Denouement

Saint George 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
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
19.4628.200.000.000.000.000.0047.66
Night Sleep Time: 25.75Nap Time: 0.50Total Sleep Time: 26.25Weight: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
0.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.00

Getting excited about the race!  My legs feel so fresh and ready to go, and still have 5 days of taper ahead of me.  It will be so nice to sleep in and get my runs in "whenever" this week, since they'll all be 3-7 miles long and NO RUN on Thursday.  

I picked up three books last week at the library.  I am currently reading Sons and Lovers by DH Lawrence, which explores sons relationships with their mother and how their love and closeness to her influences their relationships with other women in their lives.  It's really good so far.  I think I read this when I was 17 but I don't really remember the book.

Night Sleep Time: 7.50Nap Time: 0.50Total Sleep Time: 8.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(3)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
6.910.000.000.000.000.000.006.91

I was supposed to run five miles but my gps wasn't working so I accidentally ran 6.91 per the course tool.  I ran a couple of the miles with Clay.  It was nice for both of us to work out some pre marathon nerves by discussing the race.  5 strides.

weight 124 (phew! I thought it'd be higher with the taper and the work retreat).

Shoe totals: Red sox: 57.25, Brooks Defyance (Blue): 475.75, Asics Stratus 2.1 (Purple) 114.35, Mizuno WaveRider (aqua) 119.98

Night Sleep Time: 7.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 7.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(6)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
4.052.000.000.000.000.000.006.05

Dress rehearsal.  Ran 3 easy, then two marathon pace (6:22, 6:27 per garmin) then cool down.  Temp was 55F, felt chilly but ok in my singlet.  I decided I am wearing my Asics for the race, a lightweight trainer (9oz).  I like my Mizuno precision (also 9oz, tracked as my racers, but really a lightweight trainer) better, but at 350 miles, they are already feeling flat on the bottom.  

Still some tightness in right ham and calf, but not significant and going in to Dr. Bradys one last time this morning.  My right foot is still a little sore as well.  But my body in general doesn't have its beat up feel like it did in high mileage, so that is a nice change.

weight 123 baby!

started my cycle today.  Prior was June 30th, a full three months ago, almost a 13 week cycle.  wow.

Shoe totals: Red sox: 57.25, Brooks Defyance (Blue): 475.75, Asics Stratus 2.1 (Purple) 114.35, Mizuno WaveRider (aqua) 126.03

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(3)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
5.000.000.000.000.000.000.005.00

Ran 5 easy, with 4 striders.  I noticed recently that my stretching causes me to breath hard and its not very relaxing at all.  I still stop and stretch after one mile and stretch again when I get home.

I went to Dr. Brady yesterday.  He worked on the same as last week, Right calf, foot and ham.  He did electro-acu on my calf this time and it hurt like the devil, even when he took the needles out.  I guess I am just a wuss.  I couldn't feel any calf tightness while running this morning, though I am sure there's some.  I sure hope I don't get any knots during the race.

Ave pace 7:45

weight

Shoe totals: Red sox: 57.25, Brooks Defyance (Blue): 475.75, Asics Stratus 2.1 (Purple) 114.35, Mizuno WaveRider (aqua) 126.03, Brooks Defyance-new (Blue): 5

Night Sleep Time: 7.50Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 7.50Weight: 0.00
Comments(13)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
0.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.00

No run as part of taper.  Not running sucks.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
3.000.000.000.000.000.000.003.00

I ran the start of the St. G course with Clyde, Josse, Marcie, and Ericka.  We all wanted 3 except Clyde.

I went to Samurai 21 with Josse, Ericka, James and his wife Alison, and Clyde and Mik'l.  Had a great time.

We went to the blog party in the evening and had a great time getting to know new bloggers and getting to know my older blog friends better.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Race: Saint George Marathon (26.2 Miles) 02:50:40, Place overall: 2, Place in age division: 1
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
0.5026.200.000.000.000.000.0026.70

Succint version:

In second place til 19th mile, then took the lead, then was passed at about 25.5 miles to get second place.

Starting detailed version:

My hotel gave me a 2:15 wake up call on accident!!!! And I couldn't fall back asleep until 4am, then I woke up at 4:15.  Nice :(

I took the 4:40 shuttle, made it just in time to ride up the bus with the SF running group.  It rained all the way up the course.  Bad sign.  The flags at the start indicated a stiff headwind (flags straight back) another bad sign.  I warmed up .5 miles, then stretched, went potty twice but knew I was in trouble because it was a zero start morning when I toed the line.  Adam RW and Craig Green were with me for our 2:45 pace group.  By the time the race starts, the flags are still showing a bad headwind, but the flags aren't as stiffly back.  For some reason, I don't decide to adjust my target splits (2:44 pace target), because in reality I was going to try to go lower than 2:44.  This was a bad strategy.

I don't have all my splits because Adam's watch was more reliable than mine so I relied on him.

First mile 6:16 (target was 6:34) too fast! I wore a trash bag to start because it was still a steady cold rain, but I took it off after about .5 miles because the wind was too stiff and I felt like a sailboat getting pushed the wrong way.

2nd mile: 6:21 (too slow, target was 6:16), my socks are already wet through

3rd mile: 6:08 I don't get my elite bottle but just grab a cup of water/gatorade to take a swig.

4th mile: 6:05

5th mile: took a gu, plan was to alternate gus every four miles and elite bottles every four miles, so drink lots of water every four miles, and take a gu every four miles with just a swig or two of water from cups.

6th mile: 5:55 I think I need to go potty dang!

7th mile:  I go potty right before the start of Veyo, I notice my clothing is already way soaked through. (Adam waits for me faithfully outside the portapotty)

8th mile: Veyo, and I push it too hard, trying to catch the pack we had

9th mile-11th:  Start to feel bad, can't turn over legs to get the right pace for miles

12-13th mile - have a cramp, focus on breathing

14th mile - start to feel a little better, but I feel just like last year, my legs are already really sore.  This isn't supposed to happen because I am better trained this year!

15th -17th miles - start of steeper downhill, kick it into higher gear and just begin to rein in Kara Bankhead who is in front of me.  Her and I both take a portapotty break at mile 16, so I don't loose much ground on that one.

18 - reining Kara in

19 - uphill part, I pass Kara, she doesn't put up a fight

20 - now I am in the lead, Adam is rearing to leave me but I feel so dead legged I am hoping he'll stay with me, I need to go to the bathroom again!!!!

21 - I have a motorcycle leading me in, Adam leaves me at about 21

22 - at 21.5 I squat behind a guard rail, hoping I didn't give anyone behind me a show.

23 - 24 at this point I think I am keeping pace and so grateful to be leading, but legs are tired

25 - my legs are like bricks and I am slowing.  Trying to keep a fast turnover, but fading

26 - at about 25.4, I hear a guy cheering for a girl as I turn onto Main street, look back and see a new girl who looks oh so strong.  I say crap under my breath and I just let her pass me.  Should I have put up a fight?  She was going about 2 min per mile faster than me, and it was not an aerobic issue, it was a lactic acid build up, where my legs were not cooperating with my inward drive.  Still, I didn't surge much when I saw her.  She looked so strong and I felt so weak.  After I turned the corner onto the last straightaway, I find some juice for a somewhat pathetic kick, but it was a kick nevertheless.  It looked like a 2:50:40 finish, and the official time was 2:50:40.

Ok, so an assessment.  Overall, I am pleased with my time and my effort for the race.  The conditions were awful (rain and headwind the whole time, heavy clothes, heavy shoes, blue lips), Everyone's times were slower, so I guess I can't be an exception.  I didn't race for splits after mile 8, but just raced it.  Racing for place was a nice change, but the conditions that made this necessary were unpleasant.

So here's where I think I went wrong:  I met or exceeded my splits for the first 8 miles despite the weather and the potty break.  I should have started out 10 seconds per mile slower at the start, and not pushed Veyo so much.  I went out too fast 1-8, felt horrible 9-13, kicked it in gear from 14-23, then pettered out gradually from 24-26.  The race was mine to lose and I lost it.  So though overall the race went well, I made a strategic mistake at the beginning, and I wish I could have put up a better fight when my competitor came up on me.  I need to learn how to not die the last two miles.  I didn't die this bad at Ogden, so it may be the downhill miles of St G trash the legs so bad, there's no avoiding it.  Still, I feel like I have more to learn. . .

I think this might be it for me and St. G.  I feel like the course beat me instead of me beating it.  So in a way I want to come back to redeem myself, but it is tangential to my goals.  It will not be an OTQ race, and I need to train for the OTQ races and not get distracted by this race, even though it is the biggest marathon around. 

I had an ice cream cone after, got blue lips from being frozen, had a massage, then got a way sick feeling, and went to my hotel for a shower before the awards.  Came back for the awards.  Had a hamburger, fries and Dr. Pepper with Tyler and Kellie S for lunch, shared a bacon cheeseburger, fries and a big piece of chocolate cake from Outback for dinner, had more of that cake for breakfast Sunday morning, then had a big Coke for the drive home.  Got the bad eating out of my system for sure.


 

Night Sleep Time: 3.75Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 3.75Weight: 0.00
Comments(88)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
19.4628.200.000.000.000.000.0047.66
Night Sleep Time: 25.75Nap Time: 0.50Total Sleep Time: 26.25Weight: 0.00
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