Shaun's Goal

[nature boy]

wow, awesome time man!

[se7entse7en]

2012 BMO Vancouver Marathon Race Recap:

Nowhere near the time i was hoping for. I really thought I had a 3:45 marathon in me, but there was just no way I was going to be able to do it on this course. It was just too hilly and warm. I'm sure it didn't help that I overdressed. I had to roll up my sleeves by the 13km mark and ran that way for the rest of the marathon.

I tried to keep up my fluid intake, but I lost track how many times I refilled my 22oz Kona bottle. I think It was 4 times. I started the race with Gu Electrolyte, but ran the rest of the race with just water. I took 5 gels, one every seven kilometers.

I was pretty much on my target pace for the first half, but I knew that there was no way I was going to be able to maintain it the rest of the way.

Things really started to unravel around the 33/34 kilometer mark. It didn't help, either, that the 37-39km signs were all off by 500m. I started to think that I was still making ok time only to find the 40th kilometer to take forever to get to. Very demoralizing.

The last two kilometers really sucked ass. I really wanted to be able to finish 'strong' but my brain just wouldn't let me. It didn't help that it was a blind finish. I really needed to SEE the finish at the end. There was no way my brain was going to permit me to push to the end otherwise. Once I saw it, though, I sprinted... all 100m of it. *sigh* But that really wouldn't have made that much difference in the grand scheme of things.

It was a beautiful course, and I'm sure I'll do it again someday, but next time I think I'd like to try something flatter. But that's in the future. As for now, I'm looking forward to slaying some dragons with some friendly Nords in Skyrim.

I'm trying to be happy with my sub 4hr marathon, but ummm... yeah. 3:45 would have been really nice. That's nothing new for me though. Had I ran 3:45, I'd be saying that 3:30 would have been really nice. I'm never happy... which is why I'm trying to be happy with sub 4.

No injuries other than getting a couple bruised nail beds and another nasty blister on the inside of my left big toe. Not sure why I keep getting there now... I never used to. It didn't bother me at all during the race, but I knew something was cooking for the last 7 kilometers.

My parents came out for the race. It was nice having them cheer me on from various locations. (Cambie & 49th, Imperial and 16th, Burrard and Pacific, and at the finish line)

It was quite crowded at the finish and I was really too tired to look for anybody at that point. I pretty much made my parents wander around for like 15 minutes before finally hooking up with them. All I cared about at that point was finding a nice shady spot to sit and eat my bagel.

It was really great to have many of you come out and cheer me on.

Thank you.

Chip Time: 3:58:38

[Duncan]

It was awesome seeing you pound the pavement that day! We were all hoping you could finish at your targeted 3:40 mark but a sub 4hr time is nothing to sneeze at either. I don't think i'll run a marathon in my lifetime so i'd be pretty damn proud of 3:58.

Sorry we couldn't meet up at the finish though. Most of us had to get to service or something else. Too bad we couldn't cheer you on after the Burrard st bridge. Sounded like you could've used more of the neon green sign! haha

Anyways, awesome job Shaun! Shaving 6 min off your last year's time is awesome. I'd like to think the sign had a little something to do with it haha...

[joel]

Yeah, awesome run Shaun! And enjoy your time relaxing and recovering. You are always super inspiring to the rest of us fatties.

[Duncan]

hey Shaun, you got nothing on this chick...

[se7entse7en]

Ran the North Shore Credit Union Longest Day 5k. My first 5k race.
My time was right in line with my 10k personal best and I should be pleased, but the way I got it really sticks in my craw. I ran a poorly paced race. The beginning of the race was downhill and I got into a fast rhythm. When the course flattened out, though, I refused to slow down and kept up with the unsustainable pace.

I'm sure the left sideache I got in the first kilometer didn't help either... neither did the right sideache at the end of the race.

My ultimate goal is to finish a 5k in under 20 minutes but I knew that was way out of my reach today so I decided to try and go for just under 21 minutes instead.

NSCU Longest Day 5k - 21:38

Oh well... I ran a good 4k.

[se7entse7en]

Conquered Mt. Seymour as part of a 105km bike ride.

[nature boy]

nice one man. i saw your post on fb and i didn't know if you were joking about the 105km part. i guess you weren't. that's some crazy stuff man.

speaking of which, who is yan yan? she seems to comment on your stuff a LOT.

[se7entse7en]

Nope, no joke. I'm training for a two day 240km bike ride that I'm hoping to do some time near the end of summer. The mountain I'll be climbing (Kootenay Pass) will be about 2.5 times as long as Seymour and between 5.5-6% grade. I have a feeling I'll end up chickening out though.


She goes to NL once in a while and breeds hamsters. Other than that, I don't really know.

[nature boy]

you know if anyone can do it i have this funny suspicion that it'd be you. the current pastor at gloria dei does a lot of crazy ass biking trips. he's been to kelowna and seattle a few times, and he bikes almost daily to work in north van from his house in surrey. you guys should meet up or something.

i noticed she posts a lot on your stuff, i was going to say that i have a feeling she's into you man.

[se7entse7en]

In case anybody's following, I tried to do the Fall Classic Half Marathon around UBC last weekend. It didn't go well. I was doing alright up to the 3.5 km mark, but by the time I got to the fourth, I was done. I continued on walking to end the first of two of the loops where I dropped out.

Maybe it was the weather, or a less than ideal sleep, or I didn't properly hydrate in the days leading up to the race, or I was just stressed out. I dunno... It just wasn't my day.

[jeSteR]

Sorry to hear buddy, that sucks. The weather did suck though

[nature boy]

Sorry to hear that, it's always a downer when things don't go your way, but knowing you i'm sure you'll be up and at them in no time. You're basically the only reason this subforum is alive (sure as hell has nothing to do with the rest of us fat asses)!

[Duncan]

Hey Shaun, just checking up on how your fitness (and any other) goals are coming along.

[se7entse7en]

Took the last 6+ months off from running due to an injured foot. It doesn't seem to be getting any better though. Did short 3.5k runs on Thursday and today to try and get back into it. Foot was still sore but bearable. A goal? To be able to run either the Vancouver or Scotia Half marathons next year... and to run it, obviously, under two hours.

Gonna try and bike up Mt Seymour sometime in the near future. A goal? Hoping for a PB (under an hour).

Looking for a job. A goal? Hoping for something by the end of the month but feeling rather discouraged.