Notes
Started like any other race. I was taking it real easy, at least it felt that way, but still hit those first two miles in 6:15. After that I ran into DJ who I met at Manch Invite a little while ago and he was also going for his BQ. So we ran together for basically the rest of the marathon. Settled into a 6:20 to 6:30 pace, figured it felt super easy and might as well get a lot in the bank right now. A few more miles in this guy Alex from Greater Lowell caught up with us and joined our group, then soon after this guy Ben from the Chinese Runner's Association or something like that. We stayed together and kept clicking off those 6:20-6:30 miles. We were intermittently talkative and all of us felt really comfortable. At least until about 15 miles.
Entering the second loop (a little before the half), decided to try slowing down a bit. Ben and Alex got a little faster and DJ and I let them run their race. We were both running this for the first time and just wanted our BQs. Tried to go 6:30 or slower for this second loop, that was the thought anyways. A little fast at first but slowed up a little bit on the long straight. At 17 DJ needed to stop in order to get his gu out. I told him I'd keep running close to 6:50 pace after he stopped. He never caught back up but I saw him after finishing and he didn't break 3 but still got his BQ in 3:02. So after 17 I was all alone.
Crossing the bridge I still felt alright, but those easy 6:20s were long gone. It was now comfortably hard to do ~6:40 pace, as in I felt like I could comfortably hold that pace the rest of the race, and it'd be kinda tough, but I'd be fine. That's how I felt until 20.
After 20 this race got so much harder. 6:40s were no longer easy, and I was now working harder to hit 7 minute pace. It felt pretty bad, but also consistent and sustainable. I figured, all I have to do is hold this 7 minute pace for the rest of this thing and I got it. I just kept grinding like that until after I hit 23. From 23 to 26.2 was far and away the hardest racing I have ever done in my life. And it was all between 7:30 and 9 minute pace.
At that point running at any pace felt absolutely brutal. I knew I was so close and that's what kept me going. Just had to get to that next mile. And each mile was slower and slower. It felt almost as if I was going to pass out, like that's the sort of tired and pain I was experiencing. That last mile it was just, I need to keep running, I need to keep running. That's all I was doing really, making sure I was still moving fast enough for my body to be in running state and not walking or stopped. It felt like it took forever to reach that bridge to the finish. Once I crossed it I knew I only had about a quarter mile to go. 2, maybe 3 minutes of racing left. Oh and forgot to mention earlier, at 23 I looked at my watch and knew I only needed I think 8:30 or 9 min pace average to make it under 3:00:00, and I was still running about 7s then. Right before crossing this bridge to the finish, about 0.5 or 0.6 out, I didn't know if I was gonna make that.
So finally crossed the bridge, only a couple turns left and I was there! I was able to muster up something, I don't know if you can call going from 9 minute pace to 8 minute pace a kick, but that's more or less what I did. I just gave it my everything for that last stretch, wringing out the last bits of "running" I had left in my body to cross that finish line. And I just barely made it. Rounding the corner for the finish, about 50 meters to go, my calf had been getting tight, and then it got really tight, and that last stretch to the finish I run-limped through. I could barely put weight on the leg but I was like, "fuck you calf I'm finishing this race" and got through the finish.
Slowing down to a walk after the finish I could barely make forward progress. I was helped by one of the volunteers and after sitting down on a bench and getting back up I could barely support myself. I walked about 6 inches a stride to the Pelham tent where I saw Brandon. Got some food and water and chilled for a while. I realized I was pretty lightheaded, and my parents just showed up so they helped me to the medical tent and I got a nice seat in the shade and a lot of gatorade. Some gatorade-water mix, a lot of food, and a good amount of time later I was finally feeling somewhat normal again. Well my calf was still destroyed and I could barely walk but I could at least walk on my own.
Some hindsight: I severely underestimated this race. I thought 60-70 mpw and light workouts, some racing, etc. would be fine and dandy for marathon prep. It wasn't. That style of training is a joke for this race. I really needed some long long long runs and some quality long tempos and fartleks to feel at least a little more comfortable for this race. I cannot believe how awful those last 6 miles felt.
TL;DR: Fuck the marathon. Never wanna do one again. Except I got my BQ so I kinda have to. Dammit.