With Montreal 24-hour result and 2015 Boston spot, 2014 was already a success. “Show up. Have fun. Don’t get hurt.”
Given the field size, I had a chance of becoming the 3rd Texas Flyer to win the 38-mile race. The undercard was less about peaking than right place and right time.
_preparation
Rest for 4 weeks after Montreal. 4 hill-repeat sessions the following 2 weeks. Taper for 1 week.
I was unable to focus on race preparation with job change, house repair, pending Asia trip, and helping family move. The night before flying to A2A, I stayed up to finalize an iPhone 5 warranty repair and unlock while trying to secure an iPhone 6 and initiate phone upgrade eligibility transfer before Taiwan trip. Sigh, I’ve become one of those phone geeks in hate with AT&T….
_new friend
Met Allan Hooker on the way to Athens. It was fun to talk to the veteran.
Abel Suarez the fitness skater flew from Mexico City to skate A2A. I swamped the rookie with advice before Henry’s Rant. I was envious that he would get to experience Silver Hill for the first time.
_pre race activities
I sought Jimmy's advice on boot fit, 125 mm wheels, and my issue with the carbon frames. Photo from FB.
In honor of Jens Voigt's hour record, I played Air Supply instead of Mendelssohn during morning coffee.
_slow start
The pavement turned wet after we got out of Athens. Wheels slipped. Everyone tried to hang on to his spot in the oversized lead pack. A gap formed. I started to bridge and urged Marcy to come. Herb and others followed. The lead pack accelerated. I didn't like the under-push required and let the pack go. The 38-mile trophy would wait another year.
The chase pack caught me at the worst elevation. I went hard for 5 minutes to bridge. This was my hardest effort all day.
The lead pack spitted out racers. Herb, and Marcy fell back to our group. They looked fresh. Jessica wasn’t in sight.
_off script
Traditionally, 3 groups would form by mile 20:
1. Lead pack with Eddy in it.
2. Lenny's chase pack. Female 87-winner came out of this group, often someone tall and slim.
3. Luke or Larry group.
If lead group contained too few skaters or if top skaters weren't recovered from NYC 100k, Eddy would skate with Lenny. I would followed Lenny to Dacula, then accompany Luke to Atlanta.
This year 2nd and 3rd groups merged to form a big pack. Rain stopped. Pavement still wet. No one took dumb chances.
I was disappointed not having enough lead to accompany Luke to Atlanta. Maybe I’d ask him to wait at Dacula finish. I ran through steps needed for 38-mile finish: hand over the tag, congratulate the winners, go potty, hug Valerie, resupply.
More skaters leaked out of lead pack. Jessica’s long limbs in green were identifiable miles away. I wanted Jess and Marcy to do well. I contribute in reeling in Jessica group, which didn’t put up a fight. We also gained Oswald, Kent, and Lenny. Sam lectured me on pulling for too long.
I admired Eric Krann’s ice-friendly technique. Living near the Olympic oval had its advantages. Wheel slip continued to annoy. “I’ll put on black wheels in Dacula.” Normal-height girls in the pack seemed strong, especially Ohio Rachael. Maybe one of them could challenge Marcy and Jessica.
Herbinator exuded excessive power accelerating on flats and downhill. Skaters popped off at each incline. Half the skaters dropped cresting the big hill before Dacula. Herb’s Greek-God-like quads spasmed with 50 miles to go.
_38-mile race
I looked for my competitions. Lenny suggested I could win. I made an effort to bridge a lonely Hernan Diaz on 125mm wheels. Lenny told me not to worry about it--"he's racing different distance." I wasn't convinced; why wouldn't Hernan wait for our pack if he were racing 87-mile.
My wheels caught something--maybe an acorn. The debris was near invisible behind other skaters. A minute later, Luke went down. Lenny eased off for 10 seconds before resuming the effort. He shielded me from potential attacks. None came. “Johnny, Go!” I sprinted. Rachel came in seconds later.
_Dacula
I went through my Dacula ritual like triathlon transition. I planned to use the 49-mile lead pack to catch Luke. I had no time to change wheels. I waited for the 49-mile lead pack but found Luke standing at check point 3 willing his muscles to stop cramping. His boots had blades of grass sticking out.
The chance to skate with Luke felt like a gift.
_49 mile stroll
The mid-distance leaders took off like jack rabbits. Luke and I joined the 2 biologists at leisurely pace. Allan skated like a veteran and worked well with Luke and me. Emilie was a single-speed machine oblivious to inclines. She made it clear
1. it's not OK to push her downhill.
2. she had a boyfriend.
photo by Emily
We caught another 49-miler Shafeeq. 5 of us skated as a group but not always in a line. It rained. The bearings were doing their job. No one braked well. Luke and I had our slowest Silver Hill descend in memory.
_long stop at check point 5
Oswald sat in a chair showing no interest to climb another hill. He decided to hitch a ride as Mighty Herb rolled through.
Emily and Shafeeq didn’t bother to stop. Allan, Luke, and I took our time. The weather turned gorgeous. The pavement became skater-friendly this year.
photo from FB
It was a perfect day.
photo by SkateNow
_incidents
“Lenny got hit by a car” wasn't what I wanted to hear as I reached the finish line. Fortunately he was able to complete his race with minor road rash.
There were 2 other incidences involving cars. The police considered pressing charge in one case.
Eddy started the day unrecovered from shoulder injury. At the finish he sat in the chair with road rash. It wasn’t a banner year for the legend.
_dinner
Went to Tipping Cow where Mark inspired me to race 2008 Montreal 24-hour. It was nice catching up with Blake, Elizabeth, and David.
Abel regretted not taking Silver Hill more aggressively.
After the solo race in 2008, I plotted to return to break
600km in 2010.Life took an unexpected
turn in 2009—devoting daily life to training was no longer feasible.I postponed the 600k ambition each year.Philippe Coussy beat me to it in 2012.
I was inspired by Luke and Jessica’s 2013 strategy: keep it
simple; forget peaking; just do it.Endurance sport ain't always about a big number.“Play while health and friend exist.”It didn’t take much to convince Casey to be
my relay partner.Voon volunteered to
support.
_goals:
1.everyone safe and
happy
2.fight for win if
realistic
3.400 miles
4.podium finish
5.unable to walk
normally Monday
_preparation
Casey and I focused on practicality.We biked more than skated; Dallas wasn’t skate-friendly.We maintained running form and would run
Dallas Marathon in December.
The training schedule resembled typical triathlon programs:
2~5 week meso-cycles;
4-month base building followed by high heart-rate cycles
3-week taper.
I squeezed in a week of vacation in Maryland.The longest skate was 5 hours—a far cry from
2008’s 12-hr Shicoff race simulation.At times it was hard to resist training longer and harder.“It’s better to be 10% under- than 1%
over-trained”
Body weight cooperated.Nevertheless I felt fat during taper.
Boots continued to be a source of frustration.I gave up on the visually beautiful custom
Simmons.
_Montreal lodging
I stayed at Celine’s row house while Casey and Voon used a
bed-n-breakfast.We walked more than
ideal the days leading to the race.The
trip wasn’t all about the race.
[pre-race food]
_shift strategy
1 90-minute shift followed by 10 1-hour shifts from each
skater.Rotate every lap during final
hour.
[compression sleeves as shin guards.ready to follow racer with big back kicks. selfie by Voon]
_revenge skate
Sam Fistel set up his camp next to ours.He won 2010 solo category but had a
disappointing 2013 event.He’s
determined to put up a big number.
[I followed the kid at the edge of the photo.23.9 hours to go.photo from FB]
_rivals
Our paddock neighbor Victorious Secret was eager,
long-legged, young, and intimidating.I started
the race behind a Victorious uncomfortably fast; the free ride was hard to
refuse.My heart rate monitor
malfunctioned, but I knew the effort wasn’t sustainable.I let my draft go after 2 laps.The 24-hour event was more about staying
awake than about speed.
I hopped on the pack behind Marianne Portelance of “It Takes
2.” She looked and skated like Jennifer
Rodriquez: flat back with back kick. Her
partner had abundant hair coming out of his helmet and legs. Victorious soon slowed and joined our pack. The pack pace was dictated by the top solo
skater Bruno Pettersen Coulombe.
_"All for one.All for one."
Many of my laps were with Bruno following team #22.Bruno picked nutrition directly out of his
support's back pockets.Having a
dedicated team was a no-brainer when I plotted to break the solo record.Someone finally implemented the strategy.
Bruno would finish 151 laps for a
new world record (655 km).
[Everyone was curious about the blood on the knee.photo from FB]
_close call
The 7-man pack was chaotic at the exchange zone.Some wanted to protect their positions;
others were getting on or off the course.Marianne and I clicked frames.I
let the pack go and drafted behind another soloist moving 17 mph by himself.His steady rhythm broke as he attempted to stay
in a slipstream.He crashed.I jumped but clipped his right thigh.I turned 180 in midair and had to put a hand on
the ground to stay upright.
“You alright?”
“Yeah!”
The big guy glanced at his road rash and continued on,
disgusted.I followed.I never saw him again after the shift.My lower back stiffened up.I worried.23 hours to go.
A skater lied on the ground in the relay zone with broken
teeth.That could've been me.
Luke and Jessica lost the baton in the middle of the
night.I wondered how.I lost the baton 1 hour into the race.
Casey came out 8 minutes ahead of schedule.I got off the course regretting the suicidal
pace.I downed the scheduled nutrition.I wished I bought more water and
Gatorade.I wished I used Loctite and
new bearings.I couldn’t wait for my
next shift.
[not everyone moved at the same speed, photo from FB]
_time to complete 44 laps
Victorious Secret06:16:23.41
It Takes 206:16:27.41
Texas Flyers07:06:21.05
Brice07:57:32.65
_into the night
By 10pm, it became apparent 400-mile was unrealistic.Texas Flyer struggled with 10-minute
laps.Victorious Secret was doing sub-9.We continued to strive for a podium
finish.Young racers tended
sleep.
I left a message for Casey: skate conservatively before 3am,
the midpoint.
_communication through support
Every hour, Casey and I exchanged 2 words + 1 phrase:
1.shouting each
other’s name
2.“contact”
3.words of
encouragement before actual push.“Stay
upright.”“How you doing?”“I’m cold too.”"Less than half left.""Stay safe."
All other info was communicated via Voon in writing.
As I sat down after each shift, nutrition bags would magically appear around the chair. Voon would take my trash, charge the GPS, and hand me skate tool per schedule on the spreadsheet. I felt pampered. In her spare time, Voon prepare Sam's drinks to save him a few bend-overs.
_2nd near crash
12:15am, I was behind a Victorious when he crashed behind Bruno.I couldn't see much in the dark but
miraculously stayed up right.Bruno threw
me a question mark.
“He crashed,” I answered in English and had no detail to
contribute.
Bruno shrugged and told his windshield to keep going.
_cramping
1am, my left calf cramped.It got worse after half-hour rest.Quads were also unhappy.Putting on skate became challenging.I visited the HPH massage tent at 3am; the
staff was friendly.
“Where is it hurt, calf, hamstring, quads, lower back,
no?”
“Yeah.How do you
know?”
Everyone laughed.
“Don’t worry.We’ll
fix.”
I woke up 20 minutes later on the table feeling
relaxed.Cramp resumed the moment left
foot touched the ground.
“Do you have enough electrolytes?Are you drinking?”
I dreaded having to ask Casey to skate my shifts.I started popping Endurolyte.
[The Stick was no match for cramps.photo by Voon]
_early retirements
Sam stopped skating halfway through.His body wasn’t working as planned. Sam integrated into Texas Flyer’s support
team.
Victorious Secret disappeared by hour 14.
An hour later, "It Takes 2" went to bed.
I continued to fight cramps.Casey made good use of the blister kit and had other issues.We were slowing at slower rate than our
competitors.Our standing kept
improving.I left Casey a message, “10
mph is faster than 0 mph.Forget about
lap count.Just keep moving.”
_time to complete 77 laps
Victorious Secret11:20:42.27
Texas Flyers13:05:47.37
It Takes 213:08:16.99
Brice14:46:48.55
_nutrition
Instead of using proven options, I arrogantly assumed I
could handle 350 solid-food calories during each rest hour.I also decided to test going with minimum
electrolyte supplement.This was a
"B" race where I tried new things.
GI issue started before muscle cramps.Bathroom trips robbed me of rest time.I stopped all solid food; I conjectured my heart
rate was so low I was burning mostly fat.I popped Endurolyte like candy.Red Bull and canned coffee started around 4am; they were delicious.I stole Sam's Gatorade.
The sugary liquid diet made me think about my diabetic
brother.I wished he was at my corner. I missed my family.
I was wet and cold at night but felt changing cloth had
unfavorable return on investment.It's cheaper to
shiver.
[Wrapped in Celine’s
blanket in the relay zone waiting for next shift. Photo by Voon]
_living on others’ generosity
[Celine provided our race bed and other items. Selfie by Voon]
Candy volunteered to prepare Voon’s meals throughout the
event, including celebratory cakes.
10-man teams went out of their ways to provide draft for duo
and solo racers: Flying Fossils, Toronto Inline, Rainbo, strangers, 1 quad
skater, and Super Mario.
[photo from FB]
The most used words on the course were “gauche (on your
left)” and “merci.”
I was in 2 skaters’ slipstream when the shorter skater
demanded that I share the work. The lead
skater refused.They argued.The little guy accelerated away angrily.The lead skater made sure I stayed protected
and could handle the pace.
_all was lost
I was on sleeping bag visualizing the medal when Casey
rolled into paddock 15 minutes ahead of 8am exchange.He was dizzy.I didn’t ask details; Voon would make good decisions with Sam’s help.I laced up and started rolling.
_"I want my mommy"
The sun was up.A duo
competitor offered draft.I accepted.He was skating well but slept his podium
chance away.I was in no mood to chat
about the Ironman logo tattooed on his right calf.
Skating 7.25 hours at any speed could keep us on the
podium.
“Whatever you do, don’t stop.”
I tried to pull a group of solo skaters; they didn’t like my
pace or cadence.
Candy caught me from behind to reduce my wattage requirement.Her teammates continued the generosity.A local squad took over.That team entered the event to help solo and
duo skaters.The 4th member
was incapable of slow and steady concurrently.I became alone on the seemingly deserted race track.
Cyclists showed up for their Sunday morning workouts doing
circles around me.Pro skaters also passed
me as if I were standing still.The top skaters
laid down sub-7-minute laps throughout the race.I lost interest in their technique.I just wanted to lie down.Just an hour ago a podium finish felt inevitable.I was afraid to ingest calorie; bathroom trip
would cost a lap.“Just keep moving--slowly
and pukelessly.”
Herb came out with his trademark smile.I whined. “I didn’t prepare to skate 7 hours straight.”He listened but wasn’t allowed to help me
without a bib.
The legs couldn’t possibly go for another 6 hours.I tried to draw strength from past experiences.None made muscle fibers contract better.I felt childish for feeling unfair.“Deserve’s got nothin’ to do with it,” said
Clintwood in “Unforgiven.”
I stopped the emotional downward spiral by focusing on
seeking out each of Super Mario's teammate.
[photo by Wilby]
_glimpse of hope
9:15am.Voon shouted,
“Casey can skate now.”I was
concerned.The heart surgery wasn’t that
long ago.I didn’t know what stopped
him 90 minutes ago: heart rate, lumbar, GI, blisters, core temperature, cramp, electrolyte,
hydration.
We had the top lap count. The podium finish was ours to lose.
[leading by 6 laps at hour 20. screenshot from Voon's phone]
_time to complete 111 laps
Texas Flyers20:03:01.67
It Takes 221:01:09.46
Brice21:28:39.11
Victorious Secretout of picture
_electronic malfunction
Monitor showed us leading “It Takes 2” by 4 laps before the event
computer crashed.Our rival skated multiple
sub-9-minute laps Sunday morning; we were doing 10~13-minute.I had mental imagine of Mirinda Carfrae
chasing down her 2013 Kona gold.We had
1-lap margin per hour.All the sudden a
podium finish was insufficient--I wanted to win.
11:30am.I got on the
course and was immediate caught by “It Takes 2.” They reduced our lead by 3 laps in < 2 hours. I stuck to the hairy dude and maintained the 3-lap
lead for the hour.He wasn't drafting well and wasn't going as fast as I was afraid of. Everyone looked
tired, even the 10-man teams. 2.5 hours to go.
_familiar route
Relay zone: look for drafts while avoiding colliding into
skaters getting on and off the course.Straighten lower back and use outer edges to recover from low skating during previous section.
Short flat straight: muster courage to sprint up the
climb--might need to match pace.
Uphill: Swing arms, hip, tongue, and all available body
parts to save quads while looking for a ride.High cadence.
Downhill: long stride and glide but be ready to sprint into
a slipstream.Don’t cut the pros off at
the left-hand turn.
Short climb, right turn, downhill, left turn: maintain the
rhythm.Avoid the man hole.Watch for bikes, tricycles, baby strollers, skateboarders,
runners, and inline skaters.
Straight flat before 180-degree turn: try not to zone
out.Skate on left side to avoid
manholes.
Hairpin: be efficient.Avoid cross over. Don't skate into the draft.
Downhill straight.Long strides—push and glide.Be
small--hands on knees.Thank the
volunteers.Enter the relay zone.
_final hours
Instead of hourly shifts, Casey and I rotated after every
lap.It's hard to believe 350-mile could
win this race.Things could still go
wrong: cramps, mechanicals, and crashes.I felt being chased by Joey Mantia.The hairy dude from "It Takes 2" could hide behind elite teams.I couldn’t remember my last 10-minute
lap.I didn’t remember feeling this weak
in 2008.
Sam became our race advisor.We agreed 3-lap was insurmountable, except we had no way of confirming
the actual lap counts.There was a
chance the lap counts were off from the start.We decided to error on the paranoid side.I didn’t want to become the famous 2010
Columbian skater
The hairy boy walked to the pit with skates in hand.The girl-roommate wasn’t
ready.Our lead increased by 1 lap.
[One of the 4 mounting bolts came loose, photo Wilby]
_chased by fear
Celine and everyone showered us with positivity.We needed it.
Last 2 laps.I still
felt “It Takes 2” was breathing down my neck despite all evidence to the
contrary.Maybe they didn't really
sleep; maybe the chip failed to trigger the sensor.
My form reached a new low as a racer caught me on the
climb.“Help me!”He waited for me to get in position, said a
few French words, and started to hammer.My strides regained timing.It
still amazed me how paceline worked.
Every inch of the course was familiar by now.My existence shrank to matching movements of
a stranger’s feet.The motion became
second nature again. The end was in
sight.I felt free.I didn’t want this to end.
The final sub-10-minute lap ended.200 miles came late in the race—it took me an
hour more than planned.I recounted
things we didn't optimize: pace, nutrition, rest, clothing, and race simulation.Mostly we didn't carve out the resources necessarily
to train for the pace--this was a team decision made months ago.
We didn't reached Luke and Jessica's 2013 lap count; they
were 3rd.Race results are about who
show up.
The PA system sandwiched “Texas Flyers” between French phrases.
Maybe announcer said “Our own It Takes 2
is only 70 seconds behind the Texas Flyers.We can still do it!”I continued to push.I kept looking back.
My team was all smiles after I high-fived through the human
tunnel.I tried not to look at watch
every 5 seconds before the 15-minute result challenging window expired at
3:15pm Sunday.
Things could've been different if the silver medalists watched this video
_post-race
Casey recovered as if it were just another fun long ride.He wore a smile and last pair of dry socks.
Candy’s hug and cake were sweet.It's helpful knowing a friend wanted you to
succeed.
Celine soaked up the atmosphere and didn’t seem surprised by
anything.
I recognized half the skaters who helped me.Everyone was in celebratory mood.
It was great to see Patrick and his 3 females.He provided a hug and a Belgium beer.
The stomach never felt great after midnight.It went further south with alcohol.I leaned my forehead against a wall ready for
things to come out while Casey and Voon loaded the rental car.This race was harder than Tour de Donuts.
Walking wasn’t too difficult.“Should’ve skated harder.”
Celine offered everything we wanted: hot shower, dining
arrangement, and sleeping quarters.
The digestive system recovered in time for the celebratory
dinner.
It’s the first week after base phase for 2014. I signed up for the 5k run with zero tempo or interval training.
I set Garmin 310xt to 6:22 pace for PR.
The course was fast. It was weird to run anaerobic after months of long slow sessions in different sports.
The body performed as expected:
Mile 1: kept up with the pace—as opposed to suppressing the urge to follow the leaders.
Mile 2: struggled to maintain pace—losing distance with each incline.
Mile 3: unable to hang on.
The perceived result was far worse than actual.
For the final mile:
Perceived:
MHR = 180
Avg pace = 7:15
Actual:
MHR = 192
Avg pace = 6:55
Chip time: 20:00:40
Garmin data
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/534293107
I focus on longer races and don't train specifically for 5k but am curious how fast the legs could run the distance.
Carrollton Trails 5k was promised to be a fast point-to-point course.
_goal
Sub 20-minute. 6:25 pace.
_format
The website said to park at high school lot then be bused the start line. I incorrectly assumed I could jog the course backward to start. The distance between parking and finish line turned out to be non-trivial. "No problem, I'll just follow the runner in front. How hard could it be?"
I asked for everyone's pace in the sub-7 section. 1 girl plan to run 19:xx. Perfect.
_race
1 minute after declaring her resolve to even split, the girl took off with last year's winner. I resisted running with the lead group, which included 1 girl and 1 dog. Before first mile marker, I chased down half dozen runners, including Heather. I was inexperienced with 6:25 pace and breathed disturbingly loudly.
Water stop near mile 2 was well staffed. Volunteers took up some
trail space. 2 labs slowly crossed the remaining width as I
approached. Fortunately the owner didn't panic, and I didn't have to
jump over anyone.
_blind leader
Front runners were out of sight. I came to a T-intersection and didn't know which way to turn. I went right. I considered taking off the singlet to consult the map at back of the bib. I slowed to see which way the next runner pick. Heather ran toward me. I continued.
Garmin pacer got confused by my maneuver. I ignored it. I didn't see mile-3 marker and finished with a few matches unburned.
#'s
20:09
pace: 6:29
place: 9/518 (behind 7 guys and 1 dog)
HR: 169/185 bpm
air temperature: 66F
humidity: 40%
recovery food
I resist the temptation to sign up for another 5k.
"Focus on Montreal 24-Hour"
Kurt, "Hey did you qualify for Boston last weekend?" Me, "I was too slow for Boston. Might try again in 2015" "I turn 45 in August so if I can squeeze out another 3:23 at Dallas this year I could do it lol" "For 45-yr-old male, you need 3:20:00.... qualifying time is 3:20:00" "Check the BAA website, it has 3:25" "Holy crap, I qualified!"
I was surprised, happy, embarrassed, relieved, and a little lost. Mostly I felt like a dumb ass.
Hiring a running coach could’ve avoided this dumb mistake.
I was more interested in qualifying than going to Boston before 2013 bombing. I found out most of my friends belong to 2 buckets: “Are you stupid? You want to get blown to pieces?” vs “That’s cool. Hope you make it.”
Now I get to plan on running Boston on Monday, April 20, 2015. Apparently I’m only qualified to apply, not guaranteed a race spot.
Had I known I only need 3:25:00 12 months ago, I could be racing Boston in 2 weeks. If I had the correct qualifying time in December 2013, I would’ve missed out on a memorable experience at Texas Whiner Marathon.
I invested heavily to achieve qualifying time at 2011 and 2013 Dallas Marathons. I failed for non-fitness reasons. 無心插柳柳成蔭. I signed up for 2014 Irving mainly to support a local event. Before yoga injury, I plotted to do a Karnazes by including the race as part of 79-mile spring run.
Sometimes the side of the mountain is more interesting than the peak, but you can’t have the sides without the top.
“Can I PR by 8 minutes without marathon specific training?” I face the same question as 2013 Irving Marathon. With lingering injuries and memories of 4 failed attempts, I let go the idea of Boston.
_milestones
1. PR (Dallas White Rock 2010: 3:28:17)
2. Apolo Ohno 2011 NYC (3:25:12)
_perfect condition
51F, 48% humidity, cloudy. 1 hour before the gun, I briefly considered qualify for Boston.
_start
I started a typical pre-race kill-time conversation with Kayla. "You look fast. How fast do you run?" "I will average 7-minute pace." I wasn’t sure if she was joking. "You're out of my league." Kayla eventually won woman's division averaging 7:05 / mile.
Marathon started 10 minutes before half marathon. I counted 37 heads in front of me. 7:44 pace didn’t’ feel easy. I gave myself 50/50 chance of holding pace beyond mile 20.
_running mate
3rd place woman caught up to me before mile 10. Her Boston qualifying time was 3:30. She asked for my pace.
"Can I just follow you?"
"If you want 3:30, you should slow down a bit."
She agreed but couldn't help herself. She passed me climbing a hill.
Lindsey started to lose her form at mile 16. I reeled her in, "at this rate, you'd beat your qualifying time by 6.5 minutes, which means your goal is too low or pace too fast." She agreed but kept charging the climbs. Been there, done that. I stopped interfering.
Lindsey was cooked by mile 20. "This is half-way point. You have a 6-minute cushion, so 8:45 pace would be sufficient." Her eyes leaked doubts. "Look, I'm a biddy-eye Asian with poor social skill. I must be good at math, right?" She smiled. I held the pace and wished she could hang on. For a moment, I desired for her to succeed more than reaching my own goal.
_nutrition
6 gels evenly spaced out, starting at mile 0. Casey handed me a pack at mile 5 and 11. I carry 2 in hat, 1 in back pocket. The only issue was the volunteer shrinking back as I reach for water cup. I could be the very first runner she served.
_intersection
The roads were partially closed for this out-and-back course. The runners had the inside lanes.
I saw the top 2 men duking it out running against motor vehicles on the meandering street. The lead motorcycle was on the correct side of the cones probably feeling ignored. Then I made the cop drove off runners' lane by charging toward him. Another item checked off my bucket list: beat a cop at the game of chicken.
_the proverbial wall
Mile 21. My pace bled slowly. I celebrating holding sub-8 pace in 2nd half of marathon but felt the wall looming.
I started to heel-strike. I tried to hold the image of Mirinda Carfrae at Kona. Las Colinas Blvd was littered with hills. The legs hemorrhaged speed with each additional climb.
What would the new model be if Apple acquired Dyson?
iSuck.
Mental image of the perfect runner evaporated. The pavement pounded my piriformis with each step. The pain was bearable, but I wished the body remember how to run.
The electronic pacer left me in the dust. I set the screen to quarter-mile pace. Garmin 305 told me I sucked less than I felt. Crampless, target time within reach, core temperature holding, ample fuel in the tank--this was the best marathons to date.
_embraced the suck
I swung my arms and hips like a race walker but with less elegance. No one laughed. I was the fastest runner on the road. I passed an old guy on a Texas Flyer hill. I missed having a paceline to skate with. The old guy turned out to be 5 years my junior....
Half marathon walkers moved in clusters. I begged them to give me the beeline then parted them like Red Sea. A few cops seemed concerned. I was unable to keep the chin down; I imagined I looked like my brother's Ironman photo. The thought made me happy.
The final water station was stocked with enthusiastic volunteers. "Water, Gatorade, what do you want?" "Cigarette and tequila." Their laughter made my day.
_post race
I was happy but felt ill. Racing flats weren't ideal with poor landing technique. "Hoka, I resist you." I locked myself in convention center's unisex bathroom just in case.
Lindsey qualified for Boston. She was an important person during 2 hours of my life. We parted with a hug and might not recognize each other if we met on the street.
I felt better 20 minutes after the pounding stopped. Bob and I went to My Place for Indian buffet. We compared notes on family illness. It got depressing.
_Pre-race physical activities:
-41 day. Cowtown 50k. 5-hour aerobic run.
-13 day. Rock n Roll half marathon. Near PR pace.
-7 day. 9.3-mile Maffetone run followed by first longish skate of the year.
-6 day. 1-mile + 5k races in minimalist shoes. Carrollton Runners Club.
-3 day. 1-mile tempo. Legs felt dead. Right foot and left hip unhappy. Regretted racing in minimalist shoes 6 days before marathon.
_shaky start
2014 early season started badly: I raced like I wasn't supposed to; I over-pushed yoga; a mounting bolt slashed right thigh; half of skate and bike sessions were canceled due to weather.
With extra 2 lb and lingering yoga injury, I didn't bother with a training program for this race.
I didn't rest properly 24 hours prior to the race. "Let it go. Enjoy life."
_goal
1 day before race: 95-minute felt reachable; 100-minute would be OK. “Treat it like a tempo run before Irving Marathon.”
_error on the aggressive side
77% humidity, 47F, NNE 17 mph wind.
weather.com canceled the rain.
I lost my resolve for "just a good tempo run" and aimed to PR. I set Garmin 310xt to 7:11 pace.
bib # implied I was the first one to register
_start
Casey and I started too far back. We lost time behind other runners. I surged at an underpass to reach a better pack. I stepped into a crack. Left ankle rolled. Right foot caught. Close call. I swallowed other people's pace. Should've started behind Deena.
_failed electronics
I always became antsy at 5k mark at Rock n Roll. Not this year. The pace felt hard. I made conscious effort to keep the rhythm. Others passed me at climbs.
Things went more wrong at mile 4. Side stitch started after GPS lost its signal. I backed off. 1:35 group caught me. My best option was to trust the 2 strangers. I focused on a sub 95-minute finish but prepared myself for meltdown, “2-hour finish wouldn’t be end of the world, but give yourself a chance to breakfast with Voon and Casey.”
The herd included a dozen runners plus several of us at the fringe. I didn't feel confident enough to join the conversations.
I felt weak at 10k. I felt in trouble. Other runners in the pack fell off or surged to relay exchange. Relay runners could be distracting. By mile 8, the 2 pacers became my dedicated windshield. I was surprised I wasn't doing worse. I eavesdropped on the pacers’ conversation: they had opposing assessment whether I could hang on.
I turned off survival mode as we crested the peak. I thanked the pacers and accelerated. "We'll beat you with the stick if we catch you."
The legs were fried but kept on turning. My body often surprised me at races. "Why can't I reach this pain threshold during training?" “How fast can I run if chased by a lion?”
[Proof I use heels while running, photo by Voon]
Runners were stretched out after mile 11. I felt the pacers breathing down my neck. I struggled to hold the speed while avoiding downtown potholes. I couldn't reach the old guy just 15 seconds ahead, it was maddening. The high school kid behind me probably felt the same way.
[example of bad form per _Chi Running_, photo by Voon]
_personality flaw
I crossed the line cramplessly and wished I pushed harder. I felt better when calves cramped while putting on warm cloths.
_post race
FB friend’s friend Rob came in before the 95-minute pacers. We upgraded friendship and would do The Bull Run in 2 weeks.
Casey wore an orange polo shirt. No problem spotting him this time.
I wanted to meet Deena Kastor but was too cold to wait around.
Aunt Sherry knew I was racing but phoned. My heart sank seeing the missed call notification--"something bad happened during chemo...." It turned out she just needed to know if I wanted BBQ for dinner. I suppose the dark cloud will remain 'til the inevitable.
Casey, Voon, and I reached AllGood Cafe before the crowd. Life is all about timing. Good food. Great company.
