Second week of the new program that will hopefully get me through the Seattle marathon in personal record time. The best thing about this one is that the speed work is doable. So this is also my second consecutive week of actually doing the speedwork listed in the program. This is a first for me I hardly ever do speedwork and never manage the amount posted in a plan. So today 6 short hills at 5k pace, or as fast as I could manage anyway.
Tomorrow I meet D from the Eugene race 2007. We are die to meet up for a run around Greenlake at 6am - which means I probably need to leave before 5.30am....those hills along 65th will be a killer.
Tuesday, 29 July 2008
Monday, 21 July 2008
Quite a while
...since my last post, though I have been thinking about you. Very busy with the end of school. Busy at work with talk about the lab moving away from Seattle. Never really got the running going well again after Eugene. Still plodding away but less interest for a while "marathon blues' it's called. Great trip to Florida in June, not much running done there, either blistering hot, too lazy or spectacular thunderstorms. raced the Seafair half the week we got back. Not a great time or a good race. Very hot...reaching up into the 90s, poor organisers, they moved the race into mid-June to avoid the heat in July and look what happened. Lots of runners packing th course for the first 4 miles at least, unable to find my pace. Woman with a clippy camelback for goodness sake that sound almost drove a few people insane! This combined with brutal hills...but really only 2 mins slower than last year so not desperate really. Lots of Gleukos to drink...upset my belly for days afterwards. Poured water over my head, ran through hoses, sprinklers. Most proud that I managed to stay out of the medical tent. Have got my act together now think for Seattle 26.2 Thanksgiving WE. New plan, goes right upto 26 in training, must follow the speedwork. First of these sessions tomorrow. P and T away right now for a couple of weeks. Getting some mundane cleaning and tidying done, otherwise enjoying the time with R. We ran 3 miles this morning, fast for me slow for him.
Saturday, 10 May 2008
Race Report -2nd Eugene Marathon
It has been a week now and I know that there are things that I have forgotten about the race but in fact I couldn't probably have recorded it all anyway. Here is a distilled but not 'absolute proof' version of events. The single most different thing about his race for me compared with every other was that R was able to leave our boys in heavenly Fall Creek while he followed me around the course. In the past he's been brilliant at figuring out my mile splits and managed to catch me going past. So we relied upon his abilities to do the same here. The day dawned overcast and actually rather chilly. I wore two long sleeved shirts over my tank on the way to Hayward Field, the start. The race set up is fantastic and R was able to park the car just on the street parallel to the start line, down the road from the port-a- loss. This is something I had planned on doing so I joined a line and started pre-race people watching as I waited. With that taken care of, I met R by the race line-up. There were still about ten minutes to go. I handed him my second long-sleeve top and threaded my way somewhere around the 4:45 and 5:01 pace cards...but no pacer anywhere, no matter, I've never run with a pacer before anyway.
I positioned myself near a couple who looked as though they knew what they were doing. She was wearing a blue Seattle Marathon 2006 shirt (one of my favourites) and she also sounded quite English...comforting in this big crowd. National anthem and then we were off, pretty much right on time. I always enjoy the feeling of starting a race. I felt fresh and ready to run, the cool air was a good thing for me. Soon enough the crowd began to thin a little and I found a group that were running my pace, though in all honesty I did think they all looked as though they were already pushing it a bit. At the 1/4 mile mark my friend's sister, to whom I'd been introduced at the expo, greeted me, she said hi and then zoomed off to hook up with a couple of friends just ahead. I knew she was trying to beat 5 hours too and I half wanted to run with her but it was okay, in any case I was sure that 'zooming' was not on the cards for me today. I didn't see her for the rest of the race and was sure that she'd got a really good time. In fact I must have passed her at some point, since I came in about 10 minutes ahead of her. I'm not gloating, but after all my hours and miles of training I have to tell you that she is the first person I actually know that is slower than me, I feel a little more justified about my 50 miles a week and 5.30am starts in the dark.
2, 3 and 4 miles were spent trying to lose a largish guy in a black cotton t-shirt bearing the phrase 'God is Love'. This guy was carrying a large wooden flagpole with a full-size US flag which flapped at anyone within five metres of him, and the pole threatened to skewer anyone who happened to be behind him. He huffed and puffed and wheezed. He ran and stopped and walked and sprinted, all the time moving the flag from one shoulder to the other. As he turned the corners the crowds cheered more loudly for him and snapped away. So desperate to not be in those pictures I let my pace go and left him behind me. Very annoying person, for the first time in a race I felt at mile 4 that I was just too tired and needed to not do this thing at all. Anyway we had just seen the leaders looping back, that is beautiful inspiration so I continued against the brisk wind through miles 5 and 6 to mile 7 where I stopped for my chocolate AccelGel with caffeine. I felt the difference quite soon and cruised to mile 8 and somewhere along there was R waiting for me. I passed him my other long sleeved shirt which had been tied around my middle since about mile 5. R kept me company and jogged alongside me for a bit. We chatted, it was so lovely to see him. Then it was over the footbridge which apparently was bouncing with all the runners on it and over to Springfield. This was a pretty nice part of the course through parks and fields. I remembered it fairly well from last year too. There was a DJ playing loud good 70's tunes which helped me to loosen my stride. All of a sudden I realised that I had hit the halfway point 13.1. Though I had thought I was reining myself in, this was my best half time ever. I felt great about this, yet nervous that I may not be able to keep it up. At 14 I took another gel. At mile 15 R was there again and jogged along for a bit longer this time. The course is pretty at this point and there was a dirt trail along the side that he was able to use. I still felt able to chat and my pace was strong. The next few miles, all the way to about 20 miles were against the wind. There are some very short steep step-ups and downs, not much in the way of music but the river is serene alongside and the promise of heading over a bridge again to the other side where we could see the faster runners, kept me going, in a hypnotic state. Mile marker 21 just did not want to arrive. I tried some of the cherry beans that I had taken along at the last minute but I tore the packet through and several beans rolled along the bridge. The two I tasted had an artificial almond taste that just lingered. No more gels for me now, my tummy felt fragile. I started on the Gleukos energy drink at the next station. I walked through this one with a cup of water too and R was there again taking a picture before I headed off again. Mile 22 R ran with me and this time I couldn't talk much. The course was all familiar to me now. Pretty parks with supporters along them. Lawns pink and white with fallen blossom. I looked at my watch and saw that I had 50 minutes to make the last 4.2 miles. I knew that this was theoretically very possible yet also didn't allow any time to walk. So I continued to run and occasionally walk as fast as I could (not very). I was hoping that R would be able to figure out some way to run the last bit with me. My mind wanted to give up, but I was so close. No real pain but numbness in my head and attention seeking toes. Just at mile 25 there was R this time in his running gear. He quickly realised that I was an automaton and needed appropriate encouragement. 'Just one foot in front of the other' etc. I wouldn't let him leave me until the crush barriers started up to mark the finish chute and then something happened and I let my legs glide and float to the finish...an end surge? I raised my arms at the finish line (for reference see earlier post).
I got my blanket and water bottle, for the first time ever I was not hungry after a race. I grabbed a bag of cookies for later or for the boys who were going to come to the finish. Medical staff asked if I was okay as I stopped and then weaved out of the gate. I said "Yes, I'm just enjoying the moment!"
Thanks to R I got my time goal..by just one second.
I positioned myself near a couple who looked as though they knew what they were doing. She was wearing a blue Seattle Marathon 2006 shirt (one of my favourites) and she also sounded quite English...comforting in this big crowd. National anthem and then we were off, pretty much right on time. I always enjoy the feeling of starting a race. I felt fresh and ready to run, the cool air was a good thing for me. Soon enough the crowd began to thin a little and I found a group that were running my pace, though in all honesty I did think they all looked as though they were already pushing it a bit. At the 1/4 mile mark my friend's sister, to whom I'd been introduced at the expo, greeted me, she said hi and then zoomed off to hook up with a couple of friends just ahead. I knew she was trying to beat 5 hours too and I half wanted to run with her but it was okay, in any case I was sure that 'zooming' was not on the cards for me today. I didn't see her for the rest of the race and was sure that she'd got a really good time. In fact I must have passed her at some point, since I came in about 10 minutes ahead of her. I'm not gloating, but after all my hours and miles of training I have to tell you that she is the first person I actually know that is slower than me, I feel a little more justified about my 50 miles a week and 5.30am starts in the dark.
2, 3 and 4 miles were spent trying to lose a largish guy in a black cotton t-shirt bearing the phrase 'God is Love'. This guy was carrying a large wooden flagpole with a full-size US flag which flapped at anyone within five metres of him, and the pole threatened to skewer anyone who happened to be behind him. He huffed and puffed and wheezed. He ran and stopped and walked and sprinted, all the time moving the flag from one shoulder to the other. As he turned the corners the crowds cheered more loudly for him and snapped away. So desperate to not be in those pictures I let my pace go and left him behind me. Very annoying person, for the first time in a race I felt at mile 4 that I was just too tired and needed to not do this thing at all. Anyway we had just seen the leaders looping back, that is beautiful inspiration so I continued against the brisk wind through miles 5 and 6 to mile 7 where I stopped for my chocolate AccelGel with caffeine. I felt the difference quite soon and cruised to mile 8 and somewhere along there was R waiting for me. I passed him my other long sleeved shirt which had been tied around my middle since about mile 5. R kept me company and jogged alongside me for a bit. We chatted, it was so lovely to see him. Then it was over the footbridge which apparently was bouncing with all the runners on it and over to Springfield. This was a pretty nice part of the course through parks and fields. I remembered it fairly well from last year too. There was a DJ playing loud good 70's tunes which helped me to loosen my stride. All of a sudden I realised that I had hit the halfway point 13.1. Though I had thought I was reining myself in, this was my best half time ever. I felt great about this, yet nervous that I may not be able to keep it up. At 14 I took another gel. At mile 15 R was there again and jogged along for a bit longer this time. The course is pretty at this point and there was a dirt trail along the side that he was able to use. I still felt able to chat and my pace was strong. The next few miles, all the way to about 20 miles were against the wind. There are some very short steep step-ups and downs, not much in the way of music but the river is serene alongside and the promise of heading over a bridge again to the other side where we could see the faster runners, kept me going, in a hypnotic state. Mile marker 21 just did not want to arrive. I tried some of the cherry beans that I had taken along at the last minute but I tore the packet through and several beans rolled along the bridge. The two I tasted had an artificial almond taste that just lingered. No more gels for me now, my tummy felt fragile. I started on the Gleukos energy drink at the next station. I walked through this one with a cup of water too and R was there again taking a picture before I headed off again. Mile 22 R ran with me and this time I couldn't talk much. The course was all familiar to me now. Pretty parks with supporters along them. Lawns pink and white with fallen blossom. I looked at my watch and saw that I had 50 minutes to make the last 4.2 miles. I knew that this was theoretically very possible yet also didn't allow any time to walk. So I continued to run and occasionally walk as fast as I could (not very). I was hoping that R would be able to figure out some way to run the last bit with me. My mind wanted to give up, but I was so close. No real pain but numbness in my head and attention seeking toes. Just at mile 25 there was R this time in his running gear. He quickly realised that I was an automaton and needed appropriate encouragement. 'Just one foot in front of the other' etc. I wouldn't let him leave me until the crush barriers started up to mark the finish chute and then something happened and I let my legs glide and float to the finish...an end surge? I raised my arms at the finish line (for reference see earlier post).
I got my blanket and water bottle, for the first time ever I was not hungry after a race. I grabbed a bag of cookies for later or for the boys who were going to come to the finish. Medical staff asked if I was okay as I stopped and then weaved out of the gate. I said "Yes, I'm just enjoying the moment!"
Thanks to R I got my time goal..by just one second.
Wednesday, 7 May 2008
Result
I'll have to fill you in properly later, I'm still figuring out what to say and what my impressions were.
1. I finished
2. Under five hours
3. By one single solitary second 4:59:59
Eugene is still a lovely place and our hosts N and D provided a slice of heaven for our too brief stay.
1. I finished
2. Under five hours
3. By one single solitary second 4:59:59
Eugene is still a lovely place and our hosts N and D provided a slice of heaven for our too brief stay.
May 4th, 2008 - Eugene, OR | Summary
|
| bib number: | 1669 |
| age: | 37 |
| gender: | F |
| location: | Seattle, WA |
| overall place: | 1441 out of 1743 |
| division place: | 108 out of 129 |
| gender place: | 577 out of 770 |
| time: | 4:59:59 |
| pace: | 11:27 |
| half: | 2:22:54 |
| 20 mile: | 3:41:57 |
Friday, 2 May 2008
Angels
Yesterday I was talking to a friend also running Eugene. We came up with the concept of Marathon Angels. The only other person I know who really has looked into the angel phenomenon is my sister's friend who wrote a PhD thesis and then I think, a book about them. My experience was last year at the inaugural Eugene Marathon. The last mile consisted of a loop around the back of Autzen Stadium which just happened to turn into a wind tunnel that day. A long-legged 'real runner' wearing proper racing kit appeared from nowhere all of a sudden, tucked in front of me and called out over his shoulder for me to follow him...draft off him! He kept checking over his shoulder to make sure that his pace matched my crippled slow shuffle, he saved me! At some point the wind subsided and he zoomed off. R didn't see him cross the finish...he couldn't possibly have been finishing in the slow set anyway. I didn't see him again.
My friend told me about someone she knew who had a similar experience with a guy who just found her and chatted to her through the last two miles when she had been ready to give-up. She crossed the finish line, looked around and he was gone! Well, I hope there is an angel sent for me on Sunday if I need one again.
Just a few more things to pack and then I'm ready to pick up all my people and head down to the deep southern part of Oregon. Can't wait to see N and D down in Little Fall Creek. The boys are beside themselves with excitement.
Wednesday, 30 April 2008
Countdown
Less than four days to go before I set off on the Oregon trail...I mean the Eugene Marathon. I'm trying to focus at work but between checking the weather predicted in Eugene that day and rethinking my race 'strategy' there is not much left of my soul for talk writing. Yes, I agreed to give a talk this Friday to the Northwest Genetics Exchange group. It will be short and I'm scheduled first in the day so then I can get my things together (my things are my people R, J and T), and head on out to Eugene. The traffic had better not be the mess it was last year...Friday afternoons are always terrible though in my experience.
My last week has been 12 on Saturday...nice run, nice weather. 3 on Sunday. No swim or bike or anything on Monday - rest I think it's called. Tuesday a very fast 4.5. Today I toned it back down to 3 easy. Tomorrow another rest day (though I will bike to work). Friday 2 or 3, I don't think anybody is counting anymore, rest on Saturday and then the big day itself!
Strategy. I'd like to finish, and think I can finish, in several minutes before the clock strikes five hours. This would require the temp to be perfect, me to feel perfect etc. There is a 4.5 hour pacer and a 5 hour pacer. I think I'll play it safe (boring you mean?) and stick with the five hour pacer, if by some miracle I feel fantastic in the later parts of the race I can kick it up a notch...and then fall by the wayside perhaps? Nerves, nerves. Can't wait for the race, I'm expecting to enjoy it, can't wait to have done it, worried about what next.
Friday, 25 April 2008
Pre
Finally got to see Prefontaine the movie. Meant to watch it last time before the Eugene marathon but it didn't happen. I think they really just want us to see how cerebral a sport elite running really is. Everybody gets dealt their own random hand when it comes to bodies but then it is up to your mind to decide where that body needs to go and how quickly it should get there. My only criticism of the film is that it focussed more on his youthful beer consumption than on the hard core training day after day that must have got him to that level. I just want to know that I'm not suffering more than he did in training, in order to still be slow.
Speaking of training...I'm truly tapering. I swam on Monday and today, no running. During the week was 4.5, 6, 4.5. Tomorrow is just to PCC and back 12 miles, I'm not expecting too much I'll take it nice and easy. On Sunday J and R will run the Boardwalk 5K, T and I will be cheering them on. This time next week we'll be in Oregon...not long now till the race.
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