Sunday started off on the wrong foot. Kennedy wasn't feeling well and crawled into bed next to me and proceeded to kick me and shove me for about five hours. I got out of bed around 4:15, got my stuff together and left for Huntington Beach, where I'd be trying to pace a runner from my pace group (Kuuipo) to her first sub-2 half marathon.
Sleepy.
The drive was smooth. No cars, no traffic, cruised right into a parking spot. A little while later I was at the start of the marathon, where I'd been each of the last two years. This time though I was there to see two of my other runners off, including one (Dean) who had not run a marathon before.
After wishing them luck, I went back to my truck to gather a few things and then back to the start. Maybe this wasn't the best idea because it was a nearly two-mile round trip. I used it as a warm-up but still.... it was a long warm-up and hoped it wouldn't affect me negatively.
I found my friend who'd sold me a bib, put it on and texted Kuuipo. Before too long, she was bidding farewell to her family and we made our way down to the start. It was jam-packed but we got up near the front. I tried to give her some encouraging words but I could tell she was focused and ready to conquer the distance.
This is going to be fun.
Right away, I could tell Kuuipo was ready. She took off, was running faster than the 9-minute pace I wanted to keep for the first three miles. We passed the first mile marker in 8:39 and it certainly felt like it was a sub-9 mile. I'd told her to use multiples of 9 as a rough guide (Mile 1 in 9 min, Mile 4 in 36, Mile 6 in 54...) to help us finish our sub-2, so we were ahead of pace after one mile and after two as well. After three we were at 25:48, well under the 27 minutes we roughly needed to be around.
Can we keep this up?
The thought had poked at me. I was hopeful that we would be able to maintain this pace. It was certainly faster than I'd intended on coming out - I thought we'd be closer to 28 minutes after three miles. We did feel good though, felt strong and I felt like we had a lot in reserve. We were talking, Kuuipo and I, and we were not gasping for air or anything.
Up ahead I saw a fellow San Francisco Ambassador. Christina and I had been trying to figure out where each other was via text just before the race started and I realized she was somewhere in front of me. On the course, I spotted her wearing her SF gear. I finally caught up, patter her on the shoulder (which I think startled her) and got a high-five.
A little after that, blog/Twitter buddy Julie spotted me. I was surprised to see her and managed just a "HEY!!!" before shaking her hand and parting ways. Both meetings were great but way too short. Still, it's always nice putting faces to names.
Soon after, we got off the main road and veered inland. The full marathon runs you through a park, which I thought was one of the better parts of that race. The half though does not. I missed running through the park and was disappointed that we would have only major streets to run on. In the park, there are plenty of enthusiastic middle schoolers cheering on the runners, but we missed out on that. In some ways though, we were able to keep our focus on the road in front of us and the task at hand.
Gotta GU!
At Mile 4.5 we hit a water station and I took my first GU. I'd not had any at home so I bought two at the expo right before the race. I popped the Roctane GU, which I have became a big fan of. I had also decided at the last minute to not wear my water belt so I was downing Vitalyte at most every water stop.
Our miles were a bit erratic at this point, but that had to with the moderate inclines and declines. Mile 4 was 8:53, Mile 5 8:25 and Mile 6 8:57. The last mile though was our one and only stop as Kuuipo had to tie her shoe. We got back on Pacific Coast Highway at this point and headed up towards the turnaround. It was well up ahead, probably a good three miles.
All along, I knew that we were going to do it. I had actually told Dean before the race that I thought Kuuipo could do a 1:55, that she had been doing so well lately it was all but inevitable. I hadn't told her all this exactly but I did tell her I had a lot of confidence in her and I reminded her of it during the race.
This portion of the race seemed to take long. I don't know if I just wanted to turn around as soon as possible but the turnaround was quite a bit away. We finally reached it though and headed south, in the direction of the finish line. There were only four miles and change now, and we were still under our rough guide of 9-minute miles.
But I was unsure just how much we I had in reserve. We'd been holding a steady pace throughout: some of our mile times from the first nine miles - 8:39, 8:38, 8:41, 8:53. I thought about keeping this pace for the duration of the race.
"When do you want to pick it up? Mile 10?" Kuuipo asked.
Pick it up?!?
I was not sure if I had a pick-it-up in me, but I told her sure, that that sounded fine. Mile 10 we ran in 8:37 but Mile 11 featured an incline. It wasn't a hill (the people at San Francisco would smack me if I referred to that portion of the race as a hill) but it definitely was not flat. We threw in our first and only 9-minute mile here as we ran Mile 11 in 9:04.
But we did have a pick-it-up in us though. Mile 12 and Mile 13 were each 8:34. My legs were feeling the race, the previous 11-12 miles, and my feet were not quite throbbing but within earshot of that. I thought to myself that I only had to push hard for this last stretch and once we got to the finish I could relax.
I was feeling happy for Kuuipo who was very close to reaching her goal but I was also feeling quite exhausted, and that tempered the happiness a little bit.
"Just go ahead, take off!"
Kuuipo had insisted I run fast once we got close to the final mile marker. I hesitated but I could hear it in her voice - she wanted me to run fast. So I did. I took off, a few steps and I was hitting my top gear. It wasn't quite translating into speed but I was running faster than I had been.
This may have been her strategy though. I thought that I may have left Kuuipo behind but she came up behind me, having found her top gear. She looked strong and I was glad that I was able to help her find that top gear. She passed me by, I made no attempt to catch her and instead settled in just behind her. I thought it was only fitting to have her finish a step or three ahead of me.
Gotta pose.
Just before I crossed the finish, I raised my arms up, smiled and held it until I was past the photographers.
That was my me-moment.
The rest of the day was all about Kuuipo.
Showing posts with label Surf City. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Surf City. Show all posts
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Marathons: Big vs. Small
I've ran four marathons (!) and three of them were similar. Well, two of them were on the same course as I ran Surf City in 2010 and 2011. I also ran the 2010 San Francisco Marathon.
On April 9, I ran my fourth marathon but it was not the same experience at all. The Diamond Valley Lake Marathon was a much smaller, much different race. In some ways, it made me long for the big-city events, and in other ways I found myself endeared to the small-race crowd.
Comparing and contrasting the events...
Atmosphere
Big races: Before the city events, particularly San Francisco, there was a buzz in the air. You could feel runners getting focused, mentally preparing themselves for 26.2 miles and a monumentally difficult challenge.
Small race: There wasn't much of an atmosphere to speak of. I walked to close to start line, making it there with about 10 minutes to spare. While I was focused and mentally preparing myself for the marathon challenge, it kind of felt like we were waiting outside a store to open its doors, not like we were waiting to tackle the marathon monster.
Winner: Big races
Crowds
Big races: There were a sea of people everywhere. This caused problems. Honey Buckets (aka porta-potties) had ridiculously long lines and people darted in front of you at seemingly every turn.
Small race: I walked right into a Honey Bucket, walked out, went to see Mrs. LB, the girls and my bro and then walked back to the start line. I did all that rather effortlessly.
Winner: Small race
Logistics
Big races: Unless you live near a big-city race (and actually in SoCal there are several that fit this bill) you are probably going to need an overnight stay somewhere. Even if you live within driving distance of the race, you probably will need to get up early, figure out what the street closures are, figure out where to park and either walk to the start line or take a shuttle there, and you are going to have to give yourself plenty of time, just in case. Well, you will need time to stand in the massive Honey Bucket lines, you can pretty much guarantee that there will be such lines.
Small race: I happened to live pretty close to this race so no overnight stay was necessary. There was zero traffic and street closures weren't necessary. I parked at about 7:40 or so, 20 minutes before the race started and I had plenty of time to spare. Also, and what was best about this, I saw Mrs. LB and all of my supporters before I finished the race and they were right there after the race. It took me about 45 minutes to find them after my first marathon, and they never even got to see me before I finished No. 3 because they'd gotten stuck in traffic.
Winner: Small race.
Onlookers/Crowd Support
Big races: Hordes of people were along the course for all three of my city races. People held up signs, banged drums and gongs, handed out oranges, drinks and other assorted goodies, shouted words of encouragement and helped us at seemingly every step of the marathon.
Small race: Crowd support was all but non-existent. Aside from the start/finish area (we went one way for two miles, turned around and went past the start line on our way around the lake), there was nobody on the course save for the volunteers and race staff. Now, this may have been unique to our race since it was around a lake and not in open public land or whatever, but there wasn't a whole lot of fanfare regardless. I will say, though, that aside from one volunteer table, all the volunteers at all the aid stations were very supportive and cheered all of us on.
Winner: Big race
Expo
Big race: The expos for the three city races were large, crowded and had lots of stuff. I bought a fuel belt in San Francisco (still can't believe I forgot my fuel belt for that race!) but I didn't buy anything in the other ones, just picked up my race packet.
Small race: There was no expo. Packet pick-up began at 6:30 a.m. the morning of the race.
Winner: Push. It was nice not having to go out a day early to get my packet, but the expo gave each city race a feeling of anticipation, made me think 'Okay, this is really going to happen.'
Medals/Swag
Big race: I got some nice and unique medals. I also got some pretty cool bags that I use; Surf City bags are my grocery store bags and I use the SF Marathon bag for soccer; I carry stuff in there to practice.
Small race: I'm proud of the medal but it's pretty small. I didn't even bother getting the race swag because it wasn't a bag that was unique to the race. I don't even remember what it was, I think some ads for something, nothing that screamed unique race.
Winner: Big race
Pictures
Big race: Pictures were available the Thursday after the race and there were plenty to choose from. Prices sucked, though.
Small race: Pictures were available the Thursday after the race and there were plenty to choose from. Prices sucked, though.
Winner: Push!
Results/Tracking
Big race: There were ways to follow me and my progress in each of the city races. I'm still honored and humbled that some of you followed me along my races and will be forever grateful to you! Results were in pretty much after I crossed the finish line.
Small race: No real-time results. I had to wait until Sunday to find out my official time.
Winner: Big race
Overall
Each race was unique - even Surf City 2010 and Surf City 2011. I enjoyed each and every one of my marathons and each had their pluses and minuses.
Do I have a preference? For a big-time event, nothing matches the city races. But for the ease of getting to and fro, for the lack of traffic and for a low-key approach, nothing beats the small race atmosphere.
I think I would have to run more small races, and perhaps even other big-city events like the LA Marathon and maybe an out-of-state marathon like Seattle or Arizona, to compare the two. So I can't say one way or the other definitively. I will say that if I have my family with me and they are going to be out on the course, I would probably choose the small race. But if I were to go it alone, I could probably deal with the logistics of a city race.
On April 9, I ran my fourth marathon but it was not the same experience at all. The Diamond Valley Lake Marathon was a much smaller, much different race. In some ways, it made me long for the big-city events, and in other ways I found myself endeared to the small-race crowd.
Comparing and contrasting the events...
Atmosphere
Big races: Before the city events, particularly San Francisco, there was a buzz in the air. You could feel runners getting focused, mentally preparing themselves for 26.2 miles and a monumentally difficult challenge.
Small race: There wasn't much of an atmosphere to speak of. I walked to close to start line, making it there with about 10 minutes to spare. While I was focused and mentally preparing myself for the marathon challenge, it kind of felt like we were waiting outside a store to open its doors, not like we were waiting to tackle the marathon monster.
Winner: Big races
Crowds
Big races: There were a sea of people everywhere. This caused problems. Honey Buckets (aka porta-potties) had ridiculously long lines and people darted in front of you at seemingly every turn.
Small race: I walked right into a Honey Bucket, walked out, went to see Mrs. LB, the girls and my bro and then walked back to the start line. I did all that rather effortlessly.
Winner: Small race
Logistics
Big races: Unless you live near a big-city race (and actually in SoCal there are several that fit this bill) you are probably going to need an overnight stay somewhere. Even if you live within driving distance of the race, you probably will need to get up early, figure out what the street closures are, figure out where to park and either walk to the start line or take a shuttle there, and you are going to have to give yourself plenty of time, just in case. Well, you will need time to stand in the massive Honey Bucket lines, you can pretty much guarantee that there will be such lines.
Small race: I happened to live pretty close to this race so no overnight stay was necessary. There was zero traffic and street closures weren't necessary. I parked at about 7:40 or so, 20 minutes before the race started and I had plenty of time to spare. Also, and what was best about this, I saw Mrs. LB and all of my supporters before I finished the race and they were right there after the race. It took me about 45 minutes to find them after my first marathon, and they never even got to see me before I finished No. 3 because they'd gotten stuck in traffic.
Winner: Small race.
Onlookers/Crowd Support
Big races: Hordes of people were along the course for all three of my city races. People held up signs, banged drums and gongs, handed out oranges, drinks and other assorted goodies, shouted words of encouragement and helped us at seemingly every step of the marathon.
Small race: Crowd support was all but non-existent. Aside from the start/finish area (we went one way for two miles, turned around and went past the start line on our way around the lake), there was nobody on the course save for the volunteers and race staff. Now, this may have been unique to our race since it was around a lake and not in open public land or whatever, but there wasn't a whole lot of fanfare regardless. I will say, though, that aside from one volunteer table, all the volunteers at all the aid stations were very supportive and cheered all of us on.
Winner: Big race
Expo
Big race: The expos for the three city races were large, crowded and had lots of stuff. I bought a fuel belt in San Francisco (still can't believe I forgot my fuel belt for that race!) but I didn't buy anything in the other ones, just picked up my race packet.
Small race: There was no expo. Packet pick-up began at 6:30 a.m. the morning of the race.
Winner: Push. It was nice not having to go out a day early to get my packet, but the expo gave each city race a feeling of anticipation, made me think 'Okay, this is really going to happen.'
Medals/Swag
Big race: I got some nice and unique medals. I also got some pretty cool bags that I use; Surf City bags are my grocery store bags and I use the SF Marathon bag for soccer; I carry stuff in there to practice.
Small race: I'm proud of the medal but it's pretty small. I didn't even bother getting the race swag because it wasn't a bag that was unique to the race. I don't even remember what it was, I think some ads for something, nothing that screamed unique race.
Winner: Big race
Pictures
Big race: Pictures were available the Thursday after the race and there were plenty to choose from. Prices sucked, though.
Small race: Pictures were available the Thursday after the race and there were plenty to choose from. Prices sucked, though.
Winner: Push!
Results/Tracking
Big race: There were ways to follow me and my progress in each of the city races. I'm still honored and humbled that some of you followed me along my races and will be forever grateful to you! Results were in pretty much after I crossed the finish line.
Small race: No real-time results. I had to wait until Sunday to find out my official time.
Winner: Big race
Overall
Each race was unique - even Surf City 2010 and Surf City 2011. I enjoyed each and every one of my marathons and each had their pluses and minuses.
Do I have a preference? For a big-time event, nothing matches the city races. But for the ease of getting to and fro, for the lack of traffic and for a low-key approach, nothing beats the small race atmosphere.
I think I would have to run more small races, and perhaps even other big-city events like the LA Marathon and maybe an out-of-state marathon like Seattle or Arizona, to compare the two. So I can't say one way or the other definitively. I will say that if I have my family with me and they are going to be out on the course, I would probably choose the small race. But if I were to go it alone, I could probably deal with the logistics of a city race.
Monday, March 28, 2011
A Fishy Slog
Being part of the Lopers Club has its perks. Aside from the great support we get on Sundays, the Lopers also provide some cool pictures. For each big race where lots of Lopers participate in, a photographer takes pictures for us and charges us five bucks per shot. It beats paying 15 or 20 per shot from the race photographers.
On Sunday, I picked up a shot from Surf City 2011 that I had no idea was even taken of me.
Um... yeah, I'm flying through this part of the race. I was feeling so strong here... I mean, can't you tell?
Actually, this is the definition of slogging. Slogging is where you're kind of moving forward but it's not fast, it's not smooth and it's definitely not pretty.
This picture also reminded me of something else. For some reason, I always seem to run with my mouth agape. Not sure why, but most pictures of me when I'm running have me with my mouth open. I remember early last year, I mentioned this and said that, coupled with my pink shirt, I looked like a fish, like a pink fish. A reader forwarded me a picture and...
The return of the pink fish.
What do you think? Is there a resemblance? And what about that Surf City picture? Brutal, huh?
On Sunday, I picked up a shot from Surf City 2011 that I had no idea was even taken of me.
Um... yeah, I'm flying through this part of the race. I was feeling so strong here... I mean, can't you tell?
Actually, this is the definition of slogging. Slogging is where you're kind of moving forward but it's not fast, it's not smooth and it's definitely not pretty.
This picture also reminded me of something else. For some reason, I always seem to run with my mouth agape. Not sure why, but most pictures of me when I'm running have me with my mouth open. I remember early last year, I mentioned this and said that, coupled with my pink shirt, I looked like a fish, like a pink fish. A reader forwarded me a picture and...
The return of the pink fish.
What do you think? Is there a resemblance? And what about that Surf City picture? Brutal, huh?
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Beach Run With My Girls
Monday was our great beach trip, and it lived up to the hype. I had wanted to make memories, and I did, and I also gave myself something to look forward to and keep me wanting more of the beach.
However, the day also brought some flashbacks and they were nearly shudder-inducing flashbacks.
When we got to the beach, the sun was trying to peek out from behind some clouds, and as it wasn't quite 10:30 a.m. yet, it wasn't quite warm. Immediately upon arriving, I got the girls' bikes off the truck and we gathered ourselves for the first-ever beach bike ride.
Now, I'm not a late-morning runner. If I don't get started by 8 0r 8:30 for the most part, I lose some motivation and running becomes much more difficult. I'm not sure why that is but that's just what I have to deal with. As it was well past 8, I immediately worried that I wouldn't be up for a run. But once I got out on the beach path I felt okay. I'd run 10 miles on Sunday and it wasn't a great run, so my legs felt a bit more tired than normal. Of course, it could have also been because of my 60-plus minutes in the truck that caused that feeling.
The girls were doing well, mostly, and so was I. About a half-mile in, I felt like I'd be good for more than just a few miles. But the girls probably wouldn't be up for that much so a little past the 1.5-mile mark (I had my Garmin on) we turned around.
Now, this whole time we were on the Huntington Beach bike path, you know, the same bike path I ran Marathon Nos. 1 and 3 on, or at least, the last 10 miles of those marathons. So while I was trying to keep an eye on the girls, I also had memories of Surf City flooding back - the feeling of fatigue setting in on me when I was headed towards the turn-around point, remembering the mass of people moving along PCH, that feeling of try-to-keep-it-together when I approached Mile 18 and 19. I had other memories once we turned around.
First, this was part of my view:
These memories were also positive and negative: feeling as if I was going to collapse of fatigue around Mile 24; knowing the finish line was ahead and trying to feel the rush of such a sight; trying to maintain my legs in motion; thinking 'I've already ran more than 23 miles - insane!' and other such crazy thoughts that raced in my mind that late in the race.
I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to have run there and I'm still unsure about it. But the girls were trudging along without too many issues. For the first time on a beach bike path, they did great. They weaved in the middle a little too much and stopped at odd places - Yvie doesn't like downhills, for instance. But all in all, it was a great run, the best 3.5-miler I've had in quite a while.
The last portion of it, though, Kennedy kept saying she just wanted to go in the water and that was tough because I knew she'd had enough. But I ran slightly in front of her, hoping she would see me and try and keep up with me or pass me. She's competitive at times and that seemed to work.
We got back to the truck, got the bikes loaded inside (yes, they fit inside if I lay the back seats down) and headed out to the sand.
The girls had fun playing in the sand for hours.
All in all, a great way to spend a day.
However, the day also brought some flashbacks and they were nearly shudder-inducing flashbacks.
When we got to the beach, the sun was trying to peek out from behind some clouds, and as it wasn't quite 10:30 a.m. yet, it wasn't quite warm. Immediately upon arriving, I got the girls' bikes off the truck and we gathered ourselves for the first-ever beach bike ride.
Now, I'm not a late-morning runner. If I don't get started by 8 0r 8:30 for the most part, I lose some motivation and running becomes much more difficult. I'm not sure why that is but that's just what I have to deal with. As it was well past 8, I immediately worried that I wouldn't be up for a run. But once I got out on the beach path I felt okay. I'd run 10 miles on Sunday and it wasn't a great run, so my legs felt a bit more tired than normal. Of course, it could have also been because of my 60-plus minutes in the truck that caused that feeling.The girls were doing well, mostly, and so was I. About a half-mile in, I felt like I'd be good for more than just a few miles. But the girls probably wouldn't be up for that much so a little past the 1.5-mile mark (I had my Garmin on) we turned around.
Now, this whole time we were on the Huntington Beach bike path, you know, the same bike path I ran Marathon Nos. 1 and 3 on, or at least, the last 10 miles of those marathons. So while I was trying to keep an eye on the girls, I also had memories of Surf City flooding back - the feeling of fatigue setting in on me when I was headed towards the turn-around point, remembering the mass of people moving along PCH, that feeling of try-to-keep-it-together when I approached Mile 18 and 19. I had other memories once we turned around.
First, this was part of my view:
These memories were also positive and negative: feeling as if I was going to collapse of fatigue around Mile 24; knowing the finish line was ahead and trying to feel the rush of such a sight; trying to maintain my legs in motion; thinking 'I've already ran more than 23 miles - insane!' and other such crazy thoughts that raced in my mind that late in the race.I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to have run there and I'm still unsure about it. But the girls were trudging along without too many issues. For the first time on a beach bike path, they did great. They weaved in the middle a little too much and stopped at odd places - Yvie doesn't like downhills, for instance. But all in all, it was a great run, the best 3.5-miler I've had in quite a while.
The last portion of it, though, Kennedy kept saying she just wanted to go in the water and that was tough because I knew she'd had enough. But I ran slightly in front of her, hoping she would see me and try and keep up with me or pass me. She's competitive at times and that seemed to work.
We got back to the truck, got the bikes loaded inside (yes, they fit inside if I lay the back seats down) and headed out to the sand.
The girls had fun playing in the sand for hours.All in all, a great way to spend a day.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
One More Picture
I haven't bought my Surf City pictures and not sure if I will. Kinda want to but it's also kinda expensive.
Anyway, one of the benefits of being a Loper is that we get pictures taken of us. One fellow Loper spotted me on the course, told me to smile and snapped this picture of me.
Two thumbs up!
I think this was somewhere around Mile 21. I was already on the back part of the out-and-back on the beach path.
Free pictures rule.
Anyway, one of the benefits of being a Loper is that we get pictures taken of us. One fellow Loper spotted me on the course, told me to smile and snapped this picture of me.
Two thumbs up!I think this was somewhere around Mile 21. I was already on the back part of the out-and-back on the beach path.
Free pictures rule.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Breaking Down Surf City
It's been more than a week now since I ran my third marathon (!) and I've had some time to chew on and digest the race and my performance. Now, I'm not obsessed with time. I'm proud of what I did in Huntington Beach regardless of my time, but I do think it's important for me to look back at the race to pick out what went well and what didn't go well so I don't repeat the same mistakes. And who knows? Maybe some of you awesome readers will pick up a thing or two.
The Wall: My wall was the 24th mile. The more I think about it, the more I know that was it. It seems kind of odd on one sense, that two-plus miles from finishing I'd be completely mentally wasted, but that's what happened. I was fried. I couldn't push past through it. I ran up to The Wall, leaped shoulder first and caromed backwards onto my butt. I think mentally I wasn't as strong as I could have been the last six miles, and that depleted mental state caught up to me at Mile 24.
The question remains then.... how do you push past The Wall? Unfortunately I think the answer to that is to figure it out during races. It's easy for me to say a possible solution now, when I'm resting at home, but when I've been on my feet running for close to four hours, that's a much different story.
Six-Mile Slide: I could have gotten underneath my goal of 4:20:00 had I run the last stretch in under an hour. Six miles in under an hour usually is not a problem for me, but this time it was. I divided the race into three "thirds" - the first 10 miles, the second 10 miles and the last 6.2. I was in a favorable position at the 20-mile mark but it was ultimately too much to ask.
How do I work on that? I need to run more during the week. Now that soccer season is over (hallelujah!) I won't have to save myself for anything and I can crank out some good, longer runs on weekdays. I think my legs just weren't strong enough to maintain the early pace I set. Also, I could stand to lose some pounds. I'm at the high end of my comfortable weight range, not good!
Good Start: The early pace I mentioned was this: at the 13-mile mark, I was at about 2 hours 3 minutes. Double that and you get 4 hours, 6 minutes. Even with a slight drop-off, a finish of around 4:10 or so is within reach.
Here's how my splits shaped up
3 miles - 28:17 = 9:26 pace
6 miles - 56:30 = 9:25 pace
12.2 miles - 1:56:49 = 9:35 pace
20.9 miles - 3:24:04 = 9:46 pace
26.2 miles - 4:23:38 = 10:04 pace
I know I pushed myself early, probably too much for the experience I have. But in some ways, that's what I wanted to do, to push myself, to see where I'm at and to go from there. I felt myself slowing down at about Mile 14 or 15. My Garmin kept splits and the first mile that was not under 10 minutes was Mile 17. The Garmin got a bit unreliable afterward so I couldn't really compare it to other miles early in the race but sub-10 minute miles were scarce in the last 10 miles. I think maybe Mile 26 may have been under 10 minutes but that's about it. Maybe Mile 21 since I ran through that one at a pretty good clip (it felt like it anyway).
I'm not disappointed in that I faded, really. As I said, I want to push myself to see where I'm at and where I can improve. Now I know what I've got and I can build from there.
I don't want to BQ or anything, I can't. That's for elite runners and I'm not there, but I do want to run a strong race the next time I head out there, so breaking down my time will help me get there. If that translates to a PR the next time out, cool. If not, that's fine too. Just gotta have something to build off of and I've given myself that.
The Wall: My wall was the 24th mile. The more I think about it, the more I know that was it. It seems kind of odd on one sense, that two-plus miles from finishing I'd be completely mentally wasted, but that's what happened. I was fried. I couldn't push past through it. I ran up to The Wall, leaped shoulder first and caromed backwards onto my butt. I think mentally I wasn't as strong as I could have been the last six miles, and that depleted mental state caught up to me at Mile 24.
The question remains then.... how do you push past The Wall? Unfortunately I think the answer to that is to figure it out during races. It's easy for me to say a possible solution now, when I'm resting at home, but when I've been on my feet running for close to four hours, that's a much different story.
Six-Mile Slide: I could have gotten underneath my goal of 4:20:00 had I run the last stretch in under an hour. Six miles in under an hour usually is not a problem for me, but this time it was. I divided the race into three "thirds" - the first 10 miles, the second 10 miles and the last 6.2. I was in a favorable position at the 20-mile mark but it was ultimately too much to ask.
How do I work on that? I need to run more during the week. Now that soccer season is over (hallelujah!) I won't have to save myself for anything and I can crank out some good, longer runs on weekdays. I think my legs just weren't strong enough to maintain the early pace I set. Also, I could stand to lose some pounds. I'm at the high end of my comfortable weight range, not good!
Good Start: The early pace I mentioned was this: at the 13-mile mark, I was at about 2 hours 3 minutes. Double that and you get 4 hours, 6 minutes. Even with a slight drop-off, a finish of around 4:10 or so is within reach.
Here's how my splits shaped up
3 miles - 28:17 = 9:26 pace
6 miles - 56:30 = 9:25 pace
12.2 miles - 1:56:49 = 9:35 pace
20.9 miles - 3:24:04 = 9:46 pace
26.2 miles - 4:23:38 = 10:04 pace
I know I pushed myself early, probably too much for the experience I have. But in some ways, that's what I wanted to do, to push myself, to see where I'm at and to go from there. I felt myself slowing down at about Mile 14 or 15. My Garmin kept splits and the first mile that was not under 10 minutes was Mile 17. The Garmin got a bit unreliable afterward so I couldn't really compare it to other miles early in the race but sub-10 minute miles were scarce in the last 10 miles. I think maybe Mile 26 may have been under 10 minutes but that's about it. Maybe Mile 21 since I ran through that one at a pretty good clip (it felt like it anyway).
I'm not disappointed in that I faded, really. As I said, I want to push myself to see where I'm at and where I can improve. Now I know what I've got and I can build from there.
I don't want to BQ or anything, I can't. That's for elite runners and I'm not there, but I do want to run a strong race the next time I head out there, so breaking down my time will help me get there. If that translates to a PR the next time out, cool. If not, that's fine too. Just gotta have something to build off of and I've given myself that.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Surf City Marathon: Pictures!
Pictures for the Surf City Marathon were posted on Thursday. As always, I've been able to secure some to share here. I don't know, I might actually buy the pictures but we'll see. For now, here are some of the pictures.
Excuse me, but I was looking for the beach
Remind me why I wanted to run this again?
I could be having a bagel with some coffee right now. Sigh.
I don't see any mile markers. Sad face.
Watch out now - LB's got his shades on
And the best pics of all...
Put your hands up!!
Yay me!
I did it! Three marathons!
Well, there you go. There are a lot more pictures of mine. I may break down and buy them all since there are so many of them. And it would be great to have that finish line shot as well.
Regardless, there they are, pictures from my third marathon.
Excuse me, but I was looking for the beach
Remind me why I wanted to run this again?
I could be having a bagel with some coffee right now. Sigh.
I don't see any mile markers. Sad face.
Watch out now - LB's got his shades onAnd the best pics of all...
Put your hands up!!
Yay me!
I did it! Three marathons!Well, there you go. There are a lot more pictures of mine. I may break down and buy them all since there are so many of them. And it would be great to have that finish line shot as well.
Regardless, there they are, pictures from my third marathon.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Surf City Marathon: Race Extras
Some of the things from Surf City Marathon that did not make the race report:
* The weather was perfect. It was overcast until about Mile 23. The sun started to come out then but really wasn't all the way out from behind the clouds until I was almost done. I know those who came in after me, both the full and half marathoners, were running in sunlight for a bit of time but for the most part us runners lucked out on Sunday morning.
* Three marathons, three times I used my phone as my music player, three times it messed up on me. Ugh. Next marathon, I'm not going to listen to the phone the entire time... actually, for last year's Surf City, I didn't listen to it the first 10 miles and it still crapped out on me. Ugh. On Sunday, Mrs. LB called me a few times on it and she couldn't hear me. After the race, it took me about 15 minutes to get a signal. I couldn't even text or anything, but that may have been because of so many people around there all probably trying to use their cell phones. Still, I'm a little perturbed by my phone.
* Speaking of music, the playlist was fine but I turned off the music the last few miles. It's like if you're on a road trip, you need a change of pace. Maybe you, dear reader, can but normally I can't listen to four straight hours of music, even if it's music I like. For roadies, I like to listen to talk radio or news or stand-up or something, to mix things up, along with music.
* Supporters are awesome. I had a ton of supporters. Tahoegirl was among my virtual supporters - check out her set-up. All the well-wishes, be them in comments on here, FB, Twitter, texts, in person... all were appreciated. I wish I could take the time to thank each and every person individually but please know all the support is appreciated even if I didn't directly respond to you.
* The supporters for this race were out in full force. I remember having a lot of supporters cheer me and the other marathoners out there last year but this year, it seemed as if there was more support. The middle-schoolers who manned the aid stations and dotted the course during the part that took us through a park were back again. It's great to have hyper middle-schoolers jumping up and down non-stop cheering you on as you run a marathon. Maybe it's not so great to have them in a classroom acting up but that's a problem for their teacher. I embraced the hyperactivity on Sunday. Also, there was a group of about six or eight women, probably in their early 20s, with some, uh, unique signs. One of them read "Runners have great stamina (call me)" and another "Keep it up (that's what she said)" and another "Runners do it longer" and I can't remember the other sings. There were about five signs in all and I hope the race photographers captured them on film because they were great to look at... the signs too ;)
* The course wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be, mentally I mean. I didn't know what I was getting into last year but this year I knew what the course would be like. There are two long out-and-backs, about three miles up on PCH and three miles back, and then five miles up on the beach path and then a little more than that all the way back to the finish line. I though the mental pain would be a lot worse than it was on the beach path. I mean, I dealt with a lot of mental issues but they weren't because of the out-and-backs.
* I learned a lot from my pace leader last year, when I was training for my first marathon. I mean, a lot. And I keep learning from her. One of the things she said was to make a list of things, like sit down and write an actual list of things, and check them over before you A) leave for your race and B) when you get ready the day of. I didn't listen of course. Also, one of the things she mentioned to take with you during races as money. Her rationale - you never know. Again, I didn't heed her warning. Guess what would have kept me from my timing chip disaster? A list. And what would have been my safety net? Money.
* Okay, okay... I know you're all wondering what's next. I'd thought about and had planned on running the LA Marathon on March 20, which would mean two marathons in six weeks. Well, there's been some movement on that front. However, seeing as this post is already really long (I'm wondering how many readers already hit the eject button), I will save that for another day. Sorry to be a tease but that's the life of a blogger sometimes, gotta give you a reason to come back.
* The weather was perfect. It was overcast until about Mile 23. The sun started to come out then but really wasn't all the way out from behind the clouds until I was almost done. I know those who came in after me, both the full and half marathoners, were running in sunlight for a bit of time but for the most part us runners lucked out on Sunday morning.
* Three marathons, three times I used my phone as my music player, three times it messed up on me. Ugh. Next marathon, I'm not going to listen to the phone the entire time... actually, for last year's Surf City, I didn't listen to it the first 10 miles and it still crapped out on me. Ugh. On Sunday, Mrs. LB called me a few times on it and she couldn't hear me. After the race, it took me about 15 minutes to get a signal. I couldn't even text or anything, but that may have been because of so many people around there all probably trying to use their cell phones. Still, I'm a little perturbed by my phone.
* Speaking of music, the playlist was fine but I turned off the music the last few miles. It's like if you're on a road trip, you need a change of pace. Maybe you, dear reader, can but normally I can't listen to four straight hours of music, even if it's music I like. For roadies, I like to listen to talk radio or news or stand-up or something, to mix things up, along with music.
* Supporters are awesome. I had a ton of supporters. Tahoegirl was among my virtual supporters - check out her set-up. All the well-wishes, be them in comments on here, FB, Twitter, texts, in person... all were appreciated. I wish I could take the time to thank each and every person individually but please know all the support is appreciated even if I didn't directly respond to you.
* The supporters for this race were out in full force. I remember having a lot of supporters cheer me and the other marathoners out there last year but this year, it seemed as if there was more support. The middle-schoolers who manned the aid stations and dotted the course during the part that took us through a park were back again. It's great to have hyper middle-schoolers jumping up and down non-stop cheering you on as you run a marathon. Maybe it's not so great to have them in a classroom acting up but that's a problem for their teacher. I embraced the hyperactivity on Sunday. Also, there was a group of about six or eight women, probably in their early 20s, with some, uh, unique signs. One of them read "Runners have great stamina (call me)" and another "Keep it up (that's what she said)" and another "Runners do it longer" and I can't remember the other sings. There were about five signs in all and I hope the race photographers captured them on film because they were great to look at... the signs too ;)
* The course wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be, mentally I mean. I didn't know what I was getting into last year but this year I knew what the course would be like. There are two long out-and-backs, about three miles up on PCH and three miles back, and then five miles up on the beach path and then a little more than that all the way back to the finish line. I though the mental pain would be a lot worse than it was on the beach path. I mean, I dealt with a lot of mental issues but they weren't because of the out-and-backs.
* I learned a lot from my pace leader last year, when I was training for my first marathon. I mean, a lot. And I keep learning from her. One of the things she said was to make a list of things, like sit down and write an actual list of things, and check them over before you A) leave for your race and B) when you get ready the day of. I didn't listen of course. Also, one of the things she mentioned to take with you during races as money. Her rationale - you never know. Again, I didn't heed her warning. Guess what would have kept me from my timing chip disaster? A list. And what would have been my safety net? Money.
* Okay, okay... I know you're all wondering what's next. I'd thought about and had planned on running the LA Marathon on March 20, which would mean two marathons in six weeks. Well, there's been some movement on that front. However, seeing as this post is already really long (I'm wondering how many readers already hit the eject button), I will save that for another day. Sorry to be a tease but that's the life of a blogger sometimes, gotta give you a reason to come back.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Surf City Marathon 2011: Raising The Bar
Before my first and second marathons, I was barely able to sleep. I got about four or five hours of sleep each time, but on Saturday, the eve of Marathon No. 3, I was good to go. It was 9 p.m. and I was tired. About 20 minutes later, I drifted off to sleep along with the rest of the LB clan in our Huntington Beach hotel room.
I'd secured a spot on a 5:30 a.m. shuttle so I was a little at ease with the pre-race logistics. While I woke up twice feeling wide awake, I was able to go back to sleep and when I finally got out of bed around 4:40 I felt rested. I'd set all my things out in the bathroom the night before, slowly and methodically got ready and headed down around 5:20, not realizing I'd forgotten something major.
Once down at the start area, I went to the bathroom, walked down to the start, snapped some pictures with my phone, realized I kind of felt the twinges of another bathroom trip and went back to the Honey Buckets (aka portapotties). I happened to glance down at the people in line in front of me and suddenly got a sinking feeling in my stomach.
Where's your timing chip?
I remembered ripping off the timing chip, jamming it into the side of my bag and there it still was. It was about 15 minutes before the race was supposed to start and there was no way Mrs. LB could have made it down in time.
See, this is too much for you to handle. See, you shouldn't even be here. You don't belong.
From out of nowhere, doubt crept in. The morning had been going incredibly smooth but now this was threatening to ruin my entire race experience. I tried to quash those thoughts and walked inside the Expo tent. Underneath a sign that said Solutions, there were people who I hoped had a solution to my problem.
I explained my situation to someone and she was quite helpful. She told me she needed my bib back, changed some things around on her computer and handed me a new bib. She said it would be five dollars but I didn't have any cash and told her Mrs. LB would be down later so she said we could come down later and pay, and I fully intended on doing that.
I headed back to the start line but now it was crowded. I'd originally been in the second wave but now was back in a crowd in the third wave. I didn't care at that point. I was happy I realized my chip was gone before I was about to cross the start line.
After that ordeal, I quickly refocused on the 26.2 miles before me. But I wasn't going to try and swallow the whole thing at once. I thought about getting to the first mile marker and trying to get my body warmed up. Almost instantly my legs felt good. I was out on PCH for a brisk morning run and my body cooperated.
Just don't run too fast.
My first mile was in around 9:30 and the second mile was a bit faster than that. I'd wanted to run ever mile in under 10 minutes but while this was under that, part of me worried it was too far under. But I kept my pace right around there and the miles came quickly. Since this had been my first marathon, memories of last year flooded into my head at almost every stop.
I remember our group heading into the park... there's the bathroom a few of them stopped at... Oh yeah, the fire station where Art greeted the firefighters...
This time, however, I was alone. I wore my pink Loper shirt but didn't see very many other Loper shirts out there. That's fine, though, I was prepared for running the race by myself.
I got out of the park and started heading towards PCH. At Mile 10, I was done with my first "third." Much like I did in San Francisco, I divided Surf City up into "thirds" - Miles 1-10, Miles 11-20 and Miles 21-26.2. I was done with my first third and was focusing on small steps.
Alright man, gotta GU at Mile 12. Let's get to Mile 12.
I'd taken GU at Mile 4, 8 and now 12 but decided to go until Mile 17 for the next GU. At Mile 13, I was doing well as I'd been running at nice, steady pace. I finished the first half at about 2 hours 3 minutes. I knew I wouldn't finish in 4:06 but thoughts of a speedy marathon were alive.
And then came Mile 15. And Mile 16. And Mile 17. My legs felt each mile more than they had the first 14 miles. My Mile 17 time was a little over 10 minutes. I wasn't too bummed out but I knew that I was going to have a rough final stretch.
Almost done with the second third.
After the Mile 16 marker, we finally got off PCH and headed on the beach trail. We weren't right on the sand but quite close to the water. I tried to look over at the water and tried to enjoy some of the scenery. I looked and saw waves crashing on the sand, and perhaps on another day would have felt like walking over, throwing a towel on the ground and relaxing near the waves, but this morning's task was much different and kept me from thinking about anything but what was in front of me.
When I finally crossed Mile 20 and finished with my second "third" I felt happy. I got a small boost of energy but I was stuck in third gear. I'd gotten a bounce in my step here and there but mostly I was just moving along, not quite running briskly as I had earlier.
As in my other marathons, Mrs. LB had called me during the race. However, my phone (which doubles as my music player) was not cooperating. At Mile 11, she called me for the first time, couldn't hear me and called me back. We chatted briefly. She tried me again just as I was getting to Mile 20 but couldn't hear me. She tried again a few minutes later and nothing. I thought that maybe taking the battery out of the phone and resetting the thing would help but didn't want to go to the trouble.
However, she gave me a mental blow later, one that I could hear in her voice she was quite sorry about.
"I hope you can hear me. We are having problems finding parking. We're probably not going to see you finish."
The thought of seeing them, seeing Mrs. LB and my lovely girls near the finish line was certainly a landmark I'd envisioned. They'd definitely give me a boost before seeing them and then another one as I charged past them. Now, that was gone.
You're really alone now.
As if it was some consolation, the song A-Punk by Vampire Weekend came on and it gave me a boost. The girls love that song and of course my thoughts went to them when I heard the first few notes.
I was at Mile 22 but the thought of having only four miles to go was not comforting. I tried instead to focus on getting to Mile 23.
You've only run these many miles twice before.
After Mile 23, I knew I wasn't going down any well-traveled roads. I'd only run that many times twice, in my previous two marathons. Mentally I think I was in better shape this time around. The course had been mostly flat and I felt it. Sure, I was feeling the effects of having run 23 miles but it wasn't the same as hobbling along San Francisco's 23rd mile after the brutal hills there.
Still, I felt my goal time slipping away. I wanted to run in under 4:20:00 but knew that was going to be a struggle. When I saw the 4:20 pace far ahead of me and getting smaller by the second, I felt my goal time flying away as well. But I focused on finishing, focused on trying to set a new PR and wanted to be done with the race.
Mile 24 came. My wall. I stopped and walked. More than a few steps. I didn't want to go again. 24 miles is a good run.
But it's not a marathon.
I get back to running. I found a spring in my step and was going at a pretty good clip. Mile 25 came and went and now I was almost back on PCH for the stretch run. I could see some landmarks and far off in the distance was the finish line. I was going pretty good, finishing strong and paying the price.
GASP GASP GASP
I'd been breathing audibly at this point. I can't figure out if it was breathing laced with grunts or grunts laced with breathing, but whatever it was, it was loud.
GAS- GAS- GAS-
Oh no. That don't feel right.
GA- GA- GA-
I felt like I was breathing through a straw. I had visions of falling down so I stopped. I was almost to Mile 26 and I had to stop. I shook my head in frustration and grabbed my left side. All those supporters there cheering us on and here I am, stopped. I unsuccessfully tried to take a deep breath but the rest helped. It was brief, maybe 10 seconds, but when I got going I knew I could push through it.
Still feeling the shooting pain in my side, I got to the finish line. I made sure nobody was behind me...
I don't want anyone to ruin this finish line shot
... and I did a one-armed fist pump as blog buddy Kim had suggested. I liked the suggestion and as I crossed the finish I raised one arm in the air, smiled and wrapped up the Surf City Marathon. I'd crossed the finish line at 4:23:38, and while I didn't get under 4:20, I did set a new PR by about 15 minutes.
After some stumbling around and inhaling some water and bananas, I finally met up with the LB clan and I gave them all sweaty stinky hugs. And while they hadn't seen me before I crossed the finish line, they did celebrate with a three-time marathoner afterward.
I'd secured a spot on a 5:30 a.m. shuttle so I was a little at ease with the pre-race logistics. While I woke up twice feeling wide awake, I was able to go back to sleep and when I finally got out of bed around 4:40 I felt rested. I'd set all my things out in the bathroom the night before, slowly and methodically got ready and headed down around 5:20, not realizing I'd forgotten something major.
Once down at the start area, I went to the bathroom, walked down to the start, snapped some pictures with my phone, realized I kind of felt the twinges of another bathroom trip and went back to the Honey Buckets (aka portapotties). I happened to glance down at the people in line in front of me and suddenly got a sinking feeling in my stomach.
Where's your timing chip?
I remembered ripping off the timing chip, jamming it into the side of my bag and there it still was. It was about 15 minutes before the race was supposed to start and there was no way Mrs. LB could have made it down in time.
See, this is too much for you to handle. See, you shouldn't even be here. You don't belong.
From out of nowhere, doubt crept in. The morning had been going incredibly smooth but now this was threatening to ruin my entire race experience. I tried to quash those thoughts and walked inside the Expo tent. Underneath a sign that said Solutions, there were people who I hoped had a solution to my problem.
I explained my situation to someone and she was quite helpful. She told me she needed my bib back, changed some things around on her computer and handed me a new bib. She said it would be five dollars but I didn't have any cash and told her Mrs. LB would be down later so she said we could come down later and pay, and I fully intended on doing that.
I headed back to the start line but now it was crowded. I'd originally been in the second wave but now was back in a crowd in the third wave. I didn't care at that point. I was happy I realized my chip was gone before I was about to cross the start line.
After that ordeal, I quickly refocused on the 26.2 miles before me. But I wasn't going to try and swallow the whole thing at once. I thought about getting to the first mile marker and trying to get my body warmed up. Almost instantly my legs felt good. I was out on PCH for a brisk morning run and my body cooperated.
Just don't run too fast.
My first mile was in around 9:30 and the second mile was a bit faster than that. I'd wanted to run ever mile in under 10 minutes but while this was under that, part of me worried it was too far under. But I kept my pace right around there and the miles came quickly. Since this had been my first marathon, memories of last year flooded into my head at almost every stop.
I remember our group heading into the park... there's the bathroom a few of them stopped at... Oh yeah, the fire station where Art greeted the firefighters...
This time, however, I was alone. I wore my pink Loper shirt but didn't see very many other Loper shirts out there. That's fine, though, I was prepared for running the race by myself.
I got out of the park and started heading towards PCH. At Mile 10, I was done with my first "third." Much like I did in San Francisco, I divided Surf City up into "thirds" - Miles 1-10, Miles 11-20 and Miles 21-26.2. I was done with my first third and was focusing on small steps.
Alright man, gotta GU at Mile 12. Let's get to Mile 12.
I'd taken GU at Mile 4, 8 and now 12 but decided to go until Mile 17 for the next GU. At Mile 13, I was doing well as I'd been running at nice, steady pace. I finished the first half at about 2 hours 3 minutes. I knew I wouldn't finish in 4:06 but thoughts of a speedy marathon were alive.
And then came Mile 15. And Mile 16. And Mile 17. My legs felt each mile more than they had the first 14 miles. My Mile 17 time was a little over 10 minutes. I wasn't too bummed out but I knew that I was going to have a rough final stretch.
Almost done with the second third.
After the Mile 16 marker, we finally got off PCH and headed on the beach trail. We weren't right on the sand but quite close to the water. I tried to look over at the water and tried to enjoy some of the scenery. I looked and saw waves crashing on the sand, and perhaps on another day would have felt like walking over, throwing a towel on the ground and relaxing near the waves, but this morning's task was much different and kept me from thinking about anything but what was in front of me.
When I finally crossed Mile 20 and finished with my second "third" I felt happy. I got a small boost of energy but I was stuck in third gear. I'd gotten a bounce in my step here and there but mostly I was just moving along, not quite running briskly as I had earlier.
As in my other marathons, Mrs. LB had called me during the race. However, my phone (which doubles as my music player) was not cooperating. At Mile 11, she called me for the first time, couldn't hear me and called me back. We chatted briefly. She tried me again just as I was getting to Mile 20 but couldn't hear me. She tried again a few minutes later and nothing. I thought that maybe taking the battery out of the phone and resetting the thing would help but didn't want to go to the trouble.
However, she gave me a mental blow later, one that I could hear in her voice she was quite sorry about.
"I hope you can hear me. We are having problems finding parking. We're probably not going to see you finish."
The thought of seeing them, seeing Mrs. LB and my lovely girls near the finish line was certainly a landmark I'd envisioned. They'd definitely give me a boost before seeing them and then another one as I charged past them. Now, that was gone.
You're really alone now.
As if it was some consolation, the song A-Punk by Vampire Weekend came on and it gave me a boost. The girls love that song and of course my thoughts went to them when I heard the first few notes.
I was at Mile 22 but the thought of having only four miles to go was not comforting. I tried instead to focus on getting to Mile 23.
You've only run these many miles twice before.
After Mile 23, I knew I wasn't going down any well-traveled roads. I'd only run that many times twice, in my previous two marathons. Mentally I think I was in better shape this time around. The course had been mostly flat and I felt it. Sure, I was feeling the effects of having run 23 miles but it wasn't the same as hobbling along San Francisco's 23rd mile after the brutal hills there.
Still, I felt my goal time slipping away. I wanted to run in under 4:20:00 but knew that was going to be a struggle. When I saw the 4:20 pace far ahead of me and getting smaller by the second, I felt my goal time flying away as well. But I focused on finishing, focused on trying to set a new PR and wanted to be done with the race.
Mile 24 came. My wall. I stopped and walked. More than a few steps. I didn't want to go again. 24 miles is a good run.
But it's not a marathon.
I get back to running. I found a spring in my step and was going at a pretty good clip. Mile 25 came and went and now I was almost back on PCH for the stretch run. I could see some landmarks and far off in the distance was the finish line. I was going pretty good, finishing strong and paying the price.
GASP GASP GASP
I'd been breathing audibly at this point. I can't figure out if it was breathing laced with grunts or grunts laced with breathing, but whatever it was, it was loud.
GAS- GAS- GAS-
Oh no. That don't feel right.
GA- GA- GA-
I felt like I was breathing through a straw. I had visions of falling down so I stopped. I was almost to Mile 26 and I had to stop. I shook my head in frustration and grabbed my left side. All those supporters there cheering us on and here I am, stopped. I unsuccessfully tried to take a deep breath but the rest helped. It was brief, maybe 10 seconds, but when I got going I knew I could push through it.
Still feeling the shooting pain in my side, I got to the finish line. I made sure nobody was behind me...
I don't want anyone to ruin this finish line shot
... and I did a one-armed fist pump as blog buddy Kim had suggested. I liked the suggestion and as I crossed the finish I raised one arm in the air, smiled and wrapped up the Surf City Marathon. I'd crossed the finish line at 4:23:38, and while I didn't get under 4:20, I did set a new PR by about 15 minutes.
After some stumbling around and inhaling some water and bananas, I finally met up with the LB clan and I gave them all sweaty stinky hugs. And while they hadn't seen me before I crossed the finish line, they did celebrate with a three-time marathoner afterward.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Surf City Marathoner No. 3117
Looks like I'll be number 3117 at the Surf City Marathon. Exciting! I'm heading to the Expo on Saturday and at that point I believe it will finally hit me. Well, actually I do believe that it's already hit me but this will make it seem real, that I am really going to do this.
I looked at the site and tried to figure out any place where you can get updates as I go along the course but I've had no luck. If you happen to find something and want to follow along, by all means. Otherwise, check back here (or on my Facebook page or Twitter page) shortly after 11 a.m. PT on Sunday morning because I'll let you all know one way or another what my time was and how I did in general.
Right now, I'm feeling the usual pre-race jitters. I'm not exactly second-guessing myself but I know that it will be painful and that's a bit unsettling. But I know that once I get to the start line that I'll be good to go.
Anyway, thank you for all your support throughout my training and in other races. It really does mean a lot and I know I'll draw on it Sunday multiple times. So thanks for reading and following along. I won't let you down on Sunday.
I looked at the site and tried to figure out any place where you can get updates as I go along the course but I've had no luck. If you happen to find something and want to follow along, by all means. Otherwise, check back here (or on my Facebook page or Twitter page) shortly after 11 a.m. PT on Sunday morning because I'll let you all know one way or another what my time was and how I did in general.
Right now, I'm feeling the usual pre-race jitters. I'm not exactly second-guessing myself but I know that it will be painful and that's a bit unsettling. But I know that once I get to the start line that I'll be good to go.
Anyway, thank you for all your support throughout my training and in other races. It really does mean a lot and I know I'll draw on it Sunday multiple times. So thanks for reading and following along. I won't let you down on Sunday.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Happenings
I'm running a marathon on Sunday.
You might be aware of that if you've read this blog at all in the last few weeks. I think I've mentioned it once or twice. It doesn't seem so far-fetched now, that I'm running a marathon. Stupid? Possibly. Crazy? Some would say so, yes. But far-fetched? Not any more.
Although, there was a time when anything more than a few steps for me would have been out of the question. Aside from the fact that it was all but physically impossible for me to do any sort of running, I had zero desire to run. I remember being in Las Vegas the first weekend of December 2005 and some of the streets were blocked off because of a race. Not once did I think "Gee, maybe I should try a race" or anything to that effect.
While it was unfathomable to have running part of my life at one point, now it's unfathomable to not have running as part of my life.
The change in mentality did not happen in one day, one week or even one month. It did not happen because I went running once.
But it happened.
And that's what matters the most. It happened that I got turned on to running, that I found something I was good at (not speed here folks, just finishing runs), that I found something I could be proud of, something that was healthy and fit into my new lifestyle like a glove.
It happened.
I'm a different person now, mostly. I look a whole helluva lot different, that's for certain.
Before big events like Sunday's Surf City Marathon, I like to look back at the changes I've made to give me some confidence. I don't need reminding that I used to be big and that I lost all that weight. That's in the forefront of my mind. But having lost 120 pounds has given me a never-ending well of confidence, and trying to tap into that before a race, particularly a marathon, is not a bad idea.
Also, I hope that by putting it out there, by showing you what I went through and where I'm headed, that maybe the challenges you have in front of you, the ones you might think are impossible, maybe they're not mountains after all. Just have a little faith in yourself, put in some honest effort and you'll get to places you never thought possible.
It happens.
You might be aware of that if you've read this blog at all in the last few weeks. I think I've mentioned it once or twice. It doesn't seem so far-fetched now, that I'm running a marathon. Stupid? Possibly. Crazy? Some would say so, yes. But far-fetched? Not any more.
Although, there was a time when anything more than a few steps for me would have been out of the question. Aside from the fact that it was all but physically impossible for me to do any sort of running, I had zero desire to run. I remember being in Las Vegas the first weekend of December 2005 and some of the streets were blocked off because of a race. Not once did I think "Gee, maybe I should try a race" or anything to that effect.
While it was unfathomable to have running part of my life at one point, now it's unfathomable to not have running as part of my life.
The change in mentality did not happen in one day, one week or even one month. It did not happen because I went running once.
But it happened.
And that's what matters the most. It happened that I got turned on to running, that I found something I was good at (not speed here folks, just finishing runs), that I found something I could be proud of, something that was healthy and fit into my new lifestyle like a glove.
It happened.
I'm a different person now, mostly. I look a whole helluva lot different, that's for certain.Before big events like Sunday's Surf City Marathon, I like to look back at the changes I've made to give me some confidence. I don't need reminding that I used to be big and that I lost all that weight. That's in the forefront of my mind. But having lost 120 pounds has given me a never-ending well of confidence, and trying to tap into that before a race, particularly a marathon, is not a bad idea.
Also, I hope that by putting it out there, by showing you what I went through and where I'm headed, that maybe the challenges you have in front of you, the ones you might think are impossible, maybe they're not mountains after all. Just have a little faith in yourself, put in some honest effort and you'll get to places you never thought possible.
It happens.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Surf City Marathon: Strategy
I can't believe I'm writing this post. I can't believe I have an actual marathon race strategy. Well, it's not all that detailed. I'm sure the elites have an actual strategy with specific goals but still. I need to have a strategy because I want to meet my time of 4:19:59 or better.
Thus, the need for strategy.
> Under-10s: I want to run every mile in under 10 minutes. Is this going to be difficult? I suspect the hardest miles to do this will be the first two and the last six. Why the first two? I don't want to start off too fast, and thus I might have problems keeping Miles 1 and 2 under 10 minutes. I might run them too slow - err on the side of caution, after all. I'm not going to panic if Mile 1 is in 10:12 or something but if it's at like 10:47, I'm not going to be too happy. Then again, I won't be happy if I come out with an 8:57 Mile 1 either.
> Bank The Time: I know my body. I know how it reacts to certain race conditions and situations. I'm not the kind of runner that can run three or four miles at 11-min per mile and then run the next three or four at 9-min per mile. My body doesn't work that way. If I start off too slow, my whole race will go too slow. Thus, part of the earlier goal is with this in mind. I don't want to start off too slow because I won't be able to kickstart my body on the fly. Ideally my first two miles would be at about 9:30. Ideally, I'd be at the 10K mark at about 58 minutes, and I'd be at 12 miles in about 1:57:00. If I can meet those two goals, I should really be feeling confident by the time I hit the half-marathon mark. I can then focus on getting to Mile 18 in under three hours and if that happens, I should have enough energy and confidence to guide me to the finish in under my goal time.
> GU If You Got 'em: I'm going to GU at Miles 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20. Last year I dropped a GU packet and had to GU at 8, 12, 16 and 20. I was very punctual. I'm going to stop, GU and go. I might throw in a couple other walk breaks somewhere in between there, possibly a couple after Mile 20, but definitely when I GU. That'll help push me through to the GU time.
> Focus! I have to keep my focus. Above all else, I must stay composed and focused. If I run a too-fast mile, be it Mile 3 or 14, I have to stay focused. If disaster strikes and I drop my GU packets or something, I have to keep my focus. I need to focus on the next mile marker. I have to get from one mile marker to the next in the best manner possible. I will have 26 little finish lines before I get to the final one. I can't think of the race as one gigantic 26.2-mile run because how can I possibly focus on anything with that sort of monster before me? But if I can just focus on the next mile, everything else will take care of itself.
Thus, the need for strategy.
> Under-10s: I want to run every mile in under 10 minutes. Is this going to be difficult? I suspect the hardest miles to do this will be the first two and the last six. Why the first two? I don't want to start off too fast, and thus I might have problems keeping Miles 1 and 2 under 10 minutes. I might run them too slow - err on the side of caution, after all. I'm not going to panic if Mile 1 is in 10:12 or something but if it's at like 10:47, I'm not going to be too happy. Then again, I won't be happy if I come out with an 8:57 Mile 1 either.
> Bank The Time: I know my body. I know how it reacts to certain race conditions and situations. I'm not the kind of runner that can run three or four miles at 11-min per mile and then run the next three or four at 9-min per mile. My body doesn't work that way. If I start off too slow, my whole race will go too slow. Thus, part of the earlier goal is with this in mind. I don't want to start off too slow because I won't be able to kickstart my body on the fly. Ideally my first two miles would be at about 9:30. Ideally, I'd be at the 10K mark at about 58 minutes, and I'd be at 12 miles in about 1:57:00. If I can meet those two goals, I should really be feeling confident by the time I hit the half-marathon mark. I can then focus on getting to Mile 18 in under three hours and if that happens, I should have enough energy and confidence to guide me to the finish in under my goal time.
> GU If You Got 'em: I'm going to GU at Miles 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20. Last year I dropped a GU packet and had to GU at 8, 12, 16 and 20. I was very punctual. I'm going to stop, GU and go. I might throw in a couple other walk breaks somewhere in between there, possibly a couple after Mile 20, but definitely when I GU. That'll help push me through to the GU time.
> Focus! I have to keep my focus. Above all else, I must stay composed and focused. If I run a too-fast mile, be it Mile 3 or 14, I have to stay focused. If disaster strikes and I drop my GU packets or something, I have to keep my focus. I need to focus on the next mile marker. I have to get from one mile marker to the next in the best manner possible. I will have 26 little finish lines before I get to the final one. I can't think of the race as one gigantic 26.2-mile run because how can I possibly focus on anything with that sort of monster before me? But if I can just focus on the next mile, everything else will take care of itself.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Surf City Marathon: Last Year's Awesomeness
I remember Surf City 2010 like it was just yesterday. Okay, that might be a bit cliche but I remember a lot of the race in great detail.
I mean, it was my first marathon and all.
I am a bit worried that the experience from 2010 and what I will experience Sunday will sort of blend together. At some point down the line, I'm sure I'll wonder "Did that happen in 2010 or 2011?"
Anyway, before that happens, I wanted to list my five favorite things from my first marathon, to sort of reminisce and more importantly to make sure that I remember exactly what year these things took place.
5. On Your Mark, Get Set... Just being at the start line was magical. I remember not feeling nervous, surrounded by a bunch of other marathoners, surrounded my a lot of my Loper friends, getting ready for just another long Sunday run. The weather was great. My fears of a rainy marathon were put to sleep by the cloudless morning. I was happy and had a smile on my face at this point. I didn't quite know what I was getting into but I knew it was going to be special and memorable.
4. Volunteers At The Park: Part of the course took us through a park, and manning aid stations and helping runners stay on course were loads of volunteers, a lot of them middle-school age. For 12-, 13- and 14-year-olds to get up that early on a Sunday morning and cheer on the hordes of runners was really special for me, really gave me a boost and I'm guessing the others as well. I tried to thank as many as I could because I wanted them to know we appreciated their support.
3. Random Awesomeness: There were a lot of little snapshots that were pretty cool but one in particular... I was probably at about Mile 14 or so, I believe still on Pacific Coast Highway. One runner said something to me about... well, about my No. 1 item... anyway, once he passed me by (he was quite a bit faster, might have been running the half) he looked back and said "Soak it all in!" I did, brother. I did.
2. Support Crew: Not ashamed to admit it - I cried during the race.
Well, I take that back... I would have cried if my body would have allowed it, but since I was in so much agony, my body didn't want to divert any attention away for any sort of normal body function as my body was in emergency shutdown mode and thus tending to pain in my sides, feet, calves, back, arms and thighs. No room for tears.
However, when I was just about to hit Mile 26 I saw Mrs. LB and the girls. How can I not get a little emotional?
I was trying to keep my composure. Not doing a great job of it.
1. My Bib: Remember my bib? If you were around back in February 2010, I'm guessing the answer is yes.
This has been easily one of the best ideas I've ever had. I wanted to commemorate my weight loss and to show others what is impossible - as the bib says, NOTHING is impossible.
Wearing that on my back was an awesome experience. So many fellow runners, fellow marathoners, congratulated me on my achievement. It didn't quite lift my feet up off the ground for me but it really reminded me just how far I'd gone in such a relatively short period of time. From 300-pounder to marathoner in four years.
I mean, it was my first marathon and all.
I am a bit worried that the experience from 2010 and what I will experience Sunday will sort of blend together. At some point down the line, I'm sure I'll wonder "Did that happen in 2010 or 2011?"
Anyway, before that happens, I wanted to list my five favorite things from my first marathon, to sort of reminisce and more importantly to make sure that I remember exactly what year these things took place.
5. On Your Mark, Get Set... Just being at the start line was magical. I remember not feeling nervous, surrounded by a bunch of other marathoners, surrounded my a lot of my Loper friends, getting ready for just another long Sunday run. The weather was great. My fears of a rainy marathon were put to sleep by the cloudless morning. I was happy and had a smile on my face at this point. I didn't quite know what I was getting into but I knew it was going to be special and memorable.
4. Volunteers At The Park: Part of the course took us through a park, and manning aid stations and helping runners stay on course were loads of volunteers, a lot of them middle-school age. For 12-, 13- and 14-year-olds to get up that early on a Sunday morning and cheer on the hordes of runners was really special for me, really gave me a boost and I'm guessing the others as well. I tried to thank as many as I could because I wanted them to know we appreciated their support.
3. Random Awesomeness: There were a lot of little snapshots that were pretty cool but one in particular... I was probably at about Mile 14 or so, I believe still on Pacific Coast Highway. One runner said something to me about... well, about my No. 1 item... anyway, once he passed me by (he was quite a bit faster, might have been running the half) he looked back and said "Soak it all in!" I did, brother. I did.
2. Support Crew: Not ashamed to admit it - I cried during the race.
Well, I take that back... I would have cried if my body would have allowed it, but since I was in so much agony, my body didn't want to divert any attention away for any sort of normal body function as my body was in emergency shutdown mode and thus tending to pain in my sides, feet, calves, back, arms and thighs. No room for tears.
However, when I was just about to hit Mile 26 I saw Mrs. LB and the girls. How can I not get a little emotional?
I was trying to keep my composure. Not doing a great job of it.
1. My Bib: Remember my bib? If you were around back in February 2010, I'm guessing the answer is yes.
This has been easily one of the best ideas I've ever had. I wanted to commemorate my weight loss and to show others what is impossible - as the bib says, NOTHING is impossible.
Wearing that on my back was an awesome experience. So many fellow runners, fellow marathoners, congratulated me on my achievement. It didn't quite lift my feet up off the ground for me but it really reminded me just how far I'd gone in such a relatively short period of time. From 300-pounder to marathoner in four years.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Marathon No. 3 Almost Here... Already?!?
One week from today is the big day. Marathon No. 3, Surf City Marathon in Huntington Beach, Calif., will be awaiting that day. To say that I'm nervous a week out is, well, a bit of an understatement.
My nerves haven't been too bad. I've been dealing with this build-up well. But after today's 10-mile run, there's not much standing in the way now. A few midweek runs, lots of carbo-loading and water, and that's about it.
It's sort of like stepping up to a high diving board at a swimming pool. From a distance, it doesn't look too bad. When you start walking to it, you're excited about the jump but the closer you get, the more nervous you become because, after all, you're going to jump this really high distance. Then you get there, look down and... YIKES!!
I'm walking up to that diving board now. Suddenly, 26.2 miles seems like... well, 26.2 miles.
The part that worries me the most is once I hit Mile 20. I think I'll be okay at Mile 20 and even Mile 21, 22 but after that, every step I take is just going to add to my pain and discomfort and I'm going to want tocurl up in the fetal position and die walk a lot, and while I am going to take walk breaks, I want to minimize those and not just stop because I'm in pain.
There's something I only feel when I reach the Land of High Mileage. My sides ache. It's like a slow burn on my sides and it makes the rest of me very uncomfortable. My feet also will be aching, I'm certain. The way I describe my marathon pain is that I feel like I've been hit by a truck, and next week an 18-wheeler's going to plow over me on Pacific Coast Highway.
I know come race day I'll be okay. My initial plan, well, part of it anyway, is to break the run up into three segments: Miles 1-10, Miles 11-20 and Miles 20-26.2. It's a lot easier to ingest when you think of it that way; 10 miles, 10 miles and a 10K.
It's funny because after all the build-up and all the nerves and anxiety and stress and jitters and what-the-hell-was-I-thinking feelings I'll have this week, once I get to the start line, I know I'll be fine. I'll be calm and excited and ready. But it's getting there that will be the challenging part.
My nerves haven't been too bad. I've been dealing with this build-up well. But after today's 10-mile run, there's not much standing in the way now. A few midweek runs, lots of carbo-loading and water, and that's about it.
It's sort of like stepping up to a high diving board at a swimming pool. From a distance, it doesn't look too bad. When you start walking to it, you're excited about the jump but the closer you get, the more nervous you become because, after all, you're going to jump this really high distance. Then you get there, look down and... YIKES!!
I'm walking up to that diving board now. Suddenly, 26.2 miles seems like... well, 26.2 miles.
The part that worries me the most is once I hit Mile 20. I think I'll be okay at Mile 20 and even Mile 21, 22 but after that, every step I take is just going to add to my pain and discomfort and I'm going to want to
There's something I only feel when I reach the Land of High Mileage. My sides ache. It's like a slow burn on my sides and it makes the rest of me very uncomfortable. My feet also will be aching, I'm certain. The way I describe my marathon pain is that I feel like I've been hit by a truck, and next week an 18-wheeler's going to plow over me on Pacific Coast Highway.
I know come race day I'll be okay. My initial plan, well, part of it anyway, is to break the run up into three segments: Miles 1-10, Miles 11-20 and Miles 20-26.2. It's a lot easier to ingest when you think of it that way; 10 miles, 10 miles and a 10K.
It's funny because after all the build-up and all the nerves and anxiety and stress and jitters and what-the-hell-was-I-thinking feelings I'll have this week, once I get to the start line, I know I'll be fine. I'll be calm and excited and ready. But it's getting there that will be the challenging part.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Marathon Monster Has Diminished (A Little)
I have a marathon coming up! I can't believe it. I guess why I can't believe it is because I'm not as nervous as I was last year. I have a load of confidence heading into Surf City 2010 - not necessarily confidence in that I'm going to run a really fast race or anything but confidence in that I'm going to finish, I'm going to run strong and I'm going to live up to my marathoner status.
It's a stark contrast to last year when I was a ball of nerves the weeks leading up to Surf City.
How have things changed in one year? Here's where my 2010 and 2011 experiences have differed so far.
WEATHER
2010: I checked the weather multiple times a day... okay, it was like multiple times an hour. The last thing I wanted was rain.
2011: On Wednesday I checked the forecast once. It called for rain on Feb. 6. Thursday I checked once and rain was on the forecast for Feb. 7. While rain will be an inconvenience, I'm not worried about it.
HOTEL
2010: We rented a hotel for two nights a year ago. The room wasn't that great but it was within walking distance and we (Mrs. LB and I) felt it was important to have a place to stay nearby so I can get up and walk to the start line, walk back after the finish, sleep after the race and recover on a bed instead of a car.
2011: We may get a hotel but Mrs. LB is going to drop me off. We still haven't figured it out but I'm not worried about those parts of the logistics.
GEAR
2010: In my final long run ahead of the marathon, I wore the outfit I wound up wearing at the marathon. I wanted to make sure that things worked out well and that I would be comfortable in what I'd decided to wear.
2011: I'm wearing my pink Loper shirt but beyond that, not sure. I have an idea of what shorts I want to wear but nothing's finalized.
FELLOW RUNNERS
2010: I decided that I wanted to run with my pace group and I ended up running the race with them. One fellow Loper and I did most of the course together.
2011: I'm going at it alone.
MUSIC
2010: I carefully constructed a playlist, divided it up into three separate playlists so I could skip ahead if need be. I wound up skipping the second one altogether because I didn't start listening to music until about Mile 8 or so.
2011: Four songs have officially made my playlist. I'm thinking of just throwing in about 4.5 hours worth of music and hitting shuffle on race day.
DISTANCE
2010: I knew what it was like to run 22 miles. But I didn't know what it was like to run 23, 24, 25, 26 or 26.2.
2011: I know exactly what it's like to be on Mile 25 of a 26.2-mile run. Every muscle in your body is aching, every step requires a huge effort, and you feel as if you are not moving any closer to the finish line. As a fellow Loper told me, the last six miles are all mental. Been there twice, survived twice. I wouldn't say I came out unscathed but I did survive. And knowing that I survived and lived to run another day has given me the confidence I have now.
It's a stark contrast to last year when I was a ball of nerves the weeks leading up to Surf City.
How have things changed in one year? Here's where my 2010 and 2011 experiences have differed so far.
WEATHER
2010: I checked the weather multiple times a day... okay, it was like multiple times an hour. The last thing I wanted was rain.
2011: On Wednesday I checked the forecast once. It called for rain on Feb. 6. Thursday I checked once and rain was on the forecast for Feb. 7. While rain will be an inconvenience, I'm not worried about it.
HOTEL
2010: We rented a hotel for two nights a year ago. The room wasn't that great but it was within walking distance and we (Mrs. LB and I) felt it was important to have a place to stay nearby so I can get up and walk to the start line, walk back after the finish, sleep after the race and recover on a bed instead of a car.
2011: We may get a hotel but Mrs. LB is going to drop me off. We still haven't figured it out but I'm not worried about those parts of the logistics.
GEAR
2010: In my final long run ahead of the marathon, I wore the outfit I wound up wearing at the marathon. I wanted to make sure that things worked out well and that I would be comfortable in what I'd decided to wear.
2011: I'm wearing my pink Loper shirt but beyond that, not sure. I have an idea of what shorts I want to wear but nothing's finalized.
FELLOW RUNNERS
2010: I decided that I wanted to run with my pace group and I ended up running the race with them. One fellow Loper and I did most of the course together.
2011: I'm going at it alone.
MUSIC
2010: I carefully constructed a playlist, divided it up into three separate playlists so I could skip ahead if need be. I wound up skipping the second one altogether because I didn't start listening to music until about Mile 8 or so.
2011: Four songs have officially made my playlist. I'm thinking of just throwing in about 4.5 hours worth of music and hitting shuffle on race day.
DISTANCE
2010: I knew what it was like to run 22 miles. But I didn't know what it was like to run 23, 24, 25, 26 or 26.2.
2011: I know exactly what it's like to be on Mile 25 of a 26.2-mile run. Every muscle in your body is aching, every step requires a huge effort, and you feel as if you are not moving any closer to the finish line. As a fellow Loper told me, the last six miles are all mental. Been there twice, survived twice. I wouldn't say I came out unscathed but I did survive. And knowing that I survived and lived to run another day has given me the confidence I have now.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Stick The Finish!
One thing I like about races are the pictures. I’m not going to lie – I enjoy hamming it up every now and then. That’s one thing that is tangible about races, the pictures. That’s actual proof that you ran, and also pictures can take me back to moments during races and bring some positive memories (hopefully) back in the process.
Well, the best shot of any race is of course the finish line shot. It can also be the worst shot. If you aren’t prepared for it and are looking down at your wrist or maybe even down at your shoes or somewhere else, the moment is tarnished. I mean, would you want to show off your finish line shot of you looking at your wrist?
“This is me trying to figure out my time when I crossed the finish line of my first marathon.”
Yeah, no.
Anyway, I like to put a stamp on my races. I like to finish strong and try to tough it out at the end. Part of what gets me through the last few miles is to think about the finish line pose. I know it sounds lame but when your body is starting to fade, longing to quit and your mind is seriously contemplating giving in to the body’s desires to stop and sit down, any little thing can take your mind off the screams from your body.
What should I do when I cross the finish line? And then, really, you have to cross the finish line once you ask yourself that, right? You have no choice.
I like to plan ahead, and I’m planning ahead now for Surf City 2011. I won’t cross that finish line until just before noon on Feb. 6, but it’s never too early to think about the glory. Sure, I’ll have to go earn it of course but I will. I know I’ll cross that finish line. I might be a beaten-down mess of a man but I’m dragging myself across that damn line if I have to.
What will I do when I cross the finish line? Well, I’ve already done two poses.
stick LB and real LB celebrating after Surf City Marathon 2010
stick LB and real LB after San Francisco Marathon
There’s not too many more directions in which to put my arms.
But I came up with a few.
Arms out in front
Not sure if I'll cross the finish line with one of these poses or if I'll figure something else out while I'm on the beach path on Mile 23 or whatever, but I'll try and stick the finish one way or another.
Well, the best shot of any race is of course the finish line shot. It can also be the worst shot. If you aren’t prepared for it and are looking down at your wrist or maybe even down at your shoes or somewhere else, the moment is tarnished. I mean, would you want to show off your finish line shot of you looking at your wrist?
“This is me trying to figure out my time when I crossed the finish line of my first marathon.”
Yeah, no.
Anyway, I like to put a stamp on my races. I like to finish strong and try to tough it out at the end. Part of what gets me through the last few miles is to think about the finish line pose. I know it sounds lame but when your body is starting to fade, longing to quit and your mind is seriously contemplating giving in to the body’s desires to stop and sit down, any little thing can take your mind off the screams from your body.
What should I do when I cross the finish line? And then, really, you have to cross the finish line once you ask yourself that, right? You have no choice.
I like to plan ahead, and I’m planning ahead now for Surf City 2011. I won’t cross that finish line until just before noon on Feb. 6, but it’s never too early to think about the glory. Sure, I’ll have to go earn it of course but I will. I know I’ll cross that finish line. I might be a beaten-down mess of a man but I’m dragging myself across that damn line if I have to.
What will I do when I cross the finish line? Well, I’ve already done two poses.
stick LB and real LB celebrating after Surf City Marathon 2010
stick LB and real LB after San Francisco MarathonThere’s not too many more directions in which to put my arms.
But I came up with a few.
Arms out in front
Not as spread-eagle as San Francisco but arms out a bit wide nonetheless
Arms raised to the sky
Not sure if I'll cross the finish line with one of these poses or if I'll figure something else out while I'm on the beach path on Mile 23 or whatever, but I'll try and stick the finish one way or another.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Surf City Scouting Mission On The Cheap
I have seen the enemy, and the enemy is under warm skies.
Since there was no school on Monday, I decided to take the girls down to Huntington Beach. The trip served two purposes - first, it was a family outing, a "cheap thrill" if you will (I'll explain); and secondly, it was a bit of a scouting trip.
Huntington Beach is site of the Surf City Marathon, which will be Marathon No. 3 (and was No. 1 as well). While the memories of Feb. 7, 2010 are still crisp and vivid in my head, taking another trip down there wasn't a bad idea. And considering it was in the mid- to upper-70s in HB (and about 10 degrees warmer than that out here) I figured the beach would be a great idea.
The girls thought so too.
Now, the sun was out, no clouds, beaming, warm... but the water was quite cold. I mean, it's winter after all. But that didn't stop the girls from getting in the water. I only got my feet in the water, and I got up to just above my knee at the deepest, but my feet were blocks of ice.
At one point, they felt accustomed to it but I think they might have been going numb at that point and I confused that with warmth.
The girls liked the outing. They played in the sand, splashed around in the water, chowed down some lunch and enjoyed some ice cream.
Now, about the Cheap Thrills. My blog buddy Willoughby came up with this idea on her blog a while ago. Here's the criteria:
Aside from the six dollars for parking, I paid six dollars for ice cream and 2.25 for a couple of souvenirs. So that's 14.25. That's what my outing cost (not counting gas). Score one for LB.
She was excited about me pulling off a Cheap Thrill apparently.
Speaking of blog buddies, did I mention how totally and ridiculously awesome Morgan of Caution: Redhead Running is? Well, she is. She drew my name in a blog buddy Christmas exchange I participated in and she got me this stupendous shirt. My facial expression does it no justice.
I'm not a fan of my face here but oh well. The shirt is way awesome and I can't thank her enough.
I sported that shirt throughout HB and I will need its inspiration to help me slay this demon.
Looks innocent enough. A stretch of Pacific Coast Highway.
Well, it's not. The building off in the distance is the HB Hilton. In front of the hotel is the Surf City Marathon start line, and a little past this light here is the finish line. When I trudge past this light, this very spot from where I took this picture, I will be close to completing my marathon. Hopefully I will have some steam left in my tank and hopefully I'll be in one piece mentally.
If Monday's trip to Surf City is any indication, though, I should be fine, for the enemy is the same enemy I conquered in 2010 and while it wants revenge on Feb. 6, I will be up for the challenge.
Since there was no school on Monday, I decided to take the girls down to Huntington Beach. The trip served two purposes - first, it was a family outing, a "cheap thrill" if you will (I'll explain); and secondly, it was a bit of a scouting trip.
Huntington Beach is site of the Surf City Marathon, which will be Marathon No. 3 (and was No. 1 as well). While the memories of Feb. 7, 2010 are still crisp and vivid in my head, taking another trip down there wasn't a bad idea. And considering it was in the mid- to upper-70s in HB (and about 10 degrees warmer than that out here) I figured the beach would be a great idea.
The girls thought so too.
Now, the sun was out, no clouds, beaming, warm... but the water was quite cold. I mean, it's winter after all. But that didn't stop the girls from getting in the water. I only got my feet in the water, and I got up to just above my knee at the deepest, but my feet were blocks of ice.At one point, they felt accustomed to it but I think they might have been going numb at that point and I confused that with warmth.
The girls liked the outing. They played in the sand, splashed around in the water, chowed down some lunch and enjoyed some ice cream.Now, about the Cheap Thrills. My blog buddy Willoughby came up with this idea on her blog a while ago. Here's the criteria:
- Be within a reasonable distance from home so that no overnight stay is required
- Charge little or no fee to enjoy
- Appeal to both kids and adults
- Have a place to picnic nearby
Aside from the six dollars for parking, I paid six dollars for ice cream and 2.25 for a couple of souvenirs. So that's 14.25. That's what my outing cost (not counting gas). Score one for LB.
She was excited about me pulling off a Cheap Thrill apparently.Speaking of blog buddies, did I mention how totally and ridiculously awesome Morgan of Caution: Redhead Running is? Well, she is. She drew my name in a blog buddy Christmas exchange I participated in and she got me this stupendous shirt. My facial expression does it no justice.
I'm not a fan of my face here but oh well. The shirt is way awesome and I can't thank her enough.I sported that shirt throughout HB and I will need its inspiration to help me slay this demon.
Looks innocent enough. A stretch of Pacific Coast Highway.Well, it's not. The building off in the distance is the HB Hilton. In front of the hotel is the Surf City Marathon start line, and a little past this light here is the finish line. When I trudge past this light, this very spot from where I took this picture, I will be close to completing my marathon. Hopefully I will have some steam left in my tank and hopefully I'll be in one piece mentally.
If Monday's trip to Surf City is any indication, though, I should be fine, for the enemy is the same enemy I conquered in 2010 and while it wants revenge on Feb. 6, I will be up for the challenge.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Surf City Training (Almost) Done
I didn't get a medal or a t-shirt and there wasn't really any celebrating from any spectators, but I did something just as important as running a marathon on Sunday.
I finished my training.
Now, there are still two Sunday runs left before Surf City, but at 12 and 10 miles, these next two runs are mostly about getting the miles in and maintaining your form and fitness. All the hard work is over. All the grueling, mind-numbing, leg-killing, side-splitting, limp-inducing training runs are over.
It's something worth celebrating. I don't want to feel like the marathon will be a prance in the park because it won't. I've likened my past marathon experience as being akin to getting hit by a truck and I fully expect to be slammed head-on by an 18-wheeler somewhere in Huntington Beach on Feb. 6. However, it's just me and the monster now and I can stare at it head on with the confidence that I not only survived this training cycle but came through it strong.
Sunday, I ran 20 miles. It was my second 20-mile run in three weeks, which I think is a first. I ran 18 miles on Dec. 19. I've done several 13-, 14- and 15-mile runs as well over the last few months. So 12 and 10 now seem fairly manageable.
The hardest part about running a marathon is training for one. I've found that out with the two marathons I've run and trained for, and that's given me some calm now because that part is all but over.
The marathon itself will be hard. Challenging. Painful. Grueling. Torturous. But once I push past all that, there will be a medal on the other side, there will be cheers from spectators (and Mrs. LB), there will be glory.
And I've earned the right to be there and indulge in all that.
I finished my training.
Now, there are still two Sunday runs left before Surf City, but at 12 and 10 miles, these next two runs are mostly about getting the miles in and maintaining your form and fitness. All the hard work is over. All the grueling, mind-numbing, leg-killing, side-splitting, limp-inducing training runs are over.
It's something worth celebrating. I don't want to feel like the marathon will be a prance in the park because it won't. I've likened my past marathon experience as being akin to getting hit by a truck and I fully expect to be slammed head-on by an 18-wheeler somewhere in Huntington Beach on Feb. 6. However, it's just me and the monster now and I can stare at it head on with the confidence that I not only survived this training cycle but came through it strong.
Sunday, I ran 20 miles. It was my second 20-mile run in three weeks, which I think is a first. I ran 18 miles on Dec. 19. I've done several 13-, 14- and 15-mile runs as well over the last few months. So 12 and 10 now seem fairly manageable.
The hardest part about running a marathon is training for one. I've found that out with the two marathons I've run and trained for, and that's given me some calm now because that part is all but over.
The marathon itself will be hard. Challenging. Painful. Grueling. Torturous. But once I push past all that, there will be a medal on the other side, there will be cheers from spectators (and Mrs. LB), there will be glory.
And I've earned the right to be there and indulge in all that.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
One Month To Go
One month from today, I will take on the beast once more, the 26.2-mile beast that is the marathon.
On Feb. 6 I'll run Marathon No. 3, the Surf City Marathon.
Am I nervous? Not really, actually. I mean, I'll have the usual pre-race nerves and jitters as the day approaches I imagine, but standing here one month out, I'm looking forward to it with anticipation, not with dread. Last year, I wasn't dreading it necessarily but I was a ball of nerves often in the weeks leading up to the marathon.
Part of what calms me, of course, is that I've already run not only a marathon but this marathon. I now the course (it's not that great of a course, to be honest), I know what to expect in terms of the mental monsters (conquered them along the beach path last year) and I know what to expect in terms of pre- and post-race festivities (the expo sucked because it rained a ton last year; lots of crowds on PCH after race).
Also part of what is calming me is that I just ran 20 miles (20.11 to precise :) ) and I felt good afterward. Well, in relative terms I suppose. I felt much better after this 20-mile run than I did after the 20-miler I ran before San Francisco, both mentally and physically.
I have to keep myself grounded though. I can't approach this race with any sort of overconfidence. I have a lot going for me but all that can come back to bite me in my arse if I think that that will make things easier. There hasn't been anything easy about either of my two marathons and I don't expect that to change ahead of Marathon 3, Marathon 23 or Marathon 43 or whatever.
The experience I've amassed has to work for me, not against me. But so far, if these lack of nerves are any indication, it's working well already.
On Feb. 6 I'll run Marathon No. 3, the Surf City Marathon.
Am I nervous? Not really, actually. I mean, I'll have the usual pre-race nerves and jitters as the day approaches I imagine, but standing here one month out, I'm looking forward to it with anticipation, not with dread. Last year, I wasn't dreading it necessarily but I was a ball of nerves often in the weeks leading up to the marathon.
Part of what calms me, of course, is that I've already run not only a marathon but this marathon. I now the course (it's not that great of a course, to be honest), I know what to expect in terms of the mental monsters (conquered them along the beach path last year) and I know what to expect in terms of pre- and post-race festivities (the expo sucked because it rained a ton last year; lots of crowds on PCH after race).
Also part of what is calming me is that I just ran 20 miles (20.11 to precise :) ) and I felt good afterward. Well, in relative terms I suppose. I felt much better after this 20-mile run than I did after the 20-miler I ran before San Francisco, both mentally and physically.
I have to keep myself grounded though. I can't approach this race with any sort of overconfidence. I have a lot going for me but all that can come back to bite me in my arse if I think that that will make things easier. There hasn't been anything easy about either of my two marathons and I don't expect that to change ahead of Marathon 3, Marathon 23 or Marathon 43 or whatever.
The experience I've amassed has to work for me, not against me. But so far, if these lack of nerves are any indication, it's working well already.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Motivational Mondays: Best Racing Year Ever
It's not quite the end of the year yet, not quite time to do year-end recaps, but for me it is.
When I ran the Mission Inn Half Marathon on Nov. 14, I also completed the races I'll have run in 2010. It's kind of a downer to know that I won't race again until February but that just means I'll be able to focus on my next race, the Surf City Marathon on Feb. 6.
Anyway, I wanted to look back at the year I had in races. In terms of running, this has been the best year ever.
My first marathon! How superb it was to start the year off with a bang, jumping feet first into my first-ever 26.2-mile effort. I'd trained for the marathon so hard and did everything by the book beforehand. I was nervous, anxious, excited and worried about the race. The race itself went off without too many problems until I got past the Mile 22 mark. I hit the wall hard at Mile 23 and it felt like the last three miles took an hour. But I survived and shuffled across the finish at 4:42:26.
The whole race and the days leading up to it were very special moments to me. It sort of culminated all of what I'd gone through for the previous four years, from having weighed 308 pounds to having lost 120 to then having taken up running. I wore a bib on my back with an inspirational message I wrote and it really hammered the point home. I became a marathoner on Feb. 7, and that's something that nobody can ever take away from me.
Race report here.
Will I run this again in 2011? I am already registered! So, barring injury, this will be Marathon No. 3.
After having tackled a marathon, the thought of running a 5K seemed insignificant. However, this race was anything but. First, I wanted to get a more accurate read of the type of runner I was now. My only other 5K had been my first-ever race, back in 2008 when I was a newbie who didn't know what was going on. Also, I bet my brother, my more-athletic, in-shape, works-hard plays-hard brother, that he couldn't beat me in a 5K. We had a lot of fun talking smack before the race and we really did want to compete and beat one another.
I had one of my strongest performances here. Since it was only a 3.1-mile run, I went all out. I hit top speed and stayed there. I finished in 23:03 and beat my brother by more than one minute. I still talk smack to him about this race, and I know it eats at him. I've offered a re-match but he's scared; he just won't admit it.
Race report here.
Will I run this race again in 2010? Well, considering it was free, I'd like to. But I won't run it for speed. I'll save my thoughts on this one until I know it's going to happen but I'll probably be there one way or another.
Another free race. I signed up for this mostly because it was free, reason enough to get me out there in the fierce wind and run. Also, I enjoyed the race because it was at a bit of a unique place. How often, after all, can you run on a NASCAR track? The best part of the race, bar none, was running on the track at the California Speedway. There were so many skid marks and tire marks on the course, it was unreal. My favorite memory of this race was running down pit row and seeing all the pit areas up close.
Race recap here
Will I run this race again in 2011? Not sure. If it's held again I might want to run it again.
The challenge, should I have chosen to accept it, was to run a half-marathon in under two hours. I ran with Loper pal (and then-blog buddy) Angie since she also wanted to PR. It was a hilly course and the sun began to weigh on us the further we went along but that wasn't enough to stop a pair of determined runners. We each set a PR, each got under two hours for the first time and each were proud of our accomplishments. My year wasn't close to being over after this race but I believe this was my best performance of the year, that I ran my best race in April, in Redlands.
Race report here.
Will I run this race again in 2011? If I don't take a break after the LA Marathon, I might want to run this again.
I had run my first marathon, shattered my 5K PR and gotten under the two-hour mark in a half marathon. But there was one more obstacle to tackle. I wanted to get under 50 minutes in a 10K. The Run For Rescue course was uphill for a good portion, making the task more difficult. Despite fretting about the hills, I got through them just fine and at the end of the race I knew I was close to a sub-50 minute finish. I was all but out of gas but still fought through and crossed the finish at 49:42. I even placed fourth in my age group!
What also stands out is that my daughters ran their first race afterward. It was called the Kiddie K but it really was just a loop around the parking lot. It was a fun experience for all of us.
Race report here
Will I run this race again in 2011? Probably not. The race was actually for a good cause and it's a small race but I don't know that I'll be up for a 10K in early May.
I didn't want to find a closer and better race than Camp Pendleton - and didn't - but rather I wanted for my daughters to participate in a Mud Run. The SBSD Mud Run had a children's 1K Mud Run and this was the main reason why I chose to run this race. The course was not as challenging as Camp Pendleton and the obstacles seemed to be just pure mud, mostly mud pits. It was a 5K so not a lot of running either but I still enjoyed myself out there and got plenty muddy. The kid's course, though, was a true 1K; the first portion mostly running and the last part the same exact obstacles we had to go through. Yvie surprised me with her determination while Kennedy cried through a lot of the race but still pushed through. In the end, we were all muddy and all proud of what we'd done.
Race report here
Will I run this race again in 2011? It's a pretty safe bet that we will. I don't know if I'll do the 5K but the girls ask about the Mud Run and seem excited about it.
The race that started it all for me. The bonus this year - I got to meet blog reader Anne (aka Tahoegirl) and her husband. The race was fun as always, perhaps made even more challenging because of my inactivity. I didn't run at all the week before to see if rest would help my ongoing heel issues. I didn't bother trying for a PR and I didn't come close to it. But that didn't diminish from the experience at all.
Race recap here
Will I run this race again in 2011? Yes, the only question is the date. I'm hoping for June 18.
The mother of all hilly runs. I took this one on head-first. I wanted my second marathon to be special, and this one certainly was. Mrs. LB and I traveled up to San Francisco and made a weekend out of it.
This race had so many special moments, it's tough to narrow them down. The few miles I spent running on the Golden Gate Bridge were an absolute highlight of my running life. The hills, though, took their toll on me and the last few miles my legs were shot. However, I tried to finish strong and fought through the hill-induced aches. I finished in 4:37:51 as I bested my Surf City time by about five minutes. I also got to meet three blog buddies! Amanda of Fat Wuz Here, Katie of One Run At A Time and Jill of Run With Jill. And Mrs. LB and I had a fantastic weekend - how's that for a race experience?
Race report here
Will I run this race again in 2011? Even though I told my wife as Ihobbled walked back to the hotel room that I would not run the full marathon there again, I am all but sold on the idea of running that race once more.
I had already set a half-marathon PR earlier in 2010 but I wanted to beat it. I wasn't sure if I could but my previous PR was on a hilly course. Long Beach was advertised as "flat and fast" and it lived up to the billing. Despite sleeping only four hours, I was up for the race. My Garmin, though, was not. The Garmin was not reading accurately in Mile 3 so I stopped relying on it.
The loss of the Garmin made me focus on simply getting to the next mile marker. I enjoyed the beachfront path and the smell of the ocean. Once off the path and headed down the stretch, I knew I was close to a PR. I cruised into the finish but still wasn't sure what my official time was. However, a few minutes after finishing Mrs. LB sent me a text with my official time - 1:55:03!
Race recap here
Will I run this race again in 2011? If I run this race, I might run the full. Otherwise, I might just pass altogether.
I closed out the year with my local race, the Mission Inn Run. I'd run the 10K the last two years but opted for the half marathon this time (it's only been the second year the race has featured a half marathon). I wasn't feeling confident about setting a PR - and didn't - but I knew I had a strong race inside of me. I figured that if I ran strong and ran a good race, I would be happy. I did that and finished strong. My time of 1:56:20 is not my PR but it's still a time I was very happy with.
Race recap here
Will I run this race again in 2011? I'd like to. It's my local race so that makes it very appealing.
When I ran the Mission Inn Half Marathon on Nov. 14, I also completed the races I'll have run in 2010. It's kind of a downer to know that I won't race again until February but that just means I'll be able to focus on my next race, the Surf City Marathon on Feb. 6.
Anyway, I wanted to look back at the year I had in races. In terms of running, this has been the best year ever.
Feb. 7: Surf City Marathon
My first marathon! How superb it was to start the year off with a bang, jumping feet first into my first-ever 26.2-mile effort. I'd trained for the marathon so hard and did everything by the book beforehand. I was nervous, anxious, excited and worried about the race. The race itself went off without too many problems until I got past the Mile 22 mark. I hit the wall hard at Mile 23 and it felt like the last three miles took an hour. But I survived and shuffled across the finish at 4:42:26.The whole race and the days leading up to it were very special moments to me. It sort of culminated all of what I'd gone through for the previous four years, from having weighed 308 pounds to having lost 120 to then having taken up running. I wore a bib on my back with an inspirational message I wrote and it really hammered the point home. I became a marathoner on Feb. 7, and that's something that nobody can ever take away from me.
Race report here.
Will I run this again in 2011? I am already registered! So, barring injury, this will be Marathon No. 3.
March 13: ARMC 5K
After having tackled a marathon, the thought of running a 5K seemed insignificant. However, this race was anything but. First, I wanted to get a more accurate read of the type of runner I was now. My only other 5K had been my first-ever race, back in 2008 when I was a newbie who didn't know what was going on. Also, I bet my brother, my more-athletic, in-shape, works-hard plays-hard brother, that he couldn't beat me in a 5K. We had a lot of fun talking smack before the race and we really did want to compete and beat one another.I had one of my strongest performances here. Since it was only a 3.1-mile run, I went all out. I hit top speed and stayed there. I finished in 23:03 and beat my brother by more than one minute. I still talk smack to him about this race, and I know it eats at him. I've offered a re-match but he's scared; he just won't admit it.
Race report here.
Will I run this race again in 2010? Well, considering it was free, I'd like to. But I won't run it for speed. I'll save my thoughts on this one until I know it's going to happen but I'll probably be there one way or another.
March 27: Lefty's 5K
Another free race. I signed up for this mostly because it was free, reason enough to get me out there in the fierce wind and run. Also, I enjoyed the race because it was at a bit of a unique place. How often, after all, can you run on a NASCAR track? The best part of the race, bar none, was running on the track at the California Speedway. There were so many skid marks and tire marks on the course, it was unreal. My favorite memory of this race was running down pit row and seeing all the pit areas up close.Race recap here
Will I run this race again in 2011? Not sure. If it's held again I might want to run it again.
April 19: Run Through Redlands Half Marathon
The challenge, should I have chosen to accept it, was to run a half-marathon in under two hours. I ran with Loper pal (and then-blog buddy) Angie since she also wanted to PR. It was a hilly course and the sun began to weigh on us the further we went along but that wasn't enough to stop a pair of determined runners. We each set a PR, each got under two hours for the first time and each were proud of our accomplishments. My year wasn't close to being over after this race but I believe this was my best performance of the year, that I ran my best race in April, in Redlands.Race report here.
Will I run this race again in 2011? If I don't take a break after the LA Marathon, I might want to run this again.
May 1: Run For Rescue 10K
What also stands out is that my daughters ran their first race afterward. It was called the Kiddie K but it really was just a loop around the parking lot. It was a fun experience for all of us.
Race report here
Will I run this race again in 2011? Probably not. The race was actually for a good cause and it's a small race but I don't know that I'll be up for a 10K in early May.
May 22: San Bernardino Mud Run
Race report here
Will I run this race again in 2011? It's a pretty safe bet that we will. I don't know if I'll do the 5K but the girls ask about the Mud Run and seem excited about it.
June 5: Camp Pendleton Mud Run
Race recap here
Will I run this race again in 2011? Yes, the only question is the date. I'm hoping for June 18.
July 25: San Francisco Marathon
The mother of all hilly runs. I took this one on head-first. I wanted my second marathon to be special, and this one certainly was. Mrs. LB and I traveled up to San Francisco and made a weekend out of it.
This race had so many special moments, it's tough to narrow them down. The few miles I spent running on the Golden Gate Bridge were an absolute highlight of my running life. The hills, though, took their toll on me and the last few miles my legs were shot. However, I tried to finish strong and fought through the hill-induced aches. I finished in 4:37:51 as I bested my Surf City time by about five minutes. I also got to meet three blog buddies! Amanda of Fat Wuz Here, Katie of One Run At A Time and Jill of Run With Jill. And Mrs. LB and I had a fantastic weekend - how's that for a race experience?Race report here
Will I run this race again in 2011? Even though I told my wife as I
Oct. 17: Long Beach Half Marathon
The loss of the Garmin made me focus on simply getting to the next mile marker. I enjoyed the beachfront path and the smell of the ocean. Once off the path and headed down the stretch, I knew I was close to a PR. I cruised into the finish but still wasn't sure what my official time was. However, a few minutes after finishing Mrs. LB sent me a text with my official time - 1:55:03!
Race recap here
Will I run this race again in 2011? If I run this race, I might run the full. Otherwise, I might just pass altogether.
Nov. 14: Mission Inn Half Marathon
Race recap here
Will I run this race again in 2011? I'd like to. It's my local race so that makes it very appealing.
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