2018 Grand Rapids Marathon Recap

2018 Grand Rapids Marathon Recap

Training Cycle

April 9^th – MRI results back: left foot has a stress fracture (2^nd metatarsal) and stress reaction (4^th metatarsal). No running for 5 weeks, so I cancelled or deferred all my spring races. To keep the fitness up I got a trainer and biked like a beast (80-110 mpw).

Following the sports medicine doctor’s instructions, I healed quickly and finally got into PT for a return to running program (run/walk intervals) on May 14^th. I graduated from PT being cleared to run and start building the base back up on May 28^th, but no racing or workouts until the middle of July.

So GRM training began about 17 weeks out. It really did not look like a super solid cycle compared to past ones. My mpw average over that time was 42.56 with a peak weak of 54.7. Most of that really happened over the last 7 weeks with low week in that period being 34.1. I am a Daniels(VDOT fame) follower and really believe in his approach, so my long runs were mostly capped by time (2h30m). As a result, I only had three long runs of 16mi and one 18 miler.

Despite that, I had a decent half marathon 4 weeks out at Park2Park in Holland, Michigan. Weather was perfect, and I clocked a 1:44:25 with a negative split. So that gave me a ton of confidence going into GRM.

Race

Weather was perfect for this year race. Upper 30f at the start, cloudy, and a slight W-NW breeze. Race morning rituals went as planned with a bagel & PB about 2.5hrs before the start. Then 30 minutes to go I took down beet juice, and finally 15 minutes beforehand I had a roctane Gu (chocolate/coconut).

My goal for the race were to come in around 3:43-3:45 range. 3:44:20 is my marathon PB, I felt fit enough and confident coming into this that it was on the table to be improved upon. So I lined up with 3:44 pace group with the goal of running with them for a while. My fueling plan was to take Gu every 30-40min, which worked out to be roughly every other aid station.

The race starts at 8am and besides the first half mile of dodging slower runners, the first couple of miles are uneventful. I quickly get into a good groove at MP (8:35ish) with the pace group. A good friend, Dan, is pacing the half runners and I can chat with him to keep things relaxed. Just after mile 6 I lose contact with the pace group as they slow a bit and I decide to keep on pace and run my own race from there. The only really “hilly” section of course I roll thru pretty well from Miles 7-9. I go off effort in this section, so my paces bounce from 9:00-7:00/mi. Right before mile 9, the half marathoners break off and head back toward downtown. That really clears up the road and gives me plenty of space to run tangents and not get tangled up.

The next 4 miles are pretty uneventful besides dropping a Gu and go back for it at aide station right after mile 10. After the biggest hill at mile 11.5, I start to notice the fatigue building in my legs that so often in past races caused me to mentally fall part. But I worked on the mental game a lot over the summer and I suck it up and keep on pace. I pass thru the half point in 1:51:14 (I planned 1:52, so a bit fast). The mile 14 aide station is where I take Gu #4 and it takes a while to let that settle in the stomach. I get 2 more Gu’s from my friend Colin right before mile 15 at the bridge. He runs me across the bridge and asks how it is going. Which I reply “I sure am feeling it” and he responds with something along the lines of “this is what we sign up for” which is just what I needed to hear.

Mile 16 is awesome, I see my wife and kids on the side of course. I get high-fives and encouraging words to keep it up. This is the really long out and back section of the course that goes from mile 15-21.5 and where things get tough for me. I finally start to slow after mile 20, which I cross in 2:50:52(planned 2:50:20) and my paces falls off down into low-9s. I somehow muster my last Gu into my body, but that will be the last one. The stomach is just not taking them anymore, my hamstrings are really sore, and I developed a cramp in my left calf. At the mile 21 aid station they are handing out pickle juice, so I take a swig of that. The cramp goes away in minutes, but I am plugging along in the high-9 pace until I met up with Colin around mile 22 where he begins to pace me into the finish. Just before mile 23 I feel like puking so I stop and dry heavy for a few seconds. That really made me feel better and we keep going on. Mile 24 comes and it is my slowest in 10:04. But Jeron and Ken meet up just after that and the three begin to drag me in faster and faster.

Colin hit a home run by calling out a runner in green that I needed to pick off. So, I dug deep and focused on drawing him in. It took almost to about mile 25.7 to get him, but I passed him after over a mile of chasing. My paced had gotten back too. Miles 25 + 26 came in at 9:12-8:39. Making the last turn onto Winter street and seeing the finish almost a half mile away was great. Colin shouted out “how bad do you want a 3:4x time?, lets go!” I could not respond at first it seemed, but I was picking it up. With 800m to go, I drained the tank as I saw the clock ticking closer to 3:50. If I can believe the data, I was at 7:10/mi pace giving it all I got. I crossed the finished line and let out a scream of happiness. I finished in 3:50:01, sooooo close, but so happy at what I did.

2018 sure was a roller coaster year with running for me. Without a super supportive family and an amazing group of friends, I would have had a much different race. I cannot thank them enough. Now it is time to rest the body and prepare it for 2019.

Official Results:
First half: 1:51:15
Second half: 1:58:46
Finish: 3:50:01
Positive split: 7:03 (UGH!)
Total distance(Garmin): 26.03
Average pace: 8:47/M

Age Group(M40-44): 31/77
Male: 230/597
Overall: 324/1079

Weather: (Perfect)

Start temp: 37f / 2.7c

Finish temp: 39f / 3.8c

Dewpoint: 27f / -2.7c

Humidity: 67%

Wind: W 6mph/9.6kph

Cloudy Skies

Gear Used:

Nike Zoom Fly

Half Tights / Singlet / Arm Warmers / Thin running gloves/ ballcap (backwards of course)

Garmin 935

Stryd Footpod (feeding speed/distance to 935)

 

The game plan(s)

A lot is happening over the next couple months. Next weekend is the 5/3 Riverbank Run 25k in Grand Rapids. Followed up a month later with the Reed's Lake 10k. Then I roll into fall marathon training mode. I am not the type to just shotgun a race or do things willy nilly. So I need to plan for everything to have the confidence to race to my abilities at the time. So below are the current plans:

5/3 Riverbank Run (25k) - Coming off of the Knoxville Marathon a month ago, I jumped right back into running within a week. Over the next 3 weeks I built my mileage back up to the low 40s. This was not the best move, since recovery from the marathon has taken way longer than it should of. This past week I have finally felt like I have gotten some of my speed back and the legs are feeling fresh. Cutting it close really. My original goal a few months back was to finally break 2 hours at this distance. Which requires a 7:44/m average pace over 15.5 miles. I am not really sure if I can pull that off. I ran a test run at that pace on Wednesday and hit that pace for 4 miles without too much difficulty, but for another 11 miles is questionable. So my plan is to start off at a 8:00/m for the first couple of miles and see how it feels. If I feel up to it, I will speed up to race pace and hope I have something left in the tank for the last couple of miles to drop the hammer and make up for the first couple of miles above race pace. Or if it is not going to be that day, hold 8:00/m for a sub-2:05 finish and a big PR still. PR at this distance: 2:22:08

Reed's Lake 10k - Held on June 7th in East Grand Rapids. A hilly and difficult 10k course by West Michigan standards. I ran it last year in 48:35 (PR). This is my fall marathon training pace setter race. Last year I used the advance Hanson plan from their new marathon book. The 10k predicted I could run a 3:45 marathon. I ran a 3:44:20. What I would like to run in the fall is a 3:25 marathon. That would require a sub-45:00 10k at the least and a lot of hard training. So my goal for this 10k will be that. But I will for sure need to train for this race. Which is bit of a problem, I have never trained for a 10k before and considering a reverse taper from the 25k, I will have 3 weeks to train. Should be an interesting race, a 7:15/m pace is fast for me.

Grand Rapids Marathon training - Like I mention above, I used the Hanson method with great success last year and plan to use it again this summer for this race. My goal at this point is 3:25, but that will hinge on how I do at the 10k. I have been running the training paces already for most the type of runs and it seems doable. But this will require a lot effort, focus, and sacrifice on my part. Big one will be dropping 20 lbs, so that might involve so strict dieting. But it all depends on how bad I want this goal. Which I do, because it is part of a bigger plan to BQ and run Boston.

Oh and along the way I will be reviewing a couple of products: Energybits and Nerve Optic sunglasses. Stay tuned!

Watching Boston today

Just wanted to pop in here quick this afternoon and say how full of inspiration I am after watching the Boston Marathon coverage. To watch the elites battle it out and for Meb to dig in and pull off an improbable win today for America! Wow, just wow! It just was not the elites, I have a couple of good friends running today and they finished in the last half hour. So the personal connection is there too. Wow, just wow!

My drive and determination to qualify and run Boston is galvanized and stronger now. Last fall I dropped my PR from 4:39 to 3:44. BQ going from a dream to a real possibility. It is time to put the hard work in and drop my PR down below 3:15 in the next year.

2014 Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon Race Report

It has become standard for me to run challenging marathons in the spring and PR friendly ones in the fall. So for the spring of 2014, the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon fit the bill for challenging. Besides the race, we wrapped a family vacation in the area and meeting of some awesome friends IRL (Brooke, Kelly, Jay, Kim, Johnny, and about 50 others).

Training

Preparing for this race officially started back in late December. I was coming off a PR fall race under the Hanson Method training plan, so I decided to use that again. But that did not go very well due to a very hard winter in Michigan. As a result, I feel I only recieved 70-80% of the training.  Most of my runs were done on the TM in the gym with my LR being the only consistent outdoor run each week. But I stayed healthy for the most part and got to the starting line feeling pretty good.

Race Goals

Knowing two facts: sub-par training and a very hilly, challenging course caused me to set modest goals. My A-goal was a 3:55 finish, with my B-goal being 4:15 or less, and finally the C-goal being at least dead last. Those seemed to be decent, attainable goals that friends agreed with.
 

Race

Race morning dawned and was very chilly with temps in the 30s and a light breeze. My choosen outfit of a singlet, shorts, armwarmers, visor, and tossable gloves seemed the right combo. Many hundled inside at the hotel to stay warm right up to start time. I worked over to the B coral to start the race with 5 minutes to spare.

The race started and the usual mob of runners surrounded me. So the first half mile was a easy warmup around 10:00/m with Kelly who was doing the first leg of the relay and would later pace me in from mile 20. Oh and the hills started immediately from the start with a gentle uphill. Kelly sent me on to race pace and by the end of mile one I had joined the 4h pace group.

Rocking the early miles in Sequoyah Hills

So I broke a few rules of running for this race. One being that you are accountable for yourself and if you have a pace plan, dont trust others to stick to it. That being said, I followed the pace group despite the leaders going a fast 8:20-8:40 pace at various points over the first 13 miles. Far too fast for my A-goal, slow down stupid!

The first half did live up to its reputation of be hilly with rollers that went on for miles and Noelton Street, a big double-decker hill. My legs did hold up pretty well to this punishing terrian and pace. I felt pretty good and chatted with fellow runners around me. Common topic: what is this pacer thinking?!? We cruised into the half at 1:54(Garmin) just according to the pacer plan! Nice half split, but not in my game plan.

By mile 16 I decided that I needed to back off and run my own pace. At that point my legs were really starting to get fatigued and the second half of relentless rollers were pounding the life out of them. My A-goal was beginning to fade as I realized that I will not be able to sustain a sub-9 pace much longer.

Mile 20 came into view and I finally surcumbed to run/walk mode mentally. But I was joined up by Kelly at this point. She was in good spirit and full of energy, just what I needed to keep chipping away at the miles. So she pushed and challenged me through those miserable, ugly last 10k worth of miles. It was ugly, I wanted to puke, I did puke, it was a sad dry heave puke...so lame and weak.

Mile 24 was my slowest and after that the brain took over and I forced my body to go faster. As Kelly said, "it going to suck away, might as well get it over with faster" (or something like that). So I started running a bit longer and faster and walking a bit less.

Mile 24.5 coming off the bridge.

Finally reached the stadium and the last hill up to the enterance to run onto the field. I decieded as usual, despite the pain and hurt, to drop the hammer and go all in for a fast finish. So I drop Kelly and hauled into the stadium. Flying onto the field racing toward 50 yard line and those sweet, last timing mats. The gun clock was still below 4:15, so I raised my arm in victory and crossed the finished.

I was nearly 95% spent, I had pretty much left everything on that course. My body ached like it had never ached after a race. My finish time was 4:13, nicely under my B-goal. After getting my medal, space blanket, and a finish picture I dropped to the turf to sit and rest while friends continued to finish.

It was a beautiful day and a great course that I will comeback to and have another go at in the future.

B-goal meet!

Official Results:
First half: 1:55:22
Second half: 2:18:28
Finish: 4:13:50
Positive split: 23:06 (UGH!)
Total distance(Garmin): 26.32
Average pace: 9:39/M

Age Group(35-39): 45/83
Gender: 215/467
Overall: 281/693

Some thoughts now that I have had time to think about the race:

1) Under trained for this race. Mostly due to the harsh winter and being forced inside on the treadmill. Which lead to me not running on hills enough. My treadmill runs rarely simulated hills, which was my mistake.

2) As usual, too fast for the first half. I blindly followed the pacers despite knowing that the pace was faster than I planned. Sadly, I even discussed that with others around me. I cannot figure out why I did not drop back. But thinking about it, it was because the pace felt easy...stupid!

3) Weight! I packed on the pounds over the winter. Compared to Grand Rapids I was 15-20lbs heavier. No wonder I started falling apart late in the race like I did. This should be a big lesson for me on my quest for BQ and beyond.

2013 Grand Rapids Marathon Race Report

I returned to the streets of Grand Rapids for the 10th edition of the Grand Rapids Marathon on October 20th. The course is flat and fast along with a top-notch group of people putting on this event. I have run this marathon 2 other times, in 2012(4:56:38) and 2011(DNF). I had made huge improvements in my racing this past year largely thanks to a large weigh loss and using the Hanson Advance training plan. My training was textbook perfect staying uninjured, not missing any training runs, and posting a large PR in a tune-up half marathon a 6 weeks out.

The weather on race morning was perfect: low-40s and no wind. It had rained overnight, but that had left area and was replaced with partly cloudy skies. I did my usual race morning routine and having a small cup of coffee and a piece of toast. My friend and I car-pooled to the race as we usually do, telling stories of past races and our goals of this race. My goal that morning was to go for 3:38, which would be a full hour PR. I had training up to my tune-up half for a 3:45 and then switched my training paces to 3:38 6 weeks out. This would prove costly, since the 3:45 goal was based of a 10k race time at the beginning of the training cycle. Hence all my training paces were based off what my current fitness was then. Running my half in 1:41:54 showed I had improved, so I tweaked my training paces, figuring I could pull it off.

After some time in the YMCA keeping warm and talking racing business with friends, I headed out to the start corral with 15 minutes to go. I decided that with going for 3:38 I would line up in front of the 3:42 pace group.  If things were not feeling like 3:38 would happen, I could fall back to that group and still finish in a respectable time and still-huge PR.

Right at 8am, the horn went off and the race started. It was strange being fairly close to the front. It would take a minute to cross the start line and get going. As usual the road was packed with runners all around, dodging large water puddles, and getting around slower runners starting off in the wrong spot. But the loop through downtown was pretty uneventful once there was room around me. Some friends not running were on bikes riding around the course cheering on a bunch of runners, so it was good to see them from time to time and get high fives. I really had to keep an eye on my Garmin to make sure I was keeping my pace under control, it was feeling really easy to run this morning. I hit the first two aide stations at 2.1 and 3.9 and walked them as planned and taking in Gatorade. I only took one cup and thinking back, there was only 2-4oz in a cup. That is too little to take in for me and would cause issues later on. Miles 1-4 splits: 8:23-8:17-8:15-8:13.

Leaving the city and heading off toward the Millennium Park area was great. We run for a couple of miles in Butterworth Park and with the sunrise hitting the fog, gave an impressive sight to see. I take in my first Gu at the mile 5.4 aide station and chase it down with water. Things are feeling pretty good and the pace is easy. I was thinking ahead at this point about the rolling hills coming up once I leave Butterworth Park. Right before leaving the park, there is the mile 6.9 aide station and the table order of liquids has changed. I ask for Gatorade at the second table and they say it is back at the first table. I hesitate a second and decide not run back for some and just wait until the next aide station. I hit the hills doing well, I ease up on the pace going up the hills and cruise down the back sides. In the middle of these hills around mile 8.7, the half runners break off and the road becomes quite a bit less congested. I finally come up the next aide station too here and I slow down and take in 2 cups of Gatorade. It does not take long to get out of the hills and onto flats before entering the paved trails of Millennium Park. Mile 5-9 Splits: 8:17-8:17-8:17-8:17-8:22.

Entering into Millennium Park is via a U-turn and then running parallel to the runners coming toward the Park. I noticed the 3:42 pace group was pretty much on my heels. This made me do a double take of my pace. I was doing 8:17 and had been for quite a while. So I realized that they were going a good bit faster for even splitting the course. Another reason why I like to run my own race. It is nice to have groups to be with others for support, but it can sting you if there pacing is off. I come upon the mile 10.1 aide station and down another Gu and take in water. Quickly getting back to pace and working toward the last hill of the race at mile 11.4, which I tackle without much issue and coast down the backside. I also begin to pass runners I have been running with or seeing ahead of me. Mile 12.2 gives me more Gatorade. I cross the half mats in 1:49:25 and head down toward the Grand River and toward the bridge to cross it. Here I also enter the woody area of the course and my Garmin starts to act up as usual, showing my pace slower than it actually is. Miles 10-15 splits: 8:10-8:17-8:17-8:17-8:18-8:26.

After cross the river I start the long out and back section that is the toughest part of the course. Mostly because it is the range of miles were the marathon gets tough and the mental battles begins. But I do see a friend waiting at the relay station and I get a shout out that is good to receive. Also there is a much needed aide station I take fluids in and forget the Gu. Coming up on the mile 16 aide station is a small path that my family is to be waiting at, but I don't see them and then realize I gave them the wrong time to be there. So I continue on a bit bummed, but knowing I will see them on the way back. So I take my last Gu of the race here and am a little bit more slowly get up to speed. At this point, my left quad and right hamstring are tiring. But this is what my training plan focused on, running through the fatigue. As I approach the mile 18 my friend Steve jumps in who had been saying we will pace me in. This is a great surprise that he actually was going to do it. I take in more Gatorade at 17.8 and make the turn around at 18 and head back. Miles 16-18 splits: 8:22-8:41-8:22.

As I approached mile 19, my right hamstring felt like it seized up. I stopped and stretched it out and walked a few feet to make sure it was ok. It seemed a false alarm, so I continued on a bit slower and starting a mental battle. Steve would ask every now and then how I was doing, that I was doing good, and we would get to the end on time. This would play out for miles ahead. I crossed the 20 mile timing mats and happy that the race was coming to a close, but also just beginning. Just pass this, my wife and kids were on the side as planned. I slowed, gave my wife a kiss and son a high-five, then continued on with a renewed spirit that I would not let them down for putting up with my insane training all summer. The mental battle was full on and I was summoning everything I could to battle it. A friend from a FB running group posting rang in my head here. I could not let them down either. I came up to the bridge and the 21.4 mile aide station and took in my pickle juice (it works amazing for cramps). I got a high-five from my relay running friend. The next few miles were a blur as I struggled to keep things moving at the best pace I could. I was beginning to pass a lot of runners hitting the wall and walking. Soon I was had returned to Butterworth park and mile the mile 23.5 aide station and barely able to take down the Gatorade. Miles 19-24 splits: 8:38-8:54-8:55-9:10-8:55-9:08.

In the middle of this large open field park, I felt like my stomach was finally going to revolt and puke. So I slowed to a walk, stopped, and did my best to get things under control. I avoid puking and walked for about 30 feet before starting to run again. Steve assured me that the end was so close and I had it. Just after this, the 3:42 pace group finally caught and began to pass me. I said "He that is not going to happen", they laughed and I went after them. That lasted about 500ft realizing I could not hold that pace. So I let them go and returned to a pace I could handle. We continued on and came to the last aide station at 24.7 as we left the park. I took in some water and it was refreshing. As I walked through this, I stared down the stretch of road that I had run so many times over the summer and visualizing what it would be like on race day. I looked at my watch and saw that it 3:3x and at that moment I knew I would finish in the 3:4x range. So I got the legs moving and pounded out these last couple of miles at a faster pace and back nearer what I started out at. Mile 25-26 splits: 9:31-8:44.

The final .33 happens right after making the last turn and see the finish way off in the distance. I feel the adrenaline pumping with the thick crowds cheering and encouraging me. I clock this final segment in at a 8:18 pace.  Funny thing at this point, I must of been out of it, but for the last several miles I was calling Steve, Dan. I finally realized it and told Steve about it. He laugh and said I could call him anything I wanted at this point. I laughed and kept cruising toward the finish line. I finally can see the clock when I am a hundred feet away and see it is just about to turn to 3:45. The biggest smile comes across my face seeing that and lots of emotions surge through me. This was a moment I have want to see for the last 3 years. To see myself crossing the finish line with a 3 as the first digit. I cross the finish and do a big fist pump in the air and get a big congrats hug from Steve for pulling this off. I walk over to the RD Don Kern, who greets every runner at the finish. He says congrats and I tell him I just knocked an hour off my PR. I take a couple of steps and he turns and says "What?!?"...I turned back and say "Boom! Your race rocks!". So I move on down the chute and see a good friend Bari volunteering and handing out water. I get a big congrats and a hug for a job well down. I then wander over to get my well earned medal. My mom is waiting there with a big hug and congrats too, which makes the day even better. Thanks to chip timing, my finish time was 3:44:20.

So there it is, my 2013 Grand Rapids Marathon experience. My previous PR was at the Martian Marathon in the spring of 2012 with a time of 4:39:11 giving me an improvement of 54:51. Below are my general stats from the race, I did slow on the second half, so I ran a positive split of 5:29, not too bad I think considering.

First half: 1:49:25
Second half: 1:54:55
Finish: 3:44:20
Total distance(Garmin): 26.33
Average pace: 8:34/M

Age Group(35-39): 64/137
Gender: 348/850
Overall: 459/1413

Well earned medal this day!

 

Some thoughts now that I have had time to think about the race:

1) I took in way too little Gatorade! Each station I had pretty much one cup. Each cup at best held 2-4oz based off how they were only 1/3 full. At the pace I was running I should of been taking two cups at each station.

2) For less issues during the those tough miles, I should of went out at a slower pace(duh!). It would of been better to pick up the pace later on and run a negative split. But I had false confidence in changing my training 6 weeks out. If I had training for a 3:38 from day one, I could of it that goal.

3) Mental toughness: I am mentally tougher that in the past, but I have a ways to go in this department. Besides doing some reading on how to train for this aspect of racing when things get tough, I will have to figure this out if I want to improve and get down to BQ and beyond.

4) Chaffing: Boy did I get chaffed with those arm warmers you see me wearing above! Yikes, I had not thought about applying BodyGlide to those areas. So I suffered the at night and today at work.