Marathon Race Report - Richmond Marathon

Today I ran my 2nd marathon - Richmond Marathon in Virginia.

I finished in a time of 2:59:26, achieving my goal of ‘Sub-3’.  I’m proud of the effort, and finished 4th in my age group (50-54).

 In my 1st marathon I was on pace to run about 3:00 until I completely bonked / hamstring cramps / calf cramps at mile 23.   I ended up walking / shuffling in with a time of 3:23.   I studied up on the marathon, got advice, and made a number of changes in prep for today’s race.  I don’t know if any one of these things on their own made much of a difference, but combined I think I came into today’s race stronger / smarter / and more prepared.

I’ve been fighting a slight cold all week and been consistently taking DayQuil / NyQuil since last weekend.   I also developed a really bad tightness in my lower back just around the belt line this week.  I don’t know what I did, but it’s been hurting pretty good.  It was tight and sore the whole race, but (apparently) didn’t slow me down any.   Despite these nuisances, I  was feeling pretty good.

Changes in marathon prep from the first race:
1. Strength Work - I increased my glute, hamstring, calf workout after every Workout/Long run.
2. MP Work - I increased the length of MP during my long runs, topping out at 12 miles of MP during an 18 mile run 21 days before the race.   I also did a 9-10 miles at MP on my week day workout with a couple of those at HMP.
3. Overall mileage increase - my weekly mileage was slightly up.  I topped out at 64 miles, last cycle was 60.
4. Carbo loading - starting 4 days before the race I ate four things: spaghetti with meat sauce / baked potatoes / peanut butter and jelly bagels / and a cold oats concoction with flax seed, blueberries, and
almond milk for breakfast.    My biggest meals were 2-3 days before the race, day before was smaller meals so I wouldn’t be stuffed race morning.

Race strategy changes:
1. Pacing - This time around I followed the 3:00 pacers thru 25 miles.   In my first race there wasn’t a 3:00 pace group and I went out way too fast.   By following the pacers I was able to keep a very consistent pace.   I mantra thru 22 miles was ‘relax and be patient’.   If I felt good at 22 I would pull ahead.   I stayed thru 25.

It was pretty windy the whole race, with winds of 15-20 mph the whole time.  Tucking in the pace group helped a lot I think.   I had folks in front and beside me almost all the time.  I tried to take energy from the group as well, and it provided me something else to focus on besides how I’m feeling.  Our pacers did a fantastic job taking us thru exactly on plan, one less thing for me to worry about.

2. Fueling - I carried a water bottle that holds 12 oz.  I filled it with Gatorade and sipped on it throughout the race - at least every couple hrs.   I little past half way I stopped briefly at a water station and had the volunteers refill it - I pulled slightly ahead of the group going in so it was easy to latch back on with a full bottle.   I also took 6 gels during the race (10’ before start and at miles 5,10,15,20,23).   I was still hurting pretty good at mile 24, but I stayed aware of my surroundings and was thinking well, one of the main benefits of good fueling.

How I was feeling / the course:

1. The first half  - Richmond is a rolling course course, and the pace setters said at the start they were going to ‘Keep 6:52 pace” regardless- this means a little more effort going up and recovery going
down.   I would have preferred a more even effort than pace, but the group protection from the wind made up for it.   Really nothing to report - which is good - just rolling along and comfortable.   We hit the timing mat at almost exactly 1:30.

2. 14-20:   There is a pretty good size incline crossing the river at miles 16-17 I had been anticipating since the start-and it was straight into the wind.  I got up it okay, with a little extra huffing and puffing.  But then around mile 18 my left hamstring started to twitch - which scared me since a hamstring cramp stopped me in my tracks last time.  But I was able to hold pace.  We hit mile 20 exactly on 3:00 pace.

3. 21-25: At mile 21 we finally turned down wind and had a mostly flat / downhill to the finish.   I had the thought at mile 22 to pull ahead of the 3:00 group, but as soon as I tried to speed up I could feel both hamstrings complain.  So I stayed with the group which was pretty small by now.  At mile 24 I started working pretty hard and counting the minutes to the finish.   I was pretty much all out to maintain pace.

25-finish: when we passed the mile 25 sign I could see the finish and it was all downhill.   So, I decided to pull ahead and see what I could do.   I only gained about 15 seconds but I did leave it all out there.  

Still can’t believe I did it.  It has been a goal for three years and it finally came together.  

Now a few weeks off.

Onward

Weekly Training Log: Taper Week - 6 days Till Richmond Marathon

Hello Runners.

As the title suggests, this is a taper week, I run the Richmond marathon November 16th (6 days).  My schedule this week follows the normal Tuesday workout, but I've moved the LR to Friday and took an extra day off from running.

Long Run was moved to Friday - so I can move next week's workout to Monday and have two days to recover from Friday.  Monday gives me 5 days to fully recover for the race on Saturday.  Does moving the Saturday-Tuesday schedule to Friday-Monday make any difference?  I don't know.  I do know, mentally it makes me feel better - that's probably worth it on it's own.

Around Thursday this week my legs started feeling some pep come back.  The last 8-9 weeks have included higher mileage than normal for me with pretty big workouts.  So, I've had this  kind of constant low level fatigue in my legs that never went away.  My easy run on Sunday felt pretty smooth and I was having to hold back on the pace...a good sign (I think).

Tuesday's workout - Went well.  3 miles at MP / 1 mile at HMP / 3 miles at MP.  MP continues to feel "comfortable" - the way runner's define comfortable.  My breathing is completely under control, almost to the level of easy run breathing.  HMP still gets the heart pumping and accelerates breathing, but I'm able to quickly calm back down into "MP mode".  I think this bodes well.

Side Note:  Tuesday was also my last leg strength routine.  After Tuesday's workout and Saturday LR, I do a leg strength routine that include Hungarian split squats, side steps with band, leg curls using that big exercise ball, single leg bridges, and calf raises (35 lb kettle bell used for all except the side steps).

Friday "Long Run" - Friday followed a typical long run model for me, but the mileage has been cut down significantly.  Run was 4 miles Easy / 6 @ MP / 1 mile cool down.  Total of 11 miles.  Again the MP felt comfortable.  Legs still "coming around".  I ran in VaporFly Next % for this run.  Not so much for the speed, but to limit leg muscle damage, and to better "feel" MP in the type of shoes I will wear in the race.

Week Summary:

• Workout:  11 miles with 3MP/1HMP/3MP.  Felt good.
• Long Run: 11 miles with 6@MP
• Total miles: 40 (down from high of 64 during the build up)

Daily:

• Monday: 7 miles easy. Strides.  Foam roll / stretch.
• Tuesday:  11 miles with 7 @ faster  pace.  Leg/hip strength.  Foam roll.
• Wednesday:  OFF.  30' walk.
• Thursday: 5 miles easy. Strides.  Upper body/core strength.  Foam roll/stretch.
• Friday: 11 miles w 6 @ MP.
• Saturday: OFF.  30' walk.  Crap load of foam rolling and stretching.
• Sunday: 6 miles easy.  Strides.

"Hay's in the barn".  One mini-workout left on Monday with a couple easy jogs leading to Saturday's race.  This allows more time to constantly obsess about the weather forecast for Saturday morning in Richmond Virginia.  What to wear?  What to wear!  Shit, what to wear?!

Onward.

Weekly Training Log: Richmond Marathon in 13 Days

Hello Runners....


This week I started the "taper" for Richmond Marathon.


My weekly training is built around a Tuesday workout and Saturday LR.  The LR usually includes some faster paced work, so it doubles as my second workout of the week.


Tuesday workout this week, I've done one or twice before during this build up; a combination of MP and HMP over 9 miles.  MP average was 6:46 / HMP average was 6:29.  A little fast on the MP miles.  Actually a pretty hard day with 18 days till race.  Future workouts will keep MP, but will be shorter.

Saturday's LR is shorter tho, at 14 miles w/ 7 @ MP effort. I did this run from my brother's house in Kansas a very hilly dirt road, so I really focused on how the effort felt and ignored the pace (best I could).   My LR over the last 9 weeks has been at least 18 miles.  Funny, how I can 'get used' to the longer runs - so that 14 miles seems 'short'.  I guess that's the point....


The Easy days this week are shorter from Wednesday on...the actual start of the taper.


Summary

• Tuesday Workout:  11 miles.  4@MP / 1 @ HMP / 3 @ MP / 1 @ HMP
• Long Run:  14 miles with 7 @ MP effort.  (MP average = 6:46) on a quite hilly route.
• Mileage Total: 52.  A 13% reduction from 60 mpw (about the average over the last 6 weeks).  20% reduction from my highest mile week (64 miles).

Daily Detail: 

• Monday:  8 miles Easy / Strides
• Tuesday: 11 miles with  9 @ MP / HMP.
• Wednesday:  9 miles Easy - "Medium Long Run"
• Thursday: 4 miles Recovery.
• Friday: 6 miles Easy / Strides.
• Saturday: 14 miles with 7 @ MP.
• Sunday:  2 mile recovery walk. 

Legs feel sorta stale, but MP is coming easily and feels "comfortable".

Onward.