Ogden Marathon

I ran in the Ogden Marathon, held in Ogden, Utah. It is a nice, mostly downhill, fast course that winds down Ogden canyon.  It starts at 5,400 feet and ends in downtown Ogden at 4,300 feet.   After my good Boston race, I had lofty goals, hoping to finish in 3:15.  Running that fast for 26.2 is pretty flaky, you never know what my happen along the way.  In my case today, I didn’t reach my goal but did set another marathon distance personal record (PR),and improved my Boston Qualifying time (BQ), so I really cannot complain. I was on pace to reach my goal through the first 17 miles, but the wheels then started to come off because of a new problem.

Last year I really felt like a road marathon rookie, despite my 60 or so ultramarathon finishes.  That day I was very uncomfortable at the start, trying to figure out what road marathons were all about.  Road races with thousands of runners are so much different than trail races.  But this year, with my Boston experience, I now felt more like a veteran.   This would be the third marathon I had run with serious desires for a good time.

At the start area with more than an hour to wait, after huddling around a fire barrel for awhile, I decided to ditch that activity filled with smoke.  Instead I went jogging up the canyon road, away from the crowds so I could focus and prepare.  B.J. Christenson was the only other runner doing the same.  I greeted him and wished him luck. B.J. is a very fast tiathlete and he led today’s marathon for at least the early miles.   It was so peaceful , quiet, and beautiful.  I was so glad to be away from the crowds.  I did about a two-mile warm up run.  It was about 35 degrees in the canyon. I was dressed nice and warm during this warm-up.

It was almost show time.  I lined up toward the front and was greeting by several friends.  It was fun to see them.   At 7:00 a.m., away we went!   The first mostly downhill miles are pretty fast.   I maintained a good pace, clocking miles 1-3 at 6:15, 6:45, and 6:39 for a 20:18 5K.  Not bad.  I was 30 seconds ahead of my goal pace. 

I set my sights on a runner who seemed to have a good consistent pace.  While I slowed down and sped up, I tried to keep that runner in my sights and was pretty successful.   I struggled a little because I wasn’t warmed up yet and various pains arose, shifting for one spot to another.  But by mile 6 I was feeling pretty strong and fast.   Miles 3-6 were 6:45, 6:48, and 6:49, very consistent.  My 10K time was 41:24 which would have shattered my 10K PR by almost two minutes if this was a 10k. (My 10K PR is pretty soft. It should be easy to break.  I haven’t run a 10K in almost a year).

After mile six, the course flattened out with some long straight-aways as it approached the Pineview Reservoir.  I did my best to keep my pace respectable.  Miles 7-9 were 6:54, 7:11, and 7:23 (short hill).  I was over a minute ahead of my goal pace. Sweet!  Things were going well.

A guy noticed my Boston shirt and asked me how I did.  It is funny how my Boston Marathon shirt generated much more respect and  comments in this race than when I wear an ultramarathon shirt during a marathon.  Someone who knew me commented to the guy, “Davy, tell him how many 100 milers you have finished. I replied, “31.”   The guy was confused and they went on ahead as his friend explained who I was.  Many people recognized me and were so kind and said hello.

I could feel my pace starting to slow a bit as other runners were passing me with more frequency on the gradual uphill.  Miles 10-12 were 7:21, 7:50 (aid station fill up), 7:31.  I was focusing to keep my mile splits below 7:45.  I hit the ½ marathon mark at 1:32:54.  I was still over a minute ahead off my goal pace for a 3:15 finish.

At times I would jump off the pavement and run along a dirt shoulder.  For some reason my legs would go much faster on the dirt and I would pass people. But those good dirt areas didn’t last long.  Next up was the only significant hill.  Miles 13-15 were 7:55, 7:49, 8:32 (hill and aid station fillup of my water bottle. A volunteer poured Poweraid on my hand.  Took time to wash it).  That hill split time was much better than last time.  I was right on my pace goal time.

I then started to struggle somewhat.  After the climb, my legs seemed to be slowing down.  Lots of people were passing me.  My breathing was hard. I also slowed down at this point at Boston.  I knew some good downhill was coming up so I just hung on for the next couple miles.   The downhill came during mile 18.   Miles 16-18 were 8:14, 8:03, and 7:46.  I hated seeing those splits above 8 minutes.  I had fallen to 45 seconds behind my goal pace.  

I knew it was now or never to push the pace to stay on goal.  But then the wheels started to fall off.  I started to feel terrible.  Fellow ultrarunner, Tom Remkes passed me around mile 19 moving well.  I did my best to keep him in my sights and it worked for awhile, but during mile 20, even though it was downhill, I had no speed.  My heart was pounding like crazy in my chest.  I knew I was red-lining even at a slow 8:30 pace and I was feeling horrible.   I had no other choice but to slow to a walk.   I walked for about a half minute and started to feel better as my heart rate dropped.  Running again, I decided that all I could do was to find a more comfortable pace and hang on. 8:30 pace could be managed.  I knew my 3:15 finish goal was gone.  I just couldn’t figure out what was wrong.  Altitude?  Age?   After I finished, it was more obvious.  I was becoming dehydrated.  It wasn’t very hot, but my stomach just wasn’t processing the fluid very fast and I wasn’t drinking enough.  This same thing happened during Bighorn 100 last year.  The heart rate went up and my speed dropped significantly for a long time until I recovered.  Miles 19-21 were 8:17, 8:45 (walking spell), and 8:20.

After mile 23 the course leaves the road and goes on a paved trail along the river.  It rolls up and down and winds back and forth.  I hate this section at this point in the race.   Chad Carson, in my age group passed me during mile 24, moving very well.   I wished him luck and watched him disappear ahead.  Shortly after that, my heart rate went back up and again I needed to walk for a quick recovery.  Miles 22-24 were 8:18, 8:27, and 9:25 (walk and aid station refill). 

Despite my challenges, I noticed that my 24-mile split time was still a PR, a minute and a half faster than Boston last month.   I focused to not lose the PR.  Finally we got off the paved trail and were back on the flat roads.  Now, it was all about hanging on and keeping the legs swinging.  I could hear the crowd, loud speaker and music roaring near the finish area.   I could see the finish a mile away.   Mile 26 was tough.  I pushed hard, but then felt cramping coming on.  I caught and passed another runner, but I woke him up and he started running faster and got the lead back.  (He thanked me after the race).   Miles 25 and 26 were 9:07 and 8:51.  Push, push, push!  Don’t give up.  I crossed the finish line at 3:23:43, and new personal record (PR). 32 seconds faster than Boston last month. Peoples Garmin are reporting that the course was .2-.5 long.

Craig Lloyd was near the finish line and congratulated me.   It was fun to see him. He commented that I looked more hammered than he had ever seen me.  I was in bad shape, but still on my feet and coherent.   I didn’t leave any effort back on the course, but my behind was kicked around mile 20.  After talking with him for about ten minutes, I checked my heart rate.  It was still pounding at 130 bpm.  Craig bid goodbye and I went to the runner area and discovered that I was really thirsty.   I had finished before the heat of the day, but still was dehydrated somewhat.   It was fun to talk to many of the finishers who I knew.  I lay down on the grass and tried to recover.  An hour later, my heart was still beating at 90 bpm but I felt much better.

For the next three hours I had fun talking to many other ultrarunners and some FRB (Fast Running Blog) runners, and watched thousands of runners finish.   The back of the pack really suffered because the day became quite hot.   I was hoping to see my buddy Jim Kern finish, but after the 5:45 mark, he still wasn’t there. I went out, retrieve my start bag and checked the results.  I finished 7^th in my 50-54 age group.  I was only 3.5 minutes out of the age-group award.  Oh well.  That is still pretty fast for an old man like me who started running just six years ago.  I came in 157th place out of about 2,200 starters.

I walked up the course and at the 6:10 mark, saw Jim Kern walking toward the finish with a half mile to go.   I jumped in with him and we walked and ran to the finish.  He did a great job, finishing his second road marathon.  We had fun talking for quite awhile.

So, my marathon is done.   This is my last road marathon for the year.  I really think 3:15 is within my ability, but it would take a perfect race, or a race at sea-level.  That is hard to achieve because you never know what your body will really do.  I will run another ½ marathon next month.  I enjoy that distance much better at speed.  

Will I keep doing road marathons?  I don’t know.  I still don’t really buy into the concept of chasing minutes and seconds.  All that effort to make a minute improvement over last year’s Ogden Marathon.  It seems pretty funny.  But the end results were good.  I have no real soreness anywhere except my problem ankle.  It now is time to do trail and hill training.

mile	2009 Ogden	2010 Boston	2010 Ogden
3	0:20:10	0:20:35	0:19:39
6	0:40:17	0:41:41	0:40:02
9	1:02:28	1:03:26	1:01:31
12	1:25:22	1:25:48	1:24:13
Half	1:34:08	1:34:15	1:32:54
15	1:50:23	1:49:08	1:48:30
18	2:14:08	2:13:41	2:12:33
21	2:39:06	2:39:53	2:37:55
24	3:05:59	3:05:34	3:04:05
Full	3:24:49	3:24:15	3:23:43