Summary:
3:42:23. A friggin' trainwreck.
Background:
New AG this year, bringing BQ time to 3:30. First attempt at this was last October in Detroit; knee injury a week before the race and finished in 3:40. BQ was gonna be a stretch at that point even if healthy. Of course the injury became further aggravated by running the race, and put me out of commission for a while afterwards. Got back into solid training by January, and next target was Toledo in April. Another unrelated knee injury hit, and those plans were cancelled. By May however I was back into training, and picked this race. The timing seemed good, and it's so flat they put it in the name.
Goal:
3:30 for BQ (8:01). Adjusted to consider ~3:28:30 probably needed to get in, and a typical 26.4 mile actual race distance. So used ~7:55 for GMP.
Training:
Inevitable race-week complication:
You all told me not to hurt my knee a week before the race this time. Check. You should have given some further instructions.
Around Monday got a very nasty head cold, congested & sneezing. Within a couple days moved into my lungs, triggering an asthma attack on Wed. When this happens to me, symptoms can sometimes linger for weeks. Up most of the night Wed unable to breathe, went to the doctor Thurs AM; they gave me an albuterol nebulizer treatment, and prescribed Prednisone (corticosteroid anti-inflammatory). I had the nerve to mention I was planning a marathon in 3 days. She told me that was a pretty bad idea. Breathing much better on Friday, but still not great. Went for a 3-miler on Saturday to test it; definitely not at 100% - a little tight, but felt manageable. Decided I would give it a try, and be ready to bail if necessary. I did look for some backup race options if I were to wait, but nothing jumped out at me, and couldn't figure out what I would do with training in the meantime. And who knows what else could come up? But mainly, you have a race date in your head for months, you prepare for it, and you just want to get it done.
Race Day:
The Race:
My lungs felt OK at the start, but you can never be sure until you push it. Decided I would go out a bit slower the first mile to ease into it, but then start targeting 7:55's. Felt a little tentative at first, but before I knew it I was clicking off miles comfortably just like I was doing an MP training run. Felt really good.
1 - 8:01
2 - 7:54
3 - 7:55
4 - 7:53
5 - 7:57
6 - 7:55
7 - 7:50
8 - 7:55
9 - 7:57
10 - 7:51
11 - 7:58
12 - 7:55
13 - 7:52
14 - 7:52
15 - 7:55
16 - 7:58
17 - 7:57
18 - 8:09
Pace started to slip around 18, and quickly lost any hope of BQ. Then the wheels came completely off, and before much longer also lost hope of even PR. Then death march to the finish.
19 - 8:31
20 - 8:54
21 - 9:40
22 - 9:57
23 - 9:58
24 - 10:07
25 - 10:08
26 - 9:28
0.35 - 9:04
Finish: 3:42:23, 7/24 AG, 56/171 OA
I tried to pick it up a few times, but was completely out of gas. No real breathing problems as such, other than the usual late-race sucking wind. Those last few miles I really, really just wanted to quit. I told myself I was never doing one of these stupid things again. It felt so demoralizing for things to end that way. It's even harder to push through those final miles when "just finishing" isn't a big deal anymore, and there's no hope of reaching any kind of time goal. Even forgetting about the BQ - this was my 5th marathon, and every previous one was at least a 10 min PR. I guess that can't last forever. But I felt like a total beginner again, taking a huge step backwards. Maybe it would've felt different if was rough from the start, and I could just chalk it up to being sick. But for a while there, it really felt like I had it.
OK, end of pity party.
Post-Mortem
Many of you told me I probably should not run this. OK, I guess you were right. The first 18 sure felt fine, but I guess my system was sufficiently compromised that my overall energy level and stamina were just gone. At least I hope that was the case, otherwise I have no idea what I'm doing. I don't think I would've done anything differently in training. Although I always welcome more advice, and appreciate all that many of you have provided.
What's next? Not entirely sure. My legs are very sore, I'm still being medicated, and have a bit of a lingering cough. So hard to tell what kind of recovery to expect. If I am able to get back into it, there is a HM in 4 weeks I'm looking at. Some have suggested to find another marathon relatively soon for redemption, but I'm not quite ready to wrap my head around doing another one for a while. Seattle Marathon is Thanksgiving weekend, so that's still out there, but maybe will just wait till the spring.
Thanks for everyone's support.
Dave
Dave,
I don't care if you never have the race results that show it, you fucking rock. The way you get out there, morning after morning, with more consistency than just about anybody else on the boards. The way you keep on taking hits, like knee injuries and falling off curbs, and instead of quitting, or whining, you just get out there and do your best, then make plans to keep right on going.
Seriously. You make the rest of us look bad with all of our whining and our drama. Meanwhile, you are out there getting it done. Every damn day.
I think you were sick yesterday. Not sick enough to stay in bed, but sick enough that was should have been your MP was instead almost your HMP. And then you went and ran the hell out of that and gave it all you had. Because you rock like that.
Here is why I think that- when I was trying to get my iron figured out, I was reading some articles, and one thing struck me- a lot of people don't have any symptoms at all when their iron stores are low, because they're not active enough to really notice their limitations. They can get through their day well enough, but they're not really pushing themselves physically, so they don't notice. So the medical literature goes around saying that if your hemoglobin is good, it's no big deal if your ferritin stores are low, you wouldn't show symptoms.
Except that a cross country coach noticed that there WAS a difference for the kids on his team. He works with them to keep their iron stores high, and his runners improved. THEY had symptoms. So did everybody else, but they just didn't notice.
That's what I think happened to you. You got better. Better enough that, in most circumstances, you wouldn't really notice. But when you're trying to go to the very edge of what your body is currently capable of, well, you're going to notice that.
I'm sorry that you had such crappy luck. Again. But I still think you are an awesome runner and I am rooting for you.
Thanks Zel. I sincerely appreciate your comments. In hindsight, on that day it seems I would have definitely been better off running The Blerch.
I am way too inexperienced to give any real good advice, but sounds like you gave it everything you had, congrats for toughie it out.
This. He said it better than I could. Now please let your body recover!
delicate flower
I guess my system was sufficiently compromised that my overall energy level and stamina were just gone.
I think this is 95% to blame. Running your fastest marathon is hard enough when you are 100% healthy, fully rested, and fully loaded. You actually did great holding the pace through 17 miles before your body shut down.
I blame the other 5% on the weather. 57-66 mostly sunny with no cloud cover is not the greatest marathon weather. Mid 40's is where it's at.
You had a great training cycle. Keep doing what you're doing. Cycles build on each other and you'll obliterate it next time.
<3
I'm not sure what to say Dave, other than I understand your disappointment and I am sorry that this didn't go as it was supposed to... But nothing is ever lost with running and you still have that awesome training in you. The marathon did not take that away from you. I know you feel drained at the moment, both physically and mentally, but it will pass. You have gained a lot of endurance through this training cycle and I predict you will recover faster than you have in the past. I think a half (or a full if you're up to it) in 4 or 5 weeks would be very beneficial to you. Take advantage of your great present fitness and kill the demons of negativity in you at the same time. A nice HM PR would feel good and you amply deserve one. Chin up, you have trained like a real pro. We're all proud of you.
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010
Take advantage of your great present fitness and kill the demons of negativity in you at the same time.
Agreed. Sign up for some shorter races and collect the 5K/10K/HM age group swag you rightfully deserve. I did this after my last marathon and had a lot of fun doing it. You are at peak fitness right now. Put it to work.
Getting sick, poor sleep all week, moderately warm temps - none if this is really conducive to a great race. Your training was impressive - I don't think I could have handled the Hansons schedule plus adding those long fast finish runs. That was an awful lot of MP running.
I know it has been suggested to you to try to run another redemption marathon this fall. Personally, I wouldn't. It takes me too long to recover to be able to do that. But, even if you don't, your fitness will carry over to the next cycle and you will get your BQ next time.
...you went and ran the hell out of that and gave it all you had. Because you rock like that.
+1. You rock! Your training was fantastic, you ran a great 18 miles at pace, but you just didn't have it in you on THAT DAY to PR. Kudos to you for going out and giving it your all despite the cold/asthma setback.
I agree with the comments so far. You had a great training cycle and no injuries. You were just sick (and you know how those pesky asthma symptoms can screw up any race). I am sorry it happened the week of the race. I am sure that had you not been sick, your time would have been at least 10-15 minutes faster. Chin up!
Damaris
As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.
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Mmmmm...beer
That's the thing that really sucks about marathons, it's the epitome of putting all of your eggs in one basket. You train for months and months, and your training can go perfectly (as yours did), and then everything goes to hell either the week of, or sometimes even just the day of the race. It's a lot of time and energy invested, and you can only hope that things line up in your favor on race day/week.
Zel said it perfectly, you rock, your consistency is awesome. +1 to what Phil said too, cycles build on each other, and you can roll your fitness into the next cycle.
Don't let this race get to you, things went pear shaped the week before your race, nothing you can do about that. You still put in a great effort, and I know you'll bounce back and the stars will align for your BQ!
-Dave
My running blog
Goals | sub-18 5k | sub-3 marathon 2:56:46!!
I'm sorry the race didn't go as you hoped. Your consistent training will pay off though, just not this time around.
So much this, for many of us anyway. There are plenty of serial marathoners who will go right back at it, but I don't think I have that in me. The training takes so much out of you mentally & physically. You pick your date, work towards it, & hope it works out.
Take advantage of your great present fitness and kill the demons of negativity in you at the same time. A nice HM PR would feel good and you amply deserve one.
This is my thought on the HM, although I am not quite sure if it will quite kill the demons, because the marathon is of course a whole other thing.