Quick weekend update
A couple quick notes on the Akron Marathon:
- Weather: perfect 45F and overcast for the first 5 miles, then the rain came. Never a downpour, the drizzle started gently and turned to a relentless cold rain that continued for more than 2 hours of our race.
- It was a better day for marathon running rather than relay running. No standing around to wait in the cold.
- Time: 3:40 (8:23 per mile)
- The event has grown! This was my third time leading the 3:40 marathon pace at Akron. In each of the past two years, the group started with about 10-12 runners and it normally falls apart with only 2-3 runners remaining by the 20 mile mark. This year my group rocked. We were over two dozen at the start, ran together through the half and picked up some others along the way. At mile 20, I counted 18 of my 3:40 peeps formed in two strong groups within 50 yards of me. There's no way to know, but I imagine over 15 people that started with me broke the 3:40 time goal. Way to go!
- Running a track workout is NOT a good idea two days before a marathon. I felt dead legs and hit a bad stretch myself from miles 19-21.
- Its really a shame that the weather spoiled the post-race fun. It was just too cold outside to hang out and party.
- Bless all the volunteers than spent the day in the rain. Akron is a classy race. Even in bad weather, we as runners enjoyed a fabulous closed race course and aid station support with plenty of volunteers.
- I met lots of new folks at the expo and during the race...even a couple new people from blog land. Thanks for saying hi!
- On Sunday, Roxi and I hit the Buckeye Trail in the Brecksville Reservation after stopping by at the Cleveland Tri Club picnic. My quads are more sore than in weeks past and I was happy to get a short recovery run on the trails.
- Weather: perfect 45F and overcast for the first 5 miles, then the rain came. Never a downpour, the drizzle started gently and turned to a relentless cold rain that continued for more than 2 hours of our race.
- It was a better day for marathon running rather than relay running. No standing around to wait in the cold.
- Time: 3:40 (8:23 per mile)
- The event has grown! This was my third time leading the 3:40 marathon pace at Akron. In each of the past two years, the group started with about 10-12 runners and it normally falls apart with only 2-3 runners remaining by the 20 mile mark. This year my group rocked. We were over two dozen at the start, ran together through the half and picked up some others along the way. At mile 20, I counted 18 of my 3:40 peeps formed in two strong groups within 50 yards of me. There's no way to know, but I imagine over 15 people that started with me broke the 3:40 time goal. Way to go!
- Running a track workout is NOT a good idea two days before a marathon. I felt dead legs and hit a bad stretch myself from miles 19-21.
- Its really a shame that the weather spoiled the post-race fun. It was just too cold outside to hang out and party.
- Bless all the volunteers than spent the day in the rain. Akron is a classy race. Even in bad weather, we as runners enjoyed a fabulous closed race course and aid station support with plenty of volunteers.
- I met lots of new folks at the expo and during the race...even a couple new people from blog land. Thanks for saying hi!
- On Sunday, Roxi and I hit the Buckeye Trail in the Brecksville Reservation after stopping by at the Cleveland Tri Club picnic. My quads are more sore than in weeks past and I was happy to get a short recovery run on the trails.
2 Comments:
Great job pacer dude!
I missed you this past weekend. We'll try next time.
I had read your blog and seen your track workout midweek before Akron and had kind of went 'hmmm" about that, but you're a much stronger and faster runner than I am.
Then, when I saw you at Akron and you said you weren't doing that great but hitting your miles, I wondered about that track workout again!! But hey, you kept the pace and I never saw you again on the course! And I knew you had run the ultra the weekend before too!!
I think passing the Towpath Marathon this weekend is a good idea with the 12 hour ultra and JFK coming up.
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