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Topic: VCM Race Report |
WillRunForBeer
Cool Runner |
 posted May-28-2007 06:35 AM
   
Net time: 3:34:26 - http://www.runpix4.com/vmt07/42/finord.php?LastName=2606&lan=&aset=1
My goals were:
1. finish
2. break 3:35
3. break 3:30 (3:28 target)
This was not as fast as I had hoped, but we decided that the hills at this event were under-rated. Mile 8 took a lot out of me, and by 14, I realized it wasn't my day to get a new PR (my personal record is from Chicago at 3:31). Mile 15 was a monster hill which put me behind my 3:26 pace band for the rest of the race. By mile 20, I knew I was toast, so I slowed a bit to assure a finish -- at that point I was wondering if I'd break 3:40 or slower. That slowdown allowed me to have a bit of kick at the end, though, so I finished (reasonably) strong. At about mile 8 I realized I'd forgotten to take any ibuprofen. I frantically looked in my 10K pack, and found that I must have packed it in my smaller pack. Ok, no ibuprofen for me. I don't think that would have changed the result, at least not by much. Just at the end of my race, it started raining, and the skies really opened up after my finish. I felt bad for those who were still running, but worse, it put a damper on the boomer meeting after the race. My calf was seriously cramping in a couple of places -- I spoke briefly with busiman, who recommended a massage, but I was on my way to try to find PDR. I ran into caddisfli and family by the finish line and we waited for PDR to come through. She was disappointed to have missed her BQ, but quickly shook that off.
I have a blood blister on my big toe the size of a small mouse, and I'm sore of course, but I'm sure there's no real damage and I'm looking forward to our next major event. In the meantime, I hope to run a few shorter races while my conditioning is high. These hills  caused these splits  but we still were able to smile after the race  The highlight of the weekend, of course, was getting to see some boomers we'd met before, and to meet some new ones. The dinner Saturday night was so much fun -- that group is a really fun crowd. After the race, we hooked up with caddisfli and family and tried to find some place we could eat at before PDR and I had to check out, but all of the restaurants had too long a wait. No matter, we had a very nice chat and walk, so it wasn't so bad to part ways at that time. While PDR and I were walking back to the hotel, I heard a shout. rosecoloredglasses and spacecadet were just pulling out of a parking garage across the street. They pulled over and we chatted a bit. What nice people! Thanks for reading. ------------------
Lou, (aka Mr. predawnrunner), MD, USA
Lou's Brews Training [This message has been edited by WillRunForBeer (edited May-29-2007).]
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hally
Moderator of Boomers and Beyond |
posted May-28-2007 06:45 AM
Greta report and pictures Lou. Stay healthy and both of you will nail your goals in the next (flatter) one. In the meantime have fun on vacation and drink some of that keg  Barb
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PBJ
Cool Runner |
posted May-28-2007 07:03 AM
Nice race and report, Lou. Those hills were underrated. Great that you were able to press on, even without the ibuprofen security blanket.Sorry we didn't get together after the race, but the PBJsters were starting to melt in the rain. We still have the wonderful dinner memory to hold onto. I'm sure we will meet again. Enjoy the "rest" of your Green Mountain getaway.
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ThunderBolter
Cool Runner |
posted May-28-2007 07:08 AM
--> ^^ Congrats, Lou, on another solid performance ! ^^ Your thorough prep served you well. Definitely a challenging course; ran it back in the mid-'90s and had a brutal second half. That hill @ mile 15 is a killah ! ! Thanks for the pics, graphs, and detailed report. Glad to see you were both featuring high-wattage smiles post-race. . . . .e k i M ~
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ptbrown
Cool Runner |
posted May-28-2007 07:20 AM
It does look to be a challenging course. It seems as if you had fun and ran within expectations (if not hopes). That is a successful race.
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Jim24315
Cool Runner |
posted May-28-2007 07:34 AM
Nice run, Lou. You got 2 out of 3, and although it wasn't listed as a goal, I see that your time was good enough to BQ. Congratulations
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perchcreek
Cool Runner |
posted May-28-2007 08:17 AM
Good run, Lou on a quite challenging course. The course was harder so you really did run well. The picture says it all.. it's about having fun!
CongratsSteve
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charleygross
Cool Runner |
posted May-28-2007 08:19 AM
Congrats, Lou and PDR! I had always wondered about the hills in this particular marathon as I have thought about running it in the past. You two look great! It's always nice to meet new friends with so much in common. Chris ------------------
My Profile
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Spareribs
Cool Runner |
posted May-28-2007 08:21 AM
Nice BQ Lou, and congrats on that important achievement. I had some concerns about it being warm and humid, but I see from your report this course is far hillier than first anticipated.I sure hope both you and PDR have a soft, relaxing month of June, and then this fall find a fast, flat course in cool weather to help her BQ. She is in great shape and is a shoo-in next try. Spareribs
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breger1
Cool Runner |
posted May-28-2007 08:34 AM
These marathon things can be frustrating. If the weather is carpy, if the course is hillier than advertised or any number of other reasons, the day may not go as hoped.I'm sure PDR is somewhat disappointed that she missed her BQ by less than 3 minutes. And you sound like you could have had a better day. But stuff happens and marathons are a tricky business You are both so cheerful, friendly and engaging. You light up this forum. Rest up in June, find another one in the Fall, and you'll both get what you're training for. Bill ------------------
Bill's Profile
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millbot
Cool Runner |
posted May-28-2007 08:58 AM
WRFB, congratulations on meeting two of your goals, and a BQ as well. Without the cruelly-placed hills that 3:28 seems like a sure thing.
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Tramps
Cool Runner |
posted May-28-2007 09:11 AM
Impressive effort, Lou. Congratulations.It's so great that you and PDR can do these races together. That's a wonderful picture of you too, smiling but showing the effort as well. It may be true in training but when it comes to race time, that "hills are your friend" stuff is just bunk. Hills @#$%^. Rest up.
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cajohnson5
Cool Runner |
posted May-28-2007 09:12 AM
Lou, that link to the website is really neat! I've never seen the data displayed like that. And the elevation chart -- yikes! Ouch on the blister and cramping. cj
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Doctor Wu
Cool Runner |
posted May-28-2007 09:27 AM
One would have thought the "Vermont" part of Vermont City Marathon would have clued you in on the hills.  I've run this marathon the last eight years and can compare it with other courses. The hills definitely can take their toll: You can't just race up them without them sapping your strength. I've always regarded the top of Battery Street Hill at mile 15.2 as being the real halfway point. If you can't get back on your goal pace from miles 17 - 19 then you know you won't make your goal. It is a fair and fun course however and I have run within five minutes of my current PR there (my PR coming on a fast downhill course). That graph you posted definitely makes it look worse than it really is.Anyway, congrats on a race well run. I finished in 3:35:06 after a 1:44:52 first half. It sounds like you were just ahead of me most of the way. So, if you guys had invited me to dinner this "local" could have told you guys about all the nuances of the course. 
[This message has been edited by Doctor Wu (edited May-28-2007).]
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Dark Horse
Cool Runner |
posted May-28-2007 09:39 AM
Lou,Clearly, it is impossible for you and Predawnrunner to take a bad photo. Every photo of you two is a keeper. Of course, before I keep them, I crop you out. Your race sounds like a good result to me. The course is not flat or fast, but you BQ'd anyway, and came within five or six minutes of your goal #3. Surely you would break 3:30 on a fast course and a good day. You are one of the runners on this site whom I classify as being roughly in my own category, by age and speed, though of course you are infinitely better trained than I am--I could never run the mileage you do. Watching you struggle to break 3:30 in a marathon, I realize how difficult it would be for me to do the same, especially on my low mileage base (I will not even make it to 30 miles total for May). Good job! Dark Horse ------------------
I'm a dark horse, running on a dark race course
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WillRunForBeer
Cool Runner |
posted May-28-2007 09:40 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Doctor Wu:
So, if you guys had invited me to dinner this "local" could have told you guys about all the nuances of the course.
Sorry, Dr Wu! It was pretty disorganized and only really came together in the last several days before the race. Sorry we didn't get to meet up with you.
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busiman
Cool Runner |
posted May-28-2007 09:47 AM
Congrats on hitting your first two goals! Like others have said, with only a slight difference in hills or other factors you'd have hit all three goals.I very much enjoyed meeting both of you at the starting line. Next time I'd like to rearrange my schedule to join the dinner. Btw, you didn't look too bad at the end. Sorry to hear PDR just missed her BQ. She's obviously very close. ------------------
busiman (formerly busyman)
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MustangSally
Cool Runner |
posted May-28-2007 09:59 AM
Lou, VCM's timing vendor puts together a really neat analysis page!You and PDR put together a really neat marathoning team. Congrats on the BQ and on taming those hills. Maybe the Stoopid Golf Course isn't so bad after all. It's always nice to see such dedicated training pay off in a strong run, ibu or not. Have a great recovery! ------------------
Mustang Sally
Boomers and Beyond wiki
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MarkGuy
Cool Runner |
posted May-28-2007 10:24 AM
Lou, 3:34 is a helluva marathon, especially on such a challenging course. Nothing wrong with meeting two of your goals. It sounds like a great weekend with lots of Boomers. Thanks for including the pictures.Mark
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tomwhite
Cool Runner |
posted May-28-2007 10:27 AM
........wow...........great running lou//.........I'm drinking a Guiness later today in your honor................nice racing...........
-------------------- ,,,,,,,,,,,ps,,,,,,,,,,,,very cool Post-Race Gizmo,,,,,,,, [This message has been edited by tomwhite (edited May-28-2007).]
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WillRunForBeer
Cool Runner |
posted May-28-2007 11:12 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Dark Horse:
Of course, before I keep them, I crop you out.
Just for you, Dark Horse: 
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hazelrah
Cool Runner |
posted May-28-2007 11:29 AM
Congrats on a great race ! I hope you had a great time. I agree the hills are somewhat underrated. One of my relay teammates doing the second leg said he was glad he was doing a flat part. I informed that this leg starts and finishes at Battery park, and at one point goes to lake level, hence coming off the beltway you pick up just as much elevation as Battery hill. That said, I really think these gadgets are for entertainment purposes only. Allot of the "hills" on your plot are noise and do not really exist. I guarantee at no point does the course go below lake level (98' this week). The elevation profile posted at the VCM web site is pretty accurate. Did you climb a tree at mile 24 & go snorkling at after mile 25 ? Actually my Garmin forerunner completely locks up on that bike path and I get no readouts at all. Congrats again on a great run. My PR and my slowest marathons are on VCM's course(out of 19 total marathons).[This message has been edited by hazelrah (edited May-28-2007).]
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arf 1
Cool Runner |
posted May-28-2007 11:34 AM
Good running Lou, that still sounds like a super time to me, I had no idea VCM was so hilly! Congrats on smashing the first 2 goals and I still say you and Predawn are the cutest couple in the world, thanks for the pic.arf
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jmkmom
Member |
posted May-28-2007 11:38 AM
I won't be a "boomer" until my next b-day, but I read your great race report. Thanks for the more true elevation graph. I too felt the hills weren't "as advertised". My goal was a 3:50 (bq for me) I quickly adjusted it to 3:55-4:00. I was able to hang on and finish in 3:58 before blowing up. I took 5 minutes off my PR, so I guess I shouldn't complain. Definitely tougher than I expected. It's comforting to know I'm not the only one who thinks so! Congratulations.
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La Tortuga
Cool Runner |
posted May-28-2007 11:39 AM
Congratulations!!! Two outta three ain't bad.
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