Bob Potts Marathon - RunMarathon


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York, Pennsylvania
United States
Bob Potts Heritage Rail Trail Marathon
60F / 16C
Overcast
 		Total Time = 3h 45m 18s
Overall Rank = 91/405
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 4/
Pre-race routine:

This race was a 2 hr. drive with a 6:30 start and I had to pick my packet up. I woke up at 3am and drove off at 4am. I ate half an english muffin with almond butter and raisins.
Event warmup:

It was cold and light rain was coming down. I just stretched and kept a warmup jacket on until the start.
Run
  • 3h 45m 18s
  • 26.2 miles
  • 08m 36s  min/mile
Comments:

I started out easy enough so that my heartrate was not too high. After about 3 miles, I found my pace that worked well. We ran out on a road for the first mile and then onto the rail trail from mile 1-26. When I reached the half way point it was 1:51 and I wanted to run faster so I picked up the pace until about mile 17 when I slowed a little. I started passing some people from mile 17 until the finish and saw 2 different young guys getting sick right on the track. I felt really bad for them. One interesting thought is I never ever run with headphones since I think it is too dangerous to be on the road with them. Since this was a trail in the rural PA woods and I read other reports that this course could get lonely and boring, I decide to wear headphones and use an Ipod. The first time. I think it helped me trudge through those last 9 miles when there were very few people around me.
What would you do differently?:

I would like to have had a longer taper from the Boston Marathon being only 3 1/2 weeks before.
Post race
Warm down:

I kept walking for about 30 minutes, I don't like to stop moving until I feel my heartrate is back to normal.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

I did the best I could since I just ran Boston. I was very pleased with my race today.

Event comments:

This race is put on by the deceased Bob Potts son Sean Potts. Sean's dad passed away on the swim portion of a tri 4 yrs. ago from a heart attack. This was his 2nd year as RD. He has started a great tribute to his dad. There were lots of volunteers. At some of the junctions of the trail, people were there to cheer, small town feeling for sure. Sean had bands playing at the end of the race. It ended in York College's track and field, very nice for the families to be there waiting in the stands, watching, and hearing their family memmber's name as they came into the stadium. My husband for the first time, saw me finish a race, he'd never been at any of my others. Good food at the end and very nice medals. Excellent small town, relaxing course, and marathon.




Last updated: 2010-04-28 12:00 AM
Running
03:45:18 | 26.2 miles | 08m 36s  min/mile
Age Group: 4/
Overall: 91/405
Performance: Good
Course: This is a trail marathon made of crushed gravel and stone. The positives were that the surface was fairly easy on the body, not as much force as a road race. Second, the course is fairly flat with an increse in 342 ft. mostly going out to the 14 mile mark, and then a gradual decrease coming b back. It is a rail trail that parallels a rail road track and is very isolated but beautiful. The only negative I have for the course is that with a gravel surface you are not using all of the force after each toe off, some of that push off goes back into the surface which translates to less distance per stride for the same amount of force you would use on a road surface.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
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