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I Ran the Marine Corps Marathon
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Micah Ward
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 7:52 am    Post subject: I Ran the Marine Corps Marathon Reply with quote

Surprise surprise guys!!!

Yes I trained for a marathon this summer and last Sunday I completed the Marine Corps Marathon. The wife and I registered back in May and started training but I didn't want to say anything because I was afraid I would be jinxed with the inevitable injury.

Well the injury happened......to both of us. I strained a piriformis muscle and she injured a foot and got an upper respitory infection. But physical therapy and rest healed us just in the nick of time. My longest training run was only 18 miles 4 weeks before the race and the wife's was 18 miles 5 weeks before the race. In fact, her injury was right after her long run so she essentially had a 5 week taper with only one run. But we were entered and the hotel was paid for so we went!

Our only strategy was to run when we could, walk when couldn't and beat the 20 mile cutoff time. We did the first two miles together and then she insisted that I go on ahead. So we stuck to our plan and we both beat the cutoff and the wife walked the last 6 miles and I did a slow shuffle for that same distance.

Both of us felt great for the first 19 miles and then our legs just wore out from not being prepared to go the full 26. I don't think we really "hit the wall" because we never ran out of energy. We just ran out of leg strength.

I finished in 5:26:58 and the wife finished in 6:44:48 and neither of us swore we would never do another. In fact, the only question is do we want to do one in the spring before we do the Air Force Marathon next September!
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Dan
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 8:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow, you certainly know how to make a grand re-entrance... Congrats on putting together a mostly healthy stretch of training.

Quote:
I didn't want to say anything because I was afraid I would be jinxed with the inevitable injury.

I'd say you did a good job keeping quiet. Wink

Dan
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Micah Ward
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 10:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah...I have started training for a marathon so many times only to have injuries interupt but this time I pulled it off. I have heard a lot of people say that the Marine Corps Marathon is one of the best for a first time marathoner and I agree. The course was spectacular, the organization was top notch and the spectator support was unbelievable.

I highly recommend it. Thumbs Up
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Dan
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 12:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I have heard a lot of people say that the Marine Corps Marathon is one of the best for a first time marathoner and I agree.

I'm not sure how you could disagree with such a statement when there's no prior experience frame of reference... Only a non-first timer would have cause to reflect.

Dan
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Micah Ward
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 12:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The frame of reference is 30 years worth of running races. Regardless of the distance I know good organization, a good course and crowds of cheering spectators when I see them.

This race is a good one. Come on out to the east coast and see for yourself. Wink
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Dan
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 6:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I hope to never experience my first marathon...

Dan
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Angelo Z
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 6:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

After you ran the marathon, did you feel weight on your traps, shoulders, back muscles, or like a stabbing pain just below the back of the neck muscles?
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Micah Ward
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 05, 2007 8:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Angelo, I didn't have any problems in the areas you mention. The only real pain was just my legs being pushed past what they were accustomed to.

I do a good bit of pushups and crunches for the core and upper body. I also do some weight training that concentrates on light weights but high reps. So that probably helped with the uppper body.
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Angelo Z
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Maybe I just have a weaker upper body Confused
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Micah Ward
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 2:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I believe in working the upper body. Not necessarily to build big muscles but to build the muscular endurance to hold your form when you start to get tired. Are you familiar with Ann Trason? She won the Western States 100 thirteen times and even finished as high as 2nd overall on two occasions. In her prime, Trason did pushups and situps daily and weight training 2-3 times a week concentrating on low weights and high reps. If it is good enough for her.........
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Angelo Z
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 7:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, its been months since I have never worked out my upper body. It seems to get painful only in very long running events like a marathon it feels like a pick axe is being drived into my deltoids. Push-ups seem like an excellent idea, though I rarely compete in long distance events of 10km+
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 7:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Way to go Micah! Awesome to see you back in the swing of it... Congrats on your first marathon here is to many more haha

I agree on the MCM being a well organized good race for beginners (it was not my first one and actually to date is probably my worst time but I can appreciate what you said)
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Micah Ward
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 2:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks. My wife says she would like to run the NY marathon some day. I don't think we will do one in the spring but I would like to run the Air Force marathon next fall since I was in the Air Force....many years ago.
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 5:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

NYC is an awesome marathon to run but for different reasons very littlke beats coming off the 59th street bridge on to first avenue - throngs of people 7 or more deep screaming at you...relly pumps you up - the rest of first and in the park as well...

Hopefully I will do that one again soon I have unfinished business with that race
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Angelo Z
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 22, 2007 5:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Found that Tamrat Ayalew won that marathon in 2:22. http://www.myfoxcolorado.com/myfox/MyFox/pages/sidebar_video.jsp?contentId=3331180&version=1&locale=EN-US

He is going to run the bolder boulder! Oh dang...better train!
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