Finish Time 3:44:09, 26.23M - Average Pace 8:34, HR 134
Course: 1.15 mile loop, pavement, 20 degrees at start (brrrr). Sun rose 15 minutes after race start.
Watch Laps, Pace per Mile-Heart Rate
7:34-154, 7:37-147, 8:25-139, 8:06-139, 8:26-136, 8:25-135, 8:52-128, 8:44-130, 8:09-131, 8:15-131, 8:35-131, 8:00-135, 8:21-133, 10:25-128, 8:51-131, 8:23-133, 8:14-133, 8:05-138, 9:02-133, 8:29-134, 9:30-127, 8:56-129, 9:11-128, 9:02-130, 8:36-134, 8:47-137, last .23 at 7:02-146
LONG VERSION
Cold, cold, cold! It was 20 degrees out when I woke up and I had to get dressed in my sleeping bag. Fortunately, I was camping at the start line so I ran across the lawn 5 minutes before the race started. Half way across the lawn (30 seconds) and I realized I didn't have my race number (time chipped) so I had a brief panic, ran back to look for it and found it soon enough. So I got to race start 2 minutes before "go" and was still so cold that I figured the best way to warm up was to run fast. So my 1st 2 laps were really really fast!
I wanted to try a new strategy and run 9 min, walk 1 which was another reason why my 1st laps were so much faster than I expected. I was able to get my 55 minutes in the first 6.6 miles so, I thought I could repeat yesterday strategy and get a 1:50 for the 1st half. I did, but I had to work at a 105% effort. I could tell it would take way more effort to get a sub-4 today. I was able to build a buffer in the 1st half and thought I could run a slower 2nd half (up to 10 min pace) to still get a sub-4.
My fueling method is going well: EFS gu in a flask (1:5 ratio gu:water), EFS electrolyte -1 bottle per hour (I used less of a scoop and it tasted less tart), gu gels - 1 an hour, Salt Tabs - 2 every 2 hours, a gulp of water at every water station.
Most of my potential injuries were kept at bay, except my Achilles. I could feel it tighten and swell as I ran (and now as I'm typing this blog, I can feel my right shins are sore). I plan to get some ice packs at wal-mart and take naproxene sodium. I used band-aids for the Heart Rate Monitor strap, so I didn't have any chaffing there.
The 2nd half of the race was the same mantra I used the previous races (except now it was harder) which is basically, "If I can keep this mile under 9:00 (ideally 8:40) then I will have a finish time between 3:45-3:55. That's what I keep checking every lap. The plus 10 minute laps are usually because I stopped to fill my water bottles and EFS gu flask. But when I got a 9:11 and then a 9:02 and I felt like I was giving more effort, it was discouraging and I worried more about being able to continue performing well in the next race. For me, the first step of the next race feels like that last step of the previous on back to back marathons.
It's mentally difficult for me to let go of my ego and run slower, even if it's physically better for me. I want to run through the injury and have a better finish time, but having dealt with injury, I know the price isn't paid on today's race day, but rather in the weeks following. and it's especially difficult because I don't want to upset my ironman training. So, I'm having an argument between good running angel and bad running devil making a they are making a go of it. Both have pros and cons...
So, I finished the race in 3:44:09 and I could feel the pain this time, namely in my achilles. Jeremy, who had previously beat me (5 minutes in 1st race, 2 1/2 minutes the 2nd race) ran a much slower and I lapped him twice. There were some "fresh legs" on the course...some new guy, who hadn't previously run got a 3:05, and there were a couple of other fresh leg runners, but I didn't care about them-because I beat them. So, once again, I was 2nd!
Picture of me after race #3 in Ulysses, Kansas.
Went and took a long hot shower in the campground, took a nap, organized, packed, and drove off to the next race in Lamar, Colorado. It's great not being pressed by time to get anywhere fast, and moving on a whim. The 1st four races are all about a 60 mile drive, the last is 120. But even with the time, my days are pretty much the same: wake up and run, clean and organize, find a chicken and eat it, stretch (preferably in a pool) drive to next town, shop more, find the course, find the pre-race event, find a place to sleep, do laundry, update the blog, finalize the gear for the next days race, go to sleep, wake up and repeat (x5). Everyday I have less energy to repeat this so I fear my blog posts aren't getting there proper attention.
Saw some interesting things on the side of the road. "Slug Bug! Pig" (See pictures.)
4th state: Colorado, here I am! Everything out here is so flat and brown...if there weren't signs, I wouldn't know when I drove into another state.
Stopped at Wal-Mart for my chicken, milk, and breakfast smoothie. Arrived at the pre-race hotel and several other runners I had previously conversed with at race were there. Swam in there pool, soaked in the hot tub and swapped race stories, did laundry and swapped even more race stories. This is my tribe, these people think doing 5 marathons in 5 days is normal because they do multiples (7 in 7, 21 in 21) as often as they can. Granted many of them are walking or slow jogging, but in these peoples eyes, I'm the novice. They don't think I'm crazy or amazing, they think I'm the beginner. actually, many of them are quite amazing.
Sunset in Lamar, Colorado from the view of the Laundry room.
"There's no place like home, there's no place like home" Well, I'm not in Kansas anymore!
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