Plan was to help pace my wife to a 3:45:59 BQ and simultaneously PR'ing myself. We started with the 3:40 Cliff Pace group. After finishing the first 2 miles in 16 minutes flat, we smartly decided to drop back. Started our unofficial 3:40-3:45 pace group of about 6 of us who were flabbergasted by the early pace and stuck together through 15 miles where we nearly caught the 3:40 Cliff Pace group.

Mile 16 was a fairly tough, long hill, where there was little shade. I could tell my wife was feeling it and my HR was getting close to LT. I backed us off in fear of falling apart. That mile was about a 9:30. We reovered on the downhills and managed to get back on 8:30's.

Around mile 19-20, my wife started fading a bit. At miles 21-22, we had a nice downhill and got back on pace. However miles 23-26, I just couldn't get her to "kick it in." She was really pressing to maintain 9:20's and we basically fell of the BQ pace. I kept pushing, but her legs just were too fatigued. She really held it together well and never stopped running hard, just wasn't her time.

I was so focused on pushing my wife, I didn't realize how hard I was working. Looking back, I basically ran the whole marathon just under LT. My legs were totally fried at the end. My wife ran ahead and beat me by 4 seconds. :)

I'm looking forward to the race photos as we were stride for stride together for pretty much the whole race until I let her go ahead ;) at the end.

My nutrition was solid: Gu every 4 miles and Endurolyte capsule at water stations when I didn't Gu. Again, no Gatorade, no stomach issues - definitely the way to go. Felt plenty hydrated, with no cramping and good energy throughout.


split hr
1 0:08:05 160
2 0:08:18 162 uphill
3 0:08:02 164 downhill
4 0:08:21 166 uphill
5 0:08:17 164
6 0:08:03 161
7 0:08:12 159
8 0:08:31 159
9 0:08:22 159
10 0:08:19 159
11 0:08:34 158
12 0:08:37 157
13 0:08:33 159
14 0:08:25 158
15 0:08:31 159
16 0:08:31 160
17 0:09:04 160 uphill
18 0:08:30 160 downhill
19 0:09:26 161 uphill
20 0:09:19 160
21 0:09:04 160
22 0:08:52 159 downhill
23 0:09:10 161 downhill
24 0:09:35 162
25 0:09:22 162
26 0:09:39 160
26.2 0:01:48 162

Total 3:47:30


Nothing.

Three cups of Gatorade, an orange, some Cheezits. A bottle of Propel and 0.3mi walk to the car.


Nothing.