February 12, 2012

Third times a charm! Mercedes Marathon!!

Three words...Cold. Windy. Hilly.

Yep. That sums it up. A cold front came through, scaring the southerns (who runs a marathon in a parka?). It was about 32 degrees to start, colder than I anticipated, but not bad. The wind gusts were no bueno. I'm glad I wore the extra layer. It may have gotten up in the 40's by the finish. I had some wind burn when I was done!

I found out from Laura (who ran it last year) that the double loop course (yes, ran it twice) went to the highest point in Birmingham. Super fun for this flat lander. I felt like I was either going up or down. And how is it possible that the hills felt bigger on the second loop?

But I finished. YEAH! In 5:49--no PR, but faster than the last one...and I never even saw "The Balloon Lady". :) I was pretty proud that I didn't hit my usual 17 mile wall...that didn't hit until 20 (which also coincided with previously mentioned highest point in Birmingham). Then there was much walking. I hope that Virginia Beach will be better, after all, this is only my second marathon post injury.

January 22, 2012

Gold Medal Challenge, Part 2 or

MARATHON!!

Time for the hard part of the Gold Medal Challenge. 95.5 laps around the Petit Center. I started out a little sore from the day before. I think it was because the track wasn't cushy (mostly concrete). The first part was crowded. I stayed to the right, because the speedy peeps were lapping me. Barb stayed with me for the first third or so. Steve and Darwin (from Niles) were also running. It was so nice that Barb's mom came out again to cheer. Also, Kim, Keith, Dan and Steve's wife were there cheering too. I really liked that I got to see people every lap. It was definitely motivating. I did have to do some walking and I totally hit the wall in the 70's. But once I got to 79, I knew the end was near. I felt good in those last laps and powered through for a 5:59:10 finish.

Not too bad for a first marathon back after a year of injury and the day after a 1/2 marathon. I even had enough energy to run Steve's last two laps with him. I'm not sure I'd want to do the Gold Medal Challenge on the hard concrete again, but I'd defiantly do the marathon again. Oh, and of course, they ran out of medals for the marathon too. The race director did promise to mail them, and because I didn't get the medal yesterday, he saved a marathon and gold medal for me. That was very nice. It would be sad to have run almost 40 miles and just get a t-shirt. (I'll let you know when it comes in the mail.)

May 31, 2009

Minneapolis Marathon!

It was a beautiful day for a race! This was such a pretty course, it started just out side the Depot Hotel (let me tell you, just walking out your door to run a race is AWESOME!).

I was doing so well, my pacer was awesome. I stayed with her until mile 15 through hills and all. The problem? Ft. Snelling and the forest of pollen. I just couldn't maintain. (Seriously, check out those splits!)

I walked/ran with some women for another mile and a 1/2 and then by 17 completely bonked. I was in tears until I got out of the scary lonely forest. And some paramedics wanted me to quit (bastards). But I saw Dan and got a hug and he walked with me for about a mile.

Around mile 20, I heard a familiar voice... none other than Larry Macon! I stayed with him and finished the race with this running legend. It really was awesome to talk with him for the end of the race--definitely made the bonk worth while!

I did finish sub 6:00, and I'm a little relieved that I don't have another marathon for a few months.

bib number: 1237
overall place: 1150 out of 1201
division place: 89 out of 91
gender place: 496 out of 524
time: 5:56:51
pace: 13:37
15 k: 1:49:19
16 m: 3:11:02
gun time: 6:01:21

May 2, 2009

A year ago, today, I ran my first marathon. Since then I've run a total of 5 marathons, 3 triathlons 1 ultra marathon and many other races of varying distance from 1/2 marathons on down. I've become a group leader for CARA and watched many friends new and old cross the finish line for their marathons (first or fifth...). I'm stronger, have more endurance and have become a completely different woman in the last year (and even more different than 2 years ago!)

Today was the Wisconsin Marathon in Kenosha, Wisconsin. It was a beautiful day for a marathon, 60 and sunny! We started early with our usual coffee and bagel with peanut butter to get things moving. Unfortunately, that routine may have been our downfall. The coffee did not work as well as it usually does (more on that later).

The course was interesting...looping the downtown for a .5 mile and passing the start. We headed through the downtown again and then North up to Carthage College. I was worried about it being hilly, but the course was in downtown Kenosha and along the lakefront. There were a few inclines, but I wouldn't say the course was hilly.

I also decided that I don't like Heed sports drink. I took it for the first time about mile 4, declaring rather loudly "This stuff tastes like ass!" Fortunately, my fellow runners and the high school aged students working the water stop thought it was hilarious.

After looping back through the downtown, we ran past our car (for the third time) and I ditched my long sleeved shirt under the tire. Clearly, I just can't keep my clothes on when I run! :) As we were heading south, my gut started to churn. I had just passed the 12 mile mark when all of a sudden I NEEDED a bathroom. I asked some spectators if I could please use their bathroom and I was lucky that they did. I had been running with Shaun up until this point and I told him to keep running. I ran to this woman's bathroom and tore it up! It wasn't pretty. After I finished, I thanked her and ran away. The coffee wasn't doing kind things to me. I finally caught Shaun by mile 16. He had gotten excited and started going too fast and was starting to bonk. I walk/ran with him through 17. I took a Hammer Strength gel...it was NOT good. It tasted ok, but mixed with my already churning stomach I was not happy. I felt like a tiny lawn gnome was in my gut, twirling about with his pointy hat and gnawing on my intestines. I walked/ran miles 17 through 19 due to the cramping. By 19, they were offering more Hammer Strength...ugh, not a chance! And I started to try to get myself moving.

By 20 I was in a solid running place. I wasn't going fast or on my usually 12 minute pace but I was truckin'. I started counting (not out loud) the people I was passing. I caught and passed 7 people from mile 20 on...not too bad considering there was only 526 in the marathon total, I was a back of the packer.

There wasn't too much beer on the course...only one beer stop. But it was really good micro-brew stout. Best beer ever!! It sure as hell, beat that Heed crap! I finished the marathon in 5:39:44... 33 seconds off of a PR! At first I was a little crushed. But considering I had GI issues, it's not bad! On a positive note, I can say I ran this marathon a full half hour faster than last weekend...and that's pretty bad ass! (And for those of you keeping score, this time would have beat the Biggest Looser Reject...)

Danielle had finished before I did, and I found that she was having the very same GI issues, having stopped 4 times (she's never had to stop in a marathon). Shaun also had to stop...so it wasn't just me. I think it was the coffee, and I've decided that Maxwell House (provided by the hotel) is no longer welcome in my home.

Aside from that, it was a good race. Pretty flat, great cheese shaped medal and wonderful weather. After the race, we headed to the Mars Cheese Castle (because, who doesn't love cheese!!) This brings the count to 5 marathons, in 5 states...45 to go!

April 25, 2009

"You have to forget your last marathon before you try another. Your mind can't know what's coming."--Frank Shorter

I've seen this quote a lot on various marathon sites. My problem is that I forgot just how much hills and humidity suck when running, let alone throw a marathon into that combination. I fully expected Nashville to be a challenge. I hadn't trained as hard as I did in the last cycle and Nashville is a hilly course. What I did not expect was for the weather on race day to be 85 and humid. This race was like Chicago, but with hills. I think I'd rather know the bad stuff is coming rather than start with ignorance. I guess I've got a bench mark to solve that problem now!

I was doing alright in the first 5k, I was running 10 minute mile splits, even with the hills. By mile 5 I had taken my shirt off because it was so damn hot. I began to slow to an 11:00/11:30 av up through the 10 mile mark...and then I started to slow down and things started sucking. By mile 13 I was starting to hate the world and by mile 14 I was on the verge of an asthma attack (and tears).

So, I did what any sane person would do. I called my own personal superhero. That's right, I sat down on the curb in the middle of the Country Music Marathon and called Julia. Thank God she answered and talked to me. I was distracted enough to focus on answering her questions. It was good that she talked me through it. I'm not even sure what she said (sorry, Jules!), but it kept me going. I walked until mile 15 and then started with a 60 second run 60 second walk (ah, the Jeff Galloway back up plan!). I really couldn't take running the up hills at this point, but I figured, I just have to finish.

I stopped at an aid station and asked for some Vaseline and a hug (I'm not kidding). The water stops were sparse and using hose water because they were out of bottled (at least there was water). I just wanted to be done. I was so hot, I felt like I wasn't even sweating any more.

By 19, I checked my phone and saw Julia had sent me the Chimpanzee Riding on a Segway (bababababa!) and that cheered me up. I had 2 very serious revelations at this point; 1) I do not want to run a marathon in July unless it's somewhere in the Arctic circle, and 2) I need to find the Chimpanzee Riding on a Segway song for my iPod. (I'm serious! It would be good to run to!)

I finally finished in over 6 hours for my worst marathon time ever. I was also sad that I got my ass kicked by a biggest looser reject (by 15 minutes). I guess I should be proud that I listened to my body and didn't try to kill myself. Someone did actually die at this race running the 1/2 marathon. He was only 26 and had a heart attack. I finished what I started, and did it safely. I did not have a major asthma attack. My IT bands hate me right now as does my anterior tibialis (thanks Matt, Mindy and Melissa for teaching me the name of that muscle--I still hate it!)

The positives are that I finished. I got a medal. I can cross Tennessee of the 50 State Challenge List. And the last one...I never have to run this race again!

October 18, 2008

Indianapolis Marathon!

This was Julia's first marathon, and I have to tell you how proud I am!! She is a total rock star!!

First of all, it was a perfect day for a marathon, about 60 degrees and mostly sunny (all though I did not care for the head wind toward the end). Unfortunately it was not a perfect marathon for me. As we were getting in to Indy, I began to feel queasy. I told Julia that I didn't feel so well. So, I rolled down Roxy's window (Julia's car's name), and realized--oh, yeah--I'm gonna barf. I completely defiled the outside of the car, and some how got vomit on my armpit (how does that happen?!?). We got to the parking lot and I felt somewhat better. After all, I have done the rainbow yawn during a training run before (on Lake Shore Drive), so I should be fine, right?

We got in to our surgical gowns (thank you, Barb!) and headed to the start. We were a little late due to the port-a-potty lines (Hoosier Potty!--say it out loud. It's funny.). Julia wanted to jump in, but I wouldn't let her...I didn't think it was a good idea to go with the 8:00 group. I think she was a little nervous, and I did everything I could to calm her down.

We began the race and even though I had spewed a 1/2 hour before the race, I felt ok (only a little nauseated). In fact, we were on perfect pace for the first 1/2 of the marathon. I knew I could make it to the first half...and at that point I was still feeling pretty good. One completely random thing, was that we saw these two guys with what seemed to be a karaoke machine crooning to the runners...guess which two celebrities they were impersonating? Oh, that would be Elvis and Meatloaf. Seriously the most bizarre combo I've seen, and the "monster ballads" they were singing only made me want to run away, not run better!

Any who, at the half the 1/2 marathoners split off and the course got really sparse. But Julia and I remained on pace, and aside from almost stepping upon squirrel road kill that freaked both of us out the race was pretty uneventful.

That is, until mile 17.

I told Julia that I was tired and needed to walk a bit and to go on with out me. The truth? I was feeling pukey again. I hurled 3 times in mile 17. Once, near a water stop, where a paramedic asked if I wanted a ride back to the start. I responded with "No, I just want to throw up."

Y'all know me--I'm much too stubborn to not finish. And after expunging the contents of my stomach the third time I was feeling a bit better. I walked a little and continued on. I saw Julia after she had hit the turn around and she looked really good. I continued to the turn around and as I got to the sign, it blew over. Ugh!! Really? Can this race be anymore perfect!

I kept going in a walk/run. I got to the 20 telling myself--"It's a 10k--you can run a 10k--you'll be done in 1:15." By the time I got to 22, I was talking smack to the course. "4 miles--any idiot can run 4 miles!!" And finally at 23 "A 5k? Come on, you've done this drunk and hung-over!" At 24 I could feel myself really needing to push, and I remembered Elaine and her walk run plan that had helped her at Big Sur. I told myself, "One minute, you can run for 60 seconds. Then you can walk one minute." That's what I did for the remainder of the race. (Except, I always ran any down hill). Once I hit 26, I decided I would run the last .2...and finished with a 9 minute PR time of 5:39:03 (12:57 av pace)!! Oh, yeah and upon crossing the finish line--I promptly ralphed. Awesome. Julia was cheering for me...until she ran over to pat my back and make sure I wasn't going to die.

She kicked my ass, running her first marathon in just over 5:30. I'm so proud of her! I felt so bad I couldn't stick with her due to my yakage. I didn't want to let her down...(or hork on a marathon course). I still think she's amazing!!

I was helping her stretch after the race, and I said "The next time I decide to do something stupid like this, remind me how AWESOME I am!!" I did it--2 Marathons in 6 days! And I PRed in both!! I can officially apply to be a Marathon Maniac!
My next question: When's the next one?

October 12, 2008

Ah, the Chicago Marathon. I was so pumped! It was hard to keep the first half slow and on pace...I kept being asked to slow down. For the first 7 miles or so, I had a Chicago Bears balloon. I lost that at some point. I kinda missed the "Go Bears" after it was gone. Here I am at Wells and Ohio with Alfredo. But then the humidity got to me and I just couldn't keep the pace or catch my breath. I really was struggling to breathe around the United Center and then again in Pilsen. It was so hot, I took my shirt off and ran the last 7 miles in my sports bra (and ya'll know, I don't do naked in public). Here are my splits. You can see I'm pretty well on for the first half...I started to tank in the second:

10k--1:14:56--12:03 pace

Half--2:41:15--12:08 pace

30k--3:57:00--12:42 pace

Then I decided just to have some fun (because isn't that what it's all about?). In Chinatown, some kind souls gave me a Budweiser, and that's when I discovered that the beer was much colder than the water or Gatorade! Then I found some guys South on Michigan Ave who were watching runners...they gave me 2 Miller Lites (one I drank with them, and one I took with me). And then some others on Michigan that traded out my empty Miller Lite for an Amstel Lite that made it across the finish. It was nice to hear people cheer "Yeah, Beer Girl!"

You can see, I did finish (5:48:11--13:18 av pace), with my medal and shiny milar blanket (I *heart* those things!)I'm so glad that I get a do-over next weekend...here's hoping for cooler weather!!

May 4, 2008

Pigs have flown, and I have run a marathon (the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinatti, Ohio, to be exact!). That’s right, in just over a year of taking up running, Bethie has completed her very first marathon!

Now, this marathon had the potential to be the worst marathon ever. First of all, the marathon started late. Turns out that there was an extra alarm fire at mile 22 and the race course had to be re-routed, adding an extra quarter mile to it (No problem, after 26.2, why not make it 26 and a half!). I guess technincally speaking it makes my first marathon an Ultra (solely by definition...and that's what I'm going to tell myself!!)

Then this awful woman yelled at me around mile 6. Now, I know I’m not the fastest runner in the world, so I run to the side of the course (this is a pretty common practice). This woman screamed at me and told me to get out of her way and that I didn’t belong on the course! I was so surprised, I couldn’t even move!! I’ve never seen a runner be that rude in my entire life!! Other runners started yelling at her because of her rudeness. Ugh. If this had been my first race, I would have been crushed! Fortunately I know that runners are a jolly bunch and that she was just an anomaly. But seriously, if she was that worried about her time, she wouldn’t have been passing me at mile 6, she would have been a head of me already. Second, it wasn’t as if there wasn’t an ENTIRE road blocked off for runners. Finally if she was that serious of an athlete, she would have been running Boston a few weeks ago. Besides, she was wearing head phones that were banned on the course. I think the running gods or karma are going to bite her in the ass later. Really, that kind of behavior is just bad juju.

Other technical problems included me loosing ALL the Cliff Shots that were pinned to my race belt. (Note to self, don’t pin them like that again!!) I’m used to taking one every hour/every five or six miles…so that put me a slight mental disadvantage. My inhaler ran out at about Mile 8 or 9; and on that hilly course that wasn’t fun. There was also some very really chafeage issues. I was walking funny more from the skin that was ripped off my body, than from muscle soreness.

Barb and I came upon this guy who fell out on the side of the road. The dude was seriously purple. It wasn’t good. Chest compressions were given and the paramedics came. I don’t know if the guy made it or not, but it sure was scary.

In spite of these negatives, I really did have a blast! First of all, it was an all new distance for me…I had never run over 20 miles before. Second, I wore a shirt that said “Bethie’s First Marathon”. It was great to have people cheering for me! So motivating! Barb and I also got the crowd into our singing…we started singing the chorus from Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” at mile 13… (“Oh, we’re half way there! Oh-O! Livin’ on a prayer!! Take my hand, we’ll make it I swear…) Many of the water stops had themes…parrot heads, pirates, and assorted bands. Girls on the Run gave me a balloon to wear. And of course, Barb and I spent the race entertaining ourselves through stupid comments and songs.

There was also several unsanctioned beer stops along the way. Mile 21 was run just like a regular water stop. Just grab a beer and run. J The one at mile 14 was awesome! They had the “Runner’s Lounge”. I sat on the couch and had a beer. It was great!

I did dedicate some of the miles to people as I was running…it made the race much more meaningful. But the last mile, was just for me. I hit my wall just after mile between 25 and 26. I kept telling myself that “Someday, I would not be able to do this, but today was not that day.” So, I kept repeating to myself “Today is not that day. Today is not that day.” I had so much crap on my sun glasses I couldn’t see the finish line. I thought I was going to kill Barb when she pointed out the finish line, and I couldn’t actually see it. But, lo and be hold, I took my glasses off and there it was! I finished strong…You would have thought I won the damn thing. I ran across the finish line with my arms up, Kenyan style. It was awesome!

It turns out that the total distance for the marathon was 26.47 miles and my adjusted pace was 13:32. Not too shabby...I think I can do better in Chicago...home course here I come!! I can't wait!!