2015 Jacob Wells 3 Bridges Marathon

2015 Jacob Wells 3 Bridges Marathon

Perfect PR conditions = no PR

A few rookie mistakes were made along with some new things to figure out.

Mistake #1:  Going out too fast.  I used the 5:30 pace band from San Antonio again.  I should have printed one out for 5:20.  I tried to go a bit speedier than the pace needed for 5:30 without having the mile splits right there.  I went out too fast.  I run the first 1/2 five minutes faster than San Antonio.  I was 10 minutes slower overall.  I did hit the 20 mile mark at the same time, but was working way too hard to keep it up.  

Annette Blanton cheering me up at mile 20ish - I'm a bit spaced out, I look like I felt

Mistake #2:  Not saving music for the second half of the race.  During the Traveller I just had the music playing in the background so to speak, during the whole race.  I was going to do that again here.  It wasn't a good idea.  I should have saved it for a second half reward.

New to Work Out:
With the harder effort I need to rethink fueling.  The solid food, real foods, I use for ultras may be too much to digest working that hard.  I may need something along the line of a sports gel.  I can't stand them.  They are too sweet, even the unflavored ones.  Just ick.  I will be on the search for a more savory easily digestible fuel.

My 3 Bridges Marathon history:
2013 - 6:32.50
2014 - 6:53.40 = most miserable ever
2015 - 5:30.07 = best year yet!

Bill Torrey posted these fun facts to Facebook:
Here are some interesting facts about the Jacob Wells 3 Bridge Marathon.
We had 398 start the race and 383 finish. There were 108 people from out of state. There were 32 States represented with Missouri leading the way with 14, next was Texas with 13 and Illinois had 11. There were people from Maine to Hawaii and one from Canada.There were 218 women finishers and 165 men. We even had a person from South Carolina that tried getting in after it shut down still come, ran and left a check to support the event. Runners do some interesting things.

Here is my status update after the race:As I've said before I didn't know Jacob Wells. I knew who he was and we had exchanged encouragement and pleasantries. 
The legacy he has left is amazing. He really is one of a kind in the best ways.
This race today, it was a magnificent family reunion of all of AR running, road, trail, Grand Prix, volunteers, everything. 
The love and good will was palpable. 
Congratulations to those who achieved their first marathon finish line, those who PR'ed, qualified for Marathon Maniacs, those who successfully readjusted plans when things didn't go as planned.
Thank you to the race organization for really nailing it once again!
Thank you to the volunteers, you all are the reason running in AR is so special.
Thank you all for the hugs, the encouragement, the conversations, the inspiration, the example you all are.
Thank you Kristen Garrettt for your life saving hugs and your famous butt rub to get me on down the trail! You are the very best!
What a day of all that is wonderful and right because of the AR running community!

Jacob Wells started the 3 Bridges Marathon in 2013.  November 2014 he died after collapsing at the Mid-South Marathon in Wynne AR.  He influenced so many people in AR running.  His marathon is a labor of love, first from him to the AR running community, now from the AR running community to his memory and example.

This is from a memorial page:
He fought the good fight. He finished the race. He remained faithful. I am sad to report that as much as we desired it, we will not get our miracle. 
Jacob's favorite Bible verse: ... Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1

San Antonio Rock & Roll Marathon - Time to Rest

Dec 6, 2015  Humana San Antonio Rock & Roll Marathon

Why oh why!  Pavement sucks, people are too peoplie but I keep signing up for road marathons.   I guess I will call it brain training so I can embrace it.

Nerves were as bouncy as if I was new to this game.
I was hoping to just do well.  It has been three years since things have gone well in running a marathon.  That is a long time for a dry spell.

The plan:
Shoot for 5:30
Run half a mile, walk a minute for 26.2  from starting line to finish line
Eat something every 20 - 30 minutes
Push when entering the suck zone

This is the first R&R marathon I have participated in, I didn't know what to expect.  They offered water and Gatorade on the course.  I can't stomach Gatorade so I carried a water bottle and Nuun Tablets and a ginger/honey mix.

Carrying out the plan went very well.  I struggled with finding joy and fun in the early miles because of the amount of people out there.  It was crowded!  It was especially crowded when the course would narrow to direct people one way or the other.  It was so good to see the 1/2 marathon split.

I did see some AR Peeps!  Belinda moved to San Antonio a few years ago.  Mandy lives in Ar and came down for the Half.  It was great to run with them till the half split and hugs!  they give good hugs!

It was fun to see bubbles out on the course.  How can one run through bubbles without smiling.

I had signed up for this because a marathon that run by the missions was just too good to pass up.  I don't remember if I read this somewhere, I don't know where I got the idea that the race went by the missions, it does, but kind of doesn't.  The closest we got to a mission was seeing the top of one over the trees way across a field.

There is a long stretch on a river trail, a concrete trail.  There was little shade, but beautiful sights.

Everything was going well, according to plan.  I did start struggling about mile 21ish - 22ish.  I know in TX 69 degrees is a nice cool day, but running a marathon, mostly running it makes 69 degrees a  challenge.

When I looked at my stats after the race I was very happy.  Never in my life have I moved 20 miles in 4 hours!  It has always been slower.  So seeing this happen, for me, is a huge accomplishment!

My PR before this race was 5:26.54 achieved in 2012 at the Chevron Houston Marathon.
Today with a 6 minute PR, 5:20.54.  Texas is good to me.

There are many examples of overcoming obstacles and just being strong out on a marathon course.
This guy has a one leg on wheels.  He is receiving assistance up a hill.

This is by far the best sign I have seen at a marathon in some time.