Jonathan Vigh's 2007 Pikes Peak Marathon Race Report

"Those who forget the lessons of the past are bound to repeat them . . ."

Things done right

    - trained like never before this year, achieved the best physical condition I've ever been in

    - ran the full marathon course twice in the summer before the race

    - ran the full ascent and repeats on the top another time

    - tapered well and smart

Things done wrong

    - might have eaten too much in the 2 days before the race

    - wore a 'fanny pack' full of energy gels - had no one to hand it off to at the top, so wore it down too - this might have caused some of my stomach upset

    - tried a new type of energy gel instead of sticking to what I was used to - threw it up (although this might have happened with my regular gel too at that point)

    - didn't stretch before the race

    - didn't warm up before the start

    - ate a PowerBar too close to the start

    - went out just a tad too fast in the first mile, didn't back off enough when my HR alarm started going off

    - might have eaten too many gels this time (ate 10)

    - didn't realize how warm it was and didn't take enough electrolyte tablets

    - didn't back off enough when the first sign of cramps hit at mile 10

    - started down a bit too fast at the top, lost my speed after the first couple miles on the downhill

    - tripped and fell, cramped, had to stretch for 90 sec before I could run again

    - stopped at an aid station to get my wound cleaned - should have kept running as it took them 3-4 min to get me fixed up

    - fell again on the steep, loose gravel just after the 2nd to last aid station (top of Incline)

    - lost my drive to keep pushing, just jogged down the W's

    - didn't even push once I hit the road - got passed in the last mile by 3rd woman and another guy in my age group