Pittsburgh Marathon 2022 Race Report! — Runners Love Yoga

The Race Itself

Hills on Hills on Hills

Whereas 2:53:50 is definitely not my quickest time nor what I believe I'm really able to, I ran about as quick as I may on that particular day. The rain truthfully didn’t part me an excessive amount of (see above, it was wild!!), however the hills and general course elevation have been actually not like something I’ve run earlier than in a marathon. (My pal Louise, who certified for 2016 Marathon Trials, stated this Pittsburgh course is quite a bit more durable than Boston—she is an excellent skilled marathoner who tells it like it's, and has a great correct learn on programs. She advised me this afterwards and it really made me really feel type of higher about the entire race!)

And sure, I do know these Pittsburgh roads, however I knew the lay of the land by coronary heart WAY MORE for the primary half than the again half, and the again half must be one of many tougher again sections of any marathon wherever (particularly in how it's so a lot hillier than the primary, actually it seems like a flattish half by comparability up in opposition to a rollercoaster half on the again!!). Subsequent yr, I'm going to be way more prepared for the general elevation achieve: my quads have been actually mainly on hearth for the ending miles there, so I simply neatly ran extra conservatively: I knew at that time that I used to be going to position the place I used to be, so no cause to danger blowing up totally and never making it to the tip!!!

Feeling Not Too Shabby, Plenty of Rain, Plenty of Household!

One optimistic factor was that 2:53 right here truthfully didn’t really feel too unhealthy—I’m fascinated about the two:50 that I ran at Grandma’s in 2019 and that race comparatively felt far more terrible in comparison with this one. (I used to be images from Grandma’s and afterwards I used to be in a lot ache, my smile is extra like a grimace!!) I believe that with my marathon expertise, even on a not ideally suited feeling day, I'm approach higher in a position to gauge the precise depth the place I can preserve pushing, and to reach on the finish quite a bit stronger that earlier cycles. So, from my marathon expertise, I each know 1.) I didn’t fairly max my physique out that day and that I used to be fitness-wise able to extra, however ALSO 2.) I do know I in all probability gauged the trouble very very neatly and proper the place I wanted it to be to make sure I really did, in actual fact, make it to the tip! In different phrases, my marathon expertise throughout this race advised me: on a unique day, I may have been quicker, however on THAT day, I actually did an superior job.

I give a whole lot of credit score to anyone who completed the total in Pittsburgh as there have been a whole lot of DNFs that day—the rain was positively fairly wild as you'll be able to see by the picture above right here. Once I was in roughly miles 13 to 17, we bought hit with possibly 4ish separate HUGE deluges of rain, like I mainly couldn’t see in entrance of me for a few these, and at one level, I made a right-hand flip onto a avenue into a number of inches of water, splish splash! Truthfully, I type of cherished the rain in a approach—made it really feel like I used to be on a enjoyable probably ridiculous journey and distracted me from the truth that I used to be operating up and down hills the entire time and my legs have been hurting! One of many wildest elements was after I was operating up into Oakland down Forbes and there was simply this big, big bolt of lightning that got here down and was highlighted within the sky, within the house between the buildings, as you seemed forward at the place you have been to run. For lots of the remainder of the race, the rain was a light-weight drizzle. (The half runners bought fortunate!! For the primary half of our full, I used to be like “Oh, this rain is so pleasant and refreshing!” after which we bought to the again half with the massive hills and it was like the entire sky stored opening up!) I additionally heard from some runners that they even bought barely hailed on!! For as loopy as this climate might sound, I might really take this any day over something 60+ with vibrant blazing solar. Additionally, anybody who's from Pittsburgh is by no means stunned by massive rain storms, so residence benefit for certain there!! I've run in all KINDS of rain in my life! I believe any of the West Coast runners on the race have been barely scared of the forecast!

I cherished seeing my household everywhere in the course: my dad stored popping up in all types of random spots, and I've really no concept how he bought from level A to level B so quick! My husband Phillip tried to make use of a kind of motorized scooters to spectate, however they've a max velocity AND don’t go over the bridges so he had a loopy exercise half operating, half scootering to get to the place he wished to be on the course. My brother Dan and his girlfriend Stephanie reside within the Strip, so that they have been proper close to the tip and cheering actually loud which was an enormous increase. My Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Linda reside in Friendship, so that they have been at miles 14ish and 22ish and I swear I noticed them extra locations than that!

Along with my circle of relatives, I used to be actually impressed with how the individuals of Pittsburgh got here out to cheer. (THANK YOU!!!!) My very own husband was having to duck underneath random awnings at occasions with the rain, and I handed severely one of the best, awesomest (I do know that isn’t an actual phrase) cheer part in Homewood, and Shadyside and the Strip have been additionally particularly enthusiastic. Thanks, thanks to everybody who cheered for us!!!!

I additionally should commend all the group of the race, which was so seamless and made the entire course of really easy for us runners! Particularly because the marathon hadn’t been in particular person since 2019, how effortlessly all the things went on was fairly spectacular!! Pittsburgh is aware of find out how to placed on a sporting occasion, that's FOR SURE. I believe it's a signal of how effectively organized this race was that I already am set on coming again for 2023.

Over the last 3 miles or so, I mainly simply cruised it in and tried to take pleasure in and take in the entire expertise. I used to be so glad to lastly get to that end line!!! ALLELUIA.

Issues to enhance upon:

Sleeping!

One factor that was a little bit tough earlier than this race was that I actually didn’t sleep effectively the 2 nights earlier than—in all probability what saved me a bit was that I slept like a rock general within the days main as much as the race aside from the 2 days earlier than really! We sadly needed to change lodge rooms two nights earlier than as a result of the man proper subsequent to us was smoking weed and watching the TV on full blast—simply not ideally suited at 3:30am to spend 45 min. switching rooms, although the entrance desk couldn't have performed a extra superior job serving to with this. Then the second evening, I used to be 1.) nervous, however 2.) we additionally heard partiers operating up and down the corridor and at one level I heard a extremely loud “let’s goooooooo!” So, you'll be able to pretend a great half on no sleep, however a full marathon is a little bit bit completely different. I 1000% % was blocking this out and telling myself that it didn’t matter, however I believe I’d have had much more general pep if I had slept higher proper earlier than the race. Bought a plan in place subsequent yr for this already, so now I do know! (Proper now I’m signed up for CIM 2022, however I truthfully suppose I'm going to bail and change to a closer-to-home race, as a result of the lodge state of affairs in CA is already loopy and mainly offered out…one yr at CIM, I stayed at a lodge that was additionally internet hosting a giant firm Christmas get together, and that is additionally one of many solely accommodations obtainable proper now, so possibly my Pgh. expertise has simply saved me a repeat of the identical for the autumn! I additionally promise I'm no “princess and the pea” sort sleeper—as my husband will inform you, I'm excellent at sleeping by A LOT noise, haha!) Anyhow, shifting on!

Placing GU Roctane in all bottles

In all probability due to the rain, I missed my first two bottles, which type of freaked me out a wee bit. Then the third elite fluid desk, I simply didn’t see my bottle so who is aware of the place it went, whether or not the rain or a half runner knocked it down, no concept! This was much less disastrous than it may need been as a result of I began with a spare GU in my sports activities bra (which resulted in my solely chafing of the day!) and I bought a GU from the primary on target GU station which was HUGE, simply HUGE. I then grew to become barely paranoid in search of bottles the remainder of the race, and bought all of them, besides I believe the final one, which I simply didn’t really feel I wanted at that time so near the tip. I additionally did seize Nuun Endurance from all on the en route fluid stations which was a large assist.

For this race, I had 7 elite bottles, and I alternated GU Roctane Summit Tea (1, 3, 5, 7) and Ultima (2, 4, 6), however subsequent time I’d do all the GU drink: after I missed my bottles, I bought apprehensive that I might miss the upcoming GU drink ones much more as a result of I wished to drink extra energy, and if all bottles had had GU Roctane in them, I wouldn’t have had to consider this. (I had about 775 cal value of GU within the 4 bottles, however Ultima is simply electrolytes.) I did have a GU gel hooked up to each single bottle, it doesn't matter what drink was in it, and I in all probability had 5 GUs over the course of the entire race, so on the whole I did a great job right here. Notice to future self: barely water down the GU Roctane Summit Tea and unfold over all bottles! (I discover it a little bit simpler to chug if it's a little watery, not so dense.)

Not Having Run a Marathon in a Whereas…

Having not run a marathon in additional than 2 years was additionally a wee little bit of a shock to the legs, even when my expertise helped me cope with {that a} complete lot higher. I do keep in mind wanting forward at a mile marker, and with the climate I initially thought it stated “19” however as I bought nearer, I noticed the “9” was really a “7” and I positively thought a number of swearwords and one thing to the impact of “I HAVE 9 MORE MILES TO RUN, Jesus, help me!” Really, the marathon distance is a complete completely different animal from the rest shorter that we run.

In sum, I believe I'll do quite a bit higher subsequent yr merely figuring out what I get into by way of the lay of the land, really sleeping forward of the race, and simply being in a extra established marathon coaching mode. And given all the issues that I may need performed higher, I'm nonetheless actually proud of how I dealt with all the race with what I had within the tank on that course! I stayed powerful and don’t suppose I may have performed too significantly better on that particular day.