Honolulu Marathon - RunMarathon


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Honolulu, Hawaii
United States
Honolulu Marathon Association
80F / 27C
Overcast
Total Time = 3h 36m 6s
Overall Rank = 490/22000
Age Group = M35-39
Age Group Rank = 77/1216
Pre-race routine:

Up at 2:30(!), drive to one park, take a bus to another park. Bathrooms, hydrate, get ready and run. I have developed a pretty good system at this point.
Event warmup:

Short jog from bathrooms to start line.
Run
  • 3h 36m 6s
  • 26.2 miles
  • 08m 15s  min/mile
Comments:

Started out trying to run 3:15, but just couldn't put it all together. So, I shut it down at about mile 13 and merely tried to find a comfortable pace for the second half. I ran NYC five weeks ago, and I just didn't feel fully recovered yet. I probably did too much training between the events. I couldn't seem to get comfortably into a good pace. Still, my time turned out pretty good, and I can't complain. I think a lot of people had pretty rough days.

It was also extremely humid, with very little wind, and the air quality was somewhat poor as a result. I felt like I managed my salt intake and hydration well, which has always been a challenge for me in every Hawaii marathon I've ever done.
What would you do differently?:

Not much. I did my best on a pretty quick turnaround between stand alone marathons. So, I was pleased with my performance even though it felt like a real grind at times.

I also had a bit of an epiphany towards the end of my run. I was coming down Diamond Head at about mile 24.5 when I saw a young man with Down Syndrome walking up the hill with two supporters. He was only about 8 or 9 miles into his day, and I was almost done. Something about it really struck me, and I just let go of any frustrations or complaints about the race. We're all so lucky to be able to do these things, regardless of how fast or slow we are. That kid is my new hero.
Post race
Warm down:

Took a long shower at the finish line (those showers, by the way, are the greatest thing in the world). Then I slogged through the park to get my T-Shirt and change of clothes. Changed my clothes and walked to my top-secret parking location. Got my phone and wallet. Stopped at a gas station and bought a Coke and bag of Doritos. Then, I walked back to the park to watch my wife finish.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Humidity. Incomplete recovery. Complete lack of natural ability.

Event comments:

The event is well run, but I really think that a major marathon in a tropical climate should have more aid stations. I was also kind of bummed that they didn't have any Gatorade at all until almost six miles into the run this year.




Last updated: 2010-12-11 12:00 AM
Running
03:36:06 | 26.2 miles | 08m 15s  min/mile
Age Group: 77/1216
Overall: 490/22000
Performance: Good
Course: Ala Moana Park to downtown, turn around and go through Waikiki, up and over Diamond Head, through Kahala to Hawaii Kai, back to Kahala, back up and over Diamond Head, finish at Kapiolani Park.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 2
Physical exertion [1-5] 2
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? No
Post race activities: Below average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4