FRIENDS CALL ME "CHAMPION"- Follow my tales of training, racing, and my IronMan journey!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
NVM Race Report
This was my first marathon 13 years ago so what better way to test the legs than to do a little run in beautiful Napa, California- except it didn't really work out that way. For starters, I don't do the traditional taper that most *marathoners* do. In fact, I didn't taper at all. That is the beauty of long distance training though- you can jump in anytime and be ready. Then there was the weather. The weather. When I ran this race in 98 it was beautiful and sunny. Not the case Sunday.
I woke up Sunday morning at 5 ( woo hoo sleeping in!) First thing I noticed was my stiff neck. WTF? This day of all days to wake up like this. Nice. Then a pain in my hamstring. WTH? I never wake up with ailments. I stretched, rolled, stretched and then left to get the work done. Got up to the start in Calistoga with about 8 minutes to spare, just like I like it (no time to waste just get ready and GO!) There was a lovely downpour going on but the temps weren't all that cold. And then we were off. Just a lovely Sunday run in the rain. That's at least what I told myself for the entire morning.
Here are a couple of things I learned on Sunday:
- Recovery e 21 really works. I took 2 every hour on the hour and felt the difference
- Headwinds suck to run into esp. for 26 miles
- Mentally the breakdown does not happen for me until about 23 miles those last 3 are LLOOOOONNNNNGGGG
- Missed my time goal by about 5 minutes but it is not the end of the world. Going to take the positives from the race and put them in the training bank.
- I love breaking down runs like this in my head and especially during IM to show
progress. For example a marathon is only 105 laps around a track. Long but not enough to kill you. So starting out I was 105 laps from the finish, but say at mile 16 I was 40 laps from the finish. For some reason that progress makes me feel so much better. ( I know... I am weird, but we all got to have something right?)
- This year is gonna be good!
A little picture from my dad who came and saw me (after the fact at mile 1 then took off to do a little winery hopping! (navy skirt capri long sleeve white shirt)
Thanks for reading. Sorry kind of random :)
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Like using races for long tempo runs as well. My personal favorite are the Pacific Coast Trail runs. Onward and upward!
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if you were going to tell us how it went! Way to hang tough... you know, races like that build a type of mental tenacity that you can't otherwise gain. Excellent. And yes, e21 works. I've felt it too- black and white. Almost creepy.
ReplyDeleteGreat job on the marathon!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you ran a marathon on Sunday! CONGRATS :)
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