Sub-3:30 Marathon in 2012 Goal Thread (Read 4592 times)

    Last mile actually hurt like HELL Smile.  First time I've had a muscle seize up.  My right quad locked and I couldn't extend my leg!  But there was only 0.1 to go when it happened.  Screamed, swore, gutted through it!

     

    Thanks, everyone! 

     

    Here's the proper recap:

     

    It was a rough training cycle, this time around (he said, only having been through two cycles). Overtraining syndrome reduced my training for a month and a half and bummed me out, but I'm lucky to have good friends that were supportive all the way (RunDMC, my running group, in particular).

     

    I am so glad I do the hill training I do (I live in the highest point in the state). I am, further, glad I decided to run by effort/HR. Target average HR was 178. Actual average HR was 178. Woo! That's what my body was ready to give today. This was a PR by 11 minutes and 16 seconds. Oddly enough, I can run by feel and hit a target HR but NOT a target pace--so I didn't have to look at my Garmin very often.

     

    There were SO MANY people there. My other two marathons have had less than 100 (Elyria) and less than 500 (ORRRC) people running the full.

     

    This was a whole 'nother world. I was more than a little dazzled by it at least a few times. I can see why people like "city" marathons now. It's a very different experience. The crowd support was nothing short of phenomenal the whole way. I never took my headphones out of the pocket in my shorts--the entertainment was fantastic, the cheering was wonderful, and I gave roughly 327 high fives to volunteers and crowd members (I tried to count, really, but the number got too high).

     

    A Cliff's notes of fun, terrible, and interesting race events:

     

    1. I was told by at least six different people that I have good running form. One in particular commented that I was "just gliding" up a hill. As we went down it, he commented "You don't even bounce!" I didn't tell anyone my secret--run without any cushioning and you HAVE to run well.


    2. Similarly, I heard at over half the water stations that I have an awesome beard. This one I knew before the race.


    3. I finally had a cramp during a race. More correctly, my right hamstring SEIZED UP. Severely. As in, I couldn't even unbend my knee. The muscle locked. The good news? This happened at 26.1 miles. I suffered through it and refused to slow down. I can do anything for .1 miles. I might have screamed a bad word very, very loudly, though.


    4. I splashed no Gatorade in my eyes THIS TIME--the volunteers at the Pig identify their water correctly.


    5. My last mile was my best mile. Mile one was 8:02. Final mile was 7:22.


    6. Running hills is awesome. Most people don't know this. You give to the hill going up, take from it going down. Never confuse the two, and you'll love them.


    7. PowerGel can spoil. One of mine tasted...very spoiled. Nasty.


    8. People with sprinklers and hoses are awesome.


    9. Aid station volunteers dressed like Blues Brothers are awesome. Yes, really.  It was at mile 23 or so, so I thought I might have been hallucinating.  One of the guys from my running group mentioned it, too, so I'm confident it really happened.


    10. "If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon." (Emil Zatopek)

     

    It was a great run today! In a nutshell, first half in 1:45:20, second half in about 1:43. Nice, solid negative split

    "When a person trains once, nothing happens. When a person forces himself to do a thing a hundred or a thousand times, then he certainly has developed in more ways than physical. Is it raining? That doesn't matter. Am I tired? That doesn't matter, either. Then willpower will be no problem." 
    Emil Zatopek

      Excellent work Ryan.

      Do what you want, just how you like. Nobody has to know.


      hairshirt knitter

        It was a great run today! In a nutshell, first half in 1:45:20, second half in about 1:43. Nice, solid negative split

         

        Excellent! Well done, just about perfectly run for a major PB. Where do you go from here then?

        Julia1971


          1. I was told by at least six different people that I have good running form. One in particular commented that I was "just gliding" up a hill. As we went down it, he commented "You don't even bounce!" I didn't tell anyone my secret--run without any cushioning and you HAVE to run well.


          2. Similarly, I heard at over half the water stations that I have an awesome beard. This one I knew before the race.

           

          Those types of "I do?!?" compliments are great.  And, good luck winning the Stanley Cup. Wink

           


          5. My last mile was my best mile. Mile one was 8:02. Final mile was 7:22.

           

           

          Awesome!

           


          7. PowerGel can spoil. One of mine tasted...very spoiled. Nasty.

           

           

          Disturbing.

           


          8. People with sprinklers and hoses are awesome.

           

           

          True.

            Excellent! Well done, just about perfectly run for a major PB. Where do you go from here then?

             

            Running for fun.  I also want to break 20 in the 5K, which I almost did in January (long course--was on-pace, but it was ~0.12 or so miles long), but I HATE 5Ks.  They hurt too much. 

             

            On the entire opposite side of the spectrum, planning to run a 50K in June for fun.  Something fun in July.  Same for August, then start a-tapering again...

             

            Next "goal race" is Dances with Dirt in Hell (Hell, MI) in September, a 50 miler.

             

            Deciding on a late October or November marathon, where I'll try to take advantage of the base from the ultras and PR again.

             

            And thanks, everyone!  I feel like a newb/idiot here a lot of the time, but committing in this forum really helped me focus (even when recovering from overtraining).  Looking forward to seeing more people crack the "barrier"!

            "When a person trains once, nothing happens. When a person forces himself to do a thing a hundred or a thousand times, then he certainly has developed in more ways than physical. Is it raining? That doesn't matter. Am I tired? That doesn't matter, either. Then willpower will be no problem." 
            Emil Zatopek

            LedLincoln


            not bad for mile 25

              Congratulations Ryan!  Awesome job!

               

              Last mile actually hurt like HELL Smile.  First time I've had a muscle seize up.  My right quad locked and I couldn't extend my leg!  But there was only 0.1 to go when it happened.  Screamed, swore, gutted through it!

               

              I don't know how you did this. I bet that quad is still screaming.

               

              1. I was told by at least six different people that I have good running form. One in particular commented that I was "just gliding" up a hill. As we went down it, he commented "You don't even bounce!" I didn't tell anyone my secret--run without any cushioning and you HAVE to run well.

               

              I like to think I have good running form, and people have told me so, but this time someone later told me that I looked like I was limping, and this was around mile 6, when I was feeling at my very best. What's up with that?

               

              9. Aid station volunteers dressed like Blues Brothers are awesome. Yes, really.  It was at mile 23 or so, so I thought I might have been hallucinating.  One of the guys from my running group mentioned it, too, so I'm confident it really happened.

               

              We have a very masculine looking bearded nun who shows up at the same place each year.

                Congrats Ryan, well done. 

                 

                Julia1971


                  I know some of you also have this goal (and, yeah, I kinda want to brag a little) so I thought I'd post that I ran a sub-20 5K today!  My time was 19:25.  I'm still half expecting an email saying the course was short because I honestly can't believe it.  But, until I get that email...  I have my excuse to drink champagne today!


                  hairshirt knitter

                    I know some of you also have this goal (and, yeah, I kinda want to brag a little) so I thought I'd post that I ran a sub-20 5K today!  My time was 19:25.  I'm still half expecting an email saying the course was short because I honestly can't believe it.  But, until I get that email...  I have my excuse to drink champagne today!

                     

                    Wow, congrats on a 3 minute PB? That's great running... I managed a 19:48 couple of weeks ago, but half marathon goal is next, and that's the one I feel least confident about.

                    Julia1971


                      Wow, congrats on a 3 minute PB? That's great running... I managed a 19:48 couple of weeks ago, but half marathon goal is next, and that's the one I feel least confident about.

                       

                      Thanks! And, congrat on your sub-20. I remember you were concerned about marathon training ruining your chances.

                       

                      My previous PB was 21:00.  I ran 22:something last week, which is also why this is complete surprise.  And, I feel very detrained.  I haven't run very much since Boston.  But that course was hilly and this one was pancake flat.  And, last week, I was still recovering from shredding every muscle in body from playing in a field hockey tournament the weekend before. 

                      northernman


                      Fight The Future

                        Made it to my goal, today, and then some. Unofficial time of 3:27:27. 4th out of 17 in my division (so close!). That's a PB for me by 11 minutes, and a BQ-12, so I'm very happy. 

                         

                        EDIT: The bad thing is, 24 hours later, and I'm already planning how I can beat that time in my next race. There is no satisfying some people. Here are my mile split paces. 

                        7:51

                        7:53

                        7:58

                        7:59

                        7:51

                        7:51

                        7:56

                        8:00

                        7:46

                        7:52

                        7:52

                        7:49

                        7:50

                        7:51

                        7:51

                        7:52

                        7:45

                        7:58

                        8:00

                        7:53

                        7:53

                        7:47

                        7:47

                        7:30

                        7:41

                        7:57

                        7:45

                          Congrats on your sub 20 5k Julia! And congrats Northernman on your sub 3:30 and your new PR!

                           

                          As for me I will not be running my race next weekend. I will be doing something much more important. I'm a little sad at the timing but much more excited then sad about what I'll be doing.  Good luck to everyone

                          Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

                          Julia1971


                            Made it to my goal, today, and then some. Unofficial time of 3:27:27. 4th out of 17 in my division (so close!). That's a PB for me by 11 minutes, and a BQ-12, so I'm very happy. 

                             

                            Congrats!  3:27:27 has a nice ring to it.

                              Congrats, Julia!  That's a scorching 5K time.  I'm a little jealous! :-P

                               

                              And congrats on the sub-3:30 and HUGE PR, northerman!

                              "When a person trains once, nothing happens. When a person forces himself to do a thing a hundred or a thousand times, then he certainly has developed in more ways than physical. Is it raining? That doesn't matter. Am I tired? That doesn't matter, either. Then willpower will be no problem." 
                              Emil Zatopek

                              Julia1971


                                Congrats, Julia!  That's a scorching 5K time.  I'm a little jealous! :-P

                                 

                                I talked to someone else who ran the same race yesterday and he also thought it was short, so.... I'm excluding it.  It was a great 24 hours, though.  Guess my next goal is to get that time legit.  Wink