Masters Running

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Bayshore Shore was Great! (Read 283 times)

    As most of you know this was my first marathon after running for about ten years. I have attempted about 2 or 3 others but something always managed to sideline me. I have had every overuse injury known to the running world so I guess I ran out of injuries and it was just my time. I say all this to encourage people like myself and let them know that the determination to get there, no matter how long, is what actually gets you through the tough spots in the actual race. I am not a natural athlete, just an average guy as you can tell from my training but determined to see things through. Thanks for all the support that I have gotten from here and as far back as Kicksports in 1998. Different names but always the most supportive group a runner could ask for. We arrived in Traverse City at around 7:30 and as I was trying to meet up with some people from RA we decided to do package pickup before dinner even though I was starving. I am glad we did as I managed to meet Tselbs and his wife and daughter. His daughter was running her first also and I hope she had a great time. I also got to talk with Steve AKA Batman. I can tell everyone these two guys are as genuine as they come. Tselbs has a constant smile that is infectious so everyone around him smiles also and Steve I can tell is just one really nice guy with his heart on his sleeve. Race morning came at 5am with perfectly sunny skies and although a bit cool a promise of 68 for a high and 2mph winds. In others words IRC! I hydrated and had a bagel and my wife dropped me off at the start area. I kicked around looking for Marathon Derrick and Cory (another RA'r) but could not find them so I went to the start corral and guess who was standing right next to me? Cory! That is weird but I am glad I got to finally meet him also. He seems like a really great person and we may be meeting again in Grand Rapids. The gun sounded and we where off. My plan was to start off at a 9:40 pace and loosen up over the first 5k and also allow myself to settle down. I then was going to slowly over the first half try and get back some time and hopefully cross at 13.1 in 2 hours after that I would hold a 9:00 minute pace for as long as I could and possibly speed up at the 20 mile mark if at all possible. My goals for finishing where as follows...Finish...finish in 4:10 or my dream day ..finish under 4 hours. I reached the 3 mile mark at 28: 38 and was right on schedule. The problem was I realized my old fitsense watch was off, by a lot almost 1/2 mile! I changed the batteries the night before and must have screwed something up. No big deal except that I had no idea after that what my actual pace was until the next mile mark and then as the race got longer the math got fuzzier. Around the 7 mile mark I see the Bat signal and sure enough there was the caped crusader saving lives one glass of water at a time. It was nice to see a familiar face it also gave me something to look forward to on the way back. (Thanks Steve). I was still pretty serious at this point and pushed on constantly passing but not really getting passed so I knew I must be in with the right group. I passed the halfway mark and was really surprised to see 1:54:44 on the clock!! A whopping 6 minutes faster than my dream goal. This really gave me renewed confidence and I set out to finish this puppy as best I could. I began high fiving every kid that had their hands out it was time to relax and enjoy my day.I tried all kinds of mental tricks to help me along. The first being that the miles after the first 13.1 are actually going down. Each mile made the journey shorter not longer. That actually worked and I looked forward to each mile mark. I was feeling pretty good at this point and even though the math was getting fuzzy it seemed I was on about a 9 minute mile pace going in. I thought if I feel this good at the 20 mile mark maybe I will crank it up a notch. I had just passed through Steve's aide station again (hi to Steve) and it was time to reassess how I wanted to finish. It turned out to not be my decision to make. At about the 20 mile mark my body was telling me that it was getting tired. It kind of scared me a little at how fast I went from" this is not so bad" to " I hope this gets over soon". I then promised myself I would not walk at all because I was afraid If I did then I would give in and walk more than I wanted to.Again head games with myself. Telling myself that maybe I would allow myself a walk at the next water station but then when getting there saying things like " just 5 more miles you pansy" It must have worked because I managed to not walk at all except to gulp down water. The final 4 miles where a struggle a guy offered me a can of beer and the thought alone made me sick but the guy next to me popped the top and guzzled it down. He faded back shortly after that. Maybe he went back for more. As I turned the corner onto the track I was awash with emotion. I fought back tears and enjoyed the cushioning of the track. It felt like marshmallow. I raised my hands and smiled for the camera as I ran across the finish line in 3:53:10 my actual corrected chip time was 3:51:09. I had beaten all my goals with time to spare. I was one happy marathoner!! I managed to take my very supportive and beautiful wife to the Orchid Societies Orchid show later that day that just so happened to be in town also. We bought her a new baby for her orchid collection as her reward for all she does to support my running. I then ate the biggest hamburger and fries I have had in a long time. I usually don't eat like that but what the heck I just burned off 2600 or so calories!!! Thanks for reading and sharing this epic time in my life. Larry

    Chumbawamba: I get knocked down But I get up again You're never going to keep me down

      WOW Larry!!! that is amazing!! you ran an awesome race and met your dream goal with more than plenty to spare!! congratulations on a great race and a great celebration with your wife!!

      denise

      dg.


        Larry, thanks so much for your report. This was incredibly encouraging! Your training & your determination really came through. Loved your mind games. Congratulations for beating all of your goals and for a race well run. Thanks for refreshing my determination!
        selb3


          Way to Go Larry ! Big grin Beating all the goals, and excellent time and a great race!! Dave
            Beautiful.....just beautiful. Congratulations!!
            Quit being so damn serious! When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change. "Ya just gotta let it go." OM


            King of PhotoShop

              Larry, let me tell you that I read about a million RR's a year here, but no report filled me with such joy as reading yours. You have the heart of a marathoner, the guts to stick it out, and the positive outlook to help you in the final miles. I think honestly you have more marathons ahead of you with even faster times if this is the way you view a tough race. I am so happy and proud for you to have done this first one so well, and beyond your expectations. Another thing that impressed me about your report is your mention of the other very kind people on this site, Steve and Tselbs especially, who give so much of themselves here and in person. I hope I read more Bayshore reports. Congratulations to you on a fine race, and I am glad to see you had a decent and decadent meal afterwards. I am enjoying your cloud nine feeling. Well done! Spareribs
              wildchild


              Carolyn

                Awesome first marathon, Larry! And you write a beautiful report, too. Nicely done. And your second half was only about a minute and a half slower than the first half. You must have been doing something right!

                I hammered down the trail, passing rocks and trees like they were standing still.

                huskydon


                  Amazing job, Larry! Congratulations on a very impressive race. Your report is very encouraging to us "average guys". Thanks for sharing. huskydon
                  evanflein


                    Larry, as one who ran and posted with you on the old Cool Runners marathon trainers group... probably from one of those races you trained for but didn't run... This is a hugh accomplishment for you! Congratulations on blowing your "sub-4" goal out of the water. You told a wonderful story of your day, thank you for that. Glad you got to meet Tselbs and SteveP, two masters I'd love to meet some day!
                      Welcome back to the marathon and with a huge congratulations! You had a great day, blasted your time goal and seemed in tune with every mile and all the sights and sounds. How wonderful as well that you could meet Tselbs and SteveP. I hope your next races bring you this kind of joy (and perhaps with a little less pain at the end). Great running and thanks for sharing it with us. CNYrunner/Karin
                      SteveP


                        Larry, It was great meeting you, Robin, Tom and his tribe!!!!! At the expo, you went over your strategy. When you passed by on the way out, you were looking good. On the back you were looking strong! A sub 4 was sweet and the high 5^s to the young spectators is a class way to acknowledge their support. Well done!!!

                        SteveP


                        The Jogger

                          I telll you what Larry, that report was definitely encouraging, it was so inspirational. You ran and enjoyed the perfect race, you got to meet some of the best on the web, what a gathering of nice people. I found this an emotional report and was with you alll the way. Well Done Roy PS: What a meal after, excellent......
                            hallar, it was great meeting you, Robin, and Steve at the expo and seeing you and Robin again Sunday at the running store. You sure smoked your dream goal. It sure was a beautiful day and course. You deserve to feel elated and proud of your accomplishment. Congratulations. TomS
                              What a great report. This may be a classic case of where the lack of knowing exactly what your time was, played into your favor. If you knew how fast you were going, you might have adjusted to run what you THOUGHT you should be doing. I am thrilled for you. This is just a super way to break out in the Marathon mode. Congratulations and thanks for sharing with us. Joey
                              Vista
                                Wow, very inspirational!! Could it have gone any better?? You more than deserved the biggest burger in town. You have given me hope that this marathon thing can be done right...I just need to run for 7 more years and get a whole bunch of injuries. Wink I'm glad it worked out so well after working so long and so hard to get there. Wear that medal with pride!

                                "During a marathon, I run about two-thirds of the time. That's plenty." - Margaret Davis, 85 Ed Whitlock regarding his 2:54:48 marathon at age 73, "That was a good day. It was never a struggle."

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