Supporting running in the metro Richmond area
Suntrust Marathon, Half, 8K
Odd that I have not seen any posts on the weekend's Suntrust 26.2, 13.1, 5K except for comments on Boston closing? Has Suntrust become an out of towner's and non-member event? Even non-members can post to this board. I saw a few members run by but I am not familiar with most younger (under 55) members. Saw more members volunteering. Old Newspaper marathon used to be a more local event.
Just found it courious. I know there were a bunch of MTT'er's as I saw those green and blue shirts all over. It was such a perfect running day as I saw it and though more would post their experiences, etc. I did not run but had a great time cheering others on. (Actually did about 12 miles workout following the three events.
ANYHOO, hope all enjoyed and would suspect there were numerous PR's.
Just found it courious. I know there were a bunch of MTT'er's as I saw those green and blue shirts all over. It was such a perfect running day as I saw it and though more would post their experiences, etc. I did not run but had a great time cheering others on. (Actually did about 12 miles workout following the three events.
ANYHOO, hope all enjoyed and would suspect there were numerous PR's.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by TED on -
Saturday I completed the marathon for the first time. I attempted the marathon once ago in 1986 when it was the Richmond Newspaper Marathon but stopped at mile 19 due to the wrong kind of pain in my knee, which was a wise move! Then I was much fitter, being about 40 pounds lighter than I am now, and also 25 years younger. I was on about an 8:30 mile pace when I stopped. Then I was thinking I could do it the following year but that never happened. Life happened. I got married, had children and then had a thyroid problem that kept me from being in shape to do a marathon again until just recently.
My goal for this year was to finish. I followed the adage to start slow and then taper. If I did it right, I would have negative splits Passing through the half-way mark of the marathon I was on a slow but satisfactory pace of about an 11:00 minute/mile pace and felt great. Then at mile 14 I had a calf cramp. I stretched it out and then continued on. I was curious why this happened since I never had one during my long training runs, which were longer that 14 miles. I was hydrating adequately throughout the race and was also taking on electrolytes. The cramps then started to happen more frequently and in both legs. Finally, by mile 18, I was mostly walking since I couldn't run more than a 100 yards before cramping. Sometimes I would cramp as soon as I took my first step running. It was very frustrating because my energy level was high and I had plenty of energy to run. I could walk fast but couldn't run without cramping. Therefore, I mostly walked the last third of the marathon but I still finished!
Will I do another one? Absolutely, I may do it next year or possibly Chicago since I have a brother who lives there.
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Permalink Reply by Kyle Beddoes on -
TED,
Having run only 3 marathons, I'm no expert, but the same thing happened to me last year at the Marine Corps Marathon. From mile 16 on, I had calf cramps that got progessively worse and by about mile 20-21 kept me from running. I could walk, but as soon as I started running again I cramped. By the time I finished the race, I was full of energy but still couldn't run.
Before that race, I took ibuprofen, which I've never done before any other run in my life. I read later on that NSAIDs (ibuprofen and naproxen, for example) can mess with your body's ability to process electrolytes.
This year, I stayed away from ibuprofen, slowed down a little, and ate a salt packet about every 6-8 miles. Plus one or two cups of Powerade at every stop. No cramps. I still don't know if I've solved the problem, but hopefully this helps.
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Permalink Reply by TED on
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Thanks Kyle. I did take Ibuprofen beforehand for minor ITBS and other aches and that may be the culprit. I will remember that for the next marathon (or half marathon for that matter!)
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Permalink Reply by Todor Radoulov on -
Last year Richmond was my first marathon. This year I ran the Marine Corps 3 weeks before Richmond and then Richmond as well. Saturday was indeed a near perfect day for running - I finished in 4hrs 20 mins - almost 50 mins faster than last year Richmond and 12 mins faster than MCM 3 weeks before that. I haven't run that many marathons yet, but to me finishing is a great joy every time!
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Permalink Reply by David Hagan on -
I did the half, my second this Fall. It was by far an easier/faster course than Maymont. Unfortunately, training must play some part because after taking a week off to recover from stepping in a hole I finished over a minute slower than Maymont.
The only time i thought the course was at all difficult (other than 13 miles being 13 miles) was the few water stations that were located on uphill sections. I haven't mastered keeping stride and drinking and miss a few breaths. Going up hill, I can't afford to hold my breath for very long.
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Permalink Reply by Dan Wolf on -
Try the "Geetah Straw." Here's a thread from the Runners World forums that serves as an exc...
I made and used a Geetah Straw for the first time on Saturday and it worked fantastic!
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Permalink Reply by John Amoroso on -
I ran all three events in the past 3 years and I love it. I can train for each because the course is local and I ran with my RRRC hat. This year is was the 8k and I PR'ed for this course and coming off an injury it was a lot of fun even if I didn't run all out. It was a great day for a come back race. Thanks to all the volunteers from RRRC and RTC, richmond is a running city.
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Permalink Reply by Dana on -
This was my first half-marathon and my goal was to finish. I'm probably one of those members of RRRC who just blends in because I'm not fast and I don't participate in group runs (because I do not have normal working hours and am not really a morning person!)...that being said, I had a blast! I shuffled my way through 13.1 miles, wore my old "fat photo" on the back of my "Does this shirt make my butt look fast" shirt, had a lot of laughs, never got a cramp, did not have to stop to use the potty, had no blisters, took a few sips of water at every stop, thanked the volunteers, smiled at the homeless man under the bridge (twice), got a smile and laugh at the expression on a man's face as a runner ran to him on the sidewalk and handed him his outerware...enjoyed the refreshing drizzle, and when I realized the rain had stopped, wished that it would start again...smiled a lot because if you had asked me 10 years ago if I would ever do anything like this, back when I weighed 350 pounds, I would have LMBFAO (literally), listened to some fun tunes at a low volume (Let's go crazy, pace is the trick, don't stop believin, be good to yourself, where the streets have no name, puke and cry, all fired up, get on your boots, baby i'm a star, feel the pain...), ate my sports beans at the 10k, drank my water/poweraid zero mix ever so often, observed a flooded soccer field, reminded myself at least a few times that I love hills, admired the beautiful leaves, some on the trees, and some on the streets, thought about John Bingham and his running books and how they have encouraged me for a few years now to not let my time or speed (or lack of) determine the level of enjoyment of the event, still wished I was faster but kinda glad that taking it slow means that I could absorb the surroundings. I was also thrilled when towards the finish, I was passed by the winner of the MARATHON! What a jazz, if I had been faster I would have missed that near-brush with greatness! I'm really glad I did the race, hope to do another half in the spring.
Dana
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Permalink Reply by 2.0 on -
Hey Dana you did great! I remember seeing that saying on someone after the half and I thought now thats funny! Way to go you should be proud. My Wife and I ran the half after being down with the Flu most of the last month. We live in Northside so we just had the mindset of making it to the house. My Wife got in under 2 hrs and I was 2:05 but both of us were just glad we cold run it.
Congrats!!!
2.0
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Permalink Reply by Stephanie M. on -
Okay, I'll jump in!
I ran the Richmond Marathon and enjoyed it! I trained with MTT over the summer and found that having trained on the marathon course all summer proved to be beneficial mentally on Saturday. I ran MCM three weeks prior while sick and had a rough race there (though did finish!), so I was hoping for a better time at Richmond. I struggled with some hamstring issues, but pushed through and finished while shaving 7 minutes off from MCM. I'm holding out hope that next year, my lungs and legs will decide to work together and I'll make my goal time!
I can't say enough for MTT, the race coordinators and volunteers. I agree that the weather was great. Though I have not run the Half, I did run the 8k last year just two months after having my 3rd child. While I was not in top running shape and the weather sucked that year, I did enjoy that race also. I think (hope) that Richmond still has local appeal, though I do sometimes enjoy traveling for a race.
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Permalink Reply by Craig T. Twiggs on
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Grey Team here...
Richmond was my 4th marathon overall... I started with the 2008 MTT, pointing towards my 1st ever marathon at Richmond last year. I cramped up a lot after 17 and finished in 5:01... trained with RRRC out of Dogwood Dell (starts up again this year on Dec 5 at 8am) over the winter and ran a better time (and PR!) at Nashville in 4:51... joined 2009 MTT and pointed towards MCM and Richmond... my first time ever to run multiple marathons in close proximity to each other! I was a little nervous how it would go, but took the advice of my MTT coaches and mini-tapered before both MCM and Richmond.... Ran a 4:45 at MCM and a 4:27 at Richmond! My 4:27 "beat Oprah"!!! Oprah ran a 4:29:15 at the 1994 MCM...
I want to put a great "THANK YOU!!!" shout out to Valerie Vaughan and Karen Bolling... better friends one could not have, and the best running buddies ever! They had Garmins and helped me pace, never letting me "Yo-Yo" and get out too fast... I credit them with helping me conserve enough at the end to push it and get the time I got! Best part was, I didn't bleed!!! ;) Man glands are just fine! :) You two are the best and I"m glad to know you both!
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Permalink Reply by Mark Junkermann on -
I think many people are using the sportsbackers message board for the marathon.
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