November 23rd, 2009
First off, group hug to everyone who commented. You guys gave me a lot to think about, important stuff to use for next time, training thoughts for this next cycle and lots to smile over while my brain was in the shop for mental repair. Which, btw, turns out it was only a light dent, didn’t need a complete body overhaul after all.
The whole digging deep deal is something I’ve decided that, in the end, there was nothing I could have done mentally that would have kept me running without the walk breaks, my body was just not going to do it for longer than a minute, every time I started up, it genuinely hurt, I felt like I was pushing a 250lb weight. And today, I am in classic marathon pain. My quads and calves are killing me, but I like it, it proves to me that it wasn’t my brain saying “I don’t like this, let’s walk” but my body saying “I can’t do this, let’s walk”.
So I think my Giver Upper thoughts were misplaced, it would have been more accurate to berate myself at the time for attaching to the pace group around mile 11.5 when I had no business doing that at all. I wonder what I’d have finished in if I hadn’t made that terrible tactical move. Maybe 3:25? That was a huge error and I was so driven by ego (can’t let 3:20 go!!!) that I totally messed it up. Of course it sucks, but at least I can use this as valuable information for the future.
Nutrition and Hydration: I ate 3 gels, forgot about the last one, but I had a cup of gatorade so I was ok in that department. Since the race was already stupid, I decided to practice drinking straight from the cups a couple times since I suck at that. It just confirmed that my bottle is worth carrying for 26+ miles. I can refill it pretty high with 3-4 cups running through one stop.
Shoes: Mizuno Elixirs (which I’d tested out on long runs) were ok in that I had no toenail problems or blisters, but I was very aware of my foot slapping the pavement starting at mile 15ish and I don’t think that did me any favors, my feet were hurting, so next time I’ll wear my Inspires.
The other thing I’ve been thinking about is this: I had an amazing Spring, that’s when my times dropped faster than I’d ever imagined they would, so most of my races came out better or right on the money with the goals I’d attached to them. Now things are normalized again, so if I make goals that are on the outside edge of what I can do, there’s a lot bigger chance for a crash and burn. I need to be a little more modest (aka realistic) in my goals from here on in.
Next marathon is Boston and I’m going to transfer the sub3:20 goal to that. No chasing a sub 3:17, just plain old difficult enough 3:19:59. Incidentally, one good thing out of yesterday’s PR is that I’m at least in the first wave at Boston, if only by the skin of my teeth.
So I’m taking it easy through December, haven’t decided on mileage but I’m thinking something around 50-60 with a weekly day off sounds good. I’ll play it by ear. No pressure, that’s the ticket.
Posted in 
Tags: 
awesome. I glad the brain was just a little dink and not a whole overhaul needed.
I’m glad to hear you’re feeling a little bit more like yourself. Hugs!
You mean this?
I think you raise a couple of issues for further consideration.
1. When does it make sense to go with a group, including starting out with a pace group, as opposed to running your own, comfortable pace?
2. Does it make sense to do 1 marathon a year, breaking the year up so you can concentrate on shorter stuff for 6 months and the marathon for 6?
Glad you assessed everything and feel better about it all. They always say you learn more from the races that you are disappointed with than the ones that go smoothly. Do you know when the pictures will be up?
Thanks, Dog and Barb.
Joe,
I love that clip, cracks me up every time.
#1 There’s no way to know if I’d have started with the 3:20 group, would I have been able to stick, perhaps 3:20 was never in the cards. I also don’t know myself well enough yet to know that I need x miles to warm up to pace, I don’t generally trust myself that well. It’s all a learning game right now.
#2 If it wasn’t for Boston, I’d definitely do shorter race training, as I did this year, I enjoyed it a lot and really loved the variety. But Boston is going to be a HUGE party for RW forumites and the threads I hang out in. That’s the only reason I’m doing it.
Runforlife, big hugs for your race, I was sorry to hear your foot gave you trouble. At least it’s something you can pin it on for sure, though that doesn’t make it better. Cool that your sister saw me, that made me smile when you wrote that.
Looks like pictures are on the way, they have our names in the database now, just no photos yet.
Flo,
I think the 55-60 miles a week will be good for you. Less mileage, but with some with quality work mixed in. Longer tempo runs and MP runs. The day off will be good for you physically and mentally. Did you do any strength training during the last cycle? Maybe something to consider if you didn’t. I like that you are already considering the plan for Boston. What a trooper!
Take care,
Steve
Steve, I do pushups and chinups, not a big exerciser other than that, though I could always use more, I’m sure. Good point on the quality work, I’ll definitely keep in a little. Hmm…I like your idea of occasional MP runs, the better to get it really worked into my system by the time the cycle rolls ’round.
Phew! I’m glad you’re back. Thanks for sharing with us what you’d learned in Philly. Have you heard about the Hydra Pouch? An ultra runner and marathoner I know swears by this thing and I’m going to practice with it before my goal marathons in 2010. http://www.hydrapouch.com/
Rest up, friend. And play it by ear, just like you said.
Flo,
Wow, what a day! I don’t think I heard you say one word about your PR. So you didn’t get what you wanted and you think you made some poor in-race decisions, but you still got a fantastic time and a PR- and some great knowledge for next time.
I just blew the AC Marathon 2 weeks ago by going out to fast and tweeked my knee @ 15.5 miles- I know exactly how you feel (you can read my report on FB about my tale of two races @ ACM).
I’m starting to think that the marathon is all about honing your speed a little each time to build confidence rather than taking a huge chunk off that maybe is just a little too much. I have no doubt that I’ll BQ @ sub 3:20, but maybe not next time.
BTW, care to join me for a revenge marathon on 12/12?
Glorybelle, Texas Tax Man (Steve, above) got one and wasn’t super thrilled with it – he posted about it in the 3:20 thread a couple weeks ago. In other matters, I just wanted to hug you for saying the f-word in yesterday’s comments, you totally made me laugh, you good girl gone bad. ;-)
Steve, good luck on the 12th!! You really doing it? If so, I’ll be wishing you speedy vibes from afar, while my ass is planted in a chair.
Hey Flo. Glad the repair bill is less than expected. Here’s to 3:20 at Boston (but train for 7:30 pace or better to have something in hand for the hills)
50 mpw is plenty for now, to be done however you feel and whatever pace you want. First order is to recover, then to find some balance. Training-wise, you went a long way in a short time; it may take a tad longer for the race results to catch up.
All the training which you did for Philly will still pay off BIG TIME in Beantown.
Cheers, Ron
You gave a lot of good advice here, and you still got an awesome time. Congrats on qualifying for Boston…AGAIN!
Trying to go with that group was not a mistake. There’s the conflict with doing your own thing. But you were in deep trouble.
There is no way you cannot run sub-3:20. Quick conversion of your HM gets 3:15. Sure, you can lose a few minutes on a full marathon, but not that many; my pre-NYC HM converted 3 minutes faster than what I did and I ran far from the perfect marathon.
You were having a bad day, (seeBarringer, J.), and your only chance to run decently was to latch onto that group and hope you could recover. And at the key moment that’s what you did, you went “all-in.” It didn’t work, but you knew what you had to do and you did it. That trumps all of the stuff that followed.
I know, I know, you PRed by 17 minutes. You’re at a different level now.
Your race sucked. You do not.
Jim, great point about that. I was thinking about what I’d do for my marathon pace for workouts, since it seems kooky to step it back to 7:38 when I’ve been handling 7:30s, so I guess I’ll do as you suggest and stick with 7:30s.
Ron, thanks for writing that, about the race results needing a little time to catch up. I like it. :-) I’ve been thinking how you wrote once that you had extra in the tank when you did Sugarloaf, that you had been training for 3:15 or felt 3:15 ready. I want to do a 3:20 in Boston having 3:17 readiness in me, that’s what I’m thinking.
Laura, thanks!!
Joe, aw, you’re always such a sweety. OK, I don’t think I suck so much, but what does suck is Ego and Pride and wanting to be Special to the detriment of a race. Because of these things, I ignored some obvious body signals. I can accept it wasn’t my day in retrospect, but I insured it wouldn’t be by trying to force it to happen and that’s what I need to learn – reevaluate and adjust. I think it’s race maturity which I don’t have yet. I also don’t trust – I don’t trust that things can get better during a race (though I know it happens all the time), so this is something for me to work on. I’ll get there, it’s all so foreign, never having done sports before, like learning French. Learning Body.
You are back!! Glad you only beat yourself up momentarily. That’s the thing with running. One day you have it, the next day, who knows??? It’s over and you’ve learned many valuable lessons from it. Boston bound.
Flo, I’m sorry that you didn’t have the race you wanted in Philly. I know it sucks to hear, but I think we can learn more from races that we might label as failures (though that’s not what I’d call your race) than those that we consider successes. Your posts list a number of lessons that you’ve already taken away from this experience, and I totally love that you are looking at this race with an eye for learning more about yourself. That attitude tells me that you’re going to just keep getting faster. Take all the time you need to find the lessons from this experience and then let it go. You’re destined for bigger and better.
Flo, I have seen so much of myself in your past two posts. Almost that I don’t even know what to say. The thing is, I really, really, don’t want you to view this past marathon as a fail, and I feel like you do. Girl, you PRed. I want you to say that about 50 times and then UNDERSTAND it. You have done 2 marathons and you PRed!!!!! That means you improved. Your training and new faster short races are not in vain. They are there in a bank waiting for Boston. I just hope that you don’t get discourged. You are awesome!!!
Hey, Heidi!
Jaymee, thanks for the good words, I really appreciate it. Hey, if you comment again, be sure and link to your blog above the comment box, I think a lot of people check out the links and your blog is quite the inspiration for us older chicks.
LA, don’t you worry, I’m really over it in a good way. I’m feeling very philosophical about the race and how to attack the future to do it right the next time. It’s fascinating how the marathon isn’t just a 26.2 mile race, it’s a look inside yourself that you might not get to see otherwise. I’m finally getting why people do them all the time, in fact, I think I’ve been pulled over to the dark side (just decided to do 2 next year).
Flo,
You have had such amazing comments and feed back I really have nothing to add, but to say I am so excited. I’m glad it didn’t take long for you to find your why back to thinking about the next 26.2.
I’m even more excited (and nervous) to find out you may be jumping on the fall 2010 marathon party. I had to send Runthruit a note about how nervous I now am. I mean two female marathon beast I look up to BOTH running the same race I will be a rookie in, OMG the pressure (I’m no where in the 3:20 range and I think all you 3:20 speedstar’s are getting to me). Anyway, I still have a half to train for in the spring so first things first.
I can’t wait to start following the Boston prep after the holidays……I need to get busy on your cheering sign. Oh, and that is my advice and my contribution for your next race….you need some cheering signs, and I have you covered (and the rest of you 3:20 peeps).
Stevi, we are going to have so.much.fun. Except for the race, of course, but the party will be phenomenal! ;-) Don’t get nervous, you have plenty of time for that. Enjoy the fact that it’s way far off and you’ll be a whole ‘nuther runner by the time it rolls around, so no pressure for the rookie! And I can’t wait to see those signs!!
“It’s fascinating how the marathon isn’t just a 26.2 mile race, it’s a look inside yourself that you might not get to see otherwise.”
So true…
IMO all of your training this past cycle will pay off NEXT marathon. I’m thinking that you advanced SO far and trained SO hard in one cycle that it caught up with you on race day and exhausted you. ( I don’t think your early pacing or pre-race goals were out of line.)
Good luck in Beantown
Rovatti, thanks, I think you’re right, I did have a really intense year when I look back on it. I did away with regular days off at the beginning of January, and while it didn’t always feel like I was working hard, it was constant. So here’s to 2010 and running well. That means you too, mister, no plateaus in sight, ok??
Congrats on the BQ !!
Boston is def. going to have Philly flair to it in ’11 !!
Great job again!
I hope you got the body shop to remove the rust before patching the dent.
I agree with Joe in that sub-3:20 is a given on a good day — still reckon there’s something around 3:10 there further on down the road.
Not sure about the limited (1 or 2?) marathons each year. Why not run 3 (or more) and learn from the experience of running them? There’s a girl down here who runs heaps of marathons — finally broke 3 at age 45 in one of her numerous marathons that year. Anyway, just a thought. Also reduces the emotional pressure of putting it all into one race.
I don’t necessarily think that sticking with the pace group was a mistake. You have to be at least a little gutsy out there. After all, if we wanted to play it safe, we’d be sitting on our butts and not out there running a marathon. It’s easy to second guess the decision since it didn’t pan out, but you shouldn’t beat yourself up over it.
I like the categorical approach you took to the post-marathon wrapup. I need to do the same. I’m sure this post will be a big benefit to you as you approach Boston.
Flo,
First, congrats on your pr…that is such an impressive time….and not even your A goal! I’m glad that you are feeling better and know that you’ll enjoy this period of mental and physical “rest” (50 mpw would be peak training for me…so I guess that’s all relative!). How nice that you were able to meet up with all of the girls… You’ll be great in Boston.
I loved reading your race report…you always remember all of those little details that combine to form the heart of a race. I can never seem to remember anything except moving one foot in front of the other! I finished my first marathon last month in 4:18…my goal is to be sub 4 for marathon #2 in 2010. I am hoping that I can see some serious improvement by upping my miles..though nowhere near the impressive numbers that you log!
Take care and rest!
To Ewen’s comment, I just think one a year is best. It allows for a full six-month build-up, albeit at the risk of having a disaster on the day (which is a reason for a back-up, to be used in case it’s not there on the day), and six months training for shorter stuff.