It was a Sham'ROCK'n good time! Prior best: 4:55:30 (11:21 pace)
New PR: 4:40:27 (10:42 pace)
And it only took 9 years and 5 months to do it!
What worked – I guess positive splitting – but that was not my actual ‘plan’ as I was supposed to negative split. But I’ll take it! I was supposed to start at a 10:40 pace for the first 10miles then drop down. Umm, I started at about a 10:09 pace for the first 7 miles (I just could NOT slow down) then really worked to slow down so I wouldn’t fall apart later. I did get progressively slower and the last 10K was hard but that was partly the heat. I also resorted to counting my steps – 100 at a time – as I ran. Hey, it worked in Arizona! And I only walked the water stops.
Week of race: started to carb-load and drank at least 2 bottles of nuun a day. My War Eagle son was in town and we ate out basically every night so I took in lots of ‘good’ carbs. Friday night I had my pre-race massage with Robin. It was AUsome! I also prepaid for my post-race massage and was the first one to do so and get the new ‘prepaid tattoo’ to wear on Sunday. Yeah! The plan was to head out Saturday morning with Pam and Carol at 10AM. We were on the road by 10:30 I think – not too bad. We made great time to Virginia Beach with a lunch stop at Central Park for Chick-fil-A! It was our density. I mean destiny...
We got to packet pick up around 2:30 or 2:45 – can’t remember. It was pretty smooth sailin
g through. We met up with Robin there, too. Took a few fun pictures at the expo and saw the Chick-fil-A cow! By the time we left – we had almost closed the expo down (there’s a theme here...) it was time to head to the team dinner. I had neglected to print out that info so I had to call Alexis for the address. Got there but then couldn’t find a place to park. It was totally a comedy of errors. And we ended up in the parking lot across the street. Especially when I thought the Nails Only (nail salon) was a hardware store and wanted to get a hammer. Then there was the Chinese restaurant that had No1 Chinese Food. Anyway, back to the team dinner. That was a low key affair and fun. Christy and Linda sat with us after dinner and before the presentation and we cracked ourselves up with old training stories. Laughter is so good.
g through. We met up with Robin there, too. Took a few fun pictures at the expo and saw the Chick-fil-A cow! By the time we left – we had almost closed the expo down (there’s a theme here...) it was time to head to the team dinner. I had neglected to print out that info so I had to call Alexis for the address. Got there but then couldn’t find a place to park. It was totally a comedy of errors. And we ended up in the parking lot across the street. Especially when I thought the Nails Only (nail salon) was a hardware store and wanted to get a hammer. Then there was the Chinese restaurant that had No1 Chinese Food. Anyway, back to the team dinner. That was a low key affair and fun. Christy and Linda sat with us after dinner and before the presentation and we cracked ourselves up with old training stories. Laughter is so good. After dinner we headed to hotel check in. Sadly I had to drop Pam and Carol off on 19th street because I was staying alone at 34th. But I was not sad on race morning – as the start line was AT my hotel. Carol was running the half, which started at 7:00, so by the time I headed downstairs to meet Pam she was well over halfway done! We did not have to wait around long to get in the corrals and mistakenly ended up in the back of corral 1. We did not have to wait long and after a few announcements and the National Anthem, at 8:30 we were off!
My race plan was to run the first 8-10 miles at a 10:40 pace then drop it to 10:38-10:35 at that point if I felt comfortable. Well, needless to say, I felt excellent at the start and was at a 10:09 pace for the first 7 miles – as noted above. I really forced myself to slow down and did. I was still feeling great. At the halfway point Carol was waiting as promised and did one burpee for me! She also did one for Pam when she came through a few minutes later! Carol who had finished the half had done 3 burpees at the finish. We have been practicing our Ironman Lake Placid finish line moves at the end of every long run. Anyway, back to the race! I knew that the false flat was approaching and let myself slow down even more for that. And I took time to read the funny signs along the road. There was one in particular I had wanted to remember for Priscilla...but after reading so many others, well, I forgot. Boo! I was pretty happy when we made the turn into Fort Story. At that point there was a little more than a 10K left. The only problem was the sun was out in full force now and I was feeling the heat. It was at the first water stop here that I started the counting. I kept running along and only walked the remaining water stops.
Once we were out of Fort Story it was nice because I finally saw Coach Alexis! And the street regular signs were back and I think the first one I noticed was 87th. That meant only 57 blocks (more or less) to the finish! I was definitely feeling tired by now. I was pretty excited when we hit the Cavalier Hotel – which I could see the original one well before we got to it – and the turn off for Atlantic Avenue which means were were a bit closer to the turn off to the boardwalk! We picked up the boardwalk at about 37th street and the finish is at 30th! There was a huge group from Livestrong cheering at the turn off. And a lot of fun yellow chalk artwork!
Once on the boardwalk I saw a yellow hopscotch...I figured ‘why not’ at that point. So I did! Then as I’m running along I see Carol on the left cheering! High fives - so exciting!! Evelyn were too but I missed her – but she got my picture! I’m running along next to “Buff Daddy” who I’d seen on the course a few times. He was getting a ton of cheers! I was worried about trying to do the cartwheels because so many people were on the boardwalk the finish area was kind of narrow. Fortunately it opened up once we were almost there. Right before the timing mat I stopped running and walked, looked around and started doing my damn cartwheels! I did manage three and did not fall of my face! One spectator past the finish line complimented me on my ‘cartwheel’. I said, “what do you mean cartwheel? I did three of them!” He laughed and apologized and said he only saw one. I was kind of kidding anyway... Finisher’s medal – check; finisher’s hat – check; finisher’s sweatshirt – check! I even got an official finisher’s photo taken which since I PR’d and all I will probably purchase! Now, if I could just figure out how to keep my finisher’s video clip showing the damn cartwheels...
After getting through the finisher’s area I headed straight to the beer tent to pick up my first beer and then headed straight to the Team Z tents outside so I could bump to the front of the post-race massage line, seeing as I was sporting my new Fit Pro Massage temporary race day tattoo! Thanks, Robin! Carol caught up with me here and handed me an ice cold Diet Coke! Yes!!! Thanks, Carol. Carol told me Pam had come in under her goal, too! Woot!! After the massage I had a second beer then headed back to my room to change clothes and get my phone and wallet then headed back to the party tent so I could meet back up with Carol. Then we (me, Carol, Evelyn and a couple of other Z’s I’d just met) closed down the party tent. Carol and I literally had to be...kicked out! J Then we went in search of Pam and the Team Z after party at Abbey Road. We had fun at Abbey Road and got ice cream after. Then we went our separate ways. I was exhausted and so wanted to sleep...but could not! At least not right away. I met up with Pam and Carol for breakfast in the morning then we went out on the hazy beach for a bit before grabbing lunch at Pi-zzeria and heading home. What a fun weekend!
Nutrition: My nutrition plan, which I’ve been practicing consisted of nuun from my fuel belt and on=-course Gatorade; vanilla bean Gu – about every 40 minutes; and salt tabs – 2 about every 40 minutes to start, then 1 every half hour after. I could have used twice as many salt tabs and will make sure I fix this before the Rev3 Quassy and tweak further for IMLP if need be. I also took a half a banana at the mile 21 water stop. My legs did get a bit crampy in the last 10K which I think more salt tabs could have helped.
Marathon history:
10/2002 4:55:30 (Baltimore Marathon)
10/2004 4:58:54 (Marine Corps Marathon-Halloween)
03/2009 5:37:51 (Lower Potomac River Marathon)
07/2009 6:40:03 (Ironman Lake Placid)
10/2010 5:15:15 (Marine Corps Marathon-Halloween)
11/2011 6:48:30 (Ironman Arizona)
03/2012 4:40:27 (Shamrock Marathon)
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1 comment:
Great report, Gina! Congrats on your PR. That's awesome. Sounds like you had a Sham-rocking good time! :)
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