BIG BEAR Marathon!!! – The Hungry Runner Lady

(Tank (comparable however mine was previous) shorts, footwear, bra, socks, ear hotter)

Earlier than we get into the race particulars, I believed I’d share a number of the explanation why I wished to run this marathon… (I felt like I had extra in me after a while off after St. George and began the search):

*It fell precisely at my favourite place in my cycle to run.  For St. George (and CIM would have been the identical), I used to be working throughout my least favourite place in my cycle to run (only a day or two earlier than my interval begins).  I’ve my finest races at this level in my cycle. PS if anybody needs to switch my CIM bib, let me know!

*A few of my favourite ladies have been planning on racing it, and I used to be excited to do it with them.

*I really like downhill working and I simply wished to go do it as a result of I take pleasure in doing it.  I wished to see what was attainable on this downhill of a course for me.   I didn’t run in school (or highschool!), I’m only a mother that may be very obsessed with working and particularly the marathon.   If a course is looking my identify, I’ll observe despite the fact that it was simply 6 weeks after St. George.  VERY grateful for my coach determining a solution to get me again on the market and a fast turnaround!  Undoubtedly making my good friend coach me eternally.  

*It labored with our household’s schedule.  For CIM, Andrew would have needed to get work off and we wouldn’t have been in a position to depart till the day earlier than the race due to the child’s schedules.  Massive Bear felt like a enjoyable little getaway for us within the mountains!

*My good friend ran a 2:35 at Massive Bear in 2021 after which a 2:33 in Chicago this yr.  She stated that the quick splits at Massive Bear helped her to see it was attainable and gave her the arrogance to then go do it at Chicago!

*IT IS COLD.  After a sizzling marathon, I used to be greater than excited to run in freezing temperatures.

*I’m simply so grateful Andrew helps my loopy plans.  I by no means would have imagined having discovered somebody like Andrew.  He’s so good to me in each facet.  

We drove to Massive Bear on Thursday afternoon.  We wished to show the weekend into slightly trip for our household with a minor interruption for a race;).  I purchased the bus cross to take from Massive Bear to the beginning line (only a 30-minute experience) and likewise paid to select up my bib on the beginning line so we didn’t must go to the expo that was an hour away.  I didn’t need the crew to really feel prefer it was all a few race, and that we might get in a number of high quality time.  I’ll do a full put up on what we did in Massive Bear tomorrow!

I awakened at 3:20 within the morning after about 5.5 hours of sleep and just one child woke us up that night time.  I took a bathe (I really like doing this earlier than a race to assist wake me up).  I had two packets of oatmeal and a banana earlier than heading to the busses.  We stayed on the cutest cabin that was proper by the place the busses decide you up in Massive Bear.  That they had the very nice busses for us and we left the car parking zone at 4:41 am (11 minutes late which can also be how late the race began).  

I used to be feeling slightly nervous about getting my bib on the beginning line and never having sufficient time nevertheless it was the simplest factor ever.  They handed me my bib and I used the restrooms after which met up with my pals.  It was about 25 levels at this level and I used to be grateful for the emergency blanket they’d for us within the luggage, it helped a lot.

Beth had two crucial issues for me.  She had this pacing bracelet for me with my aim time (which I caught to just about like glue ((the identical splits my coach gave me)) and it made it so enjoyable to take a look at every mile alongside the way in which… the final 4 miles I simply went into survival mode and didn’t have a look at my watch or pacing chart) and Imodium.  TMI TIME (skip forward if you want ha however we’re all runners)… Friday afternoon I began having main gastrointestinal points.  I should have eaten one thing unhealthy however I used to be nervous and it didn’t benefit from the state of affairs ha.  I used to be additionally having main issues Saturday morning and whereas Imodium makes me really feel nauseated, I’d select nausea over having to cease ten occasions in the course of the race.  I’m SO grateful she had that for me as a result of I don’t know what I’d have executed.   

There was snow on the perimeters of the highway!  It was good and light-weight by the point we began and everybody was so pleasant whereas we waited for the race to begin.  

We went out and I used to be the primary feminine (for the primary 25 miles).  A number of males handed me and I handed a number of males however that’s about it for 25 miles.  The person biking with me for these 25 miles (for the lead lady) was past unbelievable.  I saved telling him thanks alongside the way in which.  He let me know when there was ice arising and to go round it, he informed any spectators alongside the way in which to cheer for me or to make some area, he was simply the very best.  

The primary 9 miles embody some fairly steep however brief up.  They hold your legs guessing and reminding you to be good however general you drop 5k ft over the complete course of this marathon.  SO a lot down.  As soon as I acquired to mile 9, I used to be so excited to get to cruise down the remainder of the way in which with none extra up.   I used to be hitting my splits and my ft warmed up at mile 5 which was good.  Taking water within the first few miles felt prefer it froze on the way in which down however I’ll take that ANY day over temps above 50 levels ha.  I took off my arm heaters, gloves and earwarmer (the biker held onto it for me till after the race!) and the temperatures have been pure heaven.  

There have been two factors the place my nausea acquired so unhealthy that I actually thought I wanted to give up as a result of I felt so sick.  I informed myself over and over that the emotions change in a marathon.  Issues will change.  EVERYTHING else was going completely, I might deal with nausea… that wasn’t going to cease me.  And at each factors it did go away after a few mile (I felt nauseated a lot of the race however these factors have been low)!

On the half-way level I put in my music (first marathon with music in a very long time) and it perked me up so much.  If I do that race once more I’ll convey sun shades as a result of there have been some miles that the solar was fairly vibrant however for almost all, we have been within the shade. 

Miles have been clicking by, some felt higher than others however whereas the downhill makes it simple to run quick aerobically, my muscular tissues have been feeling it to the core from all the pounding (a few of the miles you drop 300 ft so fairly steep).  

Andrew was fairly positive he would solely have the ability to see me on the finish due to how the canyon is shut all the way down to only one lane heading up however he was in a position to get everybody to mile 23 too!  It made me tear up as a result of I used to be so completely satisfied to see them.

The ultimate 10k you’re nonetheless going downhill nevertheless it will get much less with every mile.  I informed myself to tighten up (my arms naturally swing in all places) which helped me to change up my kind and provided aid to a few of my leg muscular tissues that have been actually hurting and recruite new muscular tissues.

I introduced a small bottle that slot in my shorts of gatorade that I sipped on all through the marathon and took water from each help station.  They provided Nuun on the help stations which I had by no means tried throughout a run so I didn’t wish to begin making an attempt it in the course of the race.   I did pour a number of cups of chilly Nuun throughout my head although ha.  It wasn’t sizzling within the last miles nevertheless it simply felt refreshing to pour one thing on my head (I believed it was water nevertheless it wasn’t ha).

At mile 25 (possibly a bit earlier than) a girl got here by that appeared sooo robust.  She was crushing it and motioned for me to come back together with her which I believed was so cool.  In fact, it isn’t enjoyable getting handed so late in a race when you’ve got led it for therefore lengthy however I knew I used to be giving all the things I had and I used to be happy with that.   She completed in 2:39 and I completed in 2:40 adopted after by one in all my pals there.  The highest 3 have been all from Utah!

I acquired to the tip and simply sat on the bottom as a result of my legs have been past executed.  I crawled over to a chair and sat there for a couple of minutes making an attempt to get going once more. 

A couple of minutes later and I used to be on cloud 9:

Particularly when Andrew gave me lip gloss.  That felt too good.

I really like this painful working stuff a lot. I believe we all know once we join a race we’re signing up for progress.  We get to be taught a lot about who we’re throughout a race.  We get a peak into our personal psychology and the prospect to learn to push ourselves into doing exhausting issues.  I find it irresistible as a result of in a bodily comfy world that I’ve (a heat home, a automotive, a husband that provides me foot massages typically;), I get to check how far I can go into ache with out giving up.  I simply find it irresistible.

*Revel races have it DOWN on how you can hold your individuals knowledgeable. I believe it despatched folks that have been signed as much as observe me like 12 texts alongside the way in which after which it additionally provided real-time following.

*The course was so lovely. Being within the mountains is my favourite place to be.

*Arm heaters are the very best invention (mine have been actually previous in any other case I’d hyperlink them)… they hold you heat whenever you want it and they’re really easy to take off whenever you don’t want them.

*It’s a very good feeling whenever you depart all of it on the market on the course. Whether or not we hit our aim occasions or not, understanding we put it on the market and tried is the very best feeling.

*I misplaced ALL primary math abilities in these last miles. It’s loopy to me how that occurs and your mind simply goes into jello. Left foot, proper foot on repeat is what I believed most of these last miles.

*I caught to my Maurtens each 4 miles. One proper earlier than the race after which each 4 miles after that. I don’t bear in mind the order of caffeine and regular gels apart from taking a caffeine one proper earlier than the beginning.

*I didn’t convey my cellphone and performed music from my watch. It was superb. I’ll go extra into element about that on Friday.

*Lauren shared the very best psychological ideas with me the day earlier than, I want a complete put up to speak about them however one of many issues she shared was that if you end up actually drained, you’re nonetheless solely giving 40% (from David Goggins)… we’re able to a lot extra and that helped me to maintain pushing when issues harm.

*I’m going to be sore for a really very long time.

*I didn’t run the day earlier than the race as a result of I simply wished to hang around with the household and we went to the zoo very first thing within the morning. I believe I actually like taking the time off earlier than a marathon.

*My children took a vote and determined they need me to do that race yearly as a result of they beloved Massive Bear a lot.

*Doing a brand new course scares me (are you able to inform… I’ve executed St. George like 40 occasions ha) nevertheless it was SO enjoyable to see a wholly new spot. I want to do this extra typically.

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Who else was at Massive Bear? Give me your particulars!

Inform me the very best a part of your weekend!

Nuun… you prefer it? What electrolyte drink do you like throughout a race?

This query hurts for me to ask however would you quite have dry lips or dry pores and skin in your face?

-I’d quite my face really feel dry than my lips.