2000Km-1243 mile club

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Weekly check in October 12-18 (Read 549 times)


Dog-Love

    Hey Dutchie...I am taken some need rest this week but I just looked at the YTD chart and I am a little more than the Boston Marathon behind you.
    Run like you are on fire! 5K goal 24:00 or less (PR 24:34) 10K goal 50:00 or less (PR 52:45) HM goal 1:55:00 or less (PR 2:03:02) Marathon Goal...Less than my PR (PR 4:33:23)
    Dutchie42


      I know you are, Crabby, I keep looking behind me

       

      But I also look ahead cause I can see Trey! I'm chasing your butt

       

      Know way I can get close to Perfesser, he's almost at the finish line

       

      Dutchie
      Run the day, or the day runs you.

       


      Imminent Catastrophe

         

        Know way I can get close to Perfesser, he's almost at the finish line

         

         Yay! My Sunday marathon will put me over the top, if not sooner. I'm still coddling the left ankle.

        "Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"

         "To obtain the air that angels breathe you must come to Tahoe"--Mark Twain

        "The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.

         

        √ Javelina Jundred Jalloween 2015

        Cruel Jewel 50 mile May 2016

        Western States 100 June 2016

          Finally back home from Chicago.  Final time was 4:58:38 vs. a goal of 5:00.  Was 2:31:12 at the half so had a negative split (another goal).  Feeling good today, other than the neuroma in my right foot flared up.  Good enough to sprint the length of the B concourse at Midway to catch my flight home.

           

          If I don't get a full report up tonight, I will tomorrow.

           

          Now we can start concentrating on Mt. Desert Island.  Anyone else racing this weekend?

          New Orleans Marathon - 2/24/2013  4:16:32

          Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon - 4/27/2013 4:09:56 PR!

          Honolulu Marathon - 12/8/2013


          Imminent Catastrophe

            Finally back home from Chicago.  Final time was 4:58:38 vs. a goal of 5:00.  Was 2:31:12 at the half so had a negative split (another goal).  Feeling good today, other than the neuroma in my right foot flared up.  Good enough to sprint the length of the B concourse at Midway to catch my flight home.

             

            If I don't get a full report up tonight, I will tomorrow.

             

            Now we can't start concentrating on Mt. Desert Island.  Anyone else racing this weekend?

             

            Negative splits feel pretty good, no? There isn't much better than running miles 22, 23, 24 at the same pace as miles 5,6,7. And yet I continue to make the same mistake, time after time, going out too fast. Congrats on the nice run! Looking forward to the RR, especially because Chicago is my adopted hometown (College) and I want to run that race next year.

            "Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"

             "To obtain the air that angels breathe you must come to Tahoe"--Mark Twain

            "The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.

             

            √ Javelina Jundred Jalloween 2015

            Cruel Jewel 50 mile May 2016

            Western States 100 June 2016


            ...---...

               

              Negative splits feel pretty good, no? There isn't much better than running miles 22, 23, 24 at the same pace as miles 5,6,7. 

              .... I want to run that race next year.

               

              Here here. 

              Nice work Brian!

              Dutchie - I better get busy. 

              San Francisco - 7/29/12

              Warrior Dash Ohio II - 8/26/12

              Chicago - 10/7/12


              Dutchie42


                Dutchie - I better get busy. 

                 Trey: you better

                 

                Brian: congrats! That's a great time. Was it your first marathon? Got a RR yet?

                 

                Today was a 7K easy run after work. Hate that. But I've been sleeping badly 2 nights in a row now and I really couldn't get my butt out of bed this morning, sigh.

                 

                Had to relace my shoes twice during the run. Does it take you guys a couple of runs to get the lacing right on new shoes too or is it just me and my different sized feet?

                Dutchie
                Run the day, or the day runs you.

                 

                  Preamble: sorry this got so long.  It became a bit of a cathartic exercise as I went through it, trying to capture all the snippets that I can remember from the day.  Scroll to the end if you want the big finish.

                   

                  First a quick recap of how we got here:

                  • April 19 - register for the Chicago Marathon 6 days before running my first marathon.
                  • April 25 - run a disastrous Country Music Marathon in 5:38 on a day when temps were in the mid-to-upper 80s
                  • May 1 - Oct 4 - switch to a 5 day a week training plan and put in 827 miles, culminating in an awesome 20 miler on 9/27.
                  • Oct 5 - get involved in a collision playing softball and either crack or separate a rib. Small runs the next two days are painful, but manageable
                  • Oct 10 - fly to Chicago with my co-worker Greg

                  First on the agenda after arriving in town: hit the Expo and get bib and chip. We're 3 miles from the convention center, so thankfully they have free shuttles. We head to Niketown to catch the bus and they have two large (9' x 9' I'd estimate) posters with the names of every registered runners. Of course we have to find our names. Turns out there are two Brian Murray's. The other one will run 10 minutes faster than me, but is from Ireland making it difficult for me to claim his time as my own.

                   

                  The Expo is excellent. Not at all crowded (probably because there are only a couple hours left till close) and we fly through packet pickup, chip check and t-shirt pickup. The shirt was disappointing. It's a nice bright blue tech shirt, but the screened design is thick and rubbery. Make a quick pass through and talk about the marathons we'd like to run: Disney, Miami, Barcelona, etc., and then back to the hotel. Every place we call for dinner is already packed so we elect to just eat in the hotel restaurant. Mediocre pasta, but it's fuel.

                   

                  Amazingly, I get a good nights sleep. Ordinarily any time I have to get up early I'm awake every 15 minutes to make sure the alarm hasn't gone off, but I think I only wake up 3 times. Sidebar: to wind down I read the official program. Inside there are little profiles of various runners, including Larry Moon has run every Chicago Marathon since 1977. Larry's a little behind on his training because he couldn't run for 10 weeks because he had a fractured rib and torn cartilage. For the first time I consider the possibility that I may not be able to do this.

                   

                  Race day! The temperature is a balmy 33 with an expected high of 50. Mostly sunny. It is going to be a beautiful day. My outfit: running shorts, long-sleeve Vanderbilt tech shirt, running gloves, head band, Garmin and heart monitor, Wal-Mart sweat pants and Goodwill fleece pull-over. Supplies: 4 GUs, 1 sport beans, 1 hand warmer, 1 moon-pie to eat in the start corral. Some toast and peanut butter and a Clif bar and we're off to the park. Things get a little crazy and crowded as we get close and Greg and I split up. He heads to the B corral to find his 3:10 pace group. I make it to the world's largest bag check, walk right up and drop off my bag. The line at bag check had been my biggest worry and it went smooth. I'm in the open corral, but I'm pleased to find that they have placards up for different paces. I stake out a spot in the middle of the road, midway between 11:00 and 12:00. I'm a little ahead of the 4:45 pace group.

                   

                  And we're off. Well, someone's off. We're just shuffling towards the start. I've ditched the sweatpants before we started moving and I'll ditch the pullover when I see the start line. Here's the race plan: run 11:26 for 26.2 miles and finish at 5:00. Pretty simple. Maybe pick it up at the end and shave off a couple of minutes. Here comes the starting line. (in the recap I'll put in my 5K splits from the official time along with pace for that 5K and how well I was doing relative to my goal)

                   

                  Mile 1 - slight descent and Columbus avenue drops below the Millenium complex. Immediately lose satellite signal. Here's a tip: GPS watches don't work well in tunnels or with lots of big buildings around. My big fear had been the crowd in the early stages, but everyone is spreading out and moving well together. I'm not having to jump around people and the pace is good.

                   

                  Mile 2 - turn south and head back over the river to the financial district. I had read that there are typically 1.5 million spectators, but they're not out yet. Guess the cold will do that to you. The first water stop is at 1.7, I don't get any water, but do take a quick walking break. The plan is to walk briefly at each stop. The fluid stops are awesome. They're all laid out exactly the same: first-aid, then Gatorade, then water. Tables on both sides of the street. Best of all, big banners that tell you exactly where the Gatorade and water tables are. I develop a plan: run to the last person giving out Gatorade and then walk through the water section.

                   

                  Mile 3 (5K 35:39 11:28 +0:06) - second water stop and the ground runs green with Gatorade Endurance Formula (tastes like concentrated regular Gatorade).  A quick check of the watch shows I'm almost a minute ahead of pace (when in reality I'm 6 seconds behind pace).  I'm passed by the 4:45 pace group and fall in with them for a little while. Feels to fast so I let them go.

                   

                  Mile 4 - one thing I found strange: spectators regularly crossed the course. Of course if you waited for a break in the flow of runners, it was never going to happen, so they'd just weave their way through the field. Right past the 4 mile marker I just miss (and I'm not making this up) a woman with a walker, oxygen tank and breathing tubes crossing LaSalle at Division.

                   

                  Mile 5 - entering Lincoln Park and the ground around every tree and bush runs yellow with...Gatorade Endurance Formula. A woman behind me, at the sight of so many men taking advantage of the scenery proclaimed "I guess they just can't hold it like women", at which point 4 women came out of the bushes pulling up their shorts. Spot the best (and most obscure) costume of the day: someone dressed as Jackie Moon, Will Ferrell's character from Semi-Pro

                   

                  Mile 6 (10K 1:11:39 11:35 +0:34) - continuing through Lincoln Park. Crowd support has been building and I realize I really like the people who are playing music. I train with an iPod, but don't race with one so I can soak in the atmosphere. The music helps give me a kick.  It's not continuous on the course, but I miss it when it's not there.

                   

                  Mile 7 - wind hasn't been much of a factor especially once we got out of the tall buildings, but I notice my lips are burning. The lip balm that I made a special trip out to get the night before is in my hotel room. I elect not to go back and get it.

                   

                  Mile 8 - heading into "Boystown" with multiple all-male cheer leading squads. There are two in traditional skirts and pom-poms as well as a precision drill team with the wooden rifles. Awesome. One squad has a female member...or is she?

                   

                  Mile 9 (15K 1:47:17 11:28 +0:38) - heading down Broadway I see a ton of restaurants I want to try out. Of course I can't remember any of them except for a place called Crisp that might have served chicken. Finally relaxing a bit and taking in the scenery. Also beginning to slow down

                   

                  Mile 10 - at the 10 mile marker I do a little math and discover that I might be a little behind. Watch says I'm ahead so I'll chalk it up to bad math skills. Trying to wave to anyone who cheers for Vanderbilt. I decide that cheers for Vandy, Randy, Candy, Mandy or Andy are also for me. I will also accept Peterbilt.

                   

                  Mile 11 - crowds are really big now. Lots of guys with microphones cheering us on, lots of music, even a big video screen so you can see yourself run by. Pass an Elvis impersonator singing from a platform and giving high fives. Extends my streak of Elvis sightings at major races to 5. I put this one at number two behind the Elvis handing out Popsicles at the 2007 Evansville half marathon. That one may not really have existed because my wife was with me and she didn't see him. She believes it was a heat-driven hallucination.

                   

                  Mile 12 (20K 2:23:31 11:40 +1:19) - someone taps me on the shoulder and its a casual acquaintance from back home. What are the odds? I consider running with him, but he seems a little fast for me and is with a friend so I let him go. A minute or so later he stops to walk and I pass him back. He'll finish in 6:07. I'm feeling relaxed, strong and pain free. I don't realize that I've just run the slowest 5K of the day.

                   

                  Mile 13 - heading south of the river and back into the big buildings and the crowds are 5 or 6 deep behind barricades. I've picked up the pace a bit feeding off the crowd and the energy of some of the runners around me. Heart rate is heading towards 150, so I start watching it a little more carefully.

                   

                  Mile 14 (13.1 Mile 2:31:12 +1:12) - convinced that I'm ahead of pace it comes as quite a shock to see that I'm two minutes behind. Really I'm one minute behind because I crossed the start line at 21, but thought I crossed at 20. Concerned with my heart rate and struggling with this blow to my morale I slow down when I think I'm speeding up.

                   

                  Mile 15 - encounter a runner in a Country Music Half Marathon shirt. Learn that its hard to have a conversation when both parties are wearing head bands while running in a huge crowd. He's also shooting for 5 hours, but I don't think I can hang with him and let him go.

                   

                  Mile 16 (25K 2:59:26 35:55 +1:41) - the turning point of the race: I'm passed by the 5:00 pace group. They were behind me at the start so this reinforces that I'm off pace. I start to let them go when it hits me: if I can't hang with them then there's no way I'm going to beat 5 so I grab on to the tail of the pack and hang on. Let's see if I can sustain this.

                   

                  Mile 17 - turns out the pace group has the same strategy as I do: walk through the water stops. I thought they were running a little hot, but that's because they know they're going to give back some time. I realize the pace group is helping me tremendously because I've been able to stop thinking and can just run. No need to check the watch, but I do eye the heart rate every now and then. I check with one of the pacers and find that I'm now 1:50 off of goal time. My plan now: hang with the group to 24 and then take off and see if I can make up the time. Got to get to 24 first.

                   

                  Mile 18 - supposedly we ran through Little Italy, but I could neither confirm nor deny. All I could see were 5:00 signs on the top of sticks. I will tell you we went through some stretches where there were no barriers for the crowd and the spectators squished the course down to maybe 5 or 6 runners wide. Kind of like a mountaintop finish on the Tour de France.

                   

                  Mile 19 - one of the pacers is named Brian and has his name on his shirt.  Lots of cheers for Brian.  So nice that these people came out to support little old me.

                   

                  Mile 20 (30K 3:35:00 35:34 +1:43) - Pilsen is a largely Hispanic neighborhood. Great crowds and plenty of signs for the Carrera de los Muertos (Race of the Dead) 5K on Halloween. I've decided that the second best feeling in running is when you hit mile 20 and you know you're going to do it. I couldn't guarantee my time, but I knew my body could continue doing what it was doing. What a rush.

                   

                  Mile 21 - things have gotten pretty industrial and the crowds have thinned out. Plus the pace group has gotten stretched out. I've been hanging with one of the pacers farther back and decide to try and reel in the leader.

                   

                  Mile 22 (35K 4:11:02 36:02 +2:12) - Chinatown. I think there was a dragon. Maybe there was a shopping center that looked like the Great Wall or maybe the wall of the Forbidden Palace. There were people, maybe. Some signs, some noise, I don't know. All attention to external detail was gone. Just had to catch the lead pacer.

                   

                  Mile 23 - mile 23 ends with a pretty good "hill" as the course crosses over the Dan Ryan Expressway. I think its for this reason that the Nike Cheer Station is here. The guys working the PA are great. My favorite line: "Hey there's Lauren. She's our favorite runner. We've been waiting all day for her to get here. Everyone cheer for Lauren."

                   

                  Mile 24 - cruising with the lead pacer at near 11:00 pace. Streets are wide and tree-lined. Feeling great. Some tightness in the hips, but not too bad. Heart rate up, but not too bad. Say good bye and thank you to the two pacers I'd been shadowing (literally) for the last two miles. And off I go.

                   

                  Mile 25 (40K 4:45:06 34:04 +0:42) - the plan is to hold 10:30 the rest of the way. Well within my limits, I hope, but will get me there in time. I notice more and more walkers, but nobody really struggling. Nearing the 25 mile marker I look down to check pace and hear rate and DISASTER my watch display says: "no room to store lap. Please delete older laps. ENTER". I press enter to delete the laps, but the message pops back up. I'm running, trying to work the menus to delete the laps. Finally I give it up and go without the technology. At this point I'm so deep in to my reserves that I have no sense of what pace I'm running or where my heart rate is. It'll just have to be enough

                   

                  Mile 26 - they have a one mile to go sign which probably saved me. I was able to check my running time on the watch and it looked like I was at exactly 4:50. 10 minutes to do one mile. Easy, right?...if you haven't run 25 already. They joke about "Mt. Roosevelt" as you turn right into the park and scale its 24 foot rise, but to me it looks like the biggest hill I've ever seen. Up we go at near 100% effort.

                   

                  It's the .2 that gets you - at the left turn to the finish line I get boxed in by 4 or 5 people who decide they've done all they can do. I yell "on your left" (which took a lot to summon up) and thankfully one of them made a hole. I'm sprinting now, but can tell I won't be able to hold it the whole way. I look to my right and I'm being passed by someone in classic sprinters form. For once I decide it will be okay to be passed at the finish. In front of me six persons link arms to cross together. I will not slow down. I check the clock, I'm going to make it and pull up avoiding an embarrassing collision. I throw my arms up and cross the line (no point in checking the watch)

                   

                  Final result: 5:58:38 4:58:38 11:23 -1:22 and a PR by almost 40 minutes. In the last 7K (4.3 miles) I made up 3:34, in the last 2.2K I made up 1:54. I estimate that I ran the final mile in 8:38.  Probably not the smartest way to run a negative split, but I'll take it.

                   

                  The finishing medal is great. Even the band, which I usually cut off, is a keeper. There are bananas and bagels, cookies and pretzels. All I want is a place to stretch out my hips, but they don't want you to stop. Inside the finishing area is a beer truck. I had brought my beer ticket for just such an eventuality, but they don't want it. I grab a beer and they offer me another.

                   

                  I can't say enough about the quality of this event.  The fluid stops were perfect and manned by great volunteers. The clocks at every mile.  The intervals every 5K.  The crowds. The neighborhoods. The bag check. I have no complaints and only kudos.

                   

                  I collect my bag from the world's largest bag check (after a brief moment of panic when it wasn't in the right box) pull out my phone and find Greg. He's run a 3:08 and BQ'd. He'd never run a race until running last year's Country Music Half with no training. He achieved his goal, I achieved mine. We're off for Giordano's. A beautiful day, a beautiful time, a beautiful finish.

                   

                  MTA - corrected finish time from 5:58 to 4:58.  What a nimrod.

                   

                  New Orleans Marathon - 2/24/2013  4:16:32

                  Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon - 4/27/2013 4:09:56 PR!

                  Honolulu Marathon - 12/8/2013

                    And I almost forgot: my ribs never bothered me a bit once we got going.

                     

                    Oh, and I had my hand warmer in my hand when I crossed the line.  I eventually pocketed the gloves and headband, but I carried that little pouch the whole way.

                    New Orleans Marathon - 2/24/2013  4:16:32

                    Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon - 4/27/2013 4:09:56 PR!

                    Honolulu Marathon - 12/8/2013


                    Imminent Catastrophe

                      Nice report Brian! Maybe you could post it over on the Racing forum so more people will see it!


                      I got a chuckle out of "It's the .2 that gets you". 

                      In Tucson I passed the 26 sign in 3:35:30. That's a BQ time.

                      I passed the finish in 3:37:38. That's not a BQ time 

                      "Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"

                       "To obtain the air that angels breathe you must come to Tahoe"--Mark Twain

                      "The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.

                       

                      √ Javelina Jundred Jalloween 2015

                      Cruel Jewel 50 mile May 2016

                      Western States 100 June 2016

                        Nice report Brian! Maybe you could post it over on the Racing forum so more people will see it!

                         

                        Done and done

                        In Tucson I passed the 26 sign in 3:35:30. That's a BQ time.

                        I passed the finish in 3:37:38. That's not a BQ time 

                         

                        You've just described my worst nightmare.

                        New Orleans Marathon - 2/24/2013  4:16:32

                        Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon - 4/27/2013 4:09:56 PR!

                        Honolulu Marathon - 12/8/2013


                        Imminent Catastrophe

                           

                          Done and done

                           

                          You've just described my worst nightmare.

                           Heh. I missed by 1:39. I sat by a guy at my last race who ended up missing by 12 seconds. Now that's a nightmare.

                          4 miles on the TM today then 1.3 with the dogs.

                          7 miles to go!

                          "Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"

                           "To obtain the air that angels breathe you must come to Tahoe"--Mark Twain

                          "The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.

                           

                          √ Javelina Jundred Jalloween 2015

                          Cruel Jewel 50 mile May 2016

                          Western States 100 June 2016


                          Imminent Catastrophe


                             

                            Now we can start concentrating on Mt. Desert Island.  Anyone else racing this weekend?

                             

                            Funny you should mention that. We were just watching Ken Burns' PBS series on the National Parks, and Mount Desert Island/Acadia National Park came up. Nice coincidence.

                            "Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"

                             "To obtain the air that angels breathe you must come to Tahoe"--Mark Twain

                            "The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.

                             

                            √ Javelina Jundred Jalloween 2015

                            Cruel Jewel 50 mile May 2016

                            Western States 100 June 2016


                            ...---...

                              Awesome race report, Brian! Makes me want to do Chicago for sure. Think I'll sign up for 2010. Sounds like you had a great experience and enjoyed reading the entire thing.


                              Love the "National Parks: America's Best Idea" documentary. 


                              I woke up yesterday for a run but there was a strange pain in my left foot, just underneath my big toe, at the ball of my foot, that began sometime during the night. It really hurt and there was some swelling. It hurt to touch but subsided the more I stretched the foot and big toe but always returned. This morning, the pain woke me up (as you can see from the time of this post). My foot is considerably more swollen and hurts like hell. Compression does very little to help, I've got it elevated now but there's a throbbing pain. Something about lying down in bed that makes it worse. 


                              Any ideas? I'm gonna get in to see a doctor first chance I get today!

                              San Francisco - 7/29/12

                              Warrior Dash Ohio II - 8/26/12

                              Chicago - 10/7/12


                              Dutchie42



                                Any ideas? I'm gonna get in to see a doctor first chance I get today!

                                 Did you step on anything? Insect bite? Did you see a doc?

                                 

                                Brian: again congrats. Wonderful race report. Love how you're able to write it down by mile.How are you feeling today?

                                 

                                Dutchie
                                Run the day, or the day runs you.

                                 

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