Race Info: Madison Marathon on November 12, 2017 in Madison WI.
Goals: This was my first full marathon, and my main goal was to finish. After that, my goal time was 4:20.
Training: I've done six half marathons with the most recent one in August. Coming off that I increased my weekly and long run distances pretty consistently other than being interrupted by hikes in August and September. My training routine was to do hill intervals on Mondays, a fast, flat five mile run on Tuesday, a six to nine mile run Thursday and my long run Saturday. My long run length increased roughly 1.5 miles per week and topped out at 22.11 miles two weeks before the race.
Pre-race: I got up before 4 AM for the 7 AM race. I downed a chocolate mint Clif bar, a 32 oz bottle of Gatorade, and some instant coffee (as long as I'm naming brands, it was Starbucks Via mocha). The day before I had some easily digestible food (bean and rice burrito for lunch and chicken wrap for dinner, stuff I've had many times). I felt good all through the run as far as stomach stuff goes.
Race: I hung with the 4:20 pace group until about mile 18. Up to that point I was ahead of them a little behind them a little but otherwise with them. I don't remember exactly where they started to get ahead of me, but by mile 21 I'd definitely lost them. I couldn't see them at all.
For nutrition I took three gels and two chews. This was my first time using chews in a race, and it will be my last. These were Clif Shot Blocks, and the packing is terrible. They're so hard to get open during a race, and they're kind of hard to eat. I used them in long training runs and they were fine, but I always had the luxury of eating and drinking whenever I wanted. In the race I wanted to eat them with fluids, and I was always surprised by aid stations and stuck trying to rip them apart and keep moving and get water. The gels are great as always. I nick the corners of them to open them more easily.
So by mile 18 I was starting to fade, and I ended up walking up several hills. I probably walked five times in the last five miles, but I made it to the end and finished in 4:28. While I didn't make my goal time, I wasn't so far off that I'm disappointed.
I'd been worried about a couple hills around mile 18, but to be honest, I barely remember going up them. Not because they were easy but because of a mix of just settled into the run and in a bit of a daze.
Post-race: My right knee is really stiff but not painfully so. I'm otherwise pretty good. I won't be running at all for a few days, but I'll be back at it soon enough. My knee still aches but is better in the last 24 hours. Yesterday it ached when I did anything. Today it only aches on stairs.
What would I change? Besides no Clif Shot Blocks, my race day went well. The only other change that comes to mind is a training one. As a first race, I think what I did for training was fine, but if I do another I want to get to the point where running 18 miles is no big deal. During my long run training, each week was really tough. When I ran 18 miles, the first 16 were nice but the last two a struggle. The next week when I ran 20, the first 18 were OK but the last two a struggle. I think what I'd do differently is give myself maybe three or four weeks of doing 18 mile long runs with a goal of having 18 miles feel as natural as ten or so does today.
Will I do another? I don't know. One coworker says not to decide until two weeks after you do one, and I agree with that. The Madison Marathon was run well, and I enjoy the course. If I do another I want to do a different race but only for variety, not because of any disappointment with the race. I'm already signed up for three half marathons next year.
"I don't know" the day after is pretty nearly a sure thing. Those chews are awful. I grabbed some of those jelly bean things at a race and could barely get one down. I suspect that people handing out licorice are experienced runners trolling newbies. Sounds like the cold worked out to your advantage. Great job!Will I do another? I don't know.... I'm already signed up for three half marathons next year.
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the weather! You're right that the cold wasn't an issue. It was low to mid 30s at the start and probably not much warmer at the finish. I wore tights, gloves, two thin tops, and two hats. I shed one hat after two miles. Somewhere around three miles I thought I was going to be too warm, but either it cooled off or I settled down. I thought nothing about temperature for the last 20+ miles. There was a wide range of gear. I love my thin hat and liked having it on my head and over my ears, but there were plenty of people hatless or with running caps. I find myself now two days after finishing idly wondering when the Milwaukee marathon is. I haven't looked, but I'm starting to wonder.
There is an addiction to it. I didn't feel the endorphin rush after the marathon, but I have after other long runs. As long as it isn't to the point of injury, I'm going to keep rolling with it.
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Clif makes a lot of good things. Clif Gel Blocks are not one of those things. Even for hiking they're atrocious, during a marathon sounds significantly worse. Congratulations on the finish in a very respectable time! Let us know if in a close few Pubski's from now if you'll be running another one. What kind, if any, of other workouts were you doing beyond the long run? Tempo, intervals, etc?
I was mostly satisfied with the blocks in training runs, but in the race environment they didn't work even if nutritionally they were a success. What foods do you use on long runs? Any suggestions for things beyond gels? I did hill intervals once a week, and I've been doing them regularly for over a year. I warm up and then run up and walk down as many times as I can before either my form suffers or my run up is just a jog. Then I do a cool down jog. I love/hate them.
I take everything back. Just ran a trail half and forced myself to try Clif Gel Blocks at an aid station, it somehow worked out well. Better than the one time I tried them on roads.
I'm fine with them as food, but the packaging kills me. Did you have any trouble getting them open? How was the run?
No problem getting them open, but a bit of a problem further opening the package to get to the bottom. Which, in retrospect, I could have just turned the thing upside down and torn from there... Amazing, but I'm confused on the distance. GPS watch measured 13.9 mi, and I'm seeing others measured anywhere from 13.3 mi to 13.9 mi. The one thing that's consistent was the elevation gain, there was about 2,200 ft of elevation gain over the half marathon route. For a run in Washington, in November, it was a beautiful day. Definitely made the "B" goal, not sure about the "A" goal until official times are released.
2200 feet! My marathon was 650', and it's considered a hillier course, at least for the area. Congratulations on a great run. 13.9 is definitely longer than I'd expect a watch to measure. I measured 26.41 for the marathon. I have seen my watch track jump around a bit if I'm between tall buildings, and maybe yours could do the same if you were in a gorge or heavily treed area that blocks the satellite signal?
I mostly use gels and protein bars, but one thing I've really enjoyed is honey roasted peanuts. Light weight, you get some salt, some sugar, and a lot of protein/fat to keep you going. Also toyed with the idea of packing some coconut shavings or flakes. I've done dried mangos before, those are really good too. I don't believe in loading your body with junk food and only gels during a long run, but also haven't ran long enough distances to know if it makes a difference or not. Hill intervals!? Holy hell, man. I'll do hills, I'll do intervals, but never both at the same time. That's intense.
Over on this side of the Atlantic, there's this chain of to-go supermarkets with stores on every train station. Earlier this year I found out that these tiny stores sold Clif Bars at basically cost price. They're pretty great! Sadly, a mere few weeks after I found out they stopped selling it. They now sell their own bars, which are much more generic. I have yet to find another place where you can buy them at all over here that doesn't mark it up into the stratosphere. :(
Apparently you can buy a 192 pack of Clif Bars via their website. You'll probably get raked over the coals with shipping, though.