Notes
501 at 1/2 way (1:28:56)
450 OA (1:30:39 second half)
I believe this was my 25th or 26th road marathon. I honestly thought I was done with PRs in the spring of 2020. Sarah and I had been 5k training and nothing was working. I had weak/sore hip flexors and hamstrings that were significantly slowing me down. At that time I had already been battling the problems for more than a year. It took work to solve it. I implemented significant stretching routines, strength training, rolling, and electrotherapy. This summer things finally stated to click.
I ran a half PR going into this race, in tough weather, without taper. The weather here was perfect. It forced my decision to take a shot at sub 3 hours. I knew I was fit. Knowing that though, and knowing that this might be my last shot at sub 3 evidently created stress. I think that Friday night my body went into fight or flight. I was up hourly peeing.
I loaded electrolytes before the race Saturday morning. I carried 6 Hammer Endurolytes during the race, along with 11 Hammer gels, and the gel I took in the start coral. The race started. I felt great for the first 7-8 miles taking gel every 2.5 to 3 miles. At mile 9 I noticed my first calf cramp. I quickly took two electrolyte caps which seemed to help a bit. I came through 1/2 at about 1:29, which was obviously hot, but I was still 30 seconds behind the sub 3 pace group. It was just after the 1/2 that the cramps seemed to worsen. I took two more electrolytes hoping they would get me through 20 before I took my last 2. It didn't work as well as I hoped. At 18-19 my calves were cramping so badly that it often almost stopped me. I took the last two electrolytes around 18.5 miles.
I drank as much as I could at each aid station. I still have no idea how this happened. Not one minute went by the second half of the race without me becoming convinced I was going to cramp up and DNF. By 16 I was also taking a gel every two miles. I again noted how much better pace felt within just a few minutes of taking gel. I did the math often, especially after 20 miles. Thankfully the math came out correctly...
My last marathon PR was in October of 2018. Going into that race I did not think I was fit for a PR. I went there completely worry free assuming I had no shot to run well. I had no prerace or race day hydration issues. I need to work on not only conditioning my body, but also conditioning my brain before these events. This wasn't the first time I've gone into a race dehydrated from pissing the previous night away. Oddly enough it sometimes also happens mid week with no stress to prompt it. There's still a few more pieces to the puzzle to get into place.
I'm not done racing road marathons. With that said, this was big. If I never PR again at least I'll have this, a sub 3 marathon. I'd also dare bet that no one, and I mean no one, has ever put in the amount of work I have to reach this goal. I'm proud of that. I'm also proud of my lovely wife, who seemed fresh waiting for me in the finish shoot having just coasted to 2:55. That can't be something that happens often, a husband/wife team that both execute sub 3 on the same day in the same race. Life is good.
Onto Umstead...