Hooray Marathon Learing

                        2012                        2014

                        2:14:04                 2:13:26

Mile 1             5:00                        5:07

Mile 2             5:02                        5:05

Mile 3             4:58                        4:59

Mile 4             4:57                        5:02

Mile 5             4:57                        5:01

Mile 6             5:00                        4:59

Mile 7             5:02                        5:00

Mile 8             4:54                        5:04

Mile 9             4:57                        5:06

Mile 10            4:58                        5:05

Mile 11            5:01                        4:56

Mile 12            5:01                        5:08

Mile 13            4:58                        5:03

Mile 14            5:00                        5:00

Mile 15            5:00                        4:55

Mile 16            4:52                        5:05

Mile 17            5:02                        5:02

Mile 18            5:03                        5:04

Mile 19             5:06                        5:14

Mile 20            5:07                        5:09

Mile 21            5:12                        5:04

Mile 22            5:25                        5:05

Mile 23            5:25                        5:04

Mile 24            5:27                        5:09

Mile 25            5:43                        5:04

Mile 26            5:42                        4:59

            Just wanted to write a quick blog about my recent pr in the marathon and what I think I’ve learned from my brief experience with that distance.  The above mile splits were recorded from the two marathons I’ve completed – the 2012 Olympic Trials and 2014 Houston marathon.  Both races were in Houston, and though courses were different, the terrain was basically the same.  They were mostly flat and fast with the 2014 course having a few more rolling hills.

            Obviously, you can see I absolutely cratered in the 2012 race but stayed relatively strong throughout the 2014 edition.  Going off just the splits, the inference would be that I went out more conservatively in 2014, and thus, had more in the tank at the end.  However, I believe it was my nutrition and calorie intake during the race that made the difference.  In 2014, I started cramping around miles 18-19 (which is the same time I remember cramping in 2012 – the cramps kept getting worse as indicated by the splits).  It was at mile 20 I consumed a second power gel and a drink mix with a sodium packet included (I only had one powergel at 13 miles and no salt packets in 2012).  Instead of my condition worsening from mile 19-26, like it did in 2012, I was able to hold off severe cramping and finish relatively well.  I truly thought my race was over after I dropped a 5:14 on mile 19, but the powergel and drink mix did the trick.  

            These two races demonstrate how important nutrition is during a marathon.  I’m fairly positive I was in better shape in 2012, but had a better race plan for 2014.