Yuck! Haven't had this kind of race since my 20's. Just....couldn't..... get....going! Felt very "flat" and exhausted the week before--three weeks of work with no break (grades, charity events, seminar) and major family issues. Hoped I'd feel better after taper but didn't--still sore and tired. Spent much of day before napping, but still woke up feeling tired and achy. As soon as I started running, my hamstrings (both--started last week), lower back, upper and lower arms hurt. Tried to tell myself maybe I just wasn't warmed up or used to the weather (unusually cool--maybe high 60's at start) and just to stay loose and relaxed. Didn't even start to feel better until almost 10 km. One gel at about 12 km; didn't feel need for more. By then I knew I wouldn't break 1:30. Last year I started well and then gradually lost it after 15 km, this year I felt better and better as the race went on. Kicked the last few km. and passed a bunch of people, almost sprinting in last 200m, really disappointed to miss last year's time by seven seconds!

??????? I think warming up more/earlier would have helped. I don't know if it would have solved the problem (or what the problem was, exactly), but I would have been more aware of it and started to work through it sooner, physically and mentally.

Walked back out on course a bit to cheer in a friend. We later (after much pilfering of bananas) walked about 2 km back to look for a much slower friend. After 3 hours we gave up, figuring we'd missed her, and walked back to the finish; returned to hotel. 90 minute massage later.


?????? Can't figure it out. Something went wrong the week before that didn't resolve itself by race morning but gradually got better during the race. Lots of possible culprits--stress, poor recovery from hard training, electrolyte issues as weather the week before was very hot, maybe a virus? Had some upset stomach and sore throat each morning during the work week that went away later in the day. The cramps in my arms in the first five km really threw me as conditions were NOT extreme--actually perfect running weather for me. Nausea could have been due to nerves but the upper body cramps are not normal. PMS not a possibility. Really major fatigue first two days afterward despite lots of sleep and just easy swimming--again not normal for me unless this is what aging feels like!

Needed to deal with poor start better mentally and think about times I have worked through stuff like this. In retrospect it has happened twice--both were marathons and I was able to get into a steady pace after about 10 miles and finish strong though not a PB.


This race is very "bare bones" as it's a charity benefit for land-mine victims. Probably not what most first-world runners expect--only water on course and bananas at finish. (Actually, they gave out samples of a Thai pineapple sports drink to about the first 1/2 of the field before they ran out.) Awards only for top 3 overall. But the venue can't be beat, and it's for a good cause!