Tucson Marathon 2007
View Full Version : Tucson Marathon 2007
Tucson Marathon 2007
Where: Actually, Oracle, AZ, to Catalina, AZ
When: Dec 2, 2007, 7:30 am
Web: tucsonmarathon.com
Weather: Near perfect
Finish: 3:59:30, 7/34 AG (W 50-54); 158/403 W, 527/1027 OA
Short Version: Since the training didn’t go so well, I would be happy
with a sub-4 finish. My chip time: 3:59:30. I’m happy.
Long Version: I missed a lot of miles of training two weeks in a row,
right around the peak of the training, and hadn’t done much in the way
of speedwork. So I knew I wasn’t up to a PR effort this time. I saw that
there were going to be several pace groups, and there was indeed a group
for a 4-hour marathon, so I thought that’d be perfect, they’d keep me
from going out too fast and pace me evenly in to a 4-hour marathon. That
is fast enough to get me a BQ.
I was a little worried about the weather, as it absolutely poured all
through Friday night, and continued dribbling on Saturday. Saturday
night it was still cloudy, though no longer raining.
I got up at 4:15 am, as we needed to get to the buses by 5:30, and I
live quite a ways from the parking area. I was shocked when I was close,
there was quite a long line of cars creeping up the hill slowly. So I
got my little Nissan in line and waited, and eventually found a parking
spot, actually quite a good one. Then I walked over to the long line of
school buses, and got on the first one. After a few minutes a woman sat
beside me and we chatted for a bit as the bus pulled out and headed
north, then eventually we both drifted off to a quick nap. The bus
driver got lost the first time, but found the turn the second time. As
soon as our bus pulled in line behind the others, I jumped out to get
into the Porta-Potty line, and took care of that. I also was slightly
thirsty (after partially eating a Clif bar on the way) and so walked
over and got a cup of water. It was just starting to get light, and I
suddenly realized that though we were starting in the same place as all
the previous years, we were going to be starting going the other way!!
And not a cloud in sight.
I went to the drop-off bus and took off my sweats and put them into the
drop bag. Then I found the 4:00 pace group, and said hi to the folks. I
think I was the only local except for the leader. We walked over to the
start area and got ready. I didn’t do any warm-up this year, as the
leader said we’d be running 9:09-9:10 miles, probably even slower at
first. Good, I thought.
The race started. Of course, we walked until the chip mat, as everyone
was all bunched up and you couldn’t run anyways. The guy next to me was
from North Carolina and this was his first marathon. I told him to wait
to start his watch until we were over the mat. Finally, we were past the
mat and started to run. And run. I started to realize we were going WAY
too fast. The guy next to me was worried; I told him we were going too
fast. He seemed relieved, as he didn’t think he could keep up that pace.
I missed the one-mile mark, but a woman two over, in our group saw it
and yelped that the first mile was 8:22. Yikes. No wonder it felt too
fast, it was way way too fast. She ran up to the leader, who was
surrounded by several people saying “too fast!” Despite this, however,
the second mile was 8:38, still too fast. I started to drop back some,
as I really didn’t want to burn out from going too fast at the start. (I
mean, that’s the whole reason I joined the group!)
Another woman from the group joined me, and we throttled back some, but
still kept the group in sight. We were still going sub-9, but it was now
in the 8:50’s, so slightly fast, but much better. Somewhere around
either 4 or 5, she and I grabbed cups at an aid station and the 4:00
group stopped. We kept going and passed them.
We had nice conversation for many miles. She was from the Silicon Valley
area, and oddly we never told each other our names! This year, the
course turned off of the highway onto Biosphere Road to make up for
miles at the end due to some road construction. It’s a rolling climb to
the entrance of the Biosphere, and then of course, rolling downhill back
to the highway. On the second hill (around mile 11-12) I lost her. I was
really hoping we’d stay together, as the talking had made the miles go
by quickly. I did see her after I’d turned around, and she was probably
too far back to catch up now. I made good time coming down, as I’d lost
time the two miles going up.
I don’t even remember much of the time between Biosphere and Oracle
Junction, where the course turns southward. All I remember is long
stretch of highway shoulder, but I was keeping my pace mostly sub-9:09.
After the turn, there’s a slight uphill into Saddlebrooke. I was very
happy that I kept the pace good there, in the past I’ve had trouble
keeping a good pace here. Mile 20-21, I ran a solid 9:05. And I still
felt fine.
At the end of mile 22 I went through a rough patch. I just suddenly
didn’t feel so perky anymore. Same with 23. As I came into 24, that
feeling went away, and I actually started to pick up the pace. About
then, of course, my right hip/ham decided they’d had enough, and started
to crimp up. It wasn’t a Charlie horse, but it felt like someone was
reeling in all the extra muscle, very tight. I had the feeling that if I
didn’t slow down, it might cramp. I slowed, I threw my leg around,
hopped, jumped, everything but stopped, and the tightness just didn’t
want to go away. So close to the finish!!! We’d left the highway again,
running slightly downhill eastward, now south again, flat, then westward
and back uphill. I kept playing leapfrog with a couple of guys who
looked like they might be experiencing some difficulties also. But
there, up the hill was the finish chute. So I gritted and kept on, and
turned to the right to see the line and clock, and realized I’d make it
just in time.
Oh, and no sign of the pace group. I wonder what happened?
Splits:
8:22
8:38
8:50
8:57
8:47
8:39
8:50
8:44
9:00
8:57
9:37 (up Biosphere)
9:39 (ditto)
8:28 (down Biosphere)
8:56
8:46
8:57
9:12 (don’t know)
9:08
9:27
9:07
9:05
9:11
9:47 (Feel like %^&)
9:53 (same)
10:19
10:15
1:57
Ahhh! Done at last. My husband rode his bike out and took some pictures,
I’ll try to figure out where to put a few. I stopped walking for a bit
afterwards and felt just horrible. Once I started walking it went away.
Then I felt fine. I had a banana, and some recovery water. Then I got on
the bus to take me back to the car, and chatted with the two fellows I’d
leapfrogged with during the finish. My husband had already gotten to the
car, so he could drive me home, though we decided to stop at La Salsa
and have some deeelicious burritos.
PS- Oddly, I recovered from this marathon exceptionally well. I’m
already thinking about running tomorrow, as I feel fine. If it isn’t
raining, again!
Teresa in AZ
"Teresa Bippert-Plymate" wrote
| Tucson Marathon 2007
|
| Where: Actually, Oracle, AZ, to Catalina, AZ
| When: Dec 2, 2007, 7:30 am
| Web: tucsonmarathon.com
| Weather: Near perfect
| Finish: 3:59:30, 7/34 AG (W 50-54); 158/403 W, 527/1027 OA
Great report, thanks for sharing.
Pretty good splits through the middle miles.
What do you think of early fast miles? did they hurt at the end or
did they help to make up for the fatigue and cramps at the end?
"Teresa Bippert-Plymate" said
> Finish: 3:59:30, 7/34 AG (W 50-54); 158/403 W, 527/1027 OA
You and Steve Common share the Nick Of Time award (he for just barely
breaking 3, you for 4).
> I missed the one-mile mark, but a woman two over, in our group saw it and
> yelped that the first mile was 8:22. Yikes. No wonder it felt too fast, it
> was way way too fast. She ran up to the leader, who was surrounded by
> several people saying “too fast!” Despite this, however, the second mile
> was 8:38, still too fast.
Wow, that's quite a differential. 30 seconds/mile too fast at first is
enough to hurt you -- I did that once back in the dim reaches of time and it
was the first race I'd dropped out of -- I was done at mile 18.
I imagine you paid several minutes at the back end for that one minute
gained at first.
> I don’t even remember much of the time between Biosphere and Oracle
> Junction, where the course turns southward. All I remember is long stretch
> of highway shoulder, but I was keeping my pace mostly sub-9:09. After the
> turn, there’s a slight uphill into Saddlebrooke. I was very happy that I
> kept the pace good there, in the past I’ve had trouble keeping a good pace
> here. Mile 20-21, I ran a solid 9:05. And I still felt fine.
Wow, sounds like it's in the bag...I'm usually hurting pretty good by then,
but I can usually gut it out, after it's only 5 more miles, right? :-)
> At the end of mile 22 I went through a rough patch. I just suddenly didn’t
> feel so perky anymore.
21-22 is usually the hardest part for me, too. Once I hit 23, it's 5k time
and I can smell the barn.
> ...As I came into 24 ... It wasn’t a Charlie horse, but it felt like
> someone was > reeling in all the extra muscle, very tight. I had the
> feeling that if I didn’t slow down, it might cramp. I slowed, I threw my
> leg around, hopped, jumped, everything but stopped, and the tightness just
> didn’t want to go away.
Towards the end of a marathon, my hams really tighten up, too. Seems like
it takes half the horsepower just to fight the tightness.
> So I gritted and kept on, and turned to the right to see the line and
> clock, and realized I’d make it just in time.
I'm really glad you were able to get your sub-4.
> Oh, and no sign of the pace group. I wonder what happened?
4:25 :-)
> PS- Oddly, I recovered from this marathon exceptionally well. I’m already
> thinking about running tomorrow, as I feel fine. If it isn’t raining,
> again!
Resist! If you're sore, just take a hike...(or watch some football in your
recliner). Running when sore retards recovery, and isn't much fun, either.
Walking probably enhances it. Besides, a lot of recovery in long hard races
involves your endocrine system, all those stress hormones that kept you
going when it got rough do a number on your system, and it takes awhile to
recover from that as well as from muscle/joint damage.
Congrats,
Dan
Teresa Bippert-Plymate wrote:
> Tucson Marathon 2007
>
> Where: Actually, Oracle, AZ, to Catalina, AZ
> When: Dec 2, 2007, 7:30 am
> Web: tucsonmarathon.com
> Weather: Near perfect
> Finish: 3:59:30, 7/34 AG (W 50-54); 158/403 W, 527/1027 OA
....
>
> PS- Oddly, I recovered from this marathon exceptionally well. I’m
> already thinking about running tomorrow, as I feel fine. If it isn’t
> raining, again!
Good job, Teresa. You got your sub-4. The benefits of the years of
training are showing up in your quicker recovery time. Good thing you
knew enough to drop back when the pace was too fast.
Also an interesting pace-group experience, perhaps relevant to the other
thread.
Dot
--
"Often, quantity of miles is not the answer, but rather quality, i.e.
making your traiing specific to your goals.... The key was specificity
of training balanced with the volume." - Scott Jurek (quoted in Trail
Runner 49:16, Dec 2007)
On Dec 7, 5:06 pm, Teresa Bippert-Plymate <ter...@as.arizona.edu>
wrote:
> Tucson Marathon 2007
>
> Where: Actually, Oracle, AZ, to Catalina, AZ
> When: Dec 2, 2007, 7:30 am
> Web: tucsonmarathon.com
> Weather: Near perfect
> Finish: 3:59:30, 7/34 AG (W 50-54); 158/403 W, 527/1027 OA
Nice report, Teresa. Was this a PR? (I know this is a bad question
ask if the answer's no...) I know just how you feel when the wheels
come off at 22-23. But you didn't slow much -- good toughness there.
How very apropos that we've had a thread on marathon pace groups this
week. I'm with Dan on this -- you probably paid back a couple of
minutes late in the race. And it wasn't just the first 2 miles, it
was also keeping them in sight for the next couple, including that
8:39 in mile 6.
To be honest, the pacer sounds like a total jackass. Having been
involved in pacing, I met a few people like that. Unless you
personally know the pacer, I think it's better to go it alone (another
small plug here for my "checkpoint" strategy). I hope you get a
chance to try again with good weather and similar or better fitness
(which must have been pretty good, even though you thought your
training wasn't quite there).
On Fri, 07 Dec 2007 15:06:10 -0700, Teresa Bippert-Plymate
<teresa@as.arizona.edu> wrote:
>Tucson Marathon 2007
>
>Where: Actually, Oracle, AZ, to Catalina, AZ
>When: Dec 2, 2007, 7:30 am
>Web: tucsonmarathon.com
>Weather: Near perfect
>Finish: 3:59:30, 7/34 AG (W 50-54); 158/403 W, 527/1027 OA
>
>Short Version: Since the training didn’t go so well, I would be happy
>with a sub-4 finish. My chip time: 3:59:30. I’m happy.
>
Great job Teresa! And on a busted training plan. I postponed with a
similar lapse, missing the last two critical long runs.
Your experience gives me cause to reconsider the use of a pace group.
Frank
>Long Version: I missed a lot of miles of training two weeks in a row,
>right around the peak of the training, and hadn’t done much in the way
>of speedwork. So I knew I wasn’t up to a PR effort this time. I saw that
>there were going to be several pace groups, and there was indeed a group
>for a 4-hour marathon, so I thought that’d be perfect, they’d keep me
>from going out too fast and pace me evenly in to a 4-hour marathon. That
>is fast enough to get me a BQ.
>
>I was a little worried about the weather, as it absolutely poured all
>through Friday night, and continued dribbling on Saturday. Saturday
>night it was still cloudy, though no longer raining.
>
>I got up at 4:15 am, as we needed to get to the buses by 5:30, and I
>live quite a ways from the parking area. I was shocked when I was close,
>there was quite a long line of cars creeping up the hill slowly. So I
>got my little Nissan in line and waited, and eventually found a parking
>spot, actually quite a good one. Then I walked over to the long line of
>school buses, and got on the first one. After a few minutes a woman sat
>beside me and we chatted for a bit as the bus pulled out and headed
>north, then eventually we both drifted off to a quick nap. The bus
>driver got lost the first time, but found the turn the second time. As
>soon as our bus pulled in line behind the others, I jumped out to get
>into the Porta-Potty line, and took care of that. I also was slightly
>thirsty (after partially eating a Clif bar on the way) and so walked
>over and got a cup of water. It was just starting to get light, and I
>suddenly realized that though we were starting in the same place as all
>the previous years, we were going to be starting going the other way!!
>And not a cloud in sight.
>
>I went to the drop-off bus and took off my sweats and put them into the
>drop bag. Then I found the 4:00 pace group, and said hi to the folks. I
>think I was the only local except for the leader. We walked over to the
>start area and got ready. I didn’t do any warm-up this year, as the
>leader said we’d be running 9:09-9:10 miles, probably even slower at
>first. Good, I thought.
>
>The race started. Of course, we walked until the chip mat, as everyone
>was all bunched up and you couldn’t run anyways. The guy next to me was
>from North Carolina and this was his first marathon. I told him to wait
>to start his watch until we were over the mat. Finally, we were past the
>mat and started to run. And run. I started to realize we were going WAY
>too fast. The guy next to me was worried; I told him we were going too
>fast. He seemed relieved, as he didn’t think he could keep up that pace.
>I missed the one-mile mark, but a woman two over, in our group saw it
>and yelped that the first mile was 8:22. Yikes. No wonder it felt too
>fast, it was way way too fast. She ran up to the leader, who was
>surrounded by several people saying “too fast!” Despite this, however,
>the second mile was 8:38, still too fast. I started to drop back some,
>as I really didn’t want to burn out from going too fast at the start. (I
>mean, that’s the whole reason I joined the group!)
>Another woman from the group joined me, and we throttled back some, but
>still kept the group in sight. We were still going sub-9, but it was now
>in the 8:50’s, so slightly fast, but much better. Somewhere around
>either 4 or 5, she and I grabbed cups at an aid station and the 4:00
>group stopped. We kept going and passed them.
>
>We had nice conversation for many miles. She was from the Silicon Valley
>area, and oddly we never told each other our names! This year, the
>course turned off of the highway onto Biosphere Road to make up for
>miles at the end due to some road construction. It’s a rolling climb to
>the entrance of the Biosphere, and then of course, rolling downhill back
>to the highway. On the second hill (around mile 11-12) I lost her. I was
>really hoping we’d stay together, as the talking had made the miles go
>by quickly. I did see her after I’d turned around, and she was probably
>too far back to catch up now. I made good time coming down, as I’d lost
>time the two miles going up.
>
>I don’t even remember much of the time between Biosphere and Oracle
>Junction, where the course turns southward. All I remember is long
>stretch of highway shoulder, but I was keeping my pace mostly sub-9:09.
>After the turn, there’s a slight uphill into Saddlebrooke. I was very
>happy that I kept the pace good there, in the past I’ve had trouble
>keeping a good pace here. Mile 20-21, I ran a solid 9:05. And I still
>felt fine.
>
>At the end of mile 22 I went through a rough patch. I just suddenly
>didn’t feel so perky anymore. Same with 23. As I came into 24, that
>feeling went away, and I actually started to pick up the pace. About
>then, of course, my right hip/ham decided they’d had enough, and started
>to crimp up. It wasn’t a Charlie horse, but it felt like someone was
>reeling in all the extra muscle, very tight. I had the feeling that if I
>didn’t slow down, it might cramp. I slowed, I threw my leg around,
>hopped, jumped, everything but stopped, and the tightness just didn’t
>want to go away. So close to the finish!!! We’d left the highway again,
>running slightly downhill eastward, now south again, flat, then westward
>and back uphill. I kept playing leapfrog with a couple of guys who
>looked like they might be experiencing some difficulties also. But
>there, up the hill was the finish chute. So I gritted and kept on, and
>turned to the right to see the line and clock, and realized I’d make it
>just in time.
>
>Oh, and no sign of the pace group. I wonder what happened?
>
>Splits:
>
>8:22
>8:38
>8:50
>8:57
>8:47
>8:39
>8:50
>8:44
>9:00
>8:57
>9:37 (up Biosphere)
>9:39 (ditto)
>8:28 (down Biosphere)
>8:56
>8:46
>8:57
>9:12 (don’t know)
>9:08
>9:27
>9:07
>9:05
>9:11
>9:47 (Feel like %^&)
>9:53 (same)
>10:19
>10:15
>1:57
>
>Ahhh! Done at last. My husband rode his bike out and took some pictures,
>I’ll try to figure out where to put a few. I stopped walking for a bit
>afterwards and felt just horrible. Once I started walking it went away.
>Then I felt fine. I had a banana, and some recovery water. Then I got on
>the bus to take me back to the car, and chatted with the two fellows I’d
>leapfrogged with during the finish. My husband had already gotten to the
>car, so he could drive me home, though we decided to stop at La Salsa
>and have some deeelicious burritos.
>
>PS- Oddly, I recovered from this marathon exceptionally well. I’m
>already thinking about running tomorrow, as I feel fine. If it isn’t
>raining, again!
>
>Teresa in AZ
On Dec 7, 4:06 pm, Teresa Bippert-Plymate <ter...@as.arizona.edu>
wrote:
> Tucson Marathon 2007
>
> Where: Actually, Oracle, AZ, to Catalina, AZ
> When: Dec 2, 2007, 7:30 am
> Web: tucsonmarathon.com
> Weather: Near perfect
> Finish: 3:59:30, 7/34 AG (W 50-54); 158/403 W, 527/1027 OA
>
> Short Version: Since the training didn't go so well, I would be happy
> with a sub-4 finish. My chip time: 3:59:30. I'm happy.
>
> Long Version: I missed a lot of miles of training two weeks in a row,
> right around the peak of the training, and hadn't done much in the way
> of speedwork. So I knew I wasn't up to a PR effort this time. I saw that
> there were going to be several pace groups, and there was indeed a group
> for a 4-hour marathon, so I thought that'd be perfect, they'd keep me
> from going out too fast and pace me evenly in to a 4-hour marathon. That
> is fast enough to get me a BQ.
>
> I was a little worried about the weather, as it absolutely poured all
> through Friday night, and continued dribbling on Saturday. Saturday
> night it was still cloudy, though no longer raining.
>
> I got up at 4:15 am, as we needed to get to the buses by 5:30, and I
> live quite a ways from the parking area. I was shocked when I was close,
> there was quite a long line of cars creeping up the hill slowly. So I
> got my little Nissan in line and waited, and eventually found a parking
> spot, actually quite a good one. Then I walked over to the long line of
> school buses, and got on the first one. After a few minutes a woman sat
> beside me and we chatted for a bit as the bus pulled out and headed
> north, then eventually we both drifted off to a quick nap. The bus
> driver got lost the first time, but found the turn the second time. As
> soon as our bus pulled in line behind the others, I jumped out to get
> into the Porta-Potty line, and took care of that. I also was slightly
> thirsty (after partially eating a Clif bar on the way) and so walked
> over and got a cup of water. It was just starting to get light, and I
> suddenly realized that though we were starting in the same place as all
> the previous years, we were going to be starting going the other way!!
> And not a cloud in sight.
>
> I went to the drop-off bus and took off my sweats and put them into the
> drop bag. Then I found the 4:00 pace group, and said hi to the folks. I
> think I was the only local except for the leader. We walked over to the
> start area and got ready. I didn't do any warm-up this year, as the
> leader said we'd be running 9:09-9:10 miles, probably even slower at
> first. Good, I thought.
>
> The race started. Of course, we walked until the chip mat, as everyone
> was all bunched up and you couldn't run anyways. The guy next to me was
> from North Carolina and this was his first marathon. I told him to wait
> to start his watch until we were over the mat. Finally, we were past the
> mat and started to run. And run. I started to realize we were going WAY
> too fast. The guy next to me was worried; I told him we were going too
> fast. He seemed relieved, as he didn't think he could keep up that pace.
> I missed the one-mile mark, but a woman two over, in our group saw it
> and yelped that the first mile was 8:22. Yikes. No wonder it felt too
> fast, it was way way too fast. She ran up to the leader, who was
> surrounded by several people saying "too fast!" Despite this, however,
> the second mile was 8:38, still too fast. I started to drop back some,
> as I really didn't want to burn out from going too fast at the start. (I
> mean, that's the whole reason I joined the group!)
> Another woman from the group joined me, and we throttled back some, but
> still kept the group in sight. We were still going sub-9, but it was now
> in the 8:50's, so slightly fast, but much better. Somewhere around
> either 4 or 5, she and I grabbed cups at an aid station and the 4:00
> group stopped. We kept going and passed them.
>
> We had nice conversation for many miles. She was from the Silicon Valley
> area, and oddly we never told each other our names! This year, the
> course turned off of the highway onto Biosphere Road to make up for
> miles at the end due to some road construction. It's a rolling climb to
> the entrance of the Biosphere, and then of course, rolling downhill back
> to the highway. On the second hill (around mile 11-12) I lost her. I was
> really hoping we'd stay together, as the talking had made the miles go
> by quickly. I did see her after I'd turned around, and she was probably
> too far back to catch up now. I made good time coming down, as I'd lost
> time the two miles going up.
>
> I don't even remember much of the time between Biosphere and Oracle
> Junction, where the course turns southward. All I remember is long
> stretch of highway shoulder, but I was keeping my pace mostly sub-9:09.
> After the turn, there's a slight uphill into Saddlebrooke. I was very
> happy that I kept the pace good there, in the past I've had trouble
> keeping a good pace here. Mile 20-21, I ran a solid 9:05. And I still
> felt fine.
>
> At the end of mile 22 I went through a rough patch. I just suddenly
> didn't feel so perky anymore. Same with 23. As I came into 24, that
> feeling went away, and I actually started to pick up the pace. About
> then, of course, my right hip/ham decided they'd had enough, and started
> to crimp up. It wasn't a Charlie horse, but it felt like someone was
> reeling in all the extra muscle, very tight. I had the feeling that if I
> didn't slow down, it might cramp. I slowed, I threw my leg around,
> hopped, jumped, everything but stopped, and the tightness just didn't
> want to go away. So close to the finish!!! We'd left the highway again,
> running slightly downhill eastward, now south again, flat, then westward
> and back uphill. I kept playing leapfrog with a couple of guys who
> looked like they might be experiencing some difficulties also. But
> there, up the hill was the finish chute. So I gritted and kept on, and
> turned to the right to see the line and clock, and realized I'd make it
> just in time.
>
> Oh, and no sign of the pace group. I wonder what happened?
>
> Splits:
>
> 8:22
> 8:38
> 8:50
> 8:57
> 8:47
> 8:39
> 8:50
> 8:44
> 9:00
> 8:57
> 9:37 (up Biosphere)
> 9:39 (ditto)
> 8:28 (down Biosphere)
> 8:56
> 8:46
> 8:57
> 9:12 (don't know)
> 9:08
> 9:27
> 9:07
> 9:05
> 9:11
> 9:47 (Feel like %^&)
> 9:53 (same)
> 10:19
> 10:15
> 1:57
>
> Ahhh! Done at last. My husband rode his bike out and took some pictures,
> I'll try to figure out where to put a few. I stopped walking for a bit
> afterwards and felt just horrible. Once I started walking it went away.
> Then I felt fine. I had a banana, and some recovery water. Then I got on
> the bus to take me back to the car, and chatted with the two fellows I'd
> leapfrogged with during the finish. My husband had already gotten to the
> car, so he could drive me home, though we decided to stop at La Salsa
> and have some deeelicious burritos.
>
> PS- Oddly, I recovered from this marathon exceptionally well. I'm
> already thinking about running tomorrow, as I feel fine. If it isn't
> raining, again!
>
> Teresa in AZ
Teresa: Nice race and a fine report. Thanks and congratulations.
I'm with Dan on the cost of starting out hot. I did it once and it
cost me my goal. It was almost identical to what happened to you, and
I knew I had trained sufficiently for a sub-4, but it didn't happen.
You toughed out a difficlut situation. Good work.
brianj
On Dec 7, 4:06 pm, Teresa Bippert-Plymate <ter...@as.arizona.edu>
wrote:
> Tucson Marathon 2007
>
> Where: Actually, Oracle, AZ, to Catalina, AZ
> When: Dec 2, 2007, 7:30 am
> Web: tucsonmarathon.com
> Weather: Near perfect
> Finish: 3:59:30, 7/34 AG (W 50-54); 158/403 W, 527/1027 OA
>
> Short Version: Since the training didn't go so well, I would be happy
> with a sub-4 finish. My chip time: 3:59:30. I'm happy.
>
> Long Version: I missed a lot of miles of training two weeks in a row,
> right around the peak of the training, and hadn't done much in the way
> of speedwork. So I knew I wasn't up to a PR effort this time. I saw that
> there were going to be several pace groups, and there was indeed a group
> for a 4-hour marathon, so I thought that'd be perfect, they'd keep me
> from going out too fast and pace me evenly in to a 4-hour marathon. That
> is fast enough to get me a BQ.
>
> I was a little worried about the weather, as it absolutely poured all
> through Friday night, and continued dribbling on Saturday. Saturday
> night it was still cloudy, though no longer raining.
>
> I got up at 4:15 am, as we needed to get to the buses by 5:30, and I
> live quite a ways from the parking area. I was shocked when I was close,
> there was quite a long line of cars creeping up the hill slowly. So I
> got my little Nissan in line and waited, and eventually found a parking
> spot, actually quite a good one. Then I walked over to the long line of
> school buses, and got on the first one. After a few minutes a woman sat
> beside me and we chatted for a bit as the bus pulled out and headed
> north, then eventually we both drifted off to a quick nap. The bus
> driver got lost the first time, but found the turn the second time. As
> soon as our bus pulled in line behind the others, I jumped out to get
> into the Porta-Potty line, and took care of that. I also was slightly
> thirsty (after partially eating a Clif bar on the way) and so walked
> over and got a cup of water. It was just starting to get light, and I
> suddenly realized that though we were starting in the same place as all
> the previous years, we were going to be starting going the other way!!
> And not a cloud in sight.
>
> I went to the drop-off bus and took off my sweats and put them into the
> drop bag. Then I found the 4:00 pace group, and said hi to the folks. I
> think I was the only local except for the leader. We walked over to the
> start area and got ready. I didn't do any warm-up this year, as the
> leader said we'd be running 9:09-9:10 miles, probably even slower at
> first. Good, I thought.
>
> The race started. Of course, we walked until the chip mat, as everyone
> was all bunched up and you couldn't run anyways. The guy next to me was
> from North Carolina and this was his first marathon. I told him to wait
> to start his watch until we were over the mat. Finally, we were past the
> mat and started to run. And run. I started to realize we were going WAY
> too fast. The guy next to me was worried; I told him we were going too
> fast. He seemed relieved, as he didn't think he could keep up that pace.
> I missed the one-mile mark, but a woman two over, in our group saw it
> and yelped that the first mile was 8:22. Yikes. No wonder it felt too
> fast, it was way way too fast. She ran up to the leader, who was
> surrounded by several people saying "too fast!" Despite this, however,
> the second mile was 8:38, still too fast. I started to drop back some,
> as I really didn't want to burn out from going too fast at the start. (I
> mean, that's the whole reason I joined the group!)
> Another woman from the group joined me, and we throttled back some, but
> still kept the group in sight. We were still going sub-9, but it was now
> in the 8:50's, so slightly fast, but much better. Somewhere around
> either 4 or 5, she and I grabbed cups at an aid station and the 4:00
> group stopped. We kept going and passed them.
>
> We had nice conversation for many miles. She was from the Silicon Valley
> area, and oddly we never told each other our names! This year, the
> course turned off of the highway onto Biosphere Road to make up for
> miles at the end due to some road construction. It's a rolling climb to
> the entrance of the Biosphere, and then of course, rolling downhill back
> to the highway. On the second hill (around mile 11-12) I lost her. I was
> really hoping we'd stay together, as the talking had made the miles go
> by quickly. I did see her after I'd turned around, and she was probably
> too far back to catch up now. I made good time coming down, as I'd lost
> time the two miles going up.
>
> I don't even remember much of the time between Biosphere and Oracle
> Junction, where the course turns southward. All I remember is long
> stretch of highway shoulder, but I was keeping my pace mostly sub-9:09.
> After the turn, there's a slight uphill into Saddlebrooke. I was very
> happy that I kept the pace good there, in the past I've had trouble
> keeping a good pace here. Mile 20-21, I ran a solid 9:05. And I still
> felt fine.
>
> At the end of mile 22 I went through a rough patch. I just suddenly
> didn't feel so perky anymore. Same with 23. As I came into 24, that
> feeling went away, and I actually started to pick up the pace. About
> then, of course, my right hip/ham decided they'd had enough, and started
> to crimp up. It wasn't a Charlie horse, but it felt like someone was
> reeling in all the extra muscle, very tight. I had the feeling that if I
> didn't slow down, it might cramp. I slowed, I threw my leg around,
> hopped, jumped, everything but stopped, and the tightness just didn't
> want to go away. So close to the finish!!! We'd left the highway again,
> running slightly downhill eastward, now south again, flat, then westward
> and back uphill. I kept playing leapfrog with a couple of guys who
> looked like they might be experiencing some difficulties also. But
> there, up the hill was the finish chute. So I gritted and kept on, and
> turned to the right to see the line and clock, and realized I'd make it
> just in time.
>
> Oh, and no sign of the pace group. I wonder what happened?
>
> Splits:
>
> 8:22
> 8:38
> 8:50
> 8:57
> 8:47
> 8:39
> 8:50
> 8:44
> 9:00
> 8:57
> 9:37 (up Biosphere)
> 9:39 (ditto)
> 8:28 (down Biosphere)
> 8:56
> 8:46
> 8:57
> 9:12 (don't know)
> 9:08
> 9:27
> 9:07
> 9:05
> 9:11
> 9:47 (Feel like %^&)
> 9:53 (same)
> 10:19
> 10:15
> 1:57
>
> Ahhh! Done at last. My husband rode his bike out and took some pictures,
> I'll try to figure out where to put a few. I stopped walking for a bit
> afterwards and felt just horrible. Once I started walking it went away.
> Then I felt fine. I had a banana, and some recovery water. Then I got on
> the bus to take me back to the car, and chatted with the two fellows I'd
> leapfrogged with during the finish. My husband had already gotten to the
> car, so he could drive me home, though we decided to stop at La Salsa
> and have some deeelicious burritos.
>
> PS- Oddly, I recovered from this marathon exceptionally well. I'm
> already thinking about running tomorrow, as I feel fine. If it isn't
> raining, again!
>
> Teresa in AZ
Teresa: Nice race and a fine report. Thanks and congratulations.
I'm with Dan on the cost of starting out hot. I did it once and it
cost me my goal. It was almost identical to what happened to you, and
I knew I had trained sufficiently for a sub-4, but it didn't happen.
You toughed out a difficlut situation. Good work.
brianj
On Fri, 07 Dec 2007 15:06:10 -0700, Teresa Bippert-Plymate <teresa@as.arizona.edu> wrote:
>Tucson Marathon 2007
>
>Where: Actually, Oracle, AZ, to Catalina, AZ
>When: Dec 2, 2007, 7:30 am
>Web: tucsonmarathon.com
>Weather: Near perfect
>Finish: 3:59:30, 7/34 AG (W 50-54); 158/403 W, 527/1027 OA
>
>Short Version: Since the training didn’t go so well, I would be happy
>with a sub-4 finish. My chip time: 3:59:30. I’m happy.
>....
Nice Report. When did they change the course? 5 years ago while
visiting Tucson I ran the 1/2M. I think both finished at the El
Conquistador Hotel. Where in Catalina was the finish?
You proabably came within a couple of miles of my new house!
--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
"Teresa Bippert-Plymate" <teresa@as.arizona.edu> wrote in message
news:fjcg4l$8ei$1@onion.ccit.arizona.edu...
> Tucson Marathon 2007
>
> Where: Actually, Oracle, AZ, to Catalina, AZ
> When: Dec 2, 2007, 7:30 am
> Web: tucsonmarathon.com
> Weather: Near perfect
> Finish: 3:59:30, 7/34 AG (W 50-54); 158/403 W, 527/1027 OA
....
> PS- Oddly, I recovered from this marathon exceptionally well. I’m already
> thinking about running tomorrow, as I feel fine. If it isn’t raining,
> again!
>
> Teresa in AZ
Congrats on another fine race Teresa! Nice job choosing your own pace. Any
more trail races in the works? Heck if I recovered as well as you do after
long runs/races I'd probably do more ultras because it's fun being out
there - but not if it affects your running for 6 months.
-Tony
Michael/Michelle has made its triumphant return to RRing. The question is:
where was he? Pre-op exams? Hormonal level tests? Getting measured for his
new vagina? Please speak Michael/Michelle.
Good tough race Teresa! Thanks for the report.
I'm with all the others on problems that pacers can cause,
and the too-fast start costing you many times over at the
back end. I wouldn't deliberately run with a pacer, but in the one
major race I've run (London 2005), the sub-3 pacer started
way too fast, and seeing him ahead of me caused me to speed up and
start too fast...
Congrats on the BQ!
Anthony.
I'll try posting this for a second time.
>Tucson Marathon 2007
>
>Where: Actually, Oracle, AZ, to Catalina, AZ
>When: Dec 2, 2007, 7:30 am
>Web: tucsonmarathon.com
>Weather: Near perfect
>Finish: 3:59:30, 7/34 AG (W 50-54); 158/403 W, 527/1027 OA
>
>Short Version: Since the training didn’t go so well, I would be happy
>with a sub-4 finish. My chip time: 3:59:30. I’m happy.
>....
Nice Report. When did they change the course? 5 years ago while
visiting Tucson I ran the 1/2M. I think both finished at the El
Conquistador Hotel. Where in Catalina was the finish?
You proabably came within a couple of miles of my new house!
--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
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