Bataan Memorial Death March - RunMarathon


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White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico
United States
75F / 24C
Sunny
 		Total Time = 4h 51m 30s
Overall Rank = 100/4400
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

Ate some breakfast and drove to the race.
Event warmup:

just started as a slow jog.
Run
  • 4h 41m 30s
  • 26.2 miles
  • 10m 44s  min/mile
Comments:

I attempted this marathon only one week after my first 50 mile run. I did this on purpose in preparation for my 100 mile attempt in late August. I was running pretty well, a 4:15 marathon pace, until about mile 16 when I made the mistake of taking a gel and washing it down with Gatorade. My stomach became upset and I started having to limit my fluid and fuel intake, which really started hurting me later on.

I was still running well, maybe now on track for sub-4:30 marathon, until I hit the sand pit. At that point the fatigue in my legs from last weekend and the inadequate fueling all caught up to me and I had to slog the entire sand pit. I was able to pick up running a bit from about mile 22 to mile 23.5 but then the course turned up a very slight incline and into the wind and I just didn't have much left in my legs. I looked at my watch and realized I would not go under 4:30 so I walked all but the last .2 miles thinking that I should just avoid possible injury at this time.
What would you do differently?:

I would not take a gel and Gatorade at the same time. I know better but sometimes in the heat of a rage you take risks to keep up a great pace.
Post race
Warm down:

I ate and got a massage

What limited your ability to perform faster:

stomach issues and the fact that I ran 50 miles last weekend!

Event comments:

This was really a training run for me, a chance to test my endurance and leg strength after a major ultra. I was actually very happy. Running this much is simply going to be hard and somewhat painful. From my perspective my training is coming along very nicely.




Last updated: 2008-03-20 12:00 AM
Running
04:41:30 | 26.2 miles | 10m 44s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/4400
Performance: Below average
Course: This is a very difficult course. It didn't have a particularly large amount of climbing, about 2300 feet, but it really comes all at once with a sustained climb pretty much from mile 4 to mile 13 and then it breaks into some rollers and then a long downhill. The area called the sand pit begins at about mile 20.5 and goes to about mile 22 though that is only the deepest sand, about like loose sand on a beach. There is plenty of deepish sand throughout the course. There is also maybe 10 miles on paved road.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Not enough
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Below average
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Ok
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] 4