10/30/2005 [Marine Corps Marathon]

Workout: 26.2 miles at marathon pace. Ha?

Well, we knocked the bastard off!
- Sir Edmund Hillary, on being first to climb Mt. Everest in 1953

Finishing a marathon is hardly on par with being the first to climb the tallest mountain in the world, but in my own personal universe, this one ranked right up there. The quote was well-ingrained in my mind during the final miles since I’d recently viewed ESPN’s movie Four Minutes as part of my Marathon Week preparations.

Finally, on Sunday, October 30th, nearly five months of fundraising efforts and marathon training came down to the final few hours. As expected, I tossed and turned most of the night before, not so much out of nervousness or excitement but more because I was worried about over-sleeping my alarms. I went through my traditional race morning routine and got a ride in with Mike Coffee around 6:15am.

We parked near the Courthouse area in Arlington and walked down the hill to the marathon start at the Iwo Jima Memorial. It was shaping up to be a near-ideal day, weather-wise, with temperatures in the low 40s, and full sunlight indicating warmer temperatures were on the way. Mike and I did the usual hydrate/recycle several times, and hung out at the Charity Partners tent for a while. Both of us were more than anxious to get rolling, but we still had almost an hour until the start. After some group photos for the Big Brothers-Big Sisters RFK team, we got some inspirational words of wisdom and were dismissed for the next few hours.

THE STRATEGY
I’d done all the physical work, now it was just a matter of executing properly:

- Try to ignore the obvious adrenaline rush and not go too fast at the start
- Go easy on the up hills
- Gain some time when possible on the gentle down hills
- Drink at every stop, and minimize time wasted walking
- Take three gel packs at regular intervals
- Run like the wind

Sounds easy, huh? Since I had more than enough things to remember, I wrote down the critical elements on my forearms with a red Sharpie:
- Target splits (4-27:00, 8-54:00, half-1:28, 16-1:48, 20-2:15, 24-2:42)
- Gel packs at 7 miles, 14, and 21 (OK, I think I could have remembered that).

The bottom line was that I knew if I could reach 20 miles on target I had a good chance of finishing under three hours, and if I made the 24 mile target I had a very good chance.

THE START
The course this year had several changes from 2004, and even more since I last ran it in 2003. The starting line was still on Rt. 110, but about 1/4mi. south towards the Pentagon, and the race began heading in a northerly direction towards Rosslyn.

Knowing full well that my target of a sub-3:00 race could hinge on too much time lost in valuable minutes (aka, “fididdling”) at the chaotic start, I squirmed and wedged myself into the corral a mere 20 feet from the actual starting line. With 30 seconds before the starting gun, I popped a salt tablet, had one last swig of water and ripped off my protective garbage bag insulator. With the gun, the latter bag and water bottle were neatly disposed of on the side of the road.

Within minutes of the gun we were rolling through Rosslyn with a good deal of fan support all along the streets. The course moved north up the southbound side of Lee Highway navigating mostly uphill for the first two miles. I was anxious to increase my pace but held back, recalling how disastrous the pace was for me in 2003 (1:30:36/2:01:54).

THE PACE PACK
Around mile 3 as we headed back downhill along Spout Run, I had my first dilemma. In my efforts to get a prime position at the start, I’d foregone my usual 5 minutes-before-the-race bathroom break, and was now questioning whether I should make a quick stop. In the back of my mind I fretted over the lost time versus the possible inconvenience for the next 23 miles or so. In the end, I opted to roll the dice and hope that my body would be efficient enough to sweat out the extra fluid (it did). It didn’t help that I saw more than a couple of other runners at this point pull off for a bathroom stop.

Along this stretch and as we turned onto the GW Parkway, I’d settled into a group of 4-5 other runners keeping the same pace. But either they were much stronger than me or less focused, because there was much chit-chatting going on. It was a good group to run with for two reasons: one, they were all talking about keeping the pace for a sub-3:00 finish; and secondly, there were two women in the group.

For the latter, it had nothing to do with pleasant surroundings. Rather, since I was decked out with no obvious frills to call attention to myself (grey shirt, yellow hat, no name or phrase written anywhere), I was feeding off the attention given to others. Apparently, the two women in the pack were running at numbers 4 & 5, respectively, and also had shirts noting their Navy affiliation. So there was an incessant barrage of shouts for “Go Navy!” and “Way to go, ladies!” Not being either, I was nevertheless content to feed off their energy.

Race progress: 10K actual 40:42 (target 42:00)

I kept with this group through Rock Creek Park and up to the Kennedy Center, just after mile marker 9. At that point, one of the women had begun to move well ahead—I think she finished fourth overall—while most of the rest of the pack faded. The second female and one other runner continued the pace just in front of me. The guy—a tall, long-legged harrier, moved ahead of us both gradually. I stuck with the second female for the stretch along Constitution Avenue; still in my memory was how this was The Wall for me back in 2003, a miserable final 13+ miles. I realized that this year the course had us three miles in advance of that mark from 2003, but mentally the pain lingered.

At roughly mile 11 as we did a quick shim-sham to head up along The Mall, I decided to move ahead of her and see if I could once again pace with the tall guy.

BIG, TALL RYAN AND THE SEEDS OF DOUBT
I think the guy’s name was either Rob or Ryan, but the latter seems to coincide with the results I’d checked. I caught up with him again as we entered The Mall area, and began to once again pace behind him. He had a “DC Triathletes” shirt on, which got him more than a few shouts along the way. At mile 12 as we approached the US Capitol, I had my first doubts about reaching my goal. I knew that we were running at a good target pace, but I began to get some heavy legs and, knowing that the loneliness of Hains Point still awaited us, I was unsure if the extra time I’d picked up already would quickly fall by the wayside. Still, I was resigned to ease off the pace a little if necessary, and kept Ryan within sight as we moved across the halfway mark and back down Independence Avenue.

Race progress: Halfway mark (Mile 13.1) actual 01:25:38 (target 01:28:00)

Unlike past years, the stretches along The Mall area were fairly sparse with regards to crowd support, which made these miles even that much more difficult. I imagine that the new course had something to do with this—making getting from different vantage points less navigable—as well as the cooler temperatures which were still in the low 50s. Heading back down Ohio Drive and towards the no-man’s land that is Hains Point, I knew that this upcoming 6-mile stretch through the park was going to make or break me.

For almost the entire length of this out-and-back, it seemed like there was no one else running but the two of us. He gradually moved a bit further ahead, but I still kept him in sight. Likewise, there was almost no one on the sidelines to cheer on the runners. I do remember running by the golf course as a group was teeing off and thinking how ironic—not in the funny sense—it would be to get plunked by an errant tee shot as I ran by. Luckily, this did not happen.

THE BRIDGE AND BEYOND: BETWEEN HOPE AND DESPAIR
What happened next can only be considered near miraculous. I’d taken another gel at mile 14, well before entering Hains Point. But as we exited the desert and turned back onto Ohio Drive, I suddenly had a new energy level I’d been missing for the past eight miles or so. Perhaps it was the ease with which I started on the exit ramp slope up to the Fourteenth Street Bridge, which I can surely attest to all the extra hills work during my training. Regardless, I began moving along the next 1 ½ mile stretch with relative ease, and it was then that I once again felt confident—almost convinced—that I would finish in under 3:00.

Alas, the feeling was short-lived. In looking back, I almost wonder if it was mental roadblocks that bit me during these miles. Remembering that this year’s course had the Bridge at Mile 20 instead of Mile 23 or later, mentally I was prepared to be “fresher”, having run three less miles at that point of the elongated uphill climb. Ay, but there’s the rub: this also meant that after crossing the Bridge, I’d still have over four miles left to go.

The final stretch went out into Crystal City and looped back. It seemed as if the turnaround was somewhere in Florida, or beyond. The crowd support was much, much better, but I’d already lost a great deal of confidence from my sprint across the Bridge; now, I was ashamed to have so many people along the course seeing me flounder at the worst possible time.

Yet despite an engine that seemed ready to shut down much too soon, my pragmatic mind saved the day. Keeping a close eye on my times and progressive splits as I continued through Crystal City, I realized that I could almost run the last three miles at a 9 or 10 minute pace and still hit my goal. I did the math several times in my head, and each time I was closer and closer to the finish. (Looking back, I probably looked physically worse than I actually was, since I did still manage a 6:58 pace over the final 3.2 miles).

Race progress: 23M actual 2:33:14 (target 2:36:06)

THE FINISH
I left the Crystal City area and did a short loop around the Pentagon, and I once again had a renewed sense of confidence. However this time, as I approached the Mile 25 marker, I had little doubt in the outcome. Almost.

As I passed the marker and went under the overpass for Rt. 110, and convinced of the inevitable, I gave myself a congratulatory right fist pump for my efforts. Not more than a few seconds later, I felt a massive cramp in my left calf muscle. Obviously, The Fates frowned upon me celebrating too soon! I slowed to a jog, and then resumed my normal pace. It was still there, and suddenly my mind was racing as to whether I could hobble the last 1.2 miles with such a severe cramp, as well as what might be the physical consequences. I pressed on, hoping that continued motion would work it out…and breathed a sigh of relief when it did.

The homestretch down Rt.110 towards the Iwo Jima Memorial is always filled with an abundant, raucous crowd, and this year was no exception. But unlike some past years, I’d not reached such a point where I was fading in and out of consciousness at times. And knowing that the final turn uphill was not the full ¼ mile as in years past helped me dig for one last respectable burst of energy.

I crossed the finish line at 02:57:33, went a few steps more, then dropped to my knees to kiss the ground. I couldn’t believe I’d finally knocked the bastard off.

10/29/2005

Workout: recovery 4mi.

Some training schedules limit this to only 2 or 3 miles, but I wasn't too concerned about doing a whole 4 miles. Besides, after a day of mostly lounging around, I needed to get out for 30 minutes or so.

To make sure I didn't twist an ankle last-second, though, I drove down to the MVT and did my mileage there.

10/28/2005

Workout: rest.

No really. Today I need the rest! Aside from a trip to the playground with Booger and some errands around the house, the day was spent concentrating on maximizing energy conservation.

Less than 48 hours to go...

10/27/2005

Workout: recovery + speed 5mi. w/6 X 100m strides

I'm starting to think that the more rest I get, the harder it is to get up out of bed in the morning. Or maybe I'm just running out of gas from the long training schedule. Or maybe it was because I knew the outside temperature was in the low 40s.

Still, the thought that this would be my last real workout (a casual 4mi. jog on Saturday, notwithstanding) before the race allowed me to break from my slumber. It was a fairly straightforward jaunt down to the TCWHS track, a few laps with some sprints, then back.

10/26/2005

Workout: dress rehearsal 7mi w/2mi at marathon race pace.

This was the run deferred from yesterday, and indeed a good call--no rain this morning. I did feel some disappointment as I caved in and wore the tights, knit hat and gloves for the first time. But again, this is not a week for machismo in the face of inclement weather.

This was a simple run down to the TCWHS track, five lap warmup, eight laps at a race pace, then five laps to warm down, and back home.

This morning also marked the beginning of my four days of food-gorging, aka "carbo-loading."

10/25/2005

Workout: rest.

I was supposed to do Wednesday morning's workout today, but had to decide between the following: staying on schedule (i.e., running Tuesday) or avoiding possible cold/flu conditions from running in the cold, damp rain (i.e., and waiting to run Wednesday AM with the weather reportedly better).

In the end, I opted for the latter, since getting sick a mere five days before the marathon isn't part of my race week preparation.

10/24/2005

Workout: recovery 6mi.

Not an esepcially demanding run but one with quite a few logistical demands. I spent the night at my parents house and enjoyed a foreign bed along with a few interruptions from the furry beasts scratching at the door in the middle of the night. But I got them back by ringing the doorbell as I left at 6:00am (I thought it was the garage door opener).

My run took me almost the whole way from their house to the front gate, and back. It's surprising that a community of mostly older residents has such narrow, unlit roads, without any shoulder to speak of. Every time headlights approached from behind me, if I had time I scooted to the left side of the road. If not, I stopped and walked off the right side (into the ditch) to wait for speedy to whizz by.

Not surprisingly, by the time I got home around 8pm that night I was exhausted.

10/23/2005

Workout: rest.

A true rest day, as prescribed, aside from the various errands around town and a flight down to North Carolina. The timing for my interview worked out somewhat well, as Monday would be a simple run with no special "gear" or course planning.

10/22/2005

Workout: medium-long run 12mi.

The last run of any significant mileage, and the only one longer than 7 miles until race day. As with the prior week, my plan was to drive to the Pentagon in the early AM and run the first few miles up and down the hill in Rosslyn/Clarendon. Knowing full well that I might encounter the Knuckleheads inTraining horde one last unofficial time, I decided that the course experience was more important than the inevitable frustration from The Horde.

I ended up not getting out until a bit later (~7:30am) but was pleased to not encounter The Horde, though a few smaller training packs were on the trail. It was drizzling a bit, but not the heavy rain from earlier in the week. I did the hill at a slow pace and on the way down tried to focus on a slightly quickened pace, though not so much as to risk injury. I wrapped back past the Memorial Bridge and just past the airport, turning around and heading back to the Pentagon.

Only one week to go...

10/21/2005

Workout: rest.

I cannot adequately describe how wonderful it was to "sleep in" until the ridiculously late time of 7:45am. Now if only the rain continues throughout the day and cancels my umpiring assignment tonight, it will truly be a day of rest.

10/20/2005

Workout: recovery + speed 5mi w/6 X 100m strides

Another early morning at the TCWHS track...only a few more left. I'm starting to understand the notion of having to "hold back" with shorter and less intense workouts as the weeks wind down. Luckily, at 5am it's not as hard to "hold back".

10/19/2005

Workout: hills 10 X 400m

Originally a rest day, I included the relatively easy hill repetitions to keep in shape for the two big hills in the race (mile markers 1 and 20). Nice placement, guys--thanks.

10/18/2005

Workout: V02 Max 8mi w/3 X 1600m @ 5K pace

Ouch! A surprisngly tough workout for the last two weeks of the schedule, and the longest 5K pace runs so far. This was effectively a 5mi. general aerobic run with 3, 1-mi. pseudo-sprints. I imagine the intent is to mentally prepare one for the upcoming more-sustained intensity for the marathon.

10/17/2005

Workout: general aerobic + speed 7mi w/8 X 100m strides

These are the kind of days that I hope, in the end, will have proved to have been the difference in a successful marathon.

After a long day and late night, I turned in last night thinking about how I might be able to sleep in and instead move this workout to later in the week. Despite a very cool morning and a very warm bed, I stumbled out and headed to the TCWHS track.

The short 1+ mile run to the track was almost disastrous. Depending on oncoming traffic--I never fully trust drivers at 5am, when even those in cars are not fully awake--I try to run on West Braddock but sometimes move to the sidewalk. On one particular maneuver, when stepping on the curb I rolled my right ankle. Luckily I was able to pull up before putting my full body weight on it and, as best as I can tell, I avoided a more significant injury or sprain.

10/16/2005

Workout: rest.

The usual "rest" day: about 90 minutes on the playground at East Rosemont, and a baseball double-header up in Potomac later that afternoon/evening. I'm sensing that for race week I am going to have to enforce a mandatory 10pm curfew!

10/15/2005

Workout: medium-long run 16mi.

A lot of things going on for this run today. It was my last "big" run before the marathon, with only a 12-miler next weekend. I reviewed the race course and wanted to simulate the start of the MCM with the big hill through Rosslyn to Clarendon.

Doing some mapwork earlier in the week, I drove to the Pentagon South Parking lot around 6:15am and left from there. After climbing the hill, I turned at Spout Run and returned the same way, then took the trail to mile 11 in Old Town, and turned back again.

Other MCM reconnaissance work that week revealed that the race would be featuring Powerade lemon-lime, while throughout my training I'd been gulping Gatorade (orange and lemon-lime) while running and during the off-hours. So I picked up a few bottles of Powerade lemon-lime for use with my last 2+ weeks of training. I can't say the taste is any better, but not much worse either.

After heading back downhill through Rosslyn and crossing under the Memorial Bridge, I thought to myself that it was a pleasant surprise to have not seen the usual teeming hordes of marathon training groups on the MVT North. Obviously, I was wrong. Not two minutes later, The Horrible Horde descended upon me.

Just before mile marker 16, there they were: 200 or so Team in Training members walking on the trail, no doubt a precursor to their upcoming run. For my first pass, they were fairly innocous though, at times they lingered on the right (as in "wrong") side of the trail. No harm, no foul.

Near mile 7 1/2, I had my gel of choice, a GU banana. For some portions thereafter I felt sluggish but for the most part thought I was moving too fast for a training run, and tried to slow the pace at times. After mile 12, it was slowed for me, as I got a cramp/stitch on my right side below the ribcage. I walked momentarily, then tried to regain the pace again and tough it out, but the pain ensued. Interestingly enough, when I applied pressure to my side with my hand, the pain subsided. After a second short walking session, the pain did dissipate.

After crossing the bridge at the I-395/GW Parkway onramp, I re-encountered the Knuckleheads in Training. One guy at the front of The Horde crossed the center line, clipping my left elbow; when I turned to look at him, he gave me the ol' "Whatta you lookin' at? F*ck off!" Soon thereafter, the throngs came at me from all over the trail. One hefty female was so engrossed in conversing with the two other women to her right, that she forced me to swerve to the grass on the right of the trail, at which one of her trailing colleagues called out lamely "Sorry, man." But the most classic incident was near the end of the pack, where a group of four women lined up completely across the trail were coming at me head on. The two on the right side were actually tethered together with a fluorescent green bandana, and when they approached I had no choice but to simply stop in my tracks. They slowed and passed me on my right.

Unbelievable. The workout, in general, was a good way to ease into the longer mileage one coming up in two weeks.

10/14/2005

Workout: recovery 5mi.

One more day of rain, the eighth straight with some precipitation. We certainly needed it, having had the driest month of September in over 100 years.

For the time being it was clear. After loading Booger and the jog stroller in the car, of course it started to rain. Not too heavy, but enough to make me think it might get heavier. So we headed back inside...and of course within minutes it had stopped sprinkling.

Re-loading Booger in the, we decided to give it another go, since the gray skies looked ... uh ... unrainy? Luckily, no rain for the duration of our run. And, of course, it was sunny all afternoon.

10/13/2005

Workout: recovery + speed 4mi w/6 X 100m strides

Another short workout at the TCWHS track, ones I can now appreciate much more than the ones earlier in the schedule which had several more miles involved.

10/12/2005

Workout: hills 12 X400m

While the original schedule had this as a rest day, knowing that a significant hill awaits on the MCM course at miles 2 & 3, I continued with the PM hills workout.

10/11/2005

Workout: recovery 5mi.

Since the Yankees' season came to an all-too-early end last night, my training workouts should improve due to more rest!

In the late afternoon I headed over to the TCWHS track for a few laps, with rain threatening but holding off. It looks like the final month of tapering includes an extra rest day on Wednesdays, though I still plan to do some hill workouts in the evening.

10/10/2005

Workout: VO2 max 8mi w/5 X 600m @ 5K

Another early morning trip to the TCWHS track; luckily no rain this time. I'd like to echo grumblings from the ALDS competitors that a 4pm game yesterday would have been much better--including for yours truly--than a 7:55pm game that rolled until past 11pm. I was so restless that near 1am, I considered getting up, doing my run and then going to bed.

I opted against it since it's widely known that a good, hard workout followed by a hot shower are not exactly a good recipe for near-term sleep.

10/09/2005

Workout: rest.

Three weeks to go...let the tapering and carbo-loading begin!

10/08/2005

Workout: long run 20mi.

This was the last big run on the schedule before the tapering begins for the three weeks leading up to the big day. Luckily it was still raining, though when I headed out around 3pm or so, not nearly as hard as it had been earlier in the day.

Since it was later--and raining--I knew the trail wouldn't be very crowded so I went the MVT-North route, from Old Town through Rosslyn, taking the turn near the top of the hill on Lee Highway. I'll probably do another shorter run out in this area some weekend, since it looks like the MCM course map has miles 2-4 running up that same general area.

Despite the rain, I didn't get so completely drenched that the conditions were bothersome. Still, the thought of the big day in the rain will likley lead to me doing some research on how best to acclimate for such weather.

As an aside, today marks the beginning of Sober in October, with three weeks on the wagon.

10/07/2005

Workout: recovery 4mi.

Bad decision on this one. I opted to sleep in, knowing that I'd have time later to do an easy 4 mile run. But since it rained all day--I don't think it was raining at 5am--I couldn't quite take the jog stroller out. So I ended up doing a quick run to the TCWHS track and back in the pouring rain. Nice.

10/06/2005

Workout: rest.

Hardly, considering I got up at 4:30am for a 7am flight, spent 90 minutes being grilled in an interview, then flew back later that afternoon. Restful? Not quite.

10/05/2005

Workout: general aerobic 10mi.

Orginally slated as a rest day, I moved up this medium-run from Thursday to accommodate my day trip out of town. I didn't want to push it back since I'm also slated to do my last big long run (20 miles) on Saturday, the last such before gradual tapering towards the marathon.

10/04/2005

Workout: V02 Max 10mi w/5 x 1200m @ 5K pace

While I'd prefer to limit the mileage I put in on the track, it was more important for me to make sure that I got the correct 5 X1200m near-sprints done accurately. Unfortunately I didn't know that a local running/tracl club uses the TCWHS track some nights, which made for a little congestion on the track. Regardless, it was still a good speed workout.

10/03/2005

Workout: recovery + speed 5mi w/6 X 100m strides

Another shorter-distance speed workout well-suited to the TCWHS track. It was easy to notice what a difference a 9:30pm bedtime is for a 5am run than a 10:30/11pm or later bedtime. I felt pretty fresh and didn't have more than the normal amount of angst at having to get up so early.

10/02/2005

Workout: rest/cross-training.

I don't think I'm fooling anyone by implying that on these days I might possibly do some "cross-training". Unless you count garden work, deck sweeping and garage-cleaning as "cross-training".

10/01/2005

Workout: long run 17mi.

After umpiring a double-header the night before, I opted to sleep in and do this workout later in the day. I think the extra sleep was more of an advantage than the hotter temperatures (at 12 noon versus 6am) were a disadvantage.

Running from the house south on the MVT, I covered much of the same part of the trail used for the prior week's race. Obviously the pace was not nearly as quick, nor had I fully prepared like a race. I did, however, have some meals on Thursday and Friday focused more on carbohydrates, which made somewhat of a difference. At the very least, I wasn't completely dog-tired like I've been for many other big weekend runs.