They all can't be "easy" runs.

Mercedes Marathon

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Location:

Venice,FL,USA

Member Since:

Oct 31, 2012

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

5k:
21:01, (6:46 pace) 11-19-11.
20:08, (6:29 pace) 9-1-12 (Part of a Mini-Triathlon Relay).
19:17, (6:12 pace) 11-17-12.
19:19, (6:13 pace) 11-23-13.
19:30, (6:17 pace) 1-4-14.
20:34, (6:34 pace) 9-13-14
19:49, (6:23 pace) 10-25-14
19:32, (6:17 pace) 11-22-14
19:40, (6:19 pace) 12-19-14
19:49, (6:23 pace) 1-31-16

8k:
34:42, (6:57 pace) 3-17-12.
32:11, (6:28 pace) 3-16-13.
32:32, (6:33 pace) 3-15-14. 

34:00, (6:50 pace) 3-14-15.

33:09, (6:40 pace) 3-11-17.

32:56, (6:38 pace) 3-17-18.

10k:
44:18, (7:08 pace) 4-14-12.
41:22, (6:39 pace) 12-15-12.
42:11, (6:47 pace) 4-13-13.
41:06, (6:37 pace) 12-8-13.

42:03, (6:46 pace) 3-5-16

44:35, (7:11 pace) 8-26-17
12k:
53:53, (7:14 pace) 3-24-12.
49:20, (6:37 pace) 3-1-14
15k:
1:18:16, (8:24 pace) 2-26-11.

1:04:37. (6:56 pace) 2-20-16

1:08:25 (7:18 pace) 2/22/20

Half Marathons:

1:37:57 (7:28 pace) 1-26-20. Fort Lauderdale - A1A 
14 Marathons:
1.  4:12:08, (9:37 pace) 1-9-11. Disney.
2.  4:18:18, (9:51 pace) 10-30-11. MCM.
3.  3:42:26, (8:29 pace) 1-14-12. Charleston.
4.  3:13:15, (7:22 pace) 10-7-12. Steamtown.
5*.  3:12:26, (7:20 pace) 1-19-14. Louisiana.
6*.  3:14:06, (7:24 pace) 4-21-14. Boston.
7*.  3:19:38, (7:37 pace) 7-19-14. U. of Okoboji.
8*.  3:16:27, (7:30 pace) 2-22-15. Mercedes-Benz
9*. 3:30:38 (8:03 pace) 5-15-16 Sugarloaf

10. 3:24:21 (7:48 pace) 11-5-16 Savannah RNR

11. 3:27:37 (7:56 pace) 5-12-18 Brookings

12. 3:46:02 (8:38 pace) 10-7-18 Towpath

13. 3:35:11 (8:13 pace) 9-12-21 Med City

14. 3:45:45 (8:37 pace) 4-16-23 Coastal Delaware

* = These 5 races were run at 67.9 seconds per pound. If I want a PR, I need to weigh less than 170 pounds.

Short-Term Running Goals:

2023 GOALS:

Coastal Delaware Running Festival Marathon - 4/16/23 - Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Long-Term Running Goals:

Continue running as often as I can, as far as I can, as fast as I can. Teaching my kids (by example) the rewards that come from putting in the work. Very slowly get to 50 states.

Personal:

I'm married, with two sons, 17, and 18.

I started running because someone dared me to.

I ran my first race 3 days after my 40th birthday. (Disney)

My profile picture story: http://www.melissajill.com/blog.cfm?postID=1492&boston-marathon

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:This week: 12.50 Month: 83.00 Year: 212.50
Race: Mercedes Marathon (26.2 Miles) 03:16:27, Place overall: 45, Place in age division: 8
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
0.0026.2026.20

We got to the race @ 6:00 am. It was raining. Not a heavy downpour, but enough to make folks huddle under awnings. I lined up half way between the 7 minute pace and the 8 minute pace signs. I talked to a couple of guys that were doing the half. I was prepared for the rain with my garbage bag raincoat. Those guys were not. I may have learned some stuff over the last couple of races.

The course is a 2 lap course, with some serious hills (by floridian standards) between 4-10, and again at 17-23. The half and the full start at the same time. (Also, this race had relay racers, that ended up having a wierd impact on me. When a dude flies by you on fresh legs at mile 18, it is a bit of a kick in the gut.) When I have run races like this before, there is a proportion of @ 2/3 Half-ers, 1/3 Full runners. This race was more like 5/6 half-ers, so I knew there was a chance that I would be alone on the second loop.  So, again!, I misfired my watch at the start. This is a lesson I have not learned. Spouse says "Man, you need to get a handle on that!" I have done this enough times, that it is almost comedy. The race started at 7:03, so when I looked at my watch at mile 1, it said 7:09, which is what I thought was my pace. When 2 guys running next to me later said they were running 6:45 pace, I re-checked my watch, and realized it was set for Date / Time. So I ran the whole race blind, again. That makes 3 marathons with no watch, BTW! I felt like I was moving at a comfortable manageble pace, but as ususal, I was faster than I wanted. I rained for the first 5 miles. My socks were soaked. At @ mile 14 I knew I was in trouble, but I held on. It was almost worse knowing the hills that were coming up, but I kept on pushing, and never stopped. The worst hill is the last one at mile 9/22ish. For about 2 miles, I was trading places with this guy wearing all black. we rounded that near-hairpin corner at mile 22, he looked up the hill, and just stopped. I saw him later at the post race party (Which was great).

I have a church function to go to now, so I'm going to finish this later.

Ah, dang it! I just finished typing it and lost it!

~~Okay, if this doesn’t work, I give up.
Nutrition: usually I take a gu packet every 40 minutes, drink water on the first half, drink gatorade on the second half. Something went vurpy after the second gu, so I stopped with those altogether, and alternated Gatorade and water at the remaining stops.
This is the most spectator-friendly course I have ever run. There was an opportunity for my family to see me at several points along the race course. I saw them at the half. However, with the rain, they spent the majority of the time inside the hall where the post-race party was, watching for me on the big screen monitor. It all worked out, because they became experts in the BBQ there, and had some great advice.
This is the most Y’all yelling crowd I have ever experienced. “Y’all are looking good!” “Keep it up, Y’all!” I had to laugh after a while.
Splits: Notice the standard decline from 7’s to 8’s.
10k     00:42:46    7:01 pace
15k     01:04:54    7:23 pace
25k     01:48:27    7:20 pace
30k     02:12:09    7:39 pace
35k     02:44:48    8:04 pace
Finish 03:16:27    7:55 pace
This is what I do. Another “Well, given the circumstances..” race. It’s always something. I’m not sure I would have done much better, had I correctly started my watch, or if it were not raining. This is just where I am right now. Maybe things will line up again someday for a PR. Right now, it is all right to be looking forward to that. I got a bit spoiled early on, when the PR’s came easily.
I promised the boys we would go swimming in the hotel pool after the race, even if the heater was still broken. I made it to mid thigh. It was stupid cold, but great therapy. Don’t call family services on me, but my 2 lunatics went swimming for about a minute. It was great watching them psych themselves up to jump.
If there is a PR to be awarded here, it is to spouse. She is really nailing it with these family vacations, built around my silly hobby. It’s like I find the most generic town, and say I want to run a race there. Then she figures out all of the coolest stuff to schedule for the kids, on the days surrounding the race. Another trip where I’m left saying “Who would have thought Birmingham was so cool?” Anyhow, we went out for sushi after the race. She loves that stuff, I don’t. It was kind of her victory dinner.
Savannah is next, and I just realized how Forrest Gump-y this year is going to be for me! 

Weight: 0.00
Comments
From allie on Mon, Feb 23, 2015 at 16:42:51 from 73.207.133.226

that must have been one scary hill to stop a guy dead in his tracks.

excited to hear the rest of the story. nice job out there.

From fiddy on Mon, Feb 23, 2015 at 17:19:18 from 143.215.200.136

I've messed up the watch at the start of races before. You can just start it at another mile marker and then you at least have some idea.

From SlowJoe on Mon, Feb 23, 2015 at 18:15:39 from 104.51.208.13

Cliffhanger! Good report so far.

At least you figured out you were on clock time - it would suck to think you're getting a second/mile slower every minute for 3+ hours.

From Derunzo on Mon, Feb 23, 2015 at 20:04:53 from 73.218.33.75

Ninjas don't like big hills.

From Tom K on Mon, Feb 23, 2015 at 20:17:41 from 174.58.54.215

Fiddy, maybe I should get one of those new-fangled watches that tell you pace as you go. I can't perform simple math, while running, even if I start my watch at the right time!

Sorry about the huge report. I guess I just felt like typing.

From Yasir on Mon, Feb 23, 2015 at 22:43:56 from 99.20.240.157

Great guts out there. Props to your spouse for doing all the hard work. I would miss most of flights or races without my spouse. rest and eat you earned it.

From flatlander on Tue, Feb 24, 2015 at 05:51:44 from 76.31.29.220

Great running and great report; and great salute to your wife. Looks like you have a good break until Savannah. I am halfway thinking of doing that one instead of Richmond, but haven't committed yet.

From Theotokos on Tue, Feb 24, 2015 at 06:25:08 from 67.204.235.252

Great race and excellent report Tom. Sometimes maybe it's better to run by feel, rather than with the watch. Of course, that is coming from someone who is married to his watch! I'm not sure how I'd react running without it.

From Rhett on Tue, Feb 24, 2015 at 13:46:28 from 24.121.0.8

Nice race Tom especially considering all that happened before the race with you health. One good training cycle staying healthy and you are going to nail that next PR.

From SlowJoe on Tue, Feb 24, 2015 at 14:00:18 from 12.182.148.249

Sounds like Y'ALL had a great time, which definitely mitigates a race that might not have met expectations. And you and the family get to see all these different states, which is cool - especially for the kids.

I do think you're 1 good, consistent training cycle away from the glorious PR you're capable of...hopefully life will let you have it, but you'll tick of the 50 states either way - an enviable feat.

From Tom K on Tue, Feb 24, 2015 at 14:06:17 from 73.27.178.76

Thanks, everyone. It was a great time. and also, very, very wet:

http://www.werunhuntsville.com/WRH/2015-Races/2015-Mercedes/i-hDPsDHt/A

From allie on Tue, Feb 24, 2015 at 14:08:39 from 24.126.152.66

keep it vurpy, y'all.

From Matt Schreiber on Tue, Feb 24, 2015 at 21:11:05 from 66.17.102.175

Seems like the worst part about that big hill is the warning you get about it on the first lap, "I have to do this again!!". Nice adjustment on the vurp culprit. Awesome race Tom. Rest up and I hope you have a good vacation!

From Jake K on Wed, Feb 25, 2015 at 05:57:11 from 98.202.128.218

Nice race Tom. The PRs get harder to come by, but you're in the ballpark and it's going to feel really good when you break it.

Re: Forest Gump year. The original "Gump" Cortez shoes got re-released this week. Google it. Maybe that's what you need! :-)

From Adam RW on Wed, Feb 25, 2015 at 14:15:14 from 71.45.156.245

Great race. It is a surprisingly fun course.

From Tom K on Sat, Feb 28, 2015 at 12:39:56 from 174.58.54.215

Adam, I just read your race report from last year. I should have read it before I ran this. It's funny - the difference between our perspective of the hills. You describe them as "manageable, and kept the course honest." I say they were "serious." That should let folks know that they can't trust my judgement of hills!

I think things are lining up, where I can get a good shot at a PR in (flat)Savannah.

From Adam RW on Sat, Feb 28, 2015 at 21:10:56 from 71.45.156.245

No worries. It is all relative. Having come from the mountains in Utah the hills in Alabama definitely seem smaller. However, I will say that running rolling hills is much tougher than a point to point down the canyons... Good luck in Savannah and have fun!

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