Thanks for the good wishes. I'll write up a report but here's the gist. I was on 3:10 pace right up until kilometre 39. Maybe even 39.5. Then the cramps hit big time. I had to walk. I tried to run and I did. The sun was hitting me (Toronto, plant some freaking trees!) and I was just a mental mess. Thanks to Peter, a former co-worker who ran that half, who came up and helped me get my bearings straight in the last 500 metres. It was a painful last two kilometres and I managed to run in bits but I was a stumbling mess. The marathon is humbling -- I know that very well.
Next time, indeed. Race report in a few days I think.
Chip time: 3:19:39
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
The day has arrived
As I type this, about 24 hours from now, I'll be in the latter stages (or end) of my fourth marathon. More than three hours ago, at 7:30 this morning, my alarm went off. The countdowns are no longer in months or weeks. Not even days. It's hours and minutes. A few things
The fuel
This is my fuel plan. I'm following the same plan I did in May for the Flying Pig. It worked out great and I always had something I could pop into my mouth every few miles. I think it's critical for me to mark on my pace band when to take the gels because in my first two marathons, in the excitement, I never took enough fuel.
Gels: The plan is to take five gels during the run: At the 8K, 15K, 22K, 30K and 37K marks. There are water stations around those times thankfully enough. (Calories: 500)
Shot Blok: To prevent cramping as much as I can, I'm also taking Clif Shot Block with 'cramp buster' This has 210mg of sodium for every three cubes (plus 100 calories). I plan to pop one in my mouth in the kilometres between the gels. I hope to have one left for the final 5K. (Calories: 200)
Gatorade: Yes, I'm bringing a bottle with me to (sadly) toss away. There are water stations at 3K and 5K but I'm fully ready for them to be congested so my Gatorade will get me through the first one, maybe two, stations. I'll drink when I pass the stations so I'm following proper hydration.
Sportsbeans: I plan to eat them to calm my nerves before the race. I've done this before about 30 minutes before race. They're easy to digest and represent sugar intake. (Calories: 100)
So in terms of nutrition, I will get a 500 calorie breakfast, and 800 calories from gels, bloks and beans. I'll take water with gels and may take a few Gatorades a stations. It's tricky this business of fueling for the marathon.
Tracking:
Here's my bib! 647. You can click here or here to track me.
The course:
I have never run a marathon in my home city, but i've run thousands of miles in it. Not only that, I live at around the 19K mark of the marathon. This is my home course, no doubt about it. On the western part of Toronto, I run out there on average 3 time a week and have done quite a few races out there. Many people don't like the Leslie Spit and Commissioners Street part on the west, which is run in an industrial area, but I do many of my training runs on Commissioners and have been doing Leslie Spit quite often. The most eastern part of the course, the Beaches, is typically part of any long run I do of more than 14 miles. It's safe to say I know every rise, every bend, every pothole (luckily there are only a few) and even how it feels to run this course on windy, snowy, rainy and sun-filled days. One of my favourite sights when I do long runs is when I'm heading back to downtown, which would be around the 34K mark of the marathon. You can see the beautiful Toronto skyline with the CN Tower rising above it all. When I see that, I know I'm getting close to home.
Gear:
Still deciding on singlet, but I'm going to go with my new shoes. Fran suggested I replace the insoles of my new ones with the more worn out versions from the old one. I did so and it 'feels' much more comfortable. I also stuffed newspaper down the toebox to get a little bit on an expansion. I did about 2K this morning with no problems. I may another jog in the afternoon.
Final plans:
Watch TV, visualize the race, massage with The Stick and generally lay around. Oh yeah, and eating...
Timeline:
6 pm.: Early dinner of pasta with a little bit of protein (chicken)
10 p.m.: Small late nite snack (to top off fuel)
10 - 11 p.m.: In bed
3:30 to 4 a.m.: Up to take care of business and to eat breakfast of two waffles and small instant oatmeal or half a banana). Maybe some peanut butter
4:15 a.m. Back to bed for nap
5 to 5:15: Get up and get ready.
6 - 6:15 a.m.: Leave my place and walk/TTC it to City Hall. It will be crowded!
7:10ish. After portapotty break, start making my way to red corral.
7:30... um, race.
The fuel
This is my fuel plan. I'm following the same plan I did in May for the Flying Pig. It worked out great and I always had something I could pop into my mouth every few miles. I think it's critical for me to mark on my pace band when to take the gels because in my first two marathons, in the excitement, I never took enough fuel.
Gels: The plan is to take five gels during the run: At the 8K, 15K, 22K, 30K and 37K marks. There are water stations around those times thankfully enough. (Calories: 500)
Shot Blok: To prevent cramping as much as I can, I'm also taking Clif Shot Block with 'cramp buster' This has 210mg of sodium for every three cubes (plus 100 calories). I plan to pop one in my mouth in the kilometres between the gels. I hope to have one left for the final 5K. (Calories: 200)
Gatorade: Yes, I'm bringing a bottle with me to (sadly) toss away. There are water stations at 3K and 5K but I'm fully ready for them to be congested so my Gatorade will get me through the first one, maybe two, stations. I'll drink when I pass the stations so I'm following proper hydration.
Sportsbeans: I plan to eat them to calm my nerves before the race. I've done this before about 30 minutes before race. They're easy to digest and represent sugar intake. (Calories: 100)
So in terms of nutrition, I will get a 500 calorie breakfast, and 800 calories from gels, bloks and beans. I'll take water with gels and may take a few Gatorades a stations. It's tricky this business of fueling for the marathon.
Tracking:
Here's my bib! 647. You can click here or here to track me.
The course:
I have never run a marathon in my home city, but i've run thousands of miles in it. Not only that, I live at around the 19K mark of the marathon. This is my home course, no doubt about it. On the western part of Toronto, I run out there on average 3 time a week and have done quite a few races out there. Many people don't like the Leslie Spit and Commissioners Street part on the west, which is run in an industrial area, but I do many of my training runs on Commissioners and have been doing Leslie Spit quite often. The most eastern part of the course, the Beaches, is typically part of any long run I do of more than 14 miles. It's safe to say I know every rise, every bend, every pothole (luckily there are only a few) and even how it feels to run this course on windy, snowy, rainy and sun-filled days. One of my favourite sights when I do long runs is when I'm heading back to downtown, which would be around the 34K mark of the marathon. You can see the beautiful Toronto skyline with the CN Tower rising above it all. When I see that, I know I'm getting close to home.
Gear:
Still deciding on singlet, but I'm going to go with my new shoes. Fran suggested I replace the insoles of my new ones with the more worn out versions from the old one. I did so and it 'feels' much more comfortable. I also stuffed newspaper down the toebox to get a little bit on an expansion. I did about 2K this morning with no problems. I may another jog in the afternoon.
Final plans:
Watch TV, visualize the race, massage with The Stick and generally lay around. Oh yeah, and eating...
Timeline:
6 pm.: Early dinner of pasta with a little bit of protein (chicken)
10 p.m.: Small late nite snack (to top off fuel)
10 - 11 p.m.: In bed
3:30 to 4 a.m.: Up to take care of business and to eat breakfast of two waffles and small instant oatmeal or half a banana). Maybe some peanut butter
4:15 a.m. Back to bed for nap
5 to 5:15: Get up and get ready.
6 - 6:15 a.m.: Leave my place and walk/TTC it to City Hall. It will be crowded!
7:10ish. After portapotty break, start making my way to red corral.
7:30... um, race.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Carboloading
Just picked up my race stuff at the expo. Ran into quite a few people I know. Now at St. Lawrence eating pasta. I love carboloading.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Long walk home...
So much for any type of run today. There was a major subway delay that resulted in my walking almost 8K so I could catch the streetcar home. I left work at 6 p.m. and got home at 8:40. Crap.
Anyways, I took it easy on the walk. Tomorrow, i'll try out the new shoes again for another short run. I will do a 3K run on Saturday I think.
I have tomorrow off work!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Dress rehearsal
Key workout of the week is done, the 'dress rehearsal'. Schedule called for 7 miles with two miles at marathon pace, just so you can get a feel for the speed. It's also great for testing out your gear and other things.
One thing about marathons is that I stack up my RaceReady shorts with all my fuelling needs. So I stuffed five ClifBar gels and my one pack of Clif Shot Blok (margarita with 'cramp buster' formula -- in other words, salt). I filled up a small fuel bottle with Gatorade. I finally figured out how to tie my shorts tight cause I spent the first few miles of last marathon trying to keep my shorts on!
Put on the old pair of shoes, the singlet I plan to wear and my hat. The plan was to run about 3 miles at MP as a result of a recommendation I got here. I ran 1K of warmup and launched right into it.
Details on Garmin Connect
Marathon pace is 4:30 kilometres.
1K 4:24
2K 4:32
3K 4:27
4K 4:29
5K 4:28
Not bad, was able to click off fairly consistent kilometres after a too fast first kilometre. Gonna massage with The Stick later tonight. I'm sure it's partly in my head, but yes, my old shoes do feel a little flat. They are definately more comfortable than the new ones. I may wear my new ones to the office tomorrow to see if they break in a bit more with daily use. I think I'll make my shoe call on Friday after doing a few short runs Thursday and Friday.
One thing about marathons is that I stack up my RaceReady shorts with all my fuelling needs. So I stuffed five ClifBar gels and my one pack of Clif Shot Blok (margarita with 'cramp buster' formula -- in other words, salt). I filled up a small fuel bottle with Gatorade. I finally figured out how to tie my shorts tight cause I spent the first few miles of last marathon trying to keep my shorts on!
Put on the old pair of shoes, the singlet I plan to wear and my hat. The plan was to run about 3 miles at MP as a result of a recommendation I got here. I ran 1K of warmup and launched right into it.
Details on Garmin Connect
Marathon pace is 4:30 kilometres.
1K 4:24
2K 4:32
3K 4:27
4K 4:29
5K 4:28
Not bad, was able to click off fairly consistent kilometres after a too fast first kilometre. Gonna massage with The Stick later tonight. I'm sure it's partly in my head, but yes, my old shoes do feel a little flat. They are definately more comfortable than the new ones. I may wear my new ones to the office tomorrow to see if they break in a bit more with daily use. I think I'll make my shoe call on Friday after doing a few short runs Thursday and Friday.
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