One City…One more time!

I finished my last marathon in Philadelphia just before Thanksgiving. Turning in yet another poor performance in 2018. This made me realize I needed to go back and focus on my strength training and get prepared before I tried another marathon.

I ran a fair amount last year but really neglected the strength training at the gym.

The last month, December, of 2018 I really didn't ramp up my training like I needed or wanted. However, I did set in plan goals that I wanted to accomplish for this year. Sort of a reboot. Just stop and make a plan.

I intended on running a minimum of 100 miles a month with a preference of reaching somewhere between 120 and 150 miles if possible. Not sure how consistently my body can maintain. I also knew that I needed to do much better on my strength training. Just as I had done while training for the 50 mile challenge in 2017, I needed to be stronger so I set about to focus on air squats, push-ups, lunges, plank, and other workouts that I could do at home to strengthen my body better.

January I did really good as those opportunities to train. February, not so much. However I did manage to get over 100 miles for both months. The biggest problem being that I didn't get an opportunity, because of bad weather mostly, to run anything longer than 12 1/2 miles.

I knew this could be very problematic come race day.

So here we are March 3 running the One City Marathon for my third time. I ran the first two years it started and now I am back for the fifth anniversary. My hope is certainly not a PR but at least a strong showing.

(I wrote that before the race…now after)

So the marathon is finished and I finished!

I certainly did not accomplish my goals that I set out which were all time based but as I said yesterday I didn't expect the greatest outcome. I had trained the way that I really needed to and therefore the results always show! Need to do better.

My finish time was 6:04:54, better than any of the marathons that I finished up in 2018. But that's not really what counts. I always look what I was able to accomplish today!

So I'd like to list some of the highlights of my run, the things I felt I did well. Okay, at least somewhat good. I obviously need to work on before the next marathon.

The good things;

1. I started off the race very strong. I didn't overdo it but I felt comfortable I ended up finishing 10 miles in 1 hour and 54 minutes, much faster than I expected maybe that hurt me later on in the race.

2. My blood sugar stayed under control for the better part of the entire race.

3. Just past mile marker 10, I reached my wife and two grandkids waiting there for me near the Denbigh Church of Christ. A first for me, I got to take communion in the middle of a marathon!

4. After mile 13, I struggled but I was able to keep my strides long while I walked in brisk pace. I stayed typically within a 16 to 18 minute pace. Not bad for walking.

5. Hey! I finished my 37th marathon!

Things I need to work on:

1. It's obvious my breathing is not where it needs to be. When I get towards the later part of the race I am getting tired. I’ll need to work on more cardio training to get my lungs stronger.

2. My legs were also very tired. I need to continue my workouts for spring training more diligently. Even though I was very consistent in January, I wasn't as thorough in February. It showed!

3. I need to watch what I eat the night before. As I got to the end of the race with nearly 8 miles to finish my stomach felt terrible. I honestly don't know if it's what I ate or something else. However I was frantically searching for a porta potty! TMI!

The only thing that I could think of was all of those signs that are typically beside the marathon route claiming that 1 in 12 marathoners poop their pants!

I did not want to be that one!

Note to readers: I made it in time!

4. I am going to need to figure a way that I can eat better during the run I need some sort of granola bar or bananas to get me through. With about 3 miles left, a spectator gave me a banana. A few bites of that, and the stop of the porta potty, made me feel much better to push towards the end of the race.

5. During my training I am going to need to push for speed. I need to vary my training routines to make me as strong as possible.

6. I had been working on reducing my weight however I float up and down all the time. Although earlier in the week I was nearly 200 pounds, I floated back up just before the race. The day before I weighed 207 pounds. Not nearly where I wanted to be. I'm sure that had some factor on my time. My goal for the next marathon is to be more diligent in my eating and do no splurging at nighttime.