Columbus Marathon: Complete Race Report

I decided to do the Columbus Marathon before I competed at IMoo, because I was lucky enough to win a free entry through Racevine. Even if I hadn't won an entry, I can honestly say that it would have been well beyond worth the entry fee. I'll get to that later.

I drove down from Houghton to Monroe on Friday and had dinner with my mom, sister, their kids, my grandparents, and my uncle. My mom made mostaciolli and had some rice pasta and sauce left for me. Delicious! I slept in... not too late... and went shopping for interview clothes in the morning with my cousin after playing with my nephew, Seth. I headed to Columbus around 1230pm, and missed my exit off I75. That tacked on about an hour to my drive, but I made it down to Kendra and Tom's by 430pm and we went to the expo.

The expo was much bigger than any other expo I'd been to before. I thought Lincoln National Guard's was big, but I guess this is what I get when I race against 15,000 competitors! We picked up our packets, bibs, D-tags, and race shirts, and bought a couple packs of orange burst Gu from a running shop (I had left my Honey packets at home). Then, we stopped at Whole Foods to grab some dinner and headed back to their house. I took my frozen pizza from Whole Foods with me over to my cousin's (Jenny) place and met her 3-month old baby, Sophia, for the first time! So cute. After eating, I went back to Kendra's, went for a quick run, and got ready for the morning. I was in bed by 930, and slept like a baby. A happy baby.

I woke up before my alarm, which was nice. Halfway through the night, the vial of concentrated Nuun that I had made for race day exploded. I used an old tube of Nuun filled with water and put one tablet of Kona Kola in it. I let it sit out for about an hour before putting the cap on it when I went to bed, but apparently that wasn't long enough. I woke up to a loud "POP!" at 2am and then had a dream that the Nuun spilled all over Kendra's dresser. Luckily, that didn't really happen, but the top did explosively pop off and hit the ceiling. No damage was seen.

After I woke up, I ate a bowl of cereal, drank some nuun, and packed my race food. My race food was a bulging wad of fruit snack that was a little cumbersome in my shorts pocket. I would remedy this later... I took in some caffeine so I didn't get a headache, especially since I hadn't weened myself off caffeine whatsoever. [I don't think I will ever do the "weening" thing again, after having a terrible race in Lincoln in May]

We got in the car and headed to the race around 630, and it was about four blocks to the race start. We stopped by the Convention Center for a bathroom pitstop before heading to the race start, and then hit the portapotties one last time when we arrived. I threw my bag in the big truck (that was really convenient) and Kendra and I headed to find a spot between the 3:20 and 3:30 pace groups.

The race started on time, and I crossed the starting line about a minute after the race clock started. The first mile was relaxed, slow, weaving around people, 7:57. Slower than I wanted, but I tried to stay relaxed. Kendra made a comment that there were something like 40-50 bands along the course, and we started to see and hear them rather quickly. Every major intersection had someone playing an instrument. It was distracting, which was a good thing.

The start was the most crowded start I've experienced yet, with 15,000 runners (half marathoners and marathoners started at the same time). Eventually, the crowd cleared a little and I could see the 3:20 pace group ahead and we stuck behind it at a constant distance for the a few miles. Kendra and I hung at 7:31 for mile 2. Where I wanted to be, but I also knew that I had to pick off 20seconds from the slow first mile. I paid attention to my breathing, and mile 3 had some downhill, so we rolled out our third mile at 7:21. I tried to keep the next three miles right at 7:30s, but the speed varied depending on turns and crowds. We eventually caught up to and got around the 3:20 pace group and I felt good being ahead of the crowd because I could see the road and the race in front of me. However, the pace group did a great job of blocking the wind. Win some, lose some, I suppose! I took some chews exactly at 30minutes and stuffed my food in my sports bra (my shorts pocket kept spilling its contents, and having chews in my underwear was not the most comfortable feeling).


Eventually, Kendra and I split up (around the 10K) and I comfortably sat at 7:20-25s until the half. I felt good and ate some more of my chews. I tried to not let my 12th mile get too fast because of all the half marathoners passing me, so I ate the rest of my chews and was smiling as I ran through the spectator-lined main street. Once the half marathoners split off, the road cleared even more, and it just got quiet. The music bands were a great distraction again. I caught up with a guy exiting the portapotty and we secured the 7:30s for a few miles. There were a few gradual uphills between miles 15-18. I decided to turn it up a notch to see what I could do, and I increased my turnover. My mile 17 was a little fast (7:06), but I didn't know it at the time because I missed my split. I knew it was faster, but I thought that it wasmaybe a 7:15. Then, I started to feel a mini bonk coming over me, and I quickly reached for my rescue Gu in my shirt pocket. I felt the bonk mostly as a factor for my legs and head, aerobically I still felt great. The bonk disappeared and I was on track for a 3:15. Mile 18 was back on to 730s, but I then started to feel a twinge in my hamstring as I started mile 19. I tried to focus on running upright, forward, using my arms. The pain would subside, but then I think I would lose my form again, and the pain would return. I started to develop a limp, and it hurt to push off with my left foot. My stride shortened substantially, and I started to fall apart.
I struggled to keep my pace at 8s. When I would recuperate my form, and look at my GPS, I was around 740min/miles. But, thirty seconds later when I started to slouch, the pain would return and I was running 8:15s. At mile 20, I thought to myself that I could still run a 50min 10K and PR. I am not sure if this thought spoiled my race, but while I was running, I was in pain. I knew that I needed to keep moving forward and that the 6.2miles would be over before I knew it. And they were.


Rolling into the finish felt good because the last 1/4 mile was all downhill. I felt my adductor muscles tighten as soon as I crossed the line, but it felt good to be done. My time was 3:19:51, which is 2 minutes, 20seconds faster than my previous best (my first marathon; Napa Valley).

Mentally, I think I have work to do on my last 10K. Also, I wore my ST3s, and although they made me feel fast for the first 20miles, I wonder if they just weren't enough support for the 26.2. That thought crossed my mind too, and I probably started to make excuses for myself during the race without realizing it. I thought: "Had I worn my Trances, I might not have biomechanically fallen apart." I was really happy with how I did, though, and I felt good even though I didn't quite make my ultimate goal of 3:15. My clothing was perfect. The temperature was ~35F when we started, and with all the people, I avoided the cool breeze and kept warm. I wore gloves until around mile 19, and kept my longsleeve on the whole time. I was comfortable temperature wise the whole time.

The race was phenomenal. The music was a great part of the race atmosphere. The spectators were awesome, and the other people racing were very encouraging. Not too many people wearing iPods, which I found to be a relief. When I crossed the finish line, I was immediately given a space blanket and medal (really cool "spinner" medal with color paint on it). I then got a finisher's hat (fleece) and was corralled to the massage room. Although the massages were disappointing, it was nice to be able to sit around. I went to get my pre-race clothes bag and it was really easy to find. I put on a few layers, found Kendra and Tom, and then we left to get lunch from PF Changs.

What I wore:
Brooks ST3s
Brooks Podium shorts
Brooks PR T
Brooks Equilibrium long sleeve top
Brooks runner PED socks
Brooks Run Happy hat
Cheap (99cent) cotton gloves

What I ate:
Pre race: Envirokids Panda Puffs (a bowl-full, plus a handful, so probably 2-3 cups), 2tablets of Kona Kola Nuun (caffeine) in 1liter water
Race: 2 packets of Honey Stinger chews, Pomegranate and Mixed Fruit (I emptied two packets in saran wrap), 1 Orange burst Gu (with caffeine), Gatorade Endurance on course after mile 17, water at every other station

New things about the race I hadn't experienced before:
-I had never used D-Tags before. Very easy to use. Just don't crease them!!
-TweetMyTime was really nice because it synced with both my Twitter and Facebook. My friends could see how I was doing at the 10K, half, 20mile, and finish!
-Lots of race photos; I didn't see many cameras out on the course, but I had six or seven photos from the race.

Columbus Marathon: Brief Race Report

I thought I'd let ya'll know how the Columbus Marathon went real quick-like. 14,000 racers started together on the 35degree Sunday morning. It was great, I was dressed perfectly in a long sleeve and shorts.

I finished in 3:19:51, over 2minutes faster than my previous best, and good for 15th in my AG and 56th overall. It was a competitive, fast course and I felt really good about the race. Toward the end, I'd lose focus and fall apart biomechanically. Cardiovascularly, though- I felt amazing! I had a minibonk around mile 18. Needless to say, my last 10K was a little rough. I had the right mentality for most of the race, though, and really felt it was my strongest marathon yet. Still, I know what to work on for next time, though!

I'll write a more thorough race report later. Gotta go to work now!!

Ready to run...

The Columbus Marathon is on Sunday. I'm leaving for downstate tomorrow morning, going to wave hello to the Mackinac Bridge, and will hopefully miss the rush hour traffic of Detroit and Ann Arbor. Saturday morning will be a relaxed departure from my parents' home in Monroe to my friend Kendra's place, right in the heart of Columbus. We're going to pick up our race packets and then?... I will get to see my cousin and her newborn baby, hang out with one of my awesome MegaTough teammates, and just chill out for the evening. I have a lackadaisical attitude about the whole thing, and I'm not sure if that is good or bad. Columbus isn't my "A" race (that designation was given to IMoo), but - of course- I still want to do well. I was hesitant to set any steep goals, but the way training has been going and how I've been feeling the last four weeks, I thought, what the hell.

My goals:
A- Finish around 3:15. This is seven minutes faster than my PR, mind you.
B- Finish under 3:30. That would make Columbus at least my second-fastest marathon.
C- BQ

If I don't complete "C", I will be disappointed. I will probably still be a little bummed if I don't get goal "B" as well, but I guess I can't really predict what will happen on race day. It could blizzard... or something worse.

How am I going to try and reach my "A" goal? Here's my race day strategy:

-Settle into a good rhythm, focus on form and breathing
-Go out the first around 47min. Not too much faster than that (7:30-7:35s)
-Get to half around 1:38-39. Again, not too much faster than that. (same pace)
-Second half needs to be in 1:36, so after halfway, pick up pace to 7:20-25s.
-Last 10K, hopefully have enough in the tank to give'r a little more. 7:15-20s.

I think it's doable. We'll see on Sunday!

Autumn Beet Soup

It's fall! Time for some hearty vegetables, apple cider, and snow.

I got a bunch of delicious vegetables today from Chip, our C.S.A. farmer, as usual. I then realized we hadn't used up all the veggies from last week! In a desperate measure, I Googled just about every beet soup recipe, to no avail. Nothing sounded good. Adam is not a fan of beets to begin with, so I wanted to make something milder that didn't focus the flavor on the beets, which is really hard to do. So, with the tomatoes, a gigantic red onion, about four medium beets (between tennis and golf ball sized), and some other random vegetables, I proceeded to make the best beet borscht I've ever had. With some freshly made cornbread muffins*, this meal just hit the spot! I know I kinda crossed cultures with the cornbread and the Eastern Euro-style soup, but I will just call it Yooperfood...

Megan's Autumn Beet Soup (Mild Borscht)
1/4c EVOO
1 big red onion, diced
4 medium beets, chopped
5 large tomatoes, cut into big chunks
3 ears of corn, boiled for three minutes and cut off cob
1/2 c white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)**
1 c milk
2 tbsp thick Worchestershire sauce
1 tbsp dried ground mustard
2 tsp pepper
2 tsp Vindaloo spices
2 tsp Kosher salt
Grated extra sharp cheddar

Heat the EVOO in a stock pot over medium heat. When the oil is warm, add the ground mustard, vindaloo, pepper, and salt. Stir and add red onion. Once the onion begins to turn transparent, add the beets and cover for five minutes or until beets are soft. Then, add tomatoes until warm. Put mixture into a blender and puree until smooth. Return mixture to pot. Add corn, milk, Worchestershire sauce, and wine, and cook until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until ready to eat. The longer it cooks, the thicker it will get and the more the flavors will infuse. Serve hot with shredded cheddar and cornbread.

I may have missed that point of minimizing the beet flavor, but Adam actually said the soup tasted good, so I must have done something right. Give it a try, and be flexible with the ratios. If you like beet flavor, add more beets; if you don't, add more tomatoes. It's a great, hearty soup that is really good for you!!

*The cornbread muffins were gluten free. If you need a good recipe, try the one on the back of Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Cornmeal. Delicious, wholesome, and easy to make. I used cornstarch instead of potato starch.

**Adam and I don't really drink white wine, but use it a lot in our cooking. We've discovered these trinkets (right) at EconoFoods, and they are perfect! We use just about a bottle, or half a bottle, when we cook, but we don't feel so bad when we don't end up drinking the remaining wine. They are like airplane-or-minibar-style wine bottles. These Gallo bottles come in a four pack, and are pretty cheap. I know, I know- crappy wine makes crappy food, I know the rule: but we're poor graduate students. Gotta cut us a little slack ;) And the wine ain't half bad!

AAUW and writing...

Hey, folks.

I am applying for the American Dissertation Fellowship with AAUW, a really awesome organization that has been around for over 125 years. Their mission: to advance equality for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research. Going into academia has become easier for women, but staying there can be a little tricky. In academia, a young, new professor typically takes a tenure-track position, which means that they have to acquire funding, be involved with outreach, publish papers, graduate post-baccalaureate students, and (of course) apply for tenure. A lot of people don't realize what life is like for a newly graduated doctoral student.

There are a lot of challenges that I face, not only because I'm young in my field, but also because I'm a woman in engineering. But, to be honest, I don't look at it like that. I see myself as equal to my peers; both men and women are competing for funding and collaborating on projects across universities and oceans. We are striving for that pat on the back from Freddie Fu at a conference or the "grant awarded" email from the National Institutes of Health. There's something rewarding about the career path I've chosen, and I have to remind myself of the sacrifices I take. I don't make much money. I won't for a long time. Some of my brilliant ideas might work, but most won't. I can't let my self esteem get hammered too hard when I get the one-line email from a funding agency that starts: After reviewing the several thousand proposals we have received, we're sorry to inform you that...

I also can't let the statistics get to me. For example, here are some interesting facts about women in my line of work:

• 34 percent of women scientists and engineers are unmarried compared to 17 percent of men1
  
• Twenty-one percent of women scientists and engineers identified balancing family and work as a career obstacle compared to 2.8 percent of men1
• Women with babies are 29 percent less likely than women without to enter a tenure- track position, and married women are 20 percent less likely than single women to do so2
• Women faculty members earn less than men faculty members across all ranks and all institutional types. On average, women earn 81 percent of what men earn3

It's interesting to me that the gap is still so large, that academia is such a challenge for women, even after all the strides that have been taken. What can we do about it? What needs to change? How can we better prepare women for the field of academia?

1. Tilghman, S.M. Ensuring the Future Participation of Women in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering. From: The Markey Scholars Conference, 2004
2. McTighe Musil, C. Harvard Isn’t Enough:Women in academia still face hurdles to equity—including the “Baby Gap”. Ms Magazine, spring 2007
3. American Association of University Professors, Faculty Salary and Faculty Distribution Fact Sheet 2003-04