Fall Racing Season Returns

Personal Bests and Bonks

I felt like I was in great shape coming into the Fall of 2010, got my LSD (Long Slow Distance) runs in during summer and did enough track work to improve on my speed base as well.  As I would soon discover, you usually race best when you try to go for about 90% effort (leaving the 100% level for the last mile).  This is great advice as "giving it your all" might end up in disappointment.  Still not easy always easy to put into practice.

Race: Heritage Half-Marathon
Date: October 3, 2010
Time: 1:25:47

Recap: This was a smaller, community type race out in Gainesville, VA but expertly organized.  Falling 3 weeks before Marine Corps Marathon it was surely timed to be a race metric for marathoners, however it was also a great time of the year for a half-marathon PR.  Fall in this area brings cool, dry temps - a welcome respite after a summer of heat and humidity.  I went out a bit aggressively but was able to hold my pace for the most part even on some rolling hills and was rewarded with big half-marathon PR.  Its odd (almost a bit frustrating) looking back that this is still my half-marathon PR, despite being in much better shape later on, all my other half-marathons either ended up in warm weather, coming off an injury, or just after a generally poor training period.  Shows what being in "peak shape" will do for you.

Race: Army 10 Miler
Date: October 24, 2010
Time: 1:04:49

Recap:  I really love this race - as indicated by my annual running of it up to this point!  Flat course and very patriotic.  I went out just planning on doing it as a tempo run (not really all out 10 miler pace), but as is the case when you go out at 90% effort you end up feeling so great at the end you can't help but push it the last mile.  This might have been a mistake with Marine Corps Marathon only a week away.

Race: Marine Corps Marathon
Date: October 31, 2010
Time:  3:22:19

Recap:  This was a learning experience.  After going into the race feeling like about a 3:10 Marathoner, I got those last minute feelings of wanting more.  3:08? 3:05? Sub-3?  Not smart to think about so close to a race.  Then at the start line a friend of mine (who also bonked out) convinced me to run a sub 3:05 pace with him.

On one hand I felt fine for awhile, but deep down I knew it was too fast.  Around Mile 18 I was still on pace for about a 3:05 finish but was starting to feel the hurt - and that's about 7 miles too early to have that feeling.  By mile 21 I was burnt, started cramping up really badly and had to walk/run a bit.  Was able to limp-run the last few miles to finish in 3:22:19, a minute behind my old marathon PR.  It was painful, and as much as I wanted redemption I was ready for at least a short mental break from the sport.

Race Day.  Looking out through Fall colors at the Iwo Jima Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, with the Washington Monument and Capital Building of D.C. in the far background.

Feeling the hurt  and barely running at mile 26.

What's Next?

So that was my Fall racing season of 2010.  Overall a good one - I had 2 big PRs to show at the 10 miler and half-marathon distances, but for the big one I only had a marathon "bonk-out" to remember.  Still I knew it was a learning experience, and at worst another marathon notch to add to my belt.  Already being in good shape after summer I looked for a winter redemption race to get my Boston Qualifier time (under 3:10:59 for Males under 35 years old).