The Tenth State – Gansett Marathon Review (Day Two and Three in RI)

Gansett marathon was on April 14, 2012 and I didn’t run my target time.  For days, I tried to put something on here after the race; but I stared for hours with an empty head and don’t know what to write.  I train hard for every race, but I don’t know why I could not perform the way I wanted in Gansett. 

The first excuse I can come up with is allergy.  My sinus act up every spring during Cherry Blossom season.  By April, DC’s spring is getting to the end, but in RI is actually in full bloom.  Before I took off from BWI on Friday morning, I was actually be able to breath freely from my nose; then Friday night after I return from Providence River-Walk and pasta dinner, my since started to act up.  I took my pill, spread the med, and dived into bed.  

I started that day with a stuffy nose and an extra early morning call.  I gather together and drove out the hotel parking log toward the starting line in Narragansett.  Narragansett is tiny little coastal city and everything is so close to each other.  The parking is only 200 meter away and only 145 runners for the race.  The temp was at 46 degree at eight.  When time was arrived and “GO” was called, everyone charged forward. 



At the far left



Before the race start, I was plan to run 90m’ for the first half and 89m’ or better for the second.  I drove the course the night after pasta dinner, I learn it has a course load with rolling hills; but it is not super challenge, you just need to be very consistence with your pace. 

At mile one, I wasn’t too far off from the target split and clock 6m’44s’. 



I had a white headband



However, I do want to run near the target pace; so I decided to dial down a little.  From mile two to eight, I ran 7m’05s’, 7m’02s’ and 7m’04s’, 6m’54s’, 6m’42s’, 6m’46s’, & 6m’53s’, respectively.  Around mile nine, I felt the outer part of left knee act up, it wasn’t painful, but it didn’t right.  Right around the same time, a sore discomfort was also act up near my lower back. 



Near mile 9

I got scare and cautiously slow down; from mile nine to 17, I clock 7m’01s’, 7m’03s’, 6m’57s’, 7m’08s’, 7m’16s’, 7m’30s’, 7m’23s’, 7m’05s’, & 6m’52s’, respectively. 



Near mile 11

By the time, I finished with the first loop and back to the Narragansett Tower, I hit the uphill again.  From that point the finish, it was based run on hilly part of the course for the second time.  My body was aching and I was in survivor mode – put one foot in front of another till the finish line reach.  I clocked 7m’28s’, 7m’27s’, 7m’21s’, 7m’41s’, 7m’25s’, 7m’23s’, 7m’36s’, 7m’28, 7m’11s’, & 4m’46s’ (Garmin mapped me 0.8 mile at the end).

I finished the race with a very disappoint time at 3h’11m’14s’. 

A video was post on YouTube by someone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsmP4Aa1D6Y&t=32s 

I don’t know why, I don’t know my knee was hurting, I don’t know why my lower back was sore half way in the race.  I wonder why.  Did I hit peak already last year in New Jersey?  It can’t be, right?!  But if you look at “Marathon by State” panel on the left side of this page, you’ll see my time been declined since New Jersey marathon.  Maybe I am getting old.  I didn’t know what I think after the race.  I spend an evening with some new friends I met during race in Mews Tavern in downtown Wakefield RI, where has 69-beer on tap. 

The next day, I went down to the Matunuck Oyster Farm and had some very comfort New England seafood for lunch.  After a very big lunch, I took an easy walk on Scarborough Beach before I head into Brown University to check out their historical buildings. 

My trip to RI was enjoyable, even I didn’t have an excellent race; however, I think I can’t expect to PR every race, but I did accomplished 10 states.  This is a mile stone for my task to run a marathon per state in all fifty.  This is a fact.  I am getting there...

After several days of thinking, I believe I know the major reason I didn’t run well in Gansett.  I believe I didn’t rest well again – the same old reason I been talking about.  I ran Akron last September, then Tucson in December, and then without much rest, I started the training for Gansett; lastly I ran hard enough to have a PR in Cherry Blossom Ten Miles just 14-day before Gansett. 

I think I didn’t allow my body to fully recover from one to another.  I brought this to myself.  I am going to rest for real this time around.  No more than 25 miles per weeks till end of May and then I will see what happen.  By July, I will decide what I should do for North Carolina Marathon on November 17.