Summary:
My chip time: 3:14:18, which puts my exactly 42 seconds inside the prized "BQ-20" category which means I beat my 50-54 qualification time of 3:35 by more than 20 minutes. Having said that, it reamins a toss up which was harder, yesterday's race - or - the time I ran a 4:20 at Boston without the benefit of training. As I write this on Monday morning, walking remains a challenge. I'm still seriously sore. Stairs are not my friend
Race Report:
The week was rather uneventful:
Sunday - intervals 6 x 400 in 85 seconds
Monday - nothing (and nearly no food)
Tuesday - nothing (and nearly no food)
Wednesday - nothing (and nearly no food), and a massage
Thursady - 10 km run with some speed work
Friday - nothing
Saturday - 4 km run with pickups
I tried to squeeze myself down to 170 pounds and managed to do that by not eating for a few days. It worked, but was probably more water weight. I dont' know.
I ate lightly on Thursday - fist tacos for dinner. Friday, I worked in my hotel room most of the day, having some fries and pasta for dinner at Il Fornaio. Saturday I ran 4 km around the hotel and did some 1:30 strides. I felt a bit heavy and fatigued. after the run I had a a starbucks panini, some bread. (400 cal) . For lunch, I had a turkey sandwich (500 cal) then slept for a couple hours in the afternoon. For dinner I had some pasta and a couple of heinekens. probably 1500 - 1800 calories total for saturday.
Race morning I got up at 4 am and had some odawala mango smoothie and coffee. I had no solid food on race morning. at 5 am I took the bus and my smoothie to Folsolm. at 6:15 I had a couple of gels (200 cal total) and finished my smoothie. The total calorie intake for race morning was 500 calories.
Despite the fact that it was 34 degrees, I elected to wear only a tank top and shorts. I had a hat and gloves too. it was REALLY cold. My hands were numb. I did not get out of the bus until 10 min prior to race time (6:50) and, put my bag of clothes in the truck and went up to the 3:10 pace team to huddle for warmth. that worked by the way...sort of.
I ran very comfortably the first few miles. It felt really slow, and I think we started about 7:15 right away and he just stayed there the whole time. when the course started to go downhill, I felt constrained so I sped up a bit and left the group. at about half the aid stations - which were like every 3 miles - I had a couple of oz. of sport drink. I think I consumed a total of like 100 calories during the first 20 miles of the race.
At about18 miles I began to get sore in my hamstrings. First one side, then the other. Then my calves. then my quads. By 21 miles I was pretty sore and slowing down. I was not winded at all, but just felt lifeless...as if I was running out of gas. By mile 22 I was in some serious pain. I pushed hard, but I felt like I was falling apart. I was running a 3:07 pace (1:33:30 for the first half of the marathon) until about mile 21, but now I was fading fast.
I was afraid to look at my watch and those mile markers could not come fast enough. I kept checking my watch again and again and pushing. I wanted to slow way down but convinced myself I'd never live with myself if I did, so kept pushing. My heart rate was not that high, the issue was the pain in my legs, which had become excruciating. At about the 22 mile marker the 3:10 group passed me and I just watched them run by. I could not, try as might, keep up. My new goal became "sub 3:15" which would be BQ-20 and a PR. I decided I would do that or die trying. I did it! when I crossed the line I collapsed on the grass and just sucked down some chocolate milk.
Here's my splits:
| LAP | TIME | AVG.PACE | AVG.HR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7:52 | 4'33"/km | 150bpm |
| 2 | 7:10 | 4'29"/km | 153bpm |
| 3 | 7:02 | 4'19"/km | 150bpm |
| 4 | 7:18 | 4'37"/km | 158bpm |
| 5 | 7:15 | 4'28"/km | 155bpm |
| 6 | 14:10 | 4'24"/km | 159bpm |
| 7 | 7:06 | 4'24"/km | 152bpm |
| 8 | 7:13 | 4'29"/km | 159bpm |
| 9 | 6:57 | 4'19"/km | 153bpm |
| 10 | 7:08 | 4'26"/km | n/a |
| 11 | 7:08 | 4'25"/km | 152bpm |
| 12 | 7:07 | 4'26"/km | 156bpm |
| 13 | 7:09 | 4'27"/km | n/a |
| 14 | 7:20 | 4'32"/km | n/a |
| 15 | 7:10 | 4'27"/km | 159bpm |
| 16 | 7:10 | 4'25"/km | 155bpm |
| 17 | 7:20 | 4'34"/km | 160bpm |
| 18 | 7:16 | 4'33"/km | 161bpm |
| 19 | 7:20 | 4'31"/km | 162bpm |
| 20 | 7:15 | 4'31"/km | 165bpm |
| 21 | 7:37 | 4'43"/km | n/a |
| 22 | 8:24 | 5'09"/km | 158bpm |
| 23 | 8:26 | 5'15"/km | 155bpm |
| 24 | 8:34 | 5'16"/km | 159bpm |
| 25 | 8:31 | 5'16"/km | 163bpm |
| 26 | 1:43 | 4'40"/km | 165bpm |
| 27 | Kelley, Mark | 3726 | M | 51 | 648 | 517/3270 | San Diego | CA | 3:14:45 | 7:26 | 3:14:18 | 42:16 | 1:33:43 | 2:23:50 |
