Mike Serrin

2018 REVEL Big Bear Marathon
Published: Oct. 15, 2018, 8:31 a.m.
  1. Overall Rating

    5/5 Stars

  2. Describe your race day.

    Fantastic Marathon,,,best to date of 27. Revel Rocks,,,,great weather, good strong challenging and fast course, beautiful scenery, perfect 2 mile spread aid stations with porta potties, very strong runners, smiles from beginning to the glorious finish line. The word gets out from this race and both this and Mt. CHarleston will be the go to races to go blazing if in fit running shape. Finish line was perfect, visible for almost a mile so it brought us tired runners home with a desire to finish strong.......Thanks Revel for another great Marathon. Also, nearly Pr'd and got a good BQ time with the new standards, ok for an old 62 year old male. Proud of your efforts, Big Thanks to the volunteers, all were positive and fun. See you next year,,,,,,,Mike in San Diego

  3. Did you PR?

    Almost, but got a solid BQ for next Boston,,,,Big Smile

  4. How would you describe the course?

    Overall fast,,,,a bit challenging the first half, with two grinding hills, but the downhill made up for it from 10-20, directions on the course were spot on as to what to expect and how to run it....if all the runners followed it, there would be even stronger finishes. I did, and it worked out great. Pretty course up to 23 miles then the grind to the finish. Great aid stations, great volunteers, sheriff was good at patrolling and directing traffic, wonderful finishline and goodies, more banked asphalt than expected but it switch from side to side so one leg wasnt overstressed, smooth apshalt, elevation caused a bit of breathing stress to about mile 10,,,but followed directions and just took it easy till then, scenery top notch, its nice looking at greenery instead of dry brown california, air was fresh, never crowded from the start, potties and buses very good,

  5. Tell us about your training.

    I feel guilty as training was subpar but I still rocked the course,,,,30-40 mpw, no runs over 14 miles, I was tentative going in, but dug deep and followed the directions on how to run the course, also used the website,,,,findmymarathon.com and it does a course and time calculation for all marathons, usa, and the pace needed per mile.....wonderful tool for any marathoner, any course, check out the pace band timing, it really dials in your courses. Did speed work once a week, half mile repeats from 5-10, 3-5 weekday runs, sat. long from 10-14, sun. shorter 5 mile cruise run, do spin class 2x a week, swim a mile once a week,,,,,so advice, run from 30-50 mpw,,,,taper the last week to 20mpw, follow the findmymarathon.com pace guide for the course, use carbo pro for energy to miles 18, two gu's for miles 18 and 22, drink every aid station, eat early dinner the night before, get to sleep early by 8pm the nite before, bring a ski hat, gloves, garbage bag or the thermal blanket, hat or sunglasses, throwaway tshirt to wear until the air warms up, around mile 8, chuck the gloves when hands sweat, run with a goal and adjust to it, smile and relax during the run, dig deep at the end,

  6. What advice would you give future runners?

    above, number 5

  7. What fun things did you do in the area before or after the race?

    toured the parks, shopped at the local stores, at good food at the local restaurants, drove the mountain and college areas,
    from the san diego area, north county,,,,,

Comments

  1. No Comments Yet.

Leave a Comment