Atlanta Marathon
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Atlanta Marathon - RunMarathon
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Comments: So I entered this kind of on a lark. I was amazed, frankly, how well I recovered after Beach-to-Battleship. And, since I knew I'd be in ATL anyway for turkey day, why not, right? This marathon was my first, back in 1994 and I had some pretty bad memories from going out way too fast and being way undertrained, so some redemption was in order. Back then, I struggled mightily to a 4:16. My goals: have fun don't get injured cruise in under 4:00 All of them lofty, cause A) marathons are hard; and B) I had just done an IM 3.5 weeks earlier; and C) I had just done an IM 3.5 weeks earlier. But still, I figured with a 3:48 IM marathon under my belt...no problem. So I started off easy, something like 8:50 in the first mile. After that I ran steady 8:30s-8:40s for the next 7, and then after making the right turn from Piedmont onto Peachtree, I picked it up (since I was feeling really good at that point). 8:10s got me to half way in just over 1:50. At that point, I had two thoughts: 10 minute miles get me home under 4 hours. Even split gets me a PR. Decisions.... I decided to maintain pace for the next 4 mile so, to Lennox, basically (where the Peachtree starts) and see how I felt. At that point, the course is sharply downhill for the next 3 and I knew I could knock off some decent splits whether I was hurting or not. And then it would just be a 10K to the. I got to Lennox feeling great, and still ticking off 8:10s. So, maintinaing down the hills, I did the next three (including Cardiac Hill) in right at 22:30. There, I knew even if I struggled a bit I could get in under 3:40. But with each successive mile I ran under 8 minutes there, my pending PR sounded better and better. Finally, making the left turn from Peachtree, sub 3:36 was in sight. I powered up that last little hill and made the next right turn towards Turner Field, and just aired it out. here's one thing I had forgotten: just how long that stretch was. Damn. I was hurting. Luckily, though, that stretch was all downhill and I was passing under the Olympic rigs (cool way to finish any race) and then the finish line was in sight. 3:35:36. Six minute PR. 41 minutes faster than I was 14 years ago. Sweet. What would you do differently?: Make sure my car battery was functioning? Post race
Warm down: Walk to the car and bum a jump. What limited your ability to perform faster: I guess 140.6 3 weeks earlier. Side note: holy cow...call me JeepFleeb! In the previous 8.5 weeks I've done: Half Ironman Half Marathon Ironman Marathon If you're keeping track, that's 250.2 competitive miles in 60 days. Last updated: 2008-11-10 12:00 AM
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2008-12-09 8:30 AM |
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2008-12-09 9:27 AM in reply to: #1845243 |
2008-12-09 10:58 AM in reply to: #1845243 |
2008-12-12 12:07 AM in reply to: #1845243 |
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United States
Atlanta Track Club
41F / 5C
Sunny
Overall Rank = 153/170
Age Group = M40-44
Age Group Rank = 19/77
Woke up, ate bagel with PB, drank diet coke. Showered, drove from Dunwoody down to Turner Field. When I got there, I got a sweet parking spot 50 yards from the start line, so y plan was just to chill in the car and enjoy the heat. But when I went to the porta john and got back to the car, it wouldn't start. Gah. Figured I would deal with it later, sinc eth ecar was still plenty warm enough.
Walk 50 yards to the start.