Masters Running

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Moose finds redemption at New Jersey Marathon. (Read 376 times)

    Very nice racing, Moose. I'm with Ribs on this one (I can't believe I just said that), keep an eye on the 2:40. Good luck!
    Quit being so damn serious! When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change. "Ya just gotta let it go." OM
    coastwalker


      Hi Ray, You got redemption in a big way in NJ! Congrats on a terrific performance with great results overall and in your AG. I also agree that that 2:40 is within reach, and that it's just a matter of time... Well done!! Jay

      Without ice cream there would be darkness and chaos.

      DoppleBock


        Way to come back with a great effort - Tough on race #1 when you know you have it in you, but its just not your day. Now to squeeze the sub 2:40 out - and yes that is in you also. Recover well

        Long dead ... But my stench lingers !

         

         

          Thanks everbody! Your support is greatly appreciated! If you are interested in the long version of my RR, here it is. Background. My previous PR was in 2007 (2:41:58) I have been trying to break 2:40 for last few years. -I had run a marathon in early March with lousy (hot) weather and disappointng results (2:51) and was starting to think that at 49 I was over the hill and had little chance of improving my PR or ever breaking into the 2:30s. The 2:40 thing had become by own personal "El Guapo"... the impossible dream - The Quixotic windmill that would always be just out of reach. I even downloaded 4 versions of "The Impossible Dream" from I-Tunes (I really like the Andy Williams version) and used this as my mantra on the course. I decided to give another Spring marathon a try on the theory that I was not getting any younger and might not get another shot. I signed up for both the New Jersey Marathon and the Pocono Marathon (a couple of weeks later) hoping that I would get decent (cold) weather at least one of those weekends. - I ramped back up to 80 MPW quickly and within a few weeks had some great workouts and long runs so I thought I may have a decent race left in me. Training: I don't follow a plan, but my training is so dead simple that I can cover it in a couple of sentences. I do 2 hard workouts a week - a MP run and a Long run - Rest of the mileage is easy. My hardest MP run was 14 miles @6:10/mile. Every other week or so I do a fast LR and my fastest was 20 @6:23/mile. The Race: It was an almost perfect day for me as I hate running in warm weather. I believe the temperature stayed in the mid to high 50s and while waiting for the start (delayed around 30 minutes) it started to rain and the rain came down pretty consistently for the entire race. I had no plan except to run between 6:00 and 6:05 and try to maintain constant effort (I set my Garmin to autolap record every mile) and try to hang on until the end. The course is a very flat double loop. Unfortunately there is a half marathon run simultaneously with the marathon. The first half: 5:54, 5:55, 5:56, 6:07, 6:09, 6:08, 6:07, 5:58, 6:08, 6:08, 6:05, 6:00, 5:59 (1:20:06 All of these miles felt very comfortable - I'm not sure why they were so uneven. When I saw the 6:09, I thought that coming anywhere near my goal may not happen, but then running at the same effort, the times came down again. As I came to the half point I ran into JesusFreak from the RW forum (another master) and we went through the half at just about 1:20. We ran together for a mile or so - at that point I think we were 6 and 7. The second half: 5:57, 5:55, 6:00, 6:04, 6:06, 6:08, 6:07, 6:08, 6:16, 6:14, 6:13, 6:13, 6:11 (1:21:01) Running with JF reinvigorated me and although I did not try to lose him, My miles dipped down below 6 again and at some point he slipped back a bit I knew he was running strongly and had to be close behind. At this point, my legs could feel the mileage and it felt like I was slowing considerably, but my pace remained pretty constant. I passed one runner around mile 20 and he was on the side stretching. Around mile 21 I started to run into the slower half marathoners and things became a bit dicey...most were walking, 2,3 and 4 abreast and paying no attention to runners. As I dodged past them, they would hear footsteps and try to move out of the way - usually right into my path. To their credit, they seemed a cheerful bunch out their in the rain and almost all of them cheered and offered encouragement. I passed one more runner around mile 22 and tried to put on a bit of a kick there, but he seemed pretty spent at that point and didn't put up a chase. At any rate, my legs were getting a bit tired and by 24 I could feel twinges of cramping. At that point, I figured I'd just try to stay at a sustainable pace (which turned out to be around 6:13) and hang on till the end to see where things came out. My last mile was 6:11....I finished just over 2:41 with nothing in the tank. Epilog: I was pretty soaked and cold after finishing. I tried to catch JF finishing, but he must have come in while I was in the chute. - I'm fairly certain he was 5th OA and 2nd master with a very solid PR. It was cold, wet and chaotic so I took off pretty quickly...hopefully they'll mail out awards. The line for buses was at least a 1/2 mile long, but as I was getting at the end of the line one of the buses stopped inadvertently by the tail of the line and a bunch of us jumped on and skated out of there.... (yeah I know we were jerks, but it seemed the thing to do). So I didn't slay the 2:40 windmill - but I gave it a good shot. - This race gives me confidence that I might bag that one someday - either way the quest has been a fun...(Insert Impossible Dream Lyrics here).


          Marathon Maniac #957

            Wow! Congratulations on the PR and Master win, speedy guy! Awesome that Master runners can still kick some a$$!

            Life is a headlong rush into the unknown. We can hunker down and hope nothing hits us or we can stand tall, lean into the wind and say, "Bring it on, darlin', and don't be stingy with the jalapenos."

            HermosaBoy


              Great job Ray!!!

              And you can quote me as saying I was mis-quoted. Groucho Marx

               

              Rob

                Congrats Ray! Glad to see your hard work rewarded. While the temps were good, I suspect the rain cost you a a little time and I'm sure the walkers on the course did - I think you still have an excellent shot at sub 2:40 - It doesn't sound like an Impossible dream to me. Keep reaching for it Ray. No Limits! Skip
                  I am always inspired and impressed with your running and racing. Thanks for sharing the details and more importantly---Congratulations on erasing the last marathon experience and rocking this one! I am no way giving up on getting back to sub 3:15---so no way can you give up on sub 2:40. Here's hoping the quest isn't completely Quixotic and soon accomplished. Fabulous!
                  Tramps


                    Training: I don't follow a plan, but my training is so dead simple that I can cover it in a couple of sentences. I do 2 hard workouts a week - a MP run and a Long run - Rest of the mileage is easy. My hardest MP run was 14 miles @6:10/mile. Every other week or so I do a fast LR and my fastest was 20 @6:23/mile.
                    I love this! Thanks for sharing more details about your excellent race.

                    Be safe. Be kind.

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