Seattle Marathon

I finished the Seattle marathon and I am a little disappointed in how I did.
I finished in 5:07 on my watch. The day was clear and sunny, just beautiful. It was warmer than expected - the high was 75F, with about 60% humidity, 68F had been forecast - but not very much warmer.

I drove the course two days before, it was very beautiful. After a weird start in Tukwila (tuck-willa), it quickly dropped down to Lake Washington and circled the western half the lake. Then it was I-90 freeway running through mile 13, then almost all the rest of the race was on the Alaskan Viaduct (freeway) which has an incredible view of Seattle harbor. The course had many hills, most relatively short, some quite steep. The course featured three tunnels - each fairly long, with no view from one end to the other, which was an interesting experience in itself. I've never run through a long, dark tunnel before.

I did ok through mile 16, but by then I just didn't feel "right". I was occasionally becoming a little bit dizzy. By mile 21 I was nauseated, and I chaulked that up as the cause of my not feeling right. I also had intermittent chills and "goosebumps" mostly on my arms but also my legs after about mle 19, which I blamed on the very cool shade alternating with the bright warm sun. At mile 19 I took a salt pill (my skin was thick with salt - meaning I was sweating and it was evaporating in the relatively dry air), and at mile 21 I took some Pepto Bismol tablets and they seemed to help, and I was able to finish, but with frequent walk breaks.

I drank a lot of water on the course - one or two cups at each water stop, plus "Smart Water" and a 20 ounce bottle of CytoMax at the starting line. I consumed three CliffShots along the course. So I was refueling and replenishing liquids and electrolytes, and still I pretty much bonked at mile 20.

Goosebumps (per the American College of Sports Medicine and also Runner's World [http://askcoachjenny.runnersworld.com/2008/03/goose-bumps-in.html]) indicates possible heat exhaustion, dehydration, or hyponatremia - all bad conditions to have during a marathon. Other heat exhaustion symptoms include dizziness and nausea. I don't get it. I have paid my dues on the long runs preparing for the marathon, and I was more attentive to fueling and hydration than on many other marathon courses. Yet I still didn't perform as I would like. Hmmm, another mystery to ponder.