2014 Marine Corps Marathon

Standard fair...a blogger who can't commit to regular intervals.

What a second half of the year.  While I missed the "A" goal target, I set new personal bests at the marathon and 50k.  My goal is to quickly draft race reports (months behind schedule) over the coming days.

First up, Marine Corps Marathon in late October.  I have committed to doing this event in memory of my departed best friend Tom every year I am physically capable.  This was my third straight year running this event.  I avoided the lottery entry format by joining Semper Fi Fund (SFF) again, and raising funds for injured warriors.  Team Bull was well represented on the course and within the SFF community.  We had several first time marathoners, and a few returners - who swore they would never run a marathon again.  The challenge just sucks you in every time. Chatter about next year's commitment to a larger Team Bull group began minutes after (almost) everybody assembled in the SFF tent post run.  I will always keep this date cleared from my calendar - it is the best marathon anybody could run.  It is flat, it has amazing scenery (National Mall), and is crowded with supporters the entire distance. First time marathoner - this is your best choice!

For me MCM was the second race of a trilogy.  Two weeks prior, I won Maine's Farm to Farm 50k in a personal best 3:53 (3:19 marathon split).  I had committed to pushing the 50k and just seeing what was in the engine for the marathon.  The "A" race, JFK50 miler was four weeks after MCM.  Plenty of time to recover and taper.  Heading into MCM, I felt recovered and ready.  I was fully aware of my need for a solid Boston Qualifier (BQ) - something better than my last MCM of 3:13 was desired.

My plan was to negative split.  My strength was my endurance.  I had done plenty of speed work in September and October - but all my training runs highlighted an interesting trait, at about an hour into a run I could increase my pace with less effort while others fatigued.  So I set out to hit the half at 1:35, and come back with a 1:32.  A personal best was in mind, a sub 3:08.  I would have been happy with anything under 3:10 (5 minutes under BQ) - but 3:08:01 would make my day.  Several friends were pushing me to go after the holy grail, a sub 3hr performance.  I didn't have the confidence, and first and foremost on my mind was, 2016 Boston.

The start of MCM is the hilliest of the entire course.  I discount those hills as I am fresh and full of race day excitement, never mind being surrounded by tens of thousands of runners and supporters.  This year however, I felt a familiar uncomfortable twinge going through my body.  The best way that I can describe it is a chill in the chest area and my legs feel heavy.  I have learned this is a sign I am pushing the pace beyond what I should be.  A quick look at my watch and I see I am averaging 7:12 for the first two miles.  Well within reason - but also slightly faster than I wanted to start.  I was planning 7:25 for the initial 5k.  This was supposed to be my warm up.  Instead, I am already at 3:08 pace with hills!  Recognizing this marathon may be a struggle - it may not be my day - I pulled back the reins slightly.  I was trying to get into a comfortable rhythm. 3:15 was now the new target.

Over the past three years running marathons and ultras, I have learned that managing my pace by incorporating brief "pull-back" periods during the race is the only way I can avoid a major blow-up.  Keeping the foot on the peddle, like I did with the mile and 5k races as a youngster, has proven ill fated on a couple of occasions. Acknowledging that I need some time to recover, or that this pace is not sustainable, is akin to going into self preservation mode.  What is most surprising about this...the pace usually is only a handful of seconds slower and typically only lasts a quarter to half mile.  I eventually drift back to the initial pace, and feel 110% better.

For the next 18 miles, I ran every mile under 7:00 (exception: 7:11 @ mile 7 - potty break).  Several times, incorporating a brief 60 second recovery.

By mile 8, I had caught the 3:05 pace group.  A couple dozen runners had gathered around the pacer.  I didn't believe they were on target for 3:05 - but felt they could very easily drag me to my PR, so I stayed with the group.  Unfortunately, the pacer was inconsistent.  One moment we would be dragging our feet, and the crowd of runners would nearly stomp over each other - then followed by a near sprint to make up for some lost time.  I eventually got tired of this ebb and flow, and decided to get in front of the group.  By doing so, I re-established the pace I had used to pull this group in earlier.

By this point, I had come to realize that my watch GPS and race distance markings were not in alignment.  This was the second year in a row I was off by nearly a quarter mile by the half way point.  While MCM is all things wonderful, the crowd of runners makes it nearly impossible to run the tangents optimially.  Everybody runs long at MCM (except for the leaders)!

By mile 9, and yet another sub 7:00 mile, I started realizing that I am on target for a sub 3:05. I started to think about holding back just slightly.  I'd be ok with a 7:00 mile!  I wasn't tired at this stage of the race, but I knew it was coming. The longer I could delay the onset of fatigue, the better my chances were for a PR. However, despite my effort to clamp down, I continued to drop 6:50 mile splits and cruised through the half marathon in 1:31.24.   As I rounded the turn after that split, I kept looking back for the 3:05 pace group.  I wanted to see how much 'time' I had on them, as I now acknowledged the pacer was on target.  Nearly exactly one minute separated us.

At his point, I dedicated all of my attention on a systems check and on finding a way to SLOW THE FUCK DOWN!  My dreaded section, the run out to Crystal City was on the horizon.  I had to conserve resources in order to navigate through the fatigue that was surely building up for a suprise knock out punch.

For the next 5 miles, I had successfully scaled back the pace approximately 10 seconds per mile.   Miles 18 to 20 I could feel some of the fatigue settling in.  Doing the math in my head, 7:30s would get me a PR.  7:10s would break 3:05.  I had time to take back.  I now targeted 7:10 as a good mile split.  7:06 and 7:09.  Good enough.

Then it happened.  Mile 20.  Heading towards Crystal City, right before the bridge.

A small group of race supportors yells out "great job...." followed by "3:05 pace group".

I had forgotten all about them. I glanced over my shoulder, and there he was.  The pacer was about to overtake me.  Talk about a buzzkill.  The 3:05 group went by me with relative ease. In a flash I found myself 10 yards back from them.  My hopes for 3:05 were now gone, and I feared for my PR, as a ton of time can be lost with only a few miles to go in the marathon.

Fortunately, I was not out for the count at this stage.  While I was tired, this feeling was very much manageable with less than 10k to go.  I also noticed the pace group wasn't pulling away.  Ah...the ebb and flow of this pacer.  I made a decision to pull the group back and see how long I can stay with them.  Once back with them, I looked around.  The group had dwindled down from two dozen at mile 8, to 5 runners now.  From the time I left them at 8, only one runner passed me.  I suddenly felt reinvigorated.  Knowing I made it 21 miles with this much smaller group gave me confidence.

"Why can't I break 3:05?"

I stayed with this group until mile 24, shortly before the Pentagon.  There was a water stop in the middle of a couple of turns.  I don't know why, but my racing instincts kicked in at this point, despite the fact I was NOT racing this group.  Maybe I was worried they wouldn't hit their target 3:05.  Maybe I was worried they could break me if they were to pull away.  Whatever it was, it resulted in a surge that carried me all the way to the finish.  I went back under 7:00 with a 6:53 before turning straight into a massive headwind for the final 2 miles. It was so bad, for a brief period, I tried to take advantage of a 6'5"+ man as my wind breaker. My arms were pumping as if this was the final 50 meters of a 400 meter dash - - - hoping the arms can drive the legs through to the finish.  I was passing runners struggling to deal with this blasted wind tunnel nearly as much as I.  I had started to wish for the final two tenths of a mile, despite knowing it was an uphill climb to the finish.  The fact was, that final road climb to the finish was perpendicular to the direction I was currently running - - no more wind!

3:04:20.   Personal best by nearly 4 minutes. The 3:05 group had shrunk even further, with the pacer and two others crossing 20 seconds after me.

By beating the qualifying standard by nearly 11 minutes, my 2016 Boston Marathon is locked in now.  Final GPS distance read 26.47, which mirrored several other runners crossing when I did.  In reviewing my watch, I covered the marathon distance in 3:02 (correct...technically that doesn't mean squat), giving me a ton of confidence in my training and potential to break 3:00 in the future.

Camera Fun!

Recovery week is going very well.  OHR and resting heart rate have dropped. I feel very fresh. Fatigue has gone away.  I am not stretching as much as I should, but I'll fix that soon enough (I promise).

Being an easy week, I took Ainsleigh out on several shorter runs this week.  On this one, we were out a 4.5 mile trip.  The downpour from the previous day filled up the streams, leaving plenty to dance through!

A little experiment with this one today.  (updated video should play on idevices too)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCITtQlj8VQ&feature=youtu.be

Solo 50k Race Report

5:45AM  Wake up.   Concerned as heart rate feels faster than yesterday.  Cotton mouth. Damn alcohol.   Two glasses of port during movie night with Heather had some residual effect.

5:50 bio break done.  Weight is what??? 177 lbs. F'er is broke I am sure.

6:00 Heart Monitor on...not bad, but I am a few beats up from yesterday.  Reboot PC, lay on floor to perform OHR test.

7:00 Jump in truck....damn Google maps...why can't you find Air Line trail East Haddem.  Oh.  Yes.  I meant East Hampton.  Grrrr...why are you taking me too downtown Colchester????

7:20 Departed Starbucks. Emergency pit stop.  I think excess weight was legit.  My cheat meal of Oakdale Pizza's Lasagna is fully processed.  Finished off breakfast drink *430 calories

7:25 google maps is stupid.  wrong turn.  three point turn on back country road, barely wide enough for two cars.  I have a Ford F350.  I consume this road.  Damn google maps.  

7:30 finally arrive.  Another emergency pit stop.  Final preparations.

8:00 I'm Off! 

Simulated Gun - "kapow"

Goal is a sub 5hr time for the 50k (31 miles), a 9:40 mpm pace.  I felt I could go as low as 4hr 40min, a 9:01 pace.  While I have a 50k PR, it is not one that turns any heads at.  I've completed two 50k races, both were my introductions to the ultramarathon experience.  With my first, at 2012 Oak Mountain (AL), I went in overly confident I could cruise at 8:30mpm and win by a mile.  By 10 miles, I had discovered what racing long distances on hilly / mountainous single track could do to your body.  I was still training more like a half marathoner, where speed still ruled.  Not there.  Close to dropping out, I finished the long (33 miles) course in 6hr 51min.  Ok - I learned a bit on that one.  Second attempt was at 2013 Lovin the Hills (KY).  I ran a smarter race, but still had to resort to a miserable walk late in the race.  I finished well,11th in 5hr48min, on yet another long course (32 miles).  So the PR stood at 5hr 48min, despite having been on a long course.

Today's route was along the Connecticut Air Line trail, a 50 mile+ converted rail to trail system.  It closely resembles the dirt roads found throughout New England, Arizona, and Utah (from my experience).  You could run in the darkest of nights and not worry about spraining an ankle or tripping.  At first glance, to the fresh legged runner, it appears flat.  To those that have run it numerous times, and have run it when exhausted - the hills are low grade and long.  Don't interpret this as a "hilly" trail course - just recognize that it isn't flat.  

I had mapped out a round trip "L" formed course, with the plan to meet my family at the halfway point.   I was going to stay in my Zone 2 heart rate (less than 131 bmp) for the first half, then accelerate as needed on the return trip.  I felt good early, aided by a lengthy 5 mile slow descent.  I could feel the pull, and the extremely low heart rate. I could feel the difference once the trail leveled out.  I was dealing with a bit of pre-run over-hydration as I was stopping every two miles....2, 4, and 6.  Normally not a concern, but with each stop I noted the average pace increasing on my watch.  It was frustrating to see the good pace almost go to waste.  Eventually it settled down, and I started drinking my Nuun again.  I stopped twice over the rest of the run, so the hydration plan seemed to work.

Around 90 minutes I grew increasingly aware that I was approaching my transition point, the intersection where my laissez-faire approach to running will yield some discomfort.  This is a common spot for that, but one I have been training to move later into the run.  I was blessed today, as it was delayed until approximately mile 13.  Nearly 2 hours into the run.  That demon finally found me.  'Let's do lunch' I said, but that isn't his thing.  Instead, he started playing with my mind.

So, Let's Dance MotherFucker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RlTYy9X3hI

I entered the halfway point slightly ahead of my targeted best effort.  2hr 19min, at 8:59 pace.  I filled up on Nuun (Electrolytes), Endurolytes (more electrolytes) and Vitargo (calories).  A quick bio break, a kiss to the family and then off.  A quick glance at my watch and the burden of the time was now weighing heavily on my mind.  The brief 110 second stop raised my average pace up to 9:06 mpm - Fuck.  Don't panic.  15.5 miles to make up 6 seconds per mile.  For the non-math wizards out there, this doesn't mean I have to run 6 seconds per mile faster than 9:06.  It means I must average 12 seconds better, or 8:54.  The second half, with increasingly tired legs, fading mental strength, and a 5 mile uphill climb, must be faster than the fresh first half. Panic didn't pull up a chair and settle in the corner of my mind.  I kept the door shut and began to strategize my comeback.  I am every bit confident in my long kick capability (Sean knows it too well).

My 12 year old son, Matthew then joined me on the reverse "L" for the final 15.5 miles - his longest bike ride by 6 miles.  He felt confident.  We chatted a bit early, I enjoyed the company, except for the first mile.  My mind was busy dealing with increasing fatigue and developing my approach so I could finish at a 9mpm average.  Doing the math ate up time, but also mean I wasn't excited about idle chatter.  After a half mile, I realized I had plenty of time to calculate and develop a plan - so I engaged in some short conversations with him.   'How long was his wait?', 'What is in his bag?', 'What did he think of this being his new longest ride?'.  It was never a straight, long winded, conversation.  It was enough though to eat up the first few miles.  He was in good spirits...a must if he was going to successfully complete his biggest journey.

With 12 miles to go, I decided work on the plan - where was I going to accelerate.   Make that push.  At first, I thought to hold out till 8 miles remaining.  Upon hitting 23 miles, the thought of picking up the pace and holding it for 70 minutes was too intimidating.  Ok -  new plan.  Let's go after the marathon mark.  26.2 miles, less than 5 miles to go.  The downside, that's the uphill.  I was also keeping close tabs on the watch.  My pace had trickled down a little bit.  9:05 by 17 miles, 9:04 at 19 miles.  Then I was flipping around 9:02. One moment 9:02 average...then the next 9:01, then back to 9:02. I had calculated early on, that for every 2 seconds average pace, translated to a 31 to 61 seconds additional (or less) total running time.  This meant a 9:02 pace could result in a 4hr 40min finish.  Damn it.  I will be four hours and thirty something. At the marathon point, 3:55:48, I finally hit the 9mpm. Now, I either must maintain it, or work for the gravy.   I was at that point in a run where glancing down at the watch provided for only one response: "I ONLY WENT THAT FAR! ARGH!".  Unfortunately I was down to the last few drops of water - my rationing turned into my reward system.  I was only allowed to drink at mile markers.  I calculated I would be out after mile 28.  Matthew was now struggling.  The kid initially rode ahead in the early miles, upwards of 100 meters.  By this point, I was looking back concerned for his well being.  I tried to provide encouragement and motivation, as we clicked down the miles.  "Only 3 to go!!!"

With three to go, and basically enough water to feed an ant, I decided to put forth a sustained effort.  The motivation, end this misery a minute early.  In hindsight, while the effort was elevated, as demonstrated by my heart rate (average jumped 10bpm to 160 over that 3 miles), the pace was sustained around 8:50mpm.  I crossed the finish line in 4hr 38min 16 sec -a personal best by more than an hour.  I began to walk back and find Matthew, but didn't have to go too far.  Upon seeing me, he stood up on his bike and accelerated through the finish.  His longest ride to date.  Text mom we are safe, and then off to the store to stock up on fluids.   Great day!

Notes:  

• First Half: 2:19:26 (8:59 mpm)
• Turn-Around Aid Station 1 minute  50 seconds
• Second Half: 2:17:00 (8:50 mpm)

Total Elevation Gain: 1,879 Feet

Average HR: 139 bpm

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/562079062