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Marathon des deux rives - RunMarathon


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Québec, Quebec
Canada
13C / 55F
Overcast
Total Time = 3h 49m 25s
Overall Rank = 344/871
Age Group = 18-29
Age Group Rank = 49/104
Pre-race routine:

Pretty standard, same breakfast 3 hours before the start, got there an hour or so before the gun went off.
Event warmup:

I ran around for about 5 minutes to get a sense of how cold it would be and went back inside to stay warm. At that time it was drizzly outside. Thankfully, nothing was falling from the sky when we started. Took a gel 25min before starting and it didn't feel like the usual pre race gel, not weird, but just different.
Run
  • 3h 49m 25s
  • 42.2 kms
  • 05m 26s  min/km
Comments:

So they blew the horn and the artillery reserve shot a couple of blanks at the same time. Within 15 seconds we were out of breath in the smoke cloud of the canons, nice way to start! :) I spent the first 10k constantly looking at my watch and calculating paces because my plan was to start fairly fast since the first half of the course is easy but I really didn't want to blow it. The weather was comfortable, the legs felt strong and my form was fairly relaxed but the stomach was a bit off. To get some positive energy flowing, I would always take my cups from the nicest chica I could see at every aid station.

As I was approaching the half way mark, the gatorade and gels felt fairly heavy in the stomach but still nothing major. Then I got to see my biggest fan, my mom was there. Just before I got in front of her, another man started waving at her, it was her boss. Since he was gladly talking to everybody, I figured I would introduce myself and have a little talk in order to get a little entertainment. That worked since it made me forget about the stomach for a few kilometers.

Then came the part I thought would take the biggest toll on the legs: the 5k climb from the river's level to the Quebec bridge with some steep segments. That climb went pretty well but the IT bands caught on fire at about 2/3 of the way. Once on the bridge I settled into pace that felt a little easier and the legs quickly felt better.

I thought the descent to Champlain blvd would not be a big deal because I had done it last year in the half mary and the legs didn't even noticed it. I was so wrong!! By the time I got to the water level, my quads were burning in hell and they would stay there until the end of the race (there were 13k left at that time). In an effort to use all possible positive energy, a version of Thriller played by a band on the road side got stuck in my head and got me going for quite a while, I'd say 7 or 8k.

At about the 36k marker, the stomach became upset for real. As I was seriously considering the walking option, I saw the timing mat 5k from the end and that became my objective. I gave up right after the mat and walked for about 45 sec before restarting to run. 5 minutes later, I was cooking a family size pancake breakfast on the road side. All the fluids that I took in the last hour or so were out. That meant I was dehydrated but I felt better and got going again. I searched the fuel belt to see if I had anything left to drink and didn't find anything (After the race, I realized I had half a bottle left. Yes, I was dizzy).

In the last 3k I think I walked once for about a minute. It really took me everything to run the last kilometer. The croud helped A LOT. I found some energy to try to look good and celebrate at the finish line, can't wait to see the pictures.
What would you do differently?:

Can't control the GI system. I think I did everything I could with what I had on that sunday morning. That was my best physical/mental effort combo to date. Could hardly ask for more.
Post race
Warm down:

After crossing the finish line, I was feeling really dizzy and a volunteer was concerned about me. Out of sheer pride I managed to get rid of her (even though she was very nice with me), give back my timing chip and get my medal. I got to the lunch tent and it ended all right there... I started shaking uncontrollably, sat on a chair, had someone bring me that thing that makes you look like an oven baked potato and was wheel chaired to the med tent in order warm me up. So, no warm down, it was a warm back up! My temperature was down to 94F. I don't know much about those things, but it seems to be fairly low. 20 minutes later I was steeming hot again under the couple of blankets they gave me. That prompted me to ask: "So, where are we going out tonight?" I guess it wasn't such a bad day after all!

What limited your ability to perform faster:

I need a stomach that works properly, does somebody has one for sale?? ;)




Last updated: 2009-05-24 12:00 AM
Running
03:49:25 | 42.2 kms | 05m 26s  min/km
Age Group: 49/104
Overall: 344/871
Performance: Average
Official timing: First half: 1:46:17, 5:02/km => PR 21.2k to 32.2k: 1:00:54, 5:32/km 32.2k to 37.2k: 29:37, 5:55min/km 37.2k to finish: 33:00, 6:36min/km My timing: Start: 42.2k to 37k: 25:37, 4:56min/km 37k to 32k: 24:41, 4:56min/km 32k to 27k: 25:15, 5:03min/km 27k to 22k: 25:47, 5:09min/km 22k to 17k: 26:49, 5:21min/km 17k to 12k: 27:21, 5:28min/km 12k to 10k: 11:18, 5:39min/km 10k to 8k: 11:41, 5:50min/km 8k to 6k: 11:51, 5:55min/km 6k to 5k: 6:02 5k to 3k: 14:06, 7:03min/km 3k to 2k: 6:06 2k to 1k: 6:28 1k to finish: 6:21
Course: First 10k were flat or slightly downhill. 10 to 20k was essentially flat. Just after half it went significantly uphill for about 5k then a little break and 2-3k downhill. The home stretch was essentially flat.
Keeping cool Good Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? No
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2009-08-31 7:53 PM

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Veteran
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Subject: Marathon des deux rives


2009-09-01 4:15 AM
in reply to: #2381508

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Elite
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Quebec, Canada
Subject: RE: Marathon des deux rives
WOW félicitation Etienne

Toute une course, désolé pour ton estomac. Tu es maintenant un marathonien  Good job man!

Et bien content que tout soit ok, j'imagine que 84F ca doit etre bas comme temperature corporelle.
2009-09-01 7:19 PM
in reply to: #2381882

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Veteran
307
100100100
Montréal
Subject: RE: Marathon des deux rives

Thanks Robert ! Ça sera ton tour très bientôt!

2009-09-02 8:40 PM
in reply to: #2381508

Member
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Subject: RE: Marathon des deux rives
Félicitations Étienne!! Quelle aventure! J'ai pensé à toi dimanche... haaa... un jour ce sera mon tour! Cool Repose-toi bien cette semaine, tu en as sûrement besoin Wink
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