My one and only goal for this race was to run my miles under 10:00 per mile so that I could go sub 2:10. That's all I cared about. I could have easily made the 2 miles that were 10:01 and 10:02 under the 10:00 mark but really at the time it seemed irrelevant. I was like, eh...
Mile 1: 9:49
Mile 2: 9:53
Mile 3: 9:45
Mile 4: 9:44
Mile 5: 9:47
Mile 6: 10:01 (walked to eat a gel)
Mile 7: 9:47
Mile 8: 9:48
Mile 9: 10:02 (walked to eat a gel; didnt really think I needed it, but I wanted to be sure for the home stretch and apparently it helped judging by the following mile splits)
Mile 10: 9:22
Mile 11: 9:29
Mile 12: 9:27
Mile 13: 9:08 (shout out to whoever was coming in to win the full marathon because if there was one thing I knew for sure right here was he was NOT going to beat me). I heard an official on a walkie talkie saying the pace car was coming and I was like oh hail-no! I made it across the finish, got my heat wrap and was about to walk inside to get my goodies and I looked up at the big screen and he was still coming up the final stretch. I beat him with time to spare :)
.1 - 9:15 pace
2:06:58 for a 9:42 average pace.
The only regret I have is that I slowed down a LOT during those first few miles out of fear. Fear that if I kept running closer to 9:30 and 9:40 that I would lose it in the last few miles.
8 comments:
Way to go! On occasion, we gotta throw the fear out the window in races and just go for it! Regardless, a 5 min PR is awesome!:)
Man, that's an awesome report, June. I take it that holding back (if you want to call a 20 second difference holding back) in the early miles was based on previous experience in a race where you went out too fast as well as knowing your pacing and the conditions? I don't call that fear, I call that smart, experienced racing. Now you just have MORE information for your next race. You rock.
Great run! Great re-cap! You did the right thing early to leave something in the tank to finish with. I have always loved a quote I heard once saying "It doesn't matter how you start, it's what you have left to finish."
Now, you're more informed and better prepared to go "balls to the wall" next time out. Great job.
Vic, 20 sec per mile for several miles is quite a bit holding back. it can make or break a runner in my opinion.
and yes, based on past experiences. I knew I had it in me, I was just afraid to reach out and really grab it. I dont do a lot of half's but now that i have made the commitment to not train for another marathon until i go sub 2 hours for a half, i am going to be doing a few more than usual. So it was hard to gauge what i should or should not do.
this race was vindication for me in that i KNEW what kind of shape i was in and what i am capable of, but recent bad luck in houston and chicago had me starting to doubt myself..i know now that was just exactly that. bad luck.
i plan, given the right conditions on jan 30th to give it my best shot and go balls to the wall and see what i end up with at the end :)
Congrats! I'm so happy for you. And I LOVE your photo
Hilarious! I love that you pushed out that first place full marathoner. Too funny. Congrats on a fantastic time.
(FYI, I've seen you comment on Skinnyrunner for some time but hadn't hopped over here... I live near Dallas also and ran WHite Rock yesterday as my first full... it was my first half last year.)
Lesley! thanks for stopping over!!!
whats even funnier is that the dude finished in 2:18!?!? He was a lot farther back than I thought by looking at that big screen. it took me quite a while to get through the chute but dang!
I didnt know someone could run a 2:18 and win what i consider a large well known marathon.
I could have walked in that last mile ;o)
congrats on your full!!! i had a friend that did her first full yesterday as well there.
melissa: thanks! i took that one myself :) Just put it out in front of the belly and click. came out straight on the first time.
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