Tucson Marathon Recap

807 days. That’s how many days accrued between my last in-person marathon, which was the Oktoberfest Marathon on September 19, 2019 (in Michigan), and the Tucson Marathon on Saturday, December 4th. I was supposed to run two marathons and check two more states off my list in 2020, but COVID-19 had other plans. I deferred my 2020 Nashville Rock ‘n Roll Marathon to April of 2022 (which I likely won’t run now) and ran the Missouri Bass Pro Conservation Marathon virtually on November 1, 2020. After that marathon, my running became very casual for several months. I was working hard to make my movement joyful and intuitive, so I ran as far and as often as I liked and incorporated more cross-training, walking, and hiking into my routine.

While my mind and body really benefited from this change, it meant a different training approach for this race. Since I have been running 2-3 marathons per year since 2016 (with a hiatus in 2017), my training plans were usually 11-14 weeks. This time, I wanted a longer build-up so I opted for a 16 week training plan. Historically, I am someone who likes speed work and variety more than high mileage, so I was hesitant about this plan. My solution for staying healthy during this training block was to use the AlterG (an antigravity treadmill) at an area PT clinic, for some of my easy runs. I ran on the AlterG for most Wednesdays and Fridays of the plan. It helped keep my legs more fresh for my strength sessions (once per week) and hard workouts (1-2 each week on top of my long runs). If you’re curious about how it works, check out this link.

Over 16 weeks, I ran close to 650 miles (not much for some runners, but definitely for me), with 6 long runs of 16 miles or more. I opted not to do the 22 mile run in the plan because I was feeling pretty burned out right before the taper started. Now that I am a Master’s Runner, I find that my body takes a bit longer to recover from higher intensity and longer runs. I tried my best to honor this each week and to be realistic about my goals.

As much as I tried not having a goal time, I always kept one in the back of my mind. I was not confident enough to tell many people or fully commit to it, but I really wanted to run a 3:30. I wasn’t looking for a PR, but a time that reflected all of the hard work I put in over the past few months. As the race approached, I got a cold from my husband and felt sick for most of the week leading up to the marathon. I tried to rest and hydrate as much as possible, and also wore a mask more often than usual. I stayed positive and told myself I would do my best no matter how I was feeling on race day.

Fortunately, when race day came, my cold was gone! It was an answer to prayers and definitely made the experience more fun. We boarded the shuttle a little after 5:00 in the morning and had a long ride to the start line of the point-to-point course. With an hour to go, we all tried to stay warm in the 40-something temperatures. The course went along the Santa Catalina Mountains and even near the BioSphere 2! It really was beautiful. I knew there would be some rolling hills, but there were more than I expected and the overall drop in elevation (2,200 feet) meant a lot of downhill running. This, coupled with the nearly 30 degree increase in temperature as time went on, took its toll on me. I was on pace to run my goal time up until about the last 10K. Let me tell you, the Arizona Sun was not very forgiving for a Midwestern girl who was not acclimated to heat and could find no shade or breeze to provide respite.

I could have given up and walked the majority of the last 6 miles knowing my goal time was not happening. Instead, I chose to stay positive and to take short walk breaks to fuel or hydrate when necessary. Even with the BASE salt tube I carried (1-2 licks per mile) and my two packs of Honey Stinger chews, my quads still cramped up towards the end. I’m not sure why this is always a problem for me, but I hope I can get a handle on it at some point.

Anyway, It was so great to see and hear my Mom at mile 24 and the finish line! I managed a 3:46 for my time, which I am proud of for the conditions. While I do not enjoy running in the heat, it was nice to have warmer than typical temperatures (in the upper 70s rather than mid-60s) for the adventures my Mom and I had at the resort and around the area. We had fun relaxing by the pool, catching up on visiting and reading books, and checking out the huge cacti at Saguaro National Park. It was a wonderful trip and I will cherish it for years to come!