Race Recap: Eugene Marathon

I haven't been this anxious going into a race in a really long time. My nerves were shot and my brain was on overdrive. Eugene was my A race of the spring, but I was not feeling ready. And yet, I came to Eugene, Oregon prepared to give it my best effort. This would be my last full marathon in awhile and I felt pressure to do well (completely all my own doing). My training goal was to hit a 4:15 marathon, but the time to beat was 4:18 for a new PR. What do you know... I split the difference - somewhere between satisfied with a new PR, but yet not completely happy.

Pre-Race Activities in Eugene... read here.

We arrived at the starting line with ample time to take our turn in the portapotties, grab some pre-race photos and then line up in corral C. I was a big fat bundle of nerves. I plugged an earbud in and listened to This Is The Time by Billy Joel. It helped relax me and yet gave me focus at the same time.

Alma, Kim, me and Sally

I lined up behind the 4:15 pace group. My plan was to try to stick with them for the first half - mainly to keep me honest in the beginning. But their pace felt inconsistent to me, and running with a big pack got annoying. So after the third mile, I moved ahead to give myself some distance.
Mile 1 - 9:48
Mile 2 - 9:11
Mile 3 - 9:28

I decided not to carry my water bottle for this marathon. Instead, my plan was to grab from the water stations - small amounts but often. Staying true, I grabbed a cup within the 4th mile against my inner will. I was trying to run this race with my head rather than my heart. I tend to come to the start line with a great race plan... and then toss it all out while I run.

The first part of the race was kind of a blur to me, mostly neighborhoods. By mile 7, we ran by Amazon Park, which was a pretty change of scenery. The road had a bad slant, so I concentrated on my footing and trying to find the flattest area. Then suddenly, I smelled something horrible... It snapped me out of my focus to glance around. That's when I SAW it... the woman in front of me had crapped her pants!! Seriously, poop all down her capris! It took everything I had not to hurl. I sped up and got around her quickly. OMG, it really does happen.
Mile 4 - 9:34
Mile 5 - 9:22
Mile 6 - 9:23  **GU
Mile 7 - 9:25

Right at the mile 8 marker, we hit a significant hill. The steepness of the climb surprised me. There were quite a few spectators on the hill so that helped to keep pushing forward. By mile 9, we were re-entering the university area, right past the finish line. Man, I hate seeing or even hearing the finish when I have 17 more miles to go. Ugh.

The route crossed over the Willamette River and we entered a trail that led into a peaceful park setting. I noticed Kim and Sally up ahead, but lacked any kind of energy to try and catch them. I was having a hard time finding "my groove" in this run. I was all business and not enjoying it much. Very unlike me, but I just couldn't find my "run happy" mode.
Mile 8 - 9:27
Mile 9 - 9:44
Mile 10 - 9:38

At 10.5, we split from half marathoners and zigged along a nice wooded trail.  Shortly, we emptied out into a residential area. The next 5 miles were a boring stretch through neighborhoods in Springfield. At mile 12, I felt tired - which then wore on my confidence since it was way too early to be feeling this way. For the first time, I slowed to a walk through the water station to catch my breathe.  Then came the halfway point, and the math game began for the rest of the race. With the first half in the bank, I quickly calculated that my pace needed to stay just under 10 min/miles to keep the 4:15 in striking distance.
Mile 11 - 9:45
Mile 12 - 9:44
Mile 13 - 9:55  **GU
Half Split - 2:05:28
Mile 14 - 9:38
Mile 15 - 9:55

Shortly before mile 16, we entered into Alton Baker Park. I let out a big breathe, knowing that the worst of the course was behind me. The remaining miles twisted through parks and followed the shoreline of the river. It was pretty and peaceful, but then spots where a burst of spectators would remind me this was a race.  I tried to keep my pace just outside the comfort zone. However, by mile 18, the sun came out and the new heat compounded my exhaustion. I felt my legs slowing down, and before I knew it, the 4:15 pace group was passing me. Sh*t!
Mile 16 - 9:44
Mile 17 - 9:45
Mile 18 - 10:12  **GU

I tried to hang onto the pace group, letting them drag me along. At the mile 20 water stop, I dawdled longer than necessary. Before I knew it, it felt like the pace group sprinted ahead. I began breaking up the remaining miles up into manageable pieces. At this point, I focused on getting to the Owosso Bridge, where the course would turn back towards the finish. This of course, required a little climb to get up and over the bridge. My legs were hating life at that moment... and I turned on my music for the first time - mainly to block out the spectators on the bridge. "Oh, it's just a little hill. You can do it... blah, blah, blah"  I just wasn't in the mood to hear it.
Mile 19 - 10:12
Mile 20 - 10:19
Mile 21 - 10:03

I was now walking through every water station, eagerly looking for any reason to stop running. When I saw the 10:33 split flash on my watch, it kinda woke me up out of a trance. I've gotta keep this together! I was thankful that I took the time to tweek my playlist. The perfect song seemed to talk me forward, step by step.
Mile 22 - 10:33   **GU
Mile 23 - 10:01

With two miles to go, I got a sudden strain in my right groin muscle. It was downright painful and nearly stopped me in my tracks. Then a pain across the top of my left foot... Shoot, I was falling apart! I had a hard conversation with myself. This was it... 2 miles to go. "No doubt. No excuses. No fear." had been my mantra throughout the race... and I was using it in full force right now. I pushed through the pain, determined to finish this thing. The last few miles were so incredibly hard for me, and I'm positive my face showed it. Every time I glanced at a spectator, their face gave me this "you poor thing" look. I focused on the pavement ahead and stopping looking up.
Mile 24 - 10:23
Mile 25 - 10:10

By now, I knew the 4:15 goal is gone, but a PR was still within grasp if I didn't totally give up. My math skills were getting fuzzy, so I just pushed forward as hard as I could.  Empty the tank... Use it all up!  We ran past a softball game in progress. I don't even like playing softball, but at that moment, it looked like a lot more fun. Suddenly, we turned a corner and headed up a long incline. I recognized it from where we had parked earlier. Holy crap, I'm really close to the finish! I found some energy and pushed down the final stretch.

Thanks Kim for the great shot!

Mile 26 - 9:49

and change...
Right at mile 26, I heard and saw Kim and Alma cheering me on. Somehow they forced a smile out of me. The ending happened all too quickly. I came into Hayward Field, turned onto the track and gave all the speed left in me. Regrettably, I didn't even look around or soak in the magnificent atmosphere of this sacred track. I practically fell across the finish line... or so it felt.

Oregon - State #13

Full Marathon #5

Official Chip Time 4:16:53

~ 9:48 average pace ~

PR over 2012 Wisconsin Marathon by 2:03

Overall  #1617 out of 2565

Female  #671 out of 1221

Division 122 out of 210

I have mixed emotions on this race, which made it incredibly hard to make the time to recap it... and even more taxing to relive it. Yup, I just finished with tears.  Eugene was a mentally and physically tough run for me. I PR'ed and yet there was no jubilation at the finish or even a runner's high afterward. Instead, I couldn't shake the feeling of great relief. I was more pleased it was over than about a new PR. So I'm done with full marathons for awhile... back to 13.1 where I can run hard, have fun and not fall apart. Next up... the IronMom Half in Paducah, KY on May 11.

Three Things Thursday

Random thoughts post Eugene Marathon...

ONE
I've completed numerous races and flushed through a variety of training cycles, so I'm confident that not much catches me off guard... until this past marathon. My body gave me some surprises during and after Eugene.

• I felt tired early (mile 12ish) but mentally shut that down quickly. I was frustrated that it began at such a low mile marker.
• My calf muscles took the brunt of pain in this race. Not only were they screaming sore post-race, but the hurt began during the marathon. This is odd simply because I never ever have calf issues. My quads and glutes are typically the sore muscles after a race. This time, not so much. 
• Pain on the bottoms of my feet have been an issue for me during long runs (and my past two marathons). This time... nothing! I'm happy about that, but it still surprised me. I did run in brand new shoes - which is suppose to be a no-no, right?
• I almost always get chaffing under my bra line during long runs... always. Last Sunday, Eugene was warmer temps than I've been used to, which should make it worse... but instead, I went 100% chaffe-free. Thank you Vasoline.

TWO
When you live in the Midwest - basically farm country, corn fields and super flat - don't believe course descriptions like "This course is flat and fast." from those in mountain ranges. They haven't had the luxury of running a true flat course like Illinois, Quad Cities or Wisconsin. It's all about perspective.  Eugene was not hill-infected per say, but there were some elevation challenges. I swear the climb at mile 8 was never going to end... and I don't remember any downhills (ha!)... but I do remember a beautiful course. Perhaps one of the most "green" race routes I've ever run. Totally worth the handful of climbs.

Eugene Elevation Chart... I just don't believe any of it.

THREE
I'm still content with my decision of No More 26.2 this year. I was worried that after finishing Eugene, I'd be all giddy and tempted to register for another.  I'm not.  In fact, I feel great relief that it's done... over.  Oddly enough, I didn't even experience a runner's high after this PR. What the?  I'm confused by it, but it just tells me that my gut feelings were right.  It's time to get excited about 13.1 again.  I've already been working on my next training plan for the Fox Cities Half (Sept)... and feeling excited for my family's camping trip to Kentucky over Mother's Day weekend, where I'll run the IronMom Half.

Pre-Race in Eugene

I'm back from Eugene, Oregon. What a fun trip!  In case, you didn't hear, I scored a new marathon P.R.  But I'll save those details for another day. Today's post is about everything before the big race.

I spent pretty much all day on Friday traveling from Illinois to Oregon. I used the long flights to study the course map, prepare my mental game and conduct a proper race visualization. I tried to figure out where my rough spots would be, how I'd feel, and how to push forward. I memorized my mantras and locked down a fueling plan. By time I exited the plane, I was pumped up and ready to run.

I flew into Portland and was instantly in love with the scenery. It was so different from Illinois with rolling mountains (what we call hills in Illinois don't even compare!). Everything was in full bloom and so green compared to home. I felt like I stepped right into summertime and it was gorgeous. It was perfect weather for my entire stay - until the downpour rain on my return drive to the airport on Monday - but it's not a true northwest experience unless it rains, right?!

Kim from (Just) Trying is for Little Girls graciously hosted me for several nights of my Oregon visit. We hung out in Albany, an hour north of Eugene, for the first evening. My body was completely off kilter from the time zone change. I slept horrible and had eye problems throughout the night. Come morning, my left eye was beat red with a big white spot on the iris and incredibly sensitive to light. Kim and Alma navigated our trip to Eugene while I hid in the backseat trying to ice my eye with a water cup. Hilarious in hindsight and yet at the time, I wanted to cry...

Once in Eugene, we hit up Off the Waffle and VooDoo Doughnuts, which I'm told is a must-visit in Eugene. After years of working in bakeries and frying doughnuts, I'm not much of a morning-food kind of gal... so I stuck with my typical Luna bar and coffee. With 26.2 facing me the next day, I wanted to stick to my regular routine of food, avoid sweets, and that "heavy" feeling I get from overeating.

SHAKEOUT RUN on Pre's Trail
I watched all the Pre movies leading up to this trip to Eugene. The story of Steve Prefontaine touched me and I was excited to be on his hallowed ground... running in the footsteps of legends!!  It was not a letdown. The paths of Pre's Trail that wound through Alton Baker Park were absolutely gorgeous. Tucked away in the center of the city, these red-bark lined trails were surrounded with serene wilderness. I loved every step I took, but was careful not to run too fast or too long. I think we did about 3 miles. By far, this was the best part of my trip to Eugene!  If you are a runner and making your one and only trip to Eugene, I highly recommend Pre's Trail. Plus I got to meetup with Harmony, Megan, Traci and Amanda. It was so nice to meet you ladies - thanks for running with me!

PRE'S ROCK
After running in Pre's footsteps, we then ventured up the winding hill to visit Pre's Rock... the humble site where Steve Prefontaine was tragically killed. Nothing spectacular, but again, if you're a runner and relate to his story, then Pre's Rock is a must see in Eugene.

From there, we also caught some amazing views...

CARB LOAD
I don't like to eat a heavy dinner before raceday. Instead, I try to make lunch my carb meal. After our visit to Pre's Rock, we headed to Track Town Pizza, where I had the most delicious chicken pesto and artichoke pizza. Yummy!

THE EXPO
I was saving my spending cash for this. I was determined to PR this marathon and thus was ready to buy a really cool piece of running apparel that had Eugene Marathon splashed all over it. Disappointment as soon as we walked in. The "store" was barren... very little left on Saturday afternoon. I eventually picked out a cotton t-shirt in one size too big and called it a day. Boo.

But we snapped some cool photos at the Track Town USA area...

I hurried over to the ProCompression booth because I needed the right size in my black compresssion socks. Sara aka Skinny Runner was sponsored by PC for the race, so I chatted it up with her for awhile.  We made quick work of the expo. It was smaller than I expected. The race shirts ran small, so of course mine didn't fit and there was nothing available bigger. I had to switch to a men's style. {sigh} I left the expo feeling a bit disappointed, tired and ready to put my legs up to rest.  Plus, my eye was still stinging like crazy.

Once at the hotel, I laid down for a much-needed nap. I grabbed a quick salad for dinner and then crawled back into bed before 8pm. I needed good sleep and prayed my eye would heal overnight. Sunday was a big day for me and I had to start framing my PR state-of-mind.

Marathon Goals - The Guessing Game

I wish I could be the type of runner who runs a race and says, "Whatever. I'll be happy if I just finish."

But... I'm not. It's one of the reasons I continue to enter races over and over. I have an internal drive to grow, to learn from each race experience, to get faster, to go longer... Call it competition if you will, but I'm only competing against myself (Unless you happen to be the person in front of me in the finishing chute, then I'm out to mow you down.)  

With each training cycle, I usually have a pretty good feel for my capabilities at the end. The Eugene Marathon on Sunday is my 'A' race this spring, which means I'm going for it. All out. No holds barred. Nothing left at the finish. Empty tank. Hopefully, it will be enough to bring home a new P.R.

I'm always comparing myself to where I was last spring (my marathon PR) - which in my heart, I was in my best shape... healthy, strong and at a training peak. Here's the components I mull over in determining my RACE GOAL...
ENDURANCE
{the ability to exert oneself and remain active for a long period of time, and the ability to resist, withstand and recover from fatigue}  I haven't completed as many 20+ long runs as I wanted in prep for Eugene. I'm not as overly confident in this area as I was last spring, especially since I kinda fell apart in the last 10k of Little Rock.  The earlier I push the pace, the less endurance I'll have. The closer I come to even splits, the better I'll perform late in the race.

SPEED
{the magnitude of velocity in changing position or moving distance}  My happy pace is right at the 10 min/mile. Although in the past few months, my daily runs have been pushing that pace lower on a consistent basis. My original goal (back in Jan) was a 9:45 average pace at Eugene. I'm not sure if I'm quite there yet for 26.2 miles, but I am going to try and hold it below 10. Hopefully, it won't kick my booty in the late miles.

STRENGTH
{the ability of a person to exert force using muscles}  This is one area of physical training that I feel like I'm stronger than ever before. I have welcomed hill work into my running this go-around. I cross-train in Spinning with a ridiculous amount of hills. And I've done strength training exercises for my arms, legs, and core several times a week. A complete 180 from where I was last year - when all I did was add up miles. Will it make a difference? Will it pay off?

MENTALITY
{the mindset or set of assumptions within a person that creates a powerful incentive to adopt, accept or change behaviors, choices and actions}  To be honest, my mindset during training was off kilter. However, after some good runs lately, I'm suddenly optimistic. I have a lot going on this week with Little Girl's birthday, but when I leave Friday morning for Eugene, I will be solo and ready to focus solely on the marathon. I've got a long flight to the West Coast, and I plan to use it for race visualization to prep myself. It's hard to know where your head will go during a 26 mile run. My past experiences have given me a lot to learn from, but not a good prediction. I was determined and excited in Quad Cities, extremely focused during Wisconsin... lost, bored and ready to quit during Route 66 and Little Rock. (I won't lie - the hills broke my spirit in those last two). 

My goal is to P.R. no doubt. We'll find out if it's feesible come Sunday...

• MY MARATHON HISTORY •

Marathon #1 - Quad Cities Marathon, Sept 2011

4:43:27  (10:49 pace)

Marathon #2 - Wisconsin Marathon, May 2012

4:18:56  (9:53 pace)

Marathon #3 - Route 66 Marathon, Nov 2012

4:40:31  (10:30 pace) 

*race included detour mileage

Marathon #4 - Little Rock Marathon, March 2013

4:36:51  (10:34 pace)

Marathon #5 - Eugene Marathon, April 2013

What will my time be????

It a GUESSING GAME... Anyone's call!

WIN THIS PRIZE!

Leave a comment below with your guess to my FINISH TIME in the Eugene Marathon this Sunday. Whoever comes the closest to my official chip time will win a

$25 Amazon.com Gift Card!  

Must enter before the race start - 7:00 a.m. PST on 4/28/13. 

Entries after that date/time will be void from contest.

Winner announced Tuesday, April 30, 2013 on my Facebook page.

  P.S. If you want to track me on Sunday, the Eugene Marathon starts at 7:00 am PST.
My bib number is #3635. 

Weekend Wrap

Heading into marathon week, I've taken great precision with this past week. The focus I've lacked during this training cycle suddenly seems to have arrived. Better late than never.

I've been fairly diligent about eating well and drinking water this past week, resulting in the disappearance of five pounds. I'm still about 10 pounds heavier right now than my marathon PR last spring. I can really feel the difference that extra weight brings. Let's be honest, the less weight my feet/legs have to carry, the better. It just hurts less... and I go faster. So... if I can scrap a few more pounds before the big day, that's a good thing.

I had my final double-digit run today. I actually reverted back to following the plan... 10 miles at 9:44 pace was the dictated task.
Actual: 10.3 miles at a 9:36 pace.
Woah! That felt amazing! It was exactly the confidence run I needed heading into marathon week. Best of all, it didn't feel overly labored... although I still can not imagine holding that pace for another 16 miles!

Several people have asked me what my workout plan would entail for the week leading up to the marathon. So I'm sharing this week's plan below...
Mon - Easy Run, Spin + Core Strength (teach)
Tues - Spin (teach)
Wed - Run short tempo
Thur - Rest / Little Girl's 5th Birthday!
Fri - Rest / Travel Day
Sat - 2-3 mile shakeout run in Eugene (details below)
Sun - Eugene Marathon... 26.2 baby!

WILL YOU BE IN EUGENE
FOR MARATHON WEEKEND?

I'd love to meet you!  Join me Saturday, April 27th at 10:00am for a shake-out run (or walk) on the famous Pre's Trail in Alton Baker Park. Entrance is located off Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd near Autzen Stadium. Afterward, we'll be hitting Track Town Pizza for lunch. I'll be at the race expo in the afternoon.

Tasks of the Taper

With ten days to go before my 'A' race of the spring, I'm keeping myself focused and trying to make the best of these remaining days.  Here's how I'm occupying the taper for marathon #5...

FINAL LONG RUN

On Monday, I completed my last long run. It was tricky timing to squeeze it in during my daughter's preschool.  I managed nearly 14 miles at a 9:50 pace. That's fairly good for me, especially for my first run back after the flu.  The satisfaction I felt over the run was quickly squashed by the tragedy of Boston shortly thereafter. This one really hit me... I mean shook me to the core, but I refuse to let it take anything away from my next race. Instead, I hope to channel it for strength.

GET INSPIRED

I go about this several ways... 

1) I love watching movies about running. I watched Spirit of the Marathon before my first marathon and it totally moved me. Since I'm running Eugene this time, I borrowed a pile of movies from a friend about Steve Prefontaine. He was a legendary runner from Oregon who championed the sport into a new era. Unfortunately, he was killed in a car accident (1975) at the height of his prime, but still today many of America's long distance-running records belong to him. The movies are both inspiring and entertaining.

2) Go back in time and read my past marathon race recaps: Quad Cities, Wisconsin, Route 66, Little Rock.  I learn a lot about myself and I find it helpful preparation to read these past endeavors of  26.2.

Marathons #1 thru #4... Quad Cities, Wisconsin, Route 66, Little Rock
I hope to add a 5th big smile to this lineup real soon!

NARROW THE GOAL

When I selected Eugene for my spring race, it was because of the PR-worthy course that it presents. I wanted to beat my PR - specifically to get under 4:15. Unfortunately, my training hasn't gone as planned. {sigh} So I can't go into Eugene expecting a killer time without the required training. I'm trying to better evaluate my present fitness/endurance level to find a reasonable goal. Today, I did a round of 800m intervals to get an idea of where I stand with the Yasso 800 test.  More to come on my goal...

CHOOSE THE OUTFIT

Time ran away from me this spring. Shockingly, I haven't had the time to come up with a cute new outfit. With comfort and functionality key in a marathon run, I'm pulling out an old reliable... 

• SkirtSports skirt (with storage pockets on the shorts underneath). This is one of their older GymGirl Ultra skirts. Since then, they changed the shorts underneath and they don't fit me the same anymore. So I really treasure their "old" version.

• Black tank top - added my moniker on the back, thanks to RunnerDecals. So if you run up from behind (and pass me), you'll know it's me!

• ProCompression socks - these are a must on long runs to baby my calf muscles.

WEATHER WATCH

Now that we are 10 days out, the weather stalking may now commense. I find myself checking it several times a day, not that it ever changes (or is right).

BUILD A PLAYLIST

I don't normally run with music, but I do come prepared. I hide a little ipod shuffle under my race shirt - loaded with about 20 of my go-to "dig-deep" songs. I usually plug in between miles 21-25 when I start to struggle.

PICK THE SHOES
After months of preparation, I'm still turmoiled over a very girly problem... what shoes to wear for the big day?? I've trained in many different kind over this training cycle. Honestly, none of them are perfect. Yes, I have my favorites (that make me feel light and fast), but they're not enough cushioning for the long haul. So each day, I continue to run in a different shoe and try to weed them out...

REVIEW TRAVEL SCHEDULE & RACE INFO

Running an out-of-town race with extensive travel is not always easy. I like to be well prepared so little-to-none goes wrong. I'm double-checking my reservations, making plans with other runners, and lining up babysitters for needed days. I also visited the Eugene website today and read through all the race details of packet pickup, policies, etc. Most races are the same, but every once in awhile, one will surprise me... and with a marathon, I don't like surprises. I set up my runner tracking and found out my bib number - elated with an odd number #3635! 

RELAX & PAMPER

I'm not sure why, but I always feel the need to be pimped up for big races... new haircut, perfectly polished nails and just overall personal primping. However, I always do this 10-14 days before the race. This is important - just in case you cut a toenail too short, there is time to heal before raceday. I baby my hardworked feet by rolling them on my massage ball and soaking them in epsom salt.  I like to drop in a little lavender for a relaxing smell. In the week leading up to the race, I try to get extra sleep. For me, that means a pre-10pm bedtime.

After all this, I have my daughter's birthday party to pull off... the night before I leave. She is so so excited, and I am so so emotional over by baby turning five. {deep breathe}  I got this.

WILL YOU BE IN EUGENE
FOR MARATHON WEEKEND?

I'd love to meet you!  Join me Saturday, April 27th at 10:00am for a shake-out run (or walk) on the famous Pre's Trail in Alton Baker Park. Entrance is located off Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd near Autzen Stadium. Afterward, we'll be hitting Track Town Pizza for lunch. I'll be at the race expo in the afternoon.