Sunday, April 5, 2009

Beam Me Up - Martian Marathon Report

Martian Marathon www.martianmarathon.com This was to be my comeback marathon – This is my 1st marathon of my 4th running career (my 11th marathon). I negative split 5 minutes and it felt sooooo good!


My race: Well, it was freezing and windy, as expected for Detroit in April at 7:00 a.m. MSU got in the NCAA Championship game, so I slept like a baby last night! I was mentally ready for any weather, since I had an epiphany a few days ago that no matter how race day weather turns out, I’m just happy to be able to lace ‘em up and run, because there was a time I didn’t think I’d run again, just a couple years ago.

I brushed up on Jim2’s(no, not my Jim, but an online marathon expert) webpage last night for race strategy and adjustment of MP pace. After that, I felt calm and my only dilemma was to be what to wear? Tights or Shorts. 33 degrees at the start with 8 mph winds. NatNat(an onliner) hooked me up with these fast looking arm warmers which were the best! I went with shorts. I wasn’t going to wear a watch (ala MattM-another onliner), then I worried I’d lose my math skills so I grabbed my watch. Good thing, the mile markers weren’t timed, but they did have a plastic blow up Martian guy on each mile marker post, which was cool, because I high-fived every one with my left hand as I passed it, much like a dork. Yep, high-fiving a blow up doll.

The Course:It’s an out and back course and the 2nd half was into the headwind, so I had to bank some energy to fight it. The wind wasn’t going to mess with me. Not today.

1 10:10
2 9:36
3 9:23
4 10:41 (long way to the bathroom up a hill)
5 9:20
6 9:24
7 9:32 I started to panic a little, like I was going too fast, remembering Jim2’s advice. “If you don’t think you’re going too slow up to mile 10, then you’re probably going too fast.” “You have to Correct Immediately BlackBear.” So I intentionally slowed down for the next few miles.
8 9:45.
9 9:41
10 9:46 I thought, “that’s good, I’m going to need some energy for the headwind coming out of the East for the way back.”
11 9:39 Everyone seemed to pass me in the first 10 miles. And I mean everyone. That’s okay, I kept telling myself, “I will pick them off, one-by-one in the last 6 miles.”
12 9:23
13 9:37
2:07 for the 1st half – although I didn’t ‘split’ my watch at the 13.1

14 9:32 “Dang, this is windy. Start using the banked energy”
15 9:38 (ran off to the side of the road to the ‘non-bathroom’ bathroom – hopefully I will not be on Marathoners Gone Wild)
16 9:21 I started passing people.
17 9:31 A lot of people
18 9:26 I
19 9:24 Passed
20 9:31 Everyone.
21 9:15 One-
22 8:51 By-
23 9:05 One.
24 9:19 Just Like
25 9:25 I said I would at mile 10
26 9:03 “Bye Bye Martians” as I tapped the last blow-up Martian on the head.
26.2 1:46

2:02 for the 2nd half (This is the same time I had in the Arizona HM just 10 weeks ago and believe me, I did not dog it at Arizona)

4:09:17 on my watch. Don’t have an official time yet. Wall? What wall? I never hit it. I can even walk down stairs. I can’t believe it Well, tomorrow I suppose I will be walking them backwards.

I'm a believer: Lots of slow mileage exclusively (well, with a few tempos thrown in to keep it fresh) seems to work for me.

Next up: Cleveland in 6 weeks
and hoping to get a little better weather conditions and maybe slim 8 minutes and 17 seconds off for my BQ 4:00:59 and also slim a few pounds off of my beer tummy. Although, the 3 Blue Moons I’ve had today is not helping things.

9 comments:

  1. Yeah! Congratulations, you had a fabulous race! I love the way you write.

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  2. Seems like it came so easy for you today. If only they were all like that! Congrats again for an incredible race today. Happy celebrating (because I know you are).

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  3. I commented on the RWOL but CONGRATULATIONS again! I'm still giggling over the high-fiving the blow-up dolls....

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  4. Great Job!!!!!

    Nothing better than high-fiving a blow-up doll.

    Go State!!!

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  5. Mary, GREAT JOB!!!!! The thing to remember about high-fiving blow-up dolls is to never lose track of your rhythm.
    Negative splits, you crazy woman! I had positive splits. In fact, what's one step beyond positive splits? I had catastrophic entropy splits!
    I'm not sure about D-AA now. I'm in pretty rotten shape, as my race on Sunday proved.
    Again, great job. You're a beast, and I want you.
    J

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  6. So I suppose a blowup martian is going to replace Frosty on your front lawn. Great run.

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  7. What a great race! I know I've told you already, but Cleveland is going to be awesome for you!!

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  8. Hey! I thought your pictures from the Martian were awesome! You looked exuberant. I just looked exhausted in mine. :)

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  9. Hey Mary, great seeing you at the club...sad though to know you won't be coming in anymore. But, running outside is the best! Loved your blog!! Again, CONGRATS on the Martian race!!!

    MaryAnn

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