Tucson Marathon

Been meaning to say:

Wooooooooooooo hoooooooooooooooooo!

Way to go!
--
Brian P. Baresch
Fort Worth, Texas, USA
Professional editing and proofreading

If you're going through hell, keep going. --Winston Churchill

Teresa Bippert-Plymate said:

[bike seat problems]

It's mainly getting used to it. If you ride all the time, it stops
hurting. But(t?), then, other things happen ... it's just not natural,
no matter how you slice it.

Quoted message said:

Thanks, but won't make Boston this year, have other plans. One
of these days....

Ultra? You are worthy, worthy indeed.

I don't know if it's true, but my dad (who BQ'd at Tucson a few yrs
back) thinks he diverted his result for a year, which, if true,
suggests you could sit on the result until '07 ... which would be more
comfortable than a Flite SLR saddle, to be sure.

John

Teresa Bippert-Plymate said:

Interesting! That's something I will try. Thanks, Phil!

I'm not saying it will work, but it's something to try maybe on a 20+
mile run. It also might be good to experiment with them as you head
into the realm of ultra running. I've never taken S! caps pre-run, but
I've never had the issue you had during the marathon. I usually will
take one about a half hour to an hour into the run, then every hour
after that. I don't use them on runs lasting less than 3 hours, unless
it is 90°+ heat heat and I'm sweating buckets and drinking buckets.

You can get S! caps here - http://tinyurl.com/62mrd. I ordered a bottle
in July '04 and still have half of it left.

--
Phil M.

John Derby said:

Teresa Bippert-Plymate said:

[bike seat problems]

It's mainly getting used to it. If you ride all the time, it stops
hurting. But(t?), then, other things happen ... it's just not natural,
no matter how you slice it.

That's part of the problem, I ride for awhile then quit, ride, quit...
must get into a steady state.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Thanks, but won't make Boston this year, have other plans. One
of these days....

Ultra? You are worthy, worthy indeed.

At a very easy pace. Just to see if I can do it...

Quoted message said:

I don't know if it's true, but my dad (who BQ'd at Tucson a few yrs
back) thinks he diverted his result for a year, which, if true,
suggests you could sit on the result until '07 ... which would be more
comfortable than a Flite SLR saddle, to be sure.

John

Yep, Tucson does give two year's worth of BQ, so I am qualified for
2007 also. I think that may be why it seems most of the runners here
seem to be from out-of-state, tyring to get a BQ.

Flites's don't work for me at all! The best is the Terry
Butterfly, even tho' I hate the way it looks.

Teresa in AZ

Thanks Brian, from the both us of I assume? Glad to
see you back on the boards again, haven't seen a lot
of you lately!

Teresa in AZ

Brian Baresch said:

Been meaning to say:

Wooooooooooooo hoooooooooooooooooo!

Way to go!

Quoted message said:

Thanks Brian, from the both us of I assume? Glad to
see you back on the boards again, haven't seen a lot
of you lately!

I haven't been running much this year. Lost motivation after Boston.
Gonna try to get out there today.
--
Brian P. Baresch
Fort Worth, Texas, USA
Professional editing and proofreading

If you're going through hell, keep going. --Winston Churchill

Teresa,
Interesting and amusing account of your run!
I ran the half-marathon along with my two brothers
and two sisters. Ages 46 to 55. Luckily,none of us had any bodily
function or equipment issues(we'd admit to). I ran in poly-pro long
sleeve shirt,shorts,light pair of gloves and nothing on my head but
hair. Nippy before the start, but I warmed up quickly.
Much better than last year before the race,with all huddling around
heaters in a cold drizzle!

It was a great place to get together for a family reunion.
Coming from PA, a few days of 70 degree weather was luxurious.
We went out to the Desert Museum, which was awesome!
During the Raptor Free Flight, hawks were swooping within inches of my
head! At 6'6", I'm just happy they chose the nearest sagauro cactus to
perch on and not my head.

Overall, I thought the run was well-organized and staff very friendly.
I can only quibble about the buses not leaving from the hotel this year
and the unripe bananas at the finish. Pretty minor complaints.
After missing me in the Clydesdale results, they were nice enough to
re-post. At 1:56.28, it was a PR for me by 5 minutes!

I wrote a corny limerick to commemorate our trip:

If siblings Jackie, Jeanne, Steve, Pete and Phil
Can run 13 miles, (though it's mostly downhill).

In spite of age, bad hips and sore knees
That seems better than most family trees

So, let's have a toast and a glucosamine pill!

Best of luck to all.
Pete LaBerge

Teresa Bippert-Plymate said:

Results will eventually be posted at: www.tucsonmarathon.com
Probably around 30F at start, warming to high 50's or low 60's.

Short Version:

Unofficially, 3:58:11. Had a lot of equipment/weird problems.
No PR, though still a BQ, and kept my Grand Prix lead.

Long Version:

I thought I was well-prepared. I'd packed and double-checked
everything the night before. Had a big pasta dinner early, went
to bed early and slept well. Made excellent time to the parking
area, taking my "secret" back way in (and saw a huge line of
lights backed up for miles the other way, hehe!) Followed a
couple of stray vehicles to a side parking lot I didn't know
existed, completely avoiding the parking mess. What a find!
Boarded my bus, yakked with a lady from San Diego. The bus
*did not* get lost this year, first time in two years. Bus pulls
up in long line of buses, I use the porta-pot, then get back on
and stay warm. Close to start, I get off and join the throngs
walking forward to the start area. Go potty again. Take off
sweats and put on my trash bag, head rag, and sock gloves. And
discover I'd forgotten my sweat band. Darn. I always wear a terry-
cloth sweat band when I run. In winter it covers my ears to keep
them warm, in summer I pull the back end up to raise my hair up
an inch above the neckline for air. Drop bag in drop bag bus.

Anyway, I jog around about 10 mins to warm up some, so I can
stretch my quad spot a little without worrying about injuring it.
Everything feels OK. I joke with another guy wearing a "hobo
outfit" like mine. The gun goes off right on time without tons
of announcements etc delaying it. I start off slowly and easily
(can't even jog until after the chip mat anyway, then only slowly
for a bit due to the crowd). At one mile I have to pee. I find the
most convenient-looking area to do it quickly. And I'm now warm
enough to get rid of the trash bag. And then, during mile 3, I have
to pee *again*! After that I get rid of the piece of fleece rag
under my sunvisor I'd been using to keep warm. I felt I was at the
crossover time where it would be better to let the heat out than
hold it in. It's then that I discovered that the sun visor is
too big without the forgotten sweat band. With the rag gone, it
keeps slipping down over my eyes and I have to keep pushing it up.
I slow a bit and see if I can adjust. It's already at it's smallest.
I grab a hair tie and bundle up a ponytail, and it helps to have
that to hold it in place, though it still slides down now and then.

At mile four it's time to shed my turtleneck. I dug out an old
white t-neck that was stretched and stained and could use to be
retired. But it was tough, it was one of my old, comfy ones and I
hated to just dump it. Though I guess it was an honorable retirement
to go by way of marathon. And then, I had to pee AGAIN. This was
getting quite annoying. I held until about mile 6 until I just had
to find another bush. Around mile 7 the sock gloves went. And a wind
started to pick up, coming from the right rear quarter. I thought
"Oh good, a tailwind!" but the wind started causing problems. I had
my race number mounted on a number belt, and the race number's holes
didn't line up with the belt's so I'd made new holes. Well, I got the
right one too big, and the wind's whipping the number around made it
come out of the snaps. Repeatedly. Another mistake I made, I brought
the cell phone so I could call Claude afterwards to arrange lunch. I
put the phone on the number belt in the small of my back. It kept
trying to travel all around my body, making the number shift all over
too. So I'm trying to race a marathon, as I'm pushing up a sliding
sun visor, and constantly turning a number belt, and reattaching the
number. I was very annoyed at myself for all this silliness. Oh, and
at mile 9 I had to pee again. But that was the last time. And this
time I ran out through some brambles. I looked like I'd lost a war
with a cat, I'd scratched my legs up so much another runner asked I
I knew my leg was bleeding. ARgh!! Around mile 10 I was getting a
rub spot under an arm (I was wearing a sleeveless running shirt), so
I grabbed my little sample tube of Aquaphor to salve it. (I was
wearing my shorts with back pockets). In the process of getting it
out, I dropped a gel pack and knocked the phone off, into the highway
lane! Luckily no one was there and ran it over before I stopped,
turned around, and retrieved it. Also stopped and got the gel pack.

This is all not very condusive to concentrating on one's running.
My pace was all over the board, and I was thinking more about all
the stuff staying in place than about the race! I tried to snap the
paper (tyvek I think) into the belt without luck. Finally, around
maybe mile 14 I slowed way down, put a lot of muscle into it, and
snapped it through the paper. It then never came off again. One
solved. Oh, and did I mention that when I made the ponytail I missed
some strands, which then, due to the wind, kept blowing into my
mouth? Har!

For a little bit I actually though about the running again. I had
been now and then going through the relax sequence. Probably around
mile 17 my hams tightened up some, and I was then keeping some notice
of them so they wouldn't cramp like they did in the 10-mile race.
So far all the eating and drinking had gone perfectly. My stomach was
as fine as could be. Of course, my quads were getting pretty tired and
beat (it's a net downhill course), but so far much better than in the
past. One more wonderful goof, grabbing for some gels from the Clif
folks (around mile 20), I dropped them. What's with all the klutz
today?? I pick them up and go. The Clif folks also had their new
Clif Bloks out and I took two and ate them. These are GREAT- they are
electrolyte replacement in an organic gummy cube. They taste good
and my stomach liked them too. I actually felt better and more
energetic after the cubes. Anyway, for a bit I am able to pick it
up some, and actually concentrate on the race. I've realized long
ago that a PR is completely out of the picture, but I am still within
the BQ. I just have to come in under 4:00. This was actually the best
finish I've ever had in a marathon. I usually fade badly the last
miles, this time I kept about the same. I was *passing* people, which
is unusual!! And I encouraged a few that I'd talked to earlier that
were fading. I even had quite the decent sprint finish, passing
four guys in the last 0.2 miles. One even yelled out "hey, not
fair!"

So I'm calling this a real learning experience. No cell phones. Snap
the number in through the paper, forget the holes. Don't forget the
sweat band. Don't overhydrate, if possible. It wasn't my body that
was the failing this time, it was the mind. I wasn't concentrating
on the race, I was futzing with all the little annoyances. I am of
course stiff and sore today, but MUCH less than usual. One small toe
blister, one small rub spot, right hip (prob ITB) is a little sore,
scratched legs. That's it. No real injuries. I expect to be 100% really
soon. Though does make me wonder how I might have done had I been
concentrating on the race!

Splits:
9:23
9:04
9:02
9:08
8:23
9:00
8:24
8:44
9:09
8:55
9:06
9:14
9:21
9:31
9:03
9:25
8:38
8:42
8:39
9:22
9:48
8:54
9:34
9:23
9:06

avg pace ~9:05 or 6

Thanks for reading!

Teresa in AZ (W 45-49 in case you're wondering)

Good luck! Sounds like you need to choose a race somewhere
beautiful and exotic...

Teresa in AZ

Brian Baresch said:

Quoted message said:

Thanks Brian, from the both us of I assume? Glad to
see you back on the boards again, haven't seen a lot
of you lately!

I haven't been running much this year. Lost motivation after Boston.
Gonna try to get out there today.

Wow, congrats Pete! I like the poem. It's great you got to have
a family reunion race, I only dream of such an event (a lot of my
family is obese :-()And big congrats on the PR! Yes, it was
*much* warmer this year than last. My husband's run the half
several times and made comments about the big huddle. For the
full we get to keep our buses, which is nice. (Anyway, they
can't leave until we do!)

I agree about the race, it's pretty well-run and organized,
but I too was a bit unhappy with the green bananas. A banana
sounded good, but not a green one!

Give my kudos to your relatives too!

Teresa in AZ

PS- Yes, the Desert Museum is the #1 attraction I usually tell
folks to visit when they're here.

Pete LaBerge said:

Teresa,
Interesting and amusing account of your run!
I ran the half-marathon along with my two brothers
and two sisters. Ages 46 to 55. Luckily,none of us had any bodily
function or equipment issues(we'd admit to). I ran in poly-pro long
sleeve shirt,shorts,light pair of gloves and nothing on my head but
hair. Nippy before the start, but I warmed up quickly.
Much better than last year before the race,with all huddling around
heaters in a cold drizzle!

It was a great place to get together for a family reunion.
Coming from PA, a few days of 70 degree weather was luxurious.
We went out to the Desert Museum, which was awesome!
During the Raptor Free Flight, hawks were swooping within inches of my
head! At 6'6", I'm just happy they chose the nearest sagauro cactus to
perch on and not my head.

Overall, I thought the run was well-organized and staff very friendly.
I can only quibble about the buses not leaving from the hotel this year
and the unripe bananas at the finish. Pretty minor complaints.
After missing me in the Clydesdale results, they were nice enough to
re-post. At 1:56.28, it was a PR for me by 5 minutes!

I wrote a corny limerick to commemorate our trip:

If siblings Jackie, Jeanne, Steve, Pete and Phil
Can run 13 miles, (though it's mostly downhill).

In spite of age, bad hips and sore knees
That seems better than most family trees

So, let's have a toast and a glucosamine pill!

Best of luck to all.
Pete LaBerge

Teresa Bippert-Plymate said:

Results will eventually be posted at: www.tucsonmarathon.com
Probably around 30F at start, warming to high 50's or low 60's.

Short Version:

Unofficially, 3:58:11. Had a lot of equipment/weird problems.
No PR, though still a BQ, and kept my Grand Prix lead.

Long Version:

I thought I was well-prepared. I'd packed and double-checked
everything the night before. Had a big pasta dinner early, went
to bed early and slept well. Made excellent time to the parking
area, taking my "secret" back way in (and saw a huge line of
lights backed up for miles the other way, hehe!) Followed a
couple of stray vehicles to a side parking lot I didn't know
existed, completely avoiding the parking mess. What a find!
Boarded my bus, yakked with a lady from San Diego. The bus
*did not* get lost this year, first time in two years. Bus pulls
up in long line of buses, I use the porta-pot, then get back on
and stay warm. Close to start, I get off and join the throngs
walking forward to the start area. Go potty again. Take off
sweats and put on my trash bag, head rag, and sock gloves. And
discover I'd forgotten my sweat band. Darn. I always wear a terry-
cloth sweat band when I run. In winter it covers my ears to keep
them warm, in summer I pull the back end up to raise my hair up
an inch above the neckline for air. Drop bag in drop bag bus.

Anyway, I jog around about 10 mins to warm up some, so I can
stretch my quad spot a little without worrying about injuring it.
Everything feels OK. I joke with another guy wearing a "hobo
outfit" like mine. The gun goes off right on time without tons
of announcements etc delaying it. I start off slowly and easily
(can't even jog until after the chip mat anyway, then only slowly
for a bit due to the crowd). At one mile I have to pee. I find the
most convenient-looking area to do it quickly. And I'm now warm
enough to get rid of the trash bag. And then, during mile 3, I have
to pee *again*! After that I get rid of the piece of fleece rag
under my sunvisor I'd been using to keep warm. I felt I was at the
crossover time where it would be better to let the heat out than
hold it in. It's then that I discovered that the sun visor is
too big without the forgotten sweat band. With the rag gone, it
keeps slipping down over my eyes and I have to keep pushing it up.
I slow a bit and see if I can adjust. It's already at it's smallest.
I grab a hair tie and bundle up a ponytail, and it helps to have
that to hold it in place, though it still slides down now and then.

At mile four it's time to shed my turtleneck. I dug out an old
white t-neck that was stretched and stained and could use to be
retired. But it was tough, it was one of my old, comfy ones and I
hated to just dump it. Though I guess it was an honorable retirement
to go by way of marathon. And then, I had to pee AGAIN. This was
getting quite annoying. I held until about mile 6 until I just had
to find another bush. Around mile 7 the sock gloves went. And a wind
started to pick up, coming from the right rear quarter. I thought
"Oh good, a tailwind!" but the wind started causing problems. I had
my race number mounted on a number belt, and the race number's holes
didn't line up with the belt's so I'd made new holes. Well, I got the
right one too big, and the wind's whipping the number around made it
come out of the snaps. Repeatedly. Another mistake I made, I brought
the cell phone so I could call Claude afterwards to arrange lunch. I
put the phone on the number belt in the small of my back. It kept
trying to travel all around my body, making the number shift all over
too. So I'm trying to race a marathon, as I'm pushing up a sliding
sun visor, and constantly turning a number belt, and reattaching the
number. I was very annoyed at myself for all this silliness. Oh, and
at mile 9 I had to pee again. But that was the last time. And this
time I ran out through some brambles. I looked like I'd lost a war
with a cat, I'd scratched my legs up so much another runner asked I
I knew my leg was bleeding. ARgh!! Around mile 10 I was getting a
rub spot under an arm (I was wearing a sleeveless running shirt), so
I grabbed my little sample tube of Aquaphor to salve it. (I was
wearing my shorts with back pockets). In the process of getting it
out, I dropped a gel pack and knocked the phone off, into the highway
lane! Luckily no one was there and ran it over before I stopped,
turned around, and retrieved it. Also stopped and got the gel pack.

This is all not very condusive to concentrating on one's running.
My pace was all over the board, and I was thinking more about all
the stuff staying in place than about the race! I tried to snap the
paper (tyvek I think) into the belt without luck. Finally, around
maybe mile 14 I slowed way down, put a lot of muscle into it, and
snapped it through the paper. It then never came off again. One
solved. Oh, and did I mention that when I made the ponytail I missed
some strands, which then, due to the wind, kept blowing into my
mouth? Har!

For a little bit I actually though about the running again. I had
been now and then going through the relax sequence. Probably around
mile 17 my hams tightened up some, and I was then keeping some notice
of them so they wouldn't cramp like they did in the 10-mile race.
So far all the eating and drinking had gone perfectly. My stomach was
as fine as could be. Of course, my quads were getting pretty tired and
beat (it's a net downhill course), but so far much better than in the
past. One more wonderful goof, grabbing for some gels from the Clif
folks (around mile 20), I dropped them. What's with all the klutz
today?? I pick them up and go. The Clif folks also had their new
Clif Bloks out and I took two and ate them. These are GREAT- they are
electrolyte replacement in an organic gummy cube. They taste good
and my stomach liked them too. I actually felt better and more
energetic after the cubes. Anyway, for a bit I am able to pick it
up some, and actually concentrate on the race. I've realized long
ago that a PR is completely out of the picture, but I am still within
the BQ. I just have to come in under 4:00. This was actually the best
finish I've ever had in a marathon. I usually fade badly the last
miles, this time I kept about the same. I was *passing* people, which
is unusual!! And I encouraged a few that I'd talked to earlier that
were fading. I even had quite the decent sprint finish, passing
four guys in the last 0.2 miles. One even yelled out "hey, not
fair!"

So I'm calling this a real learning experience. No cell phones. Snap
the number in through the paper, forget the holes. Don't forget the
sweat band. Don't overhydrate, if possible. It wasn't my body that
was the failing this time, it was the mind. I wasn't concentrating
on the race, I was futzing with all the little annoyances. I am of
course stiff and sore today, but MUCH less than usual. One small toe
blister, one small rub spot, right hip (prob ITB) is a little sore,
scratched legs. That's it. No real injuries. I expect to be 100% really
soon. Though does make me wonder how I might have done had I been
concentrating on the race!

Splits:
9:23
9:04
9:02
9:08
8:23
9:00
8:24
8:44
9:09
8:55
9:06
9:14
9:21
9:31
9:03
9:25
8:38
8:42
8:39
9:22
9:48
8:54
9:34
9:23
9:06

avg pace ~9:05 or 6

Thanks for reading!

Teresa in AZ (W 45-49 in case you're wondering)