Denver Marathon - RunMarathon


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Denver, Colorado
United States
Denver Marathon Run Denver, LLC
70F / 21C
Sunny
Total Time = 2h 59m 5s
Overall Rank = 27/1719
Age Group = 40-44
Age Group Rank = 3/172
Pre-race routine:

Worked late at the bar... left a few hours early and did manage 2.5 hours of sleep. Woke up at 3, showered and grabbed my gear and drove to Denver. Arrived early enough to get my race number and loosen up just a bit. Found Rachel who I agreed to pace for the first 12 miles of the race (she was racing the half marathon).
Event warmup:

I have not been training for a marathon. Normally when I run a mary, my miles are 70 plus per week and I try to get in at least 6 20 milers in. I had 1 20 miler for this race and maxed out at about 60 miles running.
Run
  • 2h 59m 5s
  • 26.2 miles
  • 06m 50s  min/mile
Comments:

I didn't know what I was going to do with this. I had intended to race a half marathon in Moab on Saturday, but couldn't get the time off of work. Luckily I had a free entry to the Denver Marathon so I decided to do it. My friend Rachel was running the half and I agreed to pace her to 1:25 and she nailed it taking 2nd place female! I had told myself that if I wasn't feeling it, to just do the half, but at mile 12 I decided to take it to mile 20. I was running well into mile 14 and at about this time, my training buddy and Hood to Coast team-mate, Ted caught me. He was looking strong and I decided not to try to hang with him. Another Hood to Coast team-mate was waiting for Ted to pace him and they opened up a 600 meter lead on me quickly. I kept going. We turned south off of 7th and headed to Washington Park. This was a familiar stretch (one that I have done thousands of times when I lived in Denver) and just tried to maintain my pace and keep Ted and Justin in my sights. At Wash park I could sense that Ted's lead was shrinking. At mile 20 I knew I would catch him. I passed him and I guess Ted gave Justin the axe, cuz Justin began running with me. I was able to keep my pace steady through 22, but slipped into the low 7s at 23 and hit 7:40 by 26. I was spent. I did manage to beat Ted... He beat me last year at CIM so that was cool and I know that he did train well for this race. Unfortunately, I slipped from first to 3rd in my age group in the last 2 miles. I just didn't have the legs to hold on.
What would you do differently?:

Train better
Post race
Warm down:

Beer tent. 1.5 beers is all I could do. I felt horrible. The drive home was hell. I had to stop on the side of I-70 3 or 4 times to nap and I nearly rear ended a semi. I was a mess.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Lack of quality training, the hills, the altitude, the warm weather.

Event comments:

Best organization of any Denver Marathon that I have ever run. I did run one in 92 or 93 (4:20:00) on a whim back in my fat days...

In 2003 Lilia and I ran this race. It was for all intents and purposes our first marathon and the start of my racing and now Ironman training. I ran that race in 3:31 or so...

Now all of these years later, I have become a better runner and this race sort of brings it all full circle. Next up... Ironman Arizona. God help me.




Last updated: 2008-10-20 12:00 AM
Running
02:59:05 | 26.2 miles | 06m 50s  min/mile
Age Group: 3/172
Overall: 172/1719
Performance:
AVG HR 157
Course: Rolling hills; more so than I would have thought
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Too hard
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks?
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 4