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Columbus Marathon - RunMarathon


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Columbus , Ohio
United States
Columbus Marathon
45F / 7C
Sunny
Total Time = 3h 17m 18s
Overall Rank = DFL/Lots
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 0/Lots
Pre-race routine:

Drove to Ohio. Funny stuff on the way down included 1) david banner, 2) a car driving at 55mph on a shredded donut of a tire, and 3) Michigan State. OK, MSU was playing Ohio State at 3:30 on Sat. We roll through Columbus at 3PM with 'Buckeye? Buck You!!!' written on my truck's tailgate. I'm also wearing MSU green, and Wendi and Trix just want the windows down to yell at all the simple Ohioans, 'cause they know better. I used the child locks. :)

Packet pickup was a breeze, except they made you stand in 3 lines....1 for the packet, one for the chip, and one for the shirt. That's the only part of the race that was not superb. The expo was pretty good, too, there were almost as many tri vendors there as running vendors.

Dinner the night before at buco de beppo. I have NO clue who decorated the place, but on every wall were some really bizarre representations of smut (like nekkid people) from the 1920's and 30's. I get that they were trying to recreate 'old world italy'; it just came off horribly...err...naked?

An interesting night's sleep. For staying in a nice hotel, the pillows sure did suck. Like they were horrible. So I'm thinking I got 4-5 hours, and it was tough sleep, at that.

Woke up, grabbed a clif bar and a diet pepsi, tried to track down a coffee and bagel for the girlz, but to no avail. Went downstairs and hung out in the lobby with all the evil uniformed 60's style spacepeople (they apparently sold NASA-lookin' full tyvec suits to keep runners warm at the expo, and they may have, but it also made them all look like socialist bad guys from SMERSH).
Event warmup:

Walked 2 blocks to the start line. Watched a C-130 fly by twice. Warmed up our whoopin engines. Fiddled with electronics. HOOOOONK. We're off.
Run
  • 3h 18m 17s
  • 18 miles
  • 11m 01s  min/mile
Comments:

Err...interesting run. From a pure race standpoint, this was nothing more than a training run. Soooo...we started out running G8R's pace, whooping, hollering, we had several groups of people ROFL through mile 5.

At mile 6, though, the half course kept going, while the full course threw in an extra mile loop before we rejoined. So Trix and I took off, hoping to catch Wendi by mile 8, which we did. But we had to BUST ASS to do it, running 3 miles in the space Wendi ran 2 (and a bit). We clocked out three miles of 8, 7:30, and 7:20 including a gu stop. That was fun to step on the gas a little bit.

Rest of the run was more of the same...cutting up, singing, whooping, barking, "liquor in the front, poker in the rear", you name it, we laughed about it. A real insanity and exercise cocktail.

We get to about 13, and Wendi splits off to finish in right at 2:35 for a half...you go, girl!!! Congrats on the PR!!!

Trix and I kept running, and at this point, my knees are hurting, and I don't want to run anymore. I'm complaining like a sissy girl. Trix talks me into keeping going, so I took my jacket off, trix got rid of her 5 pair of gloves (she started out with one, but kept adding to them from the discarded gloves roadside until her hands looked like Minnie Mouse's swollen sausage hands).

So we're just settling into maybe a 9:15 pace for the last 8, and Trix says "my ankle hurts, feels like my shoe is rubbing". So we stop, investigate, bend the shoe around, straighten the tongue, re-shoe her, and off we go again. 2 minutes later, the pain is unbearable...so we stop, turn around, and begin our walk toward DNF. But it didn't matter, it was a training run, and we got 16 good miles in. That was the goal.

On the walk back, Trix decided 1) that running a marathon in shoes that have only gone 5 miles before wasn't plan A, and 2) that her right sock was going to be trashed (she was holding the offending shoe in her hand). So lo and behold, we're backtracking on the course right where trix took her gloves off...so she puts the biggest one she can find on her foot, and we begin running BACK to the half mary finish, shoe in hand, backwards on the course, with a glove on one foot. Yeah, we got some attention and laughs.

We finished that way, and got finisher's pictures, too. Funny part is, they scored our time as the marathon finish time...so we eMailed the RD and told him to DNF us - so we're removed from the official results.
What would you do differently?:

Train, and maybe finish the race. But it was such a great time, I wouldn't trade a second of that foolishness.
Post race
Warm down:

Bagels, hike back to hotel.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Training. Sleep. Laughing. My left knee.

Event comments:

Columbus really turns out to support this event...the crowds, the course, the amenities, the schwag (medal and long-sleeve technical t), the scenery were all outstanding. This was an incredible race. I'd definitely consider doing it again, if it fits in my schedule.

And as always, thanks to Wendi (Soooper Grouper Filet) and Trixie Goat. Racing is fantastic, and with these two, it only gets better. Good times, baby, good times. :) :)




Last updated: 2006-08-30 12:00 AM
Running
03:18:17 | 18 miles | 11m 01s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/Lots
Overall: 0/Lots
Performance: Below average
Miles 1-5 were at about 11 minute pace. Then the course split...marathoners did a 1-mile loop that the half-marathoners didn't, and the courses joined back up. So mile 6-8 were 8:00, 7:30, and 7:20 for Trix and I before we caught G8R. Then 8-13 were at roughly 12 minute pace, dropping it to 10 minute pace for 13-15.6. 15.6 - 18 were a combo run at 8 min pace, combined with walking.
Course: Gentle uphills, gentle downhills, flat, well marked and marshalled, plenty of room, not congested at all for the number of people running the race. The course wound through some beautiful neighborhoods, some quaint downtown-y kinda areas, with the course offering plenty of shade - not that we needed it. The volunteers were friendly and numerous. There were aid stations every mile with water and gatorade endurance, always well stocked. There were Gu stations at mile 7 and 18. There were plenty of porta-crappers at the start, but on-course, they were extremely limited. If you need to skittle, go beforehand...otherwise you'll be waiting in line.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5

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2006-10-18 3:11 PM

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Champion
6627
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Rochester Hills, Michigan
Gold member
Subject: Columbus Marathon


2006-10-18 3:37 PM
in reply to: #572026

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Crystal Lake, IL
Subject: RE: Columbus Marathon
Hey, you had a great time at a what sounds like a great race and you accomplished your goals.  Nice job. 
2006-10-18 6:32 PM
in reply to: #572026

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Extreme Veteran
1491
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northeast Ohio
Subject: RE: Columbus Marathon

Nice report (even if you are a) from that state up north and b) almost made me burn the burgers on the grill because I was having fun reading your report.    ).

I like buco de beppo, but the decor is too weird.

If my someday I want to do a marathon wish ever comes true, this might be a good first one?  Sounds like you guys had a really really good time.

Diane  (GO BUCKS!  hehehehehehehehe!)

2006-10-19 6:04 AM
in reply to: #572026

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Master
1480
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Plant City, FL
Subject: RE: Columbus Marathon

Thanks for hanging with me and running the slow/fat/white/girl pace!!   As always, it was my pleasure to play with you and Trix!!   MCM is gonna be awesome!!

2006-10-19 11:28 AM
in reply to: #572026

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Master
2231
200010010025
Des Moines, Iowa
Subject: RE: Columbus Marathon
Sounds like fun!  You got your training run in also.  Can't beat that :-)
2006-10-20 9:24 AM
in reply to: #572026

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Champion
5183
5000100252525
Wisconsin
Subject: RE: Columbus Marathon
giggle. no one but you could have so much fun DNFing!


2006-10-25 3:07 PM
in reply to: #572026

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Master
1791
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Raleigh, North Carolina
Subject: RE: Columbus Marathon
I'm sorry I didn't happen across this RR earlier. OMG it sounds so funny!
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