Martian Half Marathon - RunHalf Marathon


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Dearborn Heights, Michigan
United States
Martian Marathon
34F / 1C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 25m 28s
Overall Rank = 27/925
Age Group = 25-29
Age Group Rank = 8/92
Pre-race routine:

I like to raise the mental demons really early-like before a race to let them know they won't be f*$kin' with me today out on the course. They put up a fuss and tried to crap on my plans, but it was nothing a little smack talk couldn't put down.
Event warmup:

An aside: my friend Domenic is in a really crappy Polish hospital right now suffering from pneumonia, compounded by experiencing withdrawal from H and alcohol dependency, unable to come home for myriad reasons and it's pretty much crushing both him and his family. So I thought about him and others who are unable to do what they love. Everyone there was pretty lucky comparatively.
Run
  • 1h 25m 28s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 06m 31s  min/mile
Comments:

The start of any race is just like the start of baseball season; last year is dust, this could be THE year, despite what anyone or even prior training says, so yeah, I probably went out a little hard. I found a spot toward the back of the front packs and just cruised for the first 4 miles at 6:15-6:30m/m, right where I wanted to be. It's a flat course overall, but we're talkin' really flat at the start.

From 4-7 I just zoned out and targeted some runners in the distance, going by pace and effort, trying to maintain form. My lungs felt like brand new bellows, never forced, never uneven.

Miles 7-10 got tough. Saw some BTers, G and Smoak, who shouted my name and made me feel like a rock star. Kewl kids, those guys. Alaina and Cody were there when I needed them most around mile 9, when the legs didn't want to turn over so much and my pace was touching the 6:45-6:50 mark. A few demons came out to play, luring me with talk of doing a few miles @ 7+ m/m, just to take a quick break, but I shut them down with some Yeats mantras and positivity.

10-13 were much better. Got back down to 6:20-6:35 pace as we came up on the 10k group that shared part of the course. This part was on a narrower park path, so there was plenty of dodging bodies, which spiked the HR, but that's all part of racing, and it felt good to pass so many people.

One HM guy about my age passed me and I passed him back during this stretch, but he had a final kick that I couldn't best, so kudos to him. Congratulated him on a great race afterward. "Next time, Gadget, next time!"

On the final approach I turned it up to sub 6:00 as I could see the clock just turning 1:25. Fist pumped and shouted as I crossed the finish line, so happy to have gotten what was just a dream goal before the race.
What would you do differently?:

Keep a straighter line through the turns. Not much else. Spent the winter rehabbing my IT band, so I didn't do too much speedwork leading up to this. Maybe next time more interval training.
Post race
Warm down:

Got some sweet puppy lovin' from my dog, Cody, who practically took off after me at mile 9 but made up for it at the finishing medal table. Alaina was pretty upset that she missed my finish, but it wasn't a big deal, I just wanted to see her afterward, and she was right there for me.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

10 degrees warmer would've been nice at the start, but I'm just picking at nits here.

Event comments:

It's a nicely priced race and they close a long stretch of Hines Drive just for the runners, so that's pretty cool. At the start there are no announcements, no countdown, just a reminder that the race will start in 5 minutes. Then someone yells, "Go!" and everyone starts. It's a local race, what did you expect? I had a blast.




Last updated: 2010-03-13 12:00 AM
Running
01:25:28 | 13.1 miles | 06m 31s  min/mile
Age Group: 8/92
Overall: 27/925
Performance: Good
162 bpm average
Course: Mostly an out-n-back on Hines drive with a lollipop at the end through Ford park.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
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: Below average
Race evaluation [1-5] 3