Maine Marathon - RunMarathon


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Portland, Maine
United States
Maine Marathon
50F / 10C
Precipitation
Total Time = 4h 39m 52s
Overall Rank = 555/923
Age Group = 45-49
Age Group Rank = 23/45
Pre-race routine:

I couldn't sleep the night before because I was nervous. But got up at 5, scurried around and left the house. Had to turn around and go back home to get Ipod. Drove to Portland got a great parking spot, did the registration thing, tried to stay dry until race time. After much back and forth, finally decided to wear the long sleeve shirt they gave us over my short sleeve shirt, and not wear a rain coat. I feared the rain coat would be too clammy for 26.2 miles.

The ipod touch touchscreen didn't work with my wet hands. So carefully dried it off and just started a 3-hour loop of music, and looped the headphones around my neck so I could listen if I needed. I much prefer to chat with people while running, but will listen to music if I get bored.
Event warmup:

A little stretching, a little shivering, trying to stay warm and dry until race time.
Run
  • 4h 39m 52s
  • 26.2 miles
  • 10m 41s  min/mile
Comments:

I had not trained in pouring rain, so I was unsure of what clothing combination would work, worried about chafing. But overall, the clothing was right, and the chafing was not bad.

I couldn't find anyone to talk to for the first 7 miles. Either people were in groups, or wearing headphones. Finally, I found a great woman from Texas who ran the NH marathon yesterday too. She was fun to talk to. Then she walked up a hill, and I didn't dare stop running, so I left her, but she soon caught me and left me in her soggy footprints. Then ran with another 49-year old woman for a mile or two. We had a lot in common. She kept slowing down, so I left her and hooked up with 2 guys. They were great and we kept each other going to the end!

I ran the whole way - never walked. I was dog tired for the last 4 or 5 miles, but was sort of on auto-pilot.

At water stops: I took at least a sip of water at each one, and at ever other one, I mixed gatorade with the water. The gatorade was too concentrated for me - I have to drink it half-n-half with water. I ate 4 shotblox, and about 3/4 of an orange during race.

My wonderful husband and kids cheered me on at mile 20 - I needed that! and again for the last half-mile.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing. I prefer cool over hot, so I was fine with the rain. My feet were pruny when I finally finished and got my socks off.
Post race
Warm down:

I am a mother - so I get a few minutes to rest, and then the husband and kids were hungry so we went to a restaurant, then hubby took son to soccer game, and I took daughter to shop for a backpack. The walk across the parking lot at EMS seemed so long!

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Me.

Event comments:

It was rainy so I guess many people didn't show up. 3500 registered but only 3000 raced. Crowds were a bit sparse, but much appreciated.


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Last updated: 2011-09-09 12:00 AM
Running
04:39:52 | 26.2 miles | 10m 41s  min/mile
Age Group: 23/45
Overall: 555/923
Performance: Average
2:13:25 at the half way point. so about 10 minute miles I think I was about 27 minutes for the first 3 miles - that is a little faster than I wanted, but hey, money in the bank.
Course: pretty flat - 2 longish gradual hills at mile 9 and 10 on the way out, and then those hills in reverse at abt. miles 15 and 16. Last week, I was talking to a woman who was running this race: she made me very insecure with her perky comments about how great she always felt during the training runs, and how she never walked during her training runs. She was targeting 4:30. Well, I know this is terribly ungracious - but it sure felt great to pass her as she was walking up a hill. I finished about 25 minutes ahead of her.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %3
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
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:
Race evaluation [1-5] 3