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Prairie Fire Fall Marathon - Run


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Wichita, Kansas
United States
50F / 10C
Overcast
Total Time = 5h 21m 46s
Overall Rank = /
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

I registered for this race in the Spring as part of the Back2Back challenge (spring half + fall full), and then I signed up for the Start2Finish training program put on by a local running store - where I met some really awesome friends! We ran long runs together for the first 12-14 weeks, and then they got faster so I ran solo the rest of the time.

Many of my last long runs were putting me on-pace to hit a 5-hour marathon, I felt good for all of them so was confident I'd have a great race. Race morning I was up at 4 a.m. and at the race site by 6:30. Met up with the Start2Finish group for a photo, and my Dad had come to see the start! So I hung out with him until it was time to get in the corals.
Event warmup:

I found the 5-hour pace group and also found all of the girls - Angi, Melissa, Kendra and more. Hugs and a quick group prayer and we were ready to go.
Run
  • 5h 21m 46s
  • 26.52 miles
  • 12m 08s  min/mile
Comments:

Immediately after the start I lost all of the girls, ha! I was so excited to be running my 9th marathon in my home town, and there were so many spectators and signs, go Wichita!

But from the very first step, the tendons on the front of my ankles (not sure how else to describe this area) were very painful. I mean they hurt. I have no idea what caused this as I've never had issues in this area before. Bleh. I shed my gloves around mile 3 before turning into my neighborhood, and not long after that I saw my Mom! Gave her a hug and a high five, she was so cute. I couldn't help but announce to everyone around me "That's my MOM!" :)

My ankles continued to hurt every single step until around the 5-mile mark. Then, finally, I started to feel more like myself for a bit. Miles 5-10 everything was just achy and prematurely hurting. Not good, and I never figured out why.

Miles 10-13 I had to stop and walk a handful of times. My heartrate was sky-rocketing and I was just not comfortable. Things were starting to go downhill fast, and I considered pulling out of the, race all though deep down I knew I would never actually go through with that. But then around mile 13, Melissa caught up to me and I latched on to her - this was definitely my saving grace.

The two of us chugged along together, commiserating and supporting - she was also having a very similar experience with early body aches and things just not quite right. We saw my mom 3 or 4 more times, she was driving ALL AROUND the course and she would even run a few blocks with us, in her jeans and puffy jacket. It was the most supportive, awesome, and just darn cute thing I've ever experienced. My heart about burst open every time I saw her. I just can't put into words how much that kind of stuff means to me.

Around mile 18, we saw Angi and Kendra up ahead and we caught them on a walk break! So here was the ol' running group - reunited by what we decided was something the universe had surely orchestrated so that we could all pull each other in to the finish line. It was pretty awesome, except for some negativity and crankiness from everyone but we tried so hard to lift each other up regardless of all of that.

At mile 22, our former group training leader Natalie was waiting to run us in. She was SO energetic and positive it was exactly what we needed. 22-25 was a weird stretch, we were in some back, desolated part of the course and going into a head wind. It really sucked but we were just counting down the miles. Angi shot out ahead of us at mile 24 when we were on an extended walk break, and Kendra's daughter hopped in with us at some point here.

Then we hit mile 25 and got excited about the finish! Kevin, the owner of the local running store and creator of the Start2Finish group, was in this mile and ran with us for about half of it. Then we finally got to turn out of the wind and onto the bridge of glory. The finish line bridge.

Since Melissa is a news anchor for our CBS affiliate, she is kind of a local celebrity - so the announcer was making a huge deal about her - and her pack! - coming into the finish chute. We were all smiles in a sea of cheers and cameras (we were on the news that night!), and then we were finally, FINALLY done.
What would you do differently?:

I'm not sure. I had some unexpected pain management to deal with, but despite that I didn't give in or "pace shame" myself. I was a little surprised I wasn't able to hold the paces I had in training, but in the end I had so much fun running my little heart out, and running with my friends - and that's why I do this.
Post race
Warm down:

My parents were both at the finish line - again the sweetest people you will ever meet - so I chatted with them for awhile before heading to the GoRun tent to get my stuff and say goodbye to everyone. My Mom drove me to my car (NICE!) and I bee-lined home for an epsom salt bath and my post-race pizza. I was pretty stiff all evening but the morning after as I type this I am doing really well.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Unexpected pain and premature fatigue.

Event comments:

I want SO BADLY to give this race a higher rating because it's my home town race and I think they are making a huge effort in a lot of areas. But there were a number of gripes from me and the gals: No drop bags issued at check in, even though that was advertised. No gels at miles 13/17 - as advertised (this was the worst, I had to lend some nutrition to the girls who had counted on this and hadn't brought back-up), some turns poorly marked with only a cone and an arrow on the ground - no volunteers at some of them. Bands packed up after about 2 hours. Something glitched with the finish line timing and they were manually taking down names and times. And so on.

However, there are also a lot of GREAT things about this race. It's a super flat and fun course, essentially taking you on a tour of the city. Lots of police presence and spectators in the neighborhoods - I was really floored by how the city came out and cheer everyone on. The swag is on point - a great finishers shirt and a cartoonishly-large medal (if you're into that kind of thing) - and great overall communication before the race.

I would definitely do this race again, but set my expectations for some things a bit lower.




Last updated: 2014-04-19 12:00 AM
Running
05:21:46 | 26.52 miles | 12m 08s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Average
Course: Starting and finishing downtown, the race takes you all the way east through town, then all the way back West past downtown, through Riverside, and finishing at the Waterwalk area.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Ok
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? No
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 3

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2014-10-13 9:17 AM

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Alpharetta, Georgia
Bronze member
Subject: Prairie Fire Fall Marathon


2014-10-13 10:12 AM
in reply to: #5059312

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Master
2759
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Los Angeles, CA
Subject: RE: Prairie Fire Fall Marathon
We ran a marathon the same day, yay!

Way to go pushing through the premature pain the early miles Lisa! My HR was skyrocketing too at odd times. >.<
2014-10-13 1:33 PM
in reply to: #5059312

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Veteran
416
100100100100
Subject: RE: Prairie Fire Fall Marathon

Well, I was thinking this was a race you were going to look back and be proud for perfect training and execution. Now you get to look back and be even PROUDER for triumphing despite adversity! (What was UP with tendon issues?!?) I can just be proud to have such an accomplished friend who NEVER GIVES UP!

2014-10-13 2:41 PM
in reply to: #5059312

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Extreme Veteran
444
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Olathe, KS
Subject: RE: Prairie Fire Fall Marathon

Great job at the race! I can barely believe that was your marathon #9 already! 

So cool of your parents to come out & support you - but they are awesome like that, so I'm not surprised.

2014-10-14 4:37 AM
in reply to: LindaKC

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Extreme Veteran
725
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Subject: RE: Prairie Fire Fall Marathon
What a great race! I bet it was so much fun to see your parents. Way to go with all of your training that allowed you to have such a great race!!!
2014-10-14 9:23 AM
in reply to: #5059312

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Veteran
627
50010025
Prairie Village, Kansas
Subject: RE: Prairie Fire Fall Marathon
Great race, and nice job knocking out all the runs in the training! I assumed that was just impossible...


2014-10-14 9:46 PM
in reply to: m.a.burghart

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Master
2484
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St. Louis
Subject: RE: Prairie Fire Fall Marathon
Way to push through the pain! That's so cute about your mom. Very sweet.
2014-10-15 8:45 AM
in reply to: ransick

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Master
9705
500020002000500100100
Raleigh, NC area
Subject: RE: Prairie Fire Fall Marathon

Great job out there! Awesome photos! So nice to read about the training group coming together and your mom driving all over to see you :-)

2014-10-17 1:20 PM
in reply to: #5059312

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Elite
3683
20001000500100252525
Whispering Pines, North Carolina
Subject: RE: Prairie Fire Fall Marathon
Way to go, Lisa! Too bad about the start, though. Pains seem to common-place when we train for these events! I'm glad you worked through those dark miles halfway through! You never want to quit a marathon that early, regardless of how you feel. Sounds like you had fun on the second half! Way to get it done and get famous doing so!
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