Well, I had a 2 1/2 year break from marathoning. I ran the ING Georgia marathon in March of 2008, had Clara in March 2009. Attempted to train for the City of Oaks marathon in November 2009. Then attempted to train for the Inagural Tobacco Road marathon in March 2010. While training for that race (which was going well mentally wise) I sprained my ankle. I ended up defering my entry to 2011. Had I run the TRM in March 2010 I would not have attempted 2 marathons within 3 weeks. But I ended up running back to back marathons. Yes, I finished them but...they were not my greatest races.
#16: The Tobacco Road marathon, March 20, 2011.
Clara's ready to go at 5:45am
My training for this race was almost picture perfect. I was able to run my long 20+ mile runs in near perfect weather and...was able to run 11 Yasso 800s in near perfect pace. All went well, I was ready. Weather forecast...perfect. All was perfect. Then what happens, I catch a cold. Felt myself coming down with something on Friday and Saturday, I was sick. And ya know how throughout the day, you just feel worse and worse...it wasn't going away anytime soon. I thought I could pretend I wasn't sick but no, it let me know it had taken over my body. I didn't sleep at all the night before, couldn't eat my breakfast before the race. But I tried to hold my head up high. Perfect weather and perfect course, I wanted to PR. To make a long story short, I started the race okay but by mile 11, it was over for me. My mental attitude was shot and I slowed down (something I don't do that early in the race). My stomach became very nauseous and I walked about 2 miles of the race. And it didn't help that the sports drink was nasty. However, I cannot have a DNF (did not finish) next to my name, so I pushed through and finished. I tried my best to pick up the pace the last three miles but by then my legs were shot too. So #16 we will say, I finished.
Clara is tired after watching mommy run 26.2 miles
#17 Go St. Louis marathon, April 10, 2011
I had an idea last fall (or summer) that I passed onto my sister Sarah and my dad that maybe we all could run the marathon in St. Louis in April 2011. And a bonus, the marathon fell on a weekend close to Daniel’s first birthday. We could run the marathon and celebrate his birthday all at the same time. So with my TRM deferment and deciding to run the St. Louis marathon in April 2011, that is how I ended up doing 2 marathons within 3 weeks. (but if you are training for one, why not throw in another one.) Anyway, with not doing well at TRM, I decided I would redem myself in St. Louis. (before a I thought, I'll run my best at TRM and then have fun in St. Louis but my mind set changed and I wanted to PR at St. Louis). Okay, get to St. Louis, weather forecast at first was calling for 60s but it changed to temps in the 80s as the race got closer. 80s is a little hot for a 26.2 mile race. I wasn't going to let that bother me, though (I'm from the south). Started out at a good pace. Felt good as every mile passed by and decided at 13 miles I was definitely picking up the pace and attempting to run negative splits (meaning running the 2nd half of the race faster than the first). I was doing well and passing a lot of people. My sister Sarah (who decided to not run the full marathon) joined up with me at mile 19. I am thankful she did that. Shortly after...it hit...my stomach became one huge knot. I had to sit down. The heat got to me. I was upset as I watched the 4 hour pacer pass by (somehow I guess I ended up pretty far ahead of that person, I think I was at a 3:50-3:55 marathon pace up to that point). I got up and we walked probably about a mile. Then I ran and my stomach felt better. I was going to finish. I told Sarah I'd be okay so she stopped when we passed by the family at mile 23. I did my best to keep my pace up till the end (but the legs were starting to feel it). I finished in 4 hours 25 minutes. The heat got to everyone out on the course. There were a lot of people walking and I normally am not around too many folks who are walking. It sounds like everyone's times were slow. My brother in law, Dave's, brother in law Rick who is a sub 3 hour 10 minute marathoner, finished in a 3:51. That made me feel a little better since my time was about 25-30 minutes off where I wanted to be and what I am capable of doing (gosh see had I kept up my pace, I would have been pretty close behind Rick). Unfortunately, my dad did not get to complete the full marathon. With the temperatures as high as they were, they shut down the course around 9am and those who had not gotten passed the 10 mile mark (where the half marathoners turned off to complete the half) where directed to complete the half. That affected my dad. I think he was upset but the officials had to do what was best at that moment and with temperatures supposed to be going into the 80s during the race, they had to close it down before what was normally planned. Anyway, my dad finished the half and then he ran me in at the finish. I really wish I had run faster but I guess heat really does make a difference. I remember my sister saying, the weather here is so unpredictable, one year we had torentual downpours, one year there was snow. And I remember thinking, oh how I wish there was snow. So I must have been affected by the heat to have that thought go through my head. I guess there is a reason why neither of these were my best races. Who knows when my next one will be or when my next one comes if I'll have practically picture perfect training and picture perfect weather and a picture perfect course. I'm bummed but have to get passed it. I have finished 17 marathons in 9 different states now. I do not have a DNF next to my name for any of them.
No race photos from St. Louis but here is one of the three runners: my dad, me, and Rick.
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