posted Dec-06-2006 07:36 PM            

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posted Dec-07-2006 01:22 AM            

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Originally posted by RunBobaluRun:

Travis, keep the first ten miles easy and if you feel good pick-up the pace. We want to make sure you look good at the end.

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I am going to take it easy for the first 18 miles probably. I have a pace in mind and I am going to stick to it as long as I can. If I am still on it at 18 then I should be able to finish the last 8 strong.

I ran 6.3 miles in 42:59 today. I felt great. I started out fast to see if I could react to it and get back on pace and recover. I had a 5:50 first mile(half downhill half uphill) and then settled into a nice easy 7:00 minute pace. I slowed slightly on the hills but I really felt good as I came up the last very steep hill. Now I know 10K is hardly a good measure for the marathon but my pacing is fairly consistent now. I also ran this run in the middle of the day in my full winter gear. It is supposed to be really cold(low 20's) at the start of the race and warm up considerably from there. I wanted to make sure that I was able to cope with the extra clothing once it got hot. I was sweating alot but even with gloves, long sleeves, and pants I felt ok in the mid day warmth. Wish me luck.

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posted Dec-07-2006 06:55 AM            

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posted Dec-07-2006 11:31 AM            

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Originally posted by bonesheal:
JDF--what do you do with all the extra clothing as you race? Are you wearing things you plan to throw away?

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I will be wearing two long sleeve shirts. One of them is a really nice warm under shirt that I paid a boat load for. The other is a discount long sleeve running shirt that I don't care about. I plan on peeling that upper layer off at the latter stages and throwing it away(My bib will be on the inner layer). I will keep my under shirt even though it might get hot with that shirt. I also run with 2 water bottles. I plan on throwing one of them out at the half way point. They have really nice neoprene liners but I can always order more. I will also have two pair of gloves on. I will probably throw out my left hand outer layer when I toss the water bottle. The water bottles stay really cold so I will need the double layers on the other hand. I guess I will probably just run in the pants the whole time. Not much I can do to ditch those.

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posted Dec-07-2006 05:40 PM            

Reedy Creek Trail is a good out and back, but it is less hilly--good for easy days. Cedar Creek Trail is challenging and should be thrown in a few times. Reedy Creek Lake Trail is also very challenging, but part of the race. You will need to also practice the hiking trail part of the race, but be careful these trails are difficult and should not be done near the end of a long run--your asking for a fall.

Be careful with running downhill. Downhill running produces the majority of the injuries. These injuries may take time to create, but marathon training is enough to cause them. So my recommendation is to not push yourself going down hills. Try to get down the hill with minimum impact on your feet.

Bob

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posted Dec-08-2006 10:36 AM            

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Originally posted by RunBobaluRun:
Start from the east gate of Reed Creek Trail and go down South Turkey Creek Trail to North Turkey Creek Trail to Graylon to Reedy. I suggest carrying water. You could drop off water at the east gate (I have done this), but 7.25 miles is too long to go without water and stopping for the water disrupts your run. I used a camelback.

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Sounds perfect--I usually go 60-70 min. without water if it's cool (in training), so I'll probably wind up leaving water at my car.

quote:

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Reedy Creek Trail is a good out and back, but it is less hilly--good for easy days. Cedar Creek Trail is challenging and should be thrown in a few times. Reedy Creek Lake Trail is also very challenging, but part of the race. You will need to also practice the hiking trail part of the race, but be careful these trails are difficult and should not be done near the end of a long run--your asking for a fall.

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I've gotta agree with you on that. The nastiest hill on the Sycamore Trail is on the marathon route (going uphill, no less). I have tripped many times on the Sycamore trail already, and with what looks like only about 3 miles of hiking trail in the race, I can afford to be conservative there.

Thanks for the tip--I'll go check that trail out.

Dan

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posted Dec-08-2006 11:57 AM            

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posted Dec-09-2006 10:47 AM               

GO JDF!!!!

Let us know how you do.

Hope your didn't get in too much trouble at work. Sounds like a heartless duo, giving you trouble for taking care of your sick child!

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posted Dec-09-2006 05:19 PM               

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posted Dec-09-2006 08:31 PM            

I hope everything went well this morning and that you enjoyed the race! Can't wait to hear how you did!

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posted Dec-09-2006 08:37 PM            

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Originally posted by dougal98:
It was cold out there in Charlotte this morning! I did the half and the course was quite rolling and semi-challenging as described. I was running beside this guy and there was a coating of ice on the bottom of his beard (I'm not kidding). The gatorade at the waterstops was half frozen also. Had a great time though and finished in 1:33.

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Congratulations, dougal98. That's a good day.

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posted Dec-09-2006 10:05 PM            

I learned a lot today. I learned that the marathon is no joke. It was absolutely grueling. I have a new found respect for everyone who dares to run the 26.2. I also learned that you can push your body to the limits in the short races but in the marathon your body will tell you when it is done. In the end I felt great that I didn’t quit and that I was able to finish strong. Next time I will not wear my chip so tight and I will concentrate more on taking in water even if it means stopping at a water station for a few minutes. A 3 minute water stop can save you an hour on the course. I learned that the hard way. Anyway, thanks for everyone’s encouragement. I think I have made some great progress this season. Watch out next season. I plan on running smarter and training much more.

Have a look at my splits. Oh yea the rabbit I started out with had a 3:28:00. I guess he had some troubles also.

http://onlineraceresults.com/race/view_individual.php?make_printable=1&bib_num=988&race_id=4560&type=result

Oh yea, the best quote of the race was when one cop told another cop to go find out who was honking the car horn to try and get across the street. One of the runner's behind me yelled to the cop, "Why don't you just go Taze him!". I laughed for quite awhile after that.

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[This message has been edited by JasonsDrivingForce (edited Dec-10-2006).]

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posted Dec-09-2006 10:39 PM               

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posted Dec-09-2006 10:50 PM               

Please, take the next week off completely. Two might be even better. Do NOT rush back to training, wanting to better this performance. Your body needs to rest and heal from the ordeal, and if even though you might not feel injured, if you come back to training, one, two or more weeks down the line, you very well may pay (as I did, with my recent ITBS).

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posted Dec-10-2006 11:43 AM            

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posted Dec-10-2006 04:23 PM            

I was afraid this might happen, but you gutted it out. I think you could run under 3 hours with some good training and a good taper. Once you get cramps it is almost impossible to regain control. While you can drink fluids it takes time for them to be absorbed and the cramps normally have done some damge before then. Your finishing strong is great! I hope you recover soon. Congradulations on your finish!

Bob

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posted Dec-10-2006 05:40 PM            

Brook, man all I thought about when I got that cramp was how you toughed it out on your marathon. I wasn’t about to come back here and say “I gave up”. However, I never dreamed that something could stop me dead in my tracks like that cramp did. For instance: the bruise on my foot is actually extremely bad. I can not walk today. I can’t even get my shoe on. My whole foot is extremely swollen and all bruised. I ran pretty much the whole marathon with it like that. That was an injury that I could just “will” my way through. The cramp was a whole different ball game. The pain was excruciating but that is not what stopped me. The fact that my leg was absolutely locked in an extended position was what stopped me. I simply could not bend my leg no matter what I did. My Quads, calves, and hamstrings had all seized up. Now I know what the definition of “Bonk” really is. I always thought it meant that you just did not have enough drive to push through the pain and so you quit. No, it is actually where your body tells you enough is enough. Again, I learned a lot yesterday.

As far as what caused me to Bonk? I am not certain but I think there were several things that were against me. First, that was the coldest, driest day I have ever ran on by a longshot. I don’t do well with the cold so I ran in full winter gear the whole race. I had on long underwear(Tops and Bottoms) and I had long pants and a long sleeve running shirt over the inner layer. I also had on two pair of gloves and a good headband. Even with all of that I felt like I was going to freeze to death when I had to stop and walk.

I thought that I was staying extremely well hydrated. I actually ran the race with two full size water bottles that I use neopreon sleeves to carry them in my hands. I think the problem was that I had the wrong liquid. I was drinking only Gatorade from the water bottles until mile 21. I needed the Gatorade to mask the taste of the gels. I took 4 gels on the run. I think the problem was that the thermal gear was causing me to sweat a lot more than I realized. And the Gatorade probably wasn’t giving me the water I needed. I passed a water station at mile 16 and I almost stopped to refill my water bottle with water. I decided that I didn’t have enough time to stop at that station because it was very crowded(It was also a relay exchange point). If I had stopped at that station and got a full bottle of water I am pretty confident that I would be telling a whole different story today. So remember that. It never hurts to stop for a second and get some water. The chances of over hydrating are extremely slim. But even a little water will help to re-hydrate you. I drank about 32 ounces of Gatorade in the first 21 miles. I know I drank at least a gallon of water between miles 22-25. Once I got the water in me I felt like I had just started the race. Heck I did a 7:02 last mile and I probably could have held that pace for several miles after that. That is how big of a change getting the water made.

So the moral of the story is “Don’t run downhill marathon’s with a steep camber, and get that extra cup of water even when you think you don’t need it”.

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posted Dec-10-2006 05:49 PM            

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posted Dec-10-2006 06:52 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by dougal98:
It was cold out there in Charlotte this morning! I did the half and the course was quite rolling and semi-challenging as described. I was running beside this guy and there was a coating of ice on the bottom of his beard (I'm not kidding). The gatorade at the waterstops was half frozen also. Had a great time though and finished in 1:33.

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Great job. That is an impressive time. I didn't think the course was as tough as some have described. It was totally flat compared to the hills I train on. But then again I crawled the last 4 miles so I guess I am not a good judge of that.

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posted Dec-10-2006 09:07 PM            

Doing alot of bricks--mixing my running and biking. Feeling pretty good, but need to work on my weight. My swimming is improving--I might actually not be last in the swimming in my first triathlon next year.

Bob

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posted Dec-11-2006 06:54 AM            

I went in at Graylyn Drive, because that's closer to where I live. I ran down Graylyn, down Reedy Creek, into Camp Lapihio, where it starts, and then back, but on the way back I went on the singletrack section of the marathon. Thankfully, it's less than three miles of singletrack, but I had a hard time running at 10mm on that part, more because of rocks & roots & twists and turns than from its hillyness. It will definitely complicate my pacing. They did fix the part of Sycamore Trail that used to be straight uphill--it was a couple of short switchbacks, now the switchbacks are longer and gentler. There wasn't any part where I thought I absolutely had to walk, but I may choose to do so in a couple places anyway.

As for the bridal trails, you guys are right, pretty hilly, and the traction is terrible. Does anyone wear spikes in these races?

Here's the marathon map, for reference:
http://www.carolinagodiva.org/umsteadmarathon/umstead2006map.jpg

It's full, by the way.

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posted Dec-11-2006 10:50 AM            

I can sympathize with your leg cramp - although I've never actually cramped up during a run. I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night to the joys of a "charlie-horse", and it's possibly the most intense pain I've ever experienced.

I did find when I was training for my one-and-only marathon that my calves would get extremely tight shortly after I finished my long runs - they felt like they wanted to cramp, although fortunately they never did. I finally figured out that I was having the opposite problem from you - I was getting water but no electrolytes during my runs. I made sure during my marathon to alternate water and gatorade at the aide stations, and I had no troubles during the race (except for a 'twinge' at the 20-mile point that I was able to prevent turning into a full-blown cramp). By the end of the race, though, I was getting pretty sick and tired of the taste of gatorade!

Also, as others have already suggested, I'd say take it easy for at least a couple of weeks. I was pretty much over the soreness within a week, but could tell that I still didn't have my 'old' energy levels back for almost three weeks.

Take care, and I look forward to getting "smoked" by you in some of our local races in the spring.

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posted Dec-11-2006 04:14 PM            

I also ran my marathon on Saturday at Kiawah and finished in 3:44:19 (8:33 pace). A 39 minutes PR over my first marathon on 4/30/2006. I’m very happy about it. Everything went great, although I struggled somewhat the end - my last mile pace was 10:03, I had a little burst for the last .2 miles – that last .2 miles felt like forever.
I’m still recovering, my quads are still sore. I went for a 3 mile walk today and will probably start running later on this week. I’m already looking forward to my next marathon – I’m registered for the Charlottesville, VA marathon in April.

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posted Dec-11-2006 04:24 PM            

Thanks. This cramp was worse than any I have had before. My leg just went rigid. I could not bend it at all. My left quad, calf, and hamstring were all completely rigid for most of the 4 miles that I walked. There was absolutely nothing I could do. My high school Baseball coach used to ask “are you hurt or are you injured”. If you answered “I am hurt” then he would say “get back out there”. If you said “I am injured” he would take you out of the game and get you treatment. Now I know the difference. I was able to run through the pain of the bruise on my right foot(which is now killing me. I won’t be able to run for 2 weeks even if I tried). However, with the cramp there was nothing I could do. I still had plenty of energy left at the end as my last mile showed. I just could not get my leg muscles to work until I got some water in me. I realize now that dehydration is probably what was slowing me down in all of my longer runs. In that 10 miler that I did I never drank a drop the whole race. I did the first 6 miles in 40:00 and the last 4 in 30:11. Do you see a pattern forming? The good thing is that I have figured it out. I am going to stay hydrated from now on. Some of you have wondered how I could maintain my speed with the stroller even in the longer runs. I have one simple answer for you. Water! I carry up to three water bottles on the stroller. I generally go through them all.

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posted Dec-11-2006 04:40 PM            

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Originally posted by weeleeto:
Travis, congratulations on your finish!

I also ran my marathon on Saturday at Kiawah and finished in 3:44:19 (8:33 pace). A 39 minutes PR over my first marathon on 4/30/2006. I’m very happy about it. Everything went great, although I struggled somewhat the end - my last mile pace was 10:03, I had a little burst for the last .2 miles – that last .2 miles felt like forever.
I’m still recovering, my quads are still sore. I went for a 3 mile walk today and will probably start running later on this week. I’m already looking forward to my next marathon – I’m registered for the Charlottesville, VA marathon in April.

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No man, Congrats to you! That is a fantastic time. My hats off to you. You should be very proud of that! Your training definitely has prepared you well. Let me get some more training in and I might be able to give you and Joel a run for your money in the marathon.

Again, congrats on a truly fabulous race. You must be extremely proud of that effort! Any ideas for a goal for your next marathon?

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