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Colorado Colfax Marathon - RunMarathon


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Denver, Colorado
United States
Cities of Aurora, Denver and Lakewood, CO
85F / 29C
Sunny
Total Time = 3h 35m 19s
Overall Rank = 68/797
Age Group = F20-24
Age Group Rank = 2/19
Pre-race routine:

Ate a big bowl of pasta the night before, drank tons of gatorade, went to bed at 8:30pm.
Got up at 3am with almost 7 hours of sleep. Even though our friend was picking us up at 5, I wanted to eat a solid meal about 3 hours before the start. Had oatmeal with raisins and bananas and 2 pieces of toast, oj and 2 cups of coffee. Tons of gatorade. Had a red bull about 1/2 hour before the start.
Event warmup:

Got to the start about 15 min before the gun. Ran from the car to the start, stretched a little. Lines to the bathrooms were too long, had to squat in the bushes. Took a GU 10 min till.
Run
  • 3h 35m 19s
  • 26.2 miles
  • 08m 13s  min/mile
Comments:

I felt good before the start and in the first few miles. I was originally hoping for a PR or at least a sub 3:20 finish (big mistake). Somehow I didn't think that the hills were going to be all that bad. I even didn't believe it when Culpepper called the course tough in the Denver Post article on Friday. I figured if I start conservative in the first couple miles, I can put a few good splits on the downhill and try to stay strong on the uphill, escpecially with my friend's help who paced me from 15 to 25. First 5 miles were right as I planned them. At mile 6 I was supposed to drop to sub 7:20, but it didn't happen. I couldn't really go faster than 7:40s - 7:50s. I realized I probably won't make sub 3:20 around mile 7-8, (the pace for 3:20 is 7:37). But I still felt strong and I was OK with just having a strong finish in low 3:20s. At mile 8 I cought up to 3:10 pace group. Those guys should have been way ahead by that time. I asked them when they were going to drop to their planned 7:05s. They said "Eventually". I knew they were not going to make 3:10, but I didn't say anything. I hung with them for a mile. Then they dropped me, but they were not going sub 7-s, which was what they needed to make up lost time. After 1/2 way poing in City Park when we switched from slight downhill to flat, I could feel I started slowing down. I was really happy to see my friend Rachel when she joined me at mile 15. I needed some help! Which she was great at! She just did a 3:08 in Boston, so my pace was a walk in the park for her. She carried my water and GUs for me, kept talking away and cheering me on. She would not let me talk back to her, so I can conserve. This made a difference for a couple miles. But then I kept fading again. At mile 22 I didn't know if I could make it without walking. I was suffering! Rachel really helped. If she wasn't there I probably would be walking. I was hoping to keep it under 9, but on top of exhaustion, heat and the uphills, my legs started cramping up like never before, and I could feel the blisters coming on both feet. The last mile was the worst! It climbed steeper then the last 7 miles and never seemed to end. At 26 mile mark my right calf cramped like hell and I couldn't straighten my leg anymore. It hurt! I almost collapsed. I kept going only because I heard first Rachel and then Richard and Kim cheering for me. At the finish line I didn't feel good for a few minutes.
This was the hardest marathon experience I've had!
What would you do differently?:

I need to train more, if I want to set such time goals. My running weeks were never above 40, which is really low. For CIM in December I also didn't train enough, but it was higher on average with highest at 56-mile week. Also I need to do speedwork.
As far as the race strategy, I could have went out slower, but I would have hard time anyway, just because the course and heat were so brutal.
Post race
Warm down:

Walked around the finish area, stretched a little, talked to a few people I knew.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Being undertrained and the heat

Event comments:

Overall I am not too disappointed. Lots of people were bonking and fading worse than me, fit people too. I am glad I didn't have to walk (I was pretty close). I would have liked to run faster but with my training, the course profile, and the conditions, I don't think I could have done much better. I will try to train better for NYC.




Last updated: 2006-05-21 12:00 AM
Running
03:35:19 | 26.2 miles | 08m 13s  min/mile
Age Group: 2/19
Overall: 68/797
Performance: Average
AVG HR 178, MAX HR 194, mile splits were OK till 1/2 way point, then started fading slightly until I bonked bad at mile 20 and they really went downhill: mile 1 @ 8:07 -- mile 2 @ 7:52 -- mile 3 @ 7:53 -- mile 4 @ 7:22 -- mile 5 @ 7:28 -- mile 6 @ 7:41 -- mile 7 @ 7:29 -- mile 8 @ 7:50 -- mile 9 @ 7:51 -- mile 10 @ 7:52 -- mile 11 @ 7:47 -- mile 12 @ 7:59 -- mile 13 @ 7:43 -- mile 14 @ 8:16 -- mile 15 @ 8:17 -- mile 16 @ 8:00 -- mile 17 @ 7:55 -- mile 18 @ 8:14 -- mile 19 @ 8:18 -- mile 20 @ 8:38 -- mile 21 @ 8:50 -- mile 22 @ 9:05 -- mile 23 @ 9:20 -- mile 24 @ 9:08 -- mile 25 @ 9:14 -- mile 26 @ 9:26, 1/2 marathon 1:41:55
Course: The whole marathon is on one street except for a 3-mile loop at the city park. The first 18 miles are slight downhill and flat. The last 8 miles climb 600ft with a few really steep uphills. There is no shade on the course except for the 3 miles in the park. At least the sun was at our backs the whole time.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
Good race? Ok
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Below average
Race evaluation [1-5] 3

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2006-05-22 9:26 AM

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Veteran
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Seattle
Subject: Colorado Colfax Marathon


2006-05-22 2:33 PM
in reply to: #430082

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Expert
622
500100
Conifer, Colorado
Subject: RE: Colorado Colfax Marathon
Nice report but you are too modest. You kicked but yesterday... I don't know many runners who can hang with you when conditions are tough... just like in Park City last year, you hung tough and the results speak for themselves. Your big breakthrough is coming! Rock on you running gem.
2006-05-22 2:45 PM
in reply to: #430082

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Science Nerd
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Redwood City, California
Subject: RE: Colorado Colfax Marathon
Great job!!  You were even 2nd in your AG!  I probably would have started walking...way to keep going.
2006-05-22 6:02 PM
in reply to: #430082

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Pro
4228
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Broomfield, Colorado
Subject: RE: Colorado Colfax Marathon
You rock Lilia!  Nice race!
2006-05-26 12:57 AM
in reply to: #430082

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Veteran
158
1002525
Brisbane
Subject: RE: Colorado Colfax Marathon

Wow that is a super time and 2nd in your age group, you must be stoked!!!

I'm planning a marathon in a couple of weeks and I wasn't going to eat much before the race but after reading your report, I think I need to change my strategy. Thanks for sharing your experience in your report.

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