Marine Corp Marathon - My Mile Splits

Untitled by ysolomia at Garmin Connect - Splits

The "tale of the tape" as they say in boxing. All 26 of these babies. Everything after mile 26 is me hitting the Start button on my watch by accident trying to get the watch uploaded to Blogger. My fingers are dumb like that. It's pretty interesting to go back and see how I felt and how it all worked out.

Marine Corp Marathon. Saving the best for last.

The day before the Marine Corp. Yep, they got 6" of snow in Hagerstown, MD, less than 2 hours from D.C. This pic is for Michael!


Holy shiz! I can hardly see out of my window Batman!

I think that writing race recaps are the toughest thing to do. I don't want to make it so long that it bores the heck out of everyone, yet I feel like I have a million things to say.

So, lets do the details.

Finish Time 4:40. Pace 10:40

Times I cried during the run - 2
Once at 6.42 when I passed the team that was running for Autism and again at 10.42 when I passed a soldier carrying a flag. He was in full gear.


Bib pick-up. These guys looked amazing. Men in uniform. I like.

I stopped my watch at 26.2 and it had me at 4:37 with a pace of 10:35. Obviously we're splitting hairs but that 4:37 would give me a marathon PR. Just saying. At the end of the day I like to think that I've broke even.

I ended the race with the same pace I started the race. I'm thrilled with that and if you would have told me that I would have put up that time the day before I would have told you that you had lost your ever loving mind. From the very beginning I knew that I had to A. protect my leg and B. eat GU's and plenty of them and keep myself hydrated.


I can't remember what mile this was but it beats most of my training runs and the neighborhoods I run through.

I had a couple of race scenario's in my mind of how things would play out. I wanted to keep a pace where I was 100% comfortable and not working hard, taking deep breaths and keeping my upper body still and quiet. That ended up being 10:23. There were so many times when I wanted to cut loose and really go but I made myself just sit tight and I'm glad I did. About mile 23 I was feeling the glycogen levels hit zero and I was coming in on fumes. I'm proud of the fact that I maybe walked .25 of this entire marathon and sheer will power kept the legs motoring. I broke it down into sections, the first was 13 miles, miles 13-18 and then 19 to finish. Now that we've got that out of the way...

I didn't know it at the time but I couldn't have picked a better hotel. We were right next to the Pentagon. EXACTLY right next to the Pentagon and the START line was just on the other side which meant that I didn't have to wake up until 6 am to get ready. Ka-ching.




Capitol Hill, where nothing takes place...a lot.

Our evening outing to the Pentagon. I thought the place would have this heavy perimeter with guards everywhere but it didn't. Now, security cameras are another story. There were signs everywhere you looked telling you not to take pictures. I didn't...except, this one that is.

Re-wind a day. The expo was the best I've ever been to. They had a seperate tent outside the DC Armory where you pick up your bib from a finely clad Marine, then you enter the actual Armory to visit the expo. There were booths as far as the eye could see AND the whole place had red, soft carpet that was easy on the legs.

After the expo my husband and I drove through a snowy D.C. to visit the Newseum downtown. I'll do a seperate post on this place. It's a seriously great spot to hit if you're in town. It's right down from the Capitol building and we sat down on a bench next to a window in the museum and just watched the snow fall outside. I loved our afternoon. With three kids we never have much time to spend together so this was a serious change of pace for us. I dug it, big time.

Then it was check-in time at the hotel, sacked out on the bed, played Angry Birds on the Nook and watched some football before heading over to a local steakhouse for some running fuel. I suck at playing Angry Birds but I AM good at eating. He had crab cakes, I had a baked potato. Glycogen. It's what's for dinner.

Told you I was horrible at writing race reports.

I do wanna say this though. Time and time again I kept hearing this race referred to as "the people's marathon". The entire time I was never alone, I was always surrounded by people, just like me, putting themselves out there, pushing themselves, running for someone or something, a purpose that only they traveled with. It was the BEST feeling to be there, no matter what the outcome. Each time I pass the 13 mile point of a marathon I learn something new about myself and yesterday was no different. I don't give up. Anything less than that feeling of needing a trip to a medical tent at the finish is not a big effort from me. My right IT Band went south about mile 19 but at that point it was about how bad I wanted to trudge on. Pretty bad...and I just kept going.


A very pleasant .25 mile run up to the finish. Who thought up this great idea?? It's a fitting end that reminds you to zip up your running suit, the race isn't over yet!

Mrs. Martinez goes to Washington

Marine Corp Marathon - taking me into the heart of political gridlock.

The other day I was driving in the car thinking about this entire year, how the highs have been pretty high and the lows...well, just about as low as they can get in terms of running. I love running. I love running like Jack loved Rose. How he clung to that headboard in freezing temps. That was me, clinging to running's headboard.


"Don't go running, don't you say your goodbyes!"

I did have to say goodbye to my dreams of a new marathon PR but not to running itself. I'm lucky that I'm still hanging on. Yesterday I finished my 4th round of ASTYM PT for my IT Band and I'm feeling pretty great. My PT guy and I have a running joke about how I'm gonna show up covered in bruises and that'll be my referral system. Anyway, I kept thinking of that phrase - "When God closes a door, he opens a window". I got a window. Sunday I get to climb through it to spend some more time doing something I love. People ask me if I still have a goal time and I DO! Even though I'm still going to run cautiously, I think I can fairly easily pull down a 4:50 - 4:59.

Now, if you wanna follow me - my bib number is 10614. They have a runner tracking feature set up on their main page so you can follow. I think you have to enter the runner name, which, if you don't know already, mi name es Julie Martinez.
www.marinemarathon.com

I hope to spend tomorrow picking up my packet, napping, eating, and taking a quick trip to the Pentagon. I've been all over D.C. and driven past it quite a few times but since it's so close to the hotel it'll be prefect for a nice outing!



WISH ME LUCK!! See you guys on Monday!! Thanks for being being around for me all these months! You guys have been my mental glue :)

Leave me alone, I'm tapering

We moved from complete marathon inhilation to just wearing masks. I ran 10 miles and walked 10 miles since my last visit to the PT on Thursday of last week and I've been feeling pretty good since. No pain. Well, I have pain from the bruises of the treatment but other than that it's just whatever my imagination thinks we're feeling.

I go back late this afternoon for another round of ASTYM scraping.

I also have to remind myself that yes, tapering is tough. I would rather be running but I just ran a marathon less than two weeks ago. If I'm not ready now, well, I never will be. Plus, my leg needs to rest more than my brain needs me to run. I plan on swimming my way into the race this weekend!

The Good NEWS!! My partner in crime / running is coming with me on the trip!! YAY!! I won't be alone!! I'll have a cheering section and the best part is that he's gonna be on a bike so I can plan on seeing him during my run. This makes everything better. Plus, he drives me around. I dig that. Makes me feel more important than I already am.

ASTYM - The last branch on my injury tree

It's 4th and long with 10 seconds on the clock. My right IT Band better put on some sticky gloves and look lively, cause we have - count em' - 8 days left till the Marine Corp Marathon. I tried to run 6 miles yesterday and was OUCH by mile 4. I told you guys coming out of the Louisville Marathon that I was sore but I knew in my mind that I had reached DEFCON 1. I made an appointment with a physical therapist on Monday to try out some ASTYM. I'm desperate and frankly, this is the last stop that the injury train makes.



What is ASTYM? You gets your entire leg and lower back scraped with several, sharp plastic device. They lather you up in coco butter and widdle away on your leg like they're building an American Bald Eagle from a 100 year old oak tree. It's painful but the concept is the remove old injury tissue and replace it with new healthy tissue. My right leg, it's safe to say, is full of scar tissue and bad mojo. The good news is that it works quickly. When he was working on my knee it sounded like someone was jumping up and down and a box of Capn' Crunch cereal. I'm bad tissue poor. By the time I got home my entire right side was covered in bruises.

Let the healing begin!

By the time I got home I was able to walk up and down the steps without that nasty hot spot on the outside of my knee killing me. Mr. Scrape My Leg has made is way to the top 10 on my Christmas list and he doesn't even know it.

I go back Monday and Wednesday to get scraped again. Merry Christmas leg!

** Thanks for all the costume ideas!! I just checked the weather and the high is suppose to be 59 degrees!! AND SUNNY! I'm going to the store this weekend to put something together! I have some zebra striped socks so I think I'm going to build on that!**

A Flare for the Fabulous! I haz it.

I have nothing intelligent to offer today. Wait, do I EVER having anything intelligent to offer? I ocassionaly play Words With Friends on my IPhone AND AND AND I'm pretty good at Jeopardy. See, just turned this blog into Two Things Wednesday. I just made that up.

I tried to steal my finish photo from the Louisville Marathon off their website but it wouldn't let me SO I took a pic of it with my IPhone and then emailed it to myself. You know the drill.


After you marvel at the jump, check out my sunglasses! I look like I'm ready to make a fun design in a cornfield with my alien friends!

Anyway, last night I took the kids shopping for their Halloween costumes. We weren't there 5 minutes and I realized that I not only wanted to be a hot dog but also a bottle of mustard and Mario. We spent well over an hour trying on almost everything.


My friend Michael and I came to the conclusion that Halloween is a woman's rite of passage to be able to dress up like a smelly pirate hooker, yet not be judged at all. For one night she can be anyone she wants to be. No inhibitions. Just so long as it's not a work sponsored party.


I tried on masks...and lots of them. I dared the sales associates to even think about telling me to stop. I was on a Mardi Gras roll. And I realized.....



That I have a flare for the fabulous! Kinda like Carson Kressley on DWTS. Well, was on DWTS.



I'm thinking about dressing up for the Marine Corp race. Wearing a tech shirt but maybe a fun skirt or some bumblebee things on my head. I love the mask but I would actually like to have skin left on my forehead and bridge of nose when I cross the finish line. Any ideas to make me that much more appealing to onlookers??

An ounce of perspective

I've been running for about three years now and I have to say, this has easily been my busiest running month EVER. So far I've raced Every Single Weekend. I've enjoyed it, because for me, the hard work is waking up at 4 am to do a 20 miler....ALONE. I love being in a crowd of people that are all running in the same direction. I would imagine that I'd have a great second life as a salmon swimming downstream, or wait, is that upstream??

I've been over thinking my trip to D.C. for the Marine Corp Marathon in two weeks and I've had to force myself to just shut my mind up and do it. Here's the deal....I don't know if my husband is going to be able to go. That means I drive 9 hours one way with no cheering section. Devastating. Well, hurricanes are devastating but this feels no bueno. I'm subtly begging him.

Secondly, is my IT Band. The other day I posed a question to myself, as I often do while roaming around the house searching for fugitive dryer sheets. I said "self, why would you drive 9 hours to run a race that you can't possibly PR!? Is that not a waste of time and resource?"

THAT question, is full of negative thoughts that have no business in my running life. I get asked all the time when I'm going to get better. When my IT Band will heal itself? Trust me when I say...I WISH I KNEW! I roll, I stretch, I'm a slave to the well-being of my right leg, just so I can run 26.2 miles pain free at a pace much slower than what I'm capable of. I've come to not care about my time but enjoy the fact that I'm still able to do this. That, my friends, is the bottom line.

How am I so sure that's the bottom line? I'm a HUGE believer in signs. This was a biggie!


100 years old and finishing a marathon.

Reading his story made me realize why I love everything running has to offer. Mr. Singh is a poster child.

Everything else feels pretty trivial and petty after reading his story.

So yes, I'm going to D.C. and I'm going to love every minute of it! I'm going to nestle in with the 5 hour pace group and pass them swiftly at the finish for a 4:59! HAHAHAHA!! I was so completely overwhelmed and inspired by everyone that was out running Sunday in the Louisville Marathon. It makes my heart swell to see people running with smiles on their faces and believe me, there were tons! One day I will be o.k. and I can get back to pushing myself towards goals that I know are attainable. For now, I'm going to enjoy the fact that I can run. Period.

Louisville Marathon - Small but Wonderful!

A read an article in my recent copy of Runner's World that said that I would be doing justice to my glycogen levels be gaining 4 lbs in carbs leading up to my marathon. I managed to gain 3 lbs. and I'll attest to the fact that I never hit the wall NOR ever caught sight of a wall during yesterday's 26.2. The tank was topped full. This past week I never went without pancakes, waffles or white rice. Or bread. Or pasta. Or tortillas. I welcomed them into my world with open arms. I was an equal opportunity carb loader.


This guy stalked me everywhere I went, just waiting for food to hit the floor.



So, Sunday morning, Courtney and I met up at the Horse Park, loaded all of our gear up and made the trek to Louisville at the fun hour of 5:30 am. This race is so small that we were one of the first people there to pick up our stuff and watch some guys blow up the START / FINISH line with a pump. Interesting. I think the race director said they were expecting somewhere around 400 people total. I think he was lying a little bit. Let's call it 200 and be happy with that. Of course you're always nervous at small events because you're never really sure if you're gonna be routed through the ghetto.

We met up with my friend Ernie, his wife and a friend of his and my friend Janice who took me on my longest ever run of 17 miles last year when I was training for Philly. Janice makes me wanna be a better runner. Plain and simple.



Whatever preconceived, nervous notions I had rolling around in my head were soon gone. I loved the ENTIRE run. It was beautiful. It was flat and it was fast. Period. The bad news was the heat. It was pretty strong the last 2 hours of the run. Shake n' Bake is only fun to say when you're not in heat.


The blistering afternoon journey back to the finish left us wishing for the 4 mile mark along the river banks of the Ohio.

All was well until about mile 14. My bestest running friend wasn't feeling great and the heat and distance were beginning to rear their ugly head in the form of self doubt. I knew how she felt because I had been there before. She's had a rough go of it lately with training setbacks because of her hip. I wasn't interested in time but I wanted to make sure that she could push through because she's headed to NYC in 3 weeks. She got the lucky Wonka ticket and although I'm happy for her, I'm bummed that I don't get to go and run it with her. I'm jealous and'll just go ahead and admit to it now.



Anyway, we made a plan for the final 11 miles and that was to put Jeff Galloway and his trusty run / walk method to work. we would do 3 and 1's and then 5 and 1's. We even ran the final 2 miles solid back into the finish! To a PR finish!! She was incredibly strong yesterday and it's why I love running with her! She ran when she didn't want to and didn't think she could. It was friggin' awesome! I think you should earn a special little kiddie pool of your own when you finish and do so despite feeling like crap.

The halfway point. I'm glad this guy didn't stand up to actually direct us with his arms or one of those airport direct-the-plane guys things cause he would have stroked out from all the excitement.


Check me out at mile 21! This water fountain was on the COURSE!! ON THE COURSE! I think back as to why I didn't lay down on it for a minute or so??

It was a great day! My IT Band was ok. Just ok. Tomorrow I'm gonna need some feedback so be prepared to participate!

Louisville Marathon. That's 26.2 if you're counting.

Today at work I was having a conversation with my boss about running. He's not only a great runner but also a Boston Qualifier AND a Boston Marathon finisher. I remind him all the time about how great he is, not to suck up but because he's reached the mountaintop of running and I like to remind him of that. He normally just drops his head and shoo's me off the subject. He said he had a bad race on Boston day but I don't believe him. I would love to be showered with praise and glory if I ran Boston. Check back in with me on my 60th birthday. That's when we'll talk about qualifying.

Anyway, back on subject, I was telling him that I'm running Louisville this Sunday. He said that I'm crazy for running so many races this month aaaaand he's probably correct. But, I only live once and my legs will rest when I'm 6 ft. under. For now, they have work to do.


Me n' Courtney before the Tri For Sight back in September.

The goal is not to PR but to help my friend Courtney PR. She said that she didn't want to share her best time so I won't spill the PR beans on my blog but I believe that she can do it. Of course though, it's not about me believing, it's about her believing. My role is to pace and help keep her from thinking about miles 17-26.

I wish I could run with arm fulls of tabloid to make the time go by faster.


The Water Tower loop. Part of the Louisville Marathon course.

The Louisville Marathon isn't the sexiest marathon that's ever been run BUT it'll do the job for now. It's motto is fast and flat, which I believe because I've PR'd on a 10 mile course that's part of the marathon earlier this year. This'll be my last hoorah before the Marine Corp Marathon! I can't believe this month is almost over. I can almost watching my running self age.

I'm almost afraid to stop the marathon training schedule for fear that I'll have to start all over again. It's easier just to make my long weekend runs 20 miles than to take it down to 9. It'll feel like throwing away candy a month after Halloween. Keep it around, it's good all year. I think.



Also! As you well know, I'm very Type A. I like what I like. The thing I like most right now - my Buff headband. You've seen them wore on Survivor as tube tops, headbands, bracelets, socks, who knows really but anyway, I won my first one a month or two ago from Kari from Running Ricig and I'm officially in love! I wear it ALL THE TIME. I would even wear that damn thing to a cocktail party if allowed. I've had nothing but great runs while wearing it and now I consider it lucky which makes it twice as doomed to be glued to my head permanently.

If you don't have one, go check them out! Buff didn't ask me to say that though. It would be awesome if they gave me one - BUFF ARE YOU LISTENING?? To review, for you guys. I will not display it as a tube top, that's my only condition.

Bourbon Chase. I did shots at 7 am.

Well, for the second year in a row I conquered the Bourbon Trail. 200 miles of sleepless nights, heavy hills and Taco Bell drive-thru's. My IPhone became my loyal companion for not only giving me some music while running out along the highway next to a cornfield at 10:30 pm but also for taking pics of all this nonsense along the way.

Instead of writing some big long re-cap I'm just gonna let my crappy camera pics do the talking.


Van 1. Whatever you do, don't stare into the t-shirts for too long. Not responsible for what will happen to your cornea's.


This was the starting line. Really, I'm standing on the course taking this. Those are the Whiskey Bent Valley Boys and they're CRAZY POPULAR around here. I could listen to them all day. I was pumped to be the first runner at Jim Beam. They were giving out free shots and free back packs. What can drunks gather up to put in those backpacks I wonder??


I love that this is an "adult" event. People go all out in decorating. I would safely say that about 2/3rds of the vans are decorating with items purchased at adult novelty shops. My favorite van was "Corn Stars....we go all night long". They had corn cobs strapped all over their van. Anyway, you get the picture. Really though, what more can you expect from a race that's centered around liquor???


This was the van from an all-girls team. They had Barbie dolls strapped to the roof of the van, most half naked put into inappropriate poses. It was AWESOME! I texted this pic to my friend Michael, to which, she responded with that song "come on Barbie lets go party!". I sang that song for the rest of the day.


Welcome to Makers Mark. You're greeted with a DJ playing music at the point where Van 1 is done and Van 2 takes over! Last year I didn't tour all the distilleries but this year I went through every last corner and marveled at the mash.



I was never so happy to make it to a rest point. My first leg was 7.1 miles and it was all uphill! ALL UPHILL. I'm not being a baby but it was ALL UPHILL! I finished with a 9:59 average time so I was taking that and smiling about it. Holy crap was I worn out!! Plus, it was 85 degrees out. Running on a highway in 85 degrees is for criminals on work release.



Gearing up for my 2nd leg at 10pm by mauling an alien strapped to the back of van. This run was 4.3 miles up a highway somewhere that I can't remember really. It was my best run of all 3. I averaged 9 min flat miles. Something that never happens for me. I even held off a guy that tried to pass me. I had zero IT Band problems for all 17 miles. Cant really figure out why but I'll take it.



At 2 am our van became inactive again, we drove straight to Taco Bell, ordered like drunks, drove to Four Roses distillery, parked out in a grassy field and proceeded to get 2.5 hours of sleep till I had to lead us off again on our last run. It was hard waking up knowing I had to haul ass down country roads and along another long highway. To be honest though, my legs felt great. It was 30 odd degrees outside and I was in a t-shirt and shorts. I took off and once again made another great run just a few seconds off my night run. It's crazy to be running though and see someone two miles up ahead and know that you have all that way to go.

Once we were finished I had to clean off and clean out the van we had fouled up so badly and turn it back into the rental car company. Went home, took a shower and then came back to downtown Lexington to run with my team through the finish line. It seriously felt as if we had been running together for a week.

Soooo, rest for the week and get ready for the Louisville Marathon this Sunday. Have I lost my mind??

I'll be Haulin' Oats

Do these guys look like the need a restraining order OR do they look like they could sing a pretty good rendition of "private eyes". I'm trying to decide. Hmmm???



This Friday and Saturday I'll be doing the Bourbon Chase. It's a 200 mile, 12 man, relay team across Kentucky to celebrate hard liquor. We'll literally be haulin' oats! HAHAHA! I'm so funny sometimes. I did this last year and LOVED it!! The down side was the lack of sleep but what I lost in snooze, I made up for with crazy 3 am conversations with van mates. I love those guys. I would even let them borrow my toothpaste and baby wipes. Generosity runs deep when you love someone enough. Put THAT on a Hallmark card.

Anyway, here's my story. I'm the 1st RUNNER! Ricky Bobby said that "if you ain't first, you're last". Well, that's true Ricky. Last year I was the anchor and this year I'm the lead off runner. Shake n' Bake.

Leg 1 - Starting at the Jim Beam visitor center. The majority of this leg is run on a trail / abandoned road. 7.1 miles

Leg 13 - Continue the straight shot up US 150 with the same wide shoulders and sweeping vistas aka horse and cow farms. 4.3 miles

Leg 25 - Somewhere in Anderson County and the hills are steep!! Wrap it up IT Band, it's your time to shine! 4.7 miles

Then at the end on Saturday we'll all be rewarded with this beauty. More hardware for the home! Plus, all the distilleries set up shop at the finish so you can drink all the bourbon you want. I'm just a beer drinker but have yet to find a 200 mile relay race celebrating a frosty can.

Mo' Cowbell Half Marathon sans Christopher Walken

It was almost 6 hours from my casa to go meet Michael for the Mo' Cowbell Half Marathon. It's been quite a few years since I've driven out west...or at least that far. I've driven all the way to Montana from Kentucky (bragging) but I always venture north around St. Louis. Traffic was jam packed which gave me tons of time to stare out off into the distance at the St. Louis Arch. I wondered what it would be like to be at the top during a massive storm and if I would cry or not? Would I become hostile?



Sometimes around 2 we met up for packet-pick up at the Ameristar Casino! This was a sign that these race people knew how to get it right. You could literally pick up your bib number and be playing "hot slots" within 30 seconds. Hakuna Matata.

Anyway, we walked and talked and finally decided to play some slot machines and take pictures acting like juveniles. So, this security cop who works there comes over and says we have to stop taking pictures. I wanted to ask him if he's seen Ocean's 11 but I figured with talk like that, I might never see the starting line the next day, only some jail cell where they throw mouthy casino criminals. Casino Jail. Probably where Joe Pesci is hiding. No one ever sees him anymore.

Anyway, I lost 20 and Michael won 20 so the house broke even on us. I say we came out on top because we scored pictures we were asked not to take! Take that casino rent-a-cop. Caesar's Palace laughs in the face of riverboats!



I would love to go into detail about our pre-race dinner but no amount of pictures or tale telling could do it justice. The tip should have been that it was recommended from the front desk of our hotel. We were seated and had butter packets and club crackers set in front of us. And when they said cheesy lasagna, THEY WEREN'T KIDDING. I won't be able to use the bathroom for a week.



Fast forward to race morning. It's cold so we both grossly overdress. It was in the 30's when we left the hotel but 70 by the time we crossed the finish line. Welcome to St. Charles. The race start was super cool! My guess is that we set a world record for simultaneous cow bell ringing.



The race started along the banks of the Missouri river and wound it's way through a park or so, we went down a highway, into a neighborhood that looked like it was a movie set. I'm not exaggerating. I kept telling Michael to keep her eyes peeled for Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. We came upon this HUGE monument. Usually monuments are FOR something. Well, not this one. I think the neighborhood ass-ociation just thought it would be cool to dedicate it to themselves and then bill it out in their ass-ociation fees. Michael and I thought we would stop and use that huge thing as backdrop for mile 6!


Here's to you big, white thing sticking out of the ground!

This was, without out a doubt, the best race that I've run. I think it was half number 7 for me and I loved it. The shirt was amazing. The medal was beautiful. The course was one of the prettiest except for the sewage smell in mile 1. The volunteers rang cow bells till they were blue in the face with smiles.

AND......AND MICHAEL HAD A PR by 13 minutes!! I was so happy for her. She ran so hard and it showed! She pushed through even when she didn't want to and that's what counts!!!