Love Training More is pleased to bring you this race recap of the Green Mountain Marathon by our athlete Jody Wood, who was running her 5th marathon. Jody has been training with us for more than a year now and we are continually inspired by her love for the sport, the way she fits her sport into her full family and professional life and of course by her speed. Take it away, Jody!
Early in the week, leading up to the marathon:
It was the week of the my goal marathon, the Green Mountain Marathon in Vermont. All was good with visions of the race course dancing in my head. I practiced a few positive visioning exercises.
Tuesday: Ran with my early am run buddies, Doreen and Allana. They asked how I was making out with the taper and I remarked that I was still waiting for it!!! I wondered if I missed it? In an attempt to reassure myself that I previously had some high mileage weeks and this was indeed a taper I went back and reviewed my training/mileage to-date. All checked out – I was okay on track.
Wednesday: Last workout – it was late and I was running solo, so I did my intervals on the Oval, which was a perfect place to reflect on Coach’s advice to «take a moment to truly celebrate the end of that last interval.» All good.
Thursday: Crazy day. Busy at work and home. Packed. Switched to per-race diet of white stuff – no more healthy pumpkin or beet-blueberry power muffins, nor hearty granola breakfast cookies for me – bring on the white toast and chocolate chip muffins!
Friday: Travel day. My husband woke me up 1 hr and 15 min earlier than the alarm!!! Yup at 4:30 am. He was excited to get started. So needless to say I was a bit tired. Fueling was on target (made rice crispy squares the night before and muffins that morning).
Saturday: Day before the race. Woke up in Montpelier, Vermont well rested. Then it was time to get all the other items ticked off as well. Next up was the shake out run then breakfast. Due to timing differences in our morning runs and my husband wanting to let me sleep in, he had breakfast before me. He wanted to check out the small farmers market, right next to our hotel, before looking for a restaurant for me (easy for him he had already eaten). I bought a couple maple candies as insurance, and a white organic crusty bun, which I demolished asap, thinking that would help me.
Then we walked a bit trying to find me my perfect “day before the race” breakfast. This is when things started to get tricky. I tried to be a good travel partner, but my wants and runner needs took over big time. Oops!
So we go to one restaurant, 30 min wait as it was 9:30 ish. I wanted to eat right then. We check out another. Nothing on the menu I wanted. I searched the menu for pancakes. I asked my husband, “Why are there no pancakes here – the restaurant has the word «pancake» in it’s name?!” Ahh .I looked again. “Flat Pancake” = crepes!!! Back to the other restaurant. Eggs, biscuit and home fries (well very oily fried things which I tried to scoop the potato from). Husband’s patience might have been wearing a little thin.
Drove a short distance to Burlington to pick up race bib and t-shirt at local running/ski shop. Also squeezed in a little shopping there. Happy runner. Back on track! Toured another farmers market. Went to local pizza joint for lunch.
Off to drive the race route. It was a beautiful, but isolated route. Lots of different terrain – paved, gravel and dirt. Relatively flat, not a lot of hills. Out and back.
Next was the spaghetti dinner to benefit the local school and the class trip. Delicious – perfect pre-race supper. And fun. Everything was great.
I noted there were no washrooms available except porta potties for race day morning. Made a plan.
When we got back to the hotel my parents had arrived. I was still trying to decide what to wear on race day. Shorts or capris. Decided on capris as I needed lots of places to stash my gels, plus they had room for my phone too. That would eliminate the need for an arm band. Guess I didn’t need to buy those new running shorts after all. Oh well! I laughed at my piles of race clothes etc. in comparison to Amy’s well organized “Flat Amy”!
There was lots of online chatter with race buddies. ❤️. So grateful for my running friends.
Checked over my newly made playlist and realized it didn’t save so fixed that.
Good sleep in giant king bed! Life is good.
Sunday: Race morning. Went downstairs for the buffet which was to start at 6:30am. Turns out it didn’t start for a few hours. My husband hearing the panic in my voice explained to the waitress that I was running a marathon that morning. I am pretty sure he was trying to explain my behaviour!!! I ordered pancakes. She happily assured me that they were a good choice for quick energy. Then she filled us in on the fact that her brother played football and they were the team’s ‘go to’ pre-game fuel source. Sweetly she asked if I wanted a banana, because she heard they were good too. She was ready to go back to the kitchen and search around. It was a good start to the day. Then I walked briskly into the restaurant window thinking it was a door. Man in lobby was watching. My husband explains (once again) my pre-marathon behaviour.
Wrote on my arm in car (Coach’s messages, paces and my mantras).
Race start was 8:30am. My husband dropped me off in the parking lot next to the porta potties about 15-20 min before. My cheer crew would see me at the finish line. The day before he asked what time I expected to finish. I mentioned the «race plan pace» and that if I ran that pace and didn’t go to the bathroom, didn’t stop at water stops and didn’t take any pics I could possibly come in around 4 hours. He said that doesn’t sound like much fun!!!
I walked up the road with the other runners to the start line, but decided to go to the porta potty there too! The race started right on time, almost as soon as I got there. No fanfare. Small field of runners. 118 marathon runners. One hand cycle marathoner. 248 half marathoners.
The Race:
People were running fast. It was down-hillish to start. I tried to slow down. They passed me. I continued to try to slow down. I remembered Coach’s advice. I tried hard, tried to settle in. Felt happy. Did not want to, nor did I try to run faster than the race plan. At one point, I seriously wondered if I was even running.
It was work to try to pay attention and stay on pace. In general, it affected my ability to truly relax. After several more kilometres my phone announced that I was on pace overall at 5:40 (then same thing at 10k and 15k). Sweet – on track. I felt better and relaxed.
I stopped at several porta potties just in case: why not? Because who can enjoy a race if she might have to pee? I dropped a gel in one on the floor. Yuck! I put it in reserve just in case – after using hand sanitizer on it and later dumping it in a cup of water.
I took lots of pictures and chatted and thanked all volunteers at the water stops.
I thought of my husband’s comment. I wanted to fully enjoy the race. So I did just that during part one of the race, the “Fit” stage. This was part of “fit”. Fit to do it all.
The scenery was beautiful. Lots of different terrain. The weather was perfect. And my race day clothing choices were perfect as well.
Oh oh playlist difficulties. Not uncommon for me – during the Chicago marathon I somehow managed to have only 5 songs on repeat and two were Christmas songs. This was minor in comparison, but I didn’t need to hear Bryan Adams, “When You’re Gone” every second song. Eventually got the playlist under control, it took a few tries. Good thing I had easy access to my phone in my capris. Stayed calm. No issues.
After the initial several kilometres, maybe 10k, no one was in sight. Every once in a while about 500m ahead I could see two people. I mean isolated. I chatted to all the route directors on course like a lonely runner.
Done with the peeing. No more porta potty stops.
I took all my gels as scheduled, with water, every two miles at the water stops.
Time passed easily.
I did laugh about Coach’s advice to make friends and chat at one point as there were just cows around if I was lucky.
Mile 11, I took my last pic. Was excited a bit later to start seeing runners on their way back. Turnaround point was coming up. Happy runner. I thanked the volunteers. I did a happy dance over the timer mats.
Race Part two: the “Fierce” stage.
Time to get serious. I reminded myself often that this was the fierce stage and I passed runners, runners, and more runners. I felt fantastic. Said to myself that fierce runners pass runners. And that fierce runners don’t take pictures. Ha ha. I thought what would Coach think? Then laughed and smiled. Balance. Happiness.
Somewhere between 24k and 30k was the least interesting part of the course route. I forget exactly at what kilometre.
I gave a thumbs up to all the runners making their way to the turnaround. Not too many acknowledged it. Thought about stopping that friendly gesture, but decided to continue being happy for those it seemed to help. Encouraged and exchanged smiles with those I passed. No pain. Just pleasure. Smiled lots.
I love an out and back route!!!
I checked on pace and distance waiting for part three of the race: “Fearless”.
Great songs came on at the best moments and I sang out loud!! Yup. And once I was passing someone. Some songs («Proud Mary» Tina Turner and a little Marky Mark «Good Vibrations») were suggestions of running buddies and with a smile I drew strength from my running buddies.
Race Part Three: “Fearless”
How is this different from fierce I asked myself? I had been waiting for this stage. I tried to run faster.
My thinking was positive the entire race. I never once wanted to walk. Not even on the isolated roads with no one around. My body and mind were both strong. I never felt really tired, except at those last 2 hills at 37k and 40k! But I knew they were short and was always thinking positive for what was to come afterwards.
My body was well fueled.
Positive vibes flowed in and around me.
I was never bored. Never a negative thought.
Other thoughts during the race were: what pace did I want to run overall? How much did I want it? And how hard was I willing to work for it? And what was I willing to give up?
Don’t get me wrong. I knew the race plan well and had committed to trying to execute it. However with the recent changes to the Boston marathon qualifying times, in my mind a BQ (3h 55min) wasn’t really possible and I asked myself if I wanted to still work that hard to try to get a 4h marathon if it wouldn’t be a BQ. However, I did think at certain points I was on track for a bit closer to 4h than I really was. I ran the last 10k in 58:45. Kilometre 42 was a 5:27. I 
ran hard.
My husband, riding his bike, found me. He tried to take a pic. Then he would get back on the bike and go a bit further ahead and try again, but he was too slow or I was going faster than he thought!! Ha ha.
I was thinking: “Enough! I need to concentrate and run hard!”
Then I proceeded to describe where I left my hoodie and asked him to find it. There was a lot going on in the last 1.5km of that marathon!
Three family members were trying to take a photo at finish line as I ran in. And no one got one!
I don’t even hear my dad yelling to me or see him waving – he was on the other side of the road. I see my loving husband who is hopeless with his hand-me-down iPhone. Then mom trying to use her iPad. Hilarious!
I crossed the finish line at 4:06:05 and grab (politely of course) the bottle of water that is handed to me. I thank the volunteer very much. I couldn’t wait to drink the water. Then as I continue along he says don’t forget your medal 🏅. I say, “omg no! I worked so hard for that!”
The day before – after picking up my race bib and my “old school” cotton unisex size s baseball style race t-shirt I said to my husband, “They better have race medals – I am running a freakin’ marathon – I need a medal!!!” Hence, my finish line comment of – yes I really want that medal – I worked hard for it! ❤️
The official race results are interesting. My time after the first half ranked me at 60. My second half ranked me at 29! Overall #40. My splits 9:22 per mile for first half and 9:25 for the second half. Pretty consistent. It was true – there really were a lot of people to pass in the second half. Some went out way too fast (from the look at some of their splits). A runner whom I met post race and saw out on the course (who has run 96 marathons) came in at #36. It was great chatting with her. She ran Maritime Race Weekend one year. The runner who came in ahead of me was ahead by 3 minutes. The runner after me came after by 2 plus minutes (Isolation!)
I am thrilled. Marathon #5. It was a PB by 2 plus minutes. I ran happy. It was a beautiful day. It was a fantastic training cycle with wonderful running partners. Lots of support from my family. What more can one really ask for?
I am very thankful to Coach Erin for all of her fantastic, thoughtful guidance and advice over the last year. Here’s to a good balance between competing and challenging myself, having fun and staying fit (and being a healthy runner).
#lovetrainingmore
#bettertogether
