Notes
Grandma's Marathon 2017.
Five years after my debut, I went back to the place where I ran my first marathon. I was feeling pretty good going into today knowing that I was shooting for a 2:50. Training had been going well and I went through an illness and a few injuries but I felt I was ready.
I started off feeling pretty good and although I was shooting for about 6:30, the downhills on the first part of the course had me a little faster. I didn't push it and I ran really relaxed. I was thinking early that this could be my day and my legs felt fresh. Miles 9, 11 and 13 had a lot of uphill and I was ok with those being a little slower as I had some time in the bank on some downhill earlier. I ran through the half on pace (right around 1:25) but I started to feel worse. The humidity was 85% at the start but I was initially ok with that as it was cloudy and it was supposed to stay cloudy throughout the race. However, things got ugly early as the sun came out after mile 5 and wouldn't go away. The X-factor of today's race was going to have a role. By the half, it was starting to take it's toll on me although I wasn't ready to give up yet.
Mile 14 was where I had my first set back. My right hamstring, the same one that felt a little tight since Brian Kraft, cramped up really bad and I had to stop and stretch. I took a few seconds and started going again but it did it again on mile 15 and 16. The third one was really bad and I never regained my stride after that. My pace slowed and I did not feel that I had any power again. I kept trying to push it but the heat was really getting to me. After mile 17 or 18, I was just pushing to finish and to beat my course PR. It was crazy how my right leg felt so bad and my left leg felt so good.
The heat was really taking its toll on me and although I stopped at every single water stop for multiple drinks and went through every sprinkler I could, it was hard with the heat and humidity. I took a chance at running Grandma's and the weather didn't work out for me. Oh well. There is nothing that I can do about it. I gave it my all and it wasn't my day. I feel that if I had run the half prior to the heat, I would have run that sub 1:21 and I would have PR'd. I feel I am in great shape right now and I can bounce back from this. I am in good shape right now and I just need my legs to come around and I'll get back at it.
I did beat my 2012 time by 24 seconds so that was a slight win.