New training started

I keep thinking that I'm going to have time to finish my race report...it'll happen.

Running:
Saturday 6 miles (2.5 hours volleyball in the afternoon)
Monday: 4 miles
Wednesday: 5 miles

Planned:
Friday: 3 miles
Saturday 8 miles

I've started my 24 week training plan for the Gay Games VII in Chicago. I'm throwing in a marathon March 5th. You know I thought, what the hell, why not run a marathon on my birthday. So, I'm actually completing a 5 week training program for the Napa Valley Marathon (3/5) while sticking to a 24 week training plan for GG VII.

Frank Shorter & my pace group

In the National AIDS Marathon Training Program we have pace groups that we run our long runs every Saturday morning. Each pace group is named after a great marathoner. Our group just happen to be named for Frank Shorter (who just happen to show up to say a few words to us!) This is my pace group at the pasta party with Frank Shorter.

The Race Report

Here it is...the race report. I'll do my best to re-create the run (amazing how 6 days seem to be a lifetime!)
First, I tried to post my marathon pictures, but since they are copyrighted, no go. Here is the link: Race Photos
The ones I am smiling in are at the beginning of the marathon. You can tell when I'm getting closer to the finish line.
I started to get ready for the marathon Saturday night. After the pasta dinner party, I was back up in my hotel room icing my legs. It has become a little ritual I enjoy doing...ice, ice, ice. About 7:30 I placed everything out that I would need for the marathon: Singlet, racing bib, shoes, socks, shorts, body glide, water, gu, energy bars, salt packets, hat, sunblock, and chapstick. I was so excited, I was practically jumping up and down (ok, maybe I was).
In bed by 8pm. Up at 8:30 to go to the bathroom. Back in bed. Turnover. Covers off, covers on. Back to the bathroom at 9. Turn on the A/C. Back in bed. 9:20 look at clock and determine how many hours of sleep I can get if I were to fall asleep immediately (5 hours 40 minutes). Think about how that could be my marathon time if I don't get to sleep. 10pm back to the bathroom. Drink more water and back to bed. 10:40 look at clock once again. Start wondering what it would be like to run a marathon with no sleep. 11:30 back to the bathroom. Drink more water. I start to wonder if maybe I should start eating since I'm getting close. Get back into bed. Finally fell asleep. Alarm went off at 3am.
Hopped into a nice hot shower to loosen up my muscles. Got dressed. Ate a bagel with peanut butter and jelly, energy drink, gatorade, cup of water, banana and cliff bar. One shot of Pepto-Bismol and an Imodium AD. Don't even know if it really makes much of a difference, but I know in my head it does. And isn't life just one big head game anyways?!? Trip to the bathroom before heading down to the buses. One more trip to bathroom before getting on the bus. 4:30am the buses roll to downtown Miami.

No longer a runner...

I AM A MARATHONER!! That's what I started thinking at about mile 23.

Official Time: 3 hours 59 minutes 23 seconds. That is a 9:08 min/mi pace!
Here are other stats:
Overall: 730/7768 (only 2477 finishers, this number may include 1/2er's)
Male: 587/1526
25-29 male division: 62/144

Splits:
10K: 0:59:37
Half: 2:02:07 (21K)
30K: 2:51:16
Final: 3:59:32 (42.2K)

Race Report to come.