New Years Double (Day) Marathon (Race Recap)

Sunday, January 1
Marathon #6
Allen, TX
Weather - CHILLY at start. Sunny and WINDY

So I have done back to back half marathons quite a few times. I think at least 8 weekends. But never in my craziest bouts of insanity did I think I would sign up for something like this. And yet... I did. The New Years Double FULL marathon, and day 2 of racing.

The remainder of Saturday was spent in Dallas. We took the kids for a walking tour near the site where JFK was assassinated and then visited the museum.

A and her cousin

We stopped and had dinner at Chili's. I know. Two carb loading meals in a row that I'VE NEVER EATEN AT PRE-RACE. But it was pretty similar to what I usually eat, and it was DELICIOUS.

Now remember. We are staying in a hotel room. And there are four kids. Luckily A and I have our own room, and the other kids are with Lisa. On the way back to the room, we stopped for some snacks and to get me new sunglasses (Curse you Adidas!!!). I got some $20 Ironman series sunglasses that seemed like they would do the trick. We tried hanging out in one room watching TV waiting for the ball to drop. This is what the kids looked like:

You'd think they were drinking something other than sparkling apple cider. About 10:15 and I gave up. A and I headed over to our room. She went to bed and I had to pack up all our stuff to drop off in Lisa's room in the morning. With the late start and me running the full, no way would I have time to come back to take a shower.

I was in bed by 10:45. I had no alcohol and missed New Years. I am old and lame.

I didn't sleep well. A was crazy fidgety. But thanks to going to bed early and getting to "sleep in," I wasn't that tired. I got dressed (with a throwaway shirt this time) and Lisa dropped me off, just a little later than the day before. Lines even shorter for the bathroom this time. On the way to the start line, I headed over to the info tent and finally got to meet Libby. Then I only had a few minutes to head to the start line. I ditched the shirt, and off we went.

I started in the correct corral this time, and although it was crowded, I didn't find it as bad as the day before since I was starting with "faster" people. It was much colder than the day before, and I *almost* regretted not wearing arm sleeves. I was, however, wearing my gloves. Notice, I am still wearing the orange/white striped ones I picked up off the ground in SC. I think this is race #4 for them now... Also, cool (?) new shades:

I have only raced in a Half Fanatic top once, and never in a Maniac tee. This is the perfect type of situation to wear one, as many of the participants are the crazy people (like me) that want to race any weekend of the year, even IF it is a holiday. Again, I enjoyed the out and back because I got to see people and wave at people. Wearing a Maniac shirt is awesome. People were waving and telling me good job, it was great. I might have to wear it more often.

I felt really good the first loop (6.55 miles) and then, like yesterday, I had to use the bathroom again. Curse it!! Honestly, I do remember thinking that miles 7-9 I felt REALLY good. I kept running by feel, and I got pretty worried after the second loop and I was pretty much dead on with the pace I had run the half yesterday. Last time I ran a "speedy" first half, I crashed and burned at the end. I was determined for that NOT to happen.

Without gloves, so by now I've run at least 16 miles

Course thinned out after a few hours, and the wind was CRAZY awful in parts. It felt really hard to run in, but at least it wasn't as hot. I think I kept the gloves on until I was about 15, maybe 16 miles in. I would NEVER have expected that in Texas. Very rarely do I keep gloves on a whole HALF marathon.

Nothing very eventful until the turnaround in loop three. I was zoning out and accidentally turned the wrong way, going off course. Luckily I realized it pretty quickly (having run the loop quite a few times already). Oooooops. I was still feeling pretty good, and by the time I was finishing my third loop, I was pretty sure I could PR.

The other cool thing about this race was that there was a special HF/MM water station! I think they gave water to anyone who wanted it, but they also gave me little Reese's Peanut Butter cup. Strangest thing I have ever eaten during a regular marathon, that's for sure.

Lap 4, the course is pretty empty, but I have actually LAPPED people. That has pretty much happened... never. Maybe that is one of the things that encouraged me to push and really go for that PR. I have never been fast, but it was nice to pass people...

At the aid stations and sometimes other runners were asking me, "are you done ALREADY?" And I won't lie, that felt good. Lap 4 was really a mental game for me, as my legs were definitely getting tired. I already knew the course was going to run long with how the half had measured for me the day before. I hit mile 25 and knew I could practically walk and still PR. Came around by the lake, hit the mile 26 marker and gave it all I had.

Once again, my family was at the finish line (AWESOME!!) and got pictures of me (I'm waving at them in this one):

Get my Mylar blanket thingy (it was a lot colder when I stopped moving). Checked my watch, and not only did I break my previous marathon time, I beat it by quite a bit. About SIX MINUTES FASTER!!!!

Bib #2054
Official Time - 4:22:24 (!! - previous PR was 4:28:15)
Official Pace - 10:01 (the exact same pace as my half the day before. CRAZY)
Overall Place - 23/89
Gender Place - 8/36
Division Place - 2/8 (!!!!)
Official 3.65 miles - 36:52
Official 6.55 miles - 1:04:37
Official 10.2 miles - 1:42:23
Official 13.1 miles - 2:10:16
Official 16.75 miles - 2:46:37
Official 19.65 miles - 3:15:31 (For reference, I ran my 20 miler in 3:42:00)
Garmin Time - 4:22:28
Garmin Distance - 26.67 miles
Garmin Pace - 9:50
Mile 1 - 9:56
Mile 2 - 9:39
Mile 3 - 9:40
Mile 4 & 5 - 9:38
Mile 6 - 9:41
Mile 7 - 11:02 (bathroom)
Mile 8 - 9:36
Mile 9 - 9:21
Mile 10 - 9:26
Mile 11 - 9:53
Mile 12 - 9:48
Mile 13 - 9:34
Mile 14 - 9:43
Mile 15 - 9:31
Mile 16 - 9:45
Mile 17 - 9:40
Mile 18 - 9:46
Mile 19 - 10:00
Mile 20 - 10:13
Mile 21 - 10:00
Mile 22 - 10:14
Mile 23 - 9:48
Mile 24 - 10:13
Mile 25 - 10:10
Mile 26 - 10:04
Mile 26.2 - 8:41

So I bet you are wondering what the "coolest part" was? I WON AN AWARD. Top 10 male and female win an award, and since I was in 8th place... I won two champagne glasses. Check me out posing with them:

The medals were two half pieces that fit into a ginormous bigger round one (think yin/yang) if you did both days. Here is me with big honkin' medal and glass:

Most unique medal I've ever earned

Post race I immediately was struggling with walking. I am RARELY so sore after racing, and it's even more rare to be sore RIGHT AFTER. I had the chance to talk with some people and it was awesome to have so many people comment on how strong I looked during the race. It was a HUGE ego booster.

Obviously this race rocked because I got a personal best. But it was also VERY organized, and I couldn't have asked for a friendlier group of runners. In fact, the Half Fanatic ladies I had been talking to the day before told me that they were so happy when I lapped them at the end. It was just overall a great experience, and given the chance, I will run this again.

So. Remember that I wasn't going to be able to go back to the hotel and shower? Well, I had researched and there was a 24 Hour Fitness only a few miles from the race. I figured I would shower there. I grabbed my stuff, Lisa dropped me off and told me she would be back in 15. So. I had NO towel. I will keep this short. I am so happy the gym was deserted. I had to:

1. Walk around naked
2. Stand under the blow dryers for a good 3-4 minutes (hella naked) to get dried off so I could get dressed.

I will not be able to top that gym story all year. Guaranteed.

We went to a tiny hamburger restaurant (Scotty P's??) across the parking lot. BEST.BURGER.EVER.