I registered today for the Steamboat Springs Marathon.  Because I’m confident I’ll be in shape for it.  With two half marathons under my belt for the year, both my fastest ever, I’ve demonstrated I’m in racing shape now.  Prepping for the marathon will require longer runs during the week, but with DST that’s doable.

I discovered my stomach might not be up to speed with the rest of my body.  Not sure what to think about cramping toward the end of my run in Moab.  I didn’t have that issue in Austin in January and I ran even faster in that half marathon.  I researched dry heaves a bit and didn’t find any good advice on how to avoid it.  Seems to simply be from exceeding one’s limits.  I don’t care that it slowed me down so much because I was going to purposely slow down anyway.  I was waiting to reach the last street corner of the course and start to cool down the remaining distance – which I estimate between a quarter and half mile.  Instead I doubled over within a couple of steps of the corner.  My finish time might have been the same regardless.  My best guess is that I got excited from the cow bells or something and didn’t notice picking up the pace.  That elevated my heart rate and led to the stomach cramping up.

The Boulder Half is in 3 weeks and it finishes with an uphill just before entering into the Boulder Res.  There is maybe a quarter mile from the top of that hill to the finish line.  Assuming I run a similar pace, I’m going to slow down on that hill and cool down for the final quarter mile.  That’s actually my typical form and I need to return to that.  Better to maintain dignity than finish fast.  Not sure why but the blood tends to rush out of the face when vomiting and I don’t need a butt-white face for my finish line photo.

The Boulder Half will complete my winter racing schedule.  I guess the first week of April will be spring, but for me that event will mark the transition from winter maintenance to spring racing.  Besides Steamboat, all I have planned is the Bolder Boulder 10K at the end of May.  Given the registration cost of these events, that’ll be enough.  If I can maintain the shape I’m in currently, Steamboat could be my fastest ever marathon.  Considering it’s totally downhill.  And not counting the runs of my youth.  I haven’t run any fast 10Ks since my return to road runs.  It’ll would be nice to run fast in the Bolder Boulder.  I won’t be competitive for my age division, but just for myself it would be cool to rip one.  Feels good to run fast.  Except when it doesn’t.