Yet another Marine Marathon Race Report, really long :) (Read 639 times)

Man what a great day to run a marathon! I woke up at 5:00 to take my dog for a walk and get the coffee brewing. As I walked Chip, ate a banana and sipped my coffee I gazed at the starts and noticed that neither knee was bothering me today. Suzanne and I made our way to the Metro and then to the Finish line area to meet with our running club the Reston Runners, and hopefully Dave and Kimmie from RunningAhead.com. Temps were around 53F and not even a slight breeze. I found Dave but no sign of Kimmie. Dave and I were planning on running at least the first few miles together but had a pact that we would run our own race, no hard feelings either way. This worked out quite well at the B&A trail Marathon and Half Marathon earlier in the year. At around 7:30 we made our last port-o-potty calls and made our way to the start. I said goodbye to Suzanne as she made her way over to the 10K start. We planned on seeing each other at the Lincoln Memorial which was about the 15.5 mile point. Dave and I lined up pretty close to the start line, surprisingly close as a matter of fact. The temp was up about a degree to 44F and before I knew it we were off and running. I had two goals for this race, first to race this a bit smarter than in the past and second to go under 3:40 (PR) and get as close to 3:30 (my BQ time) as possible. We clicked off mile one at an 8:31 m/mi pace AVG HR-147 Max =160). Pretty much where I want to be. Mile two begins a long climb and we clocked an 8:24 HR 146/154 much better. Still climbing up and then beginning the descent back down at mile three we clocked a 7:51 with HRs at 145/154 and I feel like I’m in the zone. But the coffee is starting to catch up to me and I start to make plans on where to pull over. I was hoping to make it to the wooded area in Georgetown. Mile 4 brings us to the ramp up to the Key Bridge and I shed my long sleeve shirt here but keep my gloves. The fog over the river is a surreal sight pace 8:00 (perfect) HR 140/155 (again right on the money). As we cross over the Key Bridge and into Georgetown I discuss with Dave my plan to make a quick stop in the woods, that I would pick up the pace a bit and then hopefully meet up with him in the next mile or so. He agrees and mile 5 is and 8:02 pace with HR at 150/158, a bit high. I pull over at 5.1 miles and am glad I did, but it took a good amount of time almost a full minute, dang! I’m hoping to make this up in this mile but mile 6 is at 8:39, HR numbers are fine at 146/152, I passed ChrisD from my running club. At mile 7 we make a u-turn and begin our last real climb of the race, I manage a 8:22 pace but with the climb my HR is a bit high again at 151/157, still not too bad about half way through this mile I passed Dave, I wouldn’t have known he was there if he didn’t say something, I was really focusing on getting into a rhythm and I began to entertain thought s of a possible BQ, silly, silly fool! Mile 8 I make up a bit of time, pace 7:53 HR 150/156, not too bad, I also passed Mayor Fenty here. Miles 9 and 10 are both at about 7:48 with HR numbers at 150/152, in my head I begin a mantra of BQ, BQ, BQ (man when will I learn?). We are now passed the Kennedy Center and at mile 11my pace is still at 7:53, HR numbers are 153/154 and although I’m feeling really good, I begin to think that maybe I should back it off a bit. I’m looking forward to getting Haines Point over with and seeing Suzanne at the Lincoln Memorial though and decide that I’m just going to go for this and let it play out. I don’t think I’m going to bonk as my nutrition strategy seems to be dialed in for a change and I just want to run this the hardest I can. So mile 12 is at 7:56 m/mi pace with HR numbers at 152/153 and fool that I am I think I can maintain this. Mile 13 on Haines Point is pretty uneventful I get to the Clif Shot food stop and grab a Strawberry shot as it has 35 mg of caffeine and I think I can use it. I do notice that I’m needing to find another wooded spot though, dang, this will cost a bit of time again, pace: 8:04 m/mi, HR 151/152. These numbers are what I want to be doing at this point in the race, keep the HR at 150 and the pace close to 8:00 so I’m pretty happy. I find a place to pull over and keep this stop to around 30 second and as we come up from the point I hit mile 14 at 8:29 m/mi HR 152/154 and I’m pretty happy. I’m also getting excited to see Suzanne soon, so mile 15 is at 7:51 with HR at 157/160 so the pace is a bit quick and the HR number are high, but I’m going to go for it as long as I can. The crowds near the monuments are totally awesome, running through here makes you feel like a rock stat! I decide to move over the left-hand side of the course as I think Suzanne will be over on that side as it is the easiest access for her to be on the right would mean that she had to cross over the course. Unfortunately I don’t see her, and figure that it was just too hard for her to get here after her race. Late I found out that she was on the right hand side and did see me, she was shouting my name and running but couldn’t catch me and with the crowd noise, I couldn’t hear her. Mile 16 is 7:57 pace with HR numbers, again at 157/161. I realize that this is going to hurt later as I wasn’t supposed to go over 155 until mil 21! I push on make the decision to back off the pace and try to get my HR down. Mile 17 I manage a 8:11 and the HR begins to drop back to 155/157. I decide to ease off the pace again and mile 18 is at 8:30 HR 155/157. We cruise around the front of the Capitol Building and Dave catches me, he is looking great, but says he is red-lining his HR. I tell him that I hope he can continue like that and he says, something like, “hey I’ve been here before” referring to the Army 10 mile we ran a couple of weeks ago where he PR’d. Seeing Dave motivates me a bit and I pick up the pace for mile 19 to 8:18 with HRs still at 155/157. Coming back down the mall, I start to struggle a bit but I know I’m coming up to the Sports Bean stop and I’m looking forward to some Cherry Sports Beans, as they have a bit of caffeine! Unfortunately they don’t have that flavor and I fumble a bit trying to get a pack or two. I don’t even open them up as none of the flavors I got have caffeine, so mile is a bit slow at 8:56 and the HR numbers are still at 155/157, I begin to think maybe the HR function is stuck and now I’m at the dreaded bridge! The bridge wasn’t too bad this year, the winds were not strong and it wasn’t hot. Last year this is where the 3:40 pace group caught me but this year there is no sign of them and I’m too scared to look back as I can just feel them getting closer. I’m no longer think “BQ” but now I still trying to stay positive and am now chanting PR, PR, PR. I hit mile 21 at 8:35 HR 157/159. I’m now at the point in the race where I don’t care about PR, but I think I stopped caring about it a couple of miles ago. Mile 22 is a slow 8:45, HR 158/162 as I really start to feel the effects of the early fast pace. We make the turn into Crystal City and we have a bit of a head wind, which will be nice after we turn around and get the tail wind. I’m looking for Dave in the runners coming in the opposite direction but I miss seeing him. Mile 23 is a slow 8:43, HR 159/164 as I really start to feel the effects of the early fast pace. As we make the run and get a tail wind, Mayor Fenty cruses by me, dang! This does motivate me a bit as I try to keep him in my sights so mile 24 is 8:19 and my HR is now 163/164. I do think that this is good as if my HR were not coming up that is the sign of a sure bonk and a couple of very painful miles as I would have to death march it in, but that is not going to happen to me today! Coming out of Crystal city I hit a water stop and walk the entire way as I wanted to get a least three cups of drink, one Poweraide and two waters. This also lets me get my HR back down a bit, mile 25 is the slowest at 9:11, HR 158/165. It is time for the final push, I know there is no BQ and I can see the PR starting to get out of reach as well. But the finish line is getting closer and I can start to hear the crowds so this motivates me and my pace picks up to 8:59, HR is climbing to an average of 161 and a max of 167. Here is where the 3:40 pace group finally catches me. I do feel a bit proud that this is the latest they caught me but I know there will be no PR today. It is now time to dig real deep and see what I have left though. No whining here, just focusing and trying to get this one over with We pass the mile 26 sign and the crowds are really motivating, I’m giving it all I have and while I’m passing a few people I can tell my pace is not increasing. I hit the final hill and my legs are a bit rubbery. I’m thinking I might not get across the line and almost panic but I refuse to walk and hit the hill as hard as I can. I do make it up the hill and see Suzanne on my left. All I feel is pain as I grimace and run as hard as I can to the finish. Man the finish here as never hurt this much before! My HR maxed at 173. I finished in 3:41:08, 22 seconds slower than my PR My placing was overall: 1,966/18,273; men: 1,639/11,126; AG( M45-49) 179/1356. So even though it wasn't a BQ or even a PR, I ran this race as hard as I could and left it all out on the course and am happy with the result.

great finish Kev! you should be proud of that race but especially digging deep at the end. good on ya!

nice Kevin! I have to try training with heart rate monitor. I love the feedback it seems to give you. Excellent report and I'm so glad you had a good race.

WOOHOO! Great report. I really want to do this race some day. I've had some enjoyable runs around the monuments before but never in a race.

So does Mayor Fenty run with any distinguishing clothing? Or do you just have to recognize him?

Seems to prevent the time-draining visits to the bushes -- but a minute-long pee? That's gotta be a PR right there.

I was thinking the same thing, the Austin Powers reanimation scene came to mind.

I was thinking the same thing, the Austin Powers reanimation scene came to mind.

LOL! Seriously I kept seeing my PR, literally drain away

Kevin - Great race to you. You did an awesome job with not much recovery since your Ironman. Major Kutos to you.

Happy Running,
Troy
"Start with your Head, Finish with your Heart!"