Marathon Pacer Report

Bob Potts Marathon, York PA   Sunday May 15, 2011  6:30 am start

I was pacing for running friend Brenda, with whom I have run many hundreds of miles over a few yearss.  She was going for a 3:55, to exceed her BQ requirement by 5 minutes.  I thought if we averaged 9 minute miles to the turnaround at about halfway, we could make the goal with only a little increase in pace on the return trip.  We ran with Mike who hoped for sub 4 hours.  The day started overcast in the low 60's, with showers predicted.  It was quite humid and warmed up into the 70's.  Conditions proved troublesome for some, as a couple runners were taken to the hospital. 

The weekend was like a field trip for our run group. We had rooms at the same hotel, carpooled, went to dinner together. Six of us running, three there to support us, and a couple more showed up for the race.

 

For the start, we crowded near the front since there was no chip timing.  My watch showed 2 or 3 seconds as we crossed the start line.  We had trouble throughout with uneven pacing.  (Yep, that was supposed to be my job.) 

The race started on the streets of York and the first several blocks were downhill.  That combined with being up front meant we were going too fast.  We kept agreeing out loud that we were going too fast, but only gradually got close to our planned pace.  As we slowed we were constantly being passed by other runners. 

Still, I thought the pace was fairly comfortable and I enjoyed the run for the entire first half.  Lots of chatting, jokes, etc.  I was not carrying any drink or nutrition, depending on the aid stations, walking each one to get a cup or two.  (I would do that different next time and carry something.)  Brenda and Mike were each carrying their own nutrition items.  We saw our great crew at about mile 9.  I took some of my honey gel mix and a drink of water.  Thanks to Rose (my wife), Denise, Kristal! It was a real boost knowing you were there.  Nikki and Dagmar were there cheering too.   

We did some guessing of where we would see the leaders on the way back and the same thing for which mile Jill would appear.  She looked to be doing great when she came by.  Now and then I would refill a water bottle for Brenda at the tables in addition to getting my own drink.  One of these times was just before the turnaround and I was pushing a little to catch up to Brenda and Mike, so I was last in our little group to make the turn.  Volunteers handed out gels at the turnaround and I took one for later.

Now for the return trip where we would go a little faster.  I thought we should delay our pace increase since we had run some fast miles early and were something like 30 seconds ahead of plan.  Soon we saw Crystal and Anna looking relaxed and happy on their way to the turnaround.  Mike stayed with us through something like 15 miles.  In spite of saying we would not speed up, the pace picked up a lot for a couple miles.  I will blame it on a story from Boston that I told to Brenda.  Reliving the strong memory got me going faster.
We continued on, passing back through aid stations and coming to our crew again at mile 18.  Brenda decided to switch from her water belt to one with her coconut drink, so I ran ahead to get that for her and take care of my fuel/drink.  Denise had nice cold, wet washcloths ready that were so refreshing. 

Nikki began running with us there.  By then Brenda and I were working to keep pace and by mile 20 or so we were beginning to struggle/suffer.  It was great to have Nikki's help.  She was fresh emotionally and really chatty, while we were on the decline.  She took over caring for Brenda's water bottle and doing the talking/story telling.
Gradually we had to focus only on the current mile. Nikki did the encouraging/chatting, I tried to set the pace.

It seemed to me that Brenda was really suffering and I wondered if we could make the goal time.  I was hearing her breathing now even though we weren't going so fast.  I was hurting too.  I prayed we would somehow make it.  My watch had been acting up and I was doubting whether the pace display was correct.

We slowed for a couple miles and I insisted Brenda walk the aid station to drink and recover a little. By 3 or 4 miles to go, it seemed from the miles remaining and the clock-time that we still had a shot if somehow we could keep to 9 minute miles.  So we kept on, Brenda silent and with an expression of misery (though still running well), Nikki saying "you can do it!", and me in front pacing & listening to make sure they were keeping up.

Eventually we were into the last mile and just trying to stay on pace.  Then onto the road, up the hill to the track and a half lap to finish.  As we made the last turn, the clock showed we had about 30 seconds and we pushed to the line - with seconds to spare.  That we met Brenda's goal was more than I can take credit for, surely an answer to prayer.

 

Congrats to Brenda for running an impressive PR, getting her BQ, and age group award. 

She proved again what she is made of.  And it's more than just sugar and spice... 

 

Jill also achieved an impressive PR, getting a BQ by 10 minutes.  These ladies have given me reason to go for a faster BQ of my own so we can go to Boston for another group fieldtrip.

mile splits according to my watch. (after the middle of the race it was showing some paces I couldn't believe, so not sure how well these match Brenda's numbers)
8:14, 8:41, 8:54, 9:04, 9:13, 8:53, 8:59, 8:53, 8:46, 8:54, 8:48, 8:57, 8:54, 9:04, 8:32, 8:33, 9:06, 8:51, 9:19, 9:18, 8:33, 9:47, 9:25, 9:04, 9:09, 8:42, 8:50(0.26)

 

My new realization of marathoning: 15 happy miles, 5 or 6 miles of work, and the remainder is suffering.

Boston Marathon April 18, 2011

It was a very satisfying and challenging event for me.  For months I looked forward to this race and did my own style of research/analysis preparation to the max.  My training miles and effort were higher than last year when I ran my qualifying time.  The event organization was very good, the spectator support was amazing.  The course was tough.  Here’s a summary of my race experience.

In short: I finished with a time of 3:45:34, just over my goal of 3:45.  I started a little faster than planned and was working too hard too soon but managed to keep plugging away to the finish.

Overall place 12124 of 23879 finishers, gender 8554 of 13806, age group 435 of 1132.

Mile split paces from my watch: 8.23, 8.12, 8.13, 8.20, 8.31, 8.29, 8.23, 8.31, 8.21, 8.21, 8.29, 8.20, 8.29, 8.39, 8.34, 8.43, 9.00, 9.12, 8.47, 9.10, 9.34, 8.26, 8.25, 8.35, 8.18, 8.32, 2.36 (0.39 mi watch)

5k splits paces from BAA results: 8:12, 8:29, 8:25, 8:28, 8:48, 8:59, 9:05, 8:30, 8:22 (last 2.something k)

The long story…

My goal was to average 8:30 per mile pace until the hills starting around mile 16.  I planned to give back a little time in the hills and finish with an overall average pace of 8:35.  But I hoped to be strong enough to run the last miles enough faster to go under 3:45.

The first 3 or 4 miles I couldn’t go slowly enough to keep my planned pace.  Runners are cautioned about running too fast during the first several downhill miles at Boston since that will cause problems later.  I knew what to do, but couldn’t seem to do it.  Hundreds of runners passed me through those miles.  I averaged 8:12 pace for the first 5k. 

I was feeling too warm by mile 4 or 5.  By mile 8 it seemed like I was feeling the effects of starting too fast.  Or maybe it just wasn’t going to be my day.  My legs felt they had worked too hard already.  So mentally I started doubting myself and remembering how I faded badly at MCM.  Already I was thinking about what I would tell Rose and Keith later on the course and what excuses I would have after the race.  But there was also a voice saying ‘this is THE Boston Marathon, you can’t just slack off without giving it a real try’.  I was still able to run at goal pace, so I would not do any excuse making yet.

I began thinking through the things I could do to cope with what felt wrong and I started making adjustments.  Stick to the planned pace.  Drink more Gatorade and water, dump water on my head and upper body for cooling.  Walk through aid stations to make sure I drank more than I spilled.  Take my energy gel on schedule.  Look forward to what I know is coming up - Wellesley College scream tunnel at mile 13/14 and family at mile 22.

And I thought about those who sent encouragement, well wishes, inspiration.  Would I be willing to say I wasn’t strong enough or brave enough?  And I switched back and forth between preparing excuses and telling myself ‘don’t give up yet’.  Then, beginning in the hill section I decided to make use of the spectator support.  Since I had my name on my shirt, running near the side of the road gave people a chance to cheer for me by name, and they did.  Probably I heard my name at least a thousand times.  That really helped.  And high-fiving little kids and big ones.

To my surprise, the hills were not so bad.  It seemed the change in running stride was good for me.  (Looking at my miles splits, I can see why the hills didn’t hurt much.  I really slowed down; for one mile I was a minute off average goal pace.)  After Heartbreak hill, I scanned the crowd for Rose and Keith.  Even though they were where we planned and I looked right at them, I never recognized them with my eyes or ears.  But, looking for them for an extra mile or so kept me distracted from thinking about whether I could continue.

Beginning in the hills and increasingly toward the finish, I was passing other runners.  Some stopped to stretch.  More and more were walking.  As I watched the miles slowly click off, I began to think I could finish on goal.  While my legs hurt a lot, they were working ok.  Then I realized that my gps watch was measuring the distance a little shorter than the course markings.  I couldn’t do the math mentally to figure out how much time I had to gain to make up for that.  I had finished the hills thinking I was only 5 seconds behind plan and guessed making up 30 seconds would be enough.  My last half mile was fastest, around 7 minute pace, but not enough to break 3:45.  My watch said I ran 26.39 miles rather than the 26.2 for the marathon.  (At 7 minute pace, a tenth of a mile takes 42 seconds.)  

As the course approaches the finish in downtown Boston, the crowd builds as well as enthusiasm and cheering volume.  I was amazed at the cheering for me specifically by name.  More than 12,000 people had already finished and yet people still looked for my name and cheered as if they were waiting just for me to come by.  It felt like I was a star.

It was so good to run through the Boston Marathon finish line and I was glad that I had not given up when things got tough.

The hay is in the barn for Boston

My final track session today was not much of a workout.  Just some 1200 repeats at goal marathon pace.  Well I guess they were a little faster.  My goal pace is 8:30 to 8:35 and my average was 8:28 today.
I don't know what finish time I can expect.  Looking at my training over the last couple of months, I think I should be able to PR at Boston.  That will require going under 3:42, an average pace of 8:28 per mile.  For now my plan is to run at a pace to make another BQ time which would be 3:45.  If I can speed up some after the dreaded Newton hills, maybe it will bring a PR.
And since some friends will run the Bob Potts Marathon on May 15th, I hope to run that one too and go for a time of 3:40 or faster.  Of course that race will depend on how I recover from Boston.
I have been reading all I can about running the Boston Marathon and the details of getting to the start, surviving the wait, etc.  I am excited.  And I think appropriately afraid of the work ahead.
Oh marathon racing! What sweet and frightening anticipation.

Next race: Boston Marathon April 18, 2011

I am in the final weeks of training for the Boston Marathon. 

This is a goal race for many marathoners and I was really pleased to have qualified last May.  I increased my training and completed the Bob Potts Marathon in York, Pennsylvania with a time of 3:42:01.  That was a little better than the 3:45:59 required for men aged 55 to 59.

So here I am training to repeat as a qualifier this time at Boston.

In addition to the run training I am searching the internet for tips on pacing, overcoming the hills, and all the logistic challenges of getting to the starting line on race day along with about 27,000 other runners.

It might be my only appearance at Boston since it is getting harder to qualify and even to register.  I hope to make a pleasant memory on marathon weekend and especially on Patriots Day.

It runs in the family!

Running - It’s in my family tree.

About 8 generations back on my mother’s side there was an ultra-runner. Tracing back through her father, Oscar Marshall, we can find Edward Marshall.  He was recruited to go as far as possible on foot in 18 hours in order to set the boundary for a land purchase in what is now eastern Pennsylvania. 

Really it seems to have been a land steal that was filled with scheming and deception. Although Edward Marshall was employed for this purpose, it is unclear whether he knew of the dishonesty involved.  In fact he probably didn’t even receive what was promised for his efforts.  And he paid dearly in the subsequent months or years.  His family was attacked in the backlash to the land grab.  Edward’s wife and son were killed and a daughter severely injured.

Being a runner myself, my interest is in his impressive physical accomplishment as an endurance athlete.  It seems curious, even ironic to me that this run was part of a plan to get land from Indians for white settlers.  I am descended from these white settlers, yet I have at least one Indian in my family tree.  Nancy LeBree is in the line of my mother’s mother - fewer generations back than Edward Marshall.  You might say one of my grandfathers was involved in stealing from one of my grandmothers.

The following excerpt is from http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/WalkingPurchase.html.  A google search for ‘walking purchase’ or ‘Indian walking purchase’ should yield several other sources to read about this.

According to Steven Harper’s Promised Land, the 1686 treaty gave the settlers claim to land north of the previous treaty’s boundary line between the Neshaminy and Delaware rivers for “as far as a man could walk in a day and a half.” On September 19, 1737, three strong runners, James Yeates, Edward Marshall, and Solomon Jennings, began, in the words of Lenape interpreter Moses Tetemie, “what ye Indians call ye hurry walk.” The native spectators noted the quick pace and unexpectedly direct route the three were taking, and according to W.W.H. Davis, “showed their dissatisfaction at the manner in which the walk was conducted, and left the party before it had been concluded.” The approximately 65 mile “hurry walk” proved so grueling that only Edward Marshall managed to complete it, who Davis writes, “threw himself at length on the ground, and grasped a sapling which marked the end of the line.” Marshall’s athletic feat, combined with liberal interpretation of how the boundary line should be drawn to the Delaware River, took from the Lenape an area slightly smaller than Rhode Island.

The route was surveyed in advance and even cleared to allow maximum progress. The runners were accompanied by horseback riders who brought along food, drink, and other supplies. Yet there were rivers to cross, mountains to climb, and rough ground to cover.

I learned of this part of my family history only last summer. While reading about what Edward accomplished, I felt that I wanted to repeat his effort. Of course it will be impossible to retrace the exact route due to highways and other development since the 1700’s. I hope to follow the route as much as possible and meet the same time limit. I have been in contact with members of a hiking group that does a weekend hike to retrace this route. My intention is to join their hike and learn enough of the route to be able to do the run myself with a few friends along for support. Hopefully I can do this near the date of the original event.

My longest single day efforts have been 33 and 50 miles. I will need to step up the training to have a chance to measure up to my great-great’s example.

What a goal race this will be!

Happy Birthday to me - now 56 years old.

I'm celebrating today.  Glad for another year started.  Enjoying the day.
Running and breakfast with friends.  Cards, electronic messages, some gifts.
Dinner with our younger son and 2 brothers/families visiting for cake & ice cream later.
Today's devotional reading written by Rebekah was about birthdays and making each day count for God's kingdom.  That's a great thought for my birthday and every day.

Holiday Lake 50K++ a great day for running

 Short version: I finished in 5:58:02.  No problems.  Fun experience.  2 loops 16.67 miles each.

 

Long version:

My friend and running  partner Kristal and I talked about this race when I was undecided about my training and racing priorities for 2011.  Her interest is what got me to recognize that I wanted to do the race again even if it compromised some other priority.  I decided I wanted to do this one for fun more than focusing only on hard training for a spring marathon.  Running should be mostly fun shouldn't it? 

 

So we got signed up and then another of our running friends Brenda signed up too.  Brenda and I had run HL together last year, just beating the cutoff by 7 minutes.  We also would be meeting Rebecca, who Brenda had roomed with a year ago.

 

I had some nervousness about the race due to IT band issues I developed in this race last year and again during the JFK last November.  Just a week before this year's race my IT band tightened up and I had some painful inflamation in my hip.  Physical therapy relieved the symptoms, but who could know if they would return.  However, I was feeling good and strong for race day.

 

My race plan was to run what felt like my normal long run easy pace on all the flats and downhills and to hike the uphills.  I expected this would mean running alone mostly and resigned myself to that.  I also had a bit of worry that I would have some physical breakdown and would be wishing for Brenda and Kristal to drag me in.

 

The race starts on the road with about a half mile moderate effort uphill section, then into the woods.  There was a backup of runners here and it was slow going on the mostly single track trail with so many runners being careful in the dark.  This continued as it became daylight until around the first aid station (AS).  (there was an AS about every 4.25 to 4.5 miles).  I reached this one in 46 minutes and was happy with that.  I figured if I was not much more that 45 minutes between AS that would be a good finish time.  I wanted to finish under 7 hours and thought 6 and half was possible.

 

There was more room by now, running on logging type roads and I was able to run at my intended effort and that meant passing people.  I would talk a bit with some runners as I came alongside and then continue passing in a minute or two.  The stream crossing was not bad as the water was low in the riffles, not quite shoe top depth.  A lady crossed ahead of me using the trash bag waders approach.

 

At each AS I picked a few cookies, some chips or pretzels, banana sections, PBJ, whatever it seemed would taste good and be ok for fuels and salt.  I carried a sandwich bag so I could load up and eat on the run or walk out of the AS.  And I refilled my bottle with their GU sport drink.  Sometimes I drank water there.

 

After the third aid station I started wondering when I would see the leaders since the second loop was run in the opposite direction.  I checked my watch and immediately stumbled, almost falling.  (It might have hurt less to fall than catch myself.  I did this trick again a while later)  The leader came by at 2:09 when I was probably between mile 13 and 14 and he was at least 5 miles ahead of me.  The second guy came by 2 minutes later, then more and more runners.  I was coming down a steep section when I saw another friend Rick on the way up.  I continued on with the same approach as planned and wondered sometimes if my running pace was too fast and I'd pay for it later.  I did notice tightness in my left thigh and hip flexor and glute area.  That made me wonder too.  Passing oncoming runners near the lake was kind of tricky since the trail was narrow and on a hillside.  But it was much better than last year with crusted snow on both sides of the trail.  I saw Rebecca about a mile into her second loop with that much to go on my first one.

 

I got to the halfway AS around 2:52, refilled, found my dropbag and changed shirts and hats.  I left that AS at 2:56.  Then I remembered the salt pills Kristal had shared so I took a couple of those.  And thinking about my tightening leg, I took a couple of tylenol tablets a little later.  I had decided to try to run where the trail sloped down to the right as much as possible to allow my left foot to roll in more and take a little strain off that IT band.  So that gave my something to think about.  Early in my second loop I passed Kristal and Brenda and that brightened me up.  We exchanged brief greetings and status info and continued on.  After that I reflected on how nice it was to see my running pals and wished I had asked for a hug.

 

There was soon the dam to re-cross and a big wooden stairway to climb and some nice views.  I noticed the day was beautiful and cheerful.  It seems to me there is more or tougher climbing in the first half of the second loop and I made sure to walk those parts.  My concern about overdoing it on the first loop had me being cautious by now.  And my feet were sore on the bottom, especially the heels.  The frozen ground was lumpy in spots and I think that's why my feet hurt.  I rubbed some topical pain reliever on my IT band trouble spots as a preventative measure.  I was still able to run mostly as planned and each AS seemed to come sooner than expected.  At one of them a lady said "welcome back" and that seemed nice - as if they were there waiting for me.  Going to the middle AS this time there was a long hill to climb on a forest road.  It must have taken at least 10 minutes to walk that one.  I tried keeping the pace brisk and when things leveled out I was happy to have walked that one even though it seemed to take too long to get up the hill.  I took 2 more salt tabs and 2 more tylenol.  My quads were sore, but everything was still working.

 

Then the course was mostly runnable (by my measure) for longer sections and I was able to make good time.  I was surprised that I had energy for running still.  This section was really tiring and discouraging a year ago.  I didn't pass people as often, but still was catching up to some.  Just before the last AS I recognized Rebecca ahead of me and realized she must have had some problems for me to have caught up to her.  She had her own IT band issues slowing her down.  We were in and out of that AS about the same time and I was able to keep running.  It seemed possible to finish under 6 hours and I now wanted to do that.  I knew we eventually would go down to the lake before climbing back up to the paved road that was downhill to the finish.  So the plan to run everything except uphills continued.

 

There was at least one more climb in this section than I remembered.  Of course there was nothing to do but continue and there wasn't anyone to whine to.  Eventually I caught up to a 3 runners and followed them up what turned out to be the last climb from the lake.  I chatted a bit with the lady just ahead of me and then at the 1 mile to go mark where the trail leveled out I had a little more in the tank and pulled ahead.  Soon I could see the paved road.  But I had forgotten that the trail parallels the road for a while, so more running to do.  Along here I turned my ankle for the only time in the race and it really hurt at first.  It made me pray "please just get me to the finish".  Soon out onto the road and downhill to finish.  I had decided I would not chase anyone down but settle for keeping my same effort.  I think 2 younger guys passed me on the road and I passed one runner.

 

On through the finish line, shook hands with the race director and waited for Rebecca who finished a couple minutes later.

 

I was happy to be done and pleased with my finish time.

Everything about the race was done well.  Congrats to Dr Horton, staff, volunteers, runners.

 

My pictures at: http://s531.photobucket.com/albums/dd359/chbgchuck/running/Holiday%20Lake%2050k%202011/