National Marathon - Suntrust

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National Marathon - Suntrust - RunMarathon


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Washingon, D.C., Washington, D.C.
United States
Sports Alliance
35F / 2C
Sunny
 		Total Time = 3h 50m 43s
Overall Rank = 714/2094
Age Group = F25-29
Age Group Rank = 38/167
Pre-race routine:

friday:
I had court in the morning, so I finished up with that and headed south to the district to pick up my race packet. I, of course, spent a good hour at the expo... got a free seated massage, bought Body Glide and two signed copies of Bart Lasso's new book, tried the PowerAde that would be served on the course --- oh, and got my race bib, chip, and tshirt.

J. and I slept at my parent's house [they live in Silver Spring]. my mom made dinner [pasta, bread] and we watched some of the tourney. fell asleep around 10:00.

saturday morning:
up early. up REALLY early. up at 4:30.
it took me a while to figure out what to wear. accuweather.com said 33*f at the start, 41*f at the finish. I ended up with my UA tights, running skirt [to hold GU], and long sleeved UA compression shirt. Red, of course, to support the Terps [... which turned out not to matter. sa-la-haughtered by memphis. ouch].
ate breakfast - oatmeal w. brown sugar - and drove to the Metro.

Metro'd into the city without a hiccup and headed into the runner's village.
Event warmup:

jump around and try to stay warm !
Run
  • 3h 50m 43s
  • 26.2 miles
  • 08m 49s  min/mile
Comments:

Found the 3:50 group and decided to stick with them. gun went off AT 7:00a. -- nice amount of runners -- 5k for the half and 3k for the full.

I ended up running with two guys - Lin and Steve [someone I knew from college. random.] the full and half run together for the first, well, 13 mi. it was a teeny bit crowded for the first 5 mi, but then everyone spread out and the streets got wider.

The course was v. nice - went through the 'typical' d.c. parts: the capitol, monument, etc. - and also through some of the lesser seen neighborhoods. the crowd support was pretty good - what you would expect from a medium sized race.

I felt REALLY GOOD for the first 15-16 mi --- strong, smooth, comfortable pace.

after we split from the halfsies we re ran the first 5ish miles, then headed south toward Anacostia. we ran along the river for a bit, and then there was a hellish out and back around mile 22-23.

and then, in my head: the wheels on the bus are falling off, falling off, falling off.

I started feeling panic-y around then. I was really starting to hurt and the thought of another 5 mi was freaking me out .. I just kept saying to myself: 5 then 4 then 3 then 2 then 1 then .2

Icandothis, Icandothis, Icandothis.

  • .. my goal of sub 3:50:00, which seemed so possible, so likely, even, was starting to slip away.

    • 24-26: ouch ouch ouch.

    the wheels on the bus are falling off, falling off, falling off.

    then: the strangest thing happened. I got about 200 feet from the finsish line -- and stopped. I litereally Could Not Run Anymore. everyone was yelling GO! You can do it ! but I couldn't. I only stopped for maybe 10 seconds and then I just went. I crossed the finish line with a watch time of 3:50:46.

    missed by goal by under 50 sec. but PR'd by 2 1/2 minutes.
    What would you do differently?:

    Run more.

    I cut out 1 day of running/ week to focus on swimming + biking more.
    Post race
    Warm down:

    Banana, soft pretzel, powerade, shuffle around.

    What limited your ability to perform faster:

    Short legs ;)

    Event comments:

    Very nicely run race.


    Profile Album


    Last updated: 2008-12-02 12:00 AM
    Running
    03:50:43 | 26.2 miles | 08m 49s  min/mile
    Age Group: 38/167
    Overall: 167/2094
    Performance: Average
    Course: Through the district, lovely course. Fairly flat, some rolling hills.
    Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
    Post race
    Weight change: %
    Overall: Average
    Mental exertion [1-5] 4
    Physical exertion [1-5] 4
    Good race? Ok
    Evaluation
    Course challenge Just right
    Organized? Yes
    Events on-time? Yes
    Lots of volunteers? Yes
    Plenty of drinks? Yes
    Post race activities: Average
    Race evaluation [1-5] 5

    {postbutton}
    2009-03-22 10:00 AM

    User image

    Pro
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    Burbs
    Subject: National Marathon - Suntrust

    2009-03-22 10:41 AM
    in reply to: #2032754

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    Extreme Veteran
    981
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    Maryland
    Subject: RE: National Marathon - Suntrust
    Good job!  Looks like you really hung onto that 3:50 group, that is tough to do.  Bizarre that you stopped at the end like you did.  That turnaround at the end was pretty tough.  We are running towards RFK, then we turn around and run away from it!  At least it wasn't miles long, and the turnaround point came with a nice slight downhill and tailwind.
    2009-03-22 10:56 AM
    in reply to: #2032754

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    Champion
    19812
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    MA
    Subject: RE: National Marathon - Suntrust

     Great job..congrats on the PB!

    Hope you recover well and smoothly move over to tri training.

    2009-03-22 1:36 PM
    in reply to: #2032754

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    Extreme Veteran
    543
    50025
    Subject: RE: National Marathon - Suntrust

    Great job on the race; I understand miles 20-23; I think they are mentally the toughest part of the race; after 23 you can almost smell the finish line; so that helps.

    Nice PR.

    2009-03-22 1:42 PM
    in reply to: #2032754

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    Master
    1524
    1000500
    Reston, VA
    Subject: RE: National Marathon - Suntrust

    nice race.  great sticking in there when you felt like you were collapsing.  i did that walk thing at the end at my first marathon (marine corps) in 2004, and remember everyone yelling at me to keep going.  it was at that evil little hill at the marine corps finish.  at that point i wasn't feeling so nice and really wanted to yell to the spectators that they had no bleeping clue how i was feeling so shut up.  forunately, i controlled myself and didn't. 

    i know you feel like you should have kept that extra day of running instead of adding in swim and bike time, but i think you will be greatful that you did later in the tri season.  great job balancing everything.

    2009-03-22 8:23 PM
    in reply to: #2032754

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    Extreme Veteran
    536
    50025
    Millersville, MD
    Subject: RE: National Marathon - Suntrust
    Wonderful job. Congratulations.
    I argee with the previous post that a few months from now, you'll be glad you kept up with the swimming and running through the marathon training as you fly up the hills of Columbia.
    Sub 9:00 per mile for over 26 miles is awesome.

    2009-03-23 7:14 AM
    in reply to: #2032754

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    Master
    1655
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    NJ
    Subject: RE: National Marathon - Suntrust
    Awesome race!! Great job pacing yourself
    2009-03-23 8:23 AM
    in reply to: #2032754

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    Champion
    5312
    5000100100100
    Calgary
    Subject: RE: National Marathon - Suntrust
    good race report.  Good job with your pacing, sounds like it was killer at the end.
    2009-03-24 2:42 PM
    in reply to: #2032754

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    Elite
    3067
    200010002525
    Cheesehead, WI
    Subject: RE: National Marathon - Suntrust

    Awesome Race Trish! Wow...had goose bumps reading about your wheels falling off... And then how you dug down and pushed those race demons away and finished out strong. You didn't miss your goal in my mind. You were still within a minute of the goal!

     

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