OBX Marathon race report (Read 628 times)

Two years ago, I ran/walked the OBX Marathon as my motivation to begin getting in shape. Even with horrible conditions--heavy rain and heavy winds--I had a great experience, and my wife and I decided to return this year for my second marathon. My parents, who had spectated for me last time, also returned, but my dad, recently retired, signed up to walk/run the half marathon. During the week before the marathon, I started to develop what seemed to be a mild cold. All my runs went horribly with relatively high heart rates and slow paces. My goal of 4 hours was seeming more and more doubtful. Saturday morning my wife and I drove the six hours to the Outer Banks area. We met my parents for a late lunch, an early hotel check-in, and a visit to the expo for packet pick-up and a little shopping. After supper, we went back to the hotel where I prepped my race outfit and drop-off bag. Slept pretty well for a few hours, woke up at 4:00 for my toast and banana breakfast. Read a book in the hotel lobby until it was time to wake up my wife. After dressing, my mom took pics of my dad and me before our races. My parents then left for my dad's half-marathon start. My wife drove me to the start area about an hour before the 7:20 start. No traffic difficulties meant a quick drive. After drop off, I went straight to the port-a-potty line, which was long, and spent the time putting on body glide, strapping on my heart rate monitor, taking off my warm-ups and closing my drop-off bag. By the time I'd finished at the port-a-potty and dropped off my bag, a group prayer was spoken and the national anthem sang. Time to find my corral. Weather was terrific with clear skies, little wind and temps in the mid 50s to low 60s. I was feeling much better than at anytime during the previous week, so determined I'd keep to my plan of running 9:00 miles aiming for a 3:55 to 4:00 marathon. Placed myself in the very back of the 7 to 9 minute corral and waited for the gun. The elites were sent off first and then a couple minutes later the rest of us were sent off. The first four miles were through residential neighborhoods, well shaded. Many houses had residents out to cheer us on and mile marker sponsors had groups at many of these early mile markers to cheer us on. Hit my 9:00 paces for these miles, even walking through the water stations. At mile 4 marker my wife waited to cheer me on and ask if I needed anything--"Nope! I'm fine." Mile 5 through 7 started with a bike/walk path along the water and then continued through shaded residential neighborhoods. I continued hitting my paces--feeling good. During miles 7 and 8 we ran on a walk/bike trail and entered the Wright Brothers Memorial, ran by the airstrip, and ran a three-quarter loop around the memorial--prime picture taking for the official race photographers. At mile 9 my wife was again waiting to cheer me on--the last time I knew I'd probably see her standing at the course until the finish. At mile 10, we entered the Nags Head Woods park--probably my favorite part of the marathon. For two-and-a-half miles we ran along a hard-packed dirt road with rolling hills. My paces started dropping to around 9:20 pace in the hills. And at mile 12.5 we turned off the road and ran on a trail of soft ground with lots of pine needles--very hilly. Mile 13 pace dropped to about 10:00. Came out of the woods and crossed the halfway timing mat. Immediately after the halfway point was the first gel station (with Carbboom). I took the gel and drank some water--losing some time opening and ingesting the gel. At mile 13.5 we left the shaded areas and started running along the highway (US 158). The sun was above the trees and shining down on us--made me wish I had sunglasses for the next few miles. After two miles of running down the highway, we diverted through a neighborhood along the water and then ran back to the highway. My pace was starting to drop to the 9:40-9:50 range. My wife drove by and had time to slow down to ask me how I was doing--I gave her a thumbs-up--and then drove on toward the finish line. After another mile and half on the highway, we diverted into another neighborhood and ran around a residential golf-course. At mile 18 (in this neighborhood) I felt a twinge in my left calf. After stopping briefly to stretch it, I returned to running. By the time I left the neighborhood at mile 20, both calves were threatening to cramp, and I started having to stop and stretch every few minutes. Pace plummeted to 11:00. The course ran along highways (US 158 and then US 64) from mile 20 to just before mile 26. I continued to run with stretching breaks during mile 20 and mile 21. By the time I reached mile marker 22, my left leg was almost constantly cramping, and a muscle in my upper right leg was also cramping. Since my four hour goal was long ago lost, I started walking at the mile marker to see if that would help control the cramping. I started a routine of walk, run, stretch; walk, run, stretch. The first mile of this was mainly uphill over the Washington-Baum Bridge, the high point of the course. I would normally love the downhill portion of the bridge but had to maintain my walk, run, stretch routine. Pace had dropped to around 13:30. Finally reached the 26 mile marker. Saw my dad waiting ahead about halfway to the finish. Ran a little so he could take a picture and then walked while he called my wife to let her know I was about to finish. Walked until I could see the finish line and then ran the last hundred yards across the finish line. First race I ever heard my name announced. Crossed in 4:24:47. I munched on a couple of pieces of fruit and drank some milk and lots of water. Met up with my wife and parents, retrieved my drop-off bag so I could put on my warm-up jacket, walked around like a zombie through the post-race party. After about thirty minutes my stomach started feeling settled, so I went back to the runner's area and ate more fruit and peanut butter. Then waited ninety minutes for a massage. Post-race analysis--My pace plan was evidently too ambitious for the day, but I was happy with my ability to actually run the pace I wanted (and not faster) and to maintain it for basically the first half of the race. I need to work on my fueling--I think maybe I drank too much gatorade and probably could have gotten by with more electrolytes and less sugar--but this will require experimentation and experience, I guess. I set a half-marathon PR with my first half (1:58:53). Missing my goal really sucked. Splits for those interested (with avg hr): Mile 1 9:03 130 Mile 2 8:57 146 Mile 3 8:59 154 Mile 4 8:55 157 Mile 5 8:59 160 Mile 6 9:03 160 Mile 7 8:58 163 Mile 8 8:49 163 Mile 9 9:02 165 Mile 10 9:02 164 Mile 11 9:20 163 Mile 12 9:19 164 Mile 13 10:01 166 Mile 14 9:15 169 Mile 15 9:25 171 Mile 16 9:41 170 Mile 17 9:51 172 Mile 18 9:44 170 Mile 19 9:56 174 Mile 20 11:16 171 Mile 21 10:57 173 Mile 22 11:28 170 Mile 23 13:45 156 Mile 24 13:38 152 Mile 25 12:15 160 Mile 26 13:23 149 Mile 26.2 1:48 159

Congrats on the PR! It seems that I am the only one who didn't PR Sunday at OBX!?!?!?

John - Awesome race!!!

Happy Running,
Troy
"Start with your Head, Finish with your Heart!"

congrats -- great report ... you will get them next time

A HM PR to start the race does have it's down side but you stuck to it out to the finish so should be proud of yourself! Great job!

John! so sorry about the cramps! You had your goal in the bag before they started.

Ditto that. John, I feel your pain, literally. The first 16 miles of my marathon read a lot like yours. Coasting along at a very comfortable pace, then the little twinges, then the onset of cramps that stopped me cold. I also missed my goal by 20 minutes thanks to the cramping. Like you I'm planning to push the electrolytes more the next time around. Get those cramps under control and a <4 will be in the bag for you. :) will="" be="" in="" the="" bag="" for="" you.=""></4 will be in the bag for you. :)>

Great job! Congratulations on your PR! How wonderful that you had your family there to support you and cheer you on.

Sounds like you had a great race, overall. Congrats! Sorry about the goal though, but I'm pretty sure setting a half PR on the first half of a full almost never bodes well in the later miles. When's your next one?

I'm not sure when the next one will be--it might be next year's OBX. As to my setting a half PR, I've only run one half before and that was last year, so that didn't worry me any.