18 December 2007
Unlucky 13
Posted by Nick Katsarelas under: Nick Katsarelas .
This year’s River Bank was my first race in at least 25 years, and certainly the longest. I resolved early in the year to run it, and was pretty religious about my training. I started in mid-January, and followed the River Bank training schedule down to the end. My diet was great (50% carbs, 25% protein and fat), I was warming up and cooling down properly, and read everything I could about running long distances.
My modest goal was only to finish it without stopping. And despite the pre-race jitters, I was fairly confident, starting off at a good pace and keeping it up — until about the 13th mile. That’s when I hit the wall.
And thus began the 2 1/2-mile trek through Hell.
No little green men. No hallucinations. No pain. It was just a complete lack of energy. I was spent. My gait turned into an octogenarian shuffle. I actually had to will myself to put one foot in front of the other. And every time I thought I couldn’t go on, I convinced myself it would be far worse to quit and feel as though I failed.
I began to see my life pass before my eyes. Actually, it was runners – lots and lots of runners (and walkers).
When I finally reached the finish line (2:57), I collapsed in a chair. I couldn’t even bend over to untie my shoes.
Here’s what I think happened: I didn’t drink enough water, and I only had one GU (because they ran out), and it was early in the race. I ran through most of the water stations because — get this — I didn’t feel thirsty. I don’t think I drank more than 8-10 oz. over the course of three hours.
So what did I learn?
- Don’t skip any aid stations.
- Walk through them to make sure the water/Gatorade goes in you, not on you.
- Drink even though you don’t feel thirsty.
- Pin a couple of GUs to your shorts.
I asked to participate in the Road Warriors because I wanted to improve my running time. I believe that the RW program, coupled with what I know about hydration, can help me shave some minutes off my time.
And after all, isn’t “shaving some minutes” the reason we keep running this race?
3 Comments so far...
Troy (DDH Running) Says:
20 December 2007 at 2:59 pm.
Reading that was like ready my race report from last year. I did the same thing. Did not drink for the first 8 miles and had one GU at mile 10. At mile 13 I crashed and had to run walk the rest of the way. My legs were like rocks and just as heavy…
I ran a half marry in Oct. and walked thru every water stop and had water at them all. I felt great the whole time and even knocked 17 minutes off my time from the last years race..
Nick Katsarelas Says:
26 December 2007 at 11:41 am.
That’s good to hear, Troy.
I’m assuming you’re Troy Hammond. I read your profile in the GRP yesterday. Can I ask: If you’re on 1,600 cals a day, how much weight are you dropping per week?
jerky library Says:
20 February 2008 at 8:20 pm.
Our government has kept us in a perpetual state of fear - kept us in a continuous stampede of patriotic fervor - with the cry of grave national emergency — General Douglas MacArthur
My neighbour asked if he could use my lawnmower and I told him of course he could, so long as he didn’t take it out of my garden — Eric Morecambe
The perfect computer has been developed You just feed in your problems and they never come out again — Al Goodman
A fast word about oral contraception I asked a girl to go to bed with me, she said ‘no’ — Woody Allen