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Long Island Marathon - Run


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East Meadow, New York
United States
Long Island Marathon
77F / 25C
Overcast
Total Time = 4h 41m
Overall Rank = 335/521
Age Group = M 30-34
Age Group Rank = 40/50
Pre-race routine:

Got up at 5am, had two mini bagels, one with peanut butter and one with honey and two cups of coffee.

Hitched a ride with Bobby to the race sight at 6am. Got there and got ready for the race with him, Bill and Adam.
Event warmup:

Not too much of a warmup, just walked to the starting area.
Run
  • 4h 41m 4s
  • 26.2 miles
  • 10m 44s  min/mile
Comments:

Overall, I am very happy with today's race. I had set a goal that I did not reach, time wise, but it was still a great effort and 13 MINUTES FASTER THAN MY PREVIOUS PR (NYC 08).

The race was really like a tale of three different runs for me. The first eight miles were easy, I went out conservatively and then really settled into a comfortable rhythm. I pushed the pace at times, maybe not enough, but felt great. When I got to mile nine, I felt as if I hadn't run anything at all.

It got a little cooler at around mile eight and from mile 8- 17 I was doing unbelievably well. Every mile was around 10:10 which I was very happy with to say the least. I said to Bobby later on that I wish I could have bottled up that feeling and put it in a gu flask for all of my future long runs. I think that those 10 miles were emblematic of all of the hard work I did throughout the entire winter. My training was great and I think that is what made those miles feel so good. And my splits show that... for those 11 miles I did: 10:11, :21, :11, :03, :09, :11, :14, :01, :04, :11, :19 I was passing people, running with people who looked like they were far better athletes than me and I just felt so good.

At about mile 17, things started to get very difficult. I started to get very hot as the sun was going overhead and the temps rose significantly. People started dropping off to the side and I knew we were all in for a long nine miles. I kept plugging away though, but as splits show, it was laborious at best: 10:49, 11:08, 11:41, 12:12, 13:16, 12:52, 11:59, 11:38, 10:56...

There are tons of reasons why this happened. Perhaps I forgot just how hard a marathon is, especially the last 7 miles. Also, something I can't control... I trained outside throughout one of the coldest winters I could remember, doing all of my really long runs in sub 30 degree weather and many in temps in the teens... only to race on the warmest day of 2010 so far. I think that the heat definitely had something to do with my decreased energy towards the end.

Bobby met up with me at about mile 24, and thank God he did. He ran alongside me and having him there helped push me to the end. I finished very strong, much stronger than I would have had he not been with me. Bobby is a true friend. I remember saying when I was younger that all of the best friends I'll ever have, I met through lacrosse... it is nice to know that the same holds true for triathlons. Bobby ran a hard half marathon narrowly missing a sub 1:30 performance with anything close to a taper and he still ran 2 miles out to meet me and two miles back to the finish with me. Much thanks Bobby.

Nutrition wise, I think I nailed it. I walked through every aid station taking a cup of Gatorade and a cup of water at each. I had a gu at mile 4,8,12,16,19,22,24. I got a little bit of a headache at mile 17 and started feeling a bit dizzy so I had some extra Gatorade with me and drank that up... much better after that. I cramped at mile 22, pretty badly, but pushed through it, it was nothing compared to the cramps I suffered in the HIM in Oct 09. And I think the crap was a direct result of the heat.

Once again, at the end of the race I found myself looking at the people around me... rail thin, muscular, and overall great specimens and I thought to myself... is this real" Am I really running in a marathon next to these people? Am I really PASSING some of these people? Five years ago, this Summer, when I started this nonsense, I don't think I could have ever even walked a marathon let alone run an entire 26.2 miles (no walk breaks of any real significance) and now, I have finished my second marathon and I don't think I will slow down any time soon.
What would you do differently?:

Not much... I did the best I could in the conditions and the best I could have done today. I am very, very pleased with my effort.
Post race
Warm down:

Walked back to Bobby's car.




Last updated: 2010-02-28 12:00 AM
Running
04:41:04 | 26.2 miles | 10m 44s  min/mile
Age Group: 40/50
Overall: 335/521
Performance: Good
1 09m 42s - 1.00 miles ... 2 09m 47s - 1.00 miles... 3 09m 51s - 1.00 miles... 4 10m 13s - 1.00 miles... 5 10m 06s - 1.00 miles... 6 10m 23s - 1.00 miles... 7 10m 11s - 1.00 miles... 8 10m 21s - 1.00 miles... 9 10m 11s - 1.00 miles... 10 10m 03s - 1.00 miles... 11 10m 09s - 1.00 miles... 12 10m 11s - 1.00 miles... 13 10m 14s - 1.00 miles... 14 10m 01s - 1.00 miles... 15 10m 04s - 1.00 miles... 16 10m 11s - 1.00 miles... 17 10m 19s - 1.00 miles... 18 10m 49s - 1.00 miles... 19 11m 08s - 1.00 miles... 20 11m 41s - 1.00 miles... 21 12m 12s - 1.00 miles... 22 13m 16s - 1.00 miles... 23 12m 52s - 1.00 miles... 24 11m 59s - 1.00 miles... 25 11m 38s - 1.00 miles... 26 10m 56s - 1.00 miles... 27 03m 26s - 0.37 miles...
Course: Really good course until the split at mile ten and then it is 10 miles on one long stretch of road.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
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? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2010-05-02 8:01 PM

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Miller Place, Long Island
Subject: Long Island Marathon


2010-05-03 8:30 AM
in reply to: #2831996

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Subject: RE: Long Island Marathon

Mike, what an oustanding performance.   Congrats on the PR.  It's taking some time, but you have become a Runner, and a Good Runner at that.  Go figure!!   

It was a privelege and joy to run those last 2 miles with you, and to root on all the other runners.  Considering the humid conditions, you had a STELLAR DAY.  I am very proud of you!

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