2013 Sub-3:45 Marathon Goal Thread (Read 1005 times)

    Peoriarunner: Great job! Those are some good times for the 10K and HM. Have fun at Ragnar, looks like you have a pretty busy schedule.

     

    Good luck on Sunday to snapa55! Hope you have a great race!

     

    I've got a pretty hilly (and probably rainy) 22 on tap for tomorrow morning. Middle of next week I'll hopefully have a good MP run, then a 10K next Sunday. Training sees to be going reasonably well.

     

    Happy running everyone!

    PRs: 5K: 21:25, 10K: 44:05, HM: 1:38:23* (downhill), M: 3:32:09

    snapa55


      Thanks not too swift! Getting my last run in this morning, short 3 miles. I'm still debating if I should stick with a pace group or not. I think I'm going to stick with the 8:30 group for the first 10 miles and then break out @ 8:20 pace for the next 10. At the 10k marker, all bets are off. I'm excited to see all of my training pay off!

      5K: 18:43 (12/13) 10K: 42:50 (12/12) HM: 1:30:10 (3/14) M: 3:34:46 (5/14)

      snapa55


        3:39:29!

        5K: 18:43 (12/13) 10K: 42:50 (12/12) HM: 1:30:10 (3/14) M: 3:34:46 (5/14)

        whodateverything


          3:39:29!

           

          Congrats for the great time! Care to share the details of your race? Curious about your splits? and your age?

            Awesome job, snapa! Congrats!! It is easy to see from your shorter distances that you will go much faster in future ones, but that's a really good time for your first!

            PRs: 5K: 21:25, 10K: 44:05, HM: 1:38:23* (downhill), M: 3:32:09

            snapa55


              Cowtown Marathon - Feb 24, 2013 - Fort Worth, TX

              Vitals - 27 | M | 5'5 | 140lbs | Sprinter / Soccer build | Less than 1 year of running experience | 430 miles in my marathon training cycle (Hanson Brooks Method) since Nov 2012

              Background - I started running in May 2011, mainly due to the Warrior Dash.  I knew I would be fit enough for the obstacle portion of things, but the 5K run would be my downfall.  So I started running 1-2 miles every other day.  Post Warrior Dash, I realized I really enjoyed the running part of things, so I signed up for my first 5K.  I fell in love with setting goals and accomplishing them.  Seeing my hard training efforts translate into PR's drove me to push myself harder.  My first big hurdle was the HM.  It seemed like a daunting task at first, but come race day I "thought" I was ready for it.  Well I wasn't quite ready, as I ended up battling through calf cramps with about 2 miles left.  I'm really glad I had that had that experience though, I really taught me how to push through pain.

              Saturday - Drove the course and realized it involved a lot more hills than I initially thought.  I'm from RI, so it was the first time I actually got to see the course.  After spending the day with my friends and relatives, I worked hard to memorize the course and elevation.  Bed time was around 8PM after I finished laying out my gear.

              Saturday Food Dairy
              7AM - English muffin topped with peanut butter and bananas
              9:30AM - 2 giant waffles with fruit and syrup
              12PM - Chicken burrito, beef taco, copious amounts of rice and tortilla chips
              2PM - Gatorade chews
              6PM - Mongolian noodles
              Water and Gatorade throughout the day

              Sunday Morning - I wake up at 4:22AM, slightly freaked out as that means I missed 4 alarms that I've set.  After calming myself down, I make myself breakfast (english muffin with peanut butter and bananas on top).  My friend and I are off to the race by 5:45AM and I'm trying to visualize the course one last time.

              Race - My friend, Laura, drops me off around 6:15 and I handle my pre-race preparations: bathroom visit, stretching, and reflection.  I kept telling myself, trust in your training, it's going to be tough, but you're ready for this.  6:50AM - I meet with up the 3:40 pacer, Tony, to find out what his strategy is for attacking the course.  He's going to shoot for even splits, a little slower on hills, which is fine by me.  I was originally shooting for 8:00 pace, due to my recent 10K time of 42:50 in December, but January turned out to be a rough month with illness, vacation, and injury.  

              7:00AM rolls around and we're off!  There were about 12,000 runners on the course, mixed with half-marathon, marathon, and ultra marathon runners.  I was having a hard time nailing down my pace, as I did all of my MP runs @ 8:00 pace, so I just tried to keep Tony in sight.  I'm glad I toured the course and saw some sights during the Saturday's course tour because I don't remember seeing many sights!  I was so focused on trying to get warmed up and finding a rhythm.  The other issue I had was that I missed the mile marker flags, so I couldn't really tell my pace from my watch, as I don't have a GPS watch.
              5K - 26:22 | Pace - 8:29

              I was able to see Laura around mile 2, she was a giant confidence boost throughout the race.  Around mile 4, I striked up a conversation with a fellow runner.  He was telling me how he BQ'ed and how he didn't really agree with not putting in the 20 mile long runs.  That didn't really bother me at all as I trusted in the Hanson Brooks training, knowing that my 16 mile runs put me through the ringer.  At this point, I'm feeling comfortable with the pace and I finally feel like I've found my legs.
              10K - 52:17 | Pace - 8:25 | Pace Between - 8:20

              Mile 6 brought the Fort Worth Stockyards, with their bricks.  Mile 8 brought another Laura spotting, drawing a huge smile on my face.  At this point, I'm still feeling fine, but the course's largest climb was impending.  100ft up, over miles 8-9.  I maintained my current effort and pulled my way into Downtown Fort Worth.  A few more hills and I'm at the HM point.  Tony is doing a great job of pacing.  Laura spotting @ mile 12.
              13.1 - 1:50:06 | Pace - 8:24 | Pace Between - 8:23

              Miles 13-20 were pretty uneventful.  I'm surprised at how good I'm feeling.  My form isn't suffering and I'm cruising along at a steady clip.  Tony and I trade a few short chats.  He tells me that he's surprised that I haven't broken off to do my own thing, since I don't look like I'm laboring at all.  Since it's my first marathon, I tell him that I don't want to end up on any YouTube videos, dying at the finish line.  But I said, if I'm still feeling good, give me a kick at mile 24.  Laura spotting @ mile 16.
              20M - 2:47:57 | Pace - 8:24 | Pace Between - 8:24

              As I pass mile 20, all I can think is here comes the wall.  By mile 23, I'm wondering where's this wall that everyone talks about?  I'm still feeling great at this point so I thank Tony for everything he's done and burn my own path.  As mile 24 comes, so do the dreaded calf cramps.  There's no way I'm not finishing this, but each step sends brief pains of cramps.  Each step from here on out is fairly cautious.  My relatives find me around mile 24 to cheer me on.  Tony catches back up to me around mile 25 and I tell him "take me home Tony."  With that, I fall back behind him, following his pace for the final 1.2 miles.  Each step is filled with pain but the I can taste the finish.  There's no way I'm not going sub 3:40.  With Laura and Tony cheering me on at the finish, I was able to power through the pain to a 3:39:29 finish!
              Finish - 3:39:29 | Pace - 8:22 | Pace Between - 8:17

              Overall Strategy - 6 Roctane gels - 1 every 35-45 minutes.  Water at every station, 2 cups.  Stick with the 3:40 pacer as much as possible.

              Shoes - Saucony Grid Type A5

              The whole experience was amazing.  I probably rushed my first marathon, but I never would have put up the mileage I did without this giant goal.  I'm couldn't be happier about how everything played out.  It's certainly a day that I won't be forgetting and one that will propel my running.  Sub 20 5K, I'm coming for you!

              5K: 18:43 (12/13) 10K: 42:50 (12/12) HM: 1:30:10 (3/14) M: 3:34:46 (5/14)

              Turbolegs


                Snapa - great job on the race and the race report !! Well done !!

                I dont sweat. I ooze liquid awesome.

                  snapa: Great report, you ran a really good race, especially for your first. Congrats again!

                  PRs: 5K: 21:25, 10K: 44:05, HM: 1:38:23* (downhill), M: 3:32:09

                    Good luck to CC and bluesky this weekend!

                     

                    I have a 10K on Sunday, but not necessarily expecting a great time, since I'm planning 13+ with some MP miles tomorrow. We'll see how the ol' legs hold up for that combo.

                    PRs: 5K: 21:25, 10K: 44:05, HM: 1:38:23* (downhill), M: 3:32:09


                    No more marathons

                      Good luck to CC and bluesky this weekend!

                       

                      I have a 10K on Sunday, but not necessarily expecting a great time, since I'm planning 13+ with some MP miles tomorrow. We'll see how the ol' legs hold up for that combo.

                       

                      Thanks for the good wishes - basic miserable marathon - full report here:

                       

                      http://www.runningahead.com/forums/topic/6147426e49ad42d98c91692476850757/resume#focus

                      Boston 2014 - a 33 year journey

                      Lordy,  I hope there are tapes. 

                      He's a leaker!

                        Wow, sorry about the tough race, bluesky! Marathons can be pretty brutal. Hope Boston goes much better for you.

                        PRs: 5K: 21:25, 10K: 44:05, HM: 1:38:23* (downhill), M: 3:32:09


                        No more marathons

                          Wow, sorry about the tough race, bluesky! Marathons can be pretty brutal. Hope Boston goes much better for you.

                           

                          Thanks NTS - after reviewing some of the info from the race, and talking with others, It seems I really underestimated the toughness of this course.  Not having the ability to preview most of the course since it was on private grounds we really had no idea how difficult it was.  Really was more a trail marathon, with lots more overall elevation change (ups and downs) that I thought.  So I'm not too disappointed with my time - some days you have it, some days you don't.  It was a great experience.  And fortunately, my Boston experience won't be until 2014.  I get to watch my DS this year.  Woo Hoo.

                          Boston 2014 - a 33 year journey

                          Lordy,  I hope there are tapes. 

                          He's a leaker!

                            bluesky: Sounds like a sensible perspective. I am hoping to run Boston 2014 also, we'll see if I manage to qualify. If I don't get it on 3/17, may seek out a flat course later in the year, because I'm pretty confident I have the fitness to do it, as I only need < 3:55.

                            PRs: 5K: 21:25, 10K: 44:05, HM: 1:38:23* (downhill), M: 3:32:09


                            No more marathons

                              bluesky: Sounds like a sensible perspective. I am hoping to run Boston 2014 also, we'll see if I manage to qualify. If I don't get it on 3/17, may seek out a flat course later in the year, because I'm pretty confident I have the fitness to do it, as I only need < 3:55.

                              That was my qualifying time too.  Once I picked a suitable course, and then ran not to get my best possible time, but to simply get my BQ, all was right with the world.  Big grin

                              Boston 2014 - a 33 year journey

                              Lordy,  I hope there are tapes. 

                              He's a leaker!

                              runlikeagirI


                                So how have the March attempts gone?

                                 

                                Add my name to the list for October, please. Smile It's not officially official yet (meaning haven't registered as of this moment but will in a couple of weeks), but I'll be going for the BQ at Twin Cities this year.