I think I bonked during the marathon for a few reasons:
*I didn't carbo load well in the 2 days before the race.
*I didn't complete my nutrition plan during the race because the Gu and Gu Brew just weren't appealing when it got warmer.
*I sweat too much!
*I think I was dehydrated at the end. I was guzzling water after the race and still didn't have to pee until about 4pm. And it was dark. (sorry if that’s too much information!)
*I lost time on the dirt and the switchbacks over the bridges (where it was sometimes a bottleneck) and I made up for it by running harder for a little bit. I think if I had just relaxed and continued on pace, then I would have been better off at the end.
*I didn't do enough running in warm weather. I guess I'd hoped that cycling during hot weather would be just as good. It isn't.
Thoughts on the race course:
*As I said before, the Santa Rosa Marathon is along a beautiful river trail. But a double out and back is not so much fun.
*Having to go by the finish line and then go back out again is hard mentally. You just want to stop and your body is like “Are you crazy? You're going the wrong way!”.
*But what is nice about a double out and back is that you learn where the bad stuff is from the first time. And you have that much more hope when you recognize the landmarks near the finish!
*Another nice thing was that the course was clearly marked. I'd worried that I would go the wrong way on the zig zags over the bridges but it was fine.
*There was some nice artwork along the river trail. And a cool mosaic wall. I didn't get to study it though. I was running too fast. ;)
Weird random thoughts:
*I think I need to stop worrying about my stomach during a marathon. I haven't had any stomach problems at any of the 4 that I've done. Which makes it weird that I don't worry about it for long runs and usually do have stomach problems. My body is so contrary.
*I didn't have any blisters or chafing! Woo!
*Pancakes taste like heaven when you are starving.
*What the hell is an Urban Cow (seen on the back of a guy’s shirt that I followed for a while)? But seriously, I think more people should wear funny/interesting shirts. It helps pass the time when you are running.
*There was a band playing at the finish line and I swear they were dressed like Thing 1 and Thing 2 but with white hair. (I might have been a little too tired to judge that properly though!).
*Why is it I can never take a good picture while I'm running? The only one that came out half way decent was this one from the finish at the Winery's photo booth (hence the bottle of wine...which I don't drink!) -->
*It's really nice having your name on your bib because it gives you a little pick me up when people yell out encouragement with your name.
*I loved the shirt for the 5K. I wish I could have gotten my hands on one. I actually emailed the race director to see if there are any left over. No word back yet. Cross your fingers!
*Driving 460 miles to a race is not fun. I don't mind long drives but I think it tired me out before and I definitely didn't feel like driving home after. I decided I better fly to the 12 HR in San Francisco in January.
*I was 10th in my age group out of 31, 66th out of 152 women, and 254th out of 416 overall. Was surprised to see more men than women ran this.
One last thought:
My final thought is about not reaching my sub-4 goal. This is the first race this year that I didn't reach the goal I'd set for myself. I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed about that. However, it does make me more determined to get faster and stronger for the next marathon I race (probably the Kentucky Derby Marathon in April 2012). But then Jason, my coach, reminded me that I've set a PR in every race I've run since February! That’s 2 marathons, 3 half marathons, a 5K, and an unofficial 10K (during the Seattle Rock & Roll 1/2) and that is pretty darn good! Thank you Jason for your encouragement and coaching! I really appreciate it!
I think the reason I was disappointed about the missed goal is because I thought maybe I hadn't worked hard enough for it. But I think my PRs for the year say otherwise. I AM ecstatic about how well the Year of the PR is going for me. :) I've hit so many times this year that I never thought I would that I have to pinch myself sometimes. That's a pretty darn good feeling.
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