State 42
10/22/2023
Albuquerque, New Mexico
3:58:10
This race was originally planned for 2020 as a family trip with Erin’s family since Erin is from the area!
But … covid derailed that as it derailed so much in so many’s lives.
Yet, it all worked out. The last two years had a focus to also see family when crossing off states, so this was the year for New Mexico.
While it was no longer a combined family trip, Erin was with me via our long distance friendship helping us book our Vbro and hyping up the race.
The start of training was going fine. However, my knee was bothering me again this summer until I started going to a chiropractor. Originally it was because an ear infection left me with Eustachian tube dysfunction and it was a 2 month wait for the ENT (after 6 months of hearing issues before making the appointment).
The chiro fixed my ear before that appointment and bonus- helped my knee issues which stemmed from the hips.
There definitely was an adjustment period with my gate changing for the better, and I had to focus on my cadence but the noise in my knee was gone!
I had two 20 milers and a 22 miler planned in training. The second 20 miler was changed to 22. But then I got sick and my original 22 miler was pushed a week and cut back to 20 miles - run/ walk - talking to my dad on the phone as well as our mortgage banker (exciting stuff!).
There has a been a lot going on in the last month or so- Work has been in transition with additional training then add buying and selling of our house to the mix….
There was so much going on and it was to a point that running didn’t help, rather the exhaustion made running hard. I have been overtrained before so it’s always on the back of my mind when exhaustion is felt in my runs. Luckily I blogged in great detail my signs (overtrained!!) and it helps me check in with myself… I was not there.
Even still…, the last few runs before the race, I was so sluggish - heavy legs and lungs.
With that feeling and the 5,000 ft elevation in Albuquerque - I accepted I would start slow and be completely okay with walking.
While this was a family trip, we decided Joe and Sophia would not come to cheer me on. This way I didn’t have the pressure of being in any sort of way at the finish. Instead of trying to keep up communications of when that finish time would be, I could be completely present on the run and open to any possibility of the time.
On the morning of the race, Sophia was up already at 4am (and so was I). At 6:30, they took me to the start of the race. It was cold but not freezing. I texted with some friends including Erin - pumping me up for the beautiful course.
Sometimes I memorize the course and elevation profile. I make a plan for my music, podcasts etc, and I practice all of that during training. I did absolutely none of this. The only thing I did was decide to take 4 Gus - early and often. Usually I take 3 and push the limits on that but I don’t know why- it’s nonsensical! So mile 6,12,18 and 23ish was the plan (and I stuck to it)
By 7am we were off and running.
Slow and steady taking in my surroundings. At mile 1.5 there was already a photographer and I made my race number visible as I told myself- look strong but don’t look at the camera - strike a pose!!!! So that inspired the playlist I started - on shuffle with ‘Vogue’ as the start …was that a great choice/random playlist!!!
Two miles in, we were on a path along the Rio Grande river, starting near the ABQ botanical gardens headed north. Somewhere around mile 3 is when we could see some hot air balloons. These hot air balloons became my heart strings to Joe and Sophia. I texted Joe to take her outside to see if you could see them- and they could- so we were looking at the same thing…. They were with me!
Around mile 8 I was planning on switching playlists to my 2022 chill playlist, but then a guy sparked up a convo. I was wearing my twin cities marathon headband. He’s from there and ran that same one. He also knows the exact turn of the corner at the Bozeman marathon where it said 26 miles but the .2 was much longer than .2, he was also doing the 50 states, but decided not to need the club to validate what he’s doing. He’s about 30-35 completed.
… which sidetrack… I decided to ‘quit’ the club in the last few years. Reason- because, sometimes marathoners are egotistical and insecurities come out in a braggy annoying way -liking to show superiority over others. I do my best not to be like this and I hope I’m not, but the club has turned into the epitome of this. Club rules - while I understand some of them- just really rubbed me the wrong way in how they are enforced. A girl finished a race that was not cancelled but conditions made it a really tough one to complete - and she did it but many others did. One of the requirements is something like at least 20 have to start the race and 10 have to finish. More than 20 started her race but less than 10 people finished - the club will not count that as an official state and she has to repeat that state to qualify as a 50 stater with the club. And the comments from both admin and other ‘club members’ when she posted this question …. it just made me realize- I don’t want to or need to be part of such a club.
So this was a big part of our conversation. We also talked about what’s next - which’s of course happens - 8 states to go … the question arises - what next? I’ve started to see that light and I think World majors sounds good - since I’m half way done it’s just 3 international runs, and then maybe even before that … Athens! But right now it’s all brainstorming - once I cross off 50 hard goals can be set :)
My new running buddy also experienced the same rental car headaches the day before (2 hour wait!!!), he’s a lawyer, and has 3 kids - I think 1,4 and 7. His family was not with him and he was heading back home that night. He started the 50 state goal after me but is catching up bc he’s doing multiple a year… something I stopped doing after having Sophia since my goal was always finish by 50 and I’m on track with one a year at this point… not that I won’t pick it back up I still would like to figure back to back races but we shall see….
It was nice to chat with someone because I just don’t do that much anymore. The miles were passing by in an enjoyable way!
But as we got to the 13.1 mile turn around, I made a comment that we probably will leapfrog one another and I will chat with him again when we do, but I had some energy to enjoy the next bit at a slightly faster pace. So I said ‘see you later’
… never got his name and never saw him again.
I turned on my chill playlist around mile 14 and focused on getting to Mile 16, then 18 then 20. I started playing some games with my pace.
Around mile 15, I added some small bursts of energy near the end of each mile to keep those averages below a 9:30 average.
By the 20 mile marker I decided I could start to aim for a sub 4 hour marathon, but told myself anything close to that would be amazing considering how I started this race.
I played another ‘game’ I play sometimes - and starting around mile 18, I told myself - the difference between a 10 minute mile and my mile split - would become a walking reserve.
So let’s say I ran a 9:30 - that means I could walk 30 seconds. If I had 4 miles at 9:30, this would earn me 2 minutes of walk time.
I was slowly banking a reserve - not much, so to make it worth it, I needed to keep passing the miles.
By mile 23 I took my last gu. I managed to get my long sleeved shirt off and refill my water bottle from the water stations without walking … and the desire to walk was behind me. Sometimes when I walk, that’s when I start to fall apart- I decided I just needed to keep relaxed and not push the speed but keep running.
Also around mile 23 I changed my playlist to ‘beautiful day’ by U2 as the starting point on shuffle of similar songs.
By mile 25, ‘Break my stride’ started playing. I was definitely slowing but not gonna break my stride!
The final push was back into the downtown area, and a turn of a corner… there was the finish line. I turned off my music, gave the thumbs up to the cheers and crossed the finish line striking a pose - hands in the air and a smile on my face - sub 4 hours!
Sub 4 hours in a race where I had no pressure, no expectations. I just focused on using that time to enjoy myself. And there is a lot to be said about the mental game of a race. It is everything!!!!
