First Marathon Done

Finished the 2008 Seattle Marathon

4:32:58 (chip and watch)

Gory details to follow. :)

Day Before

Went to the expo with Val, Kaitlyn, Mom, and Dad. Got my bib and chip, wandered around for a little.

Drove around the course to check on routes to and from spectating sites for everyone else, then made a pass up Galer and to Interlaken so I could see the start of the hills.

Went out and got a new hat (Brooks Nite Life) so that I'm more easily recognizable to my spectators.

Holy crap. I'm running a marathon tomorrow!

I'm trying unsuccessfully to stop doing chores and let some other people do some lifting and carrying. :)

11/27 Last Run

Last Run! Thanksgiving Run!

Had a great Thanksgiving with Mom, Dad and some cousins from my Moms side. Lots of good carb loading...

2 miles at about 9 pm again. Dressed warm and did about 8:50/miles

I really hope this taper thing works, because I felt stiff and not all that 'runny' :)

11/26 Run

Second to last run! 3 whole miles in 27:24. So.. another marathon pace run. Went out late after a 'restful' day off cleaning the house for Thanksgiving.

Went out around 9pm and dressed super warm. I figure I know I can handle the temperatures in my preferred outfit. Not sure if I should wear throwaways over my stuff to stay warm

11/24 Run

Finally running at lunch again. Was supposed to do 3, decided to make it the 4 instead so I could be sure the last two runs at home were nice and easy. Almost exactly at marathon pace again, and much more consistent since the route is essentially dead flat. Really tried to pay attention to effort and breathing to lock in my pace, but still not sure. I need a Garmin for Xmas. :)

Had a calf twinge that I'm hoping was just something odd as things were shaking themselves out.

Looked like a lot of other people were out tapering...

Weather forecast: 42 to 52, 10% chance of precip

I'm starting to twitch, I'm alternately tense and relaxed. I'm starting to get teary eyed at first marathon stories... Can't we just run the effing thing already!?!?!?!

11/22 Last 'Long' Run

Banged out the last 'long' run, a little over 8 miles, on Saturday evening in about 1:15, a couple of tics over MP. It was not a great run. I had trouble getting into the swing of things. It didn't help that I had had pizza for dinner. Which I have done before with no ill effects, but I dried the Papa John's Garlic Sauce. I forget a bout the 'mild' reaction that tasty tasty garlic causes. The cramps started around mile 4, and were about every mile on. I managed to finish the run out and get home before I had any problems, fortunately.

I'm worried a little about pacing for the marathon. I did this run at essentially marathon pace, but my splits were all over the place. Fastest was 8:38, slowest was 9:40. The rest of the splits weren't even consistent. I admit the 'block' is pretty hilly, but that level of inconsistency bothers me. I'm thinking REALLY hard about signing up with the 4:00 pace group when I go to the expo. I think I'd stick with them till halfway or so and then try it on my own.

Tried a new lacing technique that has relieved some top of the foot pressure rather nicely and made both of my new pairs of shoes much more wearable. Whoever designed the foot so that the nerve runs over the top just wasn't thinking about shoes... :)

Forgot to roll out on Saturday and I could tell the difference between this run and the shorter runs in my left leg. I have officially given Val permission to annoy the crap out of me to make sure I roll out twice a day during the holidays. Left foot is displaying something new, vaguely like plantar facitis....I think I'm just making things up as I run as I go deeper into the throes of taper madness.

Weather forecast: 40 to 50, 10% chance of precip

11/20 Run

Hammered out 3 miles, much faster than I should have (7:57/mile). Noticed some oddities with the arch support in my left shoe, and that felt like it one of the tendons got strained. My right calf talked to me a little. I think I've bumped the intensity level up too far, so the last 4 runs will be no faster than marathon pace at the fastest. The 8 miler on Saturday will probably be at MP+30sec or so, and maybe a few miles at MP.

I'm really starting to twitch about this. I know it's normal, but I just want to go run this thing and see how it all pans out.

Weather says 42L, 50H, some showers , 10% chance.