Austin Marathon Race Report
I’ve been thinking about this race report for a while, because originally it was going go something like this: I’m too fat and too old to ever qualify for Boston. The End.
Anyway, I’m over that and I think I can give you a little better account of the race. Lets start with the Expo – I finally got to meet Rebecca of Bondi Bands who happened to have a picture of the most beautiful girl in the world on the wall. That was really a nice surprise.
After the Expo, Marta, Milka and I headed over to a local Italian place where I proceeded to stuff my face with as much food as my stomach could hold. And just so there is no misunderstanding, my stomach is a black hole. I have in the past been so preoccupied with other marathon things that I don’t eat enough the night before a race, although that is never a problem any other day of the year, so for once, go me, I ate like a farmhand. And that is probably a run-on sentence, but I don’t really care.
When we got back to the hotel, we tried on our race shirts – they are pretty cool. They actually gave the women women’s shirts. For some reason, I was very impressed by this. Maybe because I’m not a man.
After the fashion show, I doctored up my foot. I tried several different medieval combinations of tape, blister aids and powder, but I ended up using simple padded moleskin. And it worked great.
Then I got my race shirt ready, and it’s a long story, but basically we watched Talladega Nights the evening before we left for Austin. And I’m sorry if it seems like we were making fun of NASCAR fans, but we were making fun of NASCAR fans. And it was funny. And I laughed until I cried.
The back on my shirt, however, was very inspiring. Have I ever mentioned how much I love that Austin is so liberal and progressive? EVERYONE LOVES OBAMA! Woo Hoo!
We get to the start line with no trouble, we line up and we start the race. This is the perfect place to insert the elevation map, because apparently, I forgot to look at it before I registered or I wouldn’t be running this race. It’s changed quite a bit since I ran it in 2005 when it was entirely all downhill.
Miles 1 through 13 I repeated this about 50 times OH MY GOD I’M GOING TO DIE IF I SEE ANOTHER HILL. And even though I was constantly climbing hills, I was right on track with a 2:22 at mile 13, a 4:45 finish was still within my grasps. But it didn’t last long because at mile 15 I started walking a whole bunch and then I started getting mad at myself for not putting in more distance before the marathon.
I did the strength work, but I just didn’t put in the miles. But then at mile 17 I started remembering that all of these marathons I’m doing before I run Chicago are to get my body more accustomed to the distance. And when I stopped pooh-poohing on myself, I actually got a little faster. So I started thinking to myself that my legs weren’t cramping nearly as bad as they did in New York and I did a much better job at hydrating myself this race. Those were good things. I also didn’t feel nauseous or dizzy at all during this race. And for some blessed reason, my blister didn’t bother me at all. Those were also good things.
I continued to try and pull good things from my experience during the marathon and I don’t think I said my first obscenity until mile 25.5 when I saw a hill that was 90 degrees straight up. I think I started cussing at mile 16 in New York.
I finished 5:09:26. Nothing to brag about, except it is a marathon. My 6th. And I finished it
We had a nice RBF meet up with Brian and Carrie that evening. We chatted about the race and exchanged pictures of spouses and kids. It was fun although I was exhausted and was still obsessing because I forgot to bring my hairbrush to Austin.
The Cowtown Marathon is this Saturday. And I have a little problem.
I’m not sure what the deal is, but this cankle showed up today. I guess if I have to I can always switch to the half marathon on Saturday, but I really don’t want to. I’m going to play it by ear and see what how it feels on Friday. It kind of hurts, but not like really hurts. Only a little achy when I walk or touch it. Other than that, I feel like a rock star.
I’ll have more pictures of the marathon up tomorrow.
Categories: Austin Marathon 2008
Suz!
I am so proud of you! Wicky Booby Rules!!!
Wahoo on the 6th marathon! You totally rock! Now, for the cankle… my sister in law got one and thought it didn’t feel too bad… kept running a bit more… and it got more sore and didn’t shrink. She found out it was a (gasp) stress fracture. Even though it wasn’t majorly painful like other breaks she’d had, that was the cause of the swelling. Just fyi. Hope yours is just stressed out, not stress fractured.
6th marathon- DONE! Way to go Susan. You rock! Now take care of that cankle and go the distance in Cowtown!!
Ps: love the photo of your daughter at the bondi bands table! Too cute!
5:09:26 is NOTHING TO BRAG ABOUT??!?!?! I’d be signing my name Runner “5:09:26″ Susan!
and don’t forget that was all uphill! Imagine if it had been downhill! or flat even!
Whoo hoo! great time. glad you got the blister under control.
Woo Hoo! A finish is a finish, and on a bum foot too! Congrats! I still can’t believe you’re doing Cowtown.
Remember, you are Runner Susan, and getting from A (Austin) to “B” is simple, it’s all about the miles. Just put a very large padded moleskin on that ankle and you’ll be good to go. Good luck
I would be SO happy with that time and double happy because of the hills.
Bummer about the cankle. Ice, ice, baby, ice.
6 marathons – IMPRESSIVE!
Nice job!!
Rest that ankle so you can race on Saturday.
Great race report! Take care of that ankle.
Nothing to brag about? Silly girl – You should be doing the “I’ve finshed 6 Marathons Dance”, but wait until that swelling goes down in your ankle.
Good luck in Cowtown! You can always just do the half, or not at all, we’ll still be here cheering you on!!
Wow. That’s some serious cankle-age, sister! No, it’s sexy. Really. It doesn’t turn me off at all.
Woo Hooo number 6! Well done Susan.
The new measure of how a marathon is going should be when you start cussing. I love it!
great job at the ‘thon. now ice and rest that ankle this week!
Congratulations Susan! The course sounds too hilly for me but you conquered it like a champ. Great job staying positive in the later miles too. Wonder what happened to your ankle? Probably nothing a little R.I.I.C.E. (I added an extra I for Ibuprofen) won’t fix. Great job out there!
Actually, qualifying for Boston gets easier as you get older because the time limits for older runners tend to go up faster than the average age-related slow down.
As for you and being fat … I don’t think so.
Great, great job!
You always get some monster injuries! Makes for great blog fodder, though I’m sure you’d be happy to fill the space with something else!
A congratulated and beautiful marathon run. Beautiful time and well done.
Groet Rinus.
http://rinusrunning.punt.nl/?home=1
p.s.: Went to the rally today & got to shake Obama’s hand!
Obama would be proud of you. I’m glad you might have the nutrition part down. Now, about that ankle (!)
OUCH. Hope that heals up real soon.
What in the hell happened to your ankle?!? Don’t you dare run a full marathon on that thing!! Not worth it!! Thanks for posting the pic of me and Boomer. Don’t we look mean and menacing?!!? GRRRRRR…
Do I witness a Maniac in the mist? Two marathons in two weeks would qualify you as certifiable.
Susan, I like this version better than the one that ends in “The End”. All things considered, you did well. You can qualify for Boston – just get an achievable plan happening that has running in it
Perhaps: http://www.marathontraining.com/marathon/m_mile.html
I hope you scored lots of “Go Ricky Bobby”s. Wisconsin did it – now it’s your turn! Poor Hillsie is looking like a DNF.
Good job turning around the thoughts. It can make such a difference!
Boston here you come
Thomas doesn’t realize that a 4:05 marathon for a 50 year old woman is movin….he needs to talk to me when he is 50 and has lost a bunch of strength/musclemass/lung capacity etc.
FYI the 5:00 is cut-off for female 70-74.
It ain’t easy to qualify for Boston- as it shouldn’t be!
Speedwork, speedwork, speedwork!
…thought I’d make a brief comment about your marathon training…if you are concerned about losing weight, try running slower, but longer, like 60-90 minutes per run…have you ever tried a HR monitor…running in the aerobic zone, say in the 130s for you, should help burn fat…if you are interested, John L. Parker Jr. has a great and easy to read book on the topic…take care
Austin. Hills. Liberals. Farmhand food. Windblown hair. RBF meet ups. Coeds.
I could like Austin.
I hope the ankle is not so fat tomorrow. You’ll know pretty soon whether it’ll work or not.
If you pull off #7 you will force me to find another to run before Chicago.
nice ankle. what worked for mark was to go to china for 7 weeks.
go on.
china needs to see you.
I ran in the Shamrock Half Marathon in Virginia Beach a couple weeks ago and saw the Bondi Bands booth at the expo with Kenza’s picture!