Hey, guys! I haven't posted here in ages, but I just ran my 4th marathon yesterday and wanted to share my experience with anyone who might be interested... (Sorry for the font mess here. It's altered from pasting in my RR from the document, and can't figure out how to fix it.)
2016 Chevron Houston Marathon RR
Background: 4th marathon, first attempt since 2013 due to foot injury and surgery in 2014. First 3 marathons were all run at exactly 9:53 pace for a 4:20ish finish (depending on tangents). First was just to finish, off HH Int plan. 2nd go around I was just coming off bronchitis, and 3rd was off Pfitz 18/55, on a super hilly course and I took it way too conservative and had a several minute neg split.
Training: Hansons beginner, exactly as written, except I built back up to 30-35 mpw base after a summer of minimal running, and skipped the first 5 weeks of the schedule. No cross training, no core work, no stretching, nothing but running. Not advocating this! – just something to point out. I picked a 4:00 goal out of thin air. I struggled during the first few weeks with the speed workouts. I always finished the workouts, but I could never hit the 5k paces specified. Once I got to the strength section, I completed most of the workouts successfully, and the 10 mile MP runs later in the plan were much easier than the 5 mile MP runs to start.
Course: The Houston marathon is very flat, with just a few “hills” (i.e., road overpasses and underpasses) mostly in the later portion of the course. Tons of spectators all along the course, water stations every 2 miles. Marathoners started with the half marathon runners, all the way through mile 8, which made for a pretty crowded course for a while, even with a staggered 4 corral start. I believe there were 27,000 runners. Most organized race I have ever done. Tons of volunteers, rows of port-a-potties within each corral, signs everywhere.
Had a bagel with jam, banana, and coffee for breakfast at 4 a.m. Final attempt at carbo loading. Coffee always allows me to “take care of my business” before the race, without fail. Race start of 7.
Strategy: I had trained using paces for a 4:00 race (9:09), but couldn't hit the speed paces. Raced a 12k tune-up race a month prior which predicted just about a 4 hour marathon via McMillan; I knew I didn't have the 70+ mpw to pull that time off. I averaged 47 mpw for the 12 weeks leading up to the race. The Maclin spreadsheet predicted a 4:11 based on my 12k (well, the equivalent 10k time) and fairly conservative setting. I decided to shoot for about a 9:20 pace (4:05), but figured I'd just go by feel and see what happened. My goals were A: sub 4 (pie-in-the-sky), B: 9:20 pace (4:05), C: 9:30 pace (4:10), D goal: PR, sub 4:19. I said before the race that I would be happy with a sub 4:10.
Despite both kids having strep throat in succession over the past 2 weeks, I managed to make it to the start healthy. I was very worried in the week leading up to the race, and actually felt at times like I was sick, but I think it was just taper madness.
Race: I started in Corral B, which crossed the start mat about 7:10 a.m. It was about 40F and slightly windy so very chilly to begin. I wore a tank and shorts, with a heavy throwaway hoodie, which I tossed just before I crossed the start mat. I was cold for the first 3 miles, but then I was comfortable enough and happy to be unrestricted. It warmed up to high 40s at the end.
The course was quite crowded, especially for the first few miles. I was so relieved when the half marathoners split off at mile 8. I plan to run next year, and hope to run a qualifying 10k or half race before October (51:08 or 1:52:55) to seed me in Corral A.
Took in water + gel just before race, plus @ miles 4, 9, 15, and 19. Small cup of gatorade at about mile 21?, and water at 23. A spectator was passing out mini water bottles – sweet! There was plenty to choose from all along the course from spectators. Champagne, beer, orange slices, bananas, etc.
Friends of mine came out to cheer me on at mile 14. At about mile 18, there was a group of about 2 dozen college-aged guys spectating. One yelled out “Paula!” and they all started hooting and hollering and yelling my name. It was quite motivating.
I passed a lot of runners through the middle section. I started passing walkers around the halfway mark, and there was carnage everywhere from about mile 18 and beyond. Runners all along the sides of the course, laying down stretching hamstrings, yoga posing, massaging quads.
Race went about as I had planned, up until the last 5k, when my quads started cramping up. Those last 3 miles were quite painful, and I just forced myself to keep going and not stop to walk. I suspect not having done any hill training at all may have been a factor here. There were several hills on the course, and I think I may have taken the downhills a bit fast, and my quads got shot from the pounding. That last hill probably got me too.
Unofficial race time – 4:09:46. PR of 9 minutes 36 seconds. Woo hoo!
Next go around, I may try Hansons Advanced so I have a few more miles under my belt, and hopefully the endurance to get through the whole marathon without fading. I also want to get back down to an ideal racing weight of 125, vs the 135 I was at when I ran this race. Lastly, I will add in my core work again. I definitely slacked on the weight training and core work the last 6 months.
1
Interval
1 mi
9:31.05
9:32
2
9:21.37
18:52.42
9:22
3
9:15.74
28:08.16
9:16
4
9:33.76
37:41.92
9:34
s
5
9:22.19
47:04.11
9:23
6
9:18.30
56:22.41
9:19
7
9:16.76
1:05:39.17
9:17
8
9:21.31
1:15:00.48
9
9:22.66
1:24:23.14
10
9:24.10
1:33:47.24
9:25
11
9:20
1:43:07.24
12
9:17.62
1:52:24.86
9:18
13
9:16.21
2:01:41.07
14
9:16.56
2:10:57.63
15
9:18.92
2:20:16.55
16
9:14.12
2:29:30.67
9:15
17
2:38:48.29
18
9:18.36
2:48:06.65
19
9:27.25
2:57:33.90
9:28
20
9:13.62
3:06:47.52
9:14
21
9:12.25
3:15:59.77
9:13
22
9:37.48
3:25:37.25
9:38
23
9:31.90
3:35:09.15
24
10:09.78
3:45:18.93
10:10
25
10:28.66
3:55:47.59
10:29
26
10:47.96
4:06:35.55
10:48
27
0.33 mi
3:07.74
4:09:43.29
9:29
Thanks for reading!
PRs:
5k: 25:05 (Sep 2011) 10k: 51:57 (Aug 2012) half: 1:56:46 (May 2013) full: 4:09:46 (Jan 2016)
Congrats! It was fun tracking you and you had a great race! Way to finally break out of the 9:53 pace rut and an almost 10 minute PR is awesome
Funny about the college boys cheering for you! Sounds like a well run race and nice course. I have no doubt with some more mileage you will break 4 hrs on your next!
Warm&fuzzy
I enjoyed your RR. A nearly 10 minute PR is kinda awesome. Nice race!
Runner with a riding problem.
Congratulations on the 9 1/2 minute PR. You ran a really strong race until the quads started cramping and even then, you pushed through the pain. Way to go.
Former Bad Ass
Great job, Paula! Excellent comeback post surgery and great new PR!
Damaris
Thanks, guys!!
PleasantRidge, I looked at your running log. Wow! You put in some insanely consistent (high) mileage. Are you training for anything specific??
Congrats on the 10 minute PR. Your splits look great until the quad cramps. With more mileage sub 4 should be no problem. Great job!
Nicely written report, great race. You've come a long way from that dreadful year where you were shelved due to injury. You must've been overjoyed to cross that finish line!
It looks like you raced fully to your current ability, which is all any of us could ever ask for.
As an aside, Houston was always a race I wanted to do. I watched the marathon trials one year and became enamored with the idea. I've been to the city twice and it's really a cool area. Very friendly.
Recover well!
5K Specialist
Congrats. I worked for a company that was relocating from Houston about 4 years ago and had to travel there several times.
The best thing about running in Houston - It is flat.
The worst thing about running in Houston - You are in Houston. (Well, the humidity if it is summer.)
Personal Bests:
800M - 2:38 (5/28/13) | 1 Mile -5:54 (5/28/13) | 3K - 11:55 (12/29/12) | 2M - 13:00 (12/1/12) | 5K - 20:00 (4/12/13) | 13.1M - 1:37:24 (2/3/13)
Congrats on the race. Very nice splits until those last 3 miles, and the fade was not that big.
Congrats on the spectacular PR!
In looking at the elevation profile - the hill at mile 24/25 just looks cruel! I'm impressed that you didn't slow down more at that point.
Texas_CPA - I have decided that I will take training in the Texas humidity over the ice and frigid temps in Calgary any time. Just moved here after 8 cold years in Canada.
LRB - Apart from the traffic, I like living just outside of Houston. We are in the 'burbs, so it's far from being a concrete jungle where I live, but I still have the amenities of the big city nearby. I enjoyed this race so much, I have already signed up for next year.
Brilliant - I hardly even remember that last hill! It must have been a large overpass. I do remember trying to think positive, that it was allowing my "flat course running muscles" a break from the monotony. But that hill hurt. Everything hurt.
Post race day 2 - I don't remember ever being this sore?
You did it right.
Going down the stairs is always the worst for me, geezus.
race obsessed
You did it right. Going down the stairs is always the worst for me, geezus.
Barking Mad To Run
Way to come back, Paula!
Several friends did that race too. I read that y'all had pretty good weather for it for a change...not TOO cold and not TOO hot. Mother Nature must've know this was your comeback marathon and so was very sweet to you.
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Theodore Roosevelt