Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon - RunMarathon

Chilly start, but the rain held off. Wore longsleeves, gloves, and compression Brooks running shorts. Started with Kenny, Evan, Heather, and Christy in corral C. Took us a few minutes to reach the startline, and then really couldn"t full out run until about mile 3. Stayed with Kenny and Evan until around mile 5 (running about 8:45's) and then saw the 3:50 pace group and decided I had better try to hang onto them. Kenny wasn't so sure, so reluctantly I pulled away from them. Ran through Churchhill Downs (stopped to pee) and then onto Iroquois Park averaging 8:20's). Was a little inimidated by the hills, but actually felt pretty good pace-wise. Followed/paced a couple of people through the park because I tend to run too fast uphill. Coming out of the park I felt great and ran several miles at a 8:15 pace and had to rein back to do that. Up to this time I was just drinking Heed from my bottles and had taken 1 Endurolyte as I was starting to sweat. Took a caffienated gel and some Powerade at a waterstop, and the gel really never settled. Felt like it just sat on/in my stomach and actually felt tightness there. Took and transfered some water to my bottles and took 2 more Endurlytes over the next 10 miles, but I never really felt good from about mile 17 on, stomach and nutrition-wise. Despite that, made it back downtown feeling okay until about mile 22, and as we turned away from the downtown finishline and up into the hills I started to feel really bad. The tightness in my chest was fairly extreme especially at mile 25-26, but if I slowed a little I was okay. Thought I could have mustered a 3:40 finish at one point, but just couldn't gather any speed for the close. Really happy and blessed with the 3:46 time. God strengthened me to run the whole race marked out for me, and finish upright. A long, long way from September 17, 2007, my sobriety date. The finishing hill section really made this course in my opinion, but I will be better prepared next time...next time????

Nutrition and hydration. I was really salty at the end with caked salt on my shirt and face. Probably should have taken more Heed or at least stuck with liquids and Endurilytes. More fluids in general. Also, I should have layered or just run with a short sleeved shirt. Gave away a couple of minutes at the start running with friends, but if I had started off too fast I might have burned out sooner, and it was great running with Christy, Heather, Evan, and Kenny who allm finished really strong.

Couldn't find enough water, but drank 1 small bottle and 3 Powerades.


The cold really hurt me. I had to carry a bandana around to blow my nose every half mile or so. Pretty disgusting!


I enjoyed it.