awesome race, girl!

You're a smart racer!

My hardly-ever-used Garmin usually gives me the opposite trouble of yours

First marathon? I'd say forget anything but a very general goal(3:00-3:15 or "finish happy") Go by feel, enjoy the experience.

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