| Author |
Topic: Detroit Free Press Marathon RR |
MarkGuy
Cool Runner |
 posted Oct-21-2007 11:03 PM
   
My second marathon is in the books. Thanks to my fellow Boomers for encouragement and numerous in depth discussions on training.The bare bones version: 3:54:54 a PR. Last year, Dave and I lined up in a 37 degree chill and it never really warmed up the whole race. This year, MarathonDerrick and I lined up in the 3:55 corral with the temperature around 55 degrees. Last year I crashed pretty hard the second half and resorted to Gallowalking the last 4 miles. I spent a few months not running, rehabbing an IT band. This year, using the Hal Higdon Intermediate-II program, I resolved to run to the end, break four hours and most importantly, not get injured. I chose to run with the 3:55 pace group. I thought this would be the best way to stay on pace for the first 20 miles so I could heed Econo's pacing advice. So, having said hi to PacerTom, getting the rundown on his plan, we were off. There are about 8000 runners in the full and half which I consider a huge race. There really was no room to move until after the first mile and passing was tough the first 3-4 miles. Our pacer knew that and had explained his plan to get on pace by mile 7. Seemed smart. Through Mexican Town (right by where Henry Ford's first factory was), up onto the Ambassador Bridge to catch the stunning sunrise and along the Windsor riverfront. DaveinAA's advice was to cruise through the first 10 and I did just that. Everything felt pretty good. I was using Clif Shot Bloks, each one about a third of a gu. I had 9 (3 gu's worth) and planned one per odd mile from 5 on. Mile 9 in under the Detroit River and it is LONG -- the whole mile in the tunnel. The fresh air when you come out is invigorating after the stuffiness. I completed mile 10 (last year's Holly-break, none this year!) and the race was on. I was still with the pace group and felt OK. The second 10 miles takes you back through downtown Detroit, then east along the riverfront. It's the second 10 where Dave admonished me to concentrate on not letting the pace slip. I hit the half at 1:56:59, almost perfect. It was here that the mile markers started to make sense. In the first 10 I missed some, but others were clearly wrong. Miles 15-20 were 9:04, 8:56, 8:51, 8:56, 9:07 and 8:59. Miles 18, 19 and 20 are on Belle Isle in the middle of the Detroit River. I came off Belle Isle and hit mile 20 at 2:58:55, 1:05 early. This is where I had planned to take stock and see if I could pick it up. I felt I had it in me, I caught the pink fairy dust coming from the PNW and went for it. I slowly crept away from the pace group and clocked an 8:44, then an 8:47. Then I felt it. Whoa! A 10 second increase in pace like that and it felt like I had tried to sprint. I put my head down and tried to dig in. But PacerTom had a loud voice and I started hearing it. They were reeling me in. I had nothing left and I was not sure I could hold on to him. The last 4.2 miles were just plain tough. I mentally grabbed his singlet and didn't let go. The last 4 miles were 9:05, 9:14, 8:56 and 9:09 with a "sprint" down Woodward for a 3:54:54 finish. 6 seconds ahead of my goal. I ran in with PacerTom and 2 others from the group. I'm very happy with the results of this race. Last year's 4:16 was painful and I know I toed the line under trained. This year I was probably just barely trained enough. I averaged 40+ miles the 8 weeks prior to my taper, including 3 50+ weeks. I simply wanted to put the miles in, break 4 hours and come away from the race still running. I'm tired and sore but nothing like last year. For the next one, more miles and some speed work and a new goal. FR:
Red on white singlet
Blue RaceReady shorts,
Black WrightSocks
Asics GT-2120s
Saturn 3:55 pace tattoo, very cool. Thanks for reading.
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Miles2go
Member |
posted Oct-21-2007 11:21 PM
Great job hanging with the pace group after they reeled you in and a big congratulations for running a well calculated race!I've only ran one marathon and used a training plan that was the Higdon Intermediate before I stretched it to 25 weeks and made some other mods. My mileage topped at 44 a week and I was able to run much faster than I'd trained at. Sounds like you had ideal weather and plenty of company.  Congrats again and thanks for the great RR. ------------------
A little 411 on me.
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anachrotech
Cool Runner |
posted Oct-22-2007 04:40 AM
Congratulations on the PR Markguy. You ran a smart race - a good time and no injury.
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smpankowski
Cool Runner |
posted Oct-22-2007 04:50 AM
What a major accomplishment!!!! You ran a well thought out race and it paid off. It would be kewl to put in a few miles with a fellow Michiganian.------------------
Have Fartlek - Will Travel, SteveP My User Profile
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Dark Horse
Cool Runner |
posted Oct-22-2007 05:00 AM
Great job, MarkGuy, hanging tough and meeting your goal.Dark Horse ------------------
I'm a dark horse, running on a dark race course
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CNYrunner
Cool Runner |
posted Oct-22-2007 06:13 AM
Congratulations MarkGuy on the PR and successfully strategic marathon. Great work!CNY
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tselbs
Cool Runner |
posted Oct-22-2007 06:39 AM
Great job, Mark. I've been anxious to read your report and see how it went. Obviously very well. Last year, I felt bad for you when you got injured during the race, struggled to the end, and then rehabbed for a long time. Your training sure made this one a lot better. You couldn't have come much closer to your planned 3:55. I agree that it was a lovely day for a race. When I heard there was supposed to be some wind, I was concerned about the bridge but I didn't notice a thing. One thing I was interested in hearing in your report was whether the wind was an issue for you on Belle Isle. Since you didn't mention it, I assume it wasn't a problem. You did well the whole race and especially the last few miles where you stayed tough. Congratulations. As an aside, we followed your suggestions for getting to and into the parking at Grand Circus. It went very well. Thanks.TomS ------------------
My Profile
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DaveinAA
Cool Runner |
posted Oct-22-2007 07:30 AM
Congratulations on your new PR Mark! You trained for this race really intelligently and "within yourself." And while giving advice is easy, you're the Guy who executed your race plan to perfection and pushed through those tough miles at the end. Kudos for throttling down the pace a bit after 20 miles--that's a courageous move at that point in the race, and the fact that you were able to hold pace through the end means it was a risk worth taking. You can be very satisfied with this race, and it should give you a lot of confidence when you decide it's time to take the next step. Rest well now and enjoy your sub-3:55. ------------------
DaveinAA
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breger1
Cool Runner |
posted Oct-22-2007 07:32 AM
Being from that area many years ago, I enjoyed the sights you portrayed to me. This was a very well run race for you. Right on your goal and you ran solid the whole way. Nice!Bill ------------------
Bill's Profile
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vista129
Cool Runner |
posted Oct-22-2007 07:42 AM
Last year it was all about the weather and focus was in that area (and rightfully so). This year it was about the goal and the helpful pace group. Thanks for sharing this run with us. Get some rest as you now focus on your next goal. ------------------
vista129
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hally
Moderator of Boomers and Beyond |
posted Oct-22-2007 07:51 AM
Neat report Mark and big congrats on your PR. I like how you referred to the Boomers several times. We must be in your head Barb
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SueT48
Cool Runner |
posted Oct-22-2007 08:00 AM
Mark - Congratulations on the PR and a well run marathon!! I'm so happy that the weather was good for you. Enjoy the post-marathon glow!!------------------
Sue
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Elaine3112
Cool Runner |
posted Oct-22-2007 08:10 AM
MG
That's good pacing and showed just how tough you were in those last few miles. Congrats on a fine race and PR too. Well done and have some well deserved rest now.
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Tramps
Cool Runner |
posted Oct-22-2007 08:18 AM
Great weather, solid training, and a helpful pace group on the way to a PR! Nicely done. Congratulations.
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perchcreek
Cool Runner |
posted Oct-22-2007 08:24 AM
Mark.. I must say you ran a perfect race! Exactly as you planned it! It's great you had such a better experience, PR'd and sub 4'd.. doesn't get any more sucessful than that! So you see it IS a 20 mile warm-up for a 10K race! That was great focus to keep pace that last 4!
Congratulations! Steve
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rochrunner
Cool Runner |
posted Oct-22-2007 08:30 AM
Well Mark, this is no surprise to those of us who have been following your progress the last two years. You're training well and training smart these days, and it shows. And I'll bet you find that your recovery experience is 100% better than what you went through last year.The only problem is that your description of the course is giving me the bug to run the whole distance at least one more time, so you could be in big trouble with my DW. Enjoy the afterglow of your 3:54 as long as you can, and don't forget to check on freep.com -- they've got the finish-line camera videos for the whole event divided into 10-minute intervals so you can catch yourself coming across the line. ------------------
- Runnin' in Rochester Rochrunner
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bobscamman
Cool Runner |
posted Oct-22-2007 09:31 AM
Congratulations on a very well run race Mark. It sounds like all that hard work during training and the lessons learned from last year paid off with a very disciplined run and a PR!Take a while to sit back and savor this great accomplishment and then set those new goals. ------------------
My User Profile "Keep on Running"
Bob
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hopeful4ever
Cool Runner |
posted Oct-22-2007 10:20 AM
Great job Mark! I'm assuming that you did not have to contend with the high winds we were having on the opposite side of the state! I was thinking of all the Detroit Marathoner's as it kept blowing. I love the mental image of holding onto the pacers singlet.  Congratulations!! ~mary
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selb3
Cool Runner |
posted Oct-22-2007 10:21 AM
Way to go Mark. Nice toughing it out at the end. Goal set, goal accomplished. Relish for awhile. Congratulations.------------------
Dave The truth is you can always run faster; sometimes the truth hurts.
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MustangSally
Cool Runner |
posted Oct-22-2007 10:24 AM
I'm glad to hear the Pank Faerie dust had the desired effect. I spent many happy hours playing on Belle Isle as a kid - and many more dressed up in stiff frocks and patent-leather Mary Janes going to events at one club or another with my grandparents... so it was easy to imagine you flying over that sweet little bridge.Good on ya. ------------------
Mustang Sally
Boomers and Beyond wiki
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Tetsujin30
Cool Runner |
posted Oct-22-2007 10:58 AM
omedetou gozaimasu mark-san for putting the Detroit Marathon in its place.
Was it all that natto you ate in Japan?You did it even better than the books and seem to have figured out the trick to training just barely enough to still be fast too. Be careful though about adding too many more training miles for the next one (2008 Detroit?) or we'll have to learn speed-reading to keep up to you.
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Econo
Cool Runner |
posted Oct-22-2007 11:20 AM
WOW! Gotta love those last few miles. Superb, Mark! Wish I was that fast (wistfully...), but I'm pretty sure I don't have the mental fortitude like you did to push that hard in the final miles.
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predawnrunner
Cool Runner |
posted Oct-22-2007 11:42 AM
It's great to see improvement on all fronts this year. Congrats on meeting your goals, and finishing strong and ready to go again (after mandatory rest/recovery period!).------------------
Predawnrunner, aka mrs W.R.F. Beer
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jtv
Cool Runner |
posted Oct-22-2007 12:33 PM
Mark,Congrats on the PR. Way to hang in there the last few miles. Sounds like conditions were a little better than last year
------------------
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spankee
Cool Runner |
posted Oct-22-2007 01:16 PM
Well executed plan. Congrats.PacerTom would have been thrilled to have you start and finish with him. They live for the finishes of others. Well done. ------------------
The longest journey starts with a single step
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