Post Run analysis

Good Job to the training team for completing the Marathon....Special congratulations to Glenn, Maricruz, Fred, Lloyd, and Randy for completing your FIRST marathon! Now that it's over, let's do it again next year! ( I was thinking about laying off marathons for a while, but I changed my mind).

I do not feel so sore today...moving around and stretching last night really helped.

Well, although I beat my Marathon time last year, I did not meet my Marathon goal...not by a long shot. According to all the models, I should have been able to complete the thing in 4:22 or so (given the results I have had in shorter distances up to half marathon) so what happened? Why did I do 5:37?

#1 Lack of Preparation
Okay, no excuses...just lay it on the line...I did not train enough. I only did one 20 miler 3 weeks before the run and my original plan called for three 20 milers. I did not do the 8 weeks of hill work I was supposed to do, so I was ill prepared (once again) for the undulating nature of the course. I did not do speedwork...actually, this wasn't needed, I already have the speed...what I needed was more endurance work...I only averaged about 25 - 30 miles per week ,when I should have averaged somewhere in the 45 - 50 neighborhood (at least for the 8 weeks prior to the taper period).

#2 Overzealousness, Impatience while running
This was a very crowded field. So I got a little impatient whilst running behind slower runners...so I did a lot of zig-zagging to bypass them, and then when there were openings, I would kick it into high gear to make up for lost time...bad move, the result was that I unnecessarily expended a lot of energy, and did have any reserves left when I really needed them. I averaged 8:30 per mile for miles number 3, 7, and 8, which is faster than I needed to go.

#3 Improper hydration strategy leading to Dehydration
I weighed myself the morning of the race at 215. When I weighed myself after the race I was at 206. I lost 9 pounds of water, about 4.5% bodyweight. I was dizzy, naseaus, and a little disoriented...so much so that I just laid in some dirt for about an hour until my head clearerd. When I urined, the coloring was dark...I should have hydrated more frequently.

That's it...all of the reasons for not meeting the goal are mine. The weather was perfect. The course was perfect. The spectators were perfect. The organizers were perfect. My fellow racers were perfect. My racing plan and training plan were perfect. It was my fault that I did not stick to those plans. Anyway....enough ANALysis...let's get real! I have completed 2, I repeat, TWO marathons! What an accomplishment! If you had told me 3 years ago that I would run a marathon, I would have told you you were crazy...now, I am actually making plans for a third...