Long Beach International City Bank Marathon

I really had to run this race. I did not properly train for it, and just have passed my peak at triathlon training, so a marathon out of nowhere surely would be painful, but I have a list of reasons.

reason #1: I had to catch up my marathon running. This was my sixth marathon in 2008, and my goal is to complete at least eight, as last year.

reason #2: I am a member of Marathon Maniacs (http://www.marathonmaniacs.com) marathon running club; that means I am addicted to marathon running, trying to complete as many as I can, hopefully at least one in each state. With this, I have ran sixteen marathons and one ultramarathon. That does not mean I trained for all of them, but I have earned the bragging rights.

reason #3: After running San Francisco Marathon, with completion of Long Beach Marathon and Surf City Marathon I will get an exclusive medal and a jacket for completing the California Dreamin’ RACING SERIES(http://www.caldreaminracing.com/).

reason #4: Long Beach is a beautiful and flat city. I just had to see it again.

reason #5: I needed to shake things up and tune up my training for New York City Marathon, in three weeks.

reason #6: It was my participation in the Phidippidations Worldwide Half Marathon Challenge (http://www.worldwidefestivalofraces.com/cgi-bin/home). For those who do not know, it was a free worldwide event of people running together.

reason #7: I had to test running compression socks.

reason #8: I had to test a better nutrition approach for the marathon.

reason #9: October 11th was my mother's birthday. I had to celebrate this date, specially because she lives abroad and I miss her.

reason #10: As usual, Trojans won again (10/11/08, over Arizona State, 28-0) and I had to party.

reason #11: I had to run a marathon with the Childrens Hospital Los Angeles uniform.

reason #12: I love running marathons.

reason #13: I am addicted to marathon running.

reason #14: I had to face the challenge of running this marathon after intensive sprint triathlon training.

reason #15: It was a beautiful day.

But it does not matter how many reasons, but how you perform, and there comes a list of all mistakes I did:

mistake #1: Proper training: I did not train properly.

mistake #2: Do not increase your weekly mileage more than 10%: I do not even have the math...

mistake #3: Periodization: I ran a marathon right after peak training, and three weeks before an A race.

mistake #4: Proper pacing: I forgot my wristwatch, and they did not have any clocks on race course, so as expected I ran too fast in the first half, and wore myself off.

mistake #5: Nothing new on race day: I tried running compression socks for the first time in that race.

As expected, I did not PR: chip time was 4:47:30. But I was able to prove myself that without training I can finish a marathon in less than five hours.

The day started with mildly cool 66F, but during the race the temperature rose to 76F, with about 5-8 miles directly under the sun. As usual, I started the race with arm warmers and gloves, but warm-up was complete at mile 3.

I ran the first 10K at 9:17 pace, and the half was completed at 9:35 pace. At mile 13 I was passed by the 4:15 hours marathon pace group, and at mile 14 I started to have bilateral calf cramps, being forced to start run-walk pattern. At mile 18 I was passed by the 4:30 hours marathon pace group, and then the challenge was to finish in less than 4:50 hours.

Probably this was my second most painful race, but I was happy to finish in less than five hours, with accomplishment of the socks and nutrition testing. The socks really worked in improving my running form, but I can not tell about speed. My nutrition consisted in using water instead of sports drinks, using gels every three miles; this way I avoided abdominal cramping, but the cramps in my legs could be due to electrolyte deficit. Now it seems it is time for salt capsules.

Mission accomplished, one more medal in the wall, one more race in the journal. I have learned a lot, and now I have to evade the post-race depression planning my training until NYC Marathon.

I really had to run this race.

Next races: LA Cancer Challenge (10/26/08), ING New York Marathon (11/02/08).

Hero of the week: Chrissie Wellington, Ironman champion 2007 and 2008, finished more than ten minutes ahead of her fellow competitors at 9:06:23, even with a flat tire.

Quote of the week: "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." Albert Einstein

Three-Triathlons-Triathlete, third part of three

Happy for reaching my goal at Malibu, achy and tired, I was hungry for more. But then I had to accomplish the most difficult task: pleasing myself with my performance. Long Beach Triathlon (0.5Mi swim, 11Mi bike, 3Mi run) was a perfect race to finish my streak.

Once more I reviewed my bike, setting the bike seat higher, and packed up my triathlon bag. This was my first time at Long Beach, and I have to say: it is beautiful! Even better: it is flat and fast!

Not only the land course was flat that day; the ocean was calm and warm, better than a swimming pool. I did not have any excuses for the swim leg, and I did not need any: my time was 17:11.4, with just few elbow hits and kicks, no surprises.

T1 was awkward, due to a long sand trail at the beach; I ran half of it, until I had cramps on my calves, but no shortness of breath this time. I will include running on sand in my training: my time was a horrible 4:55.4.

Bike leg was exciting, wide and flat streets, with some sharp turns, but not crowded, so I managed to do better: 35:50.9. I have to confess: I need more training time on the aero position... Having a running background, biking always scares me with the possibility of a crash. That is the excuse for the bike leg...

T2 was a satisfactory 1:47.6. I need to train to remove bike shoes on the bike...

Excited with my time, I pushed the run. Basically, I started to chase my age-group competitors, not even breaking the pace for fluids, and felt great: 22:19.9 was my time. The weather helped a lot, low humidity, cool, not windy. The cheers of the spectators was another bonus.

The result was comforting and above expectations: 1:22:04. Now Long Beach is my favorite, and I have plans to repeat this streak every year: LA Triathlon, Malibu and Long Beach. Hard it will be not to go for olympic distances on the first two...

Now I am making plans for half and full-Ironman, if I have the money.

I already know I have the guns and the guts.

Next races: Long Beach International Marathon (10/12/08); ING New York Marathon (11/02/08).

Hero of the week: Chris McCormack. At least until next Saturday, he is The Ironman Champion. But I have to tell you: anybody swimming 0.5Mi in 10:29 (his time in Malibu this year) and finishing an Ironman in 8:15:34 (his time in Kona last year) or less has all my respect and will be my hero.

Quote of the week: "Fear is probably the thing that limits performance more than anything - the fear of not doing well, of what people will say. You've got to acknowledge those fears, then release them." --Mark Allen