(Prime, shorts, sneakers, socks)
Okay, Saturday was particular.
Actually particular.
It has been a really emotional few weeks, and the race had been the very last thing on my mind main as much as it.
Someway, the marathon gods gave me the day I wanted. I had an absolute blast for almost all of the race and felt an amazing quantity of affection alongside the best way.
From seeing Andrew and my youngsters a couple of instances, seeing my brother and his household, the handfuls of instances I appeared down and noticed Mer’s ring on my finger and felt the most important enhance from her (questioning if she was there cheering me on), chatting with a few of my favourite mates alongside the best way, cheers from individuals there to observe the race, texts/messages/feedback from the very best people earlier than the race, and unbelievable race volunteers doing what they do for full strangers like me… I actually felt like I used to be being hugged time and again all through the 26.2.
This was my 18th marathon, however now one among my most memorable operating reminiscences as a result of it was like a blanket of peace and luxury that I wanted. I don’t ever need to neglect how that felt.
I slept amazingly and awakened naturally at 4 a.m. I received up at 4:30 and began consuming a Belvita bar (230 energy then after which one other 230 energy of the bars + a banana at 5:30 am). I took a bathe and received prepared. We received the youngsters prepared, and we have been out the door at 5:20 to drive to the beginning; they let Andrew drive me to the beginning as a result of I get carsick in busses.
I left my telephone with Andrew and walked over to the begin to discover some mates. I used to be thrilled to really feel chilly (I introduced a blanket to the beginning!) and to see an enormous tailwind taking place (they at all times have a ton of flags out alongside the beginning line so you may see clearly which manner the wind goes).
I sat subsequent to the fires with some mates and took a Maurten caffeine gel at 6:40 (the race began at 7) earlier than utilizing the restroom and entering into the corral. I didn’t do any kind of warm-up (oops).
This was the primary yr this marathon did a light-weight present with drones earlier than it began. I want I might have had my digicam. It was darkish out, and the drone lights shaped unimaginable footage within the sky, together with a countdown for the race begin. Everybody’s jaws dropped. Now, I really want you guys to do that race!
I began with these mates for the primary 10 miles. It was a lot enjoyable. We chatted, caught up on life, laughed, and constructed one another up.
We now have 19 youngsters between the 4 of us:)
I took a Maurten gel at miles 4 & 8 and received my first bottle of liquid IV at mile 7. I really feel like Gatorade doesn’t work nice for me, and the liquid IV was glorious for getting within the electrolytes I wanted as a result of Maurtens don’t have sufficient in them for a marathon.
At mile 8, we misplaced 2 of my mates, and at mile 11, my buddy Kassi pulled forward. At mile 13, my buddy Amy caught up, and we chatted for about 2 miles.
Attending to do one thing arduous with mates is my favourite high 10 life actions.
Are you able to deal with these views?
As soon as Amy went forward, I turned on my music (it connects to my watch) in a single ear, and I’ll have sung a bit too…
I saved up with my gels each 4 miles till mile 20ish once I totally puked (TMI?) the gel I took as I ran (I made certain nobody was close to me). Possibly I used to be over-fueled or over-hydrated (I used to be downing my bottles), however I couldn’t get one other calorie. I felt depleted in these final two miles of the marathon. I like to attempt to analyze why issues occur the best way they do throughout the marathon, however generally, I must do not forget that I’m asking my physique to do one thing ridiculous (run 26.2 miles), and the potential for it revolting with a particular motive is excessive.
The final two miles have been robust, however as you flip to the ultimate stretch, I heard my brother’s voice booming. By no means has there been a human that may venture extra quantity than him. It was simply what I wanted to complete robust.
I really like all of them a lot. Seeing this crew at mile 26 was all the pieces.
I hit 13.1 miles at 1:24:15ish and completed at 2:48:11, so the halves have been fairly even splits. Contemplating each halves have been quicker than my half in August made me fairly blissful!
The primary half of St George is way more difficult with the climbing (miles 7-11), however on among the steep downhills within the second half, I felt my hamstring appearing up. I took it again a notch on these downhills as a result of I didn’t need to trigger an harm and miss out on operating the Budapest Marathon with Andrew. However I additionally felt fully performed within the final two miles, so I feel I used to be proper the place my health was for the day.
DOWNHILL course, however some burning uphills happen all through the course at factors, too:
6:14, 6:28, 6:10, 6:09, 6:12, 6:01, 5:59, 7:07, 6:44, 6:31, 6:56, 6:29, 6:16, 6:13, 6:03, 6:04, 6:12, 6:18, 6:49, 6:31, 6:11, 6:36, 6:24, 6:18, 6:37, 6:40, 6:29 tempo for final .2.
1st in my age group and ninth lady total! $275 money prize🤍
Now for manner too many extra ideas:
*I’m studying an increasing number of that life isn’t nearly outcomes. Certain, outcomes are actually enjoyable, but when I lose the enjoyment operating brings me within the course of, I’m doing issues flawed. I thought of this loads on the beginning line. I used to be there to search out pleasure alongside the 26.2 miles; anything was simply additional credit score.
*I wished to complete desirous to do it once more, not retire (like how I completed in 2022) and on the bottom. Mission achieved.
*I’m so grateful for an additional superior coaching block from my coach!
*Considered one of my favourite marathon suggestions. Run the place you might be–> Not in 10 miles, the subsequent hill, or half-hour… Concentrate on operating the place you might be at that very second.
*For the final perpetually, I’ve actually thought of my time targets for the marathon. A course PR sounded fabulous going into the race, however I felt strongly this time that I wished to concentrate on operating by really feel and with mates as a lot as attainable with out a precise quantity in my head. A time objective is so enjoyable, however I’ve discovered that my marathoning depends upon the day. I wished to offer my finest I had for the day and be pleased with that. Throughout Boston, a couple of months earlier, it was arduous to observe my time objective slip farther and farther away all through the race regardless that I used to be doing my finest… I need to be pleased with my efforts on days like that, not disillusioned that I didn’t hit a precise quantity. These magic marathon days are uncommon and few, so I believed both I might get a kind of magical days (hallelujah) or I might focus (and be proud) on doing my very best if it wasn’t my day. Going into the race with zero strain on myself and little or no nerves was SO good. It allowed me to let go of what I couldn’t management and concentrate on what I might management.
*Andrew. He’s so good to us all.
*I flipped my watch round and didn’t look a lot at it. It was liberating to not be checking it all the time. My buddy advised me earlier than the race to get to the end line as quick as I might with out gazing my watch… I really like simplicity, and that made it so enjoyable.
*My different two targets for the day have been to strive to not really feel and to search for the nice. The much less I concentrate on each little factor that’s hurting or going flawed, the higher I run. I discover myself getting caught up in losing power fascinated about how my respiration is feeling or my hamstring or how drained my muscle tissue are, and when these ideas pop up, I advised myself to consider something aside from how I used to be feeling (which sort of contradicts my objective of operating by really feel haha nevertheless it in some way labored).
*On the lookout for the nice at all times makes my runs/races go higher. Whether or not it’s a pink mountain alongside the course, the cutest little youngsters cheering on the edges who’re so excited to see their dad and mom run by, or how grateful I’m to have discovered a gel that makes my abdomen very blissful (more often than not;)… discovering the small (however vital) good alongside the best way makes the most important distinction for me mentally.
*Additionally, wanting OUTWARD helped me a lot. I targeted on how good the volunteers have been, how my mates felt, methods to cheer on a runner subsequent to me, and so on. It’s at all times superb to me how a lot specializing in others helps us when experiencing ache in a race or in life.
*Stuffing ice in my sports activities bra is an easy factor that brings a lot pleasure throughout a marathon.
*I used my inhalers earlier than the race and was so grateful for them! My lips have been blue on the finish of the race, however I didn’t have my regular coughing assault, the place I really feel like my airways are closing off. These coughing assaults scare me, and I used to be so grateful to not have one once more.
*I pressured the carb load this yr (I didn’t have a lot urge for food final week as a consequence of feelings), and I actually can’t imagine how a lot of a distinction it makes. An efficient carb load makes essentially the most vital distinction on race day.
*I really like the marathon expertise once I really feel like I present up a bit of undercooked than even a millimeter overcooked. This was a brief coaching block (9-10 weeks), and I felt so springy for a lot of the race, which is simply how I need to really feel.
Thanks for studying my novel! Now, onto BUDAPEST!
Who raced over the weekend? Inform me all the pieces!
What was one among your happiest races?
What’s your favourite kind of electrolyte hydration throughout an extended race?
Does anybody else get movement illness? Any tips about methods to assist it?
