Peter Vu's Ironman Blog - Vineman 7/31/10

I had an amazing weekend in Arizona with the TNT Westside LA Marathon team. Everyone finished their half/full marathon and the Greater LA team raised $100,000+ for the Leukemia and Lyphoma Society. Here are some unorganized highlights:

• 4:04:44 - I had a GREAT run considering all the training/missed training I had up to this point. My favorite accomplishment of this run was my negative split (which is having a faster second half of the race then first half). It demonstrated to me that I could hold back for the first half and cut loose for the second half - as the coaches always preach.
  
• Shaved off ~44 minutes off my previous marathon run...unheard of, and I would have been pleasantly surprised if I had gotten 4:20/4:25.
• I followed my fellow TNT Mentor's marathon strategy since I was using 9 minute run  / 1 minute rest intervals: skipped the first interval, slowed down during miles 6-13, skipped interval around 13 miles, held constant pace around miles 14-20, skipped interval around 19 miles, toughed it out for the last 6.2 miiles and skipped all intervals between miles 20-26 except for mile 23 to re-Gu.
• Goal was to keep it steady for first 13.1 miles and hold back. I felt good for the whole race (where in San Diego I was dying by mile 14). There are really two races in a marathon...the first 20 and the last 6.2 miles. Since I was trying to PR (personal record), I knew that I needed to pick up the pace around miles 6.2 miles; however, it's not easy to do math towards the end when your brain wants to shut off.
  
• Arizona (Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe) is quite a boring, non-scenic run, but flat. Weather was perfect for running or "no excuses weather" according to Olympian Frank Shorter - 50 degrees with no wind or humidity
• I picked up a few things from the Fitness Expo on the prior day: Spibelt to hold Gu, Power Balance Hologram band (which I am still unsure if it works) and a Triathlon Backpack. FYI - If you ever want to buy discounted quality running/tri gear, always wait for a marathon/half-marathon to roll into town before buying anything. Discounts were awesome!
• My Gu energy gel intake was efficient - 5 Gus with the last Gu (Roctane - Double Gu) coming at mile 23 to pull it out. I really hit no "wall" and I think it was due to my proper energy intake for every 4-5 miles. I consider a marathon or any endurance event as a thinking game: you have to know your body, how it operates and how to provide it with the energy to support it for 26.2 miles.
• I also took a lot of Endurolyte salt pills - about 2-3 every hour. The pills help with my perspiration and water intake. By mile 21, I downed 3 of them to help with the cramping. I think it worked.
  
• Breakfast - 2 mini-bags of Whole Food trail mix per the wonderful Kelley Puckett.
• I started cramping around miles 21/22 in my calves and I was worried that I would have to stop...Tom told me you just need to run through it or else it would cramp up even more. Sometimes, when I was stepping, I almost tripped because I could feel my legs tightening, but I mentally focused harder and tried to pick up the pace.
• I used my Ipod shuffle for the last 6.2 miles (first time in a race) and I think it helped. I don't like using it for more than 2 hours because it just turns into noise. Next race, I will probably start using it around mile 18. 
• I definitely wanted to use the restroom during the race since I had been drinking a lot throughout...thankfully, was able to hold it in.
  
• I ran by myself for the first whole race and I actually enjoyed it. Not to say I don't like having people there, but when I'm in race mode, I just like being focused on the task at hand.
• Major runner's high afterwards - no major aches and pains. I did have KT (kinesiotape) Tape on my shins since they were a little sore heading into the race - first time using it.
  
• I shared a room with Coaches Craig and Kelley and Lauren Bollinger at the Sheraton Hotel.
• I was able to get a decent amount of sleep in prior to the race - fell asleep around 11pm and woke up around 5:20AM. Considering I had been falling asleep at 1 or 2AM for the past couple nights before the race.
• I saw Ryan Hall at the expo. He's an insane runner. I didn't see Deena Kastor, Olympic medal holder and female superstar runner,  but I am hoping she kicks some butt this year after her injuries the past couple years. Watching them race online is just surreal. They have amazing form and make it look so easy. (4-5 min miles throughout the 13.1 miles is just CRAZY!!!).
  

This run felt like "night and day" compared to my first marathon; whereas, I suffered in the San Diego marathon towards the end, I picked up the pace for the last 3.2 miles of this marathon. I think the things that helped me for this race were my nutrition (more vegetables the past few months, pasta loading this week), hydration (more water and less sugar or alcoholic drinks), weight loss (about 10-15 pounds less than San Diego), flat, fast course in AZ, and most importantly my mental grasp and preparation for a marathon.  I won't have time for another solo marathon anytime soon, but maybe after triathlon season, I can attain that sub 4 hour mark. Now, it's time for Ironman training to go into full effect. The next six months will be INTENSE, but I can't wait: New Adventures, New Challenges, New Friends, New Goals Achieved, New Discoveries, New Cancer Patients Helped.

Go Team!!!