My 2008 Wenatchee Marathon Recap – 3:09:28
I debated whether or not to run the Wenatchee marathon this year. I’ve been so busy with work for the past four months that I really didn’t feel like I had prepared well enough to make a good showing. After re-reading the qualifying standards for Boston, I realized that, because I will be 40 at the time of the 2009 race (I’m 39 now), I could qualify with a time of 3:20. I felt like I was in shape to run a 3:20, so focused on that as inspiration to run the event. I did a 20 mile time-trial two weeks ago (20 miles at an average of 7:17/ mile) and didn’t feel too bad, so decided to target 7:20 as my marathon pace. I wasn’t sure what would happen in the final 10K, but I’ve struggled through some tough 10K’s at the end of other marathons and was prepared (though dreading) to do it again if I had to.

At the end of the day, it wasn’t my fastest marathon but was, without a doubt, my best to date. I think part of getting older is acquiring more patience and learning to take advantage of what you have when you’re out on the course. I had a solid race plan, I followed the plan early in the race (which was key), and I stayed focused enough during the race to be able to evaluate my progress and make decisions about how and when to change the plan. I didn’t go beyond my abilities and I felt great at the finish.

Fueling
I’ve missed the mark on fueling in the past couple events I’ve participated in, so I spent a little more time researching and experimenting with different products over the winter. I discovered in this process that the hammer gel that I had been using was, at least in part, the source of the stomach irritation that I was struggling with during my long runs. Using three hammer gels over the course of a marathon, with plenty of fluids, left me nauseated at the finish line. After reading Four Steps to Perfect Marathon Fueling on active.com I was able to calculate my calory expenditures and refueling requirements based on my weight (I’m about 153 lbs right now – heavier than I would like to be (older than I’d like to be too, but what the hell do you do about it?) I calculated that I should be taking in about 240 calories per hour after the first hour of the marathon.

My fueling plan, and the plan that I followed, was to alternate e gel with power gel at four mile intervals (approximately 30 minutes between) beginning at mile eight. This resulted in about 260 calories an hour for the final 2+ hours of the run. I chose to alternate between the two products because, after experimenting on long runs, I felt like e gel had too much sodium to to use more than three during that period of time and power gel had too much caffeine. Alternating gave me the calories I needed without overdosing on the other components. I used only plain water on the course – at every other station during the first half and every station for the second half. It was only 35° at race start and I don’t think it went over 45° at race finish, so hydration wasn’t as much of a factor as at it could have been. I never felt sick, never had a side-ache, and maintained a reasonable energy level throughout the race.

Pacing
I planned to stick to an even pace of 7:20 for as long as I could during the race. This would have put me at the finish line at 3:12. I didn’t think I would be able to hold it for 26.2 miles, but I wanted to start out at that pace and then make adjustments if necessary. I find it sooooooo hard to slow down at the start of a marathon. I get so psyched with all the other runners around I almost jump out of my skin. I kept a very close eye on the Garmin (I couldn’t have done it without it) and continually forced myself to slow down and stay with this pace – even if it meant letting people pass me. I had to stay very conscious of slowing to hold this pace through the first 16 miles. With 10 to go, I let myself go a bit to test the water. I dropped a couple of seconds off my average pace by the time I reached the final 10K and was still feeling pretty good so opted to cut loose and see what I had left.

The Final 10K
I have read so many times that the marathon is about the final 10k – THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I GOT IT!! The marathon is a 10K with a 20 mile warmup. I really think that’s the key. Warm up correctly and you’ll be ready to go for it in the final 10K. Making errors in the 20 mile warm up will destroy you in the 10K – and believe me I’ve been destroyed here enough times that you would think I would have learned the lesson long ago. The finish line is at the end of the final 10K – nobody cares what your pace is or what your time is at the 20 mile mark.

I dropped down close to a 7 min/ mile pace for the final 10K, caught and passed three runners, and felt really strong!! I could have chewed nails I was so hyped. It was awesome!! My quads were going, but I had the momentum of the new faster pace that completely broke up the monotony of the long run. The miles flew by – it really was awesome!!

I finished in a time of 3:09:28 – about 4 minutes slower than my PR (last year, same course) and nowhere near my dream of 3 hrs, but I wouldn’t trade this one for any race that I’ve run so far. I only hope that I have the patience and stamina again next time to wait it out and finish strong. It’s soooooo much better than the death march!!

Below is my pacing and fueling for the race. I lost my gps signal at mile 22 so only have an average pace for the last 4.2 miles. I took the gels at the indicated miles, the water was taken at the aid station closest to that mile mark.

 
Wenatchee Marathon, 26.2 miles, 3:09:28, 7:14/ mile, 167 bpm, Adidas Adistar Control 5′s with NewBalance Control Insoles

Wednesday Workout:
Run, 7.02 miles, 54:09, 7:43/ mile, 156 bpm, 832 cals, Adistars

Wednesday Workout:
Run, 5.15 miles, 40:15, 7:48/ mile, 144 bpm, 616 cals, Adistars

Tuesday Workout:
Run, 9.89 miles, 1:14:52, 7:33/ mile, 157 bpm, 1178 cals, SNs

Monday Workout
Run, 7.11 miles, 57:14, 8:03/ mile, 150 bpm, 844 cals, SNs