That is the question. I really didn't want to hit that thing. As I have said before...around mile 21 I started getting tired and couldn't get the Sports Beans down. And, yes, my pace slowed down a bit. But I'm not ready to admit that I hit "The Wall". Holly thinks I did. She even sent me a link explaining what it is and how you feel and told me she thought I had hit it.
I told her that "IF I did hit it, it wasn't a brick wall...it was just a wall of shrubs or bushes". Laugh if you must...but man, I didn't wanna hit that thing! So I wonder, if I had been able to get the extra 100 calories of Sport Beans down...would I have felt better? If I had brought along a gel and could have gotten it down, would that have made a noticeable difference? Or were those shrubs going to get in my way regardless...just because of who I am or how I trained or whatever....hmmm...I don't know.Here are the splits for each mile according to my Garmin GPS:
1. 10:11
2. 9:49
3. 9:47
4. 9:41
5. 9:17
6. 9:12
7. 9:20
8. 9:22
9. 8:59
10. 9:11
11. 9:13
12. 10:14
13. 9:25
14. 9:19
15. 9:18
16. 9:32
17. 9:44
18. 10:01
19. 10:01
20. 10:29
21. 10:39
22. 10:53
23. 10:49
24. 10:23
25. 10:39
26. 10:11
and the .2 at the end: 1:27
Miles 20 - 25 are 30 seconds+ slower than everything else. Does that qualify as The Wall? If so, I'm gonna stick with my story that it was just a Shrub Wall. ;)
4 comments:
Did you hit the wall? I would say no. I think you just experienced what most marathoners do somewhere after the 20 mile mark where you energy level is dropping and it becomes a mental thing to keep going. If you had experienced the wall... you would have known it.
David, you made my day!
I don't think you hit the wall. I don't think I have ever hit it either though so I am not sure how it feels. But I think if you hit the wall you are reduced to a walk a lot of times or a death march. I would not call 30 seconds per mile a death march.
I think you were prob just getting a little low on nutrition and a couple of those 9:15s were coming back to bite you ;)
You did great! Your second half was only about 8 minutes slower than your first. That is pretty damn good for your first time. I know athletes bordering on elite who have gone 20 minutes slower on their second half.
Be proud girl you did great!
I don't think you hit the wall, either. Some slow down in the last few miles is inevitable. If you hit the wall you would've had MUCH slower splits!
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