First marathon

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  Oct 11, 2010 1:54 PM GMT

  So, I finished the Chicago Marathon yesterday. I had three goals: no stopping, no walking, finish around 3:45.
  
  There's always next year, right?
  
  I hit the wall big time around mile 24 and had to stop - I felt like I was being smothered. Walked most of that mile, then perked up for another bit of running, then had to stop again for a small walk. Finished in 3:53:55.
  
  And yes, I'm planning on running it again next year, with (you know it's coming) NO stopping, NO walking, and a time of right around 3:45. I won't make the training mistakes or the race day mistakes again.

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  Oct 11, 2010 3:09 PM GMT

  i never did one so i admire everybody who does.,
  so congrats !!
  how do you motivate yourself to train ? seems i can't muster the patience to go running for hours upon hours.
  3:45 sounds good , how much faster do you deem you might have done it had you not run out of fuel ?
  
  hitting the wall is nasty. hate that.
  one word: FOOD !!!!! hahaha.
  had you brought some power gels with you or did you run out ?
  
  

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  Oct 11, 2010 3:21 PM GMT

  Thanks! Everyone is telling me to be proud I finished but I thought i had set my sights pretty low so...
  
  Honestly I don't know how much better I could have done with better fuelling. I was pretty slow at the half mark so picked up the pace a smidge to try and improve.
  
  I brought with me my water bottle and two GU packs. I started drinking around mile 12 (earlier than i had hoped) and ate my first GU around 14 (also earlier, but I figured I had two, I'm not gonna wait until it's killing me).
  
  re training - it's all "eyes on the prize" - you just get up and do it, you know? you know that in X months you have to run the marathon, so you just keep focused on that and not on the fact that you're getting up at 530 on a saturday morning to run for three hours...

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• Atriathlete
  
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  Oct 11, 2010 7:53 PM GMT

  Doesn't sound like a nutrition issue to me. Sounds like you just need more experience running distances so your body metabolizes fat better. Congrats on a great race. With this one under your belt, you should be even stronger next year.

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  Oct 11, 2010 9:13 PM GMT

  Thanks, Atriathlete. That's exactly how I'm trying to look at it, as some lessons learned for the next one.

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  Oct 11, 2010 10:03 PM GMT

  Atriathlete saidDoesn't sound like a nutrition issue to me. Sounds like you just need more experience running distances so your body metabolizes fat better. Congrats on a great race. With this one under your belt, you should be even stronger next year.

  
  
  ah that's interesting. I've no experience with big distances except a 1/2 marathon i did 3 years ago in Ottawa. I also hit the wall at km 19 .
  that awful empty feeling, so i blamed it on food as all i took was a powergel at half time. ( was also getting over a cold) .
  
  but maybe it was also what you describe.
  
  yet, i 've done zillion huge bike rides.

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  Oct 12, 2010 2:04 AM GMT

  You actually did pretty good for a first marathon. Don't be disappointed.
  
  The best piece of advice I ever received was when I ran a marathon 9 years ago that started at 5p.m. in 33degree celcius heat. People were dropping like flies and there was one old woman running alongside me most of the way. At the end she told me the best thing I did was to drink H2O at every station. We stayed hydrated and our times didn't suffer as badly, opposed to those that kept running past water stations and barely finished.
  
  My trainer advised me to consume a gel every 45 minutes, it helps.
  
  I ran this race yesterday too. Keep in mind the heat became quite debilitating. I had to pull everything I had to finish those last four miles. My time was off by a good 8 minutes.
  
  My worst times have always been recorded in high temps.
  
  Chalk it to experience and keep going for the next one.
  
  

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  Oct 13, 2010 6:37 AM GMT

  Briefs29 saidSo, I finished the Chicago Marathon yesterday. I had three goals: no stopping, no walking, finish around 3:45.
  
  There's always next year, right?
  
  I hit the wall big time around mile 24 and had to stop - I felt like I was being smothered. Walked most of that mile, then perked up for another bit of running, then had to stop again for a small walk. Finished in 3:53:55.
  
  And yes, I'm planning on running it again next year, with (you know it's coming) NO stopping, NO walking, and a time of right around 3:45. I won't make the training mistakes or the race day mistakes again.

  
  
  Wow, briefs...congratulations, and your time is amazing..I wish I could say the same on mine. I did a different Marathon for my first time which was a trail Marathon, altitude range from 500 feet to 2000 feet going through Redwoods, and then ending at a Lake...nice thing about it, is that we had a barbecue waiting and red wine at the finish line. I remember everyone telling me to be prepared to hit the wall, but it was not until mile 22 that I did, for me it was more back pain at mile 15 and I ran out of water, had to wait until the next station to refill...that hurt me and then had to walk/run my time was 8 hrs 30 minutes but I finished. So the sense of finishing was definitely an achievement, I am planning to do another one, but currently ensuring that I include enough core works outs, abs, sit ups, planks, etc. I brought sufficient water with me, but this time will be switching to a small light camel back pack...in terms of GU packs I had these as well, but will switching to something else...these were awful and I remember almost being nauseated by them during my run because I think my body was not accustomed at digesting these. Anyway, congratulations again.
  
  How was your post running recovery? Mine was a killer, ate like a horse after the run, and even woke up at 3:00 a.m. because I was so hungry to eat something. I had to soak my muscles in Epsom salts because of the soar muscles.

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  Oct 13, 2010 6:46 AM GMT

  First of all, congratulations.
  
  I adore the Chicago marathon and frankly it is my favorite. No other comes to the energy that surrounds Chicago in my opinion.
  
  Your goals were completely admirable but like you mentioned, you are already a part of an elite group of individuals just because you finished and even more so because you finished sub-4.
  
  I would chalk this one up to it being your first. With training and multiple marathons comes the mental preparation need to effectively be confident to finish and keep a steady pace.
  
  Again, be PROUD of your time and accomplishment and set a new goal for the next.
  
  See you there!

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  Oct 13, 2010 2:03 PM GMT

  Thanks both uombroca and pinny!!!
  
  uombroca: that trail marathon sounds incredibly challenging. I can't imagine trying to tackle that as a first one (maybe a tenth one or something...). I agree - those GU packs are sticky and nasty - but I haven't tried anything I like better (I've tried the GU Blocks, Sport Beans, Powerbar jellies, and Accel gel). Maybe it's just a matter of getting more used to them. I'll have to have some on hand for next year's half.
  
  pinny: thanks! I'm already planning next year's race schedule, and the marathon is on there again. I've definitely been bitten with the marathon bug!!! chicago was great for spectators - i taped my name to the front of my shirt and i was surprised at the number of "shout outs" i got. that was probably my favorite part of the race - maybe even more than the finish.

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  Oct 15, 2010 4:16 PM GMT

  [quote][cite]Briefs29 said[/cite]
  Honestly I don't know how much better I could have done with better fuelling. I was pretty slow at the half mark so picked up the pace a smidge to try and improve.
  
  I brought with me my water bottle and two GU packs. I started drinking around mile 12 (earlier than i had hoped) and ate my first GU around 14 (also earlier, but I figured I had two, I'm not gonna wait until it's killing me).
  
  
  
  Congrats on your first marathon.
  To reiterate 26mileman, you should start drinking earlier than mile 12 even if you don't feel like you want to. If you wait too long, then it's too late to make up the deficit in a race of this distance.
  I don't know your hydration and nutrient schedule during training but you'd benefit from simulating a more frequent hydration schedule especially.
  I have led a 3 40 pace group multiple times in temperatures a lot cooler than y'all had in Chicago last weekend and I always recommend alternating between water and an electrolyte drink every aid station. Dehydration and hypoglycemia have a lot to do with the "hitting the wall."
  A gu/gel or whatever you're able to tolerate every 45-60 minutes is also a good idea.
  
  

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  Oct 15, 2010 4:28 PM GMT

  Congratualtions!
  I think you did great for your first marathon. Keep working out and keep a positive attitude. You will get it next year!

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