Goals for this race (in order of importance)
1. Run easy enough so I can recover before my 50miler on November 1st
2. Run Sub 4hrs
3. Have fun
Pre Race
I do a lot of things that other runners would call dumb, within my track club I have the reputation being “that crazy guy”. But I am not that crazy and I take on challenges that I think I can overcome. This race on the other hand had me questioning my sanity. A marathon 2 weeks before a 50 miler that is stupid. It’s not a good sign when you are questioning yourself add to that the pressure of all my friends running or spectating, a streak that I can’t let die (goal #2) and a rough training schedule that I just finished a week earlier. It was obvious that there was no way that I could hit all three of my goals.
0 – 10, 10 miles – 1:27:29, 8:45 pace
Right of the bat my legs felt like crud. I have found that when I am training hard I can go week to week without soreness but as soon as a take some time off all that fatigue catches up with me. This week and last week was my rest break. The 5 weeks of training before that was brutal with 5 long runs over 20 miles. It didn’t help that they changed the course this year and significantly added a lot more hills to the early miles. By mile 10 my legs felt like they could cramp up at any moment. At least the weather was perfect it was in the 50’s and overcast.
11-20, 10 miles – 1:29:07:29, 8:55 pace
One thing that I did have going for me was the amount of friends and family running and spectating. Knowing that I was going to run slower I backed up into coral 6 and ran with a friend. As the day got hotter he had to let me go on without him but we ran a good chunk together. I slowed down too but not at much as the entire race seemed to slow. Because I started in corral 6 I kept catching up to friends which I would chat with for a moment and then be on my way. I am amazed that was able to find so many people within the 12,000 runners. At mile 12ish 10,000 of those runners turned off our course to finish the half marathon. The course was a little more lonesome, just the way I like it. I had to go to the bathroom pretty bad but I told myself that I would go when I saw an open pot-a-pottie. Unfortunately that didn’t happen until mile 15, I always go by this rule and sometime it takes until mile 18-20 before I don’t have to wait in line. My calfs still were threating to cramp and I was feeling warm, I was no longer coasting and I knew that was going to have to work now to keep my sub 4:00.
21-24, 4 miles – 35:42, 8:51 pace
The clouds rolled away and the sun came out raising the temp up to about 70F. I was still holding my pace pretty steady. At this time I was flying past people who were destroyed, which was most everyone. My kids were waiting for me at their usual spot where they could see me twice and I was happy to see them as usual. In addition to my family I probably saw a friend spectating every 2-3 miles along the course. One of my goals this off season is to repay the favor and cheer my friends on in their races.
25-26.2, 2.2 miles – 18:38, 8:28 pace
With only 2 miles to go I lifted the self-imposed speed limit. Late in a marathon if you can hold your pace you pass people like crazy, speed up and it’s like they are standing still as you blow past them. This race has really grown and the finish this year was awesome. From about a half mile out you are running through a tunnel of cheering people, it was so loud. I actually had a final kick in me that felt fast my gamin said 7:30 pace for the last 0.2, at least it was enough to outsprint superman. Later my son asked me “why didn’t superman just fly to the finish?
Goals Revisited
1. Run easy enough to recover. Check, today (Wednesday) I ran 7 miles @ 8:38 pace for my easy run
2. Run Sub 4hrs. Check, and the streak continues to 10 sub 4’s in a row.
3. Have fun. Check.... Well sorta, that was a lot harder than I planned so there wasn’t much time to stop and smell the roses.
A few stats
21st Marathon/Ultra
8th fastest marathon
10th consecutive sub 4:00 marathon (excluding ultras and trail 26.2’s)
4th Denver Rock n’ Roll Marathon (I have also run the half 2 times)
6th marathon of 2014
Pictures
21.5 miles into the race and I am having way to much fun
This one is at 23.5 miles. I just gave my daughter a high five, I look determined.
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