| Author |
Topic: Bayshore Marathon RR |
smpankowski
Cool Runner |
 posted May-26-2007 09:23 PM
   
It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. It was my only time. I ran my first marathon today. Where to start? Thank God for the weather and opportunity. If it wasn’t for you, Boomers, who shared your experience, strength and hope, today would not be as successful. This was the 25th running of the Bayshore Marathon. The temp at 6:00 AM was 42F and the wind was still. DW, my brother and I met Marathon Derrick this morning. With out ever meeting before, he picked me out of a crown of nearly 800. Smart man. We shared pre race fellowship and anecdotes before we picked our starting places in line. Even with a sciatic nerve, Derrick is still faster than me. Other than that, he’s a pretty decent guy. Mandatory fashion report: Derrick was wearing red stuff, I was in a black Batman tank top. There were no pace setters, so I asked other runners how they planned to finish and started with people who had a 4:30 goal.There were just masses of people. As the race started, it took a while to cross the starting line. The temp at race time was just fine. We wove in and out of a residential neighborhood and the pack began to thin at the 2 mile mark. I intentionally did not run on the shoulder so I did not see pretty rocks to pick up. We started getting a great view of the East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay. It was breath taking and the Boomers who have been in the area crossed my mind. I was really pumped and finished the first three miles in 26 min. The voices of Boomers Past rang in the back of my mind. I settled into what seemed a comfortable pace. It was still just over a 9 min mile. There was an aid station ever 1.5 miles. I still took a beverage with me because I’ve trained with a drink every 10 min. What really amazed me was the number of home owners who set up little mini aid stations. That was so kewl. Kids and adults who were out on both the way out and way back in. God Bless them. Mrs.P and my brother were possa meet me at the ½ way point with a beverage refill, ibuprofen, a banana and “Batman Goo”.  Sorry Spareribs. Anyway, I finished the ½ at 2:00:53. If the clocks were synchronized with the start of the full marathon, that’s a huge record for me. My support team wasn’t there. I should not have looked at the times as often as I did. I gave myself permission to run out of gas or “bonk”. At mile 15, I ran across the road to pick wild asparagus for my wife. She loves it. At mile 19 was a large sign that said “Go Herbert” held by the beloved Mrs.P and my brother. The sign was based on the short story “Herbert the Pervert Likes Sherbert”. Don’t buy that for your kids. I got a new beverage and ibu, gave DW and kiss and her sweaty asparagus and was off again. Still ahead of time. At mile 23, I bonked. I walked it off for a mile then ran again. At mile 25 the pace got picked up again. At mile 26, the course went onto the high school’s track. All the people yelling and cheering…I opened up and the last turn, there was a “Go Herbert” sign again. 26.2 miles 4:25:59.4min better than the target and that icludes a break for support, picking asparagus and the restroom. 902/1293 OA. 99/118 AG. Not everyone who started finished and one lady I talked with left on a stretcher. sobering.
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Never regret anything that made you smile, SteveP
My User Profile [This message has been edited by smpankowski (edited May-26-2007).]
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TMWIP
Cool Runner |
posted May-26-2007 09:39 PM
WTG Steve the Marathoner!! Great first marathon! Nice that you had a great support crew cheering you on the way! Sounds like you had great weather too!
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srlopez
Cool Runner |
posted May-26-2007 09:43 PM
Great report. I hope you enjoyed it; it was really a great day. quote:
I finished the ½ at 2:00:53. If the clocks were synchronized with the start of the full marathon, that’s a huge record for me.
Yep, the clocks were synchronized.If you saw a dude in a pink shirt, that was me.
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Spareribs
Cool Runner |
posted May-26-2007 10:03 PM
A first marathon, a big success, and more importantly, you seemed to enjoy yourself and had family there to support you. I don't know what the apology is for. I think you had a good vision of what you needed for aid at the half. I might do something similar, but for the banana. But if I were going to rant and complain, (and when do I not?) I can't imagine why you would stop to pick asparagus. You were in a race, not a produce picking contest, but I guess it's neat that you love your wife so much you would stop to pick vegetables for her in the middle of a race. That is cool. I love my wife, but I would not pick asparagus for her in a marathon. I really like your upbeat attitude about all of this. Think of the people who run their first one and have a bad experience, or whine through the whole report about how hard it was. You are a winner. I bet you do another, I bet you do it faster, and I bet you don't stop to pick vegetables. Great report Steve. You have a great atttitude! Spareribs
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huskydon
Cool Runner |
posted May-26-2007 10:12 PM
Steve,Congratulations! You did very well! It was great that your family could see you and support you. Rest up and enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend, you earned it, marathoner! Huskydon
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hollys4874
Cool Runner |
posted May-27-2007 05:44 AM
Congratulations on your first marathon, Steve! The only thing that surprises me is that you did not do better in the ranking when you had what I consider to be a very respectable finishing time. Must have been a tough crowd. You did great! Well done!------------------
Holly [This message has been edited by hollys4874 (edited May-27-2007).]
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smpankowski
Cool Runner |
posted May-27-2007 06:04 AM
quote:
Originally posted by srlopez:
.
If you saw a dude in a pink shirt, that was me.
The only down side to the race as that more Boomers didn't get together.
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Never regret anything that made you smile, SteveP My User Profile
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hermosaboy
Cool Runner |
posted May-27-2007 08:16 AM
Excellent report and debut marathon.Congratulations!
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ptbrown
Cool Runner |
posted May-27-2007 08:24 AM
Well done! The first marathon is difficult - the most important goal is to finish feeling good about the experience.You certainly had a postive experience - beating your goal, cheered by family, and enough presence of mind to think of your wife. This is a great first marathon.
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vista129
Cool Runner |
posted May-27-2007 08:25 AM
CONGRATULATIONS !!!!!!!Sounds like a successful day to me. That is just neat to be able to realize you have done a marathon. I certainly hope your wife never starts liking large pumpkins. THAT could definitely affect your time. That was neat that you did have your support team there to watch and cheer you along. I would think you will be able to do sub 2:00 for the half and under 4:00 overall in the near future. Thanks for sharing this great report. ------------------
vista129
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runningindc
Cool Runner |
posted May-27-2007 08:52 AM
Wow, what a great first marathon experience. Outstanding experience.And how thoughtful of you to think of your wife..she is a lucky woman for sure. Do not pay attention to what spareribs says about produce picking. Unless you are training to finish in your age group, the few seconds it takes to pick produce and the end result (a wife who swoons when you are around) are worth it!!! Now, if you are training to place, that is a different story all together. Go take a nap now, you earned it  ------------------
Running in wellness Liz Lizs Profile
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rtravers
Cool Runner |
posted May-27-2007 09:13 AM
What is wild asparagus, and why hasn't my DH picked any for me recently???GRETA race...thanks so much for sharing your report! --Robin
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tselbs
Cool Runner |
posted May-27-2007 09:19 AM
Great first marathon, Steve. You wrote a neat report and clearly had a good time. Meeting Derrick and having family support is especially nice. I don't think I've ever read of another person stopping to pick asparagus (or any other produce) during a race. As long as you're not planning to challenge the Kenyan's and your main goal is finishing and enjoying yourself, it's a neat touch. Congratulations.TomS ------------------
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runrgrl1
Cool Runner |
posted May-27-2007 09:25 AM
Way to go!! That's pretty funny (and a bit strange  ) stopping to pick veggies while running a marathon! Will this be the first of many marathons for you?------------------
"It's never too late to be what you might have been."
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deez4boyz
Cool Runner |
posted May-27-2007 10:10 AM
nice job Steve!! Great race and great report - i love the picking of wild asparagus!!
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tomwhite
Cool Runner |
posted May-27-2007 10:29 AM
........nice Racing//..........you're now a Marathoner...................try to walk funny for the next 10-days.......and Feel Smug.......
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Dark Horse
Cool Runner |
posted May-27-2007 10:44 AM
quote:
Originally posted by tselbs:
I don't think I've ever read of another person stopping to pick asparagus (or any other produce) during a race.
Steve, Congratulations on finishing your first marathon, and for beating your goal by four minutes: that's a big margin. However, there's a reason we don't see many race reports that include stopping to pick vegetables: it's a race. To me, this is even worse than stopping to drink water during a 5K, though, frankly, in a just world, both crimes would be punishable by death. If I were Spareribs, I would have levied heavy fines. Heavy fines. Dark Horse ------------------
I'm a dark horse, running on a dark race course
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DaveinAA
Cool Runner |
posted May-27-2007 11:13 AM
Congratulations, Steve! I ran this marathon two years ago, and your RR brought back great memories--the lovely views of the bay at sunrise, the turn onto the high-school track at the end, the time I stopped to pick watermelons for my wife. OK, not that last part. I hope there's more marathoning success in your future.
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Elaine3112
Cool Runner |
posted May-27-2007 11:24 AM
Oh Steve, what a great marathon debut for you. You sound like you really enjoyed this one and have written such an inspirational report. My friend and I are doing our first in October and if it goes as well as yours, we'll be well chuffed! Well done and recover and rest now.
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rochrunner
Cool Runner |
posted May-27-2007 11:29 AM
Congratulations on your first 26.2, Steve. Now that you know what's in store, you will know exactly how to run your next one. I'm glad the weather held out for you -- yesterday was pretty much a washout down here in the SE corner of the state.I don't think I've ever been in a race where I was in a frame of mind to even see something like wild asparagus let alone consider stopping to pick it, but then again your choice of running outfit signals that you're not the average runner! ------------------
- Runnin' in Rochester Rochrunner
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MarkGuy
Cool Runner |
posted May-27-2007 12:02 PM
Steve, great job on your first marathon. Welcome to the Club! I trust Derrick showed you the secret handshake. You beat your goal and had a great time doing it. As always, a fun report to read.Now if you want some pre-race fellowship, and a real crowd -- 8000 or so, not some puny 1200 -- come run with us at the Crim in August. Mark
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Karl Rysted
Cool Runner |
posted May-27-2007 01:08 PM
Steve,Holy carp, Batman! I'm very impressed with how you ran and how you experienced the whole thing. This will always be special, your first. It took you like an hour and a half less than my first! You brought back good memories of picking wild asparagus along the fence when I was a kid. ------------------
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FlyingFinn
Cool Runner |
posted May-27-2007 01:12 PM
Congratulations! I don't believe in racing a first marathon (OK, someone will probably tie me up and whip me now) because you are just learning what it takes to race a marathon. So I have no problem with you picking asparagus for your wife. I actually think it quite romantic. You did amazingly well even with asparagus picking. There will be faster times, but there will only be one first time. I'm glad you took the time to enjoy it. Very nicely done, Herbert!
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SherieRanier
Cool Runner |
posted May-27-2007 01:28 PM
Go Herbert!! WTG for your 1st marathon. Very respectable time. How sweet to give your wife some sweaty asparagus. Sherie
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Dark Horse
Cool Runner |
posted May-27-2007 01:40 PM
quote:
Originally posted by FlyingFinn:
OK, someone will probably tie me up and whip me now
Now there's an idea!  <daydreaming> ... ahem. quote:
you are just learning what it takes to race a marathon. So I have no problem with you picking asparagus for your wife. I actually think it quite romantic.
There's a place for romance, and there's a place for racing. Let's not confuse the two activities. We have a saying in the Army: you fight the way you train. This is why we try to make training as realistic as possible, and we try to avoid learning bad habits during training. If Steve stops to pick asparagus while he is learning what it takes to race a marathon, he will learn bad habits, and he will stop to pick asparagus in future marathons. It is time to nip this asparagus-picking in the bud, so to speak. Dark Horse ------------------
I'm a dark horse, running on a dark race course
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