[Hanging Jury]

My first race at this distance. I have run 4 marathons, and thought I should push the pace over my last marathon pace (8m04s pace).<br><br>
I was concerned about the wind and the chill. It was low 20's at the start and there were expectations of 15-20 mph winds. The wind was to be at our backs for the first 8, and then cross and head winds for the rest.<br><br>
Summary: I overdressed and went out too fast. 2h35m21s (watch time).<br><br>
Splits:<br><br>
1. 6:52 (whoa! Slow down!)<br>
2. 7:07 (still too fast)<br>
3. 7:27 (better.)<br>
4. 7:05 (too fast!)<br>
5. 7:23<br>
6. 7:25<br>
7. 7:37<br>
8. 7:49<br>
9. 7:39<br>
10. 8:06 (getting tired, my 10 mile time was just under 1:15:00)<br>
11. 7:52<br>
12. 7:45<br>
13. 8:10 (My half marathon time would have been approx. 1h37m30s)<br>
14. 7:52<br>
15. 8:27<br>
16. 8:24<br>
17. 8:09<br>
18. 8:05<br>
19. 8:32<br>
20. 8:03<br><br>
All in all, I am very pleased with the time. I feel like I ran way too fast for the first 4 miles. I feel like that got my HR too high and that I was trying to settle in to a decent and comfortable pace for the rest. I never had a stretch where I truly felt comfortable.<br><br>
Every marathon I've done, I have had a few miles where I felt effortless. Not so with this race.<br><br>
I think I may try and focus my diet some more, do some strength training, and also focus on HR.<br><br>
Also, the concerns about cold and wind turned out to be unnecessary. I took off my hat and gloves about 2 miles in, and dropped a jacket at about 8.5 miles. I sweat buckets.<br><br>
A very good event and was pleasantly surprised to find out they dropped the long sleeve cotton shirt for a short sleeve tech shirt (I would probably never wear the long sleeve cotton...)<br><br>
Official results are not yet posted on the web. I did see the print out after the race and know I was 89th overall. I think there were 350-400 runners.<br><br>
HJ

 

[merigayle]

Good job on your race! Are you training for a marathon? I find i often overdress in cold weather. Layers, lots of layers <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif">

 

[Hanging Jury]

Meri:<br><br>
Thanks! Yes, the Ottawa Marathon in May. Then, the Jay Challenge in July...<br><br>
I think the layers was fine, but I got sweaty quite early. I wore a compression top and a fitted tech top and a sugoi wind jacket that has a little bit of lining. Just too much up top. I probably should have worn two layers, not three.

 

[Jensparks]

Nice job HJ! A headwind can really sap your energy too, so that probably also played a part in the few miles that were slower than planned. You rocked it!<img alt="banana.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/banana.gif">

 

[JJJessee]

Congrats on placement HJ<br>
Thanks for the report<br>
Have fun at the Jay<br><br><br>
jjj

 

[Liam3494]

Nice job, and pretty fast too - Augurs well for Ottawa -We'll be watching <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"><br><br>
Liam

 

[Hanging Jury]

Thanks for the nice comments. I realize I don't write a very nice report the way you guys/gals do.... I will try and get better at that aspect. Anyway, I appreciate the support!

 

[toe jam on crusty feet]

Great job! I am glad you were pleased with the run!!!!<br><br>
I think a 20 miler would be the perfect distance..... the last 6.2 of a marathon are the sucky part!!

 

[Hanging Jury]

I thought so too, then I went out too fast and never really got in a groove. The last few miles of each marathon have been tough for me, but at least there has always been a 10 mile section that was comfortable....<br><br>
I'm not sure what to make of the distance.

 

[toe jam on crusty feet]

interesting.... I ALWAYS got too fast, whether it be speed work, tempo run, hill work, long run, or race. Even with my Garmin this morning I did my Yasso's too fast <img alt="sad.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/sad.gif"> I am unfixable.

 

[CT Marathoner]

Hanging Jury -nice report and congrats! How did you pick MV? My friend has a house right at mile 18 so we stayed there, and she ditched her gloves and hat right by her house (alittle too late) --I finished right ahead of you (2:34)<br>
although I was out of gas for last 4 miles --I was also way overdressed -it was difficult to gage because it was chilly at the start --I wore a heavy underarmour t-neck and windbreaker and it was just too much -tied the windbreaker around my waist and put the gloves in back of my tights --<br>
everyone was complaining of being over heated at miles 3-10 so you were ot alone. My first mile was about 7:55 ---and I moved down to steady 7:30s til mile 15 --so my splits were similiar to yours. I had run a hilly 20K the weekend before and was a bit tired...Good luck in ottawa and Jay mtn. ----that will be exciting<img alt="roll_eyes.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/roll_eyes.gif"> -uphill, downhill, bushwhacking...<br>
great job on a windy, cold and long course!

 

[Hanging Jury]

CT M.... It seems you probably ran smarter than me. In hindsight, it think a 7:55 first mile would have been a good idea for me. I'm developing a plan that I think will help me. I think it is what I would have objected to before, as it can seem counterintuitive..... I am now planning on running a negative split...!<br><br>
Anyway, I'm glad you had a good race!<br><br>
We chose this race because a bunch of us have MV ties. I don't, but a few friends do. It was great. We stayed with friends in Chilmark and were able to tour around Aquinnah and have big pasta dinner fri. and a big old party Sat. PM. just the way it should be!

 

[sistergoldenhair]

Interesting report! Did you like the course and race itself?<br><br>
I think a 20 mile race would be hard to pace. We might know how to pace conservatively for the first 20 in a marathon to save for the last 10K, but what about when there isn't that last 10K? It's still a long distance.<br><br>
I agree with the others who talked about the challenges of dressing right to race in the cold. Congratulations on your finish!

 

[QuixoticNotions]

Wow, I think you did awesome!

 

[trecker]

I've never had the opportunity to run a 20 miler - sounds like a great distance.<br>
I would like to be able to do negative splits. My wife does them all the time; she's a metronome when it comes to pacing! One race that I managed negative splits is one where we got to the start line late and ended up at the back of the pack. I didn't push to get passed people until things spread out. It was a half marathon and I was to mile 4 before it was easy to start passing. There was a ling hill between mile 8 and 10 and i was zooming by people! It was not a PR but it felt great!<br>
Work has brought me out to MV and I have done a little training on the Island. Does the course take you out to Aquinnah (Gay's Head)?

 

[CT Marathoner]

no ---the course does not go out to gay Head --it is a triangular course and cuts across the south of the island but not out to gay head...<br>
interestingly enough, my friend who I stayed with (near Vineyard haven at mile 18 said that this 20 miler only covers a quarter of MV ---so they could have a marathon easily. Perhaps they keep it at 20 because they have to have it off-season and most people want it as a training run for a spring marathon..it would be awesome if they had a marathon in feb. -also, the weather can be really dicey.<br>
I usually do negative splits , but after 85-plus marathons and ultras, I can say that if you are going for a time, it helps to have alittle in the bank BUT NOT MUCH (so say, for a 3:30 marathon, run 7:45s) --easier said than done <img alt="uhoh2.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/uhoh2.gif"><br>
when you feel good and want to run 7:30s to start...a 20 miler is challenging as one could go faster than marathon pace but it is hard to know how fast to go! This was my first...have done lots of 30Ks.<br>
anyway, good job hanging jury.

 

[Hanging Jury]

Thanks!<br><br>
I think they chose 20 miles because it is timed as a good long run before the Boston Marathon and it is as late as they thought they could make it without bumping into the Boston Marathon ramp up such that a lot of really good runners wouldn't even race it. I did see quite a few runners appeared to be using it as a training run.