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Valley of the Sun 1/2 Marathon - Run


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Mesa, AZ
United States
Pegasus Productions
70F / 21C
Sunny
Total Time = 3h 00m 12s
Overall Rank = 942/1017
Age Group = M35-39
Age Group Rank = 81/83
Pre-race routine:

Woke early to get a little something in my stomach, opted for a little yogurt and sports drink and water
Event warmup:

lite stretching a walking for the about 1-1/2 hours until the race director showed up to start the race. All the racers and the buses showed up and where ready to go but there was no one there to start the race. In fact know one even knew where the strt line was until 15 minutes after the race was supposed to start.
Run
  • 3h 00m 12s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 13m 46s  min/mile
Comments:

I was running better than 11min/ mile pace for the 1st 4 miles then ran 10:30 pace with recovery walks up the hill to mile 6 ( avg 12min pace)
The downhill to mile 8 was harder than I thought it would be but I still kept my pace.
I made it to mile 9 noteing that I beat the cut off time for the full marathon (Just for future reference).
My legs started to fill very heavy after mile 10 but even slowing just a bit I was still trucking.
When I turned unto mile 11 and started a very slight upward slope to mile 13 it seemed my legs hadnothing left. I was forced to walk. 1st for 30 seconds then for 1 min then for 2. Each time I tried to start up it got harder and harder. I actually got going again with about 1/2 mile to the finish line and finished strong.
What would you do differently?:

I think I attacked the race mentally and did everthing according to plan. I had no stomach issues (like my last race) and felt good for more than 90% of the race. I think my training was my down fall for that last 10%. I still managed to drop about 16 minutes from my last 1/2 marathon race time.
Post race
What limited your ability to perform faster:

I need to keep at training for the longer runs and maybe add some strength training for my legs and core muscles. Oh ya, continuing to loose weight wouldn't be a bad thing either.

Event comments:

This race seemed alot disorgainized. Starting for the packet pick up to the failure to show-up race starters. There was hardly any volunteers but the ones that were there where glad to be and very helpful. If memory serves me correctly th water station at mile 12 was self serve, no one to be found, you just dispensed your own water for the 2.5 liter containers.




Last updated: 2005-03-13 12:00 AM
Running
03:00:12 | 13.1 miles | 13m 46s  min/mile
Age Group: 81/83
Overall: 942/1017
Performance: Good
Course: A point to point course from the Desert by Usery National Park ending at the Red Moutain High School
Keeping cool Average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? No
Events on-time? No
Lots of volunteers? No
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Below average
Race evaluation [1-5] 2

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2005-03-14 8:21 AM

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Veteran
247
10010025
Mesa, AZ
Subject: Valley of the Sun 1/2 Marathon


2005-03-14 4:21 PM
in reply to: #129434

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Member
26
25
Truckee, CA
Subject: RE: Valley of the Sun 1/2 Marathon
My wife and I also did this race (like you, she did the 1/2, I did the marathon), and I want to confirm some of the things you said. The race was totally disorganized. The race start was a mess, with people wandering around wondering where the start was, and when we'd go off. Many aid stations were understaffed, and the poor people working there were overmatched trying to pour water into the dixie cups provided. As a result, many aid stations were self-serve, where you had to grab a cup and pour your own drink. Not bad, per se, but poorly planned. One aid station ran out of cups, so the guys staffing the station would pour water into your hands as you went by.

There were no gels on the course at all, and half of the aid stations that were supposed to have gatorade didn't. The original gel sponsor, Carb-boom pulled out, and e-Gel supposedly stepped in, but didn't get any gels out onto the course.

Worst of all, the organizer made the Cardinal Sin of RUNNING OUT OF WATER AT THE FINISH. It was kind of warm at the finish, and I saw a lot of people who were pretty ticked. They eventually got more water, but the damage was done. I really, really feel for people for whom this was their first marathon - what a terrible experience.
2005-03-14 5:17 PM
in reply to: #129434

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Member
26
25
Arizona
Subject: RE: Valley of the Sun 1/2 Marathon
That stinks about the lack of organization. Once agian good job.
2005-03-16 4:40 PM
in reply to: #129434

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Master
1534
100050025
San Diego, CA
Subject: RE: Valley of the Sun 1/2 Marathon
Good job Bro!  Great job at shaving those 16 minutes off. Sounds like you had a good race despite some of the dis-organization. Some of those hills you told me about sounded pretty challenging too. Based on the disorganization, I'm thinking this is not a race that I would be too big on doing. Would you consider doing it in the future?Anyhow, good job. Keep up the good work and logging those miles!

Edited by dhyte 2005-03-16 4:40 PM
2005-03-17 8:54 AM
in reply to: #129434

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Veteran
247
10010025
Mesa, AZ
Subject: RE: Valley of the Sun 1/2 Marathon
Based solely on how this race came together I don't think I'd do it again. Its amazing the differemce a well orgainized, smooth running event has on your day.

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