5:07:42 (Bad)

Last weekend, i completed the California International Marathon in 5:07:42.

I am extremely unhappy with my time and feel like a catastrophic failure.  

This being my second running of the CIM, i should have done better.  In fact, i feel that i was better prepared overall: in contrast to all my other races, i was familiar with the course; in terms of training, i hit all my essential workouts and had a decent weekly mileage that topped out at 52 miles.  Everything was going according to plan.  I was completely set up for success... 

...but utterly failed to execute.  

After wallowing in self-pity for a bit, i beat the dead horse to a pulp to try and understand my poor performance.  I've concluded that it was due to dehydration.  

In the days leading up to the race, the weather forecast was unfavorable, with the possibility of precipitation predicted to be somewhere between 50 and 70%.  Not being a fan of running in the rain (i've had a few bad experiences in the past), i planned my attire accordingly, bringing along a rain jacket and waterproof socks.  Although i've never run a significant distance in that getup, it seemed like a good idea.  Even though everyone gets wet from sweat when running, i intensely dislike the clammy feeling of a wet shirt, and abhor running in squishy waterlogged socks. 

Waterproof jacket, check.  Waterproof socks, check.

So the morning of the race comes around, and basically everyone is pleasantly surprised that it's dry.  Then the gun went off and we started running.  After a mile or so, i heard a few people commenting in one way or another that it was great running weather.  In retrospect, that should have immediately tipped me off that i was going to be in trouble, because i personally felt that it was warmer than advertised.

The truth is that my body had already dropped me some clues that i was too dense to notice.  Just a few run-walk-run cycles in, i already felt a little sweaty inside my jacket.  I thought that it wasn't a big deal, that maybe my jacket merely wasn't as "breathable" as it was touted to be.  But it was really a sign that i had overdressed for the occasion.  I only realized this after around 6 miles, which is when i decided to peel my jacket off.  Once the cool air hit my torso, i felt a sense of relief... i had unknowingly been uncomfortably warm and excessively sweating up to that point.  

Looked warm, felt warmer. 

The premature dehydration was only one factor.  I've gotten through a hot and humid race before.  My real point-of-failure was in not keeping up with the fluid losses.  Around 3 miles in, i was already a little thirsty.  A bad sign, since i usually drink enough to keep ahead of the sensation.  Despite this, i obstinately kept to my usual hydration strategy of 1 sip/chug per mile.  Frankly, i probably even sipped a little less than usual, since the moisture in my jacket made me feel clammy and fooled me into thinking i was running cooler than i actually was.  At the end of the race, i finished with a not-insignificant amount of water still left over in my Camelbak, whereas it would normally have been bone-dry by mile 24.  

TL;DR: i sweated too much but didn't drink nearly enough. 

On reflection (and reviewing my splits), i was able to soldier through all of this until the halfway point.  Then my pace dropped by up to 30 seconds per mile despite trying to keep the intensity up.  

At around mile 16, i felt the beginning of a cramp in my left thigh but decided to "trust my training," attempt a negative split, and continue trying to make up for lost time (my target finish was around 4:45).  At around mile 21 (35K mark, on the official splits), it all unraveled as my left leg seized up and i stumbled to the side of the course.  I suddenly felt so lightheaded that i just wanted to sit down, but also realized that if i did that, there would be no standing back up.  So i gutted through the next five miles - running when able and walking when the cramps started again... and slowly jogged across the finish line.    

Trudging slowly to the finish. My expression reflects my self-disgust.

Such a bad race.  It was my tenth marathon, too.  An ignominious showing for what should have been a glorious event.  

Oh well.  

Lesson for the next time: if running with a jacket (which i am definitely not accustomed to), hydrate as if it's a warm race and don't push the pace.  At the minimum - pay closer attention to my body's cues and adjust accordingly. I've been able to do this in the past, but for some reason the weather forecast just spooked me and locked me in to a "cold and wet" mindset.  

No significant race notes, since i've covered the course in detail before.  A side note about the porta-potties - the line gets thinner the farther one goes from the starting line, and they virtually evaporate a minute before the gun goes off.  A slowpoke like me could literally wait until the gun goes off to use one, and still start running with the 4:30 pace group.  

Moseyed on over after using a porta-potty, around 7 minutes after the gun went off.

I am definitely going to run this again for redemption.  

Eating my "free" burrito after the race.

In the shadow of the Capitol building.

Next up, Tokyo.

Japanese food for lunch after the race.  Foreshadowing the next marathon.

2:19:11

A few months ago, i completed the Rock and Roll San Jose Half Marathon in 2:19:11.

I've always had a mild curiosity about the Rock and Roll series.  In particular, i've been wanting to do the Las Vegas race ("run the strip at night!"), or even the San Diego one.  Unfortunately my schedule has never really allowed for either.  

The Rock and Roll series basically bills itself as a "fun" race chock-ful of entertainment and music.  In this, it did not disappoint.  There was entertainment (either a live band or at least some speakers playing music) approximately every 2 miles, kind of alternating with the aid stations.  The song choices were pretty decent, too.   Nothing in particular stood out to me, but they were high-BPM songs that you could sync your pace to.  I'm not one for external sources of "energy," but i thought it was nice and motivational.  

Although this was essentially "just another long run," i was rather hoping to get in under 2:15.  Such was unfortunately not to be.  I knew this from the get-go, since i was already putting in a decent effort to maintain an average 10:40-ish run-walk-run pace.  I didn't want to push too hard during a training run and end up hurting myself.  

Speaking of hurt - even though i took a few weeks off after my last marathon, by the time i started running again, i developed debilitating low back and left leg pain.  I self-diagnosed myself with a lumbar disc herniation and sciatica.  With the help of an excellent PT (and good friend) from the east coast, i am now pain-free.  

Like i said before, even though i'm nine marathons deep, i'm still learning new things.  What i learned from this debacle is that i'm not stretching enough, and i'm not paying enough attention to strengthening my lower back and legs.  I am now actively incorporating both into my regimen.  I'm paying considerably more attention to my pain points; for example, my hamstrings were really sore after race... Therefore, i am doing more hamstring stretches and will be doing more glute/hamstring exercises in the future.  

I feel that the hamstring issue is because i tried to speed up and do a decent finishing "kick" during this race.  I'm not really sore anyplace else, so that's probably a potential trouble spot.  Drawing from my Santa Rosa experience where my legs locked up at the end, i've been trying to insert some speed to the end of my long runs.  

Race notes: 

1.  The expo seemed nice enough.  It was held in a hangar-like part of the San Jose convention center.  It seemed like they were ready for many more vendors, although there really weren't that many.  It was kind of a bummer that they had no option for mailing out the bibs.  

2.  Bay area weather is always good... We started out around 58 degrees and ended at 61.  

3.  The race was REALLY well-organized.  Aside from a late start (around 8:10 instead of the scheduled 8:00), everything seemed well-thought-out.  I didn't really appreciate it at the time, but i now have to admit that the way they "waved" the starts (releasing a certain number of people every few minutes irrespective of corral assignments) ensured adequate spacing between racers and was the right thing to do.  

4.  Since San Jose is only one-and-a-half hours from where we live we didn't have to spend the night.  We just drove in that same morning.  There were plenty of hotels nearby, but i'm not a fan of spending money unnecessarily.  

5.  The course was mostly flat, except for one part when we had to go under the railroad.  It seemed it like were some gentle up- and downhills, but not enough to really notice.  I quite enjoyed the entertainment.  

6.  The post-race experience had a party vibe, with a live band on a good-sized stage.  There were the usual bananas and water bottles.  Although there was a beer tent, they were selling beers for FIVE DOLLARS.  The race descriptions seemed to imply that beer would be free... Well, the non-alcoholic beers were free.  Reuniting with my family was quick and easy.  There was also ample parking all throughout the city.  Since it was Sunday, street parking was free for a limited number of hours as well.  

Free non-alcoholic beer

Not bad.  IMHO the entertainment was the best part.  I could do it again.  

Next, CIM. 

4:52:12

This past weekend, i ran the Santa Rosa Marathon in 4:52:12.

I am not particularly happy about my finish, my target being somewhere between 4:30 and 4:45.  

I had a sinking feeling that i was in trouble around mile 3; i could feel my left glutes and piriformis working harder than usual.  Whenever this has happened in training, they loosen up within about a mile.  Then again, training runs are done at a relatively slow pace.  For this marathon i was trying to do a "race pace" of 9:30 during my 3 minute runs punctuated by brisk walking intervals.  The hip tightness never let up, and after a few more miles, i could feel the same sensation developing on the right.  

Wondering why it hurts so much

In spite of the pain, around halfway through the race i had managed to convince myself that i was doing quite well.  Everything was going according to plan.  I got to 13.1 in less time than anticipated, and if i could manage a negative split, i should finish well within my target.  Alas, the pain then started to intensify, and my speed started dropping off.  Deciding to "trust my training," i only pushed myself harder.  

Average pace, as tracked by my GPS watch. Note the steady decline after the halfway point

Tragedy struck around mile 24.  Towards the end of a three-minute run, my left thigh cramped up.  I slowed down and tried to jog through it, but it just got worse.  Walking for about 2 minutes made it dissipate completely, so i gingerly jogged through my next interval.  At that point, i had a suspicion that my legs were ticking time bombs, but i hoped that they would last.  After all, it was JUST ANOTHER TWO MILES.  

There was one special guy that i had been trying to catch up with: Banana Man (so named because of the banana he carried in his backpack).  We had started the marathon at roughly the same pace, but at around mile 6, he got faster and left me behind.  I had seen him vaguely in the distance for the past 19 miles or so.  However, Banana Man had slowed down considerably over the past 2 miles, and was now basically within striking distance.  So i gritted my teeth, stepped on the gas, and actually PASSED him!  

At around mile 25.5, i finally fell apart.  My right thigh cramped up so hard that i had to stop moving, bend over, and massage the muscle.  A nice lady tapped me lightly on the shoulder and said "We're almost there!" as she trotted by.  Despite her cajoling, my leg was so stiff and painful that i could just stand there and watch helplessly... as Banana Man et al. trudged slowly past.  

Determined to at least hobble the rest of the way, i slowly put one foot in front of the other and started walking through the pain.  This went on for a minute or so.  Miraculously, the cramping vanished, and i managed to pick up my feet and do an "old man shuffle" all the way to the finish line.  In the end, Banana Man beat me by about 33 seconds... but i still finished the race "running."   

The smile hides the pain

Immediately after crossing the finish, both legs seized up completely... and i had to ignominiously limp to get my medal.  Owww. 

I worked for that medal

Postmortem analysis/rationalization of my disappointing finish: 

I did my usual 16-week buildup for this race, but had been very liberal with substitutions.  Primarily this was due to time constraints.  Some days i would need to do 9 miles but could only do 6; other days i would need to do a long run and split it up into a double instead.  For the entire training cycle, i only completed ONE full 20-miler, and that had been on a treadmill.  Meh.  Honestly, i thought my decent finishes in my most recent halfs (halves?) were a testament to my improving athletic ability.  But the full 26.2 is more than just 13.1 x 2.  It has its own challenges and requires a different approach to preparation.  Half-assery will not cut it; in order to be able to "trust the training," you have to train properly. 

In addition, about a month ago, while heading out to do a 20-miler, i twisted my left ankle about a mile in.  My left foot hit a reflector (just my luck - the only one on the side of the road), and i went down.  I didn't necessarily think any serious damage was done, but if i'm being completely honest, it might have; my left ankle still hurts when i point my toes down and in.  Maybe i'm unconsciously favoring my left ankle and working my hips more?  At any rate, that event struck a considerable blow to my training: instead of a "monster" week with maximum mileage, i had to back off and baby the ankle to be sure i'd make it to race day. 

TL;DR: i missed my goal because i was undertrained and unprepared. 

For future reference: 

1.  Long runs really count; get in at least two 20-milers before race day.  Do strides at the end of each.

2.  Continue to do hill work until the end. 

3.  Don't slack off of strength training. 

Even though this is my ninth marathon, i'm still learning new things.  Hopefully, application of those lessons leads to further gains.  

On a different note, this is the first marathon that i've run "alone."  Gianina and Adrian stayed at home (which was only two hours away), so i had to work out all the logistics in advance.  I also had to get a new Camelbak with a bigger bladder and more storage space.  It's a rehearsal for a future race that i won't mention since i don't want to jinx it.  

RACE NOTES: 

1. The "expo" was just a packet pickup in the Sports Basement (a sporting goods store) in Santa Rosa.  The "swag" wasn't bad: the usual coupons, a puffy jacket, and a bottle of red wine.  

2.  Race day weather was great, starting out in the high 50s and ending in the mid 60s.  Mostly cloudy all throughout, a little bit of sunlight here and there.  It could have been much worse (initially projected to be 80s), as there was little to no shade on the course.  

A little ray of sunshine

3.  Since it was such a small race (less than a thousand marathoners), there were no long security checks.  In fact, i stayed at my downtown hotel half a mile from the start, and just moseyed on over a few minutes before the gun went off. 

Leaving the hotel... 20 minutes before the race starts

Waiting for the gun to go off

4.  The course, while billed as being "flat," really isn't.  To be fair, there aren't any significant hills, but the up-and-down "undulations" will get to you if you're expecting "flat."  It was otherwise pleasant, running mostly through parks/vineyards, with some patches of road/sidewalk.  Definitely not as gorgeous as Napa.  You can avail of the "shot of Chardonnay" (i did) right after you run through the Deloach Winery at mile 10.  It may have been a bad idea, but i thought a little alcohol would dull the pain in my hips.  I was wrong. The course also tended to narrow at some points, which is always inconvenient for my run-walk-run strategy (which requires a lot of passing).   

The official elevation chart

Elevation as measured by my GPS watch.  Note the "undulations" midway

5.  I've never really hung around for a post-race experience.  At the end, i'm usually just trying to reunite with my family so we can get back to the hotel.  Usually, the lines for beer etc. are so long anyway that i don't even think it's worth it.  Well, since i was by myself for this one, i just sat down, drank some water, and ate some chocolate chip cookies for a few minutes, trying to rest my legs enough for the walk back to the hotel. (Half a mile isn't that bad... at NYC, you have to walk a mile just to get out of the racers' area).   Since i wasn't driving, i decided to sample the "free beer."  There were no lines, and with the way they managed the freebies, one could easily have gotten way more than the allotment of two.  As it was, i got three.  Unfortunately, they were IPAs.

6.  In terms of value for money: $130-ish and change isn't bad for a jacket, a bottle of wine, some beers, and free (low-res - you have to pay $11 for the HD versions) race day photographs.  Clearly, this race has great support from local businesses.  

Overall, i probably wouldn't do it again, but it's a decent race.  Next stop, San Jose.  

POSTSCRIPT (random pictures of Santa Rosa):

2:08:38 (But Probably Closer to 2:10)

This past weekend, i completed the Surfer's Path Half Marathon in allegedly 2:08:38.

I say "allegedly," because similar to my recent B2B finish, my watch disagrees with the result.  This time though, it was entirely in my favor: i'm not sure if i just ran the tangents too well (inadvertently "cheating"), or they measured the course incorrectly, but my watch reports that i only completed around 12.8 miles.  I suspect it was the latter.  Same as my previous race, i don't really care enough about the "official" time to let the organizers know.  At least everyone was equally affected, and i honestly don't think anyone is fooled.  

(To avoid confusion, i am categorically stating that i am a chip time believer.)  

Whether i finished in 2:08:38 or 2:10 and change, it's still faster than my recent finish at Napa.  This continues to validate my 3:1 run-walk-run strategy, wherein i keep the ratio consistent but try to do the 3 minute run at "tempo pace."  I had enough gas in the tank to see it through until the end, but i wonder how well the strategy will hold up for the full 26.2.  We'll see. 

Around my second walk break (not even a mile in), a guy passed me while condescendingly tapping on my shoulder and saying "You can do it, boss!"  I easily passed him on my subsequent running interval, but he caught up with me when i slowed down to walk.  This went on a few more times, with each time taking him longer to catch up.  By the time we got to mile 4, he was nowhere to be seen.  Run-walk-run FTW!  

Game face during a 3-minute run interval

I may be moving up in the world, too: my results reflect that i finished in the top 50% in my age group, my division, and overall - and on chip time, to boot.  Or... maybe most of the runners were just there for the view...   

RACE NOTES: 

1.  No expo.  The bibs were mailed out.  It would have been nice to have had more pre-race communication from the organizers, since i wasn't even sure that the race was pushing through until i got my bib around 3 weeks prior to the event.  In lieu of an expo, we just wandered around the boardwalk and consumed unhealthy fried snacks the day before.  

"Carb-loading" with a deep-fried Oreo 

2.  The weather was great, starting out in the mid-40s and ending in the mid-50s.  It was pretty cloudy, too.  Perfect. 

3.  It was easy to get to the start from our hotel 15 minutes away, and there was ample parking close to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk.  Since it was a small race, security wasn't tight, and Gianina accompanied me up until the gun went off.  

Start line in the background

4.  The course is an out-and-back, heading east to Capitola and then turning right back around and heading back to Santa Cruz (route details here).  There were a decent amount of hills, but short and not too steep, with a total elevation gain of 375 feet.  I'm a little hazy on why there is a net elevation gain if it's an out-and-back, but then again i'm just a lung doctor.  The views of Monterey Bay were great, and even better in the second half.  Aid stations were placed roughly every 2-3 miles, starting around 1.5 miles in.  No gels, just water and "electrolytes."  

The ambulance "sweeping" at the end of the race. Thankfully i was headed in the opposite direction

Elevation chart

5.  At close to 1400 participants, it was a small event, and never felt crowded.  As an aside, i never wear headphones during a race and was quite entertained by the ongoing conversation of the ladies i intermittently caught up with.  Some snippets: "So is he your boyfriend?" "He wants to be," and "You just don't understand the fragile state i'm in right now... i mean, emotionally."  I wasn't even eavesdropping, they were just talking really loud.  

6.  Gianina was able to meet me right at the finish line.  Shirts were handed out at a booth, but since the race was much smaller than B2B, there was virtually no queue, and i got mine immediately.  There was a "goodie bag" containing a banana, an orange, a bag of chips, a Kind Bar, a can of Bubly, and a bottle of water.  Not bad.  I believe there were "free" massages as well, but i didn't partake.  

Santa Cruz wharf in the background

That's a breakfast burrito... not included in the finisher bag

Lack of communication aside, i liked it, and would definitely do it again.

Next, back to the full marathon: Santa Rosa.

At least i got a shirt this time