My marathon goal pace was 10:00/mi with a 4:22 time. My general strategy was to take it easy up Congress, take it easy through the exposition hills, and make it across Mopac feeling somewhat fresh. Then I would get back in pace, and try to pick it up in the end if I had it in me, or survive and make it through my first marathon if I didn’t.
I made it up congress pretty well, loved the crowd support after Lamar, and proceeded to the hills. After a brief pit stop on Lyons municipal golf course I started the hills. I got through the hills just fine, really no problems. I got across Mopac and felt very fresh, but with a blister on my left foot. It had recurred a couple of times this month, but it really came back after the hills. I had to stop twice before Great Northern to nurse it, which ate up a lot of time. The 4:30 group was gone, so I pretty much gave up trying to get 4:22 and wanted to make it through the race. No demons came out on Great Northern and my friend Steve took the rest of my cloths.
Then the problems began. I think I took too much gu too early, I took my 4th gu near Northcross, and it had a hard time going down. Once I got to Arroyo Seca I was having trouble keeping Powerade down. My 5th gu barely went down, and I felt like I was going to throw up. I proceeded to North Loop past the Cliff Shot zone, and had recurring bouts of nausea. I had a 6th gu, but was debating taking it and risk throwing up and possibly DNFing, or just rely on PowerAde. I decided to just rely on powerade from then on in. I figured out that if I sipped water and PowerAde, then it went down easier. By 46th street I was going light post to light post. I thought about nothing besides finding a landmark and running towards it. My body and mind was begging me to stop, but I stole one of Andrea’s mantras, and kept repeating “Just keep Running” to myself and played “Eye of the Tiger” over and over again on my shuffle. I did that all the way to the finish line.
I got to that big hill near Hancock golf course, and thought “If I am even considering doing Pikes Peak in August, then I have to run this hill”. So I didn’t walk at all and powered up the hill. From there to the finish was the longest part of the course. Even when I got onto Congress and could see the finish line, I still went from block to block. I cross the finishline and felt pretty good, no dizziness. I was able to get down 6 Tacitos at the Distance Challenge area, but after that my food intake was pretty limited. I was exhausted and whipped out the rest of the day, and was finally able to eat a full meal at around 9pm.
On Monday I felt very good, I had muscle aches of course but my energy level was pretty high. Today I’m feeling a lot better.
My finish time was 4:36:12 10:33/mi. I am very happy with my time, given that it got hot and I didn’t quit. I look forward to beating it next year.
Rough Splits, I forgot a couple mile markers and lapped early/late on some
Mile 1: 10:57
Mile 2: 10:15
Mile 3: 10:04
Mile 4: 10:01
Mile 5-6: 10:05/mi
Mile 7: 10:23
Mile 8-10: 10:26/mi
Mile 11-13: 10:07/mi
Mile 14-15: 10:14/mi
Mile 16: 10:33/mi
Mile 17: 10:00/mi
Mile 18-19: 10:04/mi
Mile 20: 10:12/mi
Mile 21:10:34/mi
Mile 22: 10:40/mi
Mile 23: 11:15/mi
Mile 24:10:49/mi
Mile 25: 11:28/mi
Mile 26:10:07/mi
