Zoom Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon ~ Race RUNdown!

Inspiration Points...
Marathon #50!, State #45!
1. 5 To Go! With only 5 to go, this will be checking off my MN marathon state!

2. Marathon 'o' Marathons ... After a FOUR week break, I'm back to marathon craziness... 6 over the next 6 weeks scheduled so far!

3. My First Indoor! I haven't ran an indoor race since 9th grade indoor track. I've been practicing twice a week on an indoor track and I hope it helps to ease the boredom.
4. Kicking off 2011! This will be my first marathon of the new year!
5. WS Training... Payoff?! I've been working hard at my WS training and I'm now sure how that's going to affect my marathoning-- I've had to slow down my pace a little, but I'm putting in more meaningful miles. We'll see...

MN Race RUNdown...
Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon ~ Sunday January 9, 2011. (#45) 8:00am Marathon Start
Northfield, MN ~ St. Olaf College Tostrud Field House
Registration Fees: $65 Lottery Based registration for only 40 participants
Year Running: 6th
Races Available: Marathon only
2011 Expected Field: ~ 43 Runners; 12 Females; 5 in A/G 20-29
2010 Field:  42... Females: 5  ... Age Group: 0 (F25-29)
2009 Avg. Finish Time: 4:10:30
Certified Course/BQ Certified?: Yes/No (no indoor marathons are BQ certified)
Cutoff Time and Early Start Option: No early start. There is a 6 hour qualifying standard, but not a cutoff time. 
Weather Update: My psychic abilities are telling me that there will be 0 snow, rain, and wind! They keep the field house around 60 degrees-- I'm sure that will heat up with 40 runners, but shouldn't be too bad. 

Course:

MarathonGuide Rating: 

The course is 150 loops on a 282 meter track. I was actually asked last night if the track is wood or that chopped up tire like normal outdoor tracks. I'm actually not sure, but since it's suspended I would assume that it's just a wooden track and not the tire kind. 


Every 30 minutes, everybody will finish up their loop, then change direction so our inside legs don't go numb halfway through. 

Race 411:
~ My Own Student- Every runner gets 1 student (runner) of their own! Ok, not to take home but they are there to count all your laps for you.
~ Custom Finisher Shirts! We don't get shirts right away... but that's because they send the shirts away to put our names, times, place, city/state on custom! 
~ BYOG Since there are 2 tables set up on either side of the track, there is plenty of chance to drop GU, drinks, food, etc, so it's BYOG... that also makes up 600 aid stations! 
~ Runner Meals! The amazing race director has set up a free pasta feed the day before, and they've also set up a post-race lunch/dinner at a nearby restaurant.

Race Plan:

I have NO idea what I'm capable of right now. I've been doing speed work and putting in a lot more quality miles, but I've also had to slow myself down in training to get my long runs in. I also get myself so nervous after I've taken a few weeks off so we'll see! I SHOULD be taking it easy since I have to race RnR Arizona next week on GE's corporate team. So if I can somehow find a way to keep it at an easy pace, but fast enough to place I'll be happy. 

Throw Back! Bring it back now ya'll...
Reverse the Countdown!
This is my 46th marathon-state, meaning I have 5 to go including this race. What was going on around state #5!?!? I was running the 2009 ING Georgia Marathon! And how did that go?... Hills, Hills, Hills! But lots of fun! I was still at the point where my legs hurt post-marathon and that was especially the case in this race as my calves cramped up like crazy! 

This time in 2010...
This time last year I was doing my  2nd double marathon weekend... the Mississippi Blues Marathon and Mobile First Light Marathon. It was very unseasonably cold at these races and I was SO cold! 

Meet up Info: 
Since there are only 43 runners, we are ALL kind of meeting up all day Sat and Sun. Greg is the only maniac I know going to this race, but I hope to meet the other 3 MM's this weekend. Also, I will be debuting my MM Diva shirt!!! 

Happy Racing!
Stephanie
"Run to Win"-Meb