Notes
It was my first marathon. I had a very good training cycle, and felt good and well prepared. I was concerned about the weather, because my only training run that I bailed on in the cycle was a 60 degree day. Nashville was 65 degrees at 6:00 an hour before the start. it would rise to 79 by the time I finished; high 80's for some of the later arrivals.
I'll sprinkle in racing and personal commentary. I woke up at about 4:30 and made oatmeal in the room. I also discarded the night befores food I knew it would be warm and sunny today, so I lubed the strategic areas (between the legs and feet), put band-aids on top side, put chap stick on and put suntan lotion on. I also bought a bandana the day before, because I wanted to keep the direct sun off my bald head. The start was two miles away and the finish was .75 miles away. The day before a number of people mentioned that the shuttle system from the finish to the start was never smooth and that many people arrived after the start. I didn't want this extra worry, so I decided to walk to the start. It was still dark and for much of the walk I followed the start in reverse. I had half a bottle of Gatorade and set out on the walk. It was calm, until a half mile in I thought I forgot my sunglasses. Turns out I was smart enough to put them on my head as it was still dark, oops.
When I arrived at the start village, the porta potties were empty so I felt it would be a good idea to check the bladder. I forced out a tad, but not much. I then searched out the bag check. Once I had done that, I moved towards my start corral. It was 1:15 before the start so I sat and stretched a bit. I then jogged a 1/2 mile super slow just to remind my legs that they had a purpose today. At 1:00 pre-race they called folks to their corrals. When I first got there, I sat as I didn't think standing for an hour did any good, but by 30 minutes out the corral was too crowded to sit anymore. In hind sight I'd have remained sitting outside the corral and just enter at the last minute. First lesson learned. There might be a lesson that the 1/2 mile jog was not needed, but I don't think that hurt me.
The start was amazing, 35,000 announced (some reports say only 31K) starters and because I started in the second corral I could see almost the entire length of runners and it was amazing to look back 4-6 blocks and still see the street Packed with runners. As the start approached a number of people snuck up through the corrals which I assume is normal. The Elites and first corral went off, then our group meandered to the start. Then the horn sounded for our corral. The start is about 1/2 mile uphill but very gradual. Imagine my surprise that before I topped that hill at the half mile and was passing walkers. I know little about racing, but I fell that is terrible etiquette and very disrespectful to the other runners. At about mile one we bottom a hill and make the first turn to the right. the crowd has already thinned such that we were only about three abreast in the corners so it was a very pleasant start compared to some of the stories I hear. My first 5K was 20:52 which was 6:42 pace. In retrospect too fast. It turns out I was still a rookie marathoner, but I did not know that yet.
The next 8 miles or so are hilly. Nothing to pointy, but at no time flat. I liked this part. It mostly residential and the crowd support was awesome. What I did not realize at this point was that being residential, it was shaded by trees. I was trying for my A. goal which was to flirt with 3:00 hours. It was aggressive, but a great stretch goal. As I was running these little hills in the shaded residential area, I was feeling great, by breath was super shallow had yet to take a reset deep breath. 10K was 41:54 for a second 5K of 21:02. Hey, that's like an even split and the 10 seconds was probably just the race start adrenaline. I'm running a brilliant race, right? So I felt I was running within myself. I would look at my watch on occasion and see 6:30s. I knew this was fast, but it really did feel so easy. I was steadily passing 1st corral folk and they had a two minute head start. (next lesson learned, but not at this point, TOO FAST IDIOT!!!) At 10K I took the first shot block and then again every 3 miles through 12.
I had taken cytomax at every even mile and half the waters which were on the odd miles. I knew it would be hot so I tried to stay hydrated. I did drink better than I had the month before, but I still think I might have been drinking too little, even though it was frequent. The glasses are typically half full and there is some spillage, so there's a possibility that I was not taking in enough. That said, I had the ever so slight urge to pee the whole race so I feel there was liquid in the system.
Funniest sign I recall: "Worst parade ever!" <-- I imagine this is typical but it made me giggle.
One thing I had not realized was the people I was running with and passing were only running the half and at about 10 miles I felt that everyone was picking it up and it didn't click yet. Once it did, within a half mile, for the first time I forcibly slowed, because these folks were getting ready to kick. Also of note is that I still have felt like this was such an easy race and I felt strong and confident. Somewhere between 10 and 12 miles we came out of the shade and the temps were rising, f-a-s-t. I didn't really notice this at the time. By 11.5 the half folk split away for their finish. At this point I looked up and the next runner was now like a block away. This race really thins out. 4087 marathon finishers out of 35,000 total starts. At this point my mind was really having bad thoughts, Wow how nice the halfies are almost done. Ack! you have to run alone now, Hey isn't it getting hot? Wow that seems like a long hill. Ok so I pass the half at 1:30. I felt awesome about that but my mind and legs don't seem to be on my team at this point. I was starting to get soreness, not injury just fatigue and my mind was still having bad thoughts. I felt I should slow to 7:15s, but over compensated and when to 7:30s. Now I am panicking because I didn't realize I had slowed that much and even slowing that much why wasn't this pace feeling easy. What is wrong with me, I run this fast easily on training runs. Well 14 and 16 are the last two hills that show on the elevation map so I figure, just get your @ss over these then you get some breathing room with some flatter stuff for 8 miles. At 17 miles you pass the finish line, something in my head did not like running past this, my head was winning the war and doing all it could to remind me how impossible the task ahead was. I was slowing and couldn't really figure out why. Looking back 30 hours later I think it was the speed at the start, the heat and a weak mind, but didn't really put all that together. About this time I was negotiating and had move to the B goal a 3:10, that might threaten for an age group award, I can be happy with that for a first marathon, right? And besides that's BQ + 10. Easy peasy, let's just coast through the next 8. Well now that the head had settled on the new goal I was very surprised to find myself walking. Hey, legs, I didn't order this, what the Jehu are you doing? Spoiler alert, I am about to fall off the cliff. When I did walk it was hard to believe how quickly my legs felt really bad, I felt the only way to cure this was to run so I did some trot and tried to get a rhythm going again. It seemed like I might be ok, at 19 miles I found a banana, and ate it, it tasted awesome. I also took the first gel I had. I was really struggling and not willing to suffer. My legs were sore and heavy, but I wasn't hurt, why couldn't I keep them moving. mile 19 had more walking, and this walking kept making my decision to walk later easy. As I passed 20, I was seeing my BQ goal falling away as well, Hey, this is doable, let's get a rhythm going, woohoo we're running again, and a half mile later we're walking. At 21 miles, I am thinking 5 miles is easy, now come one you can run 5 right? And then it hit me, I am two minutes off the clock time, because the clock is showing elite times. Hmm, 5 miles and I'm at 2:40, all I need is 8 minute miles to BQ. Yes, we're gonna make it, I start running and find myself at 7:07 pace fairly quickly and it's not feeling terrible, yet. This time I ran almost a mile. But again I just kept cracking and walking seemed ok ;( I was now resolved to settle for the final goal, FINISH!!! Over the last 4 miles I met some great people and they encouraged me and got me running again, and then there were times I would leave those people behind as I was picking up pace. Only to give back the position when I stopped again. I still feel that once I stopped to walk the first time, I opened the door to keep doing it. Hopefully the next time I get this feeling I can move to the shuffle and NOT walk. I struggled up through about mile 25 walk/run/walk/run. At that point I recognized the landmarks and knew the finish was near, I meandered up the last little hill and ten it was downhill to the turn that the stadium is on and I also recalled that stretch was mostly downhill, I started building a head of steam, and was feeling ok, my stride was lengthening and I felt ok, I was a little worried because the stretch bottoms out under an overpass before tilting up to the last turn and I just didn't want to crack on another hill. This time I beat my mind and made it up the hill, and was passing people, It was a hollow victory and I meant no disrespect, I just was building momentum and felt I had to go with it. I then rounded the last turn and there it was "FINISH MARATHON" only 100yds ahead. I finished and some nice fellow gave me a medal and said congratulations. I had some initial thoughts that this day was a total FAIL, but by the time I got through the first segment of the finish chute I realized I finished a marathon, not many people do that. I had just covered more ground at one time than I ever had before. As much as I felt 3:30 was not the desired goal, how many people can even do that. I think we get jaded with our running relationships, because in those small worlds a marathon is common, not easy but common. If you were to look at the population in general it's rare. It's really starting to settle in that I accomplished something. 7 months ago I chose to get off my couch and run, yesterday I ran 26.2 (26.5 in reality) miles. I received a medal and realized that I earned every bit of it.
I will run again and I will BQ, and I will break 3:00 it just turns out, that's not what I did on my first try.