Newport Marathon Review, Recap, and Reflections

Newport Marathon
June 4th, 2011
Newport, Oregon
Size:  Race capped at 900 runners.
Timing:  Gun/No chip.  Started a bit back from the front.
Goal Time: 3:15
Time:  3:30:17
Age group: 5/55 (the first three places were in my age group)
Overall: 13th woman/ 70th overall finisher men and women out of 673 finishers.


The Newport Marathon has a reputation for being flat, fast, scenic and friendly!  Since it is on the Oregon coast, one would typically expect it to be cool, cloudy and pretty perfect race conditions!  The biggest fear might be getting rained on!  I've always heard great things about this race...the volunteers, organizers, support, pre and post race organization, as well as the efficiently run water and fuel stations along the way. The only slightly negative thing I'd heard about this marathon is that in the past there were rumors of the course being short but they fixed that a couple years back.  Overall, this marathon was every bit as wonderful as everyone says it is!  Well run, beautiful, mostly flat with some gentle hills, and very well managed.  And I must say that my finishers medal from the race is the coolest medal I've ever received:

The only thing I wasn't prepared for or expecting was the unusual heat that graced us all on race day.  Instead of the usual cloudy, cool and many times rainy early June weather on the coast, I woke up to a luke warm temperature that felt GREAT!  I should have known that if I was comfortable in my shorts and tank at 5:30 in the morning then I might not be so comfortable 2-4 hours later!  The average high of 50/60 degree weather turned out to be high 70's but felt kind of like 90's to me.  But I have to say that the blue skies and sunshine were wonderful to see despite the negative effect they had on us marathon runners!  It was a nice break from our cloudy, rainy, cool streak here in Oregon!  The next day however, we were back to the typical weather of cool, grey,cloudy and scattered showers.  This made me feel a little bit like God was playing a fun little trick on all of us!  ha!  Look how happy I look before the race started...I was thrilled with the warm weather:

My awesome father in law before the race!  He took all the pictures and he and my mother-in-law even made t-shirts that said "Go Amanda!"

The truth is, yes it was hot and many of us suffered because of it but it wasn't the worst heat anyone has ever run in!  Many people run in heat.  All the time.  It was what it was.  This is part of the unexpected.  We push ourselves anyway and do what we can despite the unfavorable conditions that may arise.  It was still a good race and a great course and despite the heat, many still ran a great race!

I've got many thoughts racing through my head here with regards to my race experience.  Overall, GREAT race, GREAT learning experience, and a Boston Qualifier.  There were also some disappointments and missing of the mark type feelings that came with it.

The Positives.  What went RIGHT:

• Felt fabulous at the start.  Strong, healthy, comfortable.
• Took a risk and went for it.  Starting out faster than expected but in the back of my mind, I was okay with this and I was willing to take the chance.  I think this is part of learning, dreaming, and setting BIG goals.  Not always playing "Safe" is part of what helps us make our dreams come true and discover that the unexpected is POSSIBLE!  I took a chance.  
• I kept going!  At mile 17 I wanted to QUIT!  I was overheating, thirsty as all get out, and hitting the wall big time.  But I kept going.  
• I took care of myself and gently pushed myself but also allowed myself to stop and drink. I have never stopped in a race before.  NEVER.  But I stopped at ever water stop from mile 20 on.  I put my head in between my legs, poured water over my body, hydrated and loved myself.  
• I had LOTs of positive talk at the end.  Every negative message of "you can't or You're dying" came with at least 2 positives.  I thought of my family, my friends, and so many of YOU!  I thought of your messages, mantras, and words of wisdom.  
• I backed off of the GU when I knew it wasn't right for me.  
• I ran my OWN race!!  This is key!! With every person that caught me at the end, I found myself catching my old thinking and squashing it with "This is YOUR race Amanda!  Don't compare yourself to them...run your OWN race!"  This helped a ton!  
• I didn't beat myself up.  

What Was Less Than Wonderful!  Things to Learn From for Next Time:

• I didn't start out at the 7:45-8 min pace that I had planned or at least told myself that I was planning.  
• When my first mile was a 7:20 something I didn't slow down or pull back...I just kept going.  This could be seen as a positive risk or chance I took or a really silly thing.  Young Grasshopper learning here!  :)  I think this is something I needed to learn for myself so that next time I have the appetite for more strategy instead of just "going for it!" like a puppy.  
• I underestimated the weather. 
• I was so confused on what to do with my GU.  I ended up taking one at mile 6, 11.8, 17ish, and then I don't remember.  Next time I will try only taking 2 the entire race...In small amounts....half at mile 6 and half at mile 12 and so on.  This seemed to work for me with my first marathon where I ran a 3:22 with only one GU packet.  
• I missed the 3:15 goal.  That's okay.  I still think I have it in me.  And I truly believe that I might have done it this time had I paced myself more wisely and prepared for the heat a bit more (mentally).  I'll get it!  And I'm still not counting that sub 3 hour marathon out for my five year plan!  Dreaming big here.  
• I found myself really wishing I had some tunes on those long open roads when I was running alone.  In the past, my head has been so full of thinking that I've found it to be therapeutic to have the quiet time with my thoughts but next time I might reconsider this no music thing.  
• Not knowing the course was a bit of a detriment to me.  If I would have known how close the finish line was then I might have dug deep enough to run faster than a 9 min mile pace at the end there to get a sub 3:30.  3:30:17 just didn't feel the best...ha!  I didn't want to push myself too hard at the end because I wasn't so sure I would make it without falling on my face!  There were people falling down all around me those last few miles.  Okay, only 2 or 3 people but it was more than I've ever seen.  Poor guys...grabbing their legs that were cramping and not being able to go another step when the finish line was only just up ahead.  

Here's the thing:  Should have, could have, would have blah blah blah...it was what it was and I'm happy with it.  I learned!  I'm stronger for it.  I Boston Qualified and I feel more determined than ever to go out there an try it again!  I am excited to be able to try this progressive pacing again and hopefully finish STRONG instead of barely hanging in there.  It would be way more fun to feel strength and confidence at the end rather than dragging, pushing and fighting for the last miles of the race.  No fun! But a great lesson!  

Early miles!  Way too happy for a 7:26 mile. Wish I would have stayed this happy and strong.  

So much support from my family!  My two year old ran right on to the course here at mile 13.

First race photo I officially bought.  I never even bought my pictures from Boston! Not sure what mile this is but it was already pretty hot so it might have been mile 10ish.  

I've been embarrassed to post my splits only because I can see how silly they look with how fast I went out and how much I slowed down.  At the same time that I might have gone out too fast and hit the wall because of it, I also don't know that I wouldn't do the same thing again.  For the first time in my life, I'm not afraid to put it all out there and believe in myself fully!  I'm willing to take risks that I have never done before.  And the fear that used to control my every race, every decision, and most parts of my life, is no longer there.  I think sometimes we have to take risks like this if we want to go for something BIG!  On another given day (a cooler one perhaps), I might have held on to that pace and surprised myself! I do think that next time I will try starting with a 7:45 mile though!  Here are the splits:

Mile 1: 7:28

Mile 2: 7:26

Mile 3: 7:25

Mile 4: 7:25

Mile 5: 7:34

Mile 6: 7:29

Mile 7: 7:21

Mile 8: 7:33

Mile 9: 7:25

Mile 10: 7:22

Mile 11: 7:34

Mile 12: 7:43

Mile 13: 7:38

Mile 14: 7:43

Mile 15: 8:15

Mile 16: 8:09

Mile 17: 7:59

Mile 18: 8:19

Mile 19: 8:21

Mile 20: 9:10--this is wear I thought I might just pass out and I stopped to cover myself in water. Wanted to Quit! But quitting isn't really in my vocab.

Mile 21: 8:54

Mile 22: 8:19

Mile 23: 8:40

Mile 24: 8:24

Mile 25: 8:56

Mile 26: 8:44

.2:  Forgot to stop my Garmin so I'm unsure of that last .2 but not very fast!

So this is how NOT to run a progressive marathon.  Flip this over and that would be more like it...Finishing with a 7:28 and starting with an 8...this will be my goal for next time!

The Joy of knowing that I FINISHED, Boston Qualified and can eat pizza and drink beer!

So Happy to be DONE!

I found that I was making some pretty big deals with myself at the end of this race. "If you can just make it one more mile then you can..." or "Just pretend this is a training run and give yourself the okay to run slower and take it easy..." and "If you just hold on to a sub 9 pace then you can still be sub 3:30..."  "Once you are done with this, you will NEVER have to do this again!!".  These were all some of the thoughts I was having.  I did tell myself that I would never train for and race another marathon again.  However, this didn't last long because 20 minutes after the race I was already plotting my next one.  I was similar with childbirth.

A marathon is never easy.  It isn't all about roses and sunshine.  It's a marathon!  If it was easy then everyone would be doing it.  The important thing is that we take every race and experience in life and we LEARN and GROW from it!  We use our "race residue" and life experiences to give us that push over the next hurdle in life and we keep climbing higher!  This is Life and I'm thrilled to be living it!

Amanda

Oyster Shooters in a Marathon?

Yep, that's right!  At mile 11 and 19 of my marathon on Saturday, I'll be offered oyster shooters from the Oregon Oyster Farms.  In 2009 the oyster eating record was broken when a runner managed to get down 80 of the slippery suckers.  What?!  Is this even good for you?  I think I'll pass on the Oyster shooters but I do have lots of questions about how I will fuel for the Newport Marathon that I will be running next Saturday, June 4th. 


 As many of you know, I've spent the last 23 weeks with my eye on this marathon goal!  Lots of hard work, mental focus, ups and downs and LEARNING so much along the way.  Isn't this cool about life?  That we never stop learning!  And usually the down times in our life...the times we crash the hardest...end up to be blessings in disguise.  This was the case with my hamstring tear back in August.  It was this injury that set me on a path to learning and challenging myself so much more than I ever would have done had I not experienced a serious injury that kept me from running.  This injury knocked me down and forced me to really think about what was important to me. I came out of it realizing that running IS important to me.  And there was so much I didn't know.  So much I wasn't doing that would help me get closer to reaching my potential. It was this injury that has helped me explore new avenues as a writer, be inspired to take on new things and to start writing this blog. This blog has been the source of so much growth for me.  I've not only grown tremendously from having the outlet to express myself through writing in a public forum but I've gained an incredible amount of knowledge about running, racing, gear, fitness, and even motherhood. I've also connected with some Amazing people that I value tremendously!  


The RACE! My Race!  This coming weekend!  I am so excited.  Giddy really.  I had my last mid run of 10 miles on Saturday with the last mile being right around marathon pace.  Things really feel great!  As if the pieces have just come together exactly how I would have hoped.  My body feels good (just nursing a cold..hoping it goes away!), legs feel strong, and my mental state seems to be nestled right in the Amanda Sweet Spot! 


I still have lots of questions and reading to do about the course, packet pick up, how I will fuel for the race, etc.  I've only done 2 marathons and it has been seven years since Boston 2004, my last one. 


My Goal:  To run strong, stay mentally happy and focused and to enjoy the process.  I'm not using a pace band and I won't dwell on being at certain splits.  But I do know a ballpark of where I want my mile splits to be.  My time goal is to run a 3:15.  I believe that I have it in me to run faster but I will also be pleased with a slower time too.  I'm just going to enjoy running the best race that I can run and for once in my life, I don't feel held back by mental barriers!  


Questions For YOU! 
1.  Fuel before during and after.... In my first two marathons I really knew so very little about running and racing.  I took one GU packet with me and used it sparingly throughout the race.  This worked okay but I definitely fell apart at the end.  The last 3-6 miles were HARD and I slowed waaay down. 


*  How many gels do you use in a marathon?  Do you take one before?  I've had people advise me to only take 2 total (one at mile 13 and another at 18) and I've had some say 5 gels.  Would love to hear your thoughts on this. I know that what works for some might not work for others.


2.  WATER.  Do you use a hydration belt, carry a water bottle or get water from the water stops?  My husband insists that I should use a hydration belt but I'm thinking I will be just fine using the water at the aid stations if I am smart about getting enough water from every stop.  


3. Mantras.  Everyone has something different that they tell themselves during a difficult race or even a difficult times in life if you are not an athlete.  What about you?  What is your "mantra" for getting through tough spots in a race or life?  

Like I said, I will pass on the oyster shooters until AFTER the race.  They might be better with a nice cold beer and a medal around my neck!  


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Less than 48 hours of this Circle of Moms business.  Trust me, I'm more excited for it to be over than you are!  After it is over, I never want to hear the words circle or vote with the word moms again! But I still need your votes until 5p.m on June 1st.  We are way too far in to just stop now...even if it is all a bit ridiculous at this point.  
So If you have enjoyed reading Runninghood Please Click Click! 

Last update, Team Runninghood was hoping to slide down this slide.  We made it down the slide!  Now let's keep it that way!

What about you?  Fuel, Mantras, Hydration, Oyster Shots? Vote?

Amanda

Toenail Polish, Race Plans, and Pushing Past "The Funk"

I've been in a bit of a funk the past couple of days.  Not a bad funk really...just a funk.  I actually have not really noticed much but those that I'm closest to, like my mom and my husband have brought my attention to it.  Today my mom told me that she was going to get off the phone with me because I was just being mean.  What?  And halfway through dinner, my husband "ordered" me to go the gym to run and workout!  You know it is bad around here with my mood when my husband tells me that he thinks I need to run ASAP.  It was like that in college too.  My roommates would sometimes walk me out the door with my running shoes and send me on my way.  They basically told me not to come back until I had run.  And run. And run.  Usually, all was well with life once I had my run.  I no longer saw the research paper as a giant and ominous cloud of dread.  I no longer felt like crying as soon as I had a sip of beer at some college party (okay, well I still cried.  Hey, what can I say , I was dealing with years of emotional issues.).  But really, running has always been my CALM.  My anchor.  Running is what brings we down and keeps me calm.  It is my Happy Pill!  I love you Running.  I hope you stay for a long long time.

The gym was CRAZY  first week in January packed.  Good grief.  Apparently, everyone in Oregon goes to the gym at 6:30.  I had to wait my turn on the stair master and the treadmill so I took advantage of the reclining bike to get some book club reading done since I am way behind and book club is on Thursday.  Doubt I will finish since I tend to spend way to much time reading blogs about running instead.  But I love your blogs!  They inspires me, make me laugh, and just make me want to keep reading.  Thank you.


Workout:
*  20 minutes of reclining bike (don't know the real name for this bike.  Just know that I feel quite relaxed and really don't feel like I"m getting much of a workout).
*  25 minutes of the stair master on level 13 fat burner mode.  Just enough to sweat but not too fast so that I couldn't keep reading my book.  But definitely sweat!  Yippie for cleaning out pores!
*  2.5 mile Tempo Run....short but sweet. First I stretched really well...especially my pesky hammy.  Started at 8 min pace and every .25 miles I clicked it up 2 notches of speed.  Ended up with a  7 min pace for .25 and then came back down for a bit.  Man oh  man, 7 min mile pace feels so much faster to me than it did before my injury.  I have some major work to do in order to be back where i want to be!  I want 7 to feel like I can hold on for marathon...or at least a half.
*  30 min of yoga.  I slipped in and slipped out.  The instructor was actually very annoying.  I think I need to find some real yoga centers if I'm going to get the yoga that I want.  This 24 hour fitness yoga just isn't cutting it yo!
*  Foam roll and stretch.

I now feel like a new woman!  Thank you God for Working Out!  And thank you for discovering an entire blog world out here where I can write about my love for running and working out without annoying people but rather find people that relate!  I can see that my blog is slowly turning into much more of a running/fitness type blog than the motherhood side. Fortunately, many of my "followers" are also MOMS so at least I know I won't scare all of you off when I start talking MOTHERHOOD!

While I was in Yoga, I noticed my toes.  Ugggh, now feet are not something I find attractive...on anyone really but especially my toes.  But bear with me.  Check out these toenails.

 Notice the leftover red polish?! Good grief lady, what are you holding onto?  A lot actually.  You see, it was the day of my big fall in the forest ....the day (August 15, 2010) that I completely ripped up my hamstring and was out of the Portland Marathon training when I got this red toe nail polish!  I didn't really admit it to myself that I wasn't running the marathon or that I was even seriously injured until a few weeks but I ended up wising up eventually.  Anyway, it was this day that I came home and decided I needed a pedicure to make me feel better after such a nasty fall.  So, I went to get my toes done with a friend.  I brought some ice and ignored her horrified expression when she saw the lump on my leg.  I just enjoyed my pedi and hoped to be running again in a couple of days.  HA!  so funny how we runners can be so stupid with our addiction!  Anyway, I have yet to take it off.  It has kind of been my way of saying to myself, "See, you have not lost that much!  You've still got the polish on from when you did this to yourself.  It's all good Dog!"  Time to take it off I think.  Maybe, maybe not.  I think I might just keep it on as long as I can.  Who knows, with the crap they use in products now, this stuff just might last until my next Marathon.

Great transition.  This brings me to my 2011 plans!  I have not decided for sure (this is going to be a long blog folks.  Please keep reading) what my plans will be but that is where you can help.

*  Newport Marathon on June 4th.  Anyone know anything about this marathon?  Definitely less known than the Portland Marathon but I'm thinking that I want to "try again" sooner than October and really, I think the Portland Marathon might just be something I don't necessarily need or want to do.  I mean, live in Portland and I've seen the city.  Really.  Also, I question myself....Can I realistically run a kick ass marathon time this soon after a serious injury?!  Feedback appreciated.

*  My husband has agreed to train for a race with me.  We are thinking we'd like to do a 15k since we both agree that the 10k is a little fast but the 10k is probably what we will find more of!  We'd like to run sub 7's for at least some of the miles( not saying that I will). Thinking of a Marchish race.  Any ideas for Oregon races?  Please share any 10k training plans you have.  I'm so excited to run another race with him!  We used to run together all the time but since kids, we have yet to do a race together.  Actually, I take that back, we ran the Nike One Hit Wonder two months after our first daughter was born.  I was nuts!  Never felt so crappy in a race!  And mastitis came to visit right after that.  uggh!


*  Already registered for the Hippie Chick Half Marathon on May 8th so I'm thinking that if I do decide to do the Newport Marathon then I can work this race into my training somehow.  Also my friend Tiffani (she does read my blog but this one is long so I hope she sees her name. The color will help if she is skimming)  is running this race too (the Hippie Chick).  Talk about inspiration.  This will be her third half marathon and she's come so far!  I can't wait to tell you more about her in another blog.  She's one of the most determined and self-motivated/self-competitive people I know and I think she is capable of so much. 


On to just plain Randomness:

My sweet girl and I before my 3 yr old's Christmas performance.  

 She was so proud.  My daughter is the one in the pink.

This photo below is really Hilarious to me!  Last night I insisted that my husband sit down and help with the Christmas cards/letter.  I asked him to write a heart felt message at the bottom of our family letter.  Ha!  You'd think I asked him to pluck his eyes out.  He whined and moaned!  "We are not doing this next year!  This is womens' work! I'm not in touch with my feelings like you!"  (he was really joking under all that fit throwing)  He did it.  All 20 if his share (out of 100).  What a baby!  At least he had whine (oh, I mean wine).

Part of my daily focus. My bathroom mirror.

Oh, and I love love love my new Mizunos.  Why did I ever insist on sticking to those Nike shoes.  No offense Nike.  Now, this week I will test out my Saucony Kinvaras.  Thank to all of you that had such great feedback about them!  So excited to run in them!

Feels good to run again! Feels good to write again and be reminded why  I started this blog...for ME!  But I really do love having all of YOU to read what I have to write too.  Thank you for all your wonderful and positive comments.  I've learned so much from you.  




What is the highlight of your week so far?  Any fun plans for the Holidays?


Peace out,
Amanda