Forums >Racing>Erie Half Marathon / Almost a full Marathon Race Report -- Race Photos Added (Yes Trent just for you ... labrat)
Original race scheduled was CCHS River Run in Cleveland, which was my first half almost exactly 1 year ago. The RiverRun was an OK race but point to point with busing issues, but it was only half near by. Then last month a few of my local running club memebers were going to run Erie Half as well as knew SkeeterMC was planning the Full. So changed to Erie Marathon last month as always heard great things about the course and the race in general plus always good to meet friends. Later learned Labrat was running the Half ... Bonus to get both of "The Sisters".
Month leading up to race had pretty good milage buildup with exception of 1 - 2 weeks of out of town trips/vacations getting in the way. Labrat and Skeeter were debating whether to run the Full, then the half, then the full ...... Ended up the "Insane' sister decided to bulldog the full and the wiser Labrat was running the half. coming down the homestretch of Marathon training for 10/18 should really be hitting 18 - 20 miles this week, so plan to try to hammer the half , recoup and then run part of second loop with SkeeterMC and Labrat. Mile 6 of loop is just like 1/4 mi from start finish so should be good plan.
Race Day:
Following weather throughout the week and looks to be good day as been mid 70's but cooling into upper 50's at night. With the 7:00AM start and 1.5 hr drive wake up at 4:00AM, head out the door (Sweet it feelds Cold). Get to Presque Isle around 6:00AM but long line of cars and its like 3 miles down park drive to the start (I think as no one is directing traffic and no clear signs, not too mention pitch dark as no lights on the isle .... follow the crowd right).
OK walk about 1/4 to get packet. hit bathroom and put on bib, chip...remember to text Labrat bib # (1000 , which was 999 at Cleveland it was nice they are incrementing me), have to head back to car to drop jacket/goodybag, etc but keep small bag for change of clothes/shoes between half and second loop, jog 1/4 back to start area and check bag (crap good thing person behind me says something about their watch as I forgot garmin in bag).
Now after all this its like 6:46AM and they say their starting in 10 minutes. Do not see Labrat or skeeter, although only like 1000 runners it feels much more crowded as race starts on narrow drive. Take off on abbreviatted warmup like 1/3 mi back on course, luckily a bathroom right there as needed a second trip (bad idea eating chili and nacho dip at bocce ball party yesterday)
I know I am cutting in close so high tail it back to start and as I get there they are singing the national athem. Making way through pack towards front luckily about run Labrat and Skeeter over...good thing Labrat saw me! Say our quick hellos ... goodbyes ... see you at the half.... then i proceed forward.
Line up about 10 rows back and damn it my Garmin is doing its normal raceday "Ill take 10 minutes to locate a satellite". 7:01AM and they say 1 min to race .... luckily it pops up with 120 ft accuracy .... 120 ft WTF I never saw it this bad...Ohh well. Course is relatively straight first 3 miles and figure it will be ok...soon gets to normal 16 - 20 ft accuracy.
Gun --- And There Off
Race Details:
Mi 1 - Very conjested start. started what felt too far up for me, but based on
projected times and last few yrs results the 10th row looked about right.
Must have passed 50 runners the 1st half mile (sorry ladies ... 90% women
who were running like 9:00 - 10:00 pace and not sure why thought the first
few rows was a good place to be).
Now the day was just beginning!
Post Race:
Was planning 20 - 25 min break and with slow half figured I would not have much time to get ready for the second loop with the sisters. Finish race, get the usual water dump over head, grab a banana and water. Now need to go get my bag from bag check. Come back to start/finish area and find a picnic table pretty close (this is now my changing station). two other guys their just finished half an turn out they were like 1:47ish so not too far behind me so we chit chat. I ran with a compresion shirt (which was probably a little too warm for) and compresion shorts underneath; so changed shirt, then shorts, also switched shoes from my lighter Mizuno Precision 9's (9.9 oz) to NB 1063s trainers.
Repin on bib to new shirt as do not want to look like a total bandit. By this time its like 1:57 and I start to look for Labrat who was looking for 2:00 - 2:05. While waiting see a few of running club friends and exchange race reports. Labrat finishes around 2:04 and looks pretty good. We chat a few minutes looking for Skeeter, Labrat not quite sure how far back she was but knew plan was around 4:15 full was figuring around 2:10ish. Labrat wants to run the second loop with her sister but 5 minutes rest is not a lot after a half...suggest that I run first 6 with skeeter and Labrat catch us on backside... but she heads out with us and is there for Sister.
Second Lap with Skeeter and Labrat:
Skeeter hits half around 2:10 just like clockwork and looks / says she feels good (prerace both labrat and I feer that Skeeter may push too hard and get hurt again). So the three of us head out; after about .5 mi Labrats says "go ahead Ill catch up" not sure what happened, we will see her later on down the road.
Waited for skeeter at Half finish. Skeeter wanted to try run a little neg split
so plan was 9:45 pace.
Not really any time to talk before race we chat the first few miles... then
realize probbaly not a good idea to chat too much. Pace going well and we
have a water break
Trying to pace around 10:00 to get skeeter home strong. The 9:45 and
negative split strategy seems a bit aggressive and this point so try to slowly
back things down to a comfortable zone.
Labrat meets back withus at about mi 4.5 of second lap after cutting through
and walking back to us. Some where between mile 5 and 6 she dissapears
again .. she is an elusive little runner
Skeeter looks good hanging nice and steady. Plan was to stop at mile 6 (19 of Full) but feeling good so tell skeeter I will hang until mile 20 then cut through to backside of
course betwen mile 24 - 25 to finish with her. At mile 6 its like 1/4 from start/finish so
spectators migrate over and only real portion of course with fan support for about
1/3 mile.
We catch up with a Marathon Maniac (not sure if an RAer, but we talk about some
races and Toledo, etc. so if you read hopefully you remmeber us)
Despite slowing our pace to a managable finish pace Skeeter is passing a realative
good amount of runners and looking nice and steady.
We make it to Mile 20 and I am starting to get tired. Strying not to push to hard but
we are counting down the miles. Say goodbye to sKeeter ... 10k to go.
Looking back I should have stuck with Skeeter, but i was getting tired and was
not 100% sure I had 6.2 miles in me and nothing worse then your pacer slowing y
ou down. I thought catching her for the last mile would be better for both of us.
After I get lost in the woods on cut through path, I finally find the backside of course
and come out at mile 25. start to walk up the course and cheer on runners as they
pass.
at first this is really fun, as first time I really had opportunity to observe the end of a
marathon (when you are running you just see your own misery). By time I find the
course its like 3:50ish so the first runners are probably near 4:00 finish and almost
no one looks good (does anyone look good at mile 25??)
MTA -- Should clarify not fun seeing runners suffer. But I really got opportunity to see what the marathon is really about. These runners were all facing and succeeding at their different personal battles regardless of what the clock said. I hope my few words of encouragement per runner help.
Erie is a good race but fan support in clustered in the start/finish area and looks like
runners can use a little encouragement. Proceeded to throw out every runner cliche
as runners passed by.
Walk up to mile marker 24 and that was one long mile walking after about .5 miles
lost in the woods. Take off shoe to adjust sock and think about waiting here, but then
decide to continue up course. My legs/feet are actually getting soarer walking then
they were when we were running. As I continue on now I am getting close to three
miles from the finish ... Can I actually even run that far now?
Start to get close to mile 23 and now a little worried about Skeeter. Start to do the old
"if train A is approaching train B algerbra in my head"...did I miss her? No here she
comes. I feel like grabbing her and giving her a hug as did not want to walk another
step but instead just a "Thank god Kid ... I was getting worried". Skeeter looked like
one would usually look at mile 23 and said "Sorry I had to walk a bit" ... told her "Thats OK
were running now"
So we start back to the finish together.
Mile 25 Skeeter is tired (heck anyone that tells you there not is nutz at mile 25); Try to
get her to focus on steady movement /pace to get home without worrying about the clock.
We catch back up with Labrat somehwere with .5 - .75 miles to go. Having sister with us
helps. Last mile is right along the lake and a pretty decent wind kicks up (Was calm all day and now
you are going to smack Skeeter with a 10MPH wind last mile ...great, have Skeeter
tuck in behind me and Labrat blocks the other side. Not sure how much we helped but
sometimes just thinking someone is helping .. is help enough. Then right when blocking
wind here is the picture guy...so wait until we are just there move to the right to let him snap Skeeters pic ...
get the pics and then back into blocking mode.
With about 1/2 mi to go Skeeter is about done and so need to get a little more motivation, so a
little more Drill Sergant and less cheerleader at this point. "We are finishing strong Marine" ... "2 more
laps around the track left". Skeeter lets out a Charlie Brown "Uhhggg" but keeps on trucking
like a trooper. Did not tell her we were now back below 10:00 pace ... Better to get it over as
fast as possible when you have the adrenalin.
She is right on my tail and keep looking back to make sure I am not going to fast but she is
hanging real tight.
Now we are humming back at 9:45 pace and there is no stopping with the finish line in site
The crowd is cheering and with a 100 yds to go give Skeeter one last "Bring it home Marine" and Labrat and I peel off to not disrupt the finish.
End of the day with warmup, half, running 9.5 combined miles second loop plus walking 2+ miles backup course guess should have just run the Full.
Skeeter ...Thanks for letting run with you. it was the best part of what was a disappointing race Also no damn well I would not have run 23 miles on my own yesterday!
Trust me seeing most the runners from the 4:00 - 4:30 range you ended that race as good and/or better than anyone!
Labrat ... great getting to run with you and good job on the Half.
Race Photos Added:
Ok starting slow with Buckeye Finish ... I was wrong clock was 1:46:45 and offical results came in at 1:46:36 which I qustion as too low as pretty sure was not 9 seconds off gun... But will take It! Maybe they had clock/gun synch issues.
Also must note I look much Skinnier by Myself when not standing next to two 5 ft 1ish 115ish runners
(Captions to help SRL):
The Three Amigos ...This was right when stopped blocking the wind to get the pic ... Heck Skeeter looks fresher than me. Labrat was actually taking easy even lugging a backpack with her!
In contrast this is skeeter smiling at mile 13(left) ... man that 13 miles makes a difference in your outlook mile 26 (right).
Just for you Trent --- Labrat decides to take time out of Half for this Photo Shoot for Runners Mag!
OK Labrat actually decides to give up covermodel gig and rejoin race @ mile 13
Labrat Finshing Strong
Now the Star of the Show .... Skeeter crossing the finish fresh enough to throw some gang symbols .. Heck I guess we Should hav pushed Harder!
"It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard... is what makes it Great!
Champions are made when no one is watching
hey - it was really fun meeting you and running with you (for the tiny bit that I got to run with you haha)
great report!
2012= under-goaled
That is a quite a report (as usual). You must carry a dictaphone or something.
1:46 and change: nice work, buddy.
"If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus
Crap ... coulda had an RA trifecta. Oh well, woulda been a long drive after my hometown half on Sat. Another race, I suppose.
Nice to see all had fun.
DWARP Marathon Madness Mob
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It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.
hahaha - wow those are some funny pics. Buckeye - the look on your face as you are crossing the finish line is priceless