Yesterday was my birthday and it might just have been one of my favorite birthdays so far! Although I don't like the grey hair, I am really enjoying getting older. As a birthday present to myself, I set out to run the St. George marathon, which is listed by Runner's World as one of the top 10 most scenic marathons. And it just happened to be on my birthday.
I set out training for a 3:05, but secretly hoped I could squeeze out a sub-3 since it is a net downhill course, where runner's usually have a negative split. I had trained well with no injuries, just a bit of calf tightness in the week before the race, nothing a little extra rest and TLC couldn't handle. I flew in the night before, planning to run to the expo, eat dinner, and head to bed for an early start. Some members of the club thought I was crazy to fly in the night before, not allowing myself to adjust to the altitude, but I couldn't afford the extra time. Coach thought I was being too ambitious aiming for a 3:05 given that my PR thus far was 3:23:32. I figured at my last marathon I should have been able to do between a 3:10 and 3:15, but bonked from the heat, so I was well on my way to this faster goal with good training. So I didn't listen to him, something I rarely do. I knew I had to prove him wrong.
After arriving in my hotel, I jogged over to the expo in a nice 1 mile jaunt on a paved trail along the road with beautiful scenery. Could this place get any better? Yes! I ran into a bunch of kids racing to the finish of a 5k...so adorable! Once at the expo, I went to the spot where my bib should be, but I was told I had to go to another area. Confused, I walked in the direction of the Clydesdale/Athena and elite bibs. I opted to try the elite side first, hoping they didn't consider me an Athena. Sure enough I was in that box. I asked the lady perplexed and she said based on my projected time I was listed as elite because I was one of the top 150 women...pretty cool. I picked up my shirt and got some props for being elite. Thanks! I picked up a race band, and was pointed out for picking the fastest one (3:05...no sub-3 band). Thanks! I was feeling special, but humble. Then I jogged back to the hotel, incorporating a few stride outs to stretch out the legs. I was feeling good! I prepared my race attire and bag, adjusting the race band. I thought I would try to make up time in a negative split on the second half which would allow me to run with the 3:05 pace group for the first half and then work towards a sub-3 in the second half if I was feeling good by that point. I then ate my dinner and went to bed.
I planned to take one of the first shuttle buses to the start, I had no problem being there 1 hour 45 minutes early. I got up at 3:15 on race morning. Not as early as it sounds since there is a 2 hour time difference, so it was really 5:15 for me...one advantage over some of the other runners. In my early morning pre-race anxiety, I only forgot a few things, nothing too essential. I couldn't decide if I wanted my music, thought while I was sleeping that I would take it, but forgot it in the end. Also forgot to Tiger Balm my calves, but was lucky they had some Bengay at the start (really, it's just not the same, but the placebo effect helped!)
The start of the race was amazing! All I thought about was why can't NYC do this? You walked into the waiting area and were handed a pair of gloves and mylar blanket. You were then pointed in the direction of the multiple small bonfires, all to keep you warm in the chilly morning temp. They also had bananas, Gatorade, water, plenty of port-a-potties with plenty of quilted toilet paper...the joys of a great pre-race bathroom experience. I sat around a fire waiting until it was time to hand over my bag and warm-up clothes. About a half an hour before the start, that time came, and I also realized I was hungry. I had eaten my bagel almost 2 hours earlier. I guess it was a little too early. The hotel had given us a breakfast bag, so I took a chance with the granola bar as it seemed the best option. I took of my sweatshirt and sweatpants, donning my husbands tubes socks as arm warmers (they really are convenient and you don't feel sorry when you toss them). I took my last bathroom break, opting for the farther port-a-potty in order to avoid the lines. When I headed back, I realized the corrals were moving forward a bit and I had to duck under the tape. Hey, I was elite, so I could. But I couldn't find the 3:05 pace leader. I asked someone, but she didn't know. It was too late now, I would have to figure it out on my own. Time to start running....
The start was dark. I ran with a water bottle for the first couple of miles taking sips as I felt parched, but then couldn't deal with it anymore and threw it to the side. Along with my gloves and arm warmers. I tried to check my splits with the light on my Garmin. I knew I was running too fast at a gotten down to a 6:36 min/mi, but felt good and thought it would make up some of the time I would lose on Veyo hill. The middle of the road was lined with rubble strips, which I had to focus on avoiding as I didn't want to fall on my face, but after about 5 miles, the sky began to lighten. I watched the miles go by and anticipated Veyo hill, planning to take my first gel just before the 7 mile mark, where Veyo was to start. I can say, that seeing it from afar was intimidating, but once running it, I felt fine. Sure I slowed down a lot, but it wasn't as hard as I had thought it would be. However, there was another 4 miles of hills to go. The prolonged exertion of those hills felt harder, but it was rolling so there were some breaks, and I knew once I got to mile 14 it was downhill. So I stayed positive and kept plugging along. I chatted with another runner, who told me some tidbits about the course. There was another hill to anticipate at mile 18, not too bad of a hill, just bad timing. Ok, I've got this!
Mile 14 was downhill for sure, it was steep. I tried to hold back while everyone else sped up around me. I wanted to save my quads as much as I could. At this point I had been dropped by the original women I had my eyes on a while back (she finished 10th...too fast for me), passed another one, and now had my eyes on a new target, a women in a flowery skirt. This was also the most beautiful point in the race. I focused on the scenery, a wide expanse of red cliffs. I watched bicyclists on the path along the road. Did I already say how amazing this place is? I felt myself feeling jealous of there ability to ride in such a bike friendly and beautiful environment. These things kept my mind busy.
When I got to mile 16, I started to feel the pain in my quads. I talked to myself in order to run through it; "You just have to get to mile 18, and then it's all downhill". I got to mile 18 and slowed down a bit as I ran up the hill, and then worked to pick up the pace once over it. I tried to break down the rest of the course, but couldn't decide in my head how to do it, so I just focused on getting through the next 8+ miles. I had hit the halfway mark at just over 1:30 and figured according to my pace band that I was 2 minutes ahead of my sub-3 goal, so thought if I could pick it back up to a 6:40-6:50, I would be fine. I told myself people usually have a negative split, so I should be just fine! I could do this! Ok, yes, in reality, I was just at the margin of breaking sub-3, but my pace band was set to run a negative split and cover the second half at a faster pace, my race brain just wasn't really realizing this.
I was dropped by the woman in the flowery skirt, but didn't let that effect my confidence, and found another to target, a woman in a bright yellow tank. At mile 22, I fought with myself not to stop and walk. My brain was telling my legs, "if you stop now, you will give up as per your usual, so you have to keep running...if you stop now, it's really going to hurt when you start again, so you have to keep running". My legs responded by saying, "I just need a couple seconds break". My quads were on fire and essentially won. I stopped for a couple seconds and then picked it up telling myself I could walk through the water stop at mile 23. I had passed a women in a navy blue sports bra, but she re-passed me when I walked. As I picked up the pace, I was determined to pass her again and pass the woman in the bright yellow tank. And I did!
At one point I was advised by a spectator that I was the 18th woman, this was when I was ahead of the woman in the navy bra. But by mile 25, my quads were completely fatigued. They no longer hurt, in fact, I just couldn't really feel them anymore. They had no life left. I felt like I was running a 6:30 pace, but was in fact running much slower. I took a few more short walk breaks, realizing at this point I wasn't going to make the sub-3 time, but refusing to give up. I was essentially passed by the woman in the navy blue sports bra and regardless of how hard I tried, I couldn't catch up to her. I think she finished about 20 seconds ahead of me. I ran as hard as I could...that finish line couldn't come soon enough. I finished in 3:01:25! It wasn't a sub-3, I hadn't run a negative split, I realized that I ran the first have a bit too fast, but I was more than happy! I ran a fabulous PR, giving myself a wonderful birthday present.
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| I was actually the 5th female in my age group as the 1st won the race... |
Shortly after crossing the finish line, I was approached by a guy who had had his eye on my singlet as he ran. He used to be a member of VCTC, but was now living in DC. I met his friends and girlfriend and we relaxed together at the post-race area, with it's array of food choices, massages, and festivities. We gathered to watch the awards ceremony and planned a fabulous hike in Zion Canyon for recovery. With his girlfriend living in Brooklyn, another great triathlete/ironwoman, I put my recruiting skills to use, trying to convince them to join my fabulous team. I couldn't have run such an amazing race without the support of my teammates, some of the best friends I have!
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| Zion Canyon...breathtaking! |
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