 posted Oct-09-2007 02:15 AM
   
We all have to have our dreams, 1) Super secret goal, PR, (sub 3:30:08)
2) Advertised goal, 2008 BQ (sub 3:36:00)
3) Realistically obtainable goal, 2009 BQ (sub 3:46:00)
4) The “I can live with it goal” have fun, avoid injuries and stay out of the med tent. Feel free to scroll to the results at the bottom of the page. This will be a lengthy RR, post a congrats for reaching one of my goals if you wish, or preferably, just skip past this post, and give kudos to those people who suffered through Chicago last weekend. If you feel like slogging through the RR, here goes. --------------
The Bizz Johnson is probably the biggest marathon that no one has heard of. About 500 people ran the full; Susanville California is a very small town is a remote part of the state. Months before the race I registered and tried to make hotel reservations. Every hotel I called just laughed and said “that’s race weekend, we don’t have anything”. We ended up with a room in Reno, and drove 85 miles to the race in the wee hours Sunday morning. As race day approached, I did not feel like this would be my day.
RE: my race plans and goals, McMillan said I could run a marathon in 3:35:15. I’ve never run as fast as McMillan says I can. Concerns, The 5000’ elevation will slow me down a bit. I have recently learned from Estes park, and Green River Wyoming that I don’t run well at altitude. The weather forecast is calling for warmish weather at the finish, nothing like Chicago hot, but a sunny 69 could be warm enough to cost a few minutes. I was dealing with minor GI issues the day before, and the morning of the race The 9:00 AM start was late enough to make pre race fuel a little tough to figure out. Advantages, The course profile shows about 1000’ descent from start to finish that should be good for a few minutes  Aid stations were every 2 miles all stocked with water, Gatorade, gu M&M’s, trail mix, and fruit. At the pre-start briefing the RD said “ the first porta potty is at about mile 14, but since this is a trail run, there are porta trees every mile.
It was about 32º and sunny at the start, maybe 350 or so of us were lined up for the start with maybe 150 runners and walkers taking advantage of the early start, leaving 1 hour before us. As you can see from Choover’s pictures, it is a beautiful course. Unfortunately I was not in the sight seeing mode. The hills on the course were almost all very gradual (rails to trails) It usually didn’t feel like you were running up, or down. But there were exceptions. My Garmin was set on average pace, and I knew I had to average better than 8:15/mile to meet goal 2. For the first 5 miles (slightly uphill) I was averaging about 8:10, but I was working harder than I wanted to when I should have been warming up. I took my first gu at mile 8, and I was struggling a bit, at mile 9 I saw my pace starting to slip. Miles 12 and 13 were a struggle, I felt like I was just shuffling. My pace was below 8:30/mile for those two miles. I was wondering if I could hold on, and reach goal 3, a 3:45 ‘09 BQ (I felt 3:35 had slipped away). I passed the ½ with an average pace of 8:17, I was feeling a little better than I had a mile before but I have never run a negative split. At this point I thought I might be able to hold on for a 3:45 after all, then an amazing thing happened, as the miles clicked off, my average pace kept dropping. At the 20 mile mark I was down to an 8:13 average pace. Maybe that 3:35 would happen after all? Still, we all know about those last 6 miles of a marathon. I was surprised at how ugly the hill was at mile 20. I didn’t have time to spare so I ran it hard; I passed 5 people on the hill (only one of them was running). I was wondering if I made a mistake. At the top my legs were burning and my lungs were shot, but after a big gulp of Gatorade at the aid station at the top I jogged for a couple minutes to recover and I was back up to speed. It was shortly past this station, passing spectators walking the other way, I heard someone shout “Divechief” I was sure it was Choover, but I was working too hard and hurting too much (after the hill) to acknowledge, For the last 6 miles, I knew a cramp could happen any time, I could run out of fuel any time, anything could happen. But I would hold on as long as I could. I was amazed to clock a 7:46 mile. I averaged the last 6 miles at a sub 8 minute/mile pace. The 2-minute negative split really surprised me. As we were diverted off the trail for the last 0.2 to the finish, there were lots of spectators lining the trail. They all said the finish was just ahead, but it really felt like we were diverted off the course. It was a great relief to finally see the clock that had not yet reached 3:35.
Bottom line. I was thrilled with an 08 BQ, as for a PR? I am nearly 10 pounds heaver than when I set it. When I was at my PR weight got cold really easy. I think I am at a better weight now, and thank goodness, for ‘09 I will be in a new age group so I can afford to be slower. If You have slogged through this, thanks for reading
Dave Goal two reached 1st half 1:48:32, 8:17/mile 2nd half 1:46:24, 8:07/mile (last 6 miles 47:60, 7:58/mile) final, 3:34:56 BQ for 2008 and 2009
IP: Logged |
in the meantime, see you at the Seattle Marathon when things get real again at the Pink Door.
