Paris Grand 1/2 Marathon Report

[deb]

fantastic job Robbie-T, and great race report!

deb

[wind-hater]

Robbie, very nice time brother - way to give er!

[Scotty]

Hoorah, excellent effort, excellent result!!!

[Midge]

a sub 1.40 on the same day that Roy Williams grabs 3 TDs for the Mighty Lions of Detroit as they beat Arizona...you must be smilin

[BaldGuy]

Hey Rob -- between your report and having driven the course on Friday, I almost feel like I was there--except I wasn't. Impressive run on that course, mister. Congrats on that awesome, hilly, windy PB!

I'll try to actually BE there next year.

[MsMartini]

Excellent! Great job!
MM

[Marvin Martian]

How to be, Robbie-T!

Simply outstanding. Not sure what amazes me more, that you can do that on a bum leg? Or the fact that you could be so fast, and still only rank as 'middle of the pack' in your ag, That was obviously some stiff competition!

Kzod, that really amazes me too, that even in my age group (40-49), how fast the athletes are... I recall seeing something in Runner's World, I believe, about there being a 7 year period that runners can improve before plateauing... there may be hope for me yet!

[DeValera]

I heard that the wind gust where up around 50km/h!!...3 weeks after Detroit Marathon, a stump for an ankle, hills, wind, I can still go lower.

Robbie - congrats on a fine recap and wonderful race. Do you think any part of the success could have been from distractions and low expectations?

For others it goes to prove - don't quit before the start line - show up, go out and see what happens on the course.

Fine job, I'll expect you to blow by me a couple of times in '06. (Chilly, ATB, Tough Ass, Miss. & NCM)

DV

[Robbie-T]

Robbie - congrats on a fine recap and wonderful race. Do you think any part of the success could have been from distractions and low expectations?

For others it goes to prove - don't quit before the start line - show up, go out and see what happens on the course.

Fine job, I'll expect you to blow by me a couple of times in '06. (Chilly, ATB, Tough Ass, Miss. & NCM)

DV

I went into this race with a goal of sub 1:40, but yes I did have a backup plan that still included PBing, you are correct there were a lot of distractions but also a lot of excuses that I could have used and just gave up. I do agree you never know what kind of race you will have until you get across the start line.

I'll see yah at a couple of those races for sure, Chilly and Tough Ass maybe Miss., make sure you say "Hey Robbie-T!!" if you see me.

[Monk]

Outstanding! Congrats!

[JulyButterfly]

Wow! Wow! and Wow! congrats on your PB!

[Nicholas]

That is an awesome improvement in your PB!! Six and a half minutes off a 1.45 time e is amazing and shows you've being putting in some real quality training. And it was done on a wonky leg. Wow!!!!!

That "slow" marathon helped by being more of a last long training run. I would say a sub 3.30 is coming up in the spring.......but no pressure.

[QuickChick]

Wow Robbie that is a fabulous time! Way to go! Plus it sounds like a super tough course. My friend, who is a Boston marathoner, ran it and said it was one of the toughest races she's done!

[Doonst]

I didn't see BaldGuy, I don't think he made it, however I did meet Sheldon (a lurker) from Georgetown that introduced himself to me, he was a nice guy and had a nice race too.

I am that lurker, but I just gotta come out to describe the race from a little furthur back in the pack. I was having a nice race, for about the first 15K. My only previous half (Scotiabank) took 1:57, and I was on track for a 1:51! I'm thinkin, you know, if I pick it up a bit in the last 3K, who knows, I could beat 1:50. Then, at 15K, as Robbie said, we turned straight into the wind. It was like a huge hand holding me back. I tried to keep up my pace, but 3/4s of the way through my second Half Marathon, that was neither wise nor possible. My heart rate and breathing went up, and I grudgingly slowed down. It was disheartening. I felt like I was dragging myself through the last 3K, and of course the biggest hill is right at the end. Once around the track, and I finished in 1:53:22.
In retrospect I am pleased as heck at my personal best, on a tough course and a tough day. It is my first year of racing, second year running, and I have come a long way. Before you try to cheer me up, you have to see MY picture, it pretty much shows it all:
http://www.photoreflect.com/scripts/prsm.dll?PhotoCard?id=07D50002000F001200160021LBZHAMMT


Just to put Robbie's smiles into perspective. The first thing he said to me when I walked up to him was "Are you Baldguy?"

[Robbie-T]

Just to put Robbie's smiles into perspective. The first thing he said to me when I walked up to him was "Are you Baldguy?"

Yeah yeah I know he's got more hair then 3 guys, but I thought maybe it was like when give a real big guy a nickname skinny, or a real grumpy guy the nickname happy.

Great run Doonst, and nice meeting you, see you again at the Egg Nog Jog where we will take on some more lovely hills.

[runJrun]

Nice one both of you! Wow you are fast, 1:39 - way to go!

Jocelyn

[SusanD]

A bit late arriving here... but the sentiments are the same, nonetheless... WOWSERS! A really fantastic job, Robbie-T!

[Robbie-T]

That is an awesome improvement in your PB!! Six and a half minutes off a 1.45 time e is amazing and shows you've being putting in some real quality training. And it was done on a wonky leg. Wow!!!!!

That "slow" marathon helped by being more of a last long training run. I would say a sub 3.30 is coming up in the spring.......but no pressure.

I've been rolling this around in my mind since you've posted this, are you serious? Is 3:30 possible for me within a year if I keep up my training?

[dgrant]

I am that lurker, but I just gotta come out to describe the race from a little furthur back in the pack. I was having a nice race, for about the first 15K. My only previous half (Scotiabank) took 1:57, and I was on track for a 1:51! I'm thinkin, you know, if I pick it up a bit in the last 3K, who knows, I could beat 1:50. Then, at 15K, as Robbie said, we turned straight into the wind. It was like a huge hand holding me back. I tried to keep up my pace, but 3/4s of the way through my second Half Marathon, that was neither wise nor possible. My heart rate and breathing went up, and I grudgingly slowed down. It was disheartening. I felt like I was dragging myself through the last 3K, and of course the biggest hill is right at the end. Once around the track, and I finished in 1:53:22.
In retrospect I am pleased as heck at my personal best, on a tough course and a tough day. It is my first year of racing, second year running, and I have come a long way. Before you try to cheer me up, you have to see MY picture, it pretty much shows it all:
http://www.photoreflect.com/scripts/prsm.dll?PhotoCard?id=07D50002000F001200160021LBZHAMMT


Just to put Robbie's smiles into perspective. The first thing he said to me when I walked up to him was "Are you Baldguy?"

Solid run Doonst. That's just a plain fast time for your first year of racing. Congrats!!

[lbgradwell]

That is an awesome improvement in your PB!! Six and a half minutes off a 1.45 time e is amazing and shows you've being putting in some real quality training. And it was done on a wonky leg. Wow!!!!!

That "slow" marathon helped by being more of a last long training run. I would say a sub 3.30 is coming up in the spring.......but no pressure.

I've been rolling this around in my mind since you've posted this, are you serious? Is 3:30 possible for me within a year if I keep up my training?

I'll answer on Nick's behalf while we wait for his personal reply!

In short, yes; a 3:30 is a definite possibility, Rob. I'm a big guy like you and my first (and only) marathon was a 3:39:26. I think I could manage a 3:30, but I have still never gone under 1:40 for a half (1:41:27 PB).

My challenge is to find the maximum training my body will permit (not a lot, by the way) while remaining uninjured...

LG

[paulg]

Fantastic Rob, great race and sounds like your on a roll. Way to go and congrats with the PB.

Paul

[Robbie-T]

I'll answer on Nick's behalf while we wait for his personal reply!

In short, yes; a 3:30 is a definite possibility, Rob. I'm a big guy like you and my first (and only) marathon was a 3:39:26. I think I could manage a 3:30, but I have still never gone under 1:40 for a half (1:41:27 PB).

My challenge is to find the maximum training my body will permit (not a lot, by the way) while remaining uninjured...

LG

Interesting, and thanks, what was your training schedule like for that marathon?

I'm starting to realize that larger runners need to train a bit more conservatively, similar to Masters runners. I generally don't see myself as a larger runner, when I get to the starting line I feel like all the other 160-170 lb runners there. But I guess I am, carrying an extra 40-50lbs for 42.2km takes a slightly different approach to finishing faster then just muscling my way through a 10k or half race.

[lbgradwell]

I used Hal Higdon's Novice Schedule since it only called for 4 runs a week, and that is my maximum. In fact, even then, I find it hard on my body, so I tended to alternate weeks of 3 and 4 runs.

I did no strength training and no speedwork at all, and my longest training run had been 32km, and only one of those.

I had decided based on my times over shorter distances that a 3:45 goal was realistic, but changed that to 3:40 a few days before the race.

I didn't really even find it difficult until about 37km, but I must admit that it took some willpower to stay on pace for those last 6.2km!!!

I used a HRM and made sure my HR stayed in the appropriate range. I can run even splits all day long, so I don't think I was more that 20-30 seconds off pace the entire race, and finished 34 seconds under my goal time!

I'm pretty sure I could have gone 3-5 minutes faster that day, and subsequently trained for a second marathon with a goal of 3:20. All was going well, and I think I had a reasonable chance, when I suffered a stress fracture 6 weeks before the race and had to ditch. Xrays and a bone scan revealed I also have osteoarthritis in my right hip, and it aches when my mileage goes above half marathon distance...

I've never tried another marathon since, but I'm confident that I could do a 3:30 simply by adding some strength and/or speedwork.

LG