Posts Tagged ‘california international marathon’

Race Report: California International Marathon

Having already decided weeks ago this would be my final marathon, it was only appropriate that my race contained all the iconic aspects: the anticipation, the humor, the pain, the doubt, the exhiliration, the disappointment and the proud sense of accomplishment all rolled up in one.

My last marathon was five years ago, and my 3:43 finish gave me delusions of a BQ for a while – so much so that overtraining led to a series of ankle tendon and back injuries. Last year’s combination of a heart attack and stricter BQ standards put all that out of my head, and actually made running more enjoyable. I’ve logged 1,400 miles this year, and it seemed a waste not to let it culminate in a marathon.

I used to suffer from taper madness, but the combination of racing during the taper and old age just made me feel rested. I awoke at 4 a.m. yesterday morning after a full night’s sleep, completely ready for the race. The weather was cold and clear, in the low 30s at the start, with only light winds. Perfect marathon weather, actually. It was a long bus ride to the start in Folsom, but I simply zoned out.

More than 7,900 people registered for the marathon, and there were another 1,000 relay teams, so it was pretty crowded at the start. I lined up with the 4:40 pace group, figuring it to be right in the middle of the range of where I might possibly finish (4:20-5:00).

Mile 1 – 10:32

Mile 2 – 10:18

Mile 3 – 9:56

Mile 4 – 9:50

Mile 5 – 9:59

Mile 6 – 9:53

Mile 7 – 10:12

Mile 8 – 10:16

I ran an average 10:10 in my 20-mile race three weeks ago, so I felt this 10:07 average through 8 miles was just right. I felt great, the crowds were great (I loved the folks near Mile 2 with the sign “You are NOT almost there!” and the dudes with the “Free ride to the finish” sign). There were Native American drummers, high school bands, people with cups of coffee standing in their driveways, the whole nine yards.

Mile 9 – 10:21

Mile 10 – 10:08

Mile 11 – 10:08

Mile 12 -10:18

Mile 13 – 10:18

Mile 14 – 10:09

I should mention one thing about CIM: Don’t fall for all that “fastest course in the West” and “all downhill” nonsense. The best part of the course is that it’s almost entirely flat after Mile 18, but there are a lot of rolling hills in the first half of the race and they can wear you down if you’re not careful. I was thrilled to be right on 10:10 average pace at Mile 14, but I was having a problem.

Back at Mile 9, I noticed I was listing to the left. I wasn’t experiencing anything but the normal discomfort, but despite multiple efforts to correct my form, I was leaning to one side and kept ending up on the left-side of the road. I didn’t know what to make of it, so I kept pressing on.

Mile 15 – 10:46

Mile 16 – 11:02

Mile 17 – 10:57

Mile 18 – 11:29

Mile 19 – 11:39

I was running along steadily, but both hip joints and IT bands stiffened up on me, and I was no longer listing to the left, but entirely bent to the left. I felt like I was running with braces on both my legs, and my splits suffered accordingly. At this point I was still at an average 10:26 pace with a steady, low heart rate, well-fueled and well-hydrated, and actually feeling pretty strong otherwise. But at this point I made a rookie mistake.

Mile 20 – 12:57

Mile 21 – 12:56

Mile 22 – 13:49

Mile 23 – 13:49

Mile 24 – 13:06

You guessed it – I slowed to a walk and tried to stretch out my problems. Instead, my legs took it as a signal that we were done for the day and completely locked up. I couldn’t comfortably flex anything below my waist. The only good thing about the situation is that running and walking hurt equally, so I shuffled my way through the late miles. I could tell it looked really bad because spectators were shouting to the runners in front of me “You look great! You’re gonna do it!” and then when I would pass they would yell “Hang in there!”

I entered a Zen state as I moseyed along. My legs were so stiff, but I was able to take in the sights and sounds of the last few miles much more so than in previous marathons. The crowds were uniformly encouraging, and it really was a lift to hear them cheer. In previous years, all the noise would irritate me, but this time I welcomed it.

Mile 25 – 13:46

Mile 26 – 13:29

As I passed the final mile marker and made the turn for the Capitol steps, I saw the giant clock and realized there was only one last thing to shoot for. It was fast approaching 5 hours gun time and I thought I would feel better if my finish line photo did not have a “5″ as the first number. So I tried to pick up speed, but my stride was grotesque, and I ended up crossing the line at 5:00:02.

FINISH: 4:56:11. 4,658th out of 5,755 finishers. 298th out of 363 in the 50-54 age group.

God knows what my finish line photo will look like, as I tried to lift my arms and threw myself even further off-balance. My head is probably out of frame.

I got my cookie, bagel and hot tomato soup and found the Lovely Mrs. A., without whom I’d probably still be lying in a little ball beneath the Capitol Christmas tree. She bundled me into the car, got me a giant cup of coffee, and got me home in one piece. She is an angel.

So here I am today, either tethered to a chair or stumbling around like Frankenstein’s monster, but generally content with life. I was capable of running better, but so what? The last seven miles were not a triumphant farewell to marathoning, but just painful enough to ensure that I never do it again. Couple it with how absolutely wonderful I felt after the half-marathon two weeks ago, and I’m really looking forward to being half-marathon guy for the duration.

I probably won’t be running at all for the rest of the month, and will ease into 2012 with a lot of low mileage weeks. My hips are already celebrating.

Marathon Bound

Well, I took the plunge and registered for the California International Marathon on December 4, the day after my 53rd birthday.

I went back and forth several dozen times about the decision, but ultimately I figured if you’re in any sort of condition to run a marathon, you ought to do it, because you never know if you’ll have another opportunity.

I’ve avoided creating a race schedule all year for fear of jinxing myself, but now I’m set, registered and ready for:

* September 11 – Buffalo Stampede 10-miler

* October 2 – Urban Cow Half Marathon

* November 20 – Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey Bay

No pressure, no time goals. Just comfortable running the way I’ve been training for months now.

California International Marathon TV Coverage Far From “Utopia”

It seems to me that if you want your marathon to be a major event, your local media has to treat it like a major event. When it comes to the California International Marathon in Sacramento, I’ve got some good news and some bad news.

The good news is that the Sacramento Bee‘s coverage was thorough and interesting, helped along by the fact that it boasts enthusiastic and talented runners among its staff. But even without that insight, this morning’s coverage got all the essentials, and the photographers not only provided an excellent gallery, but shots of each runner who crossed the finish line – offering them for sale, in addition to those of the race’s official photographers.

The bad news is that the television coverage was excruciating. Three years ago, KCRA-TV aired five hours of live coverage, with a camera on a cycle tracking the leaders, and Dick Beardsley providing color commentary. They even managed a few in-race interviews with middle-of-the-packers. The coverage had its faults, but at least a considerable effort was made. This year we got a shot of the start and a couple of brainless interviews with spectators as part of the morning news package. The local CW affiliate also provided coverage, but it was so bad it was herniating.

The station checked in with a reporter at the finish line in between segments where people sent in photos of their Christmas tree to see if it was straight or leaning to one side. Eventually, men’s winner Tesfaye Girma-Bekele of Ethiopia crossed the finish line and was met by the reporter, who asked him where he was from. When he told her, she excitedly relayed to the viewers, “He’s from Utopia!”

It didn’t get better.

Second-place finisher Josh Cox looked a little puzzled when she asked him if he had run “the full 27 miles.”

When women’s winner Buzunesh Deba responded “tired” after being asked how she felt, our intrepid reporter opined, “No wonder she’s tired! She just ran 26.62 miles!”

Perhaps next year some enterprising sort will put together a small network of running bloggers to fully cover the race with video, photos and interviews, and circumvent the major media entirely. Hmmmm….

Today I Enter the 21st Century

Today’s my birthday, and I found this from the organizers of the California International Marathon in my inbox this morning:

That’s very sweet of them, though slightly mitigated by the fact that this is the third year in a row I’ve registered for the race and haven’t been able to run it.

To make myself feel better, I decided to discard my stone knives and bearskins approach to training and join the digital age by getting a….

Laugh if you will at my Luddite knuckle-dragging lurch into technological relevance, but Best Buy has it on sale and I had two Reward Zone coupons burning a hole in my pocket. Even with the sales tax, it came in under $130.

Now it’s a race to see which will happen first – I learn how to use the thing or I manage to get my mileage up to 20 a week. Place your bets.

You are MINE, little dude.

My First Marathon Race Report – 2005

I found the race report for my first marathon – the 2005 California International Marathon – and wanted to make sure it survived in the archives, so I’m reposting it here. I can’t find my second one, but I’ll keep looking. I ran only four times a week while training for this race, with a max week of 46 miles:

The California International Marathon was my first. The taper was my first, as well, and that was quite an experience.

The first two weeks of my taper were exceedingly uneventful. My runs were steady and easy, and I was so laid back I thought, “This taper madness stuff is so hyped and overblown.”

Then came last week.

Every little problem freaked me out. I reinstalled my entire wireless network even though it was my cable Internet provider that was having the technical difficulties. I scrubbed the kitchen counters three times. I compulsively hunted down the ants living behind my dishwasher.

I did three-mile runs without even breaking a sweat. I sat through the course lecture at the expo with my leg twitching the whole time. I calmed down a little with a pre-race dinner at PF Chang’s (garlic noodles – 610 grams of carbs!) I’ve never been so amped in my life.

I got a full six hours of coma-like sleep. A 4 a.m. wakeup, my usual routine and out the door.

Caught one of the first buses at the Sheraton at 5 for the long drive to Folsom. We got there just before 6.

IT WAS FREEZING!!!

I was in a long-sleeve wicking shirt and tights, plus warmup pants and a sweatshirt and disposable gloves, and I was still bone-cold. Large crowds were huddled in a mini-mart near the starting line. I saw a woman clad only in shorts and a thin top standing by the exhaust of a generator, trying to stay warm. I can’t imagine how the guy in the kilt felt.

I spent the hour before the start shivering and eating a big salty bagel, washed down with some Fiji Water. Out of the porta-potty at 6:50, turn in my sweats bag, and find myself caught in a crowd well behind the 4:30 pace group. No room to move up to the 4:00 group, but I figured I would just start slower.

We took off right at 7 a.m. without ceremony. It was great to finally run, but I couldn’t feel my toes. I went nice and leisurely behind the 4:30 group, wondering why the 4:45 group was running ahead of the 4:00 group.

Mile 1 – 10:06
Mile 2 – 9:58
Mile 3 – 7:48???

The first three miles consisted of my efforts to gradually work my way up to the 4-hour pace group. I was with the 4:15 group by Mile 3, finally starting to feel warmer. The third split was obviously wrong, but I can’t determine which other mile is wrong in the other direction. Oh well.

Mile 4 – 8:42
Mile 5 – 8:52
Mile 6 – 9:13

I caught the 4 hour group at Mile 5, tried to slow to their pace, but kept pulling away. At the Mile 6 turn I was about 50 yards ahead of them. I decided to run my normal pace, checking behind me and in front of me for the relevant pace groups. My cumulative time at Mile 6 was 54:40 – right on pace for a 4 hour finish.

Mile 7 – 9:01
Mile 8 – 8:59
Mile 9 – 8:53

We made our way down Fair Oaks Blvd. and I was maintaining proper pace. I passed the Kilt Guy as a female spectator yells to him, “Nice skirt!”

“It’s a kilt!” he bellows, a little peeved.

Mile 10 – 8:37
Mile 11 – 8:37
Mile 12 – 8:49

I’ve run six half-marathons this year, so it didn’t surprise me to see myself speeding up a bit at this point. We climbed the only significant hill at 10.5, but I was worried about the rolling terrain for nothing. It was hardly noticeable. Unless you run crazy fast in the first half and really burn out your quads, CIM is really a great fast course for anyone – particularly for your first marathon.

Mile 13 – 8:40
Mile 14 – 8:01
Mile 15 – 8:44

This was the most exciting part of the course for me. A huge cheering throng was gathered right after the halfway point, which explains why I ran an 8:01 in the middle of a 9-minute pace marathon. I crossed the halfway mat at 1:57, which was right where I wanted to be.

Mile 16 – 8:39
Mile 17 – 8:24
Mile 18 – 8:46

Felt great at this point - even better than during my long training runs.

Mile 19 – 8:32
Mile 20 – 8:34
Mile 21 – 8:50

The organizers set up a canvas “wall” just after Mile 20 and I blew through it feeling pretty good. My cumulative time at Mile 21 was 3:04:48. I was on pace for about a 3:51 finish.

Suddenly (you knew this was coming, didn’t you?), I started to get a cramp in my right hip. I’ve never felt anything like that while running. The longest run of my life prior to this race was 21.2 miles, so it didn’t surprise me that the pain worsened as I exceeded that. I was very well hydrated, my GU worked magic, and I otherwise felt fine.

Mile 22 – 9:23
Mile 23 – 9:37
Mile 24 – 11:25

I gutted it out for two more miles, but then my right knee started to seize up (in sympathy with the hip, no doubt). About two minutes past Mile 23, I took a walk break of exactly five minutes. It did the trick. Everything loosened up a bit, and I started running again.

Mile 25 – 9:31
Mile 26 – 10:34

Finish – 3:56:29

1,469th of 3,249 finishers
174th of 309 in age group

The hip carried me for another mile at a reasonable pace before cramping again. I found myself praying for this thing to be over. I took a two-minute walk break with a mile to go, then just grimaced my way down L street, past the exceedingly loud and annoying music, around the corner at 8th, then managed a laughable sprint to the finish.

I spotted Mrs. A. at the end of the chute, grabbed her, and started to cry. Not those little tears of joy everyone had, but deep, racking sobs that made my whole body shake.

Once I composed myself, I desperately searched for the food. I was starting to lose it while waiting in line, but the hot tomato soup cheered me beyond measure. I ate just about everything they had, then sent Mrs. A. to the coffee truck for a giant cup with massive amounts of sugar. I felt close to human soon after.

It was a hell of an experience, and something I will remember for the rest of my life.