I've had some time to digest the marathon. I think I have to be pleased with how things went. It wasn't the number I wanted, but it could have gone so much worse.
My hotel was in Cedar City so after I checked in I decided to drive the 60 miles west then south to the starting line and drive the course. Very glad I did. This was my first SGM and the course profile doesn't even begin to tell the whole story of how this course is laid out. I wasn't too concerned when I saw the hill at Veyo, but the longer shallower climb out of Damerron worried me. It was interesting how my perception of these 2 climbs in a car would change on race day.
After picking up my bib, buying some new stuff, and getting some food, I headed back to Cedar City to get to bed early. Couldn't sleep. Kept looking at the clock. Finally dozed off around 2am. Alarm went off at 3:30am and I was headed to St. George 15 minutes later.
Met Rachel, who I'd planned to pace with, and several other very nice bloggers at the tennis courts to catch the bus. They all had a lot of energy which was nice to be around. Did all the usual pre-race stuff and lined up with Rachel just in front of the 3:25 pacer. I hate running behind a pace group because the aid stations are so chaotic. Just a few feet in front and it's clear sailing at the aid stations.
Miles 1&2: 8:00 / 8:07: Trying not to go out too fast. The first mile felt good but after mile 2, I felt warmed up and ready to bank a little time for the hills.
Miles 3-7: 7:47 / 7:48 / 7:49 / 7:31 / 7:31 Really enjoyed the downhill segments. Tried to settle in to a comfortable pace. Somewhere after mile 4 I could tell Rachel was struggling. She wasn't running as effortlessly and up on my shoulder like she did at Spanish Fork. She eventually dropped back. I felt guilty for being such a lousy pacer.
Miles 8-12 8:54 / 8:28 / 8:40 / 8:44 / 8:38 Veyo was tougher than it had looked in the car the day before. Gave back a little more time than I wanted. The sun hit me as I crested the top and I noticed being warm for the first time. That reminded me to take a salt tablet at the next aid station. I pulled my shirt up over my head to try and stay cool. I would have left it on the side of the road but it had my bib/chip attached and I thought it might be best to put it back on in case I finished the race and didn't want to subject the crowd to my 50 year old torso. Didn't run the hills as fast as I should have but I wanted to be a little conservative.
Miles 13-20: 8:13 / 8:38 / 8:00 / 7:44 / 7:48 / 8:26 / 8:48 / 8:33 Went through the first half 1:47:??. I knew my A goal (3:30) wasn't going to happen. I decided to stop looking at my Garmin and obsessing every time the pace registered above an 8 mm. I told myself to just run the best I could and see where I was time wise when I got to mile 20. During this stretch a guy about my age in a red shirt passed me 3 or 4 times. The funny thing is; I don't remember ever passing him. At mile 20 I felt I could salvage a PR and something to be proud of if I just kept moving and didn't walk.
Miles 21-26.2: 8:24 / 9:11 / 9:04 / 8:27 / 8:55 / 8:44 / last .2 Really feeling the heat. I was disappointed to see those 9s at miles 22 & 23. I could have gone faster but didn't feel challenged to do so. My mind had negotiated with my body an acceptable finishing time. In order to make it I just had to keep moving. My Garmin went into "low battery" lockup at mile 25. I tried to manage a kick at the end but found none. That's easily the longest finish chute I've ever run through. The crowd was great but the heat seemed to have gotten to them too. Most of them were looking down the road quietly searching for their runner.
I crashed on the grass for quite a while. Didn't feel too bad, just the usual post marathon lay down until I no longer feel like blacking out. People were chatty and interesting to talk to. Good, bad, or ugly, everyone was glad to have done it. I finally left because it was getting too hot.
I tried a couple of different things for this race which I think helped. I wore compression socks for the first time. I also took a salt tablet before the race and every hour during.
So the bottom line was a 10 minute PR and a great experience. At some point in the future I'll have to decide if I've got another 9 minutes in me or have I "topped out". | 