ANA Discussion Forum
AN Community => AN Community => Topic started by: Keri on January 30, 2011, 11:44:05 am
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Hey everyone,
We've written about this on the 'let's walk, run or something' thread. Patrick is running his first marathon. I just looked up his time... he was shooting to finish under 4:30; he did 4:28:39. GREAT JOB PATRICK!!!!!
This is a great time!!! When you run a marathon for the first time especially, you even wonder if you'll finish sometimes. The forecast in the Houston area wasn't looking to great either, with thunderstorms and high humidity (which is really tough to run in). We are all so proud of you, Patrick!!!
Keri
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Congratulations Patrick... great time ..
I do good to finish 5k ...
I like walking or working in temp around 35 or 40 ... get warm but don't over heat ... humidity zaps me
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Great job, Patrick! That's within 10 seconds of my first marathon...they all got slower after that. I hope yours always improve!
-Tod
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WHOOOOHOOOOOOO!!!!!!! Way to go, Patrick!
What an awesome accomplishment! I hope you have a big celebration....maybe after a nap and a good soak in a hot tub. ;D
Lori
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Thanks for the update on Patrick's Houston Marathon finish, Keri.
Patrick, congratulations on - not simply finishing the run - but achieving your goal of coming in under 4:30. Well done! You're an inspiration to AN patients and a hero to many of us.
Jim
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WAY TO GO PATRICK!!!
K ;D
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Awesome! You met goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 - way to go!
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Super, Patrick! Way to go and go and go! How ya feeling?
Cindy
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Congratulations, Patrick! Way to go in achieving your goal!
Jean
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;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Congrats, Patrick!!!
Jan
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Thanks a lot guys. Your support means more than you know. Like Keri says, I really didn't know what to expect not ever doing a full marathon before. It was really tough, especially the last 10 miles, but I somehow made it to the finish ok. I could barely walk after crossing the finish line. I think it took me more time to walk 100 yards to the convention center (where you could meet up with your supporters) than it did for me to run the last mile. I had great support from my wife and both sons (who came in from college just to support me on the run) and some friends. I have to give it to the city of Houston for turning out to support the runners even under rainy conditions most of the day. The officials said there were likely 300,000 fans along the route. There was hardly any stretch of the 26.2 miles that there wasn't somebody there cheering all the runners on...from the elite runners to the average Joe like me.
I talked to several veteran Houston marathoners afterwards and they said this one was the most difficult conditions that they've run in....not because of the rain, but because of the high temperature (68-72 degrees F) and humidity (95%). I know that may not sound hot, but it really is for running long distance. I felt pretty good for the first 15-16 miles, but it really started taking a toll on me after that. I'm a little sore in a few areas, but feeling ok for the most part.
Aside from the physical toll, the marathon really is a mental struggle as well along the way. The last 6 miles of the course is a little hilly, and a lot of folks around me were walking up the hills. I convinced myself to go very slowly, but don't stop running. I was afraid if I ever started walking that I would never get back to running. I'll steal a line from Yogi Berra and say that running a marathon is 90% mental and the other half is physical.
I plan on taking a few days off exercising and will start next weekend training on the road bicycle to get ready for the Houston to Austin MS150 bike ride.
Thanks again for all your support.
Patrick
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Patrick, You're no average Joe in my eyes! Any one who can do a marathon is darn good! Good thing to take it easy a bit and am very happy for you and all on here who make it any running event! Cheryl R
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Patrick .....
Adding my congratulations. I cannot imagine walking that far, let alone running! As Cheryl said, you are no average Joe. Wonder how many other runners there were that have overcome what you have ..... Maybe some, but not very many.
Congratulations!
Clarice
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Patrick~
I was talking to the trainer at the club this morning who ran it and she was saying that the humidity made it really rough!! Catch this...her chip NEVER registered!!! It is like she never was even there or ran!! Can you believe that? They have sent e-mails - she had a guy she race with the whole time and of course, it's on video but still! She said she was just glad it wasn't her best time ever that didn't register! She got 6th in her age class and she figures probably in the 60's overall...
Way to go, again - you rock!!
K ;D
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Congratulations Patrick, that is quite an accomplishment. In my younger years I ran two marathons ( actually the same one twice ). It
had a three mile uphill climb at the seventeen mile mark. That killed a lot of people. I don't think I could run a mile now.
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Kay, that would really tick me off not having the timing chip work. The timing chip this year (called B-tag)...was inbedded on the back of the bib (number) that we wore on the front of our shirt or shorts. Your trainer is a premier runner if she was in the top 6 of her age group and top 60 overall.....that's very impressive. Maybe if she can prove that she ran with the guy you mentioned, they could load her time manually at the same time that he ran.
Patrick
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It's great to hear a few more details of the marathon. Ugh... that humidity sounds awful! I'm so glad your sons could come out too and join your wife to cheer you on!
Rupert... what marathon did you run? and if you join us on our execise accountability thread (let's run, walk etc) we'll encourage you in running your mile! we have all types of people exercising.. those who are regulars, those trying to get back into it, those who just need accountability (ME!!) to keep them going when they don't feel like exercising.
Kay - your friend can also get her photos from the marathon photo place (brightroom?) and email those to the race director. that happened to me once too (but it was my fault). we had these tags we tied to our shoes... i took the part i was supposed to throw away and put that on my shoe, and threw away my chip! i kept the finish time on my watch, because it's always so different from the clock time. if she's that fast, she may have been trying to qualify for boston, and losing your chip time if you boston qualified would definitly be a bummer.
Patrick - again, congrats! i was so happy (after wondering if the race was even going to happen) when i looked up your time and saw your splits and how well you were doing. i signed up for it to text me when you finished, so when my phone 'beeped' it was almost like i was right there at the finish!! (well, that's a bit of a stretch, but i was very happy for you)!
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Congratulations Patrick, so glad you were able to meet all your goals and from what I've read about the weather you did it under adverse conditions as well. I did a little 7 mile walk a year after my surgery and remember how the crowds along the way helped me get through it so I'm glad you had so much support from Houston and of course the most important support of all, family and all of us of course! Enjoy your VICTORY and your well deserved break! Jill
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I'll steal a line from Yogi Berra and say that running a marathon is 90% mental and the other half is physical.
I
Patrick
I think my problem is that I am mentally week ... I think about things too long and get bogged down
in the what ifs ( what if I don't go fast enough , what if I am last , what if I break a nail )
and it slows me down or stops me from doing things ... I worry too much about the physical end of it
so my goal of just finishing and not setting higher ones kinda works ... but then I sometimes feel like if
I had just did something different I could have done better ...
Know it is past New Years , but think I need to make a resolution to aim higher ... and will keep people
like Patrick in mind ... if he can improve him self and do better so can I ...
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Keri,
It was called the Potter County Marathon. Galeton to Coudersport PA. Ugh! I remember it like yesterday, but it was 30 years ago. I'm sorry
but I have no intrest in running now. I used to run all the time. I do a lot of walking though and I have a physically demanding job so I stay somewhat fit.
But I do run out of air quickly. I could use some cardio. Bryan
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" It was called the Potter County Marathon. Galeton to Coudersport PA."
Wow....I remember that marathon.............that used to b my neck of th woods many, years ago!
Patrick, congratulations! You amaze me and I am honored to know you! Someday I am going to make the journey to watch that race.
Brenda
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Brenda,,
My neck of the woods also, still. I think it was also called "The Gods Country Marathon", as it is truly Gods Country. Bryan
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i just looked at google earth to see where it was in PA. i think that's a bit far for me to try to do. looks hilly! maybe patrick can make that his next. is it a smaller marathon? i've always heard of the steamtown marathon, which my husband did.
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Keri, just look up "God's country marathon on google and you can get a lot of information. It is run in June.
It is somewhat hilly. What gets most people in trouble is the three mile steep incline at the seventeen mile mark. Some like it though because
if you get past that point its all downhill to the finish. Bryan
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3 miles steep incline to take you to mile.. 20? lovely ! good for you for running it twice. i bet it's pretty. i've just run big marathons in cities. baltimore was hilly. i think some hills are good. flat for 26.2 is too difficult, in my opinion. too much of the same. thanks for sharing!
keri
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Wow, 3 miles incline to run up sounds tough, but would be nice going downhill the last 6 miles. 3 miles consecutive going up would be tough enough on a bicycle, much less running up non-stop. I do agree with Keri though that some variation is good for training. While the Houston marathon course is mostly flat, there are a few small hills and most seem to be in the last 6 miles......I think one reason I ran so slowly the last 6 miles (other than the heat and having 20 miles on my old legs) is that I didn't do much of any hill runs in my training. I will do more of that next time in hopes of improving.
Patrick