Sunday, September 21, 2008

TOU Marathon Race Highlights.

Hi friends. Well, it happened. What you say? You actually ran and finished that marathon that you really didn't train for? Sweet! Why yes yes friends I did. I wrote about the more emotional side on my family blog... but figured I'd keep this post more light and running related...sound good? So, here we go the highlights of the marathon, get excited. I'm going to break it up into sections... browse at your leisure.


Pre-Race:
Holy moly, love the clothing options for the TOU marathon. I had a hard time deciding what I wanted to buy. I think I'm going to let the GOAL foundation know that they need to expand their clothing options for the Ogden Marathon, who's with me? I got a cute orange hoodie that I will be sporting all winter. Yesssss. I ate pasta that DID NOT agree with my tummy and ended up becoming BFF's with my cousin's toilet. Luckily, it subsided by 1:30ish so I was able to get SOME sleep before the marathon. I had a dream that I slept in til 7 and woke up in a frenzy... it was only 3:05. Good good.

Bus Ride:

It was a school bus for elementary students. I sat under the letters "R and S" and there were a list of "bus rules" most of which all the runners on board were breaking. Hee hee. I also was the last runner off the bus cause I was freezing and chose to stay in the bus as loooong as possible (yes, until the bus driver looked at me like "uhhhh, you running this or am I driving you back down?") which turned out to be a BAD idea cause then I had to go to the bathroom STAT.

Porta Potty:

Oh HOLY. LINE. I needed to go soooooooooooooooo sooooooooo bad and had to wait 20 MINUTES. Dang people that got off the bus before me!!! While in the pot I hear on the loudspeaker "3 minutes til start!" Eeeeek, talk about a stressful way to start the race!



The Race Miles 1-6

These miles went by really really fast. I disliked having to stop every 4 minutes and walk. I felt like I was sprinting every 4 minutes to make up for that 1 minute. The entire running population just springing past you. By mile 6 I was toggling the same group of people consistently. I'm sure that was mentally taxing for them too. We were running the same pace but they were running the entire time and I was getting walk breaks. Oh, get excited cause I was toggling with UNDERWEAR MAN! Manda got a good shot of him from the front. And sad, it looks like his "wife beater" is actually a running shirt too.... maybe we should all pitch in and get him a new outfit and present it to him at the next race.


Mile 7-13
These were the hardest miles emotionally in the race. The canyon was GORGEOUS but I just couldn't focus right. It was a LOT of downhill and it seemed everytime my 4 minutes were up we were cresting and just getting ready for a huge downhill run. I got frustrated that I lost the momentum of running down the hill only to walk, start running halfway down the hill and then have to run up a hill again. I was ready to call it a race, especially when I crossed the half marathon mark and my time as 2:17. GRRRRR. I kept toggling people and not being able to catch up when I stopped to walk. It messed with me emotionally the whole walk/run/walk/run thing. I felt so full of energy and was frustrated that I was wasting it on walking. I got upset with the Jeff Galloway method but figured I needed to stick it out.


Mile 14-19
Oh how I felt like stopping. I came out of the canyon all pumped to see everyone... see everyone... see NO ONE?! Where in the heck are Van and Amanda? Hmmmm. Hopefully they will eventually find me, just keep running, just keep running. (What do we do? We Run. Run. Run.) I looked at every spectators face trying to figure out if one of them was Mel, looking for a boy that looked like Crew... to no avail.. Mel if you were there, I did not see you, sorry!! I loved it when it rained, made me instantly cool. Plus, I can't resist running in the rain. However, when I got to mile 17 this is about how I felt



no, not "about" how I felt. That was HOW I felt. So it was good that I had the cheer up visit from my favorite peeps. I had been toggling this group of three girls for FOREVER. They were kinda annoying at first because they were all giggly and chatty (probably like we are... haha) but by about this point they had lost some of the lovin' feeling. And in a sick, twisted way it made me happy. It meant that the race was draining them too. Then I PASSED them and I giggled as I passed them. WUAHAHAHAHAHA. These peeps also ran by me. Wonder if they were regretting their running wear choice by mile 23


When I hit the mile 18 marker I giggled outloud thinking "I am really insane, I just ran 18 freaking miles... and I still have 8 left... I. AM. INSANE!!!!!!!!!" My insanity induced happy spell kept me moving til mile 19 where my posse was waiting. Thank. HEAVENS. Amanda jumped on the running bandwagon and suddenly I had energy and determination again. Praise the Lord!


Mile 18-24

These miles pretty much went like this....
Amanda: [insert really funny story]
Lori: Uh Huh
Amanda [insert funny topic/idiom]
Lori: Uh Huh
Amanda [insert political or intriguing discussion]
Lori: Is it time to walk yet?
Amanda: Okay, time to run.
Lori: Another BLASTED hill? Who ARE these people?
Amanda: [insert encouraging words]
Lori: When is the next water station?
Amanda: .....
Lori: When do we get to walk again?
Amanda: You can do it.
Lori: How long have we been running?
Amanda: Lor, you're doing great.
Lori: Manda, I'm done, I'm really really done.
Amanda: I'm proud of you.
Lori: ....
Amanda: You can DO this!
Lori: I don't WANT to do this anymore.


Yaaah. I was a stellar person to run with. Despite what you think Mand, I DID hear your stories and now that I'm coherent and not wanting to punch anyone in the face I can have an actual conversation with you. Amanda was GOD. SENT. She pulled me out of my "I can't do it" mode and made me run the 3-4 minutes and was pushing me to walk faster. She didn't get down on me when I just had. to. stop. for a second but also didn't force me to the point that I cried. She was wonderful. WON-DER-FUL. So glad I read that in the marathon book. Highly recommend that strategy to anyone running a marathon! Grab a running friend with a fresh pair of legs for the last 6 miles, it makes a WORLD of difference. Oh and we passed the bubbly girls this time and ... their spark? it was GONE. hung shoulders, not talking at all. Inside it secretly made me happy... well, actually it wasn't THAT secret I turned to Amanda and whispered "Not so spunky anymore, eh?"

Mile 25-26
Just imagine a kid in the back of a car towards the end of a really really long road trip...

"Are we there YET?"

Pretty much was me. It was good, I knew we were getting to the end. But the TOU organizers were MEAN and put a HILL a freaking HILL at mile 25. and again at mile 25.3... mean hosers. Amanda was awesome, she kept me moving, kept my mind going, kept my body in it's rhythm. I could hear the finish line music and I knew I was close, but they have their finish line set up all retarded like... they must be in cahoots with Provo River Half, cause you have NO IDEA where it is til you're right there. Amanda cheered me on and ran ahead when there was a block or so left. She ran back and told me "run at the corner!" So, I moved forward with determination to sprint..

Mile 26-Mile 26.2

Okay, there is the finish line. Hmmm. I should really start sprinting. Sprinting? Who am I kidding... just run... yah, move those legs... okay they are moving... Oh there is the finish! Woo woo!! And I skipped across, yes yes I did. SK-A-IPP-ED. Aren't I a peach? Then I was done. THANK GOODNESS. Gave them my timing chip, got my sa-weet medal and downed about 4 mini fat boys. I love ice cream after the marathon. We took these cute shots.


and this one for you Erin, cause ... we're THAT cool.


Final Thoughts

TOU Marathon: It was a nice marathon, well run, well attended and well supported. I enjoyed the course for the first 16 miles... once we got into the town it just got tedious and very looooong running all the switchbacks through the neighborhoods. I probably won't run the course again, I enjoyed the Ogden one much much better. Good to know for future marathons.

Jeff Galloway Method: I think it was a great way to save your muscles. I feel better after this marathon than I have for the other two. However, it slowed me down. My concern a few weeks ago turned out to be valid and I still puttered out in the end, so... my plan of action for future marathons would be the following: run like normal the first 16-17 miles, when mile 18 rolls around and your body starts to fall apart THEN adopt the walk/run 4/1 method. For me, that would make my time much better... we'll see,when I run another marathon I'll try it and see!

Ps. For those who cheer people on in the twenties? Do not, I repeat DO NOT say the phrase "you're almost there!" or "only 5 miles left!" cause seriously, people? We are NOT almost there and after 21 miles thinking about another hour on the course makes you want to cry. We are STILL not almost there at mile 24... around mile 25 you can start saying "Good job, only a mile left!" The only people I didn't want to punch in the face that said "You're almost there!" were peeps that said it with an accompanying "only 3 blocks left!! ... THAT my friends, is almost-there land.

Running a Marathon Solo: Ummm glad I did it. Not really something I want to do again. I know we ran the Ogden marathon at our own paces, but I still feel like we did it TOGETHER. This was all me. (and manda for the last 6... but you know what I mean) Just a little lonely.


Having cute babies and loving people cheer me on? Pretty much the best part.
I'm proud of myself for finishing. Especially with all the crap that has been going on lately, I had more than enough reason to bail on the marathon but I did it. I finished and I ran 99% of the 4 minute intervals. I'm grateful I've had the opportunity to run 3 marathons and .. ahem...

I'm taking this moment to announce my sabbatical from marathon-ing. (ooo sounds official doesn't it) I really need to get the whole Diabetes thing in check and with having to eat such a constant stream of carbs for endurance sports I just can't keep my carbs under 195g. I'll still be running but I need to focus on my health and get this weight off, get my thyroid in control and once everything is stable for awhile I'll jump back into more than 13 miles. Til then, half marathons, tri's and 10ks baby! Woo woo!!! It'll be like Spring Break!! Yipeee!!! Thanks for your support and cheers, it means a ton. You guys rock (even you silent blog lurkers... we know you read this blog and it gives us warm fuzzies) .

This is Lor, the marathoner, over and out.

6 comments:

Mel said...

Truly, I am impressed! Anyone that can run that far and wear the title "Marathoner" is an example of hard work and dedication. I don't blame you for taking some time off... you totally deserve it!

Kristin said...

Congratulations on doing this!! I think you are awesome. :-)

Erin said...

good job sweetie pie

Amanda said...

Lor, I AM very proud of you! You had every reason in the world not to run this race or to quit half way through and you didn't! For that alone you deserve an award. You were awesome! And I totally think we should throw underwear man a bone. Although I was a little disappointed that it wasn't an actual wife beater that he was wearing....

The Ball Babies said...

Hey, you know what they say about 1/2 marathons? All of the fun and endorphin like stuff of a full marathon with only 1/2 the pain! I felt your pain in reading this very funny blog, but I'm glad you stuck it out and finished strong! Way to go! Wear that medal with pride!!! (Have you worn it a lot? I almost gave my st. George medal away. yeah, that was stupid! glad I came back to reality)

Enjoy your marathonless training work outs!!!

Megan said...

So I am just now reading your TOU recap and I just wanted to tell you I agree with your note to people who say 'You are almost there!' Seriously? Even when it is a half marathon people were telling us you are almost there just another mile, but really it was 2 or 3 miles. It just messes with ya! And I agree that the race is much better in the canyon it felt like it took forever when you got out and I ran half the distance you did! You are amazing for doing this race and all the baggage it came with and you still finished strong! AMAZING! I would say have fun during your 'break' but from your other recent post I don't think your definition of 'break' is the same as mine ;)