A Long And Winding Road

I have said this many times. 20 miles is a daunting distance. It’s sort of a punishment to later achieve the satisfaction and mental power that we are ready for, at least, to finish a 26.2.

I have done in my short marathon career, about 15 twenty milers, at least one for every marathon I have run, with a max of three. My first 20-mile run ever, in 2007, was very exciting. I was curious with the results (body-feeling speaking). When I finished in 4:27 (13:12 min/mile) I felt absolutely triumphant and ready to hit the paved road of my first marathon. The message always was, time does not matter; the important thing is to cover the distance, especially for the inaugural experience.

The times had been from 3:40 to 4:45 (this one just before Houston). Considering that I was in better shape for Houston than ever, 4:45 was not a thrilling result, but I remember being a horrible 20- miler in the hilliest and steepest course that I could've picked. At mile 16 the legs were ready to quit but mind wasn't. At mile 17 the mind joined the legs, saying 17 hilly miles equal 20 regular. Something in the background said: yeah right; a 2 and a 0 must be registered in the watch. I kept going with nothing in my system. One of the hardest 20-miler I've run... or the hardest??? But as always, I told to myself, the importance is to cover the distance.

And then 2012 came with Big Sur in the plans as the selected spring marathon, and a 20-miler was scheduled as part of Ft. Steilacoom Resolution Races. Because it was a race, I knew I would run it much better than if I was alone by myself meandering through roads for endless hours. The results were more than fantastic. I had a solid run and clocked 3:10:12 for a 9:31 min/mile pace. If I felt in 2007 so ready, I felt now more than geared up to conquer my 7^th state, California.

A week after, I went for another long race, this time a familiar one: 30K (18.6 miles) at Birch Bay. I knew that I would do well, and that I should be under 3 hours according to the 20-mile results. Race results were good. I PRd the distance by 16 min: 3:00:33 for a 9:42 pace. The funny thing was that my body didn't cooperate much. My tummy hurt most of the race (food issues), and my right leg wanted to give out at every step of the way, and be removed and hung like a Spanish Serrano ham leg. I didn't feel good at all, and after 15K I started to lose ground by the K. But, as always I was happy. I still pulled off a good result!!!

Splits:
5K - 29:10 - (29:10)
10K - 58:40 - (29:30)
15K - 1:28:49 - (30:09)
20K - 1:59:48 - (30:59)
25K - 2:31:00 - (31:12)
30K - 3:00:33 - (29:33)

Big Sur should be a success. Though is not a PR course and it’s described as a difficult course, I am in such a shape that I have to do much better than my actual best which is Coeur D’Alene 4:44.

The road to a marathon is not easy: from the training, the 20-mile long runs, the recovery, the nutrition, the hydration, and without question, the mental preparation to just believe and trust the process. The road to a marathon is nothing but A Long And Winding Road.

Ft. Steilacoom 20 miles

Birch Bay 30K (18.6 miles)

Birch Bay 30K (18.6 miles)

Didn't I Nail It?

I have been clueless about what my next marathon pace (MP) would be and really haven’t cared much. Rational: I am very happy with my current training. My goal is to run better without getting concerned on the measure of “better”, and I know that in just 7 weeks, I am running way better!!!

But being 8 weeks from Coeur D’Alene Marathon, I felt the need to have some idea on what my MP would be. My current plan calls for similar long runs than Furman’s, which establishes the paces a run should be done. I decided to use my great Mercer Island results from last week to do the reverse calculations. For the same week than Mercer, Furman called for a 13-miler at MP  + 15 seconds. As I did that race in 10:21, my MP, according to the formula, is 10:06.  Though it seemed a really ambitious MP, I decided to stick to that number.

Plan for this weekend was Birch Bay 30K race (18.6 miles). Furman has an 18-miler at MP + 30. According to MP of 10:06, I should run the 30K race at 10:36, for a finish of 3:17:30. Though I had this number as a not-to-exceed finish time, my primary goal was to run freely at the pace my body dictated. And I ran that way. I had a good idea of how I was running as I passed every K mark and had a watch to tell me how long I have been running for that distance, but other than that I never really knew what pace I was running.

With a course divided in Ks, my race segments where one K at a time. And because they are shorter than segments of one mile, the time flew faster. I had a solid run, I was strong all the way, never felt bad, and nothing went wrong.

I crossed the finish line in 3:16:05 for a 10:32 pace. A 15-min PR. Didn't I Nail It? 

The State Of Being Certain

Marathon Plan - Regressive Countdown - Week Six
03/22/10 - 03/28/10 - Week Total: 24.6 miles

When you follow good advices you reap the benefits. Week Seven I was off... Totally off with the exception of a Pikermi (former Half Marathon) I had registered since December. It was a good run in a tough course. I had battled the fatigue I had.

Half hour after that race I got a terrible cramp in my left leg and Week Six didn't start good. On Monday my leg hurt badly. I was desperate thinking I could not afford more resting. Did some investigation and found that arnica is good to increase blood flow. My mother in law is a blind believer of arnica and she uses it on a regularly basis for everything. Drove 30 min to the closest natural products' store and got the arnica in gel and pills. What the heck, it would not hurt. On Tuesday I was afraid of running, and took another day off. I had battled the cramp.

Tuesday night I got up with the start of a cold. Like a drug-addict, reached my Zicam and started taking it, same with Thera-flu. Another battle, now against the cold.

On Wed with no pain in my leg and with the cold on the leash, I went for a 6-mile run in a 69F sunny afternoon. It was an amazing run. I did intervals of 200 m (not because I needed them) but I could not run faster for longer because I had some respiratory difficulties due to the cold (cold and asthma don't make a good combo).

The week was going to be short of mileage. I didn't run on Thu or Fri because the cold, and focused on another registered race of 30K. Yes, my second-to-last long run before the marathon. The race was Birch Bay International Road Race, in Birch Bay and Blaine, WA (border with Canada), sponsored by American and Canadian companies.

My husband and I rented a cabin to combine the race with a nice getaway by the beach. We got there earlier Fri afternoon, settled in the cabin (wasn't too nice after all), and went to drive along the beach and the race course. Pretty much a flat course, with a beautiful scenery: the strait of Georgia, between Vancouver Island and the mainland Pacific Coast of British Columbia, Canada.

The cabin was located half a mile from the start/finish area, and happened to be the 5K mark and the 29K mark. Good plans for husband to see me going all cheerful with 25K ahead of me and coming all tired with 1K to go. I gave him the best scenario times when I would be running by.

Being a small town there were no hassles to pick up the packet or to park or to anything. I was sharp at opening time - 6:30 on Sat - to pick my bib number and time chip. Went back to the cabin. Had a cup of coffee, a yogurt, and a banana. Guess what was the best part? I had the cabin's bathroom all to myself. At 8:10 we left the cabin and went to the start area (race time 8:30 am). I was happy that my hubby was there with me but really nervous because the lack of mileage on my legs, the cold, and the previous cramp.

Temp 49F, overcast, no wind. Wave one - 6 to 8 min/mile - left. I was in wave two. 10 seconds, kisses to hubby, three, two, one, go.

Everything the race site said about the run, was true: "A spectacular run along the shores of scenic Birch Bay and country roads for serious and recreational runners alike. Inspiring vistas, rural roads in the early morning. A scenic 5 K and 15K along the Bay. The 15K and 30K add rolling rural roads and million dollar views. Measured course, great support...an "A" race class event at international distances. A classic road race in every sense of the word".

Being a metric course changed somehow my perception of the distances. I didn't know if to focus in every K, or in every water station (every 3K). My first focus, for sure, was going to be the 5K mark when I would see my hubby. He was at the beach and came to me, took a picture, kissed me goodbye and took my jacket and gloves as I was already hot. Strategy after that was to stop for water at every station and power walk at 12:30 min/mile to the count of 100 steps.


We left the shore at Km 6, ran through quiet country roads, then had again the Semiahmoo Bay for our eyes to enjoy, went back again inside the country and turned around at Km 17.

At Km 20 I started to ask for an additional cup of water to pour on my face. It was mid 50's and partly sunny. After ten years in Washington State, this tropical girl is so acclimated that mid 50's is hot for her.

I ran good all the way at a steady pace. I felt so good and strong. At no moment I felt tired, or desperate or anything. The only discomfort I had was about Km 25 when the left lower back started to bother me, but it was just a 5K race now, and I was looking forward Km 29 and hubby's face.

And there he was. Waiting for me with a strawberry/banana juice. How sweet that was. I kissed him and continued. It was a one K race now.

Left the beach behind me to face a 0.1 mile tough hill before the finish line. I finished so strong and guess who was there at the finish line. Hubby. I got my medal and hugged him and cried (A LOT).

30K (18.6 miles) is not an easy distance. But after a fatigue diagnosis and the proper rest, I overcame the major hurdles I've had this training season. I still have a 20 miler in 2 weeks, but I know I am ready for Eugene.


I definitely went from staleness, to independence, to The State Of Being Certain.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Time: 3:31:01 - Pace 11:20 min/mile
Splits:
Mile 1: 10:17
Mile 2: 10:36
Mile 3: 10:41
Mile 4: 11:03
Mile 5: 11:12
Mile 6: 11:17
Mile 7: 11:01
Mile 8: 11:36
Mile 9: 11:18
Mile 10: 11:40
Mile 11: 11:23
Mile 12: 11:33
Mile 13: 10:55
Mile 14: 11:23
Mile 15: 11:24
Mile 16: 11:49
Mile 17: 11:31
Mile 18: 11:53
Mile 18.6: 8:21