Rocket City Marathon Report Card (Read 731 times)

Since quitting running in 1982 (led astray by drugs & alcohol), I regretted not attempting the marathon. When I joined runningahead in January, my focus was dropping weight and getting in race shape, quickly. I did. My focus then and now was on the mile, 5 and 10k distances. I was unsure about tackling the marathon distance in my first year back, but all the marathon talk here and at nashvillestriders.com lured me in; I was hooked. I registered for the Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville, Alabama (the one I had planned to run as a teen). I prefer setting goals just out of reach of what I am currently able to quickly achieve. Because I had read so much about others desire to run Boston, about it's history and prestige, and having to qualify for it, I set my goal to BQ in my debut; just out of reach at the time. I started increasing my mileage in earnest for I lacked the base mileage and endurance required. As time got closer, my confidence grew. Before completing the longest of my long runs (24), I realized it was doable. But to run it at my easy pace (orig. plan) and barely qualify, would not be giving my best. I would not sacrifice the gift; I would go for it. And what was that to be? I posted to friends in the 2000 mile group that I believed I could do 3:10. When I started obsessing over pacing and devising pace strategies, I set the goal a bit higher to what I would like to achieve; a time that would better the PR of a not-yet-so-close rival, who's a minute faster than my best 5k. I aligned myself with a pace plan that would yield 3:07.30 - 3:08.02. That was just out of reach and made me nervous as hell! (A very nervous pRED and check the GU's pinned to my shorts. Hampton Inn-"Cloud Nine" mats; the best!) The plan was to run 9m @ 7:20, next 9m @ 7:10 and last 8.2m at 7:00 pace. This was the most optimistic and would result in a time of 3:07.30. I was up to the challenge, but the last 8 at 7:00? I dunno! The start was relief. It was 62º, and thank God it was overcast and foggy (the fog turned to mist, then light rain thru 4 mile, then quit). The plan was to warm-up at 7:30. I went out easy, but mile 1 was 7:05. "Well, as long as it feels this easy, I'm doing it, and I can back off here or there and recover. I've got 10-15 seconds to spare per mile as long as I keep this up, right?" (video shot at start) http://youtube.com/watch?v=B54VJpGTqZE To make this shorter, I just kept going(check log for splits). Knowing if I maintained this pace throughout the race, I should be fine. I reached halfway in 1:33:53. I was ahead of schedule and feeling great! "Just double that, and if you're feeling good at 16-18 (Jeff said..) crank it up a bit". From halfway, runners ahead were slowing. I started passing them one after another. I knew it was many, so I checked the results today to see that I had passed 66 from there to the finish. That felt righteous! (video shot at half) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmX2EHqpIMY (I was again surprised to see DW at mile 18) I started going for some insurance after 17, and after running sub-7 pace from mile 17 to 22, I started to fatigue. The hills that are "not normally hills", were taking a toll, and I noticed I was slowing. As the last few miles ticked slowly by, I feared bonking. I was getting tight. But up ahead, for the first time in the race, I saw another rival that I have never finished better than. This was gonna be sweet. I didn't want to catch him too soon, but I was maintaining my pace and he was coming to me. I said nothing, when I passed, at 23 and a half. The last 2 miles were mentally tough. I felt like shutting down, but I remained focused, glaring straight ahead and grimacing with every stride: a wounded predator. The crowds were great in the spots, intersections and water-stations they had gathered and they caused me to surge. I had to have looked to them like I had blinders on. In the last mile, GU puked, up into my throat, and I thought I would give the crowd a show at the finish. Seeing the skyline again, I mentally-relaxed. After mile 26, I saw a mat up ahead in a turn and I yelled, "Is this it; Is THIS the finish". Someone replied, "just 200 meters". When I could see the numbers of the clock, I sprinted the best I could to keep that thing under 07. (crossing that mat and seeing finish 200 ahead) My time was 3:06:46. Good enough to qualify for Boston, even if I was 20! I wish to give God the praise for blessing my life and giving me the ability to achieve what I have and shall. I am thoroughly satisfied. Thinking of Boston '09. Do I look like a skinny W there, or is it just me? Nice city and Nice swag!

That is nothing short of amazing, pRED! Awesome! Thanks for the report. And good luck in Boston.

Good work, awesome debut! Who was it you passed around mile 23, Pierret?

pRED, Great story! You've got some serious talent! Congrats!!!

Wow! Your legs cooled off yet?

Great race pRED. Congrats on your BQ!! Looking forward to your Boston '09 race report.

Amazing! Great race - awesome report too!

You are really freaking fast! Congrats on the awesome race! WTG more than 3 min faster than 3:10!