Shamrock Sportsfest Marathon - RunMarathon


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Virginia Beach, Virginia
United States
Shamrock Sportsfest
33F / 1C
Sunny
 		Total Time = 3h 24m 32s
Overall Rank = 192/1878
Age Group = 30-34
Age Group Rank = 25/168
Pre-race routine:

Slept AWFUL the night before the race. I had the normal difficulty falling asleep and then I woke up to my father (who came with me for support) having a coughing fit at around 3AM.

I awoke on race morning at 6:45, ate a banana, a peanut breakfast bar, and drank some gatorade. I arrived at the race start and hit the porta-potty one last time and shed my extra layers I was using to keep warm.
Event warmup:

Didn't do a warm-up, because I figured to use the first 3 or 4 miles to get warm.
Run
  • 3h 24m 32s
  • 26.2 miles
  • 07m 49s  min/mile
Comments:

I feel like I ran very well in this race. I paced myself well, ran conservative in the first half, and reaped the benefits during the second half when I was able to steadily pass people in the last 12 miles. I was hoping to run 3:30-3:35 and beat that goal handily.

I think the fact that I use heart rate training and was able to reassure myself that my pace was sustainable.
What would you do differently?:

I skipped my last gel at around 21 miles, because I just didn't feel like eating another one. Intersetingly enough, I totally lost all energy right around the 24 mile mark. Had I just stuck to my plan, I may have held my pace through the finish rather than slowing down and losing about 40 seconds (which in the grand scheme of things is no big deal).

I made a smart decision to have my outer layer be a light jacket instead of a long sleeve shirt, because this gave me the flexibility to use the zipper to manage my temperature, but also be able to zip it up quickly when I hit a terrible headwind.
Post race
Warm down:

I walked about a half mile and did some light stretching. I focused more on replenishing fluids and eating (had a banana and power bar immediately following the race).

What limited your ability to perform faster:

The wind probably limited me a little, but there were also sections where it aided me in the form a tailwind. Poor night sleep may have limited me slightly.

Event comments:

I thought that the race was very well run, well supported, and enjoyed the course and the entire experience. The race shirt was very nice (Brooks running shirt, not T-Shirt) and I was given a nice finishers medal and finishers running hat (which I will wear, because it is attractive).

I would highly recommend this race for a first marathon or for trying to get a PR.




Last updated: 2007-03-20 12:00 AM
Running
03:24:32 | 26.2 miles | 07m 49s  min/mile
Age Group: 25/168
Overall: 192/1878
Performance: Good
I was able to keep my heart rate under control. I ran under control and with the 3:30 pace group for much of the first half of the race. I left the pace group a little past the half-way point and was able to run the second half of the race about 2 minutes faster.
Course: The course was FLAT and FAST. When the only hill on the course is going over a bridge twice, then you know hills won't be a factor. However, there were 2 extended stretches of 2 to 3 miles where there was a VERY STRONG headwind. One was on the boardwalk and the other was right at the half marathon point. Most people slowed down during these stretches, but with all of my hill work, I just thought of them as hills and pushed a little harder during these stretches. I enjoyed the scenery of the beach, ocean, two miliatry bases, and the crowds along the way. Finishing on the boardwalk was a nice touch and there was a pretty big crowd to cheer you down the last 600 meters.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
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