Following my typical operating procedures for this year, I’ve been exercising as much as I feel I can without becoming overtrained, yet enough to allow me to feel fit. The truth is that since my EndureChallenge back in September I have been a little on the lower side of where I would like to be. After that challenge I took a full week off and then slowly started to integrate some swimming, then running, then biking back into my schedule. It has been really helpful to have the Ironman Louisville group up and training because they have really motivated me to take care of myself so I could get back up to full speed quicker than normal (Thanks Paula and Lauren!)
I don’t remember exactly when the topic of doing the Rocket City Marathon came up, but I remember talking about it a few weeks after the EndureChallenge.
I wanted to sign up for Rocket City for a few reasons:
- I don’t want to have a period where I get too distant from a race. Race consistently to race better!
- Jeff Buhr had mentioned the marathon, which meant I would have someone to travel with (and run with for a little while).
- Brad Feld is someone I have been helping train for marathons, but I have never met him face-to-face, so this would be a fairly close race to have that opportunity.
My own expectations:
This is my 6th marathon in 2008 (counting Great Illini IronDistance Race) so I know that I’m on the edge of doing too many long races without being forced to take a long period of rest – or having a period of serious stagnation in performance. I have tried to manage my expectations all year, knowing that my main training goal was:
“to be consistent” and “race when healthy and able”
This has meant that my longest training run in 2008 was 19 miles, back in February, when I ran with Allisa as she prepared for the Boston Marathon. Since that run the longest training run that I’ve done has been 15 miles. Leading up to this marathon, I had only done consistent runs of 45 minutes to 1 hour. Two weekends before Rocket City Jeff and I went out on a 15 mile run (Pit Bull @ Todd’s Road) and I told Jeff that I expected to squeeze out 15ish miles. At that point I was going to walk/jog in order to protect my legs and allow my training to continue as normal (12 runs in 14 days for the IMLou group right now).
What you want to do and what happens on race day is often very different because a race (and ego) can do many things to influence your behavior!
My Race Day Experience:
Jeff and I started running the first few miles at a pace that felt really comfortable, but we had no clue how hard we were running. My Garmin 305 had not been charged so the battery was already dead before I started the race and Jeff doesn’t run with a Garmin (smart!). As we crossed the 1 mile mark, the time keeper shouted “6:21, 6:22, 6:23″… oh boy!
Over the next couple miles we backed off a little, but only a little. We went through miles 2 and 3 around 6:30 – 6:35 pace. I was feeling really good running at this pace, but in my mind I felt like I was in over my head. “Hold on to this feeling” is all I kept telling myself.
A group of runners joined us around the 4 mile mark. It was nice because the group was rather large. They all seemed nice enough and were running exactly where we wanted to be. As the group dynamic built I continued to feel really good and just sat in the pack and participated in marathoner’s chit-chat.
The hard part for me was that I felt like the group was running well and I wasn’t sure I still wanted to drop out at 13.1 to 15? I began to tell Jeff that I would be done at 15 as a way to reinforce my decision. That discussion is something you have to be careful with as you are running a marathon. You don’t want to say it so many times that you discourage the runners who are planning to take on the whole 26.2, but I still needed to confirm to myself that I was doing the right thing.
The group went through the 13.1 marker just under 1:27, which was what I told Jeff I would help pace him to. Luckily for me the group dynamic began to change as we went through mile 14. One of the female runners in the group made a surge (at least it seemed that way) as we went through the aid station at mile marker 14. It broke the pack up, so I worked pretty hard to get about 3 feet off the back of those in front again, then it appeared that another surge happened. “Good enough” I thought and continued to run where I was and stopped at mile 15 for my first walking break.
Miles 15 to 25 were actually very little fun. I walked an awful lot over that period of time, probably 2.5 to 3 of those miles were done walking, the other pieces were done at a jogging effort.
I am always preaching about the benefits of using a run / walk race strategy. In fact, I think that anyone running over a 3:30 must do it, over a 3:15 should consider it and anyone over a 3:00 marathon should do a serious pro/con analysis. But there is one thing about the run/walk strategy that must be known: It must be done from mile one, before you have reached the point of fatigue. If you wait until you are forced to walk – It’s Too Late!
This race was a good reminder of that principle. The walking I did in this marathon was by no means a way to improve my race result, it merely was an attempt to decrease the damage that a marathon does to your legs.
Mile 25. Just after passing the 25 mile mark, Bryan Mullins passed me and I began running with him. It was nice to finally have someone to run with again. We finished the race together in 3:17.
Final Thoughts:
Rocket City is a great race. The expo is small enough that you can walk in and just grab your items. The hotels are about 100 yards from the start and finish line. I would suggest that you stay in the Embassy Suites at the start line.
Maybe the most important factor for some runners it the course layout. This course is a perfect course to try and set a new marathon personal best – it is speedy friendly.
It was a great way to end my 2008 year. I have also recovered well from the race. I got a bike ride in the next day, took Monday off and back to running on Tuesday. 2008 was a year to take things as they come, 2009 is a very focused year: One Day, One Race, One Goal.
Jeff Buhr, by the way, ended up running a 2:57! Nice job Jeff and what a great year 2008 was for you! And Brad (with Matt Shobe) ran 4:39, about 20 to 25 minutes faster than he told me he might run the night before – great job Brad, 36 to go.
