October 08, 2008
Wineglass Marathon
I did the Wineglass Marathon in Corning, NY last Sunday. I "ran" it in 7 hours and 15 minutes.
I say "ran" because since training for the last marathon, the New Jersey marathon, my style was run for 30 seconds then walk for 30 seconds. Do a minute of walking at the start of every mile. That amounts to more walking than running, but I was able to get up to 5 miles per hour doing it. I sort of adapted it from Jeff Galloway's "gallowalking" technique.
This marathon I adapted it so that I run for 30 seconds, then I let my virtual partner on my Garmin Forerunner 405 catch up. I still kept my minute walking rest happen every mile. My virtual partner was set at a pace of 15:02 minutes per mile. A little under 4 miles per hour. My plan was to run a little under pace for 4 miles then run at pace until mile 20. At mile 20, I'd go faster above pace and finish strong.
I also started using chirunning techniques. I read the book and got the DVD. The hope is that with chirunning, I run easier with less damage to my body. The technique is a mountain of checklists but it gives you something to focus and I really think it is a better way to run.
The marathon
So, my Wineglass marathon started at 7am, an hour before official start time. The race director allowed a handful of us slowpokes start an hour earlier since the course was only going to be open from 8am to 2pm. I was predicting I would finish around six and half hours, 1:30pm.
For the first hour, it was nice. A little cold. I saw a bank where the sign said the temperature was 32 degrees. Freezing! But I didn't feel that way. It was really pretty. All misty and foggy. I passed by a lake or a pond. I couldn't tell because it seemed like off the side of the road there was just nothing. Just misty whiteness. It was as if the computer that created reality decided not to render that section of the earth.
I decided to use the jott/twitter combo to update my Facebook status. I would do that several times over the course of the run during my walking minutes.
About an hour and a half into my run, the front runners passed me. It was then I realized that I would have the privilege of being passed by everybody. I didn't like that.
So, according to plan, I kept my 15 minute per mile pace pretty well for most of the run. I also had to pee for most of the run. So, when the opportunity came to use the port-a-potty around the dreaded mile 20, I used it. It was the longest piss ever and I could watch the minutes count down on my watch.
But since it was mile 20, according to plan, I would just start running like crazy for the last 6.2 miles. I've done it in training(although my longest run was 15 miles). What really happened was I was able to run at my regular pace for another mile. But I was not able to push faster.
Then I started to slow down and by mile 23 I was feeling numb in my hands and my face. I could barely focus and I was just staggering down the road. I knew I didn't feel good and I was looking for someone I could ask for help. I found one of the volunteers who watch the runners and radio back their positions. I went up to him and I think I told him, "I'm done. I don't think I can go any more." And he was like, "It's just 3 more miles!"
I was trying to quit the marathon and doggone it, they wouldn't let me quit. So I staggered on a couple more miles. I got my arms mechanically swinging and that sort of moved me along at the pace of a brisk walk, about 18-19 minutes per mile.
In the last mile, in Corning, I saw my mom. She walked with me passed our hotel where I saw my brother, sister, and her husband. The would get in the car and drive passed me to meet me at the finish line. Several times during that mile I would try to start running again, but my left calf would start cramping up. Finally, in the last .2 miles I ran acrossed the pedestrian bridge that goes acrossed the Chemung River to the finish line.
What did I learn?
I learned that I was severely undertrained for this marathon. I did not keep to my training schedule and I would go weeks without running. On my longest run, I ran only 15 miles, which for most training plans is kind of low.
I also learned that when I run those 30 second bursts I run really fast. Not as fast as those front runners, but maybe elite level fast. I get the sense that if I could extend the length that I could run at that intensity, I could finish a marathon really quickly.
And finally, I think I've got to rethink my whole running style. I've got to start over training from the very beginning and figure out how to run for more extended periods of distance and time. I think I will keep my minute walking breaks every mile, but I should be able to run the rest of the mile. According to chirunning, stopping and starting takes more energy than to maintain a constant cruising speed.
I was planning to run the Disney marathon in January, but now I'm not so sure. If I really want to start from scratch, I think I'm going to have to say my next marathon will be the New Jersey Marathon next May.
ps-Marathon updates on facebook are definitely cool. I think I will definitely do that next time.
pps-If you have to pee during a marathon, don't do it. It definitely breaks your stride.