Philippians 4:13

Mesa Falls Marathon

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Location:

Idaho Falls,ID,USA

Member Since:

Apr 21, 2007

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

2007 St. George Marathon 2:32:06 (marathon PR)

2014 St. George Marathon 2:32:45 (close to old PR...7 years later!)

2014 Boston Marathon, 2:39:00, 298th OA, 8th AG, 1st Idahoan

2013 Lake Lowell Marathon, 2:48:34 (Course Record), 1st Overall (#6)

2012 Boston Marathon, 2:43:26 (HOT!!), 114th OA, 9th Master OA, 1st Idahoan

2010 B&A Trail Marathon (MD), 2:40:18, 1st Overall (#3), Master's Course Record (still!)

2010 Mesa Falls Marathon, 2:48:55, 1st Overall (#4)

2009 Pocatello Marathon, 2:37:22, 1st Overall (#2)

2011 The M.A.D. Marathon, 2:55:14, 1st OA (training run) (#5)

2006 Teton Dam Marathon, 2:50:48 1st Overall (#1)

2015 Hood to Coast Relay (195 miles), 1st Masters Team (6th OA), 19:59:57, 6:03 avg pace for the team

2008 Ragner Relay Del Sol (182 mile relay) 1st place team 17:04:37, 5:38 pace avg for the team

50,000 lifetime miles from spring 2000 to October 2019.  Computer logged 50,000 miles from Jan 2005 to September 12, 2020. 

Logged (on computer) 49,802 miles (2 x circumference of the earth) in ~5,700 days (8/23/20)

Logged (on computer) 24,901 miles (circumference of the earth) in 2,889 days (11/29/12) http://jeff.fastrunningblog.com/blog-My-alarm-went-off-I-got-up-eventually-/11-29-2012.html  

Short-Term Running Goals:

Keep on running, enjoy it for the sake of running, relax and enjoy life...de-stress.  Stay fit as I enter retirement in < 4years.

No racing, retired.

Long-Term Running Goals:

Keep running until this old body says no, running for fun.

Personal:

 I started running competitively in 2005 and ran my first marathon in 2005. Now retired from competitive racing.

Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer;

answer me, for I need your help.
Protect me, for I am devoted to you.
Save me, for I serve you and trust you.
You are my God.
Be merciful to me, O Lord,
for I am calling on you constantly.
Give me happiness, O Lord,
for I give myself to you.
O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive,
so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.
Listen closely to my prayer, O Lord;
hear my urgent cry.
I will call to you whenever I’m in trouble,
and you will answer me.  - Psalm 86:1-7

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Miles:This week: 23.00 Month: 164.50 Year: 491.55
Runs With Moxie Lifetime Miles: 12491.60
Vibram Five Finger Bikila Lifetime Miles: 137.80
Saucony Xodus 2011 Lifetime Miles: 982.61
Saucony Fastwitch White 2019 Lifetime Miles: 1960.23
Saucony Guide Yellow 2019 Lifetime Miles: 1187.00
Brooks Launch 6 Red 2020 Lifetime Miles: 2227.00
Zoot Solana Tigers Lifetime Miles: 877.00
Nike React Infinity Black Flyknit 2021 Lifetime Miles: 960.90
Nike React Infinity Blue Flynit 2021 Lifetime Miles: 602.00
Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 38 Lifetime Miles: 667.00
Race: Mesa Falls Marathon (26.2 Miles) 02:48:43, Place overall: 2, Place in age division: 1
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
1.0026.200.000.0027.20

Got up at 3:45 and was at the Ashton school by 4:15 for breakfast (mostly coffee!).  Talked with some runners from Missoula and a guy from Boston, great people.  Waiting for the bus to leave, I jump back out to use the facilities and on the way back ran into Chuck Engle (the marathon junkie) who was racing today, here was the race for first place!  Sat next to Chuck on the bus ride (behind Dane who slipped on the bus while I was inside...awkward).  

I wore my Saucony AMPro compression socks for this race and loved them!  They helped a lot with how my legs felt, especially near the end in the heat to stave of any form of cramps!

After getting to the start, Chuck indicated that he was shooting for sub-2:40 and the course record.  I, on the other hand, was running this as a training run and somewhere in the mid 2:40's.  So, I had a decision to make early on, race with Chuck or stick with my training plan for St. George.   Did a 1 mile warmup with Chuck. 

We took off and before the first mile, it was Chuck and I out front and alone.  About mile 4, Chuck indicated he wanted to run faster...decision time.  I let him go and was running comfortably in the 6:15 range and just watched him take off.  This was a bit of a struggle but I knew that running with him and the recovery was not worth the possible win here at the expense of a chance at sub-2:30 at St. George.  This was my first mental challenge here and was the reason that my dark spot emerged so early in the race. 

Next, around mile 5-6 mile I started to have the "what the !#%$ thoughts (why so early for my dark spot?) and my hips and feet started hurting, I also dropped my gel and stopped to pick it up and saw third place about 1 minute back.  I was starting to think about dropping at the half or just running to my camper.  This lasted through mile 8 (and a quick pee stop!) and finally to mile 9.5 where we came off the forest service road and onto the pavement.  This seemed to refresh me and the darkness faded.  Hit the half at 1:22 (nice and easy) and was told I was about 3 minutes behind...Chuck was rolling!  I felt good from 12-16 running between 5:32 and 6:06) then into the campground to see my family cheering for me.  This was when I realized I really had to make a choice...pit stop or fight off the discomfort.  So, I stopped in the toilet in the campground and lost about 1 minute.  Now the hill was looming.

Ran the hill easy and well and topped it feeling mostly good.  I actually felt better here than at mile 8!  Next 3 miles were actually good miles on the rollers, but it was really hot!  I was thankful for the aid stations and kids with hoses dousing you as you ran by...thanks kids.  The last 3 miles were just junk miles, slowing to about a 6:45 on the hot, flat finish.  I knew that 2:45 was gone and 2:48 was pretty easy, so I just cruised home.  I ended up taking 4 PowerBar Gels during the race, 2 I brought and 2 I got from the aid stations (had to stop to pick them off the table, oh well!).

Chuck ended up at 2:39:30, 8 seconds faster that the old course record.  Chatted with him a bit afterwards and saw the next few marathoners finish (Dane was 6th about 3:15 range).  Stuck around for about an hour chatting with runners, the RD and getting my first place master's award.  Feeling a bit conflicted about my race today if I should have pushed harder to stick with Chuck.  Now (Sunday) I feel great with no pain, while Chuck was indicating he was toast after his run.  I feel I could have run with him but wasn't in my head to do that and I knew I was training for this race.  Overall, I feel really good about my decision and know that I actually ran faster than last year with the stops I had to take this year.   Plus, "I knew I had to race the formidable Rob Murphy next weekend at the Pocatello Half Marathon." (Is this better, Rob?).  I feel good about my 25th marathon!

Spent the rest of the day with the family, soaking in the river, having a few beers, visiting Mesa Falls, getting ice cream, and just relaxing at the last camptrip of the summer in beautiful weather!

Splits;  6:12, 6:11, 6:07, 6:17,6:20 (dropped gel), 6:19, 6:42 (pee stop), 6:15, 6:17, 6:20 (transition to pavement...thankfully!), 6:03, 6:16, 5:48, 5:32, 6:06, 6:06, 7:12 (pit stop!), 6:46, 7:28 (major part of the hill), 6:59, 6:08, 6:24, 6:24, 6:44 (hot!), 6:47 (hotter!), 6:38 (just finish!), 2:18 (0.36 miles).

 


Saucony Tangent 3 2011 Miles: 27.20
Comments
From Jake K on Sun, Aug 28, 2011 at 18:09:19 from 67.177.21.60

Nice race Jeff. Way to stick to the plan... I'm sure you would have like to have just gone after Chuck, but you probably made the right call, and the payoff will be at St George next month!

From Jon on Sun, Aug 28, 2011 at 18:22:24 from 74.177.100.34

Nice job, Jeff. And good decision- not your goal race, don't kill yourself. Get ready for SGM.

From Neil on Sun, Aug 28, 2011 at 18:28:03 from 97.121.4.242

Well played sir. Glad you came out of this race healthy and ready for a PR at SGM. See ya Saturday in Pokey.

From Rob Murphy on Sun, Aug 28, 2011 at 18:53:15 from 98.202.141.17

Interesting race.Good call on your part though. But I'm a little hurt that you didn't write "I have to tangle with the formidable Rob Murphy in the Poky Half next Saturday and I didn't want to risk running too hard".

Why was running into Dane "awkward"? Are you not a believer in the awesomeness that is Dane?

From Tom on Sun, Aug 28, 2011 at 20:53:10 from 67.199.180.90

Nice job. Sounds like you ran a smart race that will set you up for a killer St George.

From steve ash on Sun, Aug 28, 2011 at 21:06:58 from 24.10.169.210

Jeff, I did the same thing one year and it worked really well for me. Good luck at St George.

From Kory on Sun, Aug 28, 2011 at 23:44:36 from 184.155.137.220

Great wisdom to know that your goal race is coming and not risk all that you've train for in St. George.

I will see you next week at the Poky Half. Well I will see the back of you the whole time.

From Carina on Mon, Aug 29, 2011 at 00:31:20 from 204.15.86.83

Nice race/training run! Great job sticking to your plan.

From flatlander on Mon, Aug 29, 2011 at 00:42:16 from 75.196.231.56

Good job keeping your foot off the accelerator, I think it is smart to aim for St. George.

From Bret on Mon, Aug 29, 2011 at 07:49:24 from 96.243.187.166

Nice race Jeff - good job sticking with the game plan to conserve and not give in to the temptation to race. (Not that 2:48 isn't racing-fast for most of us.) Well done!

From Curt on Mon, Aug 29, 2011 at 09:34:58 from 69.20.189.206

Great race Jeff. You have far more discipline than I do by holding back. Definately the wise decision. You still put most people's race pace to shame with your easy pace. Well done.

From jtshad on Mon, Aug 29, 2011 at 12:00:21 from 204.134.132.225

Thanks everyone, it was a good day overall. I went into the race not feeling too race ready but came out ok mentally and physically which is what I wanted.

Rob, Chuck and Dane do not like each other, so it was awkward sitting close to both of them. Talked with Chuck mostly and I didn't get a chance to catch up with Dane. Dane had quite a bit of "publicity" going into the race and didn't quite live up to the hype.

From Marlin on Mon, Aug 29, 2011 at 15:22:51 from 174.253.162.210

JEFF, i was just wondering if you ran in the compression socks or not. Great run and can't wait to see everyone at the Poky Marathon.

From Adam RW on Mon, Aug 29, 2011 at 15:53:04 from 155.101.152.123

Jeff,

Way to stick to plan. I am sure that was a tough decision. But as your race report supports you know you did the right thing.

From Kory on Mon, Aug 29, 2011 at 16:01:30 from 134.50.89.24

Jeff have I met Dane? Nice job again.

From Wesley Hunt on Mon, Aug 29, 2011 at 16:16:39 from 198.8.4.24

Great race, Jeff. Your post-transition to pavement splits were really impressive...your ability to maintain focus is a great example for all of us.

From Twinkies on Tue, Aug 30, 2011 at 10:19:35 from 72.37.171.44

It was great to meet you Jeff. You ran a very smart race. 2:48 on that course is killer.

From Superfly on Wed, Sep 07, 2011 at 13:01:45 from 74.211.21.81

Nice training run man. Your going to do great at STG.

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