2009 portland marathon race report
Message posted by: Mark B.
2009 Portland Marathon Race Report
Synopsis: I’ve talked a lot about the benefits of low heart rate training and the glories of the Nike Free 5.0 running shoe. Minimal footwear and minimal-stress training (and weight loss) had allowed me to show some pretty significant improvements in fitness since June. But one question remained unanswered, even to me: Would those improvements carry over to a marathon, running 26.2 miles at a pace significantly faster than my normal training?
I’m happy to report that the answer was yes. I bettered my PR set last December at CIM by 17:38 – while averaging about the same heart rate. I didn’t break the 4-hour barrier, but I’m okay with that. This was proof to me that my step-by-step training strategy is working.
By the numbers:
Finishing time: 4:06:38 (9:25 average pace, 162 average HR)
Previous PR: 4:24:16 (10:09 average pace, 161 average HR)
PR Margin: 17:38
Average HR: 162 (84% of MaxHR)
Official splits:
Split Pace
10K 56:54 9:10
8.9 mi 1:21:33 9:10
Half 2:00:21 9:11
17.5 mi 2:41:41 9:15
20 mi 3:05:54 9:18
21.1 mi 3:16:39 9:20
26.2 mi 4:06:38 9:25
Fun statistic:
From halfway to the finish, I passed 486 runners, while only 86 passed me.
The gory details
I can’t ever remember being as nervous as I was before Sunday’s race. I got a good night’s sleep on Friday, but maybe a couple of hours Saturday night as I tossed and turned, listened to rain hitting the window and got up to pee more times than I could count as my body began dumping glycogen. When I did sleep, I had the scariest nightmare in memory (child-snatching intruder in house, me unable to speak or move), which kept me wide awake for a quite a while.
I finally got out of bed at 5 a.m. and went downstairs to see if the hotel (which was hellbent to squeeze every last dime out of their guests) had set up its promised breakfast cart. They had, but it was Starbucks pricing: $3 for a bowl of oatmeal(!), $2 for a croissant, etc. Yipes. I didn’t really have any choice, so I got some oatmeal and some pastries for the family upstairs.
The breakfast and coffee did it’s job, and I was back downstairs and heading to the course with 30 minutes to go when I decided one last pee break would be a good idea. Except I found the slowest line on the planet and had to give up and go behind a dumpster (I wasn’t the only one) so I could get to the start in time.
When I got to the start, I wanted to get into the 4-hour pace group, but I was a good 100 feet away from the member of Team Red Lizard who was holding up the red lizard with 4:00 on it. Okay, I thought, as long as I can keep the lizard in sight, it’ll be okay.
Note on the weather: It had rained overnight and was still dripping at 5 a.m., but the rain had passed by race time, leaving broken overcast for the rest of the morning. Temperature: 46 degrees at race time (91% humidity), climbing 5 degrees over four hours. There was some breeze, with gusts to 10 mph, but it wasn’t a factor – other than lowering the perceived temperature by a few degrees.
I was wearing my new RaceReady shorts, a long-sleeved tech T, and my bright yellow Free 5.0s. I wore gloves for a couple off miles before stashing them in my very nifty shorts. I carried 5 Gu, planning to take at least 4 on the 5-mile mark.
They started in waves. I was in the third. 3-2-1 go.
Miles 1-5: The hilly start
The first 5 miles loop through downtown Portland. You hit the first hill shortly after Mile 1, climbing from 12 to 115 feet over the next mile and a half. I tried to relax and keep in control, though my HR climbed up to 167 at one point. I had the 4:00 lizard sign in sight as we crested the hill – still about 100 feet or so ahead of me – so I felt pretty confident that I’d be able to pick it back up and recharge on the downhill.
Going down that hill, I had my first surprise. I heard somebody barking out suggestions behind me, then I saw it was the 4:15 pace leader coming up fast and driving well into the 4:00 pace group. What the heck? I checked the instant pace on my Garmin, and this guy was easily doing an 8:45 pace – a full minute faster than optimal splits for a 4:15 marathon. And when he hit the flats, he didn’t slow down. The consensus of several runners in the vicinity was that this clown was going to destroy many people who’d counted on him to set a good pace.
This, however, helped me make a critical decision: I may keep track of the 4:00 pace guy (who seemed more on target) but I was going to run my own race, not putting my faith in a pace leader who may or may not be paying attention to his own speed. I’m going to be the one in control.
Miles 5-10: The big flat.
This section of the marathon (for mental purposes, I divided the course into logical sections. That way I’d focus on only a few miles ahead at a time) is an out-and-back into Portland’s industrial area. Not scenic, but flat as a pancake. I concentrated on staying in control, cruising at a relaxed pace (my average pace for the entire race was a very satisfactory 9:04/mi) and keeping the 4:00 lizard in sight – I passed the 4:15 guy, but they were right on our tail for miles. At this point, my HR edged up to 160, the upper limit I’d run in my test runs. Could I hold it?
Miles 11-15: Little hills, getting ready for the big climb
The course turns out of the industrial area and into some hills – going from 12 feet to about 50 feet, though it seemed like more – before spilling onto the highway that begins to slowly climb toward the approach of the St. John’s Bridge – the biggest climb in the race. I’d been taking gels at 5-mile intervals and drinking the race drink – Ultima. I felt pretty good at this point, though I was starting to work a little harder and the camber of the road was annoying. Also, I felt the tips of both big toes go a little numb – oh crap – blistering?
Miles 16-1: The Bridge and beyond
A little past Mile 16, the course begins an increasingly steep ascent up to and over the St. John’s Bridge. The peak elevation is 150 feet. This, of course, is where they station the first race photographers – geez, can’t they take photos of people looking fresh? I throttled back going up the hill, allowing my HR to hover at about 170 – I peaked at 173 – to stay below my LT (which I think is in the low 170s). I lost some time, but I didn’t want to empty the tank like so many Portland runners do. Over the bridge, it’s down a steep hill and then back up again (sadistic course designers) before entering the St. John’s Neighborhood.
If the miles in the industrial area and along the highway were a little lonely (other than runners, of which there were so many we had occasional traffic jams), the area past the bridge to the finish was the opposite. The course passes a funky neighborhood and college, so the crowd support was great. It was somewhere around here, too, that a spectator shouted out “cute shoes!” Not too many bright yellow shoes out there…
I was starting to have a little more difficulty at this point, mostly in the GI area. I tend to get nauseous with all the gels, sport drink and motion, and I had to fight the urge to vomit several times during the rest of the race. Losing fluids would be a bad idea, even if it made me feel better to spew. I also had to force myself to keep taking fluids even though I didn’t know if they’d stay down.
Miles 20-26.2: The last 10K.
Somewhere around Mile 20, a guy in a Marathon Maniacs shirt sidled up next to me and started chatting. It was kind of annoying – I was trying to concentrate – but at least he did most of the talking. He was an older guy, and was interested in my shoes – their color and lack of support . This was his 26th marathon, and he was on track to BQ. I thought I’d be with him for the duration until he apparently decided I was a poor pacer and pulled ahead. I wanted to pass him but the tank was emptying, and I was starting to get some discomfort in my hips and butt.
Hold on. Don’t stop. You can do this.
The course goes downhill for several miles after mile 21, and I tried to use them to maximum advantage to keep my speed up. I didn’t have as much luck when the course flattened out and started going up bridge ramps to get back over the Willamette River. Where, of course, they’d stationed more photographers. Sheesh.
I was pushing as hard as I could in the last two miles, counting steps and breathing, focusing on intermediate targets – knowing that while I wasn’t going to break 4, I still wanted to bag as solid a PR as possible. This whole marathon was a giant experiment to prove if low HR training works – and it’d be a shame if I spoiled it by letting myself walk. So I pressed on.
Alita and Alec were stationed at the Mile 26 marker. I gave Alec a high five, turned the corner and tried to floor it the best I could uphill two blocks, a hard left turn and then another block to the finish – where I think six photographers captured me crossing the line.
Here’s the Garmin data:
Mi Split AvHR
1 9:02 145
2 9:14 154
3 9:41 159 (uphill)
4 8:53 155 (downhill)
5 8:36 155
6 9:07 158
7 9:13 160
8 9:06* 160 (missed split, these two miles are average pace/HR per Garmin)
9 9:06* 160
10 9:07 160
11 8:57 161
12 9:29 165 (uphill)
13 8:58 163
14 9:02 164
15 8:57 165
16 9:45 163
17 10:22 168 (St. Johns Bridge. Max HR 173 – 89% of MaxHR) голова болит секс
18 9:15 164
19 9:28 164
20 9:39 163
21 9:46 163
22 9:18 163
23 9:43 163
24 9:58 164
25 10:05 165
26 9:57 168
26.21:55 175 (average pace in last 0.2 was 8:42/mi)
Chip Time: 4:06:38
Average Pace (per Garmin, which said I ran 26.46 mi total) 9:19.
Average HR: 162
Did I already mention that despite fading 6:18 in the second half, I still passed 486 runners, while only 86 passed me. 
Supplemental report: MaraFUN Kids Run: While I was out on the course, Alita and Alec ran a 2-mile kids run. Alec completed it without stopping (other than at an aid station) or having problems with side aches. His mom pointed out that, since Daddy runs at a lower HR, they can run at a steady pace, too!
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