CIM 2017 | Marathon #4 The Low Down

California International Marathon 2017 |
The Good, the Bad and the downright Ugly!

This marathon was my fourth. I went into it with high(ish) hopes and accordingly beat up myself afterwards. I did get back up and re-focused on my goals, thereafter.

This marathon was chosen from its close proximity (speaking temporally) to a Stateside wedding I wanted to attend and I marked it as my goal marathon for the Fall.

I learned some very valuable lessons from my rather stupid mistakes going into this race.

So without much further ado....

Firstly, I regretted picking this as my Fall marathon as it was actually much later in the year. The anticipation and nerves in the last few weeks before the race has overshadowed Christmas for me. Yes, I couldn't see Christmas without the spectre of #CIM35 looming over me. Training was a blast though! With lots of over-speed runs and a good marathon pace long run in there - I really was happy with how my body was revving up.

To try and calm my nerves, I went on the race website in the preceding 2 weeks and watched video footage of the race course. For some reason, I couldn't find the elevation profile. I did heed the warning by Tina Muir (@tinamuir88 on IG) who said it had its fair share of hills. Thank heavens I did! I also did some basic last minute preparations like booking my hotels and Greyhound Transport to and from Sacramento on either side. I flew into Oakland on the Thursday before the race.

STATESIDE TRAVEL
On arriving in Oakland, I spent one night at a hotel close to the airport and made arrangements for my transit to the Greyhound station. The actual Greyhound travel was actually very smooth though waiting a couple of hours at the terminal was an experience! So many random people there, but I digress.

I went straight to the Marathon Expo on arrival in Sacramento on Friday afternoon. Yes with my giant suitcase and carry on luggage! Thankfully, a kind volunteer by the name of Keith offered to look after my things at one of the welcome desks!

THE CIM EXPO
I went a little crazy at the Expo - bought 2 new pairs of Altra trainers, a new Garmin (Vivoactive 3) and a gazillion socks and energy tabs or electrolyte tabs! I left with my race number, a SWAG bag, a long sleeved Technical shirt and a BIG SMILE on my face!

I did my planned 2-mile shakeout run on the Saturday morning and headed back to the Expo where I met Bill Rodgers. Yes, the BILL RODGERS! (Me and my pal pictured below!) He advised me to run plenty of downhills in the lead-up to Boston and said, "See you there!" And I got a few more freebies  and one pair of running shorts by RunInRabbit - the shopping bug was better under control now. I headed home exhausted and cold (it gets very cold at night in California!) and headed quickly to bed.

Amazing haul from CIM Expo bag!

Normatec compression/ massage

Me and my pal, Bill! ;)

Went a little CRAZY at the Expo - Day 1!

My favourite race shirt so far! Long-sleeved and Technical!

RACE DAY!

Ready to Rumble? Wait....glitter!

Finishing touches: Unicorn glitter for unicorn speed!

Up with the lark (very unlike ME!) I headed to the breakfast room of the hotel and managed a couple of bites of the usual fare: eggs, bagels and a banana for later.

We headed on foot to the Bus pick-up point and I got to chatting to a lady in her 50s who has run other marathons and her grown children also had run a few! She was lovely and we both calmed each other down and came up with a pre-race game plan: head out to pee when the bus pulled in to our destination and get back on until we needed to drop off bags and warm-up. Staring at the line of porta-loos, I remembered the race director has boasted the almost 30 runners to 1 porta-potty ratio of the race. Apparently, the industry standard is 100 to 1! It sure was nice being one of the first there! I was able to remove my long running tights to reveal my shorts but still kept on my windbreaker on top.

*Secret: I've never ridden a school bus before!*

Porta-potties galore!

After getting back on the bus, we ate our bananas and around 6:20 am we headed back out. I went to drop off my bags and had one more quick bathroom queue up (for luck) before my dynamic warm-up stretches and 800 metre jog. I headed to the start around 6:45 am and shimmied -no better word for it - my way just past the 3:22 pacers!

We stood as the anthem was sung and the disabled runners (sight-impaired and those with wheels) headed off 5 minutes early. Within what felt like seconds, the starting gun went and so did we!

It was a cold start - between 1 and 4oC and I could see my breath in the air for the first few miles. My left fourth and little fingers were numb until mile 8!

I usually start off slower and tell myself repeatedly to calm down. Therefore, I kept around a 7:40-45 min/mile pace to start with. The 3:22 pacing group initially chased me then I tuned them out and ran alone.

At around 6 miles, I noticed the first signs of something not being quite right. My left glute (upper hamstring insertion point) started hurting. Not in a cramp-like or overtly painful way, just a niggling ache I hadn't felt for a couple of weeks. I said a little prayer along the lines of: "Dear Lord, don't let this sideline me!"

I decided to stick to my fueling and hydration plan: eat three Clif Bloks (equal to 1 gel) every 4 miles and drink electrolyte drinks and water in sips at each station. This seemed to help.

Those first few hills had my pace all over the place according to my Garmin but I made sure I kept the effort steady until halfway. I was momentarily thrown off by my 10K time - I thought I was too slow - that I stupidly surged for at least half a mile! I got my nerves under control again and reminded myself the real race was after 20 miles. 

THE SECOND HALF
After the halfway point (watch footage of this above), I tried to increase my pace to 7:25-7:35 min/mile as planned. However, my legs weren't having it! Uh-oh!

When at mile 15, the fatigue was more than I was used to at that point in the race, I regrouped mentally. I decided to have another set of Clif Bloks (1 mile early) and chew a RunGum. I think the former helped to keep my pace from falling below 7:50 min/mile but I can't say I noticed much re-invigoration from the caffeinated gum. I sent up more prayers to keep me strong and going!

Every time my body saud, "Let's stop!", my mind would reply, "Let's see at the next  mile!".

Somehow, I made it to mile 20. And with dismay, I noticed those men and women I had held onto zoom away from me. I couldn't find even a tiny extra gear shift up! (See me hide this well below: on the clock - 2:36:19 to 2:36:25)

Mile 20!

Between miles 20 and 24, I noticed that it I managed to go faster than 7:20 min/mile for a few metres, I would look down at my Garmin and see my pace had dropped by over a minute! I was shocked to see an 8:30 minute mile! And still I held on.

As I my whole body seemed to be in a haze of pain and slowness (for me), I told myself, "This pain is what you trained for!" And it was, I just anticipated it to start closer to mile 23 not mile 15!

At 4 miles to go, I felt I could make my dream sub 3:20 goal time if I found my usual racing gear.

IT WAS NOT THERE!

To my inward dismay, at just under 2 miles to go, I looked at my Garmin to see  my dream time ticked over and away!

I told myself to try and find SOME gear to shift up to. So I increased my stride frequency by pumping with my arms. I remembered the Experts Panel from the day before saying, "Your arms will get you over that finish line by propelling you forwards". That's what I did!

I didn't care about passing anyone. I read the adjacent street numbers with inner - and probably outer - groans and pushed  on to keep a 7:20 min/mile pace through to the finish. Usually, I could have kicked into the 6:xx's at this point and held it. I prayed more prayers to God: "Lord, at this point, I would accept even a minute's PR!". Who am I kidding? I would have accepted a second's PR!

The Finish!

To my utmost relief, I heard the crowds near the finish and saw the road veering off towards the finish! As I kept to the Right (Women's finishing chute separate from the men's), I heard my name read out by the commentator who stated I was from England. "Literally across the pond!" (See video of this below).

Somehow, I found the strength to smile as I ran over that finish line! 

You're probably wondering what my finish time was. I'll share that in a second.
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I will say this honestly though, it was better that I thought I would get. Seeing how I had felt in the second half of the race, at least. And it was WAY OFF my original targets! 

FIVE LESSONS I LEARNED:
1) Be thankful and be present throughout. I was giving thanks to God as I crossed each mile marker. In spite of slowing down a bit in the second half - I have seen my 10K, Half, 20-mile and finish splits - I was so thankful for the mental grit that took me over the starting line and ultimately the finish line. And all without falling over! Seriously! In the last mile, someone stopped abruptly in front of me at an aid station but still I had the presence of mind to swerve and keep moving!

2) I had finally HIT THE WALL! I thought it was a feeling that stopped you completely and made you reconsider your life choices. Nope! You can keep running! *insert shocked expression*   I think it was mainly because I changed up my in-race fueling plan to give me carbs more regularly! However, no amount of gels or their equivalent can sort empty muscle tanks! I was unable to go above my base paces because above that, I ran out of glycogen and my muscles slowed me into fat burning category. A good friend alerted me to the fact that all I was feeling in those last 11 miles were symptoms of hitting the wall. Bless you, Dr Steve - I'm sure he'll love seeing his title on here! On the upside, yay - I can run on fat at 7:40-45 minute/mile pace!

3) I must NEVER EVER NEGLECT CARBO-LOADING again! Although running can sometimes be seen as an excuse to "Eat all the food", after most hard workouts, my appetite dips. I usually force down a replenishing energy/protein drink mix during such training. When doing a hometown marathon or even in Athens where I was with friends, I could eat all the pasta and pizza without judgement. In a hotel which doesn't serve anything but breakfast, and miles from the centre of town, I ate breakfast and dinner only! And on the night before my race, I didn't even manage dinner! Returning from the Expo to Folsom via Light Rail (RT) and a convoluted teaxi-finding expedition, I was too tired and cold to go out for food. So I ate 2 mini-waffles left over from breakfast and went to bed! I had to get up early, right?

Big mistake!

4) I am tougher than I think! I had the mental fortitude to keep going when my body wanted out! I actually enjoyed the hills - blasphemy, I know. The flat sections of most marathons let my mind wonder too much whilst a good hill gets me calculating effort and enjoying the downhill on the other side!

5) The crowds are always amazing! I had over 10 individuals call out my name over the course of the marathon. Yes, that is actually low compared to even half-marathons I've run in the UK. However, the person picks you out, calls you, makes eye contact and wills you forward!

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE RACE! 

Yes, there were high-points in this race. These were three-fold:

Firstly, I finished strongly and I fought for every inch of that asphalt jungle! I could honestly say, I left it all out there (something I have not been able to say with my previous marathons).

Secondly, I got a new PB: 3 hours 24 minutes and 16 seconds. That is almost 2 minutes and 15  seconds better than London. Considering how I felt during the race, this is nothing short of a miracle!

Lastly, a lady approached me and tapped me on the shoulder shortly after I crossed the finish line saying, " I just wanted to tell you that you motivated me SO MUCH out there!" I was stunned! I felt like I was being slowly churned from the inside-out on that course and here was someone behind me using that PULL that another runner in the race can give you! I can only thank God for this grace!

AT THE END OF THE DAY...

As anyone who competes against themselves is apt to do, I berated myself when I realised what a ROOKIE mistake I had made by not fueling properly in the preceding two days.

However, going on Instagram right after finishing, I was able to share in the joy and triumph of Amanda @run2pr who managed to qualify for the USA Olympic trials for 2020! She ran a 2:44:42 race and she finished strong! Now that really motivated and uplifted me!

In the aftermath of the race, I foam-rolled, got my free breakfast patty (non-vegetarian option, of course) and headed promptly back to the hotel on the first bus. As I walked back to the hotel from our drop-off point, I got chatting to a gentleman Boston veteran who listened to my race issues and reassured me. He also advised me to run many downhills in training for Boston!

The next morning, I bumped into a lady who asked about my race. When I told her about it and relayed my poor carbo-loading efforts beforehand, she said the same thing had happened to her husband in Boston. He had been too busy with Expos and hotels to properly eat and had a rough few final miles at 14 minute/mile pace!

And the above is EXACTLY what I love about races and meeting other runners. We share our hard-earned wisdom with each other freely in the hopes of helping another runner to avoid a similar heartbreak. 

Thank you for reading my rambles.

I will post about the rest of my USA adventure later. After all, I witnessed the first settling snow in Mississippi in around 25 years just before the wedding I was visiting the USA for!

Stay tuned.

*Lola*

Another picture of me and my pal, Bill Rodgers! lol!