2010 Goal of Sub 3:00 marathon (Read 8721 times)

 I have added it at the bottom -

Inspired again by reading Chaloo's report and watching the banter for Baystate this weekend, put me down for a sub 3:00 attempt at the Snickers in Albany, GA on March 5th.

Just thinking of thunder & jeff-- would this be the best forum to keep track of their progress in the morning? With you in spirit, guys.

Right.  Many of us chose Baystate precisely because it has no internet athlete tracking or any of the other superfluous bullshit that goes with big city marathons.  It's a knock down, drag out road race.  Period.

You'll get the results when you get them.  See you on the other side.

Peace out, playas.

2:45:17.  I stuck to the plan for 2;32 through 10 miles, backed off a bit to aim at 2;35-2:37, and then my left hip went out on me around 16 miles and I limped in to just finish and hold my place (3rd).  Oh well.  This one would have been nice but the big goal has always been next spring.  I've come a long way from not being able to run an 18:00 5K in January.

Great race Andy!!  Out of my league!

Just thinking of thunder & jeff-- would this be the best forum to keep track of their progress in the morning? With you in spirit, guys.

Really happy  to see you get that D tag problem squared away Gary, great job on your run!  If I had one of them there fancy iphone thangs, I would be happy to provide updates.  But I don't got one.  So the quickest way to track their progress will probably be the Lowell Police blog.  This is gonna be ugly in a great way.

If nobody else steps up DB, I'll start the 2011 thread.  I spend entirely too much time on RA as it is, but this is too good an idea to let it die.

MTA: thanks for taking it on this year DB!

 

If nobody else steps up DB, I'll start the 2011 thread.  I spend entirely too much time on RA as it is, but this is too good an idea to let it die.

 

MTA: thanks for taking it on this year DB!

I was thinking.. you could always dedicate a username and password specifically for leading this forum, then have someone do it for the first 6 mo and then share the username and password to whomever does it for the next 6 months or 3 months or whatever is decided. Just a thought as it seems pretty time consuming and no one initially jumped at the opportunity...

Right.  Many of us chose Baystate precisely because it has no internet athlete tracking or any of the other superfluous bullshit that goes with big city marathons.  It's a knock down, drag out road race.  Period.

 

You'll get the results when you get them.  See you on the other side.

 

Peace out, playas.

http://www.coolrunning.com/results/10/ma/Oct17_BaySta_set1.shtml

Looked to be a good day.  Great job Jeff (2:35:54), Mikeymike (2:49:56) and Thunder (3:07:36).   Can't wait to hear all about it. 

Alright...so here's what happened.

I felt good...DAMN good.  We went through the 1/2 right where we wanted to(1:23:45).  I felt better than I thought I would, and I got greedy.  AND I got scared.  Did I want to stay with Mike and let it come to a race with 2-3 miles to go?  No.  I was scared of that.  So I made my move...cause I'm an idiot, and I felt too damn good not to.  Dropping the pace at 13 felt easy...waaaaay too easy.  For the first time during this whole buildup I KNEW I was going to SMASH my PR.  It was a done deal.  It was in the bag.  I felt like a BEAST.  I knew I was going to drop the pace even further down (in my head 6:10's) for the last 10k.  I KNEW it. 

I had never felt this type of strength before.  Never.  I was breathing easy.  I could have sang a song.  Never out of breath, or feeling like I was 'pushing' it.   I found the edge....and hurled myself over it, because I knew I was going to fly.Then I didn't.  Mile 18 was rough...but I thought it was the slight uphill, and I was still feeling good about the down that was coming up.  I would get back on pace and go.  I wasn't even thinking about Mike at this point.  I had crushed him.  No way could he hang with this. 

Then somewhere during mile 19 the legs just basically stopped working.  It's hard to describe.  My fuel was good, my pace was controlled, my GI stuff was good, my salt was 'ok'.  The legs just said, "Hey buddy, we don't have a fucking clue what 6:20 for 20ish miles feels like...we're done."  I thought I could 'jog' it in for a 2:50ish at that point, and then Mike caught me and the wheels REALLY fell off.  At mile 23 I saw my wife and dog and stopped and chatted.  I didn't sign up for this with a real 'time goal' in mind.  I came to RACE, and my race was done.  I quit.  I stopped and quit.  Then I decided to run again, cause I still physically felt good.  So I tried to jog on.  50 meters down the road my legs stopped again.  I turned back and walked back to Liz and quit again.  Asked her where my jacket was (in the car, right behind you...right?).  And she told me they WALKED out to mile 23.  So either wasy I was going to have to walk/jog/stretch the way back to the finish.  So off I went again. 

3:07 and some change.  There it is.  I took a swing.  A BIG swing, and I missed.  But I learned a LOT about where I'm at....and where I CAN be. 

I'm also a fucking idiot.  And I have to admit, at mile 14 I started thinking about Spaniel and that 2:45:17.  I wanted that time...and I should have been patient, tough, and not afraid to come to mile 23 shoulder to shoulder with Mike.  But I am what I am.  For better or worse.