GRANDMAAAA!!!!!!!!!!
A little more background on the run - There were water stations every
other mile, starting at mile 3, up to mile 19. From then on, there
would be water at every mile. Since my goal was to eat every 4 miles,
and I need to drink water with the Gu, I opted to wait until mile 5 to
get my first Gu. That was fine, given how much I had to begin with! I
kept that in the back of my mind though as I ticked off the miles, even
though I was a mile off of my plan.
So now we're past the half-way point. I'm thinking about all the training I've gone through to get to this point - all the hopes and dreams I had of possibly getting that elusive 4:00 Finish time, but I was beginning to drag. I kept thinking about ways I could improve my efficiency, or if I was getting enough to eat/drink. My HR just wouldn't drop down.
Erin really started working on me around mile 15. We exited the water zone, and our pace maker was WAY ahead of us - I SWEAR he sprinted through the zone. I think I made a crucial mistake at this point. He was maybe 100 yards ahead, and instead of working off that 100 yards over the next mile or so, I felt like I needed to get to him sooner - just to mentally stay in the game. I really picked it up, and I realized how much my legs were not in the race anymore. I caught him within a quarter mile, but my HR spiked in the mid to upper 180's to catch him. Erin (the smart one) who then gradually caught up to me, made me realize that it was pretty silly to do that. While I agreed, and wasn't about to admit to someone who was barely breaking a sweat that she was right! :) , I was back in my pace group and focused at the task at hand.
Unfortunately, this is where the bad times began...
16.2 Miles - Third Checkpoint - Time: 2:29:13 - A.P.O.S.: 9:20/mile
We watch the pace group slowly pull away just before this checkpoint. I simply can't, in good conscious anyway, hold the pace any longer. My HR is averaging about 182 at this point, and we're going through some rolling hills. I know that Erin is itching to go, trying desperately to push me along, but it's of no use. She's seeing her window of breaking 4 hours slipping away, and while still technically achievable for me to do the remaining 10 miles in under 1:30, I really have little choice to make. We had set out to run this race together, and while Erin would have stayed with me if I asked her to, I, *tear*, cut the cord and sent her on her way. At mile 17, on the dot, I...was...on...my...own... *more tears*.
Okay, it really wasn't that dramatic, but one sweaty, difficultly timed, running kiss later, she was off. She knew what she had to do to break 4 hours, and I had no doubt that she'd get it. I later found that she blew by the pace group that we'd been following for so long, and just knowing that made myself feel better about the race.
It should be noted that at mile 17 - in the water station, I walked for the first time in the race. I thought it would be easier to eat my Gu and drink while walking, and sure enough, I was right. I never wanted to rule out walking through aid stations - certainly to minimize it, but I thought it would be a bit later when I'd hit the first one. Oh well - the pain was beginning to set in. I tried to find pace groups (err, unofficial clusters of people running together) to try to stay with. Some I could hold, but I'd usually end up loosing them for a moment or 2 - then finding another group that was a few paces behind them that I'd tag onto. This went on for some while.
19.3 Miles - Fourth Checkpoint - Time: 2:59:12 - A.P.O.S.: 9:41/mile
Erin @ 19.3 Miles - Time: 2:56:37 - A.P.O.S.: 8:51/mile
Clearly, I began to slow down a bit. The "Wall" was fast approaching. It sort of straddled either side of mile 20 - the second half of 19 and, well, almost all of 20. I had to walk a little bit. My HR was resting in the 180s, and I just needed a moment to get a drink, eat some oranges and cool down. My hat that I was wearing was tucked into my waist band - too hot to wear. People had sprinklers set up in their yard, and I took the opportunity to run through them. I knew that I could conceivably SPEED UP and break 4 hours, but I officially let that one sail.
This was by far, the most difficult stretch of the race - I had finally hit the "wall". This was all about getting one foot in front of the other - feed off of others energy where I could. I was a little disheartened when I saw that the 4:15 pace group had caught up to me (sooner than I thought possible), but I later learned that their pacer was on a 4:07 pace - wish I knew that then!
23.1 Miles - Fifth Checkpoint - Time: 3:37:43 - A.P.O.S.: 10:09/mile
Erin @ 23.1 Miles - Time: 3:27:48 - A.P.O.S.: 8:13/mile
Well, leading up to the 23rd mile, my pace did speed up. Contrary to what is shown above, most of that slowdown came from the mile 20 "wall". The stretch was mostly flat, but did have one "big" hill at the end. Once we made it over that hill though, there was a downhill stretch that lasted the better part of a mile. What a relief! I began to believe that I was going to finish just over 4 hours and feel good about everything. It's amazing how much your emotions can swing just from the direction of the pavement! My HR "dropped" into the upper 160's, and I began to talk to others around me. I had clearly found "my group" by this point. Mostly guys - middle aged or otherwise - recreational runners that were hoping for 4 hours, but made peace with it at this point. Runners still serious enough to pass up the free beer bongs being offered to runners, but not above talking, joking and offering encouragement. I met up with a guy who was in his 60's doing his 38th marathon, and he proved to be fairly inspirational as the race drug on.
We were now into downtown Duluth, and the spectators, music, and atmosphere was a lot of fun - a big boost to my confidence, for sure!
25.0 Miles - Sixth (and Final) Checkpoint - Time: 3:56:25 - A.P.O.S.: 9:51/mile
Erin @ 25 Miles - Time: 3:43:13 - A.P.O.S.: 8:07/mile
I did walk through an aid station or 2, so my times at this point were not great. However, I really didn't have anything to race for that this point. 4 hours was clearly out, and as long as I beat 4:22 (which would be 10 minute miles), I knew I'd feel like this was a success. In the back of my mind, I had the number 4:09 sitting there. 4:09 represented a roughly 9:30 pace. If I could slip in under that, I'd feel like this was a success (oh, the things you tell yourself to get through the race). After walking through the aid station at mile 25, I picked up the pace. I knew what I had to go for, and I knew of only one hill in my way. I booked it up, but slowed at the top. Enter, the old man I met earlier - he comes tearing by me! No way was this dude besting me at the end - I'm young and invincible! I really pick up the pace and catch him within a 100 yards. I ask him about the finish line (that I can't see yet) and I take off. It was a very difficult stretch, but oh so worth the finish.
26.2 Miles - Official Chip Time: 4:08:01 - Ave Time Overall: 9:28/mile
For Erin - Official Chip Time: 3:52:57 - Ave Time Overall: 8:54/mile
Immediately after finishing, I grabbed my metal, a t-shirt, a bottle of water, and I started looking for Erin. I felt a HUGE rush of endorphins, and it was impossible to do anything but smile. What a feeling. Aside from the fact that I could hardly walk, I felt fine! Speaking of walking, while standing around, I felt something in my shoe - it was my "index toe" on my right foot. I felt the nail... just, sort of "bend" up in my shoe. Not cool. I didn't want it tear off while I was standing there, so I asked a medical guy nearby to help me to the curb. Well, he got me a race blanket, put me in a wheelchair and took me to the medical tent. Overkill, maybe... I had a doc help me get my shoe off and examine it - it was fine - just runners toe. I can post a picture later if there's any interest!
The only bad part about the medical tent is that they kick you out of the runners area when you're done. Because of that, I didn't get any snacks or anything. It's alright though, I eventually got it taken care of back at the car (right as the rain moved in).
In The End:
I had text messages going out to a bunch of people as the race went on, including Erin's parents. We eventually caught up with them at Starbucks, found the Ellie-Meister (she was more excited to see our shinny metals than us), and we were off on the long trip back to Kansas (err, Iowa for the night). I could hardly move by the time we got there, but we had an AWESOME dinner, including several pints of beer, and slept very hard that night. I received lots of congratulatory texts, and decided that I was pretty happy with my time, and that this would likely be the last marathon I ever do! I think half's will be my upper limit from here on out.
Stay tuned for my "reflections" post.
D
Running Total:
June: 48.21
2012: 303.07
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