Rockenmama's 2008 Steamtown SUPER LONG race report (Read 873 times)

BTW You would never guess I HATE writing lol I got to Scranton Saturday afternoon. My plans were to head to Amanda’s (Willa) house pick her up and meet up with Bob and his friends for a late lunch. We went to the Olive Garden where we had some good food and good conversation. Bob is just as nice if not nicer than he is online and he has such an amazing smile! I met his wife and his daughter as well as some of his friends from another forum. Now I’m sure most don’t know that Bob is the reason I ended up doing Steamtown LAST year (which afterwards I decided it would be a must do every year) Once we got back to Amanda’s house the impatient wait for Alemma, Gaela and Micheal started. They finally arrived around 8:30. Now this group of crazy maniacs for those who don’t know had just driven from Baltimore where Gaela and Alemma had just run the Baltimore marathon (FOOLS) I have to say any pictures I’ve seen don’t do them justice (even after a marathon) and Gaela OMG she is such a riot!!! I know I’ll be running a marathon with Alemma in the future, I hope I’ll get to run with Gaela as well! Anyway we all chatted for awhile until the smart one of the group headed to bed (alemma) We had figured we had to be up around 5 am to make sure we had plenty of time to get ready, drive to the finish line so that we could catch a bus up to the start. 4:45 arrived and I was up for the day. I’m not sure why I always worry about not waking up when the alarm goes off. Everyone managed to get up and ready and we were out by 5:45. First stop DUNKIN DONUTS. I’m not a DD fan however I since I really needed to do business (won’t say what that was but I’m sure you all can figure it out) I got myself a hot chocolate (it didn’t work go figure) . We managed to get downtown, parked and ended up on the last bus. We got to the starting line around 7:30 which didn’t give us much time. We all headed to the porta pots, then to baggage check. At the last minute I decided no gloves and no MM singlet. I felt it was my skirt and a running bra would be enough. I have to say I am SOOOOOOO glad I wasn’t dressed any warmer!!! I sure got a lot of funny looks at though from all the people wearing garbage bags etc. I’m sure a lot of people suffered later due to being overdressed. Anyways we took a few minutes to get ready before I was told Pam you better get out to the start since you have a goal. Good thing they gave my ass a shove cause I got out the door, the lady was singing the National anthem. By the time I managed to get between the 8 and 9 minute pace mark signs the cannon was going off and off we went. I forgot how crowded it gets at the start. I thought my first mile would be closer to 9, however it was around 8:30. Now the elevation map looks like you go for a bit and then just fall off a cliff however I assure you that isn’t correct. There is on little tiny kind of steep hill the rest of the downhills are gentle. Also there are several hills in the first 5 miles but nothing major. I knew from last year to be carefull at the start since the last 3-4 miles of the marathon are where the major hills come. GOTTA LOVE THAT…………. NOT. Anyway I settled into my pace and was feeling really good. I was surprised at how fast things felt. Normally when I’m running a marathon it seems to be taking forever. I was surprised at how good I was feeling and the hills in the first 7 miles really didn’t impact me much. I did however have to use the restroom by mile 8. That surprised me cause usually I can go right before the start and then have to go right after starting. Later it would turn out that my stomach wasn’t empting like it normally does. Now after you hit the hill between mile 6 and 7 it turns to more of a rolling hill course and flat course. I hit 13.1 miles in 1:52 like I had planned. Still feeling really good. I remember thinking DAMN I really need to find myself a nice HM to do soon so I can have me a nice new HM PR. Right before I hit the halfway mark I saw my husband and the twins. Despite the fact that Ken and Katie were having headache issue’s they still managed to come up so that they could cheer me and my friends on. Katie had spent a good amount of time the day before making signs for me as well as Gaela, ALemma, Amanda, Michael and Bob. I of course stopped to give them hugs and kisses and to tell them how much I loved them and as quickly as I stopped I was off running. We hit the trail section around mile 15. Around a mile 16 or so my left knee started “whispering” to me. Now I started having issue’s with my knee while Ultra training for my 50’s earlier this summer. I had a lot of problems with it during the Lone Ranger and minimal during the Viaduct. And it was sporadic over the last couple months before Steamtown. But you know I’m superwoman and that if I will something to go away it does *roll eyes*. I thought for sure that 2 weeks worth of tapering would be enough time and that I would no longer have any knee issue’s. I also think that wearing my NB trail shoes that I’m testing wasn’t exactly the smartest thing for me to do (but then again I’ve never said I was smart lol) I HAD planned on wearing them for a long run (of at least 18 miles) on the road, however that never happened. Anyways it wasn’t long before felt the first sign that if I wasn’t carefull my hamstring was going to seize. So I slowed my pace down. I decided that 3:45 wasn’t going to happen but that if my knee shut up that 3:50 would still be possible which would be great. I knew before that Boston 09 was out of the picture. I’ve got plans that would make it impossible so Boston 10 was the plan and I turn 40 next year so 3:50 still would have been a BQ for me. Well Lap 22 my knee started to scream. Not only was I having that problem but I was feeling dehydrated. Before the race I had decided that I would rely only on the water on course, however it wasn’t taking much before the sloshing would start. So of course after my experience at Lone Ranger I stopped drinking. Well at mile 22 I had to start doing the run walk thing to keep my knee from locking. Mile 23 couldn’t get there fast enough. Unlike last year the water stops were kind of sparse which kind of through me off. When I stopped at mile 23 for water and saw my pace time for mile 22 (9:51) I knew 3:50 was out of the question. Anyone who’s ever had to stop in the later parts of a marathon and hasn’t trained that way knows how hard it is to get back going. Also the big hills were coming. After hobbling up the first hill I was just hoping to get under 4 hours. I ran/walked mile 22, 23, 24, and part of mile 25. I was determined to get under 4:00’s and that I was going to run up the last hill (which was the biggest) and even if it killed me I was going to run and sprint into the finishline and pass as many people as I could. Well I passed a hell of a lot of people. Seems like the heat as well as the hills were getting to many and most were walking that hill close to mile 26. I think most first timers had no clue there was one there. Not long after cresting the hill you can see the finish line which really helps to put the “wheels” back on. I managed to do the last half mile at under 8 minute mile pace. My knee liked that pace and didn’t make a peep. I passes many and no one passed me (a woman tried but she was still right behind me when I crossed). The timer said 3:57:05. I have no idea what my gun time was cause I had set my Virtual Partner to 26.35 miles and it had stopped before I crossed (not sure when I crossed the virtual 26.35 but it was before the finish line. Oh I forgot to mention that right before the finish line I saw my dh and the twins again! I saw Bob not long after I crossed the finish line and tears started flowing when I told him I failed. He of course said there’s always next time and you did PR didn’t you? Yes I did. And in truth I knew deep down inside that what happened was likely. I grabbed a bagel and went to get my bag so I could call my husband so we could meet up. When they found me he hugged me and I cried. I didn’t cry for me, I cried for them and all I who had faith in me. I felt I had let them down. Ken made sure to let me know that I hadn’t failed him or anyone. That I did the best I could under the circumstances and that was all that mattered. Dh and the twins left to go get something to eat. I wanted to get in the sun and be there for when Amanda, Alemma, Gaela and Michael came through. Michael came through not long after 5 hours. Unfortunately we spent a little too much time relaxing in the court house and missed ALemma come in however we were there to cheer Amanda and Gaela come in and take a picture. Gaela looked like she was having a blast and was hamming it all up. Ken and twins met up with us across the street and we played in the fountain for a bit before heading back up to Amanda’s. It’s funny how no matter how many you do, you can still learn things from a marathon. I learned that I really hadn’t given the ultra’s and my body the respect that they needed. I’m only human like everyone else. And even though I’m a freak and my body is kind of freakish it still needs to rest and recover. And I can’t just think an issue away. I’ll be running a spring marathon next year to BQ, however I won’t be doing a couple of 50 milers just a few months before it. I’ll be doing them AFTERWARDS!! Ultra training KICKS YOUR ASS!!! And my ASS can be kicked AFTER I BQ next year. I did gain the confidance that I WILL BQ. I have no doubt that I’ll do it next spring. As much as I wanted to leave everything out on the course yesterday, I was not willing to risk injury and possibly DNFing. I love running to much to do that. Nothing is worth risking injury unless it’s in the Olympic marathon, breaking a world record or my last run of my life. I’m feeling great today. Quads are a bit sore, but to be expected however I’ve no problems with stairs yesterday or today. When dh gets home tonight I’ll be out hitting the pavement, testing my knee and getting ready for the Monkey!! If you made it through the entire novel WOW!!!! Thanks in advance to anyone who reads this!!!

I'm sorry you didn't make your goal, but for the rest of us, that's an awesome time! At least you learned a good lesson and have something to look forward to this spring!

Pammm, that was a very good report and not 'super long' by my standards . I know some people who have BQed at Steamtown... but I know a lot more who have been beaten up by the hills (and the downhill). My unsolicited advice: if you really like the race and/or it's now a "I have a score to settle with that course" race, then by all means attack it next year. BUT, if your primary goal is a BQ, consider another race. Like Bay State. Or one in the spring (which, aha, I see that you are: cool). FWIW, I totally agree with you regarding 50 milers. Speed vampires.

Good job on not injuring yourself and finishing with a pretty good time. Sounds like a BQ is in your future. Great race report (and pics).

I'm sorry you didn't make your goal, but for the rest of us, that's an awesome time! At least you learned a good lesson and have something to look forward to this spring!

I think the lesson's were much more important than BQing. Thanks!!

Pammm, that was a very good report and not 'super long' by my standards . I know some people who have BQed at Steamtown... but I know a lot more who have been beaten up by the hills (and the downhill). My unsolicited advice: if you really like the race and/or it's now a "I have a score to settle with that course" race, then by all means attack it next year. BUT, if your primary goal is a BQ, consider another race. Like Bay State. Or one in the spring (which, aha, I see that you are: cool). FWIW, I totally agree with you regarding 50 milers. Speed vampires.

Thanks SR!! I'd love to wait until Oct to BQ at Steamtown however I have some Ultra's I'm looking to do between June and August hense why I'm looking for a Spring one. Just got to find the right one.

Good job on not injuring yourself and finishing with a pretty good time. Sounds like a BQ is in your future. Great race report (and pics).

Thanks wandering!!

Fantastic Pam!! Don't beat yourself up! I loved reading your story! Is that your daughter in the one pic?? She is a cutie!! Beautiful hair! Like I said, great job!!