Race Information
- Name: Fargo Marathon
- Date: May 20, 2023
- Distance: 26.2 miles
- Location: Fargo, ND
- Strava Link
- Time: 2:57:37 (6:47/mile | 4:13/km)
Goals
| Goal | Description | Completed? |
|---|---|---|
| A | PR | No |
| B | Sub-2:50 | No |
| C | Sub 3 / BQ | Yes |
Summarized “TL;DR” Recap
I went for a big time and fell considerably short of my goal. I’m very happy with my effort, but there were careless mistakes I need to correct (early pacing, adjusting expectations for conditions, nutrition). I qualified for Boston again and I look forward to the Chicago marathon training block. Next up: World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Innsbruck, Austria
Training
This is a continuous build since the Paris marathon. There were 5 weeks between Paris and the OC half marathon. I took a couple of “down” weeks but kept the volume at 40 miles minimum (a road trip for the 2nd week forced another down week, but mostly my fault for poor planning – I will always take accountability for this). Other than that, the training progressed as I focus on the Fargo Marathon as my “A” or goal race. I will continue the week numbering system from the last blog and start with week 6. Below are the weekly total mileage and key workouts:
- Week 11 (45 Miles)
- Saturday: 14 Mile long run w/2 miles @ HMP (6:11, 6:13), 1 Mile @ MP (6:40), 2 Miles @ Lactate Threshold (5:57, 5:55)
- Week 12 (53 Miles)
- Wednesday: 5 x 1 Mile (6:23, 6:15, 5:56, 5:48, 5:39) w/2 min rest between reps
The mileage was a quick build-up, but everything felt like it was coming together. I needed to see where my fitness was at the OC half marathon. It was either 1) race the OC half marathon all out and calculate the full marathon equivalent time or 2) run early miles before the race and run the half-marathon at marathon pace. I chose option 2 because I wanted to see if my legs could hold marathon pace with some fatigue (similar to how it would feel in a marathon).
Pre-race
Sadly the Italian restaurant I ate before the 2018 race is no longer open so I settled for pizza. Not the most ideal meal, but also not the worst. I got up around 4:45 am to be ready by 6:15 am. Thankfully not much traffic (it is Fargo, ND after all). I arrived at the Fargo Dome around 6:40 am and it was pretty empty. And there was plenty of room to warm up, stretch, and relax before the race.
Race
Miles 1-5: 6:29, 6:22, 6:20, 6:21, 6:19
The starting temperature was 44 per Strava but it warmed up fast with the sun completely out at 7:45 am. Much warmer than the 2018 race. The field was very thin around 2:50 goal time. There was a sub-3-hour group and a 2:45 group with nothing in between. I tried to stay calm but I opened up too fast after mile 1. I was too concerned about missing turns since I was solo. Miles 4 and 5 weaved through a new neighborhood development I wasn’t familiar with. Turns out I had a reason to be concerned: a runner missed the figure 8 turn and accidentally cut the course.
Miles 6-13: 6:24, 6:29, 6:27, 6:30, 6:28, 6:32, 6:20, 6:31
Nothing too exciting during this section of the race. I’m still solo at this point. The half marathoners are making their way back to the Fargo Dome while I head to Moorhead, MN. I tried to cool the pace back down to 6:30/mile but not sure what I was doing at mile 12 with the 6:20. I need to be more focused and calm down.
Miles 14-20: 6:26, 6:35, 6:34, 6:33, 6:47, 6:40, 6:39
Another runner caught me from behind and we shared mile 14. He was very positive and encouraging, but I didn’t quite have enough to hold a 6:30/mile pace any longer. I could feel myself fading a bit, which I expected to happen given the conditions. I let him go and aimed to keep the pace below 6:45/mile to stay under 2:55 and possibly beat my 2nd fastest marathon. I saw my buddy Taylor at mile 18 which helped lift my spirits a bit. I started to feel an urge for a bathroom break but I thought I could finish without stopping…
Miles 21-26.2: 8:58, 6:39, 6:47, 6:51, 7:31, 7:07, 3:51 (6:22/mile)
I saw a port-o-potty just before mile 21. I went ahead and took a break, which I have never gone before the race and during the race before but that’s how the marathon goes…This added 1:45 to my time. I saw the female lead with the cyclist and immediately kicked it back into gear. I tried to stay ahead of her, but she caught me at mile 24. I immediately started having quad cramps (closer to my knees, similar spot during Cowtown). I kept battling and caught her right as we made the final turns into the Fargo Dome. Passing her helped fuel the final kick to the finish line inside the dome.
Post-race
I was disappointed I couldn’t break 2:50 and it was going to take some time to digest the race. It was a really weird training block with the Cowtown and Paris marathons coming off my last physical therapy sessions. Despite the disappointment, I am proud of myself. I qualified for Boston and broke 3 hours – the same goals I had for the 2018 race.
Not much rest for me in the upcoming weeks. I have another quick turnaround: returning to the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Innsbruck Austria! This time I will also be running the Vertical Uphill (or Vertical Kilometer / “VK”) in addition to the Mountain Classic (Up & Down). Time for redemption and also time to be cautious because I can’t have an injury going into the Chicago marathon training block.
