My goal was a) finish and b) break 4h30m or keep up 10m miles (4h22m finish). I almost made the b goal and would have but had some bad cramping w/ my hamstrings and inner thigh muscles starting at mile 22. I had lost the 4:15 pace group a mile or so before and was soon ovetaken by the 4:30 pace group going up a hill around mile 22. I was kind of bummed by that since I had been ahead of them the whole run.

My plan was hit the first half of the course hard and build a time cushion b/c I knew the hills would make me run slower then I could pick up the pace again. I was on track for most of the race. I did a 2hr8m half (9m49s) pace and hit the hills in good shape. Getting a bit foot sore but cardio and joints felt good. My big complaint here was the half-marathoners. They merged into our group at their mile 3 and our mile 15 right before the hills and there were so many walkers and these were not the end people. I spent the rest of the race weaving in and out of the walkers who thought they would walk 2 to 3 across in the middle of the road. That took extra mental concentration.

So the hills went fairly well, I stopped to pee around the lake and got a second wind. I was feeling good but the muscles started thinking overwise going up some of the last hills. I had to slow down to 11/12m miles to keep them from seizing and walking all to together. I did pick it up down the last mile and tried my best to get in under 4h30m. Almost - 50 seconds over.

Even though I had some cramping I feel like my nutrition was good. I ate a gel, Bonk Buster bar and 24 oz. of vitamin water over the first half of the race. Then alernated water/gatorade at almost ever mile after that. Plus a few other snacks along the way.

It was pretty warm by the last hour but a lot of the course was shaded. At the finish, I almost teared up at my accomplishment and was certainly happy to be done.

Really pleased with fnishes: 535/1126 overall female Top 50 overall women and almost top 50% men/women.

Nothing - this was my first marathon and a year ago I was not a runner at all. I found a plan that I was comfortable with and followed it. I got to the race fresh, confident and injury free. I need to continue speed work to get faster and maybe a few more longer runs to get more time on the feet but I had no idea what to expect.

Side note: don't stop for the bathroom - that cost me my time goal. LOL

I was pretty shaky on my legs at the end. They were tight and sore. I just kept walking and stretching. Drank a little more and ate very little. My tummy was not interested in much.


For my current physical state not much but the tightening of my legs certainly slowed me up a bit.


This race was good and well run but lacked a little something. The end was a little anti-climatic for some reason. The tent areas were very crowded and hard to get through. I did the Shamrock Half and thought that race was awesome from start to finish. And please fix that merge - I'm usually a nice easy going competitor but I really wanted to injure some half runners. It's just a frustrating factor to deal with when you have already been running for 15 miles and have the hardest part of the course in front of you.