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St. George Marathon

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Location:

Orem,UT,USA

Member Since:

Apr 03, 2006

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Age Division Winner

Running Accomplishments:

HS/COLLEGE:
mile: 4:56, 2 mile: 10:21 (1978)
marathon: 2:52 (St. George 1982)
OLD MAN (20+ years later):
5K: 19:53 (Nestle/Art City Days 5K 2007)
10K: 39:55 (Spectrum 10K 2008)
half marathon: 1:26 (Hobble Creek 2008)
marathon: 3:07 (St. George 2007)

Short-Term Running Goals:

Get back to a BQ marathon time (currently 3:40).

Long-Term Running Goals:

Have fun running, keep fit, and fight middle age spread. Run consistently and injury free. Maintain a healthy balance between running and other life priorities. Encourage my ever-aging running buddies to keep running so we can continue to share runs on the trail instead of rocking chairs.

Personal:

Blessed to be married to Karen for 30 years. We have six children (4 daughters/2 sons) ages 16 to 30, and one wonderful granddaughter.

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Altra Instinct 1.5 Lifetime Miles: 83.50
Altra Lone Peak 1.5 Lifetime Miles: 21.80
Saucony Guide 7 Blue 2 Lifetime Miles: 376.95
Saucony Fastwitch 6 Lifetime Miles: 200.05
Saucony Guide 7 Black 1 Lifetime Miles: 271.15
Race: St. George Marathon (26.2 Miles) 03:52:51, Place overall: 1803, Place in age division: 76
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
0.000.0026.200.000.0026.20

Goals

Strategy (similar to last year)

Results

1. 3:30-ish?

2. 3:39:59 (BQ)

3. Sub 4:00.

Run a smooth, steady, efficient, cruising pace from the start. Be careful not to go out too fast, or too slow. Coast, not push, up the hills. Take the brakes off down the hills.

Similar to last year, I feel like I'm in shape to race a marathon. I feel healthy. I've dropped some weight (more to go). I feel good about the speed work, hills, mileage, and long runs I've done.

I'm excited to see what I can do. I know to expect the unexpected. Any number of things may go wrong. The only sure thing is that, good or bad, it will be an adventure. I'm hopeful for another good adventure this year.

2014: 3:47:47, 8:41/mi, 6.9 mph
2015: 3:52:51, 8:53/mi, 6.8 mph

2014
Overall: 1696th of 5804 (29%)
Male: 1132nd of 3077 (37%)
M 50-54: 152nd of 325 (46%)
In the last 7 miles I passed 190 and was passed by 39.

2015
Overall: 1803rd of 5464 (33%)
Male: 1151st of 2921 (39%)
M 55-59: 76th of 252 (30%)
In the last 7 miles I passed 151 and was passed by 72.

I was slightly slower than last year, but by virtue of moving up an age division I finished 76th instead of 152nd in my age division.

Overall I feel like I was roughly in the same shape as last year but I had run more hills so I didn’t cramp and recovered more quickly. I think I may have run a little too conservatively the first half, and when I realized I didn’t have a chance at a BQ (3:40), I didn’t go all out at the end. It’s all good.

I think my priorities for next year are 1) get more serious about my diet and weight loss, 2) increase my mileage slightly, and 3) do more speed work and longer tempo runs.

Stay nourished and hydrated.

Carbo load and hydrate as usual the week before.
Bagel, banana, salty pretzels 3 hours before race.
Energy bar and water just before race.
Lorna Doone cookies just before and halfway through.
2 Clif Bloks with 4+ oz water per aid station until mile 21 then switch to energy drink.
Eat bananas and oranges when available.

I followed the fueling plan pretty closely. I never felt like I was out of gas and recovered pretty quickly after the finish.

More details:

Miles

Plan

Actual Splits/Comments

1-7

Downhill (7:15-8:15/mi)

2014: 8:08, 8:29, 7:53, 7:56, 8:13, 7:50, 7:40. (avg. 8:01)
2015: 8:33, 8:41, 8:11, 8:16, 8:31, 7:42, 7:45. (avg. 8:14)
I hoped to be faster than last year but all but one of my mile splits were slower than last year. I felt I held marathon effort pretty consistently but I guess I was being more conservative than, or was not as well trained as, I thought.

8

Steep uphill - Veyo (9:45-10:45/mi)

2014: 11:16
2015: 10:05
Once again, my bladder forced a pit stop part way up the hill, but I got up a little quick than last year.

9-12

Uphill to Dammeron Valley (9:00-10:00/mi)

2014: 9:17, 9:11, 9:54, 9:28.
2015: 10:17, 9:27, 10:08, 9:11.
Similar to miles 1-7, I was a little slower than last year. Again, either I wasn’t in as good of shape as last year or I was just over-conservative in taking it a little easy through this section.

13-14

Slight downhill thru Dammeron Valley (8:30-9:00/mi)

2014: 8:40, 8:47.
2015: 8:40, 8:49.
Nearly identical to last year, but continuing the pattern of slightly slower.

15-16

Big downhill – Snow Canyon (7:00-7:45/mi)

2014: 7:46, 7:11
2015: 7:53, 7:25
This is still one of my favorite sections of the race. Once I hit the downhill my pace easily improved, but slightly slower than last year. Again, I leaned forward at the ankles and took the brakes off and passed tons of runners without feeling like I was expending any more effort. I flew past the spectators at Snow Canyon with a smile on my face slapping hands with many of them.

17-20

Rolling hills (8:15-9:45/mi)

2014: 8:15, 8:29, 9:53, 9:00.
2015: 8:19, 8:14, 9:55, 9:34.
I remembered this year to expect these miles to be hard with some hills. Still slightly slower than last year. (quick Icy Hot stops)

21

Big downhill – Twist Hollow (7:45-8:45/mi)

2014: 7:42.
2015: 7:57.
I was able to pick it up on the downhill, but again slightly slower than last year though my quads felt much better than last year at this point. I think my additional downhill training this year paid off.

22-24

Downhill (8:15-9:15/mi)

2014: 9:11, 8:46, 8:09.
2015: 9:59, 9:46, 8:48.
I had realized well before this point that I had no chance at a BQ 3:40 and would easily break 4:00. It didn’t seem worth the pain to push to my limits to get a little faster somewhere in between. I chose to maintain my current cruising pace and enjoy the crowds to the finish.

25-26.2

Downhill – push, w/ crowd (8:45-9:30/mi)

2014: 9:18, 9:29.
2015: 9:26, 9:10.
I pushed a little the last 1.2 and finished tired but not totally spent.

Total

3:40 to 4:00 (8:24-9:10/mi)

2014: 3:47:47.
2014: 3:52:51.
I must admit I’m a little disappointed, but not too much. I had thought I was in a little better shape than last year, but I think I ran too conservatively in the first half to find out.

Saucony Fastwitch 6 Miles: 26.20
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