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Mississippi Coast Marathon

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Location:

Tallahassee,FL,United States

Member Since:

Jun 24, 2008

Gender:

Female

Goal Type:

Local Elite

Running Accomplishments:

PRs:

Mile- 5:27 Breakfast on the Track, August '09
5k- 18:59 (6:07)  Tails and Trails, May '09 (And two more times! GRR!)

8k- 33:08 (6:39) Sweetheart 8k, Feb '11

10k- 41:38 (6:42) TRBC, March '09

15k- 1:02:46 (6:44) Lake Caroline 15k, Nov '08

Half Marathon- 1:36:58 (7:24) Hoover Dam Half, Oct '09

Marathon- 3:37:16 (8:17) Mississippi Coast Marathon, Nov '08

Short-Term Running Goals:

Help my knees help me.

Long-Term Running Goals:


Personal:

Moving to Knoxville this summer. Hooray for being in a place with a running community! 

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
New Balance 903 (Orange) Lifetime Miles: 63.00
Red Flats Lifetime Miles: 44.88
Brooks Salmon Lifetime Miles: 304.65
Brooks Black Lifetime Miles: 131.30
Brooks Baby Blue Lifetime Miles: 116.25
Newtons Lifetime Miles: 0.00
Race: Mississippi Coast Marathon (26.2 Miles) 03:37:16, Place overall: 4, Place in age division: 2
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
0.0026.2026.20

I'm going to Boston!!!!!!!!

 
Sorry for the delay! My home computer is completely broken.  I'll give details later, but I felt horrible, weather was crappy, but I still got what I needed!! I look forward to killing this time sometime soon. Right now it looks like Boston may wait until 2010, but I'm really excited! Splits and details to come...

 

Super-detailed race report for future reference:

At the start of the race it was 68 degrees with a dew point of 65. I couldn't believe how hot and humid it felt, especially after training in Tallahassee. There was a wind of 5-10 which was bitter sweet because it made it tough to run but also wicked away a little sweat.

Mile 1: 8:01  My dad and I decided I would try to do the first half at 8-8:10 pace. That meant any time under 8:23s (what I needed for Boston) could be used in the second half.

Mile 2: 8:03

Mile 3: 8:07 Still feeling pretty heavy at this point and couldn't get comfortable with the pace. I figured it would take a couple more miles. 

Mile 4: 8:04

Mile 5: 7:58 Usually the magic mile, but still felt crappy today. My dad asked how I felt and I just kept saying "it's still early."

Mile 6: 8:03 Still feeling bad but happy with my splits so far.

Mile 7: 8:12 I knew my time I planned to finish would have made me win this race 50% of the previous years which made me really nervous. At this point there was a small out and back portion and I saw 3 women in front of me which actually made me feel great and really calmed me down. It meant I could run my own race.

Mile 8: 8:05 Still felt bad and realized that I most likely would the whole race. Began to realize that this is what a bad running day feels like. I hadn't felt bad on race day in years, so I was well overdue! Took a gu hoping for a little help.

Mile 9: 8:04

Mile 10: 8:12 I usually take a few sips at water stops, but by this point I realized I needed to take in a full cup at each one.

Mile 11: 8:03 This is where the races split and my dad went towards the finish. Game time! It got really lonely after this point, I only passed 5-6 people from here until the end of the race. 

Mile 12: 8:04 Ate an orange slice.

Mile 13: 8:04 Ate another gu and and realized this was the hardest half marathon I had ever run in my life. I was more tired than my fastest half. My split was around 1:46, giving me 4 minutes "in the bank" as my dad and I referred to it. That was good to know.

Mile 14: 8:11 By this point I was taking two cups at each water stop, drinking the gatorade and half the water, then dumping the other half of the water over my head. I never had to do that before. I passed a guy and he looked at me, didn't say a word and fist-bumped me. It was the coolest thing ever, I may need to steal that idea. I passed another guy and gave him some encouraging words. He just looked at me and in the most miserable voice moaned "I'm dyiiingggg." 

Mile 15: 8:03

Mile 16: 7:59 Still keeping my splits where they needed to be, and knew I just needed to hold on to it as long as I could.  At this point I had 5 minutes "in the bank." 

Mile 17: 8:15 

Mile 18: 8:23  Another gu. It started to thunder and we all anxiously waited for the rain, hoping somehow we would only get a nice cooling drizzle.

Mile 19: 8:27 It began to downpour right at the mile marker, with thunder, lightning and wind... the works. 

Mile 20: 8:22 Shoes now completely soaked through for the first time on a long run. Didn't think they would feel this heavy, but I guess anything does 20 miles in.  I just stared at the ground and pulled myself ahead. I knew this would be the longest six miles of my life. It was the first time I felt too tired to talk to other runners that were running in the opposite direction. Most of them I couldn't even pick up my head to make eye contact with.

Mile 21: 8:37 Honestly the only thing going on in my head from here to the finish was "this is the hardest thing I've ever done in my entire life." Over and over. I tried to think about other things but it was too hard, so I went back to that.

Mile 22: 8:36

Mile 23: 8:35 Continued to just pull myself. Ate a gu but it took an entire mile to finish.

Mile 24: 8:50 I think this is where there was a bad head wind.

Mile 25:  8:52 There was no one around me and I actually thought I was lost. That's something that will freak you out 25 miles in! I finished with a 7 minute bubble around me of no runners. 

Mile 26: 8:35 

Finish: 3:37:16. I saw my parents and started to hyperventilate because of all the emotion of being done. Kind of embarrassing. My legs were the achiest they have ever been and I was soooo cold after I stopped, but warm clothes and jambalaya felt awesome! I was 4th girl, 2nd in my age group, and something like 17th overall (I think).

I know this was really detailed, but I want to remember what it felt like to run this far while feeling horrible. It was the strongest my mind ever had to be during a race to get me through this. I did what I had to do to get my BQ, which is awesome, but I can't wait to kill this time! I know if I am feeling good and have good weather I can do it.  I think I will aim for 3:30 next time. I will be working on my race plans for the next week or two, and I'll let you know! Thanks everyone for your thoughts and support!

Brooks Adrenaline (Blue) Miles: 26.20
Comments
From Nevels on Mon, Dec 01, 2008 at 08:12:56

A PR is a PR; pretty good for feeling horrible with crappy weather. Congrats!

From Barry on Mon, Dec 01, 2008 at 09:42:22

WOW, that is awesome! I knew you could do it! I am sorry you have to wait to go to Boston. Now take it easy the next week to two weeks. Congratulation again!!!

From marion on Mon, Dec 01, 2008 at 09:54:10

YEAH!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!! You are just plain AMAZING!!!! Whoo Hooo!!! I think it is those muffins!!! ;D

From britta on Mon, Dec 01, 2008 at 15:19:21

Whoa Who!!!! I can't wait to hear the details.

From marion on Mon, Dec 01, 2008 at 15:26:54

I love the details, Kelsey! You are UNREAL!!! WOW!! I am so proud of you!!!

From britta on Mon, Dec 01, 2008 at 17:50:25

I loved reading all the details. You will be able to smash 3:30!

From Burt on Mon, Dec 01, 2008 at 18:08:50

Are you kidding me? Awesome race!

From Kelli on Mon, Dec 01, 2008 at 18:21:37

YEAH!!! You did so great!! My SIL ran the race, too. She is from New Orleans and I did not even know she was going! She was the 12th woman overall, but 1st in her age division (30-34) with a time of 4:26!!! I wish I had been there, I would have had my first ever place in my age division. Bummer for me.

Anyway, back to you! That sounds like it was a tough race for you, BUT you did awesome and I know you will be even better the next time around. You got your BQ and that is really the most important thing, right???? Heal well and take good care of yourself.

From montelepsy on Mon, Dec 01, 2008 at 19:21:42

Wow, Mile 25 must have been surreal. Congrats on qualifying!

From Mark on Tue, Dec 02, 2008 at 11:07:17

Wow! what an awesome race. I sure know the feeling of feeling like it's not a good day but there is still over 20 miles left to run. And then you got rained on! as well as blown by wind. Great job on battling the forces trying to stop you and congratulations on BQ. Good luck with your Boston training.

From Kelli on Tue, Dec 02, 2008 at 12:26:48

Hey, just out of curiosity, how many people ran the marathon? I can not believe you saw so few people and ran for 7 minutes alone!! That would be enough to freak anyone out. All of the people at the end help you to keep moving (at least me)!! Is it an out an back marathon??

I was just wondering! I have to add again that you did awesome! AWESOME!!!

From Kelsey on Tue, Dec 02, 2008 at 16:52:17

Thanks everyone! It was definitely the most I've ever had to rely on my mental endurance over physical... it made for a totally different kind of race!

Marion, since my parents were in town I actually made the muffins for them, so I may be muffined out at this point :)

Kelli, the race was two loops with a small out and back portion in the middle of each loop. Pretty confusing when your head is all cloudy! I think there were about 150 people in the marathon, then another 150 or more in the half. That's awesome about the sister-in-law, do you know if the weather affected her as well?

From Megan on Tue, Dec 02, 2008 at 18:22:07

Hey Kelsey... Congrats on your Boston Qualifier! awesome marathon girl! Sorry for the delayed congrats, I've been slacking on logging into my blog.

Ang you got 2nd in your division and 4th overall... my gosh you rock! If you change your mind and hit up Boston in 2009... I'll see you there~!

From Kelli on Tue, Dec 02, 2008 at 18:55:05

I think that a small marathon like that would be fun, but maybe not alone!! Like you said, you felt lost. I think having people around bolsters you at the end!! I bet the mental game you had to play was far worse than the rest of us can even imagine.

From rockness18 on Wed, Dec 03, 2008 at 17:13:19

Congrats on the BQ! Awesome race...you could have easily packed in in early. Great job!

From Sasha Pachev on Tue, Dec 09, 2008 at 16:44:22

Congratulations on making BQ! What is more impressive is that you did it with only 100-120 miles a month. I think with proper training you could be an hour faster.

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