Cabot Country Cruisers

[npfd609]

Figured I'd start a post for Saturdays Marathon.

Weather is looking great. If anything it may be a little warm for those of us that don't finish in under 3 hours.

What are you stressing over? What's your goals, pacing plans? I'm not stressing and I have no plan yet.

There is an early start available to all runners so I think a few of us may do this to take advantage of the cooler temps before the sun gets too warm. Plus we can say the winner "Ethan" passed us! Probably the only time we will be ahead.
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Arland

Run/Bike/Run
"If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon"

[ccloninger]

Good luck to all of you! Looks like you have a pretty big group and that makes it so fun. Enjoy the leaves, Wynne will be beautiful.
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Live out your imagination, not your history.
Steven Covey

[JWC]

I like the idea of the early start too Arland. How long will it take us to get there?
What are my worries? Like they are with all marathons - sleeping enough during the next few days, having a really "on" day, stomach issues.... good thing about the ankle turn is that I am putting more worries there and not so much on my usual ones.
I have a lot going on this week and plan to hustle to get back to Jacksonville for an event on base - I am hoping that will be a good distraction and motivator during the run.
Goals: Just not sure. I feel strong and have been running well as of late. I have never surpassed a 4:33 - anything below would be a dream! Haven't even gone below a 4:45 as of late - SO - I am thinking about trying to keep a 10 min pace and see where that leaves me. As we all know hitting those higher double digits - sometimes all the planning and pacing goes out the window.
Jackie
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The race is long, and in the end it is only with yourself - Albert Einstein

[vicki ingram]

Enjoy the long distance that you can run. Will be thinking of all of you.
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Until next time, remember, they can’t throw much dirt on you if you’re moving, so keep on running or biking!

Vic

[npfd609]

It shows about 100 miles from Cabot to Wynne by I40. 64 may be 85 miles but its much slower so probably looking 1.5 hours or just a little over time to drive there.

I'm shooting for a 4:45 as my A goal. Anything under a 4:58 gets me a PR so that would be B. C = just finish.
4:45 is a 10:52 pace I think. If it doesn't get too hot I think I can hold a 10:35 for 18-20 miles.....then the real race begins for the next 10k. How bad will the fade be and how much pain can one take.....its all an unknown till race day. Part of the lure of the marathon, you never know what it will hand you.
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Arland

Run/Bike/Run
"If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon"

[JoshH]

Good luck guys and gals!! I cant wait to hear about the PR's you guys bring home.
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Leave Nothing...

[jtrunner]

I wish the marathon was today!!! JT
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"Finish Strong"

[stealthycat]

Good luck to all the Wynners.

Sorry, I could not resist.

[JWC]

Ginny - that was SO bad - but it did make me chuckle out loud.
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The race is long, and in the end it is only with yourself - Albert Einstein

[npfd609]

That was funny, which I took it as Wynners = Winners. Now you could take it as Wynners = Whiners too. Everyone is winners when they cross the finish line!
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Arland

Run/Bike/Run
"If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon"

[stealthycat]

Jackie, that is my lame sense of humor.

[jtrunner]

RACE REPORT: 4 WORDS - WARM AND WINDY WYNNE!!! You know I can't just do 4 words...tough conditions...first half on pace for our goal..turnaround - the headwind was ferocious. You know the feeling that your legs are moving, but you are not going anywhere? I think I would be correct in saying that everyone was struggling. Thank goodness, the rest stops were every mile with not only water and gatorade BUT pretzels, vanilla sandwich cookies, oranges and bananas. I stopped at every one too. Will I do this one again - I am going with Arland's idea - wait until the day of the race to register so you can check out the conditions! Minus the wind and heat, it would be a good race. it was an out in the country course - reminded us of running with our friends in Cabot!
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"Finish Strong"

[npfd609]

Jane pretty much summed it up. It sucked! You train for weeks only to have mother nature throw a curve at you. But that's the marathon. You never know what its going to give you on the day. Like Jane said, we were probably a minute or more ahead of pace through the half. Turn around was a big turn of events. By mile 14 I was ripping off my 4:45 pace band. By 17 I ripped off my PR pace band. Yeah I had two, goal A & B. I really couldn't figure out why I was getting so tired running when my legs felt so good. Of course it was the wind and heat combined, and throw in the never ending rolling hills. But in my head at the time it was me. I really just wanted to get to the finish line so I could apologize to everyone for sucking so bad on the run. Soon after I started seeing other very fast and elite runners walking. It finally dawned on me that it wasn't just me that was struggling. It was everyone. I finally gave myself permission to just let the PR or time goals go away and just finish. I figured at this point I'd just make it a long training run and all the extra walking would help my recovery. After all, we have another marathon in a month. Everyone was run/walking by mile 21. Cone to cone, pole to pole. I even ran to leaves in the road a few times. Finally at the last mile, with about a 1/4 mile or so to go one of the other guys in the GP ran up to me and asked me to help pull him in. I said you help pull me in! I really wanted to walk a couple more times but we ran the last 1/4 mile hard to the finish.

This race was the hardest marathon I have ever done. A lot of it was just mental, fighting the demons in your head for miles and miles but the physical exertion was tremendous with the heat and wind. Would I do it again? Only under the right weather conditions but it really does make for a great supported training run.
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Arland

Run/Bike/Run
"If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon"

[Gabrielle]

My first marathon is done!!!!!!!!!

Not ruling out a second but the next one will be a much, much larger event, lol. Just wanted to post a quick thank you to everybody for the training, support, and company. Could not ask for a more awesome group than y'all. For those who don't know, I do have a blog at www.gabsatrucker.blogspot.com. Have a complete report over there.

Thanks everybody

Gabby

[Gabrielle]

Oh, have to give a shout-out for James. Some of you may have noticed him at the mile 11ish/15ish water stop. There were only 2 volunteers for that station and he stepped in to help them out until 10:30. Some of the other spectators joined in afterwards but he got the ball rolling. I was disappointed when I didn't see him on Hwy 64 the one last time but oh so proud when he told me near the finish line why he wasn't there. Love my hubby so much

Gabby

[JWC]

I didn't mind the temps, but the wind was another story.

For my 5th marathon of the year, a 4:39 is actually my best marathon in the last 2 years. I was staying under a 10 min pace for many miles - at least to m 18. Then things started to fall apart - with the final few miles physically and mentally breaking me down. Near the end of the race, the leading women caught up (I started 1 hour early) and as I watched them walk up the hills and into the wind, I remember thinking that if they were walking, I surely needed to walk too. The fact that I am not really sore today makes me question if I worked hard enough.

The part that really makes me laugh - Gabby and I actually talked about how nice the second half would be - since we were running uphill all the way to the turn around, surely the second 1/2 would be downhill. HA!

Gabby -Great job, it was a treat to get to share your first race with you.
I know that sub 4:30 is in reach now. That is my goal for 2010 - I think I am going to look into the mardi gras marathon at the end of Feb.

Jackie
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The race is long, and in the end it is only with yourself - Albert Einstein

[Gabrielle]

Jane,
Thank you for the card! It was awesome coming home and
finding it in my mailbox yesterday

Gabby

[jtrunner]

Gabby - you are so welcome - the first marathon is always an event to celebrate!
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"Finish Strong"