BlackBear at Cleveland

This has been me (above) since the Philadelphia Marathon in November. Immediately after Philly, I signed up for the Cleveland Marathon to seek some retribution. I didn't know I'd be off so long for knee injury, so I switched to the half, and even then knowing I'd be running a half, I was basically Black Bear Eating and Black Bear Goofing Off.

So today was the day of reckoning: I went in feeling pretty undertrained, having run just a couple of 10 milers in the last few months and very sporadically otherwise. Last year, I ran this in 1:54 and definitely had some gas in the tank that day, because I DNF'd the full at the halfway point - so really I think I could've been around 1:52ish. Coulda Shoulda Woulda.

I started out kinda slow and felt really sluggish. I went out to dinner Saturday night with an imaginary friend, Connie, who lives in Cleveland. I felt so sluggish the first few miles, I couldn't believe it. Maybe it was the rueben with coleslaw and the fries and 2 beers. :-0 My garmin wouldn't pick up a satellite for several minutes which is why it only shows at 12.9 miles instead of 13.1.

At the 5 mile point, I looked at my watch and saw I was looking at way over 2:00. So, I just stopped looking at my watch-lah lah lah lah. Amazingly, I started feeling better - I think after I had 4 waters at one stop. Cleveland, even though there's this giant lake right there is deceivingly hilly (freeway overpasses -long long uphill pulls so annoying they never end) and why it decides to be windy today of all days.

Split Time Avg HR
1 11:22 152
2 09:15 153
3 09:15 153
4 08:48 158
5 08:54 157
6 09:04 158
7 08:37 161
8 08:44 162 - This is where the hills really start. Strangely, I felt like I was really slow in here.
9 09:01 165 This is where I thought, I'm going to finish.
10 08:16 167 This is where I thought (about 25 seconds later), I'm NOT going to finish.
11 09:03 170
12 08:42 169
13 07:24 173 I am shocked at this split, my legs felt like cement.
Summary 1:56 161 (avg)

So, I came in 26/219 division, and 1310/4614 overall. yep yep, that and a dime gets you nothing.

Here's a little map of the route and if you click on the little "show details" in the corner, I think it will take you to my fascinating heart rate graphs and pace graphs. LOL.



So, I'm satisfied considering the lame training I've done!