9 months ago today i ran my first marathon… today i ran my 3rd, and it was my toughest yet.
here is the report… its going to be a lonnnng one!
training/goals
i used the pfitz 12/55 plan for the second time and nailed it. i was so confident in my training this time and really felt well trained going into this race. i used it for CIM in december and had a 20 minute PR, with under 4 minutes to shave off for a BQ (3:40:59). my goal for this race was a BQ. i also wanted to run a smart, strong race throughout.
in addition to running a lot, i also really watched everything i ate (no candy, no junk), slept a ton, took my vitamins, iced, stretched, rolled, only had TWO drinks throughout the entire 12 weeks, and pretty much made training my life. i put everything i possibly could into that training cycle and i am really proud of that. although it doesn’t always guarantee you your goal or a marathon PR, being completely and utterly devoted and dedicated to something like that is really something i am proud of. in the same respect, it also makes it hurt a little more when you don’t get your goal, but hey its what this sport is about.
some thoughts
i am not really sure what happened today, it was just one of those days where the running gods weren’t on my side, and that’s ok. i know i will be a stronger runner and marathoner after today’s race. the marathon is no joke, and i think i really learned that lesson today. so much can happen over the course of 26.2 miles… it is a very long way and it never felt as long as it did today. no matter how hard you train, no matter how much control you have over outside factors, sometimes it just isn’t your day and today was not mine. here is my story.
friday
we drove up to eugene on friday, after 9 hours in the car we made it to our hotel and headed out to meet my friend’s sister who goes to school in oregon. we had a great dinner and i was feeling really good. i had been really anxious at work both wednesday and thursday. holding back tears, stomach aches, etc… i was just an extreme ball of nerves. i was glad to be in oregon and to be feeling better.
saturday/expo
saturday morning i woke up after a good night’s sleep and relaxed while chris went out and ran (which i was really jealous of, even though i knew i was going to be running in the same spot the next day, something about running around and exploring a new place without race pressure is always nice). eugene is SUCH a cute city (town?) i loved it there.
we then headed out to lunch with a bunch of my family (3 aunts, 3 uncles, grandma, mom and myself) where i made myself eat since my stomach was again feeling nervey. chris and i headed to the expo after which got me really excited. the race shirts are long sleeve nike tech tees (even though they ran out of sizes and mine is too big) and i got another cute nike top too. we then drove the first 8/9 miles of the course since this is where the “hills” were and i felt really confident. the big hill around mile 4 was not big, but the hill around mile 8/9 looked a little harder, but nothing i couldn’t handle. the rest of the course was said to be pretty much flat… i was stoked.
we hung out in the hotel pretty much the rest of the day. i had brought some plain pasta i cooked, so i just had that for dinner so i wouldn’t have to deal with going somewhere and worrying about something not sitting right. i read through all the comments on my last post and really tried to focus hard on the task at hand. all your comments really got me pumped and excited. i rested a lot and made it to bed really early and got a great night of sleep.
race morning
the alarm went off at 4:45 and i was up a few minutes later. i checked the weather since rain had been in the forecast and it had been raining off and on pretty much all weekend. my phone said 70% chance of rain but said it was currently cloudy… i looked out the window and it was pouring. i tried not to look anymore since there was nothing i could do, and the hourly forecast showed the chance of rain decreasing as the morning went on.
i ate my standard breakfast (english muffin + pb, and a banana), rolled my legs, and got dressed. before i knew it, it was after 6am and so we got in the car and chris and my mom dropped me off. the rain had really let up so i relieved. it only took 10 minutes or so to get near the start and then i just walked a couple blocks. the first set of porta potties i came to were packed, and i stood in line forever without moving. finally someone mentioned some down on the other street, so i went there and found WAY more with no line… yay! i then had to go back up to drop my bag off and before i knew it, it was 10 minutes until the start. the starting line was packed at this point so i had to weave through a ton of people and finally made it near the 3:40 pacer. my plan was to start with him, but i wasn’t going to depend on him, if he went out too fast, i was not afraid to run my own race.
the race
it was sprinkling when we started but not bad, it actually felt good. it was around 50 out so the rain was welcomed. we started right in the middle of the university of oregon campus and then headed out onto the streets of eugene. i hung with the pace group for the first mile and we were a little behind with the weaving, but its not like you cant make up a few seconds over 26 miles. the second mile we had some downhill and i was still with the group and looked down to see we were running around a 7:40 mile. this was NOT in my plan for this marathon so i immediately pulled back and would stare at the balloons less than a football field back for a majority of the race. i settled into my pace here and was feeling good. i started with long sleeves on and took them off at mile 2 and got to throw them at chris and my mom around mile 3 when i saw them for the first time.
5k/3.1 mile split: 25:44 (8:17 avg)
we came to the so called biggest hill of the course just after mile 4, but it was no problem, then we had a nice downhill coming back. i saw chris and my mom again around mile 7, then we then got to run through a park on the bike paths for a couple miles. alisa and amy were just after mile 8, and i was feeling good. i took gu’s at mile 4 and 8 followed by plain water, and was making sure to hydrate early with gatorade at each mile.
10k/6.2 mile split: 51:36 (8:18 avg)
we then came to a couple series of hills, it reminded me of san francisco marathon (but not even close to as bad), but just those ones where you can see going on for a while. up one, run flat for a second, up another. it wasn’t too bad but still, hills are never fun. the downhill after was nice, and then we were back to the intersection we started at at the U of O. we ran down a couple streets and then were on the autzen foot bridge which dropped us off on the river bike paths. there were trees all around us and it was so pretty and green (i love oregon!). i however wasn’t feeling so hot, and it was only mile 10/11. i had started to get a side cramp somewhere in here and it wouldn’t go away. i usually can get rid of them pretty easy with my breathing but this one wasn’t going away. i then just started to slow down… i could feel my legs gaining weight each step i took… this was a new experience to me since most of the time this is where i am getting warmed up. i was still hanging on though and took an espresso gu at mile 12 which gave me a kick for a mile or so. i was looking forward to seeing chris and my mom around the half because i already needed a pick me up.
half marathon split: 1:49:34 (8:21 avg)
chris had a new fuel belt for me and i had him run with me for a second and told him i just wasn’t feeling good. i wasn’t sure what it was but i was out of energy. i continued on and ran through more of the paths and by autzen stadium (football stadium) and tried to shut up the voices in my head. i wanted to just stop so bad, i have never had an urge this strong, especially so soon. i thought how nice it would be to just go off the full course onto the half course and get this thing over with. mile 16 ran right by the hotel i was staying at and i really just wanted to stop there and go take a shower and sleep, but i kept going, getting slower each mile.
around 17.5 i saw all my family… chris, mom, 2 aunts, 2 uncles, all with signs and bells cheering me on. chris had a handheld water bottle in his hand and his garmin on… he jumped in and started running with me. he tried to get me to follow him and keep pace for miles. he said everything he could, tried to get me to catch up to the pace group and hang on, i just had nothing left. i had to stop and walk, i started to cry/hyperventilate and he told me to knock it off. i told him i wanted to puke, he said that wasn’t a good idea. i told him i was going to choke on the water, he said that wasn’t a good idea either.
he continued to run with me and keep me company as we winded along the river and i tried to enjoy the scenery. he told me “if marathons were easy, everyone would do them, try to have fun and enjoy yourself. you are too hard on yourself,” etc etc etc. i pretty much walked some portion of every mile from 19 on out which is VERY unusual for me. i never walk during training runs, i walked one time during CIM and zero times during SFM, but i just was defeated and needed the breaks. but I always started running again thinking that I would get to the finish line much faster that way. a few times i thought i was getting cramps in my legs, but they would go away. i saw my family again sometime after mile 21 and i was choking back the tears. i also saw alias and amy here too and also was choking back the tears and trying my best to smile at them and their awesome signs.
30k/18.6 mile split: 2:39:32 (8:33 avg)
alisa and her awesome sign
amy and her great signs… even pulling some roho love!
eventually the 3:50 pace group passed me and i knew i didn’t want the 4 hour group to pass. i still had to walk and i walked through a few water stops chugging down plain water at each one. i was so thirsty i just couldn’t get enough. it was getting warm by this point too and the sun was out, i was wishing the rain clouds would come back. chris stuck by my side the entire way… walked when i walked, ran when i ran. we laughed and joked and he was absolutely my savior today. i honestly don’t know how i would have finished without him there.
40k/24.8 mile split: 3:43:48 (9:00 avg)
once we hit mile 25 i just wanted to get this race over with (and under 4 hours) so i told myself no more stopping. we ran and turned the corner back onto the main street and knew we were close. around mile 26 chris went off the course and left me to finish… i turned the corner and the finish line was in front of me. i saw all my family, i saw zach and jen and gave jen a high five as i went. i crossed the finish line in 3:57:20. 17 minutes away from a BQ and 13 minutes off a PR, but by far my hardest race so far.
AG: 40/155
female: 198/768
post race/thoughts
i cried when i crossed the finish line, cried when i got my medal, and cried as i walked around trying to figure out what to do next. i wasn’t hungry but was so thirsty, then i saw where all my people were and went to find them. i cried when i saw all of them too. it was a tough race, i was disappointed, but i made it to the finish line and that is always something to be proud of. i got to see everybody and talk a little about what happened, which i still don’t know. i just know i fell apart, both physically and mentally.
“meeting” amy and giving her a big hug for cheering
portland bloggers! jen, alisa, amy and me
my support crew
me and my amazing hubby
after every one of my marathons i always feel incredibly blessed. i have such an extremely supportive husband, family, friends and all of the blogger friends out there pulling for me that i have never even met. each race i have run i am always overwhelmed about the support of my friends and family. they are the best – THANK YOU!
eugene was a great city and a great marathon. it was a beautiful course, with great spectators, and very well organized. i would love to run it again someday, and would definitely recommend it to anyone.
we made it back home to the bay area tonight after a long trip in the car, it’s been a long day. i am sore, but not too bad (maybe all that walking will make recovery a little easier?). we will see how i feel in the morning. i have the day off tomorrow and my wonderful husband gave me a gift card for a massage last week, so i have one booked tomorrow afternoon.
i am feeling a little better than earlier today, but still disappointed, which i know will continue for a few days, and that’s ok. the thing that’s so hard with marathons, is you train for months for them and then get one day and one shot. i know there will be other marathons, but you can’t go out and get the instant gratification by running another goal one tomorrow (at least i can’t).
great race report and fantastic time…you have nothing to be ashamed of, you trained hard and gave it your best…i love your quote “i know i will be back and i know i have that BQ in me”….keep that confidence up, you can do it….the greatest running lessons come from bad races, i think…wishing you a quick recovery, enjoy your massage…
You did awesome sweetie!! That is a great time, you should be very proud! I am so impressed that you pressed on even when you wanted to quit!
A fantastic report on a hard race. You did SO well to carry on for so long after you started feeling lousy. It is so hard to manage your mind and body and get it all right at the right time. It WILL come together for you though. It really will. YOu have put in the work and you have the pace. Just not today. But you do know now that you can fight your negative thoughts and that knowledge will really serve you. Take a rest and look after yourself. All kudos to Chris!
A humbled marathon is the ones you’ll remember forever. My first one was the hardest, worst, wanting- to-quit-experience but I learned a lot and it helped me grow in the sport more than any other race.
26.2 miles is no joke….BUT you did it!
Hang in there. Well done.
I really wanted to be the first one to comment on this one because I was right there with you. Seriously, congratulations on pushing through. That all-or-nothing feeling is hard to swallow, but I know that you (and I) will be out there again soon, fighting off the demons of yesterday’s race and having an all star showing.
The perfect race will be so much more satisfying, just know that it is around the corner. Running is weird, some days you are spot on and others your off and there are no teammates to help carry you to victory. You won the mental battle out there and you still broke 4 hours. Glad you took chris’s advice and didn’t puke ir choke!
Enjoy the massage!
Aron, I am so proud of you for pushing through and finishing, and for writing such an honest and personal race report. I hope writing helped. Take care of yourself, rest up, try to immerse yourself in other life goals/activities, and the feeling of dissapointment will dissipate. Thinking about you, Ana-Maria
way to tough it out girl. you won a huge battle by pushing through the negative thoughts and crossing the finish line. i loved chris’ “advice” and i’m glad you had him there to help keep you chugging along. 3 marathons in 9 months is crazy to me! i know you will bq – your day will come.
i’m not a big fan of the post-marathon feeling either – it’s like, so… i’ve been training for 3-4 months for this and now it’s over. now what?
rest up, relax, give your legs some time off. i’m sure you’ll be back out there soon enough for a fall marathon!
26.2 is a hella long distance – it took every ounce for you to finish, but YOU DID IT!
Lam’s quote is phenomenal – your race is out there. And chances are, when you run Boston, you won’t only think of the race that got you there, but this one as well.
{{{{HUGS}}}}
There are so many factors that go into a race that are out of your control, and you can do everything right in preparation but still be surprised by what happens in the course of the race.
Eventually, all those perfect conditions that you need for a BQ will come together and you’ll snag that, but for now, you should be proud of such a hard fought race! Sometimes sticking to it when it’s tough is more meaningful than reaching a PR or earning a BQ. Congrats!
Thanks for writing this race report, Aron. It was really inspiring, and I’m so impressed that you stuck through it the whole way. I’m glad you recognize that you have a BQ time on the horizon. This race will just make that one so much sweeter.
(I may or may not have gotten a little choked up reading about Chris jumping in at Mile 17 and running with you until 26. Props to him!)
Amazing race report, love the pics! Congrats on pushing through a tough race… I’m glad I got to read this less than a week before mine, I’m inspired! Enjoy the massage and rest. Sweet of hubby to be there when you needed him the most too…
Way to stick it out Aron. Running is so crazy like that. One day you’re spot on and then the next you feel like death. Races like these are good (I know it doesn’t seem like it now). Now you KNOW that even when things are tough you can still truck on. CONGRATS chica, still a fine performance ;D ;D
Something tells me that you learned a lot from this one and it will make you stronger for the next one. You didn’t give up – which speaks volumes. And what a great support network you have! So much to be thankful for.
p.s. pics are great and that was definately a good marathon outfit choice.
Oh Aron . . . the fact that you pushed through when you were feeling so cruddy emotionally and physically just shows how STRONG you are!!!
Your hubby was right when he said if marathons were easy everyone would do them!
)
I’m proud of you! In fact I can guarantee you I’ll remember this story when I go for runs and feel like giving up. I’ll keep going.
Congrats, Aron! Accomplishing your third marathon, and under 4 hours. I applaud you for not giving up even when it got really tough, both mentally and physically. You are so AMAZING! I really respect you and all marathon runners out there for all that you can do.
i am humbled already before i even set foot on a marathon course! — you are a huge inspiration to me and i love following along your training and really appreciate how hard this marathon was and yet you pushed through it to the finish. you are one tough cookie. enjoy your massage!
Wow, so I never thought I would cry reading someone’s race report when I have never actually met them
. You are made of tough stuff my friend. Most people would have fallen apart or just quit, and you hung in there. You are so strong, and when you do BQ (because, we all know you will!) it will make it so much more worthwhile.
Nothing worth having comes without some kind of fight!!!
Now go and enjoy your massage.
You demonstrated so much mental toughness by getting through this race. Even if you didn’t get your BQ (yet), I’m sure you will be able to take a lot out of this experience. I hope you’re not feeling too disappointed… when your time comes, it will be that much sweeter.
Congratulations on number 3 – and still faster than I can hope for.
You rock!
I know that there are no words- that it is in a serious athletes nature to be tough on oneself…but I think you rock!
ps-Chris rocks too!!!
I understand the disappointment, I am sure I would have cried too. You are an amazing athlete with so much talent and we all have bad races but the point is that you will keep running and all your hard work will pay off! Keep your head up! You ran a marathon!
Thanks for sharing the race report! Even though you didn’t hit your goal, you are a stronger runner today and you’ll take those gains to the next race. Congratulations on pushing through and breaking the 4 hour mark again!
Aron, your training was such an inspiration and motivation to me. I am sorry you didn’t achieve the BQ this time but you definately will. You have an extrordinary attitude! You fought the fight and finished well! I say WELL DONE!!!
Plus all that training will not be lost. It is like money in the bank!
Thanks for your report – that is admirable you continued on despite how you were feeling. it wasn’t your day, but you made the best of it and did a great time still! Amazing!
Chris is a great support and husband! You will DEFINITELY BQ – you know you have it in you. You can’t control what could happen when you wake up on marathon day. Next up, SD! That should be fun, less pressure too. I’m sure you will be disappointed for the next few days, I know the feeling. But then you’ll plan the next 26.2 bq’er and push towards that.
GREAT JOB! I’m proud of you
What can I say? You have such a great attitude about life. You are obviously not a quitter and I have no doubts you will redeem yourself.
Great Job today Aron. Your a huge inspiration to me.
Congrats on your 3rd marathon Aron! It was so awesome if you to keep going no matter how badly you felt and pushing through, still coming in under 4 hours. You are a huge running inspiration for me.
Such a bummer that race day fell on an “off” day, I am sure that is the fear that most of us have. WONDERFUL training, totally prepared, and then the body does not perform as expected. It is an amazing accomplishment and for not feeling well your time was great!
Keep up your positive outlook and keep your goal in mind. It WILL happen
Congratulations on finishing a very tough race. I almost cried reading your race report– your disappointment came through so strongly. Hope you’re recovering from that. I’m amazed by everything you’ve done in training, and for how you pulled through during a race that really tested you, and by your positive attitude, and I know none of those things are easy. Take GOOD care of yourself today, listen to Chris!, and try not to replay your disappointment– you did your best on a bad day, and one day, yes, you will do your best on a good day!
I’m sorry it was such a hard run for you. You are amazing! Remember that you dug deep and made yourself finish AND under 4:00. You accomplished great things that will give you strength for success in your next one! Good job!!
You may not have hit your time goal, but your perseverance, strength, and determination are truly awe inspiring. You’ve had a fantastic attitude during all of your hard work and training, and I have no doubts that you’ll be able to take this experience and use it to your advantage. Your BQ is out there, and we’ll be there cheering you on the whole way!
to run a marathon, in any time, is a HUGE accomplishment, be proud of that! and you’re done with your 3rd already! thats awesome.
sometimes finishing the hard runs builds more character, teaches you more, is more gratifying than just blazing through the easy ones.
congrats for finishing even when it was tough!
Congratulations on fighting through and prevailing on an “off” day. Something to be proud of!
And 3:57 is still not too shabby!
This report totally made me tear up. (Good thing no one at my work is ever here before me.)
Amy and I had such a great time spectating for you. Gotta say spectating is much, much, MUCH easier than running =).
If I had had running clothes on, I would have jumped in when we saw you the third time (despite having to sprint to keep up with you guys).
Every race day is different. Like I said before, you have many, many, many more marathons in your future. You will BQ! (I hope I’m there to spectate that race too.)
P.S. Hold on to that hubs of yours, what a great guy!
If I were you, I would take it easy this week and possibly the next, and slowly build up mileage to target another marathon. It would be a shame to let your really inspired 3 months of training to just fall into this one race.
San Fran (ahem) is about 12 weeks away. Granted it’s hilly in a couple of sections, but it’s comes down on the other end and you throw in some cloud cover, a beautiful city…and it’s my kind of race! Besides, I could use a pacer for my targeted 3:35-3:40 goal.
Anyway, chin up girl. I’m sorry it wasn’t in the cards for you this time around, but when you do hit it – it’s going to be oh so sweet!
Great report (and now I’m a little choked up!) You did fantastic. Way to fight through to the end and still manage a sub -4! This race will just make the future finishes (and BQs) that much sweeter. Chin up, enjoy your time off and that massage!
The best part about this race report is that you did not quit no matter how much you wanted too! Kudos to your husband for his encouragement! Your tenacity is inspiring!
It’s still a great time and you are right – your BQ race will be even sweeter when the time comes!
Great race report, Aron!!!
Even though you didn’t get your BQ this time, you should be really proud of yourself that you pushed on and finished when you just wanted to quit. Not only that, but having run your three first marathons in only a year’s time is impressive in itself. That’s a lot of running!!!
You’re doing great and I know that even greater things are in store for you down the road.
Enjoy a little break, relax, then come back even stronger!!!
i know you are disappointed, but man- i am so proud of you for pushing through and finishing! your mental toughness is awe inspiring and i hope that someday i can be HALF as mentally (well, and physically) tough as you. you did a great job, and should be proud of yourself. you will get your BQ next time– and it will be all the sweeter. great job, lady. seriously.
You did an awesome job and should be proud of yourself! Way to keep pushing. Enjoy that massage today!
I cried for a good twenty minutes post Nike SF run cause I did so horrible…at least I thought I did because it wasn’t the race I envisioned… a lot of people can’t understand that but I think you captured it clearly by stating how much heart we put in to it for weeks ahead of time.
maybe SD was meant to be your race all along…
I’ll certainly be trying to catch up with you.. so maybe I can just chase you to the finish
Oh man…I just about ached whilst reading this. What a trooper! I was thinking about you yesterday during my half. Relax and take it easy…you’re for sure gonna qualify for Boston (probably a lot sooner than I ever will…if I ever do!). You have such a great attitude and perspective about this. Keep it up! It’s okay to be disappointed and down for a little while; I think we’d all feel that way.
You’ll get them next time!
This post almost made me cry thinking of all the emotions you must have been going through. It seems so unfair to have a physical breakdown when you know that you put everything you had into the training. I was constantly checking for twitter updates from Alisa yesterday. I know you’re disappointed but you have a great attitude, and Chris seems like an angel!
You’re still an inspriation to me. Good job, and what a great report.
Hey Aron…kudos for jotting down your thoughts and sharing your story. I know it must have been painful, but hopefully it was somewhat cathartic as well. (I speak of course from personal experience).
As for your race, I meant what I said because I’d been following your training for a long time, so I know you’ll let that secret out at the right place and at the right time.
Try and let your race experience motivate rather than frustrate. Best to you on your recovery. You’ve got my support all the way.
Hi Aron,
You might be disappoinbted with your performance but I think you ran a helluva a race! You should be proud. Experiences like these only make us stronger so when you do BQ, it will be that much more sweeter. Way to push through it.
You’ve got nothing to be ashamed of girl! Those head games suck, I know. You were tough. You didn’t quit. You crossed the finish line standing up.
P.S. The picture of your husband running along with you brought tears to my eyes.
You are so strong & so inspirational – and I know your day will come. You did a great job, and I think finishing a race when you want to quit takes a lot more courage than running a BQ. I'm so glad I got to meet you!
i don’t think you’ll ever know how much of an inspiration you are to so many. your positive attitude, strength, and endurance…it’s astounding! sometimes we don’t understand the trials and tribulations, but they only make us better, stronger, and more beautiful. just like a diamond has to be cut and fired in order to sparkle and shine, these hard times of being “cut and fired” will only make you shine more in the end!!!!!
you are AMAZING!
and for the record, i get choked up reading ALL your post race reports. lol
chris deserves an award.
xoxo
Wow, what a tough race. Congratulations on gutting it out, and anything with a “3″ in front of it makes it a great result in my book. Well done, and this will serve you well in your future marathons as you are sure to smash through that BQ!
Wow, Aron. This sport is a strange one in that days like yesterday do happen. We all spend months at a time preparing for races, praying that our big race day will not be an “off” day. And sometimes, no matter how prepared you are, things just don’t go your way–it’s devastating, I know. I am just so bummed that this had to happen to you. BUT, let me tell you, you are a better runner because of it. You fought so hard and showed so much mental toughness . . . in the face of such adversity. I am so proud of you for gutting it out and getting to the finish line in a time that many of us couldn’t accomplish even on an “on” day! You are a terrific runner and an inspiring blogger, and I for one cannot wait until you get the BQ (and you will). Keep your chin up, girl!
SOOOO proud of you Aron!
You never gave up! That says alot about who you are as a person as an athlete. Your a rockstar and an inspiration to me always!
<3
I think we get mad at ourselves because we KNOW we’re better than that, we trained better than that, worked harder than that. Hardest on ourselves, always.
Hang tough and don’t let it get too ‘dark’ for you! Still a great time, no doubt about it.
Wow, look at all your comments already. I just want to cry with you. We all know you have it in you. Of course you do. Maybe you’ll have this crazy story where it all clicks and you get like, 3:30 or something.
You really inspire me to get faster.
The marathon is a fickle beast, that’s for sure. Sometimes you can do everything right to prepare, and the race still crumbles around you. So don’t take it too hard – it’s happened to nearly all of us.
Determination goes a long way towards hitting those PRs and BQs, and it’s pretty clear that you have that quality in droves – so I’m confident that you’ll get the BQ one day. Good luck.
You are tough aron and great job on pushing through even though it sucked. You'll come through. It stinks but you worked your butt off and I learned so much from you and I'm so excited for our official meeting in sd.
<3 ya twin!
Aron,
You should be very proud of your efforts and determination to finish a race that was not going your way. Hopefully you can also see from all the comments what an inspiration you are to so many people. A four hour marathon is a heck of an accomplishment in my book. You’ll get your BQ yet, and it will be the sweetest moment in your racing life.
You showed a lot of strength sticking it out when things were going wrong. Great job!
Aron, I’m sorry you had a tough race. Sounds like you did everything right and as you said, it just wasn’t your day. Still, a sub-4 is nothing to sneeze at. I know it may sound crazy but a couple times after I’ve run a disappointing race, I’ve turned around and run another marathon within 2-3 weeks and done much better the second time. Maybe something to consider if you feel you’re recovering quick and want some redemption ASAP.
oh man. this must have been so tough! but it is so inspirational to see that you pushed through it even when you wanted to stop. great job and enjoy that massage!
I just teared up reading that. I know it’s gotta be hard after dedicating so much time and effort into the training. But like you said, you are a tougher runner because of this race. Your BQ is out there and you WILL get it.
I’m sorry you didn’t meet your goal! Sounds like you have a great attitude about it–we can’t PR at every race. Congrats, finishing is an accomplishment in itself.
You totally hit it on the head with running–it’s something that you do for yourself, and no matter how great or how awful you do, it always pushes you onto the next race or goal. I think that’s true not only of marathons, but any footrace.
I think you are awesome for finishing it out when you felt bad, it shows your real strength. Way to go!
You stuck it out during a shit race – that alone makes you a rock star.
Not only can not everyone run a marathon, few people can do it in such an awesome time!! You did great!! 3 marathons in less than a year – that is something to be proud of.
Enjoy your massage – you deserve it!
Girl! Look at all this support for you!
I know you didn’t finish in the time you had liked, and I know it was a hard run for you, but when I see your time all I can think of is how awesome a runner you are!
You had such great support there for you, friends and family…and they all know how seriously devoted you have been! We ALL have bad runs and races and this is just another one of those for you.
You will do it again and you will BQ! When you do it will make it so much sweeter to think back on this race.
Dont beat yourself up too much, take pride in the fact that you did something that most people will NEVER do!
Aron-That was a great try. Sometimes some of us have to attempt something a couple of times to get the results we want. It makes success even that more sweet. Keep at it girlie and I know you can BQ-but remember to enjoy the ride along the way. It’s about the journey…not the destination.
Great race report Aron, and really a great time (better than I can muster at this point). Congratulations, and on to the next race!
Aron – You ran a superb, gutsy race and you did a great job. I’m so proud of you. I can’t wait to finally meet you.
Great race and great report. Setbacks can be great teachers and I know you will BQ very soon!
These are the races that really push you to your best. It just wasn’t meant to be this time–but your positive attitude and amazing talent will get you that BQ.
Even though this one ended with disappointment, you still learned so much and are that much more prepared for next time. Btw, your whole training experience was very inspirational to me. I always looked forward to reading about your solid dedication to running and hope that I can recreate that for myself this fall. Thanks for that!! Rest up and take some time to recover. You’ll be back on the roads in no time.
I think every distance runner needs to have a race like this every once in a while to remind them just how special the good days are and just how amazing any marathon finish is, no matter how long it takes. Great job getting through such a tough race! You are going to be a better runner because of finishing it for sure.
Aron, Great job. You’ll get your BQ soon enough. The good news is that you finished the race, you stuck in there the whole 26.2. Way to go.
Aron, I’m so sorry you didn’t get your BQ. Sometimes race day just isn’t your day. The fact that you persevered through such a difficult race will help you so much in the future. You didn’t quit and you continued running when the going got tough. You’ll be able to draw on that strength on your future runs and races. Congratulations, I’m so proud of you!!
Aron. Wow. You did great at Eugene. That is still a great time to finish, especially with walking. I know it wasn’t quite the time that you were hoping for. But, at least you learned something. And that’s really what’s important, right? I was definitely tracking you and waiting for others to post results. Man, my heart just broke when I read that you cried at the end… *sigh* But girl, you got the BQ inside. If anyone, it’s YOU!! And it’s gonna bust out and show it’s face very soon. I know it. And I am so glad to hear that you WILL BE BACK!!
Congrats again Aron. I think you put in an extrordinary effort and showed your strength out there. Be proud of your accomplishment!!
I am really proud of you. It was great to see you again. 
Aron, so sorry the race didn't go the way you wanted it to. You're right — marathons are tough in that they require a great deal of time and commitment and then you have only one day and one shot. There are lots of things you can't control & some you can. I think you did everything you could to hold up your end of the deal. Sometimes we have off days and it sucks when they coincide with races. I think a sub 4 is AWESOME for the way you felt! I can't even dream of doing that on a good day
I know you have a BQ in you. This is just part of your BQ story.
congrats aron for finishing a tough race! you are so strong and are such a source of inspiration for me. i’m sorry you didn’t pr, but this will make you stronger and it will be that much sweeter when you get that bq, which is out there waiting for you. be proud! you pushed through and ran faster than i could ever dream of running!
Ah, the 3:57 no-BQ. I know it well. We should form a support group. You should be really proud and chalk it up to experience in the field that will get you to that BQ soon. Congrats!
What a fabulous race report. I am sorry that this race did not go as you would have liked, but you finished and are stronger for it. Sounds like you have the best supportive husband a runner could ask for!
I think you did an awesome job. You have no idea how unbelievably tough you are, mentally. COngratulations! You will definitely meet your goal.
I really enjoyed reading this race report! Marathons are hard themselves, but when you just aren’t having a good day, it takes that much more courage to push through and finish, which you did with flying colors! I’m so happy and proud that you realize that there will be another marathon and that you will BQ when it is your day. It will be that much more special to you because of how hard you worked for it. If it was easy and you got it the first time, it wouldn’t be as exciting, but you know you will cherish and it be so thrilled when it happens. With your positive attitude and commitment to training, big things will happen with the stars align, and I can’t wait to hear about it!
aron, you are amazing! awesome job! it is so cute to see the pics of your mom and chris cheering for you.
that was a great report – even if you think it sucked balls. good on you for finishing! good on Chris for encouraging you! nice job all around
YOu did such an amazing job getting across that finish line, fighting thru the tears. I hope you realize that. There is a BQ in ya for sure!!!!
Great job and great time even if it wasn’t “your” race! We all have runs like that. You will conquer the next one!
Well, even if you don’t feel great about the marathon, you have to feel great about 80+ comments
.
I’ve run one marathon, and you just beat me by an hour and a half. I was very disappointed by my experience. A marathon takes so much time and dedication in training. It’s especially difficult to trudge along and not achieve your goal. You can’t just go and run another one next week.
When I think back on my experience, I always picture the scoreboard – Marathon:1 Brian:0. I learned a whole lot from that experience, though. It all helped me to completely rock my half marathon this year. And, when I return to the marathon in 2010, I think I’ve got a great shot at taking two and a half hours off my PR.
So, I’m quite confident that in the coming weeks, you’ll reflect on the experience and learn a few things. I’m certain that a BQ is in your future.
If I can give you any advice at this point, it’s stay loose. Don’t worry about having a few drinks during your training. Continue to be dedicated to your training, but be flexible. Enjoy the journey.
Great race report. I look forward to reading about your future training.
I appreciate your honesty and determination in BQing. It WILL happen! You have it in you. And, you have AMAZING leg muscles. I couldn’t stop staring at them in the photos!
I hope you are feeling better about everything. You gave it your all and you can never predict how your body will respond the 26.2miles. It’s a lot to demand. But, we do it!
We’re all proud of you!
~carpeviam
Great race report Aron! Even though it wasn’t your day I know the BQ is in your future.
Great race report!
Good report, and great that you finished. The journey is the destination, and you completed the race. Good job!
Good job you! Thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed report. I was considering looking into running this race next year.
What a great, honest report. You did your best and trained well but the day just wasn’t right. You will BQ because you definitely have the drive and the determination. Maybe you just needed this tough race for some reason.
Your hubby seems like a super-duper great guy!!!!
Great report, very candid! We all have bad days and this one was yours, take away what you can learn and leave the rest on the course!
Wow, what a report! I absolutely love everything that you said, but especially the last paragraph….SO very true. You did a great job Aron and should be so proud!
The marathon is just a crazy distance ANYTHING can happen. You pushed through the pain, and should be proud that you finished despite not feeling your best. Plus you have such a great family to help support you, and that makes it even more awesome
thanks for sharing your race
Aron,
You did an awesome job! Way to persevere through it all. I’m impressed AND inspired.
wow, reading that was really motivating. i read through every word. congrats on finishing…. even when u just wanted to give up you just kept going! i’m so proud of you!!!!
I finally had time to read this. Girl, that’s definitely the crazy thing about distance running. You can do everything right, and things can still go wrong. It makes NO sense. But I’m glad to hear you say some of the things you wrote… you DO have a BQ in you. You DID run a marathon (and under 4 hours!). You’ve got another pretty medal. All awesome things. This is one more marathon under your belt that is part of your journey to Boston. I know you’ll do great at the next one when the time comes, and if it’s your day then, it’ll probably make this one seem even sweeter since it’s what got you there.
It seems like we had almost identical races at Eugene, except I couldn’t run again after mile 20. I stumbled on your blog through Chic Runner and your post is like a play-by-play of my Sunday in Eugene…on BQ pace and feeling great, then at mile 11 things start to feel weird…try to keep it together for the next few and then at some point…walking and trying to just survive.
My dad, a former marathoner, told me that it’s much harder to run a 4 hour marathon than a three hour marathon. I know you broke 4, but I’m keeping that thought in perspective. Your body is not used to working that long and that hard.
I don’t have any words for advice as I’m trying to figure out how to get over it and not doubt all the great training I just did, like you. I am planning to take a break from hard training, get back into yoga and my bike, and then hit the training hard come June for a fall marathon. From your times, you clearly have the ability to run a BQ…and I’m sure you’ll have a great race in your future. “Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you wanted.”
Congrats on Marathon Finish #3!
Comment #101! Everything has been said already, but I have so much respect for you and your running. Both your successes and not so successes.
Thanks for sharing your run with us, Aron! I’m sorry it wasn’t what you pictured but you are certainly very strong and it showed. You WILL have that perfect race soon.
What a tough race! It is so hard that you can train perfectly for months and you can still have a less than perfect run. It inspires me that you realize this and are trying so hard not to let it get to you, even though running is so emotional. Keep up the good work. enjoy your rest!
I'm sorry I'm an awful friend for not reading this until now.
Thank you for all your insight and sharing this experience. I know it was such a tough day for you, but there is so much triumph to be had in gutting out all that effort. I know you wanted the numbers, but that sheer willingness and strength to put one foot in front of the other for 26.2 miles? THAT'S what makes you a marathoner. <3 you
Clearly I’m even further behind on reading than you were! I’m so sorry to hear about this. All I can say is that a race is ONE day and might not reflect all the hard work you put in. It may take a few races for the stars to align, even if you’ve done everything you can. Hope you get the BQ soon!
I found your blog from Mile Posts, and was excited to see that you ran Eugene. I’m doing it this May, working towards a solid race with a strong finish after several races recently where I’ve struggled to do that. Your race report from Eugene sounds just like my most recent marathon (MCM). There is no worse feeling than that disappointment, and I’m impressed by your perseverance and ability to let it go so that you could move on to the next one. Thanks for sharing!