Lifesabeach San Antonio Rock n Roll Marathon PR (Read 586 times)

I had a few goals here. During training I focused on lots of long slow miles...would that theory really work? I registered (in July) with a pie in the sky estimate 3:35 finishing time because I was coming off injury. Wondered if I could swing a 3:30 and for some jacked up reason, had people talk me into 3:25. I wanted to be in the top 10 in my division. I felt like if I could run a 3:55, injured, on my worst day, anything was possible. Forgot my 3:24:59 pace band and I had to chose between the 3:30 or 3:20 tatoo and decided the 3:20 would push me. It was cold, 38 degrees and sunny, but awesome/perfect at the start. San Antonio was so excited...there were helicopters everywhere! The most exciting part, is bear with me, I got to meet an online friend here in SA. I've known Marion (Just Marion~ check her out on page 2 of the Before and After thread in the look what I can do forum) from an attachment parenting board for 7+ years. 4 years ago, she was 238 lbs, and could barely walk half a mile. Since then, she's lost 115 lbs. She ran her first marathon in Feb (4:08) and let me talk her into meeting here, in San Antonio. She needed a 3:40 to BQ. She came in at 3:34:42. A-FREAKING-MAZING!!!!! I don't know who I was more happy or impressed with...her or me! We are going to Boston TOGETHER!!! She'll have the pictures on her race report/blog. IT was a great race for me...really, it was the first race I've ever run at potential. Surf City I did great with a 3:36 PR but I've had those nagging thoughts of how much better I could have done without the conditions. Yesterday, I was injury free, the weather was perfect, the course was perfect, and I felt strong...no excuses. 5 orange/vanilla gu Roctane! I couldn't believe it. My splits were pretty even. My goal was to do all 26.2 under 8min but as you can see the start was slow due to the number of people. These are my garmin splits for 26.49 miles...sorry, I C&P from my log so it's wonky Mi 8:00 8:00 8:00 Mi 7:48 15:48 7:48 Mi 7:42 23:30 7:42 Mi 7:47 31:17 7:47 Mi 7:55 39:12 7:55 Mi 7:29 46:41 7:29 Mi 7:42 54:23 7:42 Mi 7:35 1:01:58 7:35 Mi 7:45 1:09:43 7:45 Mi 7:39 1:17:22 7:39 Mi 7:45 1:25:07 7:45 Mi 7:40 1:32:47 7:40 Mi 7:44 1:40:31 7:44 Mi 7:48 1:48:19 7:48 Mi 7:46 1:56:05 7:46 Mi 7:50 2:03:55 7:50 Mi 7:45 2:11:40 7:45 Mi 7:43 2:19:23 7:43 Mi 7:47 2:27:10 7:47 Mi 7:54 2:35:04 7:54 Mi 7:43 2:42:47 7:43 Mi 7:41 2:50:28 7:41 Mi 7:48 2:58:16 7:48 Mi 7:42 3:05:58 7:42 Mi 7:48 3:13:46 7:48 Mi 7:44 3:21:30 7:44 Mi 7:24 3:25:02 7:24 I'm just really surprised at how I was able to stay so steady. I won't lie, I was ready to be done at mile 23 and the only thing I was thinking of is that so many people thought I could do 3:25, surely I could. I didn't care what my finish line pic was going to look like. After climbing this miserable short hill, that felt like a mountain, at mile 26, I turned the corner and ran as hard as I could and pumped my arms like I was finishing a 5k. 3:25:02 and I place 5th in my AG (out of 661). I generally poo poo the negative split but my first half was 1:42:28 and the second half was 1:42:34...so POO POO! I feel great today. Resisting the urge to run a few miles. My a$$ hurts (piriformis is common for me) but other than that, I have no problems moving around. Unbelievably great race for me. no regrets. I held nothing back. No excuses. I'm still just...wow. (and thanks honey (trailsurfer) for the shout out! ) MTA: to correct my horrible pre-redbull-early-morning-spelling mistakes.

Unbelievably great race for me. no regrets. I held nothing back. No excuses. I'm still just...wow.

Nice! Enjoy it.

Jennifer, that looks like a flawless run for you. WAY TO GO!!! It doesn't look like you faded at all and it sounds like you gave it your all. It is pretty much the marathon of my dreams

Jennifer, that looks like a flawless run for you. WAY TO GO!!! It doesn't look like you faded at all and it sounds like you gave it your all. It is pretty much the marathon of my dreams

It was the perfect race for me. I didn't really get it until this morning when I sat to look at my splits. The entire time I felt comfortable yet racey...I was working but I wasn't dying. That's a great feeling! And I'm serious about the negative splits...I always at the idea of holding back until mile 20...if I don't hit pace out at the start, I won't, but once I do, it felt like I was in auto pilot.

Congrats you Boston-bound Babe! What a great day for you and your friend. So, what's next? Are you happy with the long & slow training?

Awesome!

Jeez! That is amazing. 5th AG at a Rock n Roll event is saying something as those are very well-attended by fast runners. What's more amazing to me is that you feel good enough to have resist the urge to run a few miles today. I certainly don't have that problem the day after a PR marathon - heck any marathon! Way to go.

Jennifer, that is fantastic. Both you and Marion deserve kudos for an amazing job.