First Marathon...Unofficial

I had been considering doing the Shamrock Marathon earlier this year as kind of a training/preparation for Ironman St. George.  With the marathon being 7 weeks before the Ironman there was a lot of concern with recovering/potential injury.  I had opted out...until last Thursday.  I was doing a group run and was talking to someone about it and they said their friend was injured and wasn't able to run and I could probably have his bib. So with a little logistics I got in touch with them and had a friend pick up the bib from the expo.  I removed the chip from the bib because I didn't want to give him a "black eye" on his race results.  he was in Coral 1, which is the speed demons.

I had a 6hr ride & 45min recovery run scheduled for Saturday and a 2hr 40min run scheduled for Sunday.  So I shaved some time off the ride (cut it back to 4hrs 15min = 75 miles) and dropped the recovery run and did a swim instead.  I figured I could add that onto the Sunday scheduled run and go for the Marathon.

Shamrock is a flat course.  Very little elevation change.  Miles 1-9 were a little rough, trying to get into a groove.  I drank a lot of fluid the night before and that morning so I had a bathroom stop somewhere around mile 8 or 9.  Before I stopped for the port-o-potty I was just ahead of the 3:45 pacer.  I was able to catch back up with them around mile 11 and stayed ahead of them till mile 16.  Miles 16 to somewhere around 19 were desolate.  No cheering crowds, no scenery, just woods on both sides of the road.  I was running with the 3:45 pacer at this point.  At mile 20 I decided to back off and the 3:45 pacer started to slowly get farther and farther away.  20-26.2 was tough.  I tried to zone out but the pain keeps you present.  If I had to describe it, it's like doing squats and the second to last rep where your legs are burning and you know you only have one more in you...take that feeling and hold it for 6 miles.  The final mile I saw my friends and that always gives you a boost.  Finish time: 3:54:48.

Nutrition and fluid I felt good.  The night/morning before I had a few bottles of BASE electrolyte salt mix and other sport drinks.  I only drank Gatorade™ on the course, one cup starting at mile 6 and then bumped up to two cups at each station around 12, no cramps.  I had a peanut butter GU™ at 50 minutes, Accel™ gel at 1:30, Carb Boom™ around 2:05, some Twizzlers™ around 2:20, Accel™ gel with 20mg caffeine and 1/2 banana at 3:00.  Around mile 24.5 there was a group of spectators handing out cups of Guinness™ so I went for it.  I have to say that was a GREAT idea!  Tasted sooo good!  After the race I picked up my checked bag where I had 4 caps of the Base Performance Recovery Activator and washed them down with a "recovery" beverage.

Best part of the race...the after-party!

I'm really glad I did the Marathon before the Ironman.  I learned a LOT about myself and what to expect in less than 7 weeks.  Conditioning wise I felt great!  The legs were gone, though.  I stayed focus on form; good turnover and good foot striking.