Monday, October 5, 2009

St. George marathon, 2009, E's report, now I want to read YOURS

The bonding started at the bonfires, at the beginning of the race, hanging out with other freezing, pee-laden, nervous wrecks


A picture of my famous knee, the one everyone prayed for (or was this my right knee?)


A view from the runner's perspective (mine). I took this picture with my iPhone too. I was actually trying to get a picture of an amazing rock formation to the right but couldn't aim right while I was running. I thought this was cool too.


And a tribute to the weather. Could not have been better! (Unlike last year's rain)



Now for you numbers freaks. Here are the numbers:

Last year my overall time was 3:57:50, this year it was 4:00:18. I qualified for Boston both times, but only by 41 seconds this year.

Other numbers from this year:
3126 finishers behind, 44% of finishers ahead. Overall I got 2492nd place, 809th place for the women, 33% of them ahead of me, 84th place in my age division, 33% of runners ahead. I found how I ranked among the men but can't find it again. Last year I beat 51% of them, this year I think 54% of them beat me. Overall chip time 4:00:18.

Here's what my Garmin said, Average pace 9:08 min/mile, top pace 9.3 mph. The first 7.35 miles I averaged 7.1 mph, the second 4.59 miles I averaged 5.9 mph (I think this was Veyo hill area), the next 5.28 miles I got back on pace at 6.8 mph, then the last 9 I averaged 6.4 mph with a top speed on those last miles of 9.0 mph, probably my finishing "kick". So Jill, I didn't do the death jog at the end, and I didn't start out too fast, at least not too too fast.

I did so poorly because I was wearing braces on both knees, which I am hoping slowed me down a little and I had lost some fitness because of little to no outside training the last six weeks, lots of no running days.

I did so well because duh, it was downhill, my taper went better than my other two marathons, I NEVER stopped at a port-a-potty and was not dehydrated, I only walked through the aid stations and nowhere else, and mostly I did well because everyone prayed for my left knee, which barely even made itself known, the entire race!
Oh, and I had family there, oooooodles of family. Stephen and Nathan yelled at me at mile 16 (or was it 17?), then again at the end of the race. I especially enjoyed Nathan's yelling in the chute. I couldn't even acknowledge it as I was trying to finish a little faster, but it helped me. A lot. Mark and Clint and Daryl and speedy Eric were there too and although I never saw them, it was a boost just knowing they were there.

P.S. The beta blocker worked. My heart did not do its Boston flip flop but stayed appropriately where it should.

4 comments:

  1. Elaine, it was a pleasure to get together over the weekend, even though I saw nothing of you during the race. I think you ran a fantastic race. I'll post my own race report after everyone gets a chance to read yours.

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  2. Wish I could have made it to St. George, but on many levels it was out of the question. I'm in awe of you marathon runners, and I'm determined to do it one day when I grow up. Congratulations on a great race, Elaine. Waiting to hear from everyone else. Anyone know Eric's time off hand?

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  3. I believe it was 3:07. What more is there to say?

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  4. Wow, that's serious endurance. How did the race go for Mark and Daryl?

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