My 39th Marathon: Sprouts Mesa Marathon Race Report

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On Saturday I ran my 39th marathon. That sounds like such a simple statement, doesn’t it? It really applies to all marathoners, whether is their first or their 50th. Saying that you ran a marathon, while it’s very impressive, especially to non-runners, but it still doesn’t give the full story of what went on before, after, and during, the race.

This was my second time running the Sprouts Mesa Marathon. I’m an ambassador. I wasn’t very happy with my race last year, so as I planned my training for this, my 39th marathon, I was determined to make some changes and improve, not only my time but my experience.

So, last Saturday I ran my 39th marathon. And I survived it (though there were moments when I wasn't sure I would). Here's my 2020 @mesamarathon race report! #marathon #mesamarathon #runningClick To Tweet

Did You Miss? The Sprouts Mesa Marathon: Before and After the Race

So, I arrived at the start line of my 39th marathon with a plan. Last year, lured by the downhill start (and running with a friend), I started way too fast. This year, I had a plan that would accommodate the downhill without burning out my legs by mile 18.

Last year, my stomach was so upset in the latter miles that I couldn’t even run without risking vomiting. Since I thought my hydration could be to blame, I made sure to pre-hydrate all week leading into the race. I also struggled last year with my exercise-induced asthma and the light-headedness that I occasionally deal with in long races. To fight that, I changed my nutrition to make sure that I was eating more fat and protein, in addition to carbs, because I thought that could help with my tendency to suffer a hypoglycemic reaction when my sugar dropped.

So here I was, at the start line, with a plan I was happy with, ready to go. Obviously, I had no thoughts of a PR. I just wanted to improve on last year. 

Best laid plans…

My 39th Marathon: Here We Go!

I’ve mentioned before that the Mesa Marathon is a downhill race, with over 1,000 feet net drop. To do that, the runners are bussed up to the start line. Where we wait in the cold for about two hours (if you’re like me and have the “need” to be on the first bus to the start line). Fortunately, there are fires and heaters to keep us warm. Plus I find conversation with new running friends is quite warming too!

I do try to avoid the fires. In my mind, smoke and running just don’t go together, so I stick close to the mushroom heaters and depend upon those, my warmups, and throwaway clothing to keep warm. And those new running friends, of course!

Fortunately, the time passed quickly. Finally, it was time for the National Anthem (followed by fireworks) and then we dropped our gear and moved up to the start line. I kept a throwaway top and gloves (and Hot Hands!) so I wasn’t too cold, especially once the race started.

The First Half

The race started at 6:30 just as the sun was beginning to rise. One of my most vivid race start memories ever will always be the amazing sunrise, which was a deep orange and pink, in the east at the same time the full moon, huge and golden, was setting in the west. I didn’t take a photo because, well, marathon, but I kept looking through social media hoping that someone had caught it. 

The Mesa Marathon is a downhill marathon but most of that downhill happens in the first half. Knowing that from last year, I had a plan that I hoped would keep me from going too fast, but would take advantage of gravity. I allowed myself to go a little faster than my goal pace, knowing that I would slow down after the halfway point when the course leveled off.

Since I certainly wasn’t trying to break any records (though I did have hopes of improving my time from last year) I cruised along at a steady pace, feeling pretty good. I always seem to have random little aches and pains leading into a big race but I was feeling fine.

While I had brought my headphones, I didn’t wear them. I really like connecting with other runners during a race, which is impossible when people are hooked into their music. Fortunately, there were a few other people who were not. 

Like the man who was on state #47 of his 50 state journey (with plans to work on the seven continents after that). And the woman who was on state #18 of that same journey.

Like the woman who had lost over 100 pounds, started running, and now was achieving her goal of running a marathon.

Like the woman in her sixties, running her 39th marathon, hoping to improve after having a tough time the previous year. No, wait. That was me.

See, you miss out on a lot of interesting people if you plug into your headphones.

The time went quickly with all of that entertainment. Actually, I mostly listened to other people talk, want to keep my own breathing strong and regular. I was doing my best to stay hydrated (I carried my own bottle and alternated with Nuun Sport and Nuun Endurance).  

I reached the halfway point at about 2:20 (that’s counting my bathroom stop and taking the time to text my hubby to announce my halfway time). It was a lot slower than last year but, face it, I ran the first half way too fast last year! So this was good.

The Second Half

I was feeling good as I passed the 13.1 mark. It was still quite chilly (I hadn’t ditched any of my throwaways yet). I tried to tame my mind and not think about how it all started to fall apart in the second half last year. The course flattened out considerably after the halfway point, but I’d taken that into consideration in my plan, so I was still happy with my pace.

At mile 15ish I finally took tossed my gloves and throwaway top. It was still chilly, though the sun was out and it was warming up. I was still feeling good, though not carrying on any conversations at this point. 

At mile 16 I started taking a short walking break at each mile marker. I was able to get back running in about 20 seconds or so. I made it to mile 20 in this fashion. While I’d lost a little time, I’d expected that in the second half so all was good. Remember, my goal was just to beat last years’ time by a few minutes.

In mile 21 I added an extra walk period.  Still good, though, I started running again after just a short break. Mile 22 too.

Then came mile 23 when the wheels started falling off the bus.

I was running along when I started to feel lightheaded. You’ve heard me talk about it before. It comes on fast, like I’m not getting enough oxygen to my brain. I feel a little dizzy. I start walking. Sometimes that’s enough. I can walk for a bit, regroup, and start running again. Sometimes I need to use my inhaler, which usually helps.

Not this time. Not only didn’t walking help, but I also had to stop, find something to lean against/hold onto until my head started to clear. Remember how that happened back in Ragnar So Cal last year? When I actually fainted? And gave myself a black eye?

Well, I didn’t faint. Instead, I stood leaning against a pole for several minutes until my head cleared (it’s kind of like sparkles in my vision). I did not feel like I was having asthma, but at one point I used my inhaler just to see if it would help. It didn’t.

I started to feel a little better. I started walking. Then running. Slowly, but running. I made it through miles 23 and 24 like that, a little walking, a little running. Feeling better. Definitely not great, but better.

Then came the last two miles. My lightheadedness wouldn’t go away. Walking, sitting, leaning, none of it helped. As I said in my Instagram post, for the first time in my marathon running life, I was at mile 25.5 and not sure if I would be able to finish.

My husband would laugh because way back in both my running and our relationship, he paced me to a PR in the 10k. I ran 42 minutes and passed out at the finish line. See, this goes way back. He would laugh because I finished second woman overall, and first in my division, and even though I felt so bad I could hardly sit up or raise my arms, when they called my name I popped up, received my awards, had my picture taken, then collapsed back in my seat.

In a similar way, when I was about a half-mile from the finish, I saw the race photographer ahead of me and I somehow made myself run. For about 20 yards, but at least my photo looks good! I managed the same thing at the finish line. Other than those two bursts, I walked the last two miles of the race.

I finished. I can’t even say one of the toughest races I’ve run because most of it was great. I finished the toughest two miles of my life. 

Post-race wasn’t a breeze either, in case you missed this post.

The Sprouts Mesa Marathon

The Sprouts Mesa Marathon is a good race. It’s small enough to feel like a personal experience but big enough to give you all the special treatments you receive at bigger races.  The volunteers were amazing. They have a little water station competition so they aim to impress with costumes and fun signs.

The buses got us to the start line and the race started on time. There was plenty of water along the route, even for the slower runners. The finish line food was a little sparse when I finished, but since most of it isn’t vegan it didn’t matter to me. 

The downhill course is perfect for PRs and about 25% of runners qualify for Boston. If I had one disappointment, it was that this year the photos are no longer free. I received a few very good photos last year, but this year there is a charge. One photo download is $24, which I think is a little over the top, especially for a download.  

Would I Do It Again?

After my experience in my 39th marathon, I am at that point of deciding one of two things. One is, is it worth it? Do I want to put my body through it again? Will it get worse? 

You probably can guess the other thing I’m thinking about. How can I make it better? Obviously, there are no PRs on the horizon, but can I figure out and stop the issues that I had? Is this a training, hydration, or nutrition problem that I can fix? Marathons have never been easy for me. I have struggled with nausea, exercise-induced asthma, light-headedness, and other challenges in almost every marathon that I’ve run. And yet I survived to run another day. So, will I do it again?

To be determined. In the meantime, rest, recovery, reflection.

 

 

 

And Now It’s Time for the Runners’ Roundup

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