All of the externals lined up really nicely for this race. I didn't bring the kids. I did my longest run 3 weeks out so I would have time to get sick and get over it by race day. I rested the day before the race. It was cold with no wind. Perfect weather.
My plan was to run mainly by heart rate. To break the race up I to 4x6mi sections with 2.2 at the end as a victory lap. In my mi d, the race was section 4 from mi 18 to 24. The rest was warm up and cool down.
I didn't really feel anything special race morning. Just a little anxious because I knew it was going to hurt.
I had my pickle juice in an 8oz flask clipped to my shorts. I had gels in the pockets of my compression shorts. I wore throw away gloves and a good will sweatshirt over a shortsleeve shirt.
Temps would range from 40 to 50 degrees. Maybe 10 degrees Warner than ideal but still nice. I also carried an 8oz flask of perform so that I could skip the water stations for the first 8mi.
My heart rate targets pre race by section were 155, 158, 160, 163 then whatever I could muster. My goal time was anywhere below 355. My super secret best time was 345.
Then the gun went off.
Section 1 hr was 155
Section 2 hr was 156
Section 3 hr was 158
Section 4 hr was 161
Last 2.2 was 162.
So I ran a couple bpm slower for most all of the race. I just didn't have the conference to push any harder. This is marathon #7 in the past 5 years. But it was also a 28min pr. So this was uncharted territory. And while I did run a little faster on my last 2 long training runs (15 sec/mi faster in my 22mi run a few weeks ago) I just couldn't bring myself to risk blowing up by going any harder.
Cramping has been my nemesis. I have cramped in every other marathon. This time I drank a pickle juice before the race. At mi 22 I felt a cramp trying to come on. I got one at mile 23, drank my pickle juice and had no more problems.
I was able to push as hard as I could up the last hill with no cramping.
In comparing this race to my 22mi run on trainingpeaks, I was struck by the NGP data for both runs. NGP adjusts pace for hills and variability in terrain in an effort to level the effort between one session and another. The NGP pace for the race and my 22mi run were the same. The computer is saying I got the same work out of my body but the hills slowed my pace. Interesting.
Time for some rest now. Pretty sure that was my last cowtown. 5 is enough.
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