October 2017 Running Challenge

Well, I'm back home now after a day of travelling and flight delays, so here's a report on Sunday's race. This will probably be a really long post, so feel free to scroll on by if lengthy posts aren't your thing!

But first, a big thank you to everyone that expressed congratulations (too many to name, but you know who you all are ), and to everyone that has given advice over the months, whether directly or indirectly...it's all been of immensely great help. Thank you. And now, race day...

The day started off nice and cool at 66F, and with a dew point of 62F, that made for a comfortable temperature for racing (compared to what I had been training in, at least). As I made my way from the hotel, I walked by another runner who was waiting for a boat to take him across the bay. I wished him good luck, and at that point he decided to forget the boat and instead walk/chat with me the couple of miles around the bay to the race start.

We got to the start with about 20 minutes to go, so I spent some time texting with friends, including the two other runners from my running group that were also at the race, and everyone was wishing us the best of luck. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to meet up with my group friends, as it was quickly approaching time to start the race. There were no corrals, and runners were expected to find the right pace group to start at. I made my way forwards towards the 3:45 pacers, but could only get as close as the 4:00 pacers; I could see the 3:45 sign up ahead of me and figured I would just try and keep that in sight. After a moment of silence for fallen heroes, and a local singing the national anthem, it was time for action.

The start was actually hard to get right. My ultimate goal of 3:40:00 meant I needed a pace of around 8:23, and my first mile came in at 8:03...way too fast. I looked at my heart rate, and it was in the mid 160s which is where it needed to be, but I needed to try and slow down. Easier said than done...mile two and my pace was 8:09. Better, but I needed to go slower, although my heart rate still held even in the mid 160s. I could see the 3:45 pacers just ahead, and once I caught them, I ran with them for a bit, but for a 3:40:00 finish, I knew I couldn't stay with them, and so pressed on. It wasn't long before I saw one of the 3:35 pacers up ahead. That meant that I was somewhere around the 3:40:00 time, but as I tried to slow things down further, I caught up with the pacer. He had separated from the other 3:35 pacer for some reason, so I ran with him for a while. Around mile eight, we chatted about another runner that looked to be running out of steam already...obviously going too fast too early, and there was no way he was going to last. He was drifting into the path of other runners, and whenever the pacer went to go by him, he would suddenly put in a spurt of effort and run ahead, only to start drifting about and slowing down again. This went on for a couple of miles, with another runner chastising him for cutting her off, but then he finally fell back and that was the last I saw of him.

At that point, around mile ten, I thought about things, how I was feeling, how my pace felt, how cool the temps were, and how my heart rate seemed settled in the 160s, so I decided to press on ahead and leave that pacer behind to move on to the next 3:35 pacer. I caught up with him at around mile twelve, and decided to stay with him to see how I felt. We cheered the halfway point, and this pacer was a lot chattier. At around mile seventeen, I actually felt really good, and knew that in my planning, mile eighteen was the point at which I would start to push a little harder, so I decided to run on. I knew the pacer wasn't too far behind me, because I could hear him still chatting away merrily, but by around mile nineteen, I could no longer hear him. At times, I thought I could, but I think that was just other runners mixed with my imagination.

By now, I was starting to push past others that looked that they were having a harder time. I checked my Garmin...heart rate was pushing above the 170 mark now, but I knew I didn't have too much further to go and so could afford it. As I ran up a hill passing mile 21, I waved to one of the runners from my running group who was running the other way on her 16th mile. The smile said that she was doing just fine. I didn't see my other running group friend until I was passing mile 22. Again, she looked like she was doing fine and waved and smiled enthusiastically.

At this point, I had just four more miles to go, and I could feel some cramps trying to start up in my calves, so I eased off a little and that quickly passed. By now I was certainly starting to feel it though, and each mile was getting harder. But reeling in other runners one by one helped me keep focus and maintain pace, and at mile 24 the full marathon merged back with the half-marathon runners. At that point, I was now having to make my way through a LOT of people. I thought I was being slowed down, but looking back, my pace was actually quicker. Fortunately, the last couple of miles were downhill, and that definitely helped, but the sun had come out from behind the clouds, and it was starting to get a lot warmer.

I passed mile 25, and the crowds were all cheering everyone on, giving a lot of encouragement...we were almost there. That mile felt like the longest mile of the race. But there it was, the mile 26 marker. I was fearing that the last 0.2 mile would take forever, but I rounded the final corner and there it was; the finish line. I moved over to the marathon lane, and crossed the line with an official time of 3:31:20.19. I had beaten my ultimate goal by almost nine minutes. So I picked up my medal and went off to die somewhere consume liquids and eat that precious and hard-earned banana before going back to the finish line to wait and cheer for my running group friends.

Official Result

As I waited, I tried to take a selfie. I'm not great at these, and usually end up taking a picture of the top of someone else's head, but this one turned out not too bad. Ignore the throbbing veins in my face; they've since calmed down.

@garygse killer race report! Your selfie game is much more on point than mine

@eponine1984 I started out brutally slow and unable to run a full block. I don't run bad times at this point, they could be better but thats why we train!

I went out this morning dreading that the run would be under 10k- anything under 15k makes me feel like crap for some reason. Did bang out two 4 minute/km but ugh. Tomorrow is my last run before Whistler...give me distance or give me death


October 1- 28+7
October 2- 18
October 3- 20
October 4- 15
October 5- 18
October 6- Off
October 7- 32
October 8- 18
October 9- 13
October 10- 8

177/450km

eponine1984 wrote: »

Did anyone else start out like me - super slow, can barely hang on - and improve? Jumping into this challenge (trying not to compare) but it just seems like everyone is much further in their running careers than me. My sister is a runner, but she's always naturally been faster than me. So I guess I'm just hoping to hear from some other slow pokes.

Just wanted to answer you question from a bit of a different perspective. Like most others here, I started off unable to run a mile straight. But I kept at it until I finally worked myself up to running 3 miles. That took about 6 months or so, I think. Kind of hard to remember now because that was in 1997...so yeah, 20 years ago. At that time I had no goals with respect to running, other than to run for health and fitness and that I enjoyed it. I never aimed at increasing my pace or distance and racing was the furthest thing from my mind. I would run 3-4 times per week, for 30-40 minutes, which equated to 3-4 miles.

I can't remember the reason now, but I ran my first 5k in 2001. In 2003, I did the unthinkable and ran my first half marathon. In 2013, I did the next unthinkable and ran my first marathon. In 2015, I did what once seemed like the impossible and qualified for Boston and in 2017 I did something I had never even dreamed I could do when I crossed the finish line of the Boston marathon.

My point of all of this is that there is something to be said for taking it slow and enjoying the journey. I have been running for 20+ years now. It has been a journey of ups and downs, victories and set backs, but when I look back on it all, I can hardly believe how much I have accomplished. I never looked too far ahead, only around the next bend. I think that this helped me to not only gain a solid physical foundation that I was able to build on, but it also helped me to gain a huge appreciation for running and all that it has given to me physically, mentally and spiritually.

Like the others, my advice to you and to all new runners is to take it slow, avoid comparisons, appreciate each and every milestone and then set the next one. Keep at it and before you know it you will have accomplished more than you could ever have dreamed. Like the old distance running proverb says...it's a marathon, not a sprint!