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| Mississauga Marathon (HM for me) (Read 267 times) |
| view log Getting there... |
posted: 5/11/2008 at 6:51 PM
modified: 5/12/2008 at 3:10 AM |
The mrs and I got the best part of the day for our race today. It was cool, but nice, and sunny, until after we finished. Full marathoners would have had to suffer a bit towards the end...sorry tuf_aint_enough 
How did we finish? Great, we both beat our best previous half-marathon times. Anita unfortunately had hamstring issues and had to hold back from her goal of 2:00:00 but still ran 2:14 and beat her previous time by 38 seconds. I felt great and thoroughly enjoyed every step, finishing in 1 hour 38 minutes, 4 minutes better than last Fall's HM PR.
All in all, it was a good day considering we did 33 & 37 KM runs last weekend. I would love to train specifically for a half marathon again, instead of always running them in the final weeks of marathon training.
We treated this race like a dress rehearsal for Ottawa. We got up at 4:45, ate what we will eat for the marathon as a true test. We dozed for a bit, then got up, got dressed and got out in plenty of time for there to be no rushing around. We picked up my friend James who was running the full marathon and got to the star will almost an hour to kill in the morning chill. Way better than the stresses of being late. We got separated from James during porto potty & warm ups. We did find an old local Running Room friend, Mike, which was nice as we weren't sure if he was over his injuries and running again. He is, and did a PB of 1:43, 7 minutes better than before!
I was on the lookout for a couple of friends from around here, Dave (tuf_aint_enough) and Jason (jasonR), but it got pretty crowded there and we had no luck. We also ran into Ann and Diana, 2 other local Running Room regulars. They were so excited. Nice to see 
Anita started near the 2hr pace bunny and I moved up with the 1:30-1:45 corral. I stuck to my game plan and ran three, 5 minute KMs before kicking into steady 4:30 - 4:40's. It paid off and felt comfortable the whole way alongthis gorgeous downhill course. I achieved my goal of sub 1:40 but narrowly missed my secret goal of 1:37:48...A couple of people out there know why that was a stretch target 
After I finished, I got a decent place to watch Anita come in, then the weather turned cold so we didn't hang around for the marathoners to finish. Too bad, I would have like to, but we were freezing.
Post race food was the standard, bagels, fruit, crackers, and it was good, and it was nice of Powerbar to hand out full size Recovery Shakes! yum. The finish area along the waterfront is a great spot...when it's warm, even better. I may consider running this 'net downhill' full marathon next year as a Boston Qualifier...if I don't do it this October in Toronto. We'll see.
MTA: Motionbased Garmin upload - some of my best pacing yet, and another negative split
Now, 2 weeks to rest and taper for the Ottawa Marathon. Should be...um...fun.
OK -> Dave and Jason, how about your reports?
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~ Dave ~
clubhouseleader 'at' gmail 'dot' com / www.daddyo.ca
Success is sweet and sweeter if long delayed and gotten through many struggles and defeats.
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posted: 5/11/2008 at 8:43 PM
modified: 5/11/2008 at 8:54 PM |
Great lead up to Ottawa Dave! I considered the Ottawa Half but wanted to stay close to home.
MTA: I raced the half marathon.
Here is my mini-race report.
My DW drove me to the start and then crash a friends place for breakfast before heading to the finish line.
Sun was out when I arrived weather seemed like it would be good for running, cool but not hot. Made my way to the porta-potty line and made it through in record time. About 30 minutes later I was going to line up again but decided to go to the start line again... I would regret this later.
I lined up in the 2 hour corral with plans to run in the 1:57 range. Took me almost 5 minutes to make it to the start line.
Felt strong in the first miles and maintained a pace that was faster than I planned. In the 4th mile I had to duck into the trees and relieve myself, this cost me almost a full minute.
Picked up the pace to try and make up some time.... did well on the 5th mile. The 7th mile had the only uphill on the course and that took a little out of me but I was keeping a good pace and passed many people.
The course was very nice, and I'm not talking about the net downhill, we ran through some nice neighborhoods.
Highlights:
1) The family that were blasting the Chariots of Fire theme song.
2) The band in front of the retirement home playing polka music. The band were all residents.
It was all going well until about mile 10. The wind picked up as we were now on the shores of Lake Ontario. I was starting to fade. Another little uphill but I pushed and kept the pace. At Mile 11 I felt like I losing it, I couldn't get my pace below 9:18 miles... as hard as I tried.
Recovered a little and the adrenaline kicked in for the last mile and I picked up the pace. My DW snapped the 2 pictures below with about 800 metres to go. I'm the guy in the Red shirt, not the dude pumping his fist.
Finished in 1:56:36.7, a 3:12 PR
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posted: 5/11/2008 at 9:21 PM |
| Good job. Sounds like everyone had fun. PR's are a plus. |
Run until the trail runs out
2008 TARGET 150 MONTH
2009 TARGET 40/40 |
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| view log Getting there... |
posted: 5/11/2008 at 9:31 PM |
Good job Jason, a PR with a potty break! Nicely done. You'll go sub 1:50 next time around for sure. Sh!t, why not join us in Ottawa and give 'er a go!
And yes, the course is nice not just because of the fastness. The scenery and neighborhoods are nice the entire way except for the first mile or so, which is when no one really careas about scenery anyway
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~ Dave ~
clubhouseleader 'at' gmail 'dot' com / www.daddyo.ca
Success is sweet and sweeter if long delayed and gotten through many struggles and defeats.
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posted: 5/11/2008 at 9:38 PM
modified: 5/11/2008 at 11:33 PM |
Again, awesome work fellas. Here's my report:
Throughout the race it was between 10-14C. Started out calm (Wind E 6 km/h), but by the end, the wind was blowing from the E 35km/h with gusts up to 48 km/h. Did I mention that the race finishes heading east for say, oh, the last 10k - along the lake? Completely exposed.
Woke up and it just felt like a good day to run. Got up, ate, got dressed with plenty of time. Sat on the couch watching Treehouse with my daughter while she enjoyed a bottle. Got to my appointed meeting spot about 10 min early. Shot the shit, hit the porty potties and otherwise got situated. Lined up somewhere between the 3:40 and 3:50 groups. As it would turn out, this would be just right.
I'll start by saying the on course support at this race is first rate. Piles of aid stations. The volunteers were wonderful. Thank you. Traffic control was top shelf. The first several kms went well and were uneventful. Was careful to keep within myself having learned a good lesson last fall in Columbus. This is a good course and a good part of the front half is gradually downhill. Bumped into a fellow from my running club right before the split. Exchanged pleasantries and went our separate ways. Around 16k I made a quick pitstop but lost no real time.
Rolled through half feeling good. In fact, I made it to around 32k thinking that 3:40, or certainly 3:45 was on the table. Around 34k I felt the first twinge in my hamstring. Immediately, I slowed. I put back the last of 4 GUs at about 3:15. Things didn't improve. I walked a good deal from 37k on. That was tough. The cramping got quite bad. I felt the time slipping away. Painful as it was, I kept walking. Faster and faster until I broke into a light jog. Then a run. Then, the cramps came back. And, so it went to the end. My thanks to the friendly Australian fellow that put his arm around me and said: Come on mate, you can do this! And if you don't, I'll put my boot in your arse! Ha. Just what I needed. Cramps be damned, and on we go. The finish is great as you basically do a big loop around an inlet at the marina. You can see the finish and hear the crowd. It was here that I saw my wife, daughter and few dear, dear friends. That meant everything. It was enough of a lift to give me a burst to the end. Finishing time 3:49:58.9 - doesn't get much closer than 3:50 which was my most realistic goal going in to this one (my second marathon). A very good race indeed. Hours later, I am quite pleased. Also, I know I have it in me to go faster. And, go faster I will - damn it.
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| view log Getting there... |
posted: 5/11/2008 at 10:21 PM |
You will. I thought we might have seen a 3:40ish out of you today. Next time my friend, and it will be lower than 3:40 by then I highly suspect
Well done nonetheless! |
~ Dave ~
clubhouseleader 'at' gmail 'dot' com / www.daddyo.ca
Success is sweet and sweeter if long delayed and gotten through many struggles and defeats.
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| view log Got The Life |
posted: 5/11/2008 at 10:40 PM |
Congratulations to you both. Way to keep the wave of great race results going!
2008 has been a good year to RA. |
| The Gaijin Samurai. a.k.a The attorney dissin' attorney.
Read and Listen
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| view log runpd@hotmail.com |
posted: 5/11/2008 at 10:51 PM |
By the sounds of it that you all did great, and had good times all around. It is so nice to make those PB's and still knowing that there was little things from preventing even better. I believe that those bigger goals will happen in due time. You all have been putting in the miles not to accomplish your goals. Keep up the good work, Daddyo, JasonR.
And Tuff take some time off recover and then slowy start running again so I can catch back up . Congrats on your time.
runpd |
ON THE 7th DAY, GOD DID AN EASY 6
"Running is a big question mark that’s there each and every day. It asks you, ‘Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?'" - Peter Maher |
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| view log mmm... monkey brains |
posted: 5/12/2008 at 1:19 PM |
| Dudes! Nice jobs all around. |
Drew
Road to the Monkey
Just run, baby.
Your hide will make a fine poncho. |
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| view log i can has marathawn? |
posted: 5/12/2008 at 2:13 PM |
| Sounds like the wind was a real drag (literally), but nice job by all in pushing through. Congrats! |
Ed
Bib #10 at the Tuesday night Good Times 5K series in Lowell, MA (so sad it's over, mark your calendar for opening night on 4/2/09)
2008 goal: HTFU and BQ at BayState Marathon
Beer is proof that God loves us, and wants us to be happy. |
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| view log Who are you? |
posted: 5/12/2008 at 4:23 PM |
| Great job, guys! An awesome way to warm up for the full in a couple of weeks, and a great confidence boost with the PR's! |
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