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Wellstone's Dallas White Rock Marathon - RunMarathon


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Dallas, Texas
United States
40F / 4C
Precipitation
Total Time = 5h 38m 1s
Overall Rank = /
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

Woke up at 5:20, ate a banana with peanut butter and got ready to go. My parents were picking me up at 6 and then we headed to get Angela. I really had not been nervous at all about this marathon, even though it was my first, since I knew I would be going at a pretty easy pace with my dad. My only real jitters came Saturday night after dinner and I just decided I needed to distract myself.
Event warmup:

Got to the AA center and my mom dropped us off. Went through the security check and headed for the bathroom, amazingly enough there was no line for the womens and this long line for the mens! Met a BT person, Shannon, in the bathroom as I commented on her "Dorothy" shirt. After the bathroom stop, I decided I needed to find the clothing drop. This was the beginning of my strange role reversal with my dad. I wanted to take our clothes to the drop because I didn't want him going outside and getting cold. It was difficult getting back in as they closed one of the entrances and then I had to wait in a long line. Got back in, found Angela and my dad, made one last bathroom stop and then headed to the starting line. I had told my dad in the week before that I was going to run with him, but I don't think he realized I was serios until I mentioned it again that morning. So when we headed out to the starting line I told him we were going to start with the 5:30 pace group. He seemed hesitant, but followed along. Angela headed off to the 4:30 pace group and I did have a slight twinge of wanting to go, but knew this would probably be my only opportunity to run a marathon with my dad.
Run
  • 5h 38m 1s
  • 26.2 miles
  • 12m 54s  min/mile
Comments:

We watched the race start on the big screen TV at the AA center and then a few minutes later actually started to move. There were probably 25 people or more in the 5:30 pace group and I chatted with lots of them. We started off running and then we would take walk breaks every 5 and a half minutes. That took me a bit to get used to since I had not trained with walk breaks at all. My dad had trained that way, so he seemed to be keeping up just fine. I tried to chat with other people and not worry about my dad too much, but found myself worried anytime he slowed down. I would give him stats on how great we were doing and how far we had gone. I started to really worry more when he after we would pass mile 12, we would go for a couple of minutes and then he would yell (his hearing is not the greastest and especially difficult with lots of surrounding noise) "HAVE WE GOTTEN TO 12 YET?" "Yes, Dad we passed 12 a little while back." Then we would go another minute and he would ask "HAVE WE GOTTEN TO 12 YET?" By mile 19, He was not looking great and said he needed to slow down. I kept telling him "No problem dad, let's walk for awhile." Then after a bit of walking I would try to get him to run a bit more. We did this for the last 6 miles. I would try to encourage him and say that we were doing great and were just behind the 5:30 pace group. At mile 24, he said he thought he could finish even if he had to walk the rest of the way. I tried to get him to walk faster and then I would start a very slow jog. We alternated walking and jogging the last few miles while I kept up the role of cheerleader. Overall, I had a great time. There was lots of support on the course including bands along the route which was fun. I tried to enjoy the scenery and didn't really think much at all about my legs. Our pace group leader for the first 19 miles was from LA. This was her 60 something marathon and her 9th one this year. Clif flys her around the country to pace people. She was very nice and encouraging. She lead us in songs and chants most of the way. It was a very nice group of people and a fun event.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing...it was a memorable event with my dad.
Post race
Warm down:

After the race, my dad and I had a finisher's photo taken and got our medals. We headed into the AA Center. Doug had not made it to the finish line so we went to find the family. They were at mile 19 cheering for us, but didn't get to the finish line. We found them and headed down to the food area. This was my biggest complaint about the race, there wasn't much food left and NOTHING warm. I guess they were prepared for hot weather. I was hoping for some chicken broth or at least some hot chocolate. I had a smoothie and was just watching my dad hoping that he was going to be able to get up after he sat down. My other worry was that we had to walk down all these stairs and to get to the food and I wasn't sure how he was going to get back up. I headed off to go find our bags that I had checked. They weren't in the same place. It ended up taking me about 20 minutes roaming around and no one knew where to tell me to go. When I fianlly found them, I went back to try to get in the AA center and they told me they were closing it down. There were 3 people trying to block the door, I looked right at them and said "I have just spent the last 20 minutes trying to find the drop off bags when no one could tell me where to go and now my family is inside waiting for me, I am going in!" and I walked right past them. Turned out my dad had taken an elevator and gotten up to the main level and Doug and the kids were waiting for me. They were trying to shuttle me out of the building and I walked past them again and said I was headed to the bathroom. I felt really bad for the people who still hadn't finished the race, they were getting no food at the end and not even able to come in to go to the bathroom. That was some serious poor planning on the race director's part and I am going to send them an email with my disappointment. After using the bathroom, we headed to the car and drove home. After we got home, I went down to the YMCA and sat in the hot tub with my dad. He was really pumped about his run.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Nothing, I felt great! On a side note, that night we went out for Mexican food with my parents and my dad showed up in his White Rock T-shirt and hat. He was really pleased with his finish time and that made me really glad I had done it with him.

Event comments:

I was very impressed with everything except the post race activities which were very disappointing.




Last updated: 2007-10-30 12:00 AM
Running
05:38:01 | 26.2 miles | 12m 54s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Good
Doug gave me my Christmas present early, a Garmin 305. I wore it for the race, but haven't quite figured out how to download all the info. I will try to add it in when I have it. I do know that my avg heart rate was 126. I felt like I could have done an ultra at that heart rate!
Course: Overall I thought the course was amazingly flat with a few gradual ups and downs. I couldn't believe they called those hills the "Dolly Parton" hills! If that is the case, I guess we should call the hills in the Seattle half Mt. Everest!
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5]
Physical exertion [1-5]
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Below average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2007-12-10 12:08 PM

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Expert
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Fort Worth, Texas
Subject: Wellstone's Dallas White Rock Marathon


2007-12-10 12:17 PM
in reply to: #1092626

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Regular
109
100
Denton TX.
Subject: RE: Wellstone's Dallas White Rock Marathon
Congrats!!! Awesome to be running with your dad!!!
2007-12-10 12:32 PM
in reply to: #1092657

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Champion
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the colony texas
Subject: RE: Wellstone's Dallas White Rock Marathon
I think that is the best present anyone could give a parent.. This is so incredible that you ran it with your father.. You both will remember this much longer than if you just went out and ran with a faster group..
2007-12-10 3:04 PM
in reply to: #1092626

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Champion
10471
500050001001001001002525
Dallas, TX
Subject: RE: Wellstone's Dallas White Rock Marathon
That is so awesome that you got to run with your Dad. Years from now, this will be a fabulous memory to share at family gatherings.

Great job on your first marathon! I'm sure it left you wanting for more... and lucky you, there are a lot of marathons to be run out there.

Yea, Jonny had some struggle finding any food that wasn't a sample and you didn't have to stand in a LONG time for. So he finally gave up and we went home.

2007-12-10 3:29 PM
in reply to: #1092626

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Alpharetta, Georgia
Bronze member
Subject: RE: Wellstone's Dallas White Rock Marathon
What a cool story and race report! I love it.
Congrats!
2007-12-10 3:39 PM
in reply to: #1092626

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Veteran
113
100
Texas
Subject: RE: Wellstone's Dallas White Rock Marathon
Great job, Jill! What a loving and selfless gesture to run with your dad! It is a memory that will last a lifetime. You should feel so proud of yourself and your dad! Way to go!


2007-12-10 3:53 PM
in reply to: #1092626

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Master
1292
1000100100252525
McKinney, TX
Subject: RE: Wellstone's Dallas White Rock Marathon

Great to meet you prerace. Sounds like you had a good time.

Hopefully Shannon and I will have as good a time at Cowtown.

2007-12-10 5:41 PM
in reply to: #1092626

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Pro
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Broomfield, Colorado
Subject: RE: Wellstone's Dallas White Rock Marathon
Jill, that is so awesome that you were able to do this with your dad!  You will have that memory forever!  Congrats on your first mary and your super low HR
2007-12-10 6:16 PM
in reply to: #1092626

Regular
213
100100
Fort Worth, Texas
Subject: RE: Wellstone's Dallas White Rock Marathon

I'm so glad you ran with your dad...I get to run with you several days a week!  I can share...Your dad needed you...Way to go Jill!

2007-12-13 7:02 AM
in reply to: #1092626

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MotoQueen
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Subject: RE: Wellstone's Dallas White Rock Marathon
Jill, you and your dad rock. You both now have such a wonderful memory of a time spent together.
2007-12-13 10:05 AM
in reply to: #1092626

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Master
1831
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Keller Tx
Subject: RE: Wellstone's Dallas White Rock Marathon

What an awesome way to spend the day with your Dad!

Thats great Jill!



2007-12-14 10:16 AM
in reply to: #1092626

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Expert
927
50010010010010025
Longview, TX
Subject: RE: Wellstone's Dallas White Rock Marathon

Very cool you did this with your dad!  I'm pretty sure I asked the same question several times too! 

Congrats!

2007-12-14 9:33 PM
in reply to: #1092626

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Veteran
306
100100100
Subject: RE: Wellstone's Dallas White Rock Marathon

Have we passed mile 19 yet?

 

Such a cute story . . . you're making me want to race with my family! 

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