Des Moines Marathon - RunMarathon


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Des Moines, Iowa
United States
IMT Des Moines Marathon
50F / 10C
Sunny
Total Time = 8h 00m
Overall Rank = 161/1584
Age Group = M45-49
Age Group Rank = 6/102
Pre-race routine:

Up about 5:45am - quick shower then breakfast. Coffee, juice, bagel with peanut butter
Event warmup:

Just about a half mile easy jogging to warm up
Run
  • 3h 24m 17s
  • 26.2 miles
  • 07m 48s  min/mile
Comments:

Ran with Jay and the 3:25 pace group again this year. Forecast called for rapidly rising temps between 10 and 11 - so keeping core temp down was key. Felt like I struggled through the first several hills - but settled into a rhythm around mile 8. Crisis almost hit at 16 when I had to hit the restroom - but lessons learned from my first marathon - DO NOT TRY TO CATCH THE PACE GROUP! Came out and ran my pace - which I had practiced often (another plus!) Restroom probably cost me a total of about 30 seconds - but smart decisions the rest of the race saved me from disaster! Had family give me a cooling towel around mile 22 - and started just dumping water on my head and back beginning about mile 18 to keep temps down.

Cannot emphasize enough to those who run with music how important it can be to have key songs on at key times. I put exactly 3:25 worth of music on my playlist - and tried to match key songs to potential downtimes in the race. At mile 21 - dcTalk's Jesus Freak came on - I think I scared people as I was singing at the top of my lungs; then about mile 24 (the bridge) Shinedown's Unity came on - "Put your hands in the air!" I got such a charge from these songs - they literally carried me to the finish.

Last year I cramped just after mile 24 and had to stop. This year I started to feel my legs - but forced myself to keep running through. I had visions of Boston in my head - and nothing was going to keep me from that.

Does anybody recall seeing a clock at the finish line? I crossed and stopped my Nike+ Sportswatch - but did not realize my finish time until my daughter found me several minutes later and showed me her phone. "Dad - you did it!"
What would you do differently?:

Not much - when nature calls, nature calls. Run was a PR - and a BQ - so overall was nearly a perfect execution.
Post race
Warm down:

I left it all out on the course - two volunteers had to grab me after the finish to keep me from doing a header. Eventually walked back to the hotel for a shower - then a long ride home (6 1/2 hours!)

What limited your ability to perform faster:

I ran to my training. The only way I could have run faster would have been a little cooler temps throughout the race.

Event comments:

Great volunteers - good water stations - good gel distribution. New this year was fruit out on course - but following mantra - Nothing new on race day! - did not take any. This is not the typical course for people to try and qualify for Boston - the hills early are challenging - but I think early hills are better than late hills. Being the second year I have run this course - I amped up my hill training significantly this year.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2012-07-01 12:00 AM
Running
03:24:17 | 26.2 miles | 07m 48s  min/mile
Age Group: 6/102
Overall: 161/1584
Performance: Good
10k - 48:08 (7:45/mile) Half - 1:41:34 (7:46/mile) Twenty miles - 2:34:39 (7:44/mile) Final 10k - 49:39
Course: Shared with half marathon through mile 3 - hills through mile 13 - then down and flat
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %5
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
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