I will do a more detailed recap on my personal blog (runningfortrevor.blogspot.com) but here is the short (that will probably turn into long) version.
This was not a good race for me at all. I am not one to make excuses and blame my bad race on external factors so I will just say that it was not my day. After having an entire day to digest everything I am over it and realize I did my best with what I had in me. I am so excited to get back out there and prove that I am capable of better. I believe that the most frustrating thing as a runner is to perform outside of what you know you are capable of. With that said we just do our best in the moment and that is all that we can do. Bad races teach us and at the end of the day I am just so grateful for the experience.
Leading up to the race was one of the most stressful weeks I have had in a very long time. I have been trying to refinance my house and found out Monday my appraisal was too low, I was out $500, and there was nothing I could do about it. Work was just crazy and I was overwhelmed with stress. I was so excited to just get away from it all and head to St. George. Friday after work I went to pick up my sister to head down and her and her baby were both incredibly sick and would not be able to make the trip. I was so upset because my Sister is my biggest cheerleader and was planning to run me in. Oh well I was just so glad my Mom was willing to come with me and support me.
Got into St.g a little late and after the expo and checking into the hotel I finally settled with Subway for dinner around 8:30pm.
Race morning: up at 3:45 out the door by 4:15. The hotel clerk informed us it was already 77 degrees outside. Awesome! Met up with friends at the bus and the drive up flew by. Once at the top we hit 2 rounds of porta potty trips and were ready to go. I took 3 sports leg pills 1 hour before the start and 30 minutes after taking them I started to feel dizzy and light headed. You are suppose to take 1 pill for every 50lbs and I decided to take 3 even though I only weigh 118. I think I may have taken to much for my body weight. I ate another half of a granola bar hoping it would help but I still just didn't feel quite right. Oh well!
Ran into Merri at the beginning of the race and we were off. There was no 3:20 pacer so my plan was to stay in between 3:15 and 3:25 and just pace myself the best I could. HUGE mistake! Should have stuck with 3:25 from the beginning.
Miles 1-3: 7:45, 7:42, 7:27 Felt sluggish and like a warm up but that was normal. I always feel this way at the beginning of a run.
Miles 4-7: 7:21, 7:42, 7:21, 7:24 Feeling really good and finally getting in a rythm. Barely breathing and just shuffling along.
Miles 8-11: 9:06, 8:17, 8:27, 9:21 Awwwww eaten alive by the hills and unable to recover physically or mentally. Passed by the 3:25 pacer and trying to hang on. Feeling the uphill in my calves and blisters on my toes starting to form. not good! Threw up on the side of the road at mile 11. Not pretty!
Miles 12-13: 8:42, 7:52 - 1:46 at the halfway point. I was mentally depleated. What was going on. I needed to be at 1:42!!!!!!!!
Miles 14-17: 7:54, 7:07, 7:19, 7:30 - Trying to pull it together but still struggling so hard mentally and physically. Instead of running consistant splits I was trying to play "catch up".
Miles 18- 21: 8:18, 9:07, 8:22, 7:33 - calves started cramping at mile 18 and the rest is basically history. Why oh why do I never cramp during training runs but always at the end of a marathon? I think I was just unprepared for the hills. I tried to eat a bannana but just couldn't stomach it. I knew if I didn't slow my pace it would be ugly. It was either I walk/run it in or slow the pace. I decided to just slow the pace and try to get through it.
Miles 22-24: 10:05, 8:32, 8:24 - I had to stop and use the porta potty at mile 22. I had just drank WAY too much but was still so thirsty and delirious. I saw runners ready to run in they're family and friends and I really just wanted someone to run with me. I was depleated and done. Welcome the marathon death shuffle.
Miles 25 - 26.2: 9:08, 9:35, 6:54 - Calves cramping so bad it is ridiculous. They were seizing up every few steps and I would scream out loud. I'm sure it was great entertainment for the spectators. My friend Nikki saw me at 25.5 and ran with me. Thank you, thank you, thank you Nikki! Once I hit mile 26 I just went into a zone. All goals were out the window at this point but I was determed to re-BQ with the new qualifying times and finish under 3:35. It felt like someone literally picked me up and flew me to the finish line.
The medics caught me in the shoot and I spent the next 2 hours dehydrated and unable to move. I have only ran 3 marathons and 2 out of the 3 I have I finished completely delirious and dehydrated. I am really not sure how I could have even hydrated more in this race and just think I really cannot handle the heat. It is ridiculous! Whenever I would stand the world would become fuzzy and my vision was blurred. It took me 2 hours of laying on the grass and drinking 62 ounces of fluids before I was able to get out of the runners area without passing out. Awww seriously just ridiculous.
Anyway this obviously was not short so I will end it. All in all my time is not completely terrible and I am proud of myself for pushing through leg cramps for 8 miles. Not fun at all. This was an incredibly organized race and I look forward to running it again. I learned a lot and am looking forward to working through my issues and growing from the experience. | 