Philippians 4:13

US Master Marathon Championships @ TCM

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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: 16.00 Month: 157.50 Year: 484.55
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: US Master Marathon Championships @ TCM (26.2 Miles) 02:44:17, Place overall: 13, Place in age division: 10
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
1.0026.200.000.0027.20

Overall result...2:44:17 which was good enough for 13th Master (10th 40-44) in the Championships and I believe 75th male and 83rd overall.  Not quite what I was hoping for, but considering the conditions, it is ok.  It was an amazing experience just being here at a US Championship race!   Here is the race report.  My GPS had the race at 26.5M, but that was probably due to the clouds and tree lined streets so my splits on the GPS were way off from mile 8 on.

Got up with the alarm feeling pretty good.  Logan and I hit the road and got to the buses early and got the starting line for the wait.  The weather was cool and a bit rainy but not bad.  Got a 1M warmup in and got the start and found Kristen Fryberg so we could run together. 

The gun went off.  Miles 1-2 were good, averaging a good clip under expected time, but then the rain started and it poured through mile 19!   I ran with Kristen and May Akor from mile 3-9 (cool pacing two Olympic Trials women runners!) Kristen took off here and Mary fell back.  By the half, I was ready to quit.  Hit the HM point spot on 1:18 (about 1 minute behind my goal time).  I couldn't feel my feet from mile 10 on as I was soaking wet and cold.  I hit mile 14 and thought of my friend Steve P. (to whom I dedicated this race) and that gave me the strength to go on.  Up to this point, I was the 9th master. 

At mile 15, 2 master's runners caught me and I ran with them until mile 17 when they (and another master) took off.   I thought of going with them, but wanted to save something for the hill and hoped they might come back to me.  About this point I remember my left foot/shoe feeling funny, like I had a pencil under the middle of my foot.  I stopped to check if my sock had rolled down under my foot (since it was soaked I thought it might have come down), but alas it was fine.  Looking back, I think this is where I first felt a problem that led to issues later in the month (thought it wasn't a Jone's fracture in my foot, but just really angry tendons!).  Yet another "excuse" for slowing down in the second half.  At 18M, another master passed me (whom I would catch and pass at 24M).  Caught Kristen F. again at 20M where she was dying on the hill (sorry, Kristen!  You are a super strong runner!).  At 22M, another master passes me but I keep him in sight and striking distance, bidding my time for a "surge". 

The hill is very steady from 20-25.5M.  The rain has stopped, but the headwind picks up and it drops 5 degrees and I just can't get my muscles warm to put any push on.  I sucked during this section and ran a 43 minute last 10K!  I was trying to fuel, but just didn't have anything left.  I tried to grab a Gu out of my back pocket around 21M but couldn't get it out with my wet/cold hands and my shoulder cramped up as I was reaching back to get it...ouch! 

As I was coming up on 25M I thought of pushing to catch the master in front of me, but I wait too long and he hits the downhill at St. Paul cathedral and takes off, and I end up finishing about 100M behind him, dang it.  I was 3 minutes off of 10th place, but don't know if I could have caught him, whom by the way was my friend John Piggott (he hit the HM in 1:14ish, so he was coming back to me but is too strong a runner).  Overall not bad to be the 13th fastest master in the US for 2008! 

Now a week or so later, looking back I am  most disappointed in my mental collapse at about 14M.  This is where mentally I went from "race" mode to "finish" mode and it showed up when the other master runners passed me.  In race mode I would have went with them (and I think I could have stayed with them), but in finish mode I let them go.  How could I let this happen in such a big race?

Lesson learned:  Respect the hills and do more hill training for the next race.  Need to build the strength in the legs to manage the uphills better next year.  A keep focused and mentally strong.

Splits may come later if I really want to look at them and post them.

Splits: 1-5:37, 2-5:58, 3-5:52, 4-5:49, 5-5:47, 6-5:54, 7-5:55, 8-5:49, 9-6:02, 10-5:49, 11-5:51, 12-6:08, 13-6:09, 14-6:10, 15-6:11, 16-5:50, 17-6:11, 18-6:16, 19-6:18, 20-6:18, 21-6:35, 22-7:00, 23-7:04, 24-6:48, 25-6:50, 26-6:59, 0.2(0.5 on GPS)-3:00.

 Tangent 3 - 69 miles

Comments
From rockness18 on Sun, Oct 05, 2008 at 16:48:22

Wow...looked up the weather report! Very impressive in light of the horrid conditions. Look forward to hearing more.

From Dale on Sun, Oct 05, 2008 at 18:50:30

Great job under the conditions you faced. A bit like your pacing duties at the Shamrock Marathon, perhaps? Nice job!

From josse on Sun, Oct 05, 2008 at 21:08:54

We shared so much so far away. CRAZY, but at least we can all share the pain.

From Lucia on Sun, Oct 05, 2008 at 23:01:34

So crazy! You were thousands of miles apart and had the same weather than SGM! You are still amazing to run that fast in those conditions!

From Andy on Sun, Oct 05, 2008 at 23:25:13

Excellent job Jeff. Hope you had a nice celebratory beverage afterward (with appropriate id of course). I thought of you as I was enjoying mine.

From Barry on Sun, Oct 05, 2008 at 23:32:25

Congratulation, that is an awesome time with the weather conditions you had to deal with.

From Jon on Mon, Oct 06, 2008 at 00:36:39

That's it... no more races in early October!

From superfly on Mon, Oct 06, 2008 at 11:20:08

Thats a great race considering the crap weather. You are always out putting together good races no matter what the conditions. I talked to Logan and the last 5 miles or so sounded like a muther. Good job Jeff!

From wheakory on Mon, Oct 06, 2008 at 11:23:26

Jeff - you can only do what mother nature will allow you to do. I'm glad you finished with a pretty decent time. Great experience for you and you only have PR's ahead of you.

From Jon on Mon, Oct 06, 2008 at 11:36:03

If I had told you a few years ago that you would be the 13th masters at the championship race, I don't think you would have believed me. You did great. And, unlike most Masters, I really believe you have many more years of improving times...

Nice work.

From Robert on Mon, Oct 06, 2008 at 12:25:39

Great work Jeff! Sorry that better fall Midwestern weather was a no show. That is really a beautiful course in better conditions. The hills along Summit Ave. are definitely pesky though.

From Tom on Mon, Oct 06, 2008 at 13:24:13

Jeff nice job in tough conditions. Mother Nature was certainly NOT a friend of the runner on this day.

From Chad on Mon, Oct 06, 2008 at 13:47:09

Way to make a big showing for yourself up against some of the toughest masters in the country. You should be proud of this strong performance in substantially less than ideal conditions.

From Lucia on Mon, Oct 06, 2008 at 13:48:19

WE'RE NOT WORTHY!!!

From JimF on Mon, Oct 06, 2008 at 14:02:41

Good job in the tough conditions! Sorry the weather didn't cooperate but it sounds like it was a good experience. 13th at the National Master's Championships sounds pretty impressive to me.

From JD on Mon, Oct 06, 2008 at 14:04:04

Great race! 13th in a field loaded with talent, on a bad weather day no less.

From Dave S on Mon, Oct 06, 2008 at 15:04:47

Great job Jeff. Top 13 in the US is awsome. Good work.

From Katie on Mon, Oct 06, 2008 at 15:30:37

At least you weren't afraid to play w/the big boys!

You wanted to quit during the first hour? Way to stick it out!

As always, I claim that uphill training always brings the most benefit!!! An(UP)hill phase will certainly make a difference next year.

What's next for you?

I'm thinking possibly Philly. just for fun, of course. Maybe you could get a pacing job there.

From jtshad on Mon, Oct 06, 2008 at 15:35:47

Thanks for the notes everyone, it was fun, but hard nonetheless. My last 10K was an slow 43 minutes...yikes! Dang did I underestimate that hill (oh, and did I mention the weather).

Katie, thanks for the vote of confidence for a pacing gig...if you were there I would consider it! I did see Katie Koski and Brandy Erholz at TCM (they were running the 10M) and said hello...they seemed to remember me from Shamrock.

Hills...I did more last year and did not focus on them as much this year. But next year, oh year I will feel the pain!

From James on Mon, Oct 06, 2008 at 23:37:51

Well, we all had an exciting weekend of racing. Maybe next year things will be a little more boring! Good job on a tough run!

From ALi on Tue, Oct 07, 2008 at 15:01:25

COngrats on a tough day! There aren't a whole lot of hills in IF unless you go out in the middle of no where. DO you have any kind of running group up there that meets on a regular basis. Whenever I come up to see my family I have a hard time finding anyone who wants to run in the cold winter wind in IF?

From jtshad on Tue, Oct 07, 2008 at 15:10:13

We did form an IF running group this summer for longer runs on the weekends, typically Saturday mornings. Usually between 3-8 people of varying pacing (typically in the 7-8 minute pace though, a few of us hook up for faster runs as well) and usually folks training for marathons. How this holds together this fall/winter we will see, but I imagine it will as the "diehard" members are all thinking Boston in April.

Send me a note if you are coming to town and we will see who is running when (I am sure there will be someone out there!)

From MarcieJ on Tue, Oct 07, 2008 at 15:16:02

Great job pushing through! It seems we all got some pretty crazy weather.

From Dustin on Tue, Oct 07, 2008 at 15:44:14

Great job in the conditions. You've had a very good year of training and racing. I hope you can recover and enjoy the next few weeks.

From Adam RW on Mon, Oct 13, 2008 at 10:32:07

Jeff, This was a heroic effort. Numb toes and a cold headwind and you toughed it out. You also were able to maintain a positive attitude (at least in the race report) about the whole experience. I think that you came to race and you did. 13th at a championship race is amazing. I can't wait to see what next year brings...

From walter on Thu, Oct 16, 2008 at 09:53:12

Jeff sorry its taken so long to comment on your race. You have had a great season behind you. I am impressed at your times this year. We all had a bad final marathon ending for this year and I have a feeling, we will be better for it next year. Keep up the good work and Ill see you later.

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