Cathy Schneider ran the Last Chance Fall BQ Marathon and finished with a time of 3:48:23.
This is a 3 mile loop ran 8 times. The race is solely intended to get runners to PR and qualify for Boston. It is extremely organized and thought out. Shaded and scenic route and great crowd support.
Today this race reminded me that marathons are HARD. After spending the last 10 days sitting at the hospital with my son, I wasn’t quite sure how this was going to go. Within the first few miles I could tell this was going to be much harder than I expected. My legs just would not turn over and I knew I wouldn’t be able to hold the pace. I made it to about mile 14 and seriously thought about dropping out and DNF. However, I kept thinking about my son and everything he had been through the last 10 days. I didn’t want me leaving him for this race to be for nothing. So I slowed my pace and thought about a nice easy training run. I still ended up with a decent time. Not a PR but far from my worst and another marathon under my belt. After I finished I got to FaceTime with my son and received the amazing news that he was being discharged home! It turned out to be an amazing day, PR or not.
Mary Shepherd ran the Patriots Run 50k and finished this distance in the time of 8:33:39, which was a PR!
Patriot’s Run (Ultra), run 9 hours 11 minutes on 9/11. Very challenging run. But I didn’t quit moving and now have a longest distance and some “”easy”” times to beat for a marathon (6 hours 55 minutes) and for a 50K (8 hours 15 minutes). The heat and sun were the challenges with afternoon temperatures up to 92. This run started at noon on a 1.54 loop with about 85 ft of elevation gain on each loop. There was almost no shade until the sun went down. I completed 21 loops, and could have done one more during the time allotted, but decided 21 loops and just over 50K was enough. Having never run more than 20 miles this was a new record on distance, too.
I felt I started out fine, nice and easy using 45/30 intervals and this seemed pretty good for the first 7 miles or so. I did stop for a quick bathroom break at about 7.5 miles and at 8 miles, with the heat and sun becoming more intense I switched to 30/30 intervals. I was able to leave a cooler and food and extra shoes about 10 ft off the course under a tree and made several stops to add more fuel, add water/ice, replenish electrolyte mix, and eventually change shoes. I was feeling pretty worn out after about 4 hours and 16+ miles and knew I could not sustain even that with temperature above 90. I walked for about 2 miles then went to 15/30 intervals. That first run after the long walk was “”hard””. The legs definitely did not want to move. But I kept on and within just a couple of runs, the legs were a little looser. For a few miles I would walk a mile, run/walk a mile at 15/30. Just after 26 miles I changed shoes. When I started back up the sun was much lower, and it was a little cooler and I could do 3 miles run/walk (still at 15/30) and one mile walk. Then it was just run/walk the last miles and run out the last few intervals to where I would stop.
At the end I was stiff and a little sore. It was my legs that held me back this time. For the different parts of the run my HR was pretty good averaging around 133 for the first 8 miles, 120 for the next 8 miles and about 100 for the final miles. This morning there is very little soreness, a lot of stiffness, and insertional Achilles pain that is just beginning to work itself out.
I think there were only a few running the same run I did and when I said I stopped I was in 4th place. The only way someone could have beaten that, though, would have been behind me and done one more lap. Just completing this LONG run was my goal and I’m happy I did.
Jane Papenhuyzen ran the Banff Half Marathon with a finishing time of 2:26:39.
Aimed to run 2:30, so very happy with accomplishment. Felt great throughout. Just a little distracted and slower in the last 2 km as the course had a series of short loops and several extended family members as spectators. Very fun race and amazing to run an in-person race again. Perfect Fall mountain weather at 11c and overcast. Poured rain for about 10 minutes at km 6-7 but rain and cool felt so awesome after an exceptionally hot, dry and smoky summer of training.
Harry Blake ran a Half Marathon (tune up) and finished in a time of 1:26:52.
Lots to appreciate about this race, the first half I’ve run in years and the biggest weekly mileage I’ve managed without getting injured. The course was on a variety of surfaces (road, grass, trail), hilly with lots of winding paths and sharp turns. The mile markers were also very inaccurate. A bit disappointed with the time, but it was still a good workout and preparation for a faster, flatter course in a few weeks time.
David Hammar ran the Daytona Speedway 15K, finishing this distance in the time of 1:13:28. This was a personal record by 5 minutes!
Run on the Daytona Speedway track, 82/98% humidity at 5:30 a.m. , threw the planned paces out the window and entered survival mode under these conditions. Paired up with my own personal pace guide, no one else around us. No lights on the banked turns. We traded off leading a few times. Took off on the last 1000 meters on my own, four story spiraled ramp to go up and down to cross the highway to get to the finish line. Pretty unusual race but good memories.
Caroline Mihalski ran the Last Chance BQ.2 Marathon and finished with a time of 3:37:11.
3:37! I have decided it is my sweet spot. I had hoped and was on track for a 3:31-3:33 during the first 20 miles and then lost time during the last leg of the marathon. I am proud of myself as I did everything I could. It was a marathon, which isn’t easy. It was hot…but I am proud of myself for all my grit and hard work. On to the next one!
