Top of Utah Marathon
'Third Times a Charm'
3:24:58.6
Overall 145
Gender 23
Division 4
**My Garmin read 26.45 @ 3:24:45 - I need to work on the tangents I guess??
Details/Picture overload....
Leading up to the race:
-
Increased carbs10g/body weight per T’s
instruction – 3 days prior
-
Increased my Iron supplement – 1 week prior
-
Increased my fluid intake – 3 days prior
-
Took an electrolyte tablet – 1 week prior
- Get min. of 8 hours of sleep each night
– 1 week prior
Goals: Qualify for Boston
A+ Goal: Sub 3:30
A++ Goal: Sub 3:25
Secret super running goddesses’ Goal: 3:19
Pre-Race:
Uneventful. Bus ride up, I sat next to a super
sweet girl from Oregon.
When we reached the start is was COLD. Waited in (The SLOWEST) line
for the bathroom
and then went into the warming tents. 10 minutes
before the start I took
off my warm clothes except the gloves, took ½ a GU
and got in my corral.
Nutrition Plan:
- GU every 35/40 minutes (Ended up taking only 1/2-3/4 of
each gel)
- Instead of all 1 flavor, took several different kinds
so I wasn’t getting sick of
the taste
- Switch between sips of water/Gatorade every other Aid
station (skipped li
liquid at the first and very last aid station)
**This worked out perfect
Miles 1-12
8:01, 7:45, 7:36, 7:39, 7:47, 7:44
7:44, 7:38, 7:49, 7:51, 7:46, 7:44,
Uneventful miles throughout the canyon… usually those first
miles I feel amazing and they go by incredibly fast. Not the case today. I was pretty cold until mile
5ish where I took off my gloves. I saw a
guy running that had the symbol of the company an Ex worked for… lets just say
that lit the fire to get in the game and race ;)
This marathon is difficult to negative split because you
have your entire elevation drop in the front half and the hills start towards
the end. T and I had planned starting the first
miles at 8 then to hold 7:50-8’s until mile 22. My heart rate was staying below 165 running
in the 7:40-7:45ish range so I went with that until I was out of the canyon. I
had written on my gloves START SLOW and had to keep looking at that.
Mile 13-17
 |
| Coming out of the Canyon with Yellow Shirt Guy |
7:40, 7:32, 7:40, 7:50, 7:44
Miles 13-14 someone turned on the wind and we had a nice
tailwind for 2 miles! Mile 14 was the
first time you saw spectators and my dad was there! Whooo
I felt best during this section. Flat section, spectators, energy was
high. Yellow Shirt Guy and I were playing off
each other during these miles. The first
real ‘hill’ starts around mile 18 where he told me he couldn’t keep the pace so
we parted ways.
Miles 18-21
7:50, 7:52, 7:58, 7:41
Hello Hills
Salt Lake 26.2 I hit my ‘wall’
at mile 18, so after I passed mile 18
without that dragging feeling I had the hugest smile on my face! I kept
thinking, I got this… no wall for me today.
My dad surprised me at mile 16, 19, and 21! He has never
been throughout the course during a race before so this was wonderful! I high-fived
him every time!
Mile 22 was where I told my dad, T told me to give all I
had left so he yelled -- ‘SPEED UP’!!:D
He said the police man asked him why the hell would you tell
her to speed up after 20 miles!?
Miles 22-26.45
7:34, 8:01, 7:46, 7:29, 7:37, 0.45 3:14 (7:15 pace)
These miles HURT.
Mile 23 you climb your last hill (which seemed to never end)
and that is where my HR escalated to the 180's and was starting to make me nervous. I decided to stop look at my Garmin the rest
of the race and push as hard as I could.
A new friend told me 'you have to trick your mind into
thinking you are capable of faster,' so that is what I concentrated on. Turning the corner and look up the incline on
Main Street
was the most daunting section of the race for me. I saw the 2:25 pacer and made it my goal to
pass him - Done. PUSHED to the end!
After I crossed the finish line, my stomach did not want
anything to do with the post race food they had. Gave my dad a huge hug and grabbed my ‘Boston’ gloves a friend had made and took my
finishers photo with them. My legs started to cramp SO bad. Saw a stream that
was going through the park and went and sat right in it! Whooo felt
so.freaking.wonderful. Teresa was the
first person I wanted to call! I owe so much of my progress to her and wanted to let her know we did it!!
Went and checked out of our hotel and came back real quick
for awards. Saw so many faces of Bloggers I stalk look up to. I wish I would have went and introduced
myself and talked to them… ‘Hi I’m Christie, I stalk your training blog. – Want to
be friends?’ ;)
The day after T had me do a 30min walk which really loosened
the legs up. Soreness mostly in my butt! Prior marathons my body has been
incredibly sore for about 3-4 days post race… I feel pretty damn great
today (Butt sore still) Difference in this post-race, has been the lack of ability to sleep and the huge hunger appetite has not hit yet – I am
sure it will!
Less than a year ago I could not imagine myself running paces
in the 7’s during a marathon. Who
thought someone that never really participated in any athletic sports could
really start to excel? I realize excelling, and speed, and success is all relative - I definitely don't want to sound like I am bragging...there are SO many faster and on a completely different level than I. I just know that I can get there. It is honestly
amazing what your body can do, in such short amount of time, when you are
determined enough to put in the work and dedication. So cliché, but ANYTHING is possible
Having an
incredibly supportive dad and an amazing coach doesn’t hurt either ;)
4:30 >>>> 4:06 >>>> 3:24….. Sub 3? I
think YES!!!
