I said going in that I would be happy with anything under 4 hours so I can't be too unhappy with my time. That said, it feels kinda weird to be satisfied with a result that was 22 mins slower than my last marathon.
I completely understand why it happened (15 lbs heavier; lower base mileage; too few tempo runs @ race pace; temp in the mid 70's) but its still sticks in my craw a bit. Up until Monday I was sure I wouldn't run this race, choosing instead to focus on getting in better shape & look toward to the fall for a serious run at a BQ in St George.
In the end, I was concerned that if I didn't run this one I'd be in the position of not running a full marathon for more than a year by the time St George rolled around. That may not be a negative but it absolutely can't be a positive. I think the marathon is just a unique animal. IMO, you have to become acquainted with it & learn how it affects your body, and more importantly your mind, before you can 'slay the beast.'
Well, I didn't slay the beast but I did learn some useful intel:
1. Regardless of finishing time, my first half split must be at least within 10 mins of my last half. Today they were 1:47 & 2:10. That's sort of been a pattern of mine- even when I run a PR.
2. Running 26.2 is hard but running that distance with 15 more lbs than I'm used to is especially hard. It wasn't more taxing cardiovascularly. Where I really felt the impact was in my ability to fuel my body effectively. I took 5 gels, 2 more than usual, and I still felt sluggish the last ten miles. My body was burning fuel much faster than I could fuel it because it was being forced to move a larger "mass."
3. Unless there's money involved, there's really no reason to sprint to the finish. There are relatively few spectators for the full marathon but at least there are some at the finish. I really had nothing to run for at that point. I was a little dubious about whether I would get in under under 4 hours but by the time I decided to instigate my ill-fated "kick" I could see that I had plenty of room to coast in without killing myself. I guess I'm not wired that way because I decided to sprint anyway and see if I could catch the runner in front of me. I didn't catch him. What I did do was exert enough energy, energy I didn't have, that when the race staffperson bent down to get my timing chip I started to heave. Luckily, this person noticed my body convulsion and quickly moved away- narrowly missing a vomit shower. After twenty minutes in the medical tent, I was fine. Not my first time puking after a run but it was my first highly public puking.
4. Never run a marathon that is structured as a half marathon with an option to run a full marathon. The course begins at the base of the Lucky Peak Dam and follows the Boise River greenbelt most of the way. Half marathoners outnumber marathoners by almost a 10 to 1 ratio. This means that most people are going out very fast and, most importantly, the relatively narrow greenbelt is jam packed with very little room during the first half. I was actually forced off the pavement into the grass a number of times during the first couple of miles, and later when the course wound through the Park Center neighborhood the 10k and 5k walkers joined the fun and became a serious nuisance. I don't begrudge anyone's participation in an activity that involves physical fitness but do you really have to walk four abreast on a race course forcing runners to break stride and move around you? Really?
5. Every marathon eventually boils down to the last 10k. The marathon should really be thought of as running a 10k on no sleep, very little fuel and some mean charlie horses all over. That presents as much of a mental challenge as physical. You end up asking yourself whether its really worth it to volunteer for this kind of suffering.
The challenge of the last 10k is especially daunting on this course. The half marathoners and full marathoners both finish at Ann Morrison Park. However, the difference is that the halfers take the AM bridge and the full marathoners run a 10k out back to a point just beyond the end of the greenbelt and about 1M plus past Glenwood Bridge. You get the unusual "pleasure" watching as most of the runners turn off onto a path to the finish with the crowd congratulating them on reaching the end. One moment you hear applause and the next you're confronted with the stark reality that for you there is another half marathon out there with meager crowd support and relatively few runners in front or behind you.
On this course it also means that you get to see some of your friends on the way out or back. (Unfortunately, I saw my buddy and fellow FRB blogger Court and he was not looking good (see his report for more)). I really didn't care for the course lay out. It forces you to tread ground that you've already covered both mentally and physically. Again, the marathon seems to be just an add-on to what is essentially an event geared toward the half marathon.
Here are my splits (forgot to turn off my watch so the last one is obviously not accurate):
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