Alyson and I left for Hartford around noon on Friday afternoon. It was a perfect fall day so it was a really nice ride. Once we got there and checked into the hotel, we were off to the expo. I always like going to the expos..I like checking out all the running stuff. We even got roped into trying those titanium bracelets. I didn't buy one, but I have to say there might be something to it! (I hope you know what I'm talking about..they're in all the running stores now).
We also picked up some pace bands. We took 5:00, 5:15 and 5:30. 5:30 was really what we were trained for, but I think we could've done 5:15. 5:00 would've really been next to impossible, let's be honest. The marathon website posted bios of all the pace leaders so we were able to find out that the 5:30 guy was doing the Galloway method. He was doing an 8 minute run, 1 minute walk. We had trained the whole time running 4, walking 1. I didn't know if we should try something new the day of the race, but it was good to know there was someone doing Galloway.
We went out for dinner to a great restaurant in Hartford called First and Last. It's an italian place and it was delicious. After that, we went back to the hotel to contemplate all the minute details about the next day...should we bring our usual pb & j sandwiches for the race..problem was we had no place to put them. We have spi-belts, but the sandwiches would get pretty smashed in there. We were obsessed about every little thing from which socks to wear (old or new) to our handheld water bottles (to bring them or not to bring them). Plus, the whole night I was fighting a headache...I even took some of my prescription migraine medicine because I feared that was the direction I was heading.
We went to bed pretty early, but neither of us really slept well. When I woke up, I realized my headache was still lingering. I thought about taking another pill, but usually it makes me feel pretty tired so I decided not to take it..that was a bad move because the headache stayed with me for the rest of the day. By the time we got to the starting line, it was very sunny..not good for a headache. I would've given anything for a pair of sunglasses!
We were looking around at the crowd and we happened to see the pace groups forming..we looked over and there was our 5:30 guy. Around him were his groupies, his followers for the next 5 1/2 hours. Every single one of them was wearing a brace or bandage of some sort. They were the walking wounded. They were old, young, big, small..we dubbed them the Island of the Misfit Toys.
I'm not making fun of them because we were in that group, too! We didn't really want to officially join the group because we weren't sure how the 8/2 thing was going to work since we had not trained that way. We decided we would at least keep them in our sights and whatever happens we would not let them get ahead of us. That was our strategy.
We listened (eavesdropped really) as the pace leader described his plan for the race. He said he runs 8 minutes, walks 2. He also walks up all hills and at all water stations. He said he does that up until 20 miles. He then said, "after 20 miles your body says, what the f is this." (only he didn't say "f", he said the actual word.) For some reason, we both thought that was extremely funny...and true!
So, what did we do? The gun went off and we did what all the books tell you not to do..we tried something new. We started out doing the 8 & 2 which we had never done before. It seemed to be okay though. I was wearing the 5:15 pace band and Alyson wore the 5:30 band. The first couple of miles flew by and we were both pretty happy. I knew we were going too fast though and I had a feeling it was not going to last, but I figured we'd take advantage of it for as long as we could. I think we stayed on the 5:15 pace for at least the first 8-9 miles even with a few potty breaks. My headache continued to nag at me which kept the conversation to a minimum at least on my end. As the miles ticked by, it continued to get sunnier and hotter. I was trying not to think about my headache, but it was getting hard not to.
I also kept thinking of the dead silence between us..which is pretty unusual. I just couldn't muster up anything to say at all. My headache was not only stopping me from talking, but stopping me from thinking. Even the crowd was quiet. We ran threw this one section and there were some spectators and not one of them made a peep. Not even one clap. I think I even said out loud, "wow, dead silence" which made them laugh and cheer a little bit.
Once we hit 10 miles were on an out and back stretch of the course. It was around here we saw the front runners starting to go by us. This lasted for the next 7 miles! We did not like that AT ALL. It really did something to your head to be going by people for that long. The turnaround point wasn't until mile 17. It was a horrible stretch. Also, the road was a weird kind of pavement. It wasn't normal asphalt. It was kind of a combination of crushed stone and asphalt. It didn't feel good to run on and the bottom of my left foot was starting to hurt.
Alyson had a few of her own issues although neither of us were really sharing what issues we had because it just seemed to make things worse once you actually said it. Things started to break down a little at mile 18. At some point we had stopped with the 8/2 and switched back to our usual 4/1. At mile 18, Alyson said she wasn't sure if she could keep up with the 4/1 so asked her if she thought she could make it to 2o miles. She said yes so I said let's just get there and then we'll reevaluate.
At 20, we tried all different things. Eventually we dropped all the ratios and did a good amount of walking and then I'd try to get her to run just to the next telephone pole. At mile 22, she said she was going to walk the rest of the way. She wanted me to go ahead, but I really did not want to leave her. We trained for this marathon together and I wanted us to finish it together. I should mention that the 5:30 pace group was STILL behind us..so at least that was encouraging. Finally, she convinced me that I should just let her walk to the end and so I started to run. I didn't plan on running very far ahead of her, but by then my foot was really hurting and it seemed to feel better running than it did walking.
Once we split up, I just wanted to get it overwith. I had 4 miles left to go and when I was running, I didn't really feel that bad. It was when I was walking that I hurt. So, I just tried to keep running. I ran most of the last 4 miles. I walked a couple of times, but not too much. I think every person that I came up behind was walking those last few miles. All of them. Which made me feel even better that I was actually the one running. It was like no man's land though. It was weird seeing all of those people walking. It was like a bunch of zombies going to the store single file.
Eventually, I was in the homestretch and what was nice about the finish is there was not another person in the shoot. I had it all to myself. I heard them not only announce my name, but they commented about how I knew all my hard work had just paid off..it was cool. You can watch the finish online if you want. I'm #1725. So my chiptime ended up being 5:25. I finished and that was my goal so I was happy.
My brother came right over (he had run the half - he's doing the NYC marathon in a few weeks) and after congratulating me, asked what happened to Alyson. I said, "Oh she's gonna be awhile..she started walking at mile 22). It was only another few minutes later that we heard them announce her name! I couldn't believe my ears.
It turns out, just after we split up, the 5:30 pace group came along and she hooked up with them. They were down to only 2 people, plus her and the pace leader. They talked her through those last few miles and got her to finish. I was thrilled for her.
My only regret is that we didn't get to finish the race together. After all that, all the training, we didn't get to finish the race together. There would not be any doing something goofy at the finish line when it was over, no pics of us finishing our first marathon together. Nothing.
But, as I said before, you just never know what's going to happen when you get out there. You can train and plan and hope and dream, but in the end it all comes down to how your body is going to respond on that given day. You just don't know.
I've thought about all this..probably a little too much. If I could do it over again, I would've taken the 2nd immitrex on the morning of the race. I also would've crammed a PBJ sandwich into my spibelt. I think if I didn't have the headache, I would've been talking more and I could've helped get her to the end of the race. I was so wrapped up inside my own head that I was really no good to her. That's what I would do differently.
But, now that it's over..what's next? I'm not depressed at all. I was kind of depressed after I ran my very first half marathon. I've only run once since the marathon and it was a really good run. It felt great. Part of me is glad this race is behind me because it was such a huge time committment..at least toward the end. Those 20 mile runs take a LONG time! For now, I want to enjoy some fall running. I'm going to do a 15K in a few weeks. I just want to enjoy my running for now. I do love distance running though. So much more than 5ks. Most people don't understand that. I don't even really understand it myself.
Do I want to run another marathon? Yes. I wasn't sure at first, but I do. I know I can improve my time. My goal would be to break 5 hours. I think it's possible. I'd probably try to stick with the Galloway method though to some degree. I really believe there's something to the walk/run thing.
Sorry this is so long, but there's a lot to relive..here we are with our medals and smiles:
1 comments:
Very good race report Cindy! Sounds like your friend benefitted from the 5:30 pace group.
So, when is your next marathon? :)
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