Bonkin's Cowtown Marathon Report (Read 686 times)

Warning. A bit long. (That's what she said) History I started back to running last February with the Couch to 5K program. I ran the 2 mile loop around my neighborhood for the first time on March 19th in a not-so-blazingly fast 26:36 - making for a 13:18 pace. Not fast - but I ran the whole way for the first time and I was ecstatic. A runner was born. I had already found Running Ahead and was logging my run/walks and runs. I was AMAZED and INSPIRED by the other runners I found here that ranged in abilities from as slow as me to extremely fast people. All of the talk of people running marathons and beyond were simply out of my league and I could not imagine doing something like this. Based on advice from people around here - I signed up for a 5 mile race. Mind you at the time - I had just finished my first 2 mile run and still couldn't imagine running 5 miles. But I kept on running and getting a little faster and adding to my distances. I was so nervous on race day - but I finished and managed a 10:16 pace. I was hooked. Before I knew it I had (foolishly) signed up for my first half marathon. Only two months after my first time running my little slow 2 miler - I finished the half in a little over two hours - with a 9:17 pace. Now I was really hooked and somehow - even though it still seemed crazy - I started reading more and more about marathon training. Yep. You guessed it. I signed up for one. I had trained for M2M using a modified version of Pfitzinger's 18/55 plan. It was over my head - but I trimmed back here and there through the heat of the Texas summer. While I was happy to finish - I was not pleased with my time of 4:40:59. Here's the race report if you care to read it. I knew a sub-4 marathon was in me. Maybe training when it was cooler with a race with better temperatures. I figured I had done well with a Pfitz plan and decided to try again with his 12/55 plan and signed up for Cowtown. Pre Race My training had gone well and for the first time - I was not stressing out before the race. It felt strange - as normally my stress level starts running high for the few days to a week before anything from say 15K on up. A friend at work has been grilling me on pace, plan, blah blah. But I've been sort of just zoned out on the whole thing. I would just show up on Saturday and see what happened. Obviously, I had two main goals - 1) blow away my old PR (seemed like that was in the bag) and 2) go sub-4. But I was not stressed out over it. Not sure how I got into the zone like that - but hey I'll take it. I got up early and headed to the Worthington Hotel in downtown Ft. Worth for the planned RA meet up. I was the first one there. A few minutes later, Tim (modal) showed up and we chatted for a bit to see who else would show. It wasn't long before Marshall (mbk) showed. He was already meeting a bunch of people from Team in Training. It was nice to just relax and talk with folks in a nice toasty hotel lobby while everyone else was hanging out in the low 30s outside. I think I saw a thread around here about it already - but Marshall and Tim are running together in a 200+ mile relay race next weekend - good luck you guys. We headed to the bag drop and when we got there the line was really long - so Tim and I decided to head back to the parking garage and drop our bags in our respective cars and said goodbye for now to Marshall. Apparently, Tim and I weren't important enough to wait on - so they started the race without us. And They're Off As I learned in my first half - it's not a bad thing to be in the very back of the pack. You don't have to deal with crowding issues as much and it gives you the added advantage of passing a TON of people. I ran the first mile with Tim and we kept it easy - maybe 30 seconds too slow for me and maybe 30 seconds too fast for Tim. It was all downhill at this point so no worries. I still had a bottle of Gatorade in my hand that I planned to drink before the start - so I was glad to have the easy pace to down that. At the first mile marker I advised Tim to back off a bit to save his energy (it was Tim's first marathon and I am very proud of his accomplishment yesterday - GO TIM (modal)) and told him goodbye as it was time for me to kick it up a notch and settle into a pace closer to 9:00. Soon after I caught up to Marshall (it was Marshall's first 50K as a runner - congrats Marshall!) and we talked for a minute before I picked it up a little more. In the first few miles a came across a local runner named Mario - whose trademark is to run in a cow suit. Hilarious - it turned out he was the 11:30 pace group leader. I figured I had a lot of catching up to do - but I had plenty of miles to do that. So after 5 or 6 miles, I was comfortably in my pace and just trying to stay relaxed when I heard someone talking about a 50 mile race that I had recently read a race report on. Turns out it was Ryan Valdez who is the co-race director for El Scorcho - he was running the 50K. We talked for a few minutes and when he slowed up for a walk break we wished each other a good race and off I went. I always run with my hand-held water bottle - training and races. It lets me skip the first couple water stops and avoid some crowding. It's usually a little annoying trying to refill it without stopping by dumping in the little cups normally provided at races. I have to say "Kudos" to Cowtown for providing water bottles - this made a nice difference for me - because I could just grab one - dump it into my bottle - and not break stride. Awesome. Thanks, Cowtown! There were a few hills in the first half - the only one I really concerned myself with was the big downhill at the start - the rest were just nice breaks from the flats. My big goal was to just get through the first half on "auto-pilot" so I could save my mental energy for focusing on the second half. I crossed the timing mats at the half in 1:56:14 - only a minute and a half slower than my HM PR. This was a good sign. I would say that the second half was far more scenic than the first - we went through some really nice neighborhoods - with lots of spectators setting up tables to hand out supplies like GU, oranges, and what not. I had everything I needed with me - water and GU - but it was nice to see the support. We also got to run some park trails, part of the El Scorcho path, and through the Ft. Worth Botanical Gardens. I HATE the race director for that hill he put in around 17 or 18. I started overheating and decided to throw away my jacket. I was starting to get tired. Between ditching the jacket and getting a fresh bottle of water at the next aid station - it was enough to cool me off and I was able to get mentally past the tiredness. I don't know much about the wall - but I looked for it at mile 20 and didn't see it - or 21 or 22. I kept plugging away and before I knew it - I saw the sign for mile 23 and I knew this race was in the bag. I also knew that anything could happen - so I just kept on running. Then we were getting close to downtown and Mile 24. Still no wall. Another hill leading into downtown - thank you Mr. Race Director. I hate you. I thought of Lynn Ballard - one of RA's ultrarunners - who was running a 50 miler that day. I wondered how he was doing and decided to charge the hill as best I could. I fell off pace a little - but nothing serious. I got to mile 25 and still no wall - wow - this was turning out to be a big day for me. I rounded the corner and saw another freaking hill. Mr. Sadistic Race Director - have I mentioned that I hate you? I wouldn't call it a wall - but looking at that hill took a lot of wind out of my sails. I decided to let myself walk for a minute or two - and I could still make sub-4. I recently read one of Lynn's race reports where he was talking about one of his low spots:

full of doubt, always the doubt

I started having "the doubt". I was walking for maybe 15 seconds while trying to figure out how to use that to get me running again, when a guy runs up next to me and says "don't quit now brother - we're almost home". He grabs my shirt sleeve and literally gives me a little pull. That was enough to remove the doubt. I told him thanks - and charged the last hill. Thankfully, when I rounded the next corner - it was flat to the finish line. I kicked it up a notch at Mile 26 and ran the last .2 in 7:41! I am so thankful for this anonymous helper - I am sorry I didn't get his name. I tried to spot him at the finish to thank him again - but I didn't see him. I didn't get any pictures - but my wife got this one a couple hundred feet before the finish line. I finished in 3:54:43! Goal achieved. I've been smiling since I crossed the finish line. The Aftermath Yesterday, everything hurt. Today, I'm glad to say that I'm pretty good shape except for my quads - which still burn when I sit down or get up from a chair. I'm definitely going to go walk a few miles today - and if I feel good tonight - maybe even run a couple extra easy miles. So as I sit here writing this report, there are too many people to thank for the advice, directly or indirect, and support I've received from so many people here on RA. In particular, Bob, Pam, Scout, Jeffgoblue, the 100 mile club and the 2000 mile club come to mind - but I don't want to miss anyone - so thank you to everyone. I would probably not still be running if it were not for Running Ahead. So thanks to you too, Eric!

I would probably not still be running if it were not for Running Ahead. So thanks to you too, Eric!

I can echo this sentiment as I sit here contemplating my plan of attack for '08 and the lead up to what will be my first marathon. I know without a shadow of a doubt that I would not be in this position were it not for Eric and his awesome creation. Mike, your race sounds excellent...and you make it sound so easy. What an earth-shattering PR on top of it! Nice work, dude! I can't wait to get my Pfitz book...I think something cobbled together from parts of his 18/55 plan and Glover's Basic Competitor 16-week will get me to the start in good shape. I'm definitely going to be picking your brain for BTDTs and advice, too.

Great race! Congratulations! Any thoughts on maybe doing the White Rock this year?

Nice job, Mike. What a race! Relax and enjoy this one, you earned it.

OUTSTANDING race report Mike!!! AWESOME JOB! Despite all the trouble the sadistic race director went through you still finished STRONG! Congrats on such an awesome job and nice pr! Definitely got some tips o on what to do to HTFU during my next marathon. Hope to see you at El Scorcho!

I love to read the race reports. Bonk, your story was very inspiring! Great details and, again, so cool about the 40 minutes faster! WOW! You're getting me on the treadmill right now. Thanks, I needed that push today.

Congratulations!!!! What an awesome race report too. I'm glad that you didn't let your doubts take over. I'll have to keep that in mind during my next race.

Thanks so much everyone! I'm glad it's inspiring to some folks - as it's the only way I can pay back the people that were so inspiring to me! Kirsten - be glad to help anyway I can. As you know - I'm a big fan of Pfitz and would recommend downgrading the mileage a bit on his plan over mixing it with others. I'll put a bit more detail in your other thread that I just noticed. Andy - Welcome to RA. Very likely that I'll run White Rock this year. I ran the half this past December. There is a 50 miler the same weekend as White Rock - so I won't know for sure if I will be there until after I decide on my 50 miler plans. Pam - So does that mean you are signed up for El Scorcho yet? Definitely hope to see you there. Cheryl - Well the next race I'm doing - I think Lynn will be volunteering - so yes - sort of. Regarding running one with him - the best I could say is - I could be AT one with him - but he will be closer to the front of the pack - maybe I could see him if I bring some binoculars (and a motorcycle).