Louisville marathon race report

This is the Louisville Water Tower. The race started and finished here.

Just a few feet from the finish line.

A few feet closer to the finish line.

Yucky me.... the medal we received was so not worth showing... cheap little medals for cheap little races.

I can't help but think of how stinky I was, every time I look at this pic. :)

We ate out on Saturday at P.F. Changs and my fortune said "The beginning is always the hardest" I would have to say, this was definitely the case in the race for me. Not hard as in hilly, but we were sent to run on an ever so small bike path. Just feet after the race started, I knew I needed to stop and pee. The port-a-john was right there and empty, so I stopped for a quick pee. Happy I did, I had to go bad. So once I came out and joined the crowd, and then hit the bike path, it was so frustrating. The path was so skinny, and the pack was not moving as quickly as I wanted to be moving. I ran on frosted grass a lot, and even twisted my ankle once. UGH... At mile 1.5 it opened up to the road. Pheww*

I was just running to run, I was feeling good. Came to mile 6ish and had a water stop. I walked through and took my first Roctane. Mile 8 it thinned out and the halfers turned around. It felt good to be a part of the few to continue forward along the boardwalk/path aside the river. It was so nice to have it thin out and quiet down. I love that feeling. The course soon turned into a covered bike/walking path. The trees were gorgeous, it was a little muddy at spots and we had to jump a puddle or two. I took another Roctane at mile 13. We looped around a neighborhood and a park, and back to the 13/16 mile marker. I was feeling great. Passing other runners left and right. I was beginning to think I should maybe slow down, to be sure I had some left for the end. I didn't slow down. :) I took another Roctane at mile 17.5, and continued to feel awesome. By mile 20ish, I was wondering if I would be able to keep up my pace. I did. I never really looked at my Garmin for my pace, I just knew I was feeling great and knew my pace was.. a good one. Took my last Roctane at mile 22 and by this point, I was wondering if a BQ was in sight. It was, I just didn't pick it up enough until mile 24, where I called the hubs to let him know I had 2 miles left. I was feeling so good, and couldn't believe at mile 25 my pace was faster then it had been all day. I was pushing so hard the last mile, thinking, just maybe I could BQ. I came in at 3:42:16.... close, but not enough. I am very happy with my time. I went into this race just hoping to come in UNDER 4 hrs. Coming so close to a BQ was a bonus. I have qualified twice in the past and actually ran Boston in '08. I now have a new goal for the next marathon.... I am hoping to run one more marathon before the end of the year. Any ideas which one it should be? I am thinking St Judes Memphis Marathon on Dec 5Th... we shall see.

Stats:

Chip time: 3:42:16

Gun time: 3:43:19

1st in my age group (30-34) {only 9 of us}

76Th overall out of 312

I haven't plugged in my Garmin to see my mile break down. Maybe I will do this later today.