Wow! I'm still not over this past weekend. Thanks to all of you for your well wishes and comments! Other thoughts I've had on my BQ experience:
1. Running part of a course before you run the event is a great advantage, especially when the part you run is towards the end. The familiarity breeds confidence.
2. I commented on "Marathon Finisher Tshirt Guy," but he wasn't the only one. In fact, I was/am one of them. I vividly remember running the Flying Pig marathon (my 2nd marathon ever) and charging up the early hills, talking to everyone, not running the shortest distances...and on and on it goes. There was another runner at Madison, trying to BQ in his first marathon, and he had the highest leg kick I've ever seen in a runner. He almost kicked himself in the butt with each stride. He also started strong and faded back to me around mile 16. There is definitely an art to the marathon...which I'm still learning.
3. My charge down the finishing chute was the proudest moment I've ever had running. It was surreal. The look and smile Ellie and I shared was priceless.
4. Speaking of the finishing chute, Ellie told me more about the ambulance. Apparently, about 10 minutes before I finished, three paramedics drove it into the chute, parked it, got out, and walked away into the specatators area very non-chalantly. Immediately the volunteers at the finish came running up, talking on their walkie talkies, trying to figure out what to do. I have no idea how long it stayed there, but it was certainly odd! I'm still a little puzzled by the entire thing.
5. A lot of comments have mentioned the fact I text while running. I actually used I used to call people while running. In Chicago, I would keep my phone on me so that I could help coordinate my family while they cheered me on at different locations. It has now evolved to simply texting numbers for the mile markers I pass. I keep my phone in a small pocket in the back of my shorts so it doesn't bounce around, and it gives me something to look forward to as the miles pile up. It also gives me the opportunity to receive some great...errr..."motivation" from Ellie. Her texts included the following: - "You got it!" - "you can do it you are almost there BQ here you come love you mom" (this one was from Ellie's Mom. She's so high tech!) - Go get em! Parents in the bleachers left, wife on your right at the finish!" - The kenyans are already done...YOU LOST" (Ellie would like to thank Nitmos for this one) - It's in the bag! YOU WILL DO IT!!
6. I can't thank the volunteers enough. It's amazing how they change as the race progresses also. Next time you run, make sure you do a couple things:
- Say THANK YOU over and over again. - Notice how their demeanor and methods of providing support change as the race does. At the early aid stations, they'll be having a blast, smiling, joking, having fun...much like how the runners feel. But as the miles pile up, I specifically remember their faces and their yells of "Water!" The volunteers' spirit of struggle and pain reflected what they saw on the runners faces. They could see how important the aid stations were, and they wanted very badly to help in any way they could. In this case, it was their cup of water. It was very motivating and just one more part of the marathon that I love.
7. If a child has his hand out and he's looking for a high five, GO GIVE HIM ONE. There was a boy just beyond Mile 18 of the marathon (at the top of the biggest hill) standing with his mother, holding his hand out. I had just crested the hill and was not around any other runners, and was tired, and was on the other side of the road. None of that mattered. I ran over to him and slapped his hand and gave him a smile. The smile reflected to him and his mother, and it was one of the main reasons my 19th and 20th miles were sub 7 minute miles. What a lift.
8. I succeeded in pushing back the "wall" from around mile 18-20 in my first several marathons to mile 25.5 in Madison. I owe much of that to running my planned marathon pace for longer runs. Most training programs will talk about doing your long runs 60-90 seconds slower than your planned marathon pace, for fear of injury if you run faster longer. I've thrown that philosophy out the window. I think it's much more valuable to make sure your body knows what it feels like to run 7:15 at mile 23 after running 7:15 for the previous 22 miles. In my opinion, it's all about training specificity.
9. I'm signed up to run the Milwaukee Marathon in October. While I haven't officially set a goal time (besides another BQ), I am really leaning towards pushing my PR under 3:00...but lets just get through a couple months of training before making that goal official :)
For a while I've been thinking about how I should cross the finish line when I finally qualify for Boston. I have continuously told myself there's no "if" about BQing (Nitmos, creative word points?), so I need to plan for the "when." There will be cameras present. I would like to make it memorable. I don't want to just run across the line, looking exhausted. I've had quite a few ideas. I'll share a couple with you:
How about a Tiger Woods Fist Pump?
Perhaps I pretend to take a jump shot at the finishing mats and hold an MJ follow through...
How about I celebrate womens' soccer style?
While I liked the idea of these, I eventually decided I would "Make it Rain," Pacman Jones Style. Unfortunately, Ellie did not approve. What a scrooge. Anyway, back to the drawing board.
I arrived in Madison on Saturday with no idea how I would end up celebrating my BQ. But I figured I'd have time to brainstorm something during the run to make it memorable.
On Saturday my parents and Ellie and I arrived at the expo at about 4:00, picked up our stuff, and headed to the hotel. I had already scoped out a place to eat: Boston's Pizza. How fitting. The meal wasn't bad, and after a pint of Guinness I was ready for bed.
I told Ellie I wanted to be sleeping at 9:00 pm, and while we managed to be in bed by 8:45, we found the UEFA Champions League final on TV. Man U vs Chelsea. I don't care for soccer all that much, but this was an unbelievable game (it was on ESPN Classic) and I had no idea who won, so we ended up watching it. And its two overtime periods. And its shootout (Man U prevails on penalty kicks). The night got a little later than I had hoped, and I went to bed on a bit of a competitive adrenaline buzz.
I didn't sleep much. Several times I woke up to check the time. Was it too early to get up? My alarm was set for 4:55, but a restless night of sleep had me thinking of getting up at midnight, 1:29 AM, 3:35 AM, and also 4:09. Finally, 4:55 rolled around. I had some Chicken & Stars, water, and a bit of Gatorade and was chomping at the bit to get going.
Finally, at 7:10 the marathon started and I was off. We started right next to the Wisconsin Capitol building in Madison, and this race definitely had a small town feel to it, which I enjoyed. I lined up about 10 feet from last year's winner and runner up.
The first mile is a bit downhill, and with the thrill of the moment, I found myself clocking 6:40ish pace for the first 2 miles. But it felt so good! Still, I knew to keep myself loose and watch my early speed. Seconds gained early are minutes lost late.
During miles 3-6 I noticed my surroundings. Madison was my 12th marathon, and I really think I'm getting the hang of it. In fact, I started noticing the novices' mistakes. For instance, at about mile 4 a guy came blazing past me (I'm running about 7 minute miles) wearing two headbands, Nike Zooms, his iPod, and...the "Marathon Finisher" tshirt for this year's Madison Marathon. You see, I believe whole-heartedly in the etiquitte surrounding an event T-shirt. I believe in the rules surrounding the event tshirt to the point that Ellie points out other people's mistakes to me. You do not wear the shirt before completing the event, let alone DURING the event. Very bad form. Watching him run away from me, I figured I'd be seeing this guy again.
The course has a lot of different surfaces--from very crowned backstreets, to bike trails, to dirt trails along the lakes of Madison. All in all, I enjoyed the course, but the sharp transitions in direction from a trail to a sidewalk or a road were beginning to wear on me. I ended up passing the halfway mark in 1:34:04 and was feeling great. I had eaten a pack of Sport Beans and sipped a bit of Gatorade and Water at every other water station. The thought of a negative split even crossed my mind.
Just beyond the 13.1 mark is a part of the trail where you double back on yourself, leaving a paved bike trail and entering a road. At this point you're able to see the runners several minutes ahead of you. I saw the top 4 women's leaders making their way up a hill. Considering how good I was feeling and the confidence I had heading into "part 2" of the marathon, I set a mini-goal for myself to beat the winning woman.
Along miles 14-17 it was a bit windy, but I kept battling. I remember telling myself to watch my pace into the wind and up the hills. I'm not going to qualify for Boston charging up this hill like Teddy Roosevelt leading the Rough Riders up the San Juan Hill, but I can seriously damage my chances of BQing if I'm dumb here. I plugged away, noticing that my fellow runners' conversations had also subsided. Everyone was starting to feel it. Oh yeah, and it was right about here that I passed Marathon Finisher Tshirt Guy.
Mile 18 was the Lake Wingra 10K course I had run about a month ago. My research into the course had shown me that the mile 18 hill was the largest of the marathon. I also knew that a 7:10 pace through 18 miles would equal about 2:10. Crossing mile 18 at 2:10:10 was a big lift. I was still loose, my stride was steady, and my breathing was regular. The fellow runners had been gapping apart in front and behind me for a while, and I found myself alone for the majority of the next 3 miles. Still, I was feeling good and checked my mile splits for 19 and 20. I ran right around a 7:00 pace for those two miles, and my confidence was skyrocketing. During this part of the course I got a text from Ellie saying she finished the half in 1:52 (Woo Hoo! New PR!), and I replied "At 18. I got this."
Ellie and my parents were waiting for me at the finish, and I would update them with my progress so they knew when I was arriving. I wanted them to have their cameras ready for my big celebration. But what would it be?
I exited the Lake Wingra part of the course around mile 21 and was still feeling good. My pace was still under 7:10 consistently, and I had caught all the lead women but the actual leader. She had quite a team cheering her on at different points in the course from the Berkeley Running Company, and that helped me. They'd yell to "Aimee" to catch that next guy, and then as I approached they'd tell me to catch Aimee. That helped quite a bit through miles 22-24, when I finally did catch and pass her. Still feeling okay(ish), I realized I hadn't even thought of how I'd celebrate my finish...
There was also a "Quarter Marathon" event (6.55 miles) held with the half and full, and it shared the same finish line. I passed a "MILE 6" sign and knew I had .55 miles to go! However, into mile 25 I was really getting tired...my breathing was off, there still wasn't much of a crowd to buoy me, and I was beginning to shuffle. I'm always amazed at how quickly the wheels come off in the marathon. I was fatigued but solid at 24, but mile 25 was completely different. And then...it happened.
So...how would I celebrate my BQ? There was one outcome I hadn't considered:
How about by staggering home, vomiting Gatorade all over myself and the finish line? This became a definite possibility when I started dry heaving...and then throwing up. Yep. It happened. Like I mentioned earlier...it's amazing how quickly the wheels come off! The first time I threw up, I went off the course a bit, put my hands on my knees, and let loose. After that, I looked at my watch and thought to myself, "No. This is NOT happening." So from that point on I threw up while runningstumbling, leaning off to one side and launching a lovely Day-Glow Yellowish liquid. Quite a sight, I'm sure. Aimee passed me. A couple male runners passed me, one of which patted me on the back and said something I couldn't decipher. This. Isn't. Happening.
And just like that, it was over. I suddenly felt better. Ahead, I could see the fenced-off finishing chute and hear the announcer and the crowd. Somewhere in that crowd were Ellie and my Mom and Dad, who were as ecstatic for me as anyone despite sacrificing a LOT to get me here. I couldn't let them down!
So I wiped my mouth off. Hey, my NF Jersey is Day-Glow Yellow, too, so nobody would know about my little incident. I collected myself into something that might resemble a Boston-quality runner with a Boston-quality running gait. And I ran. And then, turning into the finishing chute, I sprinted. I'm talking an all-out, 5 minute mile sprint. I had a smile ear to ear, with both fists raised high in the air. I passed Aimee. I passed the pat-me-on-the-back-as-I-puke guy. I passed a bunch of other finishers. I saw Ellie, jumping up and down and smiling. I even weaved around an ambulance parked in the middle of the finishing chute (which I didn't even realize was there until Ellie mentioned it in the car on the way home. WTF was it doing there? Very odd...). I screamed "Boston!" at the top of my lungs. I heard the announcer say "Nic Giebler!" I stormed across the finish line in 3:08:59--with exactly two minutes to spare. I continued to smile from ear to ear. Pat-me-on-the-back guy came up to me and said, "Great finish! Where the hell did THAT come from?!" I didn't have time to respond, though. I got rid of my chip, grabbed some water to get "that taste" out of my mouth, and found Ellie for a huge hug. What a moment. Finally!
Heat? Well, considering a chunk of my mileage has been in conditions similar to this and this, perhaps I should be a bit concerned. Then again, 80 is a cold front compared to Chicago.
All this doesn't matter, really. I'm just really excited to run. I'll show up. (Hopefully everyone else involved with the marathon does, too.) I'll strap on my Coleman watch. (Hopefully the race organizers use a slightly more sophisticated timing system.) I'll run. I'll receive a huuuuuuuge hug from Ellie (who's running the half marathon) and my parents after I'm done. Then I'll be sure to let you all know how it went!
Thanks for all the support, guys! It's appreciated more than you know!
My last "long run" is in the books--10 miles in 1:08:30. I ran the first 5 miles in 34:00, so I slowed down a bit down the stretch, but everything is feeling pretty easy and loose...knock on wood. Current forecast for Madison on Sunday is 77 degrees and sunny. That may worry some people, but I got some heat training in last October in Chicago, so I'm ready for it.
Regarding Feet Meet Street's post on Pre-Race Predictions, I have only one:
My bro-in-law graduates this weekend, so it's PARTY TIME!
Ok, maybe not for me. I've got to run 10 miles tomorrow and be back home by 11:00 on Sunday to coach the Plymouth Varsity BBall team in their Spring league.
So, because I won't be saying "bottoms up" all that many times, I insist all of you do at least once this weekend! After all, there are many "Dougs" in the world. But only one guy has an NF Marathon Team Jersey labeled "The Doug:"
You can move on to other blogs. If you need a recommendation, I suggest Nitmos and his thoughts on marathon spectating. Friggen hilarious. I'm going to use some of them next month when Ellie runs Grandma's.
Still here?
I ran 4 miles last night at Parsenn Pace and 6 this morning at 7:05 pace. It felt great, and I think a lot of that had to do with the fact I actually ran the miles on relatively flat terrain. Recently most of my runs have been or some steep stuff.
I needed an extra day to rest a bit after my effort this past Sunday--effort both in eating a ridiculous amount of food and in running 21 miles. Late Monday my low back was still achy, which is pretty typical. Hey, it's the taper, right? I've earned an extra day. I'll get some miles in tonight and continue to heal up. I can't wait for Memorial Day...
This weekend really was a blur. Ellie's Grandmother was celebrated all weekend and I can honestly say it was the most joyous and flamboyant funeral I've ever been to: Ellie with her Great Uncle Jim, wearing some of Grandma Louise's hats.
Many wonderful stories were told and many laughs were shared as we reminisced. I can't say enough about the stories and comeraderie. You can click Uncle Keith's website here for more pictures of odd people in funny hats.
Today, with a belly busting at the seams after indulging in fantastic pastries from the weekend, I set out for a long run--the last long one before the big day. Considering this weekend's diet, I wasn't sure if it would be a 14 miler or a 21 miler. I'd decide after the second lap of a hilly 7 mile loop.
Throughout the first loop I could feel my belly and that I was about 6 lbs heavier (literally--I weighed myself this morning) than I was last Thursday, but I still felt relatively good and finished in a 49:44. The second loop also felt surprisingly good, and I was able to really burn the downhill portions and gut it up the hills, having a decent recovery time after cresting them. Loop 2--1:40:24.
What the heck. Let's do a third. The first half of the loop was the uphill part, and that got a bit rough, especially as the wind picked up. Still, I marched on, with no gut problems any more, and I pushed it home in the last couple miles to finish my 21 miles in 2:31:35, for a 7:13 pace.
Both of my calves are pretty tight at the moment, but overall I'll take it. My confidence has been given another boost, too. Bring it on, Madison! I know you don't have hills like I dealt with today!
First of all, thank you all SO MUCH for your kind words. The running community really can show what they're all about. Case in point:
I contacted the Journeys Marathon this week and explained why we couldn't participate. I was 99% positive that there were no refunds, but I couldn't find their cancellation policy anywhere, so I figured I would just email them and find out. What an absolutely great surprise it was to have them tell me that, while they can't refund our entry fee, they would hold our entry for next year, and we wouldn't be charged if we decided to participate next year. Wow!
Then, at the suggestion of Stat Man, I contacted the Duluth Grandma's Marathon about a late entry, again, not expecting much. They were kind enough to let me in! Double Wow!
I've decided, though, that I'm going to run the Madison Marathon in 2 weeks. I would really enjoy Grandma's but that's Ellie's first marathon, and I'm starting to look forward to being her #1 Cheerleader. A BQ on a day like may steal a bit of her sunshine.
Interestingly enough, I was just in Madison a couple weeks ago and ran a 10K course that happens to be miles 16-22 of the marathon and also includes the largest elevation change on the course. I'm excited for the chance to run Madison and hopeful the weather cooperates.
Last night was a Road-Trail-Road trifecta that I thoroughly enjoyed. First, a 7 mile loop in the Kettles. Then, 3 miles on the IAT. Finish that up with 7.27 miles on roads to get home. Beautiful. The results:
DIST TIME PACE NOTES 7.00 49:03 7:00 (7 mile loop of hills) 0.50 03:25 6:50 (Downhill on Road to IAT) 1.36 10:52 7:59 (IAT) 1.69 12:57 7:39 (IAT) 7.27 50:05 6:53 (Road to Home)
Totals: 14.77 Miles on Road at 6:57 pace, 17.82 Miles Total at 7:05 pace. My legs are currently experiencing some of those "Dull Muscular Ache" that Nitmos is so fond of.
I took my training partners (Cork and Bonnie but not Parsenn--he's still training) out to the IAT for an easy run. I wanted to see what my legs would feel like after yesterday. I covered 5 miles in 46:36 and hit the shower. The terrain, the weather, and the pace combined for a perfect run.
Sometimes I find my life becoming so enveloped in an activity or project that the activity seems to control and dictate not only my schedule, but also my "free time" and even my random thoughts. I can remember back to college, where a Sunday afternoon would be spent thinking about how early I left the library the Saturday before, or how much work I had to do before Monday. I can remember in high school, when my basketball or football game the upcoming night literally dominated my mindset. My parents knew it would probably be best to avoid eye contact, let alone conversation with me--just have my pre-game meal ready when I got home and leave me alone. I would get so twisted up inside my anxiety and anticipation of the game that I would make repeated trips to the bathroom thinking I was going to lose my pre-game meal.
While my running habits pale in comparison to the previously mentioned activities, I occasionally still get wrapped up in the training and the planning and the anticipation of the events. Having said that, running is still an enormously positive aspect of my life. I enjoy it thoroughly but know it is far from the most important part of my days.
Much more important than an upcoming marathon is my family. Last night Ellie's Grandmother passed away, so we won't be heading up to the Journeys Marathon. At least not this year. Am I disappointed? Not really. There are multiple marathons every weekend, and I have plenty of time left to run a whole bunch of them. Right now is time for family. Perhaps in a couple weeks I'll find one and run my 3:10. In the meantime, I guess I've got a couple more weeks to train. I'll only be more ready to BQ when I actually do toe the line. When is that? Not a big deal right now. It'll work itself out.
I can't wait. The current forecast says it'll be B-E-A-utiful this Saturday.
My "long" run yesterday was cut short. I had a full gut of food and a liter of water that was sloshing with each step. It wasn't sitting well in there so I decided to cut the running portion short and get some solid stretching in. Later yesterday afternoon I took Parsenn out for a jog at Parsenn pace, but he wasn't feeling it either. At one point he literally just stopped running in midstride, flopped down in the grass, rolled over on his back, and waited for me to scratch his belly.
I've got two quicker workouts this week and other than that, my goals:
1. Eat healthy. Drink (water) often. 2. Spend some quality time at Parsenn Pace. 3. Make sure I'm not forgetting anything in planning for the weekend. 4. Go to bed early.
That's all for today. Time to distract myself from my excitement for a while!
Yesterday's run was supposed to be my last semi-long run. It ended up being something else: A 20-miler.
Now, I know, I know...before you comment about how this was stupid (It probably was) and with a marathon a little over a week away I should keep the miles down (I probably should), I would like to suggest that this run did more for my mental preparation for the race than it could damage my physical preparation. I ran very successfully on pretty tired legs. I'm more ready than I've ever been.
Ellie had a 17 miler scheduled, so we headed out to the kettles where she would run a 5 mile loop trail, then a 7 mile loop road, then another 5 mile loop trail. She got done with work earlier than me, and as I pulled up to the trailhead parking lotin my car she was just getting done with her first 5 miles. Feeling good so far, she smiled and began "Part 2." Off she went down the road in one direction, and I headed the other. I ran the same 7 mile loop that she did, feeling great the whole way and finishing in 48:03 (6:52 pace). I then ran another 3.2 miles before she returned at 6:30 pace. Despite the hills and the wind, I felt fantastic! I then caught Ellie on the trail loop as she was finishing up her 17 miles (2 miles further than she'd ever covered, and about 4 miles further than she'd ever covered continuously running). With about a mile to go, I could really see the "wheels" coming off for Ellie, but she was a trooper and was ecstatic upon finishing (and NOT faceplanting over a rock or root). I wouldn't trade being with her at that particular moment for anything. She was smiling, proud, and sore. But she had realized she's capable of more than a lot of people thought she was. And the best is yet to come! Now we just need to get her IT Band calmed down.
Ellie headed back into town, and I decided, with my mileage at about 15, that I was still relatively fresh...why not do a couple more miles? I ran a quick out-and-back 5 mile stretch at 6:59 pace.
All in all, I ran a bit over 20 miles in 2:35, with 10 miles at the beginning at sub-7 pace, 5 in the middle with Ellie, and the last 5 miles at sub-7 pace. Now I can taper down, enjoy the anticipation of the marathon, and pray continuously for favorable weather.
