(High, shorts, footwear, socks)
Okay, Saturday was particular.
Actually particular.
It has been a really emotional few weeks, and the race had been the very last thing on my mind main as much as it.
One way or the other, the marathon gods gave me the day I wanted. I had an absolute blast for almost all of the race and felt an amazing quantity of affection alongside the best way.
From seeing Andrew and my youngsters a number of instances, seeing my brother and his household, the handfuls of instances I appeared down and noticed Mer’s ring on my finger and felt the most important enhance from her (questioning if she was there cheering me on), chatting with a few of my favourite mates alongside the best way, cheers from individuals there to look at the race, texts/messages/feedback from the most effective people earlier than the race, and implausible race volunteers doing what they do for full strangers like me… I actually felt like I used to be being hugged time and again all through the 26.2.
This was my 18th marathon, however now one in all my most memorable working recollections as a result of it was like a blanket of peace and luxury that I wanted. I don’t ever wish to neglect how that felt.
I slept amazingly and awakened naturally at 4 a.m. I acquired up at 4:30 and began consuming a Belvita bar (230 energy then after which one other 230 energy of the bars + a banana at 5:30 am). I took a bathe and acquired prepared. We acquired the youngsters prepared, and we had been out the door at 5:20 to drive to the beginning; they let Andrew drive me to the beginning as a result of I get carsick in busses.
I left my cellphone with Andrew and walked over to the begin to discover some mates. I used to be thrilled to really feel chilly (I introduced a blanket to the beginning!) and to see an enormous tailwind taking place (they at all times have a ton of flags out alongside the beginning line so you may see clearly which method the wind goes).
I sat subsequent to the fires with some mates and took a Maurten caffeine gel at 6:40 (the race began at 7) earlier than utilizing the restroom and entering into the corral. I didn’t do any kind of warm-up (oops).
This was the primary 12 months this marathon did a light-weight present with drones earlier than it began. I want I’d have had my digital camera. It was darkish out, and the drone lights fashioned unimaginable footage within the sky, together with a countdown for the race begin. Everybody’s jaws dropped. Now, I actually need you guys to do that race!
I began with these mates for the primary 10 miles. It was a lot enjoyable. We chatted, caught up on life, laughed, and constructed one another up.
We have now 19 youngsters between the 4 of us:)
I took a Maurten gel at miles 4 & 8 and acquired my first bottle of liquid IV at mile 7. I really feel like Gatorade doesn’t work nice for me, and the liquid IV was glorious for getting within the electrolytes I wanted as a result of Maurtens don’t have sufficient in them for a marathon.
At mile 8, we misplaced 2 of my mates, and at mile 11, my pal Kassi pulled forward. At mile 13, my pal Amy caught up, and we chatted for about 2 miles.
Attending to do one thing onerous with mates is my favourite high 10 life actions.
Are you able to deal with these views?
As soon as Amy went forward, I turned on my music (it connects to my watch) in a single ear, and I could have sung a bit too…
I saved up with my gels each 4 miles till mile 20ish once I absolutely puked (TMI?) the gel I took as I ran (I made positive nobody was close to me). Perhaps I used to be over-fueled or over-hydrated (I used to be downing my bottles), however I couldn’t get one other calorie. I felt depleted in these final two miles of the marathon. I like to attempt to analyze why issues occur the best way they do throughout the marathon, however typically, I have to keep in mind that I’m asking my physique to do one thing ridiculous (run 26.2 miles), and the opportunity of it revolting with a particular purpose is excessive.
The final two miles had been robust, however as you flip to the ultimate stretch, I heard my brother’s voice booming. By no means has there been a human that may mission extra quantity than him. It was simply what I wanted to complete sturdy.
I like all of them a lot. Seeing this crew at mile 26 was every part.
I hit 13.1 miles at 1:24:15ish and completed at 2:48:11, so the halves had been fairly even splits. Contemplating each halves had been sooner than my half in August made me fairly blissful!
The primary half of St George is rather more difficult with the climbing (miles 7-11), however on a number of the steep downhills within the second half, I felt my hamstring appearing up. I took it again a notch on these downhills as a result of I didn’t wish to trigger an damage and miss out on working the Budapest Marathon with Andrew. However I additionally felt fully accomplished within the final two miles, so I feel I used to be proper the place my health was for the day.
DOWNHILL course, however some burning uphills happen all through the course at factors, too:
6:14, 6:28, 6:10, 6:09, 6:12, 6:01, 5:59, 7:07, 6:44, 6:31, 6:56, 6:29, 6:16, 6:13, 6:03, 6:04, 6:12, 6:18, 6:49, 6:31, 6:11, 6:36, 6:24, 6:18, 6:37, 6:40, 6:29 tempo for final .2.
1st in my age group and ninth girl general! $275 money prize🤍
Now for method too many further ideas:
*I’m studying increasingly more that life isn’t nearly outcomes. Certain, outcomes are actually enjoyable, but when I lose the enjoyment working brings me within the course of, I’m doing issues unsuitable. I thought of this lots on the beginning line. I used to be there to seek out pleasure alongside the 26.2 miles; anything was simply additional credit score.
*I wished to complete desirous to do it once more, not retire (like how I completed in 2022) and on the bottom. Mission completed.
*I’m so grateful for an additional superior coaching block from my coach!
*One in every of my favourite marathon suggestions. Run the place you might be–> Not in 10 miles, the subsequent hill, or half-hour… Concentrate on working the place you might be at that very second.
*For the final without end, I’ve actually thought of my time objectives for the marathon. A course PR sounded fabulous going into the race, however I felt strongly this time that I wished to give attention to working by really feel and with mates as a lot as doable with out a precise quantity in my head. A time objective is so enjoyable, however I’ve discovered that my marathoning will depend on the day. I wished to present my greatest I had for the day and be happy with that. Throughout Boston, a number of months earlier, it was onerous to look at my time objective slip farther and farther away all through the race although I used to be doing my greatest… I wish to be happy with my efforts on days like that, not dissatisfied that I didn’t hit a precise quantity. These magic marathon days are uncommon and few, so I believed both I’d get a kind of magical days (hallelujah) or I may focus (and be proud) on doing my very best if it wasn’t my day. Going into the race with zero strain on myself and little or no nerves was SO good. It allowed me to let go of what I couldn’t management and give attention to what I may management.
*Andrew. He’s so good to us all.
*I flipped my watch round and didn’t look a lot at it. It was releasing to not be checking it all the time. My pal advised me earlier than the race to get to the end line as quick as I may with out gazing my watch… I like simplicity, and that made it so enjoyable.
*My different two objectives for the day had been to attempt to not really feel and to search for the great. The much less I give attention to each little factor that’s hurting or going unsuitable, the higher I run. I discover myself getting caught up in losing power excited about how my respiration is feeling or my hamstring or how drained my muscle mass are, and when these ideas pop up, I advised myself to consider something aside from how I used to be feeling (which sort of contradicts my objective of working by really feel haha but it surely one way or the other labored).
*Searching for the great at all times makes my runs/races go higher. Whether or not it’s a crimson mountain alongside the course, the cutest little youngsters cheering on the perimeters who’re so excited to see their dad and mom run by, or how grateful I’m to have discovered a gel that makes my abdomen very blissful (more often than not;)… discovering the small (however important) good alongside the best way makes the most important distinction for me mentally.
*Additionally, wanting OUTWARD helped me a lot. I targeted on how good the volunteers had been, how my mates felt, tips on how to cheer on a runner subsequent to me, and so on. It’s at all times superb to me how a lot specializing in others helps us when experiencing ache in a race or in life.
*Stuffing ice in my sports activities bra is a straightforward factor that brings a lot pleasure throughout a marathon.
*I used my inhalers earlier than the race and was so grateful for them! My lips had been blue on the finish of the race, however I didn’t have my regular coughing assault, the place I really feel like my airways are closing off. These coughing assaults scare me, and I used to be so grateful to not have one once more.
*I pressured the carb load this 12 months (I didn’t have a lot urge for food final week as a consequence of feelings), and I actually can’t imagine how a lot of a distinction it makes. An efficient carb load makes probably the most important distinction on race day.
*I like the marathon expertise once I really feel like I present up a little bit undercooked than even a millimeter overcooked. This was a brief coaching block (9-10 weeks), and I felt so springy for a lot of the race, which is simply how I wish to really feel.
Thanks for studying my novel! Now, onto BUDAPEST!
Who raced over the weekend? Inform me every part!
What was one in all your happiest races?
What’s your favourite kind of electrolyte hydration throughout an extended race?
Does anybody else get movement illness? Any recommendations on tips on how to assist it?
