Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon - RunMarathon


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Louisville, Kentucky
United States
Kentucky Derby Festival
55F / 13C
Total Time = 4h 49m
Overall Rank = 920/1206
Age Group = 40-44
Age Group Rank = 93/111
Pre-race routine:

First, I want to thank my mentor team's shermbelle's, and 25 in 25 week's team endurance. You folk's gave me the motivation, determination, and inspiration to complete my first organized racing event and a marathon on top of that.

The week leading up to the race people talk about carbo loading. Well I made it a point to eat pasta in some form everyday that week til I was sick of it. As a matter of fact on Friday before the race my belly was feeling alittle bit upset. I was starting to get nervous that week the self doubt, did I prepare enough etc. I kept telling myself you can do it you have 6 hours just relax and think positive, no more negative thoughts, done. The day before the race it was hot in the 80's with a storm system coming in after midnight. So their was a big chance of running in the rain with 50 degree temps. I laid out my clothes, my MP3 (legal), cell, race belt, hammer gel, endurolytes, and glide. I figured six jels three of which with caffeine, and 9 endurolytes, a jel every 45 minutes and an endurolyte every half hour. I went to bed about 11 knowing I would not sleep much. I was in the middle of shift change at work coming off of night shift and starting day shift that weekend. I took a vacation day on Sat. to race, so your body is in a change not really knowing what time it was. Not a real big deal for me because its a part of work life and you just do it. I laid in bed waiting for the rain to start the wheather folks said it was a timing thing and I was hopeing it would clear out before race time. It rained most of the night I guess I had about three hours of sleep. Got up about 5 ate a banana, a bagel, a jel, and some water. My neighbors down the street were running the mini and gave me a ride to the start. It was raining when I walked down to their house. We drove over to the race it literally stopped raining when we stepped out of the car great!
Event warmup:

It was cloudy and cool in the 50's felt great no real warm-up just taking in the sights and sounds talking with my neighbors. It was a real positve atmosphere I was not nervous at all just happy to be there.
Run
  • 4h 49m
  • 26.2 miles
  • 11m 02s  min/mile
Comments:

The first couple of miles were slow it took 7 minutes to cross the start line the news said it took 15 minutes for everybody to cross. You head up into the first park and is the hilliest part its not to bad I was taking it easy, it was real muggy from the rain and I was sweating pretty good HR in check. Came out of the park about mile 6 and had to potty like a mad man, you loop back around to the start line so their is a bunch of porta pots. At this point you start to head towards town on the ironman course til you reach mile 9 then they detour you into Churchill Downs. Going through the tunnel under the track to the infield my knee was starting to hurt and had a few negative thoughts. That didn't last long the crowd support was great it does make a difference. At mile 12 the marathoners break off, this race is mainly a minimarathon so 10000 of your running buddies leave you. At this point is when I decided to break out the mp3 I figured less cheerleaders so I need music, no dice it was locked up I should have checked it after I recharged the battery, thats a first. The marathon started about 7 years ago and has really picked up some popularity in recent years and had about 1500 registered. I'm still feeling pretty good the knees and calfs are screaming, but very manageable. About mile 13 you start a gradual incline up to Cherokee park this part was hard I didn't train in this portion of the course. Cherokee even with the hills was not bad because I was real familiar with this part. One of my biking friends saw me who was on a radio support team on bikes gave me some encouragement, she was in alittle shock when I told her this was my first race. Coming out of the park one of my coworkers who ran the mini was their to cheer me on, he wants to give it a shot next year. I had about three endurolytes left I think they were helping I reach in my pocket and their gone. No big deal I then started to drink powerade instead. I was pretty much doing the airbourne shuffle. I would spill about half a cup of powerade on me when I ran through the water stations, I felt I needed to keep running no matter what which is kind of dumb. I was heading back towards the river when I lost my last hammer jel it was my money jel at mile 21 with 50 big grams caffeine I just said oh well and kept on going. Mile 22 you go back up a slow incline so you can cross the river I saw alot of people hurting bad and EMT's working on a few folks. I had a blister break on me at the crest of the bridge and man that hurt. Its strange your brain feels the aches and pains but then you just block it out and keep going. I walked a total of four times once for a potty break and the last three waterstations I bet for a total of two minutes. It cleared up about mid race not a cloud in the sky about mid 60's it was actually kind of hot at the end. Mile 24 I got a good kick coming off the bridge people cheering I felt great. Mile 26 my parents were their cheering for me got a little teary eyed, wife and kids stayed home I was not to sure about the rain. Crossed the finish got my medal I had a ticket on my bib for a free beer. I now love beer with bananas.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing, I had talked to my mentor group that I would hang on with the 4:00 pace group as long as I could. Maybe next time. When we got to the race I was like I'm just going to run as fast as my body tells me which turned out to be 11 min. miles. I really just wanted to finish.
Post race
Warm down:

Beer and bananas. I felt great just sore.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

More longer runs, a more agressive training plan. My last month of training was not that great missed a few runs. I have a base line to improve from now and I'm hooked.

Event comments:

Its a great race, with great volunteers, beautiful race course, and a challenge to boot




Last updated: 2008-02-19 12:00 AM
Running
04:49:00 | 26.2 miles | 11m 02s  min/mile
Age Group: 93/111
Overall: 920/1206
Performance: Good
10k 1:07:00,15k 1:39:56, 25k 2:47:11, 30K 3:20:59, gun time 4:56:02, HR avg.156, HR max 172.
Course: Its a tough course with hills going through the major parks. You also run in the infield of Churchill Downs very cool and run across the 2nd. street bridge over the Ohio. I think its a good course to test yourself on.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
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: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5