LA Marathon Race Report
This was my 4th LA marathon (8th marathon) and they changed the course this year. There is a pretty steep uphill for the first couple of miles and then a really steep downhill for the next 4 miles or so. I think the downhill killed my legs early in the game.
By mile 9 I was already tired. I kept thinking what the heck. I ran 22 miles a couple of weeks ago and I felt fine during the entire run and I ran similar split times on a flat course as I did the first few miles. By mile 13 I was wondering how the heck I was going to get to the finish of the race. I had never felt so tired at this early in the game before. My legs just felt so heavy.
The sun beating down on us wasn't helpful either. It was in the 80's. Too hot for a marathon. Starting around mile 13 they fire department had hoses out about every half mile. Although I knew I might risk blisters I ran under each one anyways. I instantly felt better after getting wet. I guess that is one advantage to running a big city race. Thank goodness for the LA fire department.
By mile 21 a strange thing started happening to me! The sun went behind the clouds and I started to feel better. I got a second wind. I don't think I have ever gotten a second wind before during a marathon and I started picking up the pace a bit. Here are my splits:
10:41
11:07
10:20
10:33
10:30
10:33
10:44
11:01
11:01
11:19
11:10
11:05
11:17
11:35
10:36
11:35
11:38
12:13
12:07
12:04
11:55
11:59
12:04
11:00
11:18
11:01
Finish time: 4:57
Considering the fact that my goal was 5:00 hours I didn't do too bad. As you can see I need to work on my pacing though.
A couple of thoughts:
*I've never felt so horrible so early in the marathon before ever but I've never gotten a second wind. It was cool to expereince that.
*This is the first time ever I haven't had a mile 22 meltdown where I usually promise myself never again.
*This is the first time ever I haven't had a mile above 13 minutes. Usually there is at least one mile where that happens.
By mile 9 I was already tired. I kept thinking what the heck. I ran 22 miles a couple of weeks ago and I felt fine during the entire run and I ran similar split times on a flat course as I did the first few miles. By mile 13 I was wondering how the heck I was going to get to the finish of the race. I had never felt so tired at this early in the game before. My legs just felt so heavy.
The sun beating down on us wasn't helpful either. It was in the 80's. Too hot for a marathon. Starting around mile 13 they fire department had hoses out about every half mile. Although I knew I might risk blisters I ran under each one anyways. I instantly felt better after getting wet. I guess that is one advantage to running a big city race. Thank goodness for the LA fire department.
By mile 21 a strange thing started happening to me! The sun went behind the clouds and I started to feel better. I got a second wind. I don't think I have ever gotten a second wind before during a marathon and I started picking up the pace a bit. Here are my splits:
10:41
11:07
10:20
10:33
10:30
10:33
10:44
11:01
11:01
11:19
11:10
11:05
11:17
11:35
10:36
11:35
11:38
12:13
12:07
12:04
11:55
11:59
12:04
11:00
11:18
11:01
Finish time: 4:57
Considering the fact that my goal was 5:00 hours I didn't do too bad. As you can see I need to work on my pacing though.
A couple of thoughts:
*I've never felt so horrible so early in the marathon before ever but I've never gotten a second wind. It was cool to expereince that.
*This is the first time ever I haven't had a mile 22 meltdown where I usually promise myself never again.
*This is the first time ever I haven't had a mile above 13 minutes. Usually there is at least one mile where that happens.