26.2 – it just hits a little different now. Prior to Sunday, it was a sticker I would see on the back window of a Subaru Forester or something. I would just think to myself something to the effect of “brag much”?
But, having now completed that distance, it is definitely something worth bragging about. Not that I will. But I have joined the .17% of the world’s population that can call themselves “marathon finishers.”
I didn’t decide to take the plunge on the full marathon until Dauber started poking at the idea as we wrapped up the Summer Sandlot Running Challenge. I told him I wanted to get a few long distance training runs completed before making the decision. I remember completing the Derby Half Marathon and I struggled so bad toward the end of 13.1 miles. When we ran the Derby Mini I was in physical therapy for a strained Achilles. I talked to my PT about how crazy the idea of 26.2 miles was after struggling with 13.1 miles. His response was pretty simple. “You didn’t train for 26.2.”
I really took his comment to heart. It really is a simple concept. If I trained for the longer distance, I might still fall apart late in the race, but it likely wouldn’t happen at mile 11.
In my prior long distance running Backblasts, it was easy to break down certain moments in the race. This race was totally different. Those prior races I had run with an F3 partner for a majority of the race. This time it would just be me versus the road. Sure there were some other people close by, but for a large majority I had no one to talk to. Those that have run with me, you know how much of a struggle that would prove to be.
The morning of the race was pretty smooth, except for the fact that I woke up earlier than needed. I was picking up Dauber on the way out, and scheduled to be at his house at 0545. I arrived a few minutes early. We arrived at the Broadrun Park entrance and Dauber referenced it was like Field of Dreams. Which was a perfect comparison. It was just car after car with headlights on, just like in the movie. The line of cars moved quickly, and we were parked by 0620 and waited in the truck for a while to stay warm.
At about 0645 we decided to go ahead and get out and stretch and wander toward the starting line. We started that way, and opted to stop at the restrooms. The line proved too long for me, and I was only there for a little “preventive maintenance,” so I opted to just head over to the starting line. It was just minutes before the race was going to start. At the start line I found DeVitto and Virginia Slims. I was shocked. I didn’t expect anyone to be at the start except Dauber and I. It was great to see them, even if it was just for a moment before beginning this journey.
I tried searching for a pacer for a 4:30 finish time, and didn’t see one. So I just jumped in with a group and hoped I would either find them, or they would find me. It never happened.
Mile one was pretty uneventful, as you would expect. But I had been dealing with shin splints the last month, and mile 1 (and really up until mile 5) were going to set my mental tone for the entire race. Were my shins going to hurt? Would I even be able to finish the race? But the pain was manageable. I would actually say my shins were not a factor early on. On the way out of the park I passed Cold Call walking in with his family. Then I saw Jolly Rancher, waiting. I guess he was already tracking me, and waited to snap a “before” picture.
Somewhere between mile 1 and 2 I asked a few people around me what their expected finish time was, so I could figure out if I needed to push ahead of them, or settle into their pace. The response I got was about 10:30 pace. Maybe I should have stayed, as I ended up closer to 11 myself, but it wasn’t where I wanted to be at that point in the race, so I pushed ahead.
Well, at about 2-2.5 miles you meet the first hill. As I pushed up the hill, there were a few participants walking the hill. Hindsight, it might have been a good idea. But I didn’t. I tried to encourage runners as I went by. One runner took me up on that encouragement, and we hooked up to run close to each other for most of the race. I asked “What’s your goal?” Her response was something along the lines of “Yeah, it’s cold.” I restated the question, and she responded with a time of under 4 hours. I laughed and said she should look for someone else to run alongside, that I wasn’t going to help her achieve her goal. But for the next 3-4 miles, we would run stride for stride, without another word. She was wearing ear buds, and I wasn’t going to mess with her rhythm. So we pushed down the hill, up the next. I think I pushed harder up the next hill and pulled away a little, but somewhere along the next 7 miles she passed me, but I don’t know when.
For the next 7 or so miles, it was just me and the road. As I approached mile 12, I was shocked I hadn’t seen the “fast” people that had made the turn already. But because the first 2 miles were going out toward Bardstown Road, the turn was actually around the 14.25 mile mark. But, I did see Dauber when I hit 13.4 miles. He was really close to the 4 hour pacer group, which is where he wanted to be.
At about mile 17 DeVitto made a second appearance. Man, he was a welcomed sight. I had started to slow down, and the miles were starting to add up. That mile that he pulled me through would prove to be 30 seconds faster than the prior mile, and 20 seconds faster than the two miles prior to that. It also pushed me to catch back up to what I started referring to as “my partner.” We (DeVitto, and my partner) came into the next water stop, and this is where DeVitto peeled off. Me and my partner had hooked up again for a few miles. But at about mile 19 I started to get that feeling of a cramp. I told her to push on, I was going to slow down. I never actually cramped up, but you know that feeling just before a cramp cripples you? If you move the right direction, it goes away, the wrong movement, and BAMM! You want to cry. Well, it was a simple decision. Walk, or cramp. So I started to do a run/walk interval. Run until that cramp feeling comes on, and then walk for a little bit. This would go on for a little bit, and then DeVitto showed up again! He again pulled me along to the next water stop. It was great to have the company!
My run/walk intervals continued. Only this time I would try to run to the next person walking in front of me. I would check in on them, and then try to run to the next walker. This is where my shin pain became a factor. Going from a walk to a run was a challenge, until I was in a normal run cadence.
Then the hills showed back up. My wife had brought the kids out, and they were waiting at The Silo. It happens to sit at the top of the first hill on the way back. She sent me a text that she would see me soon. But I was down to just a 30 second run, in between walks. At this point my finish time wasn’t a factor, so I stopped. Not for long, but enough to hopefully make the trip worth it for the kids. Video that she recorded would later show me that I was a little unstable on my feet. But at this point it was just 3 or 4 or so miles to the finish line.
I pushed with what little I had left, down the next hill. At the bottom there was a group of supporters cheering. As I approached them, they started clapping and cheering. Then I finally made it to them. I teased them that they didn’t realize how long they were going to have to cheer before I actually got past them. They laughed, I laughed, it was a moment. Then my family drove past. My daughter yelled for me to shake my booty, but I didn’t have any shake left to offer.
When I topped the last hill, I got a call from Dauber, checking in on me. Then I got a text from my wife that my son was going to run the end of the race with me. It was just the motivation I needed to push to the end. I rounded the corner and there he stood with my wife, ready to go. He was so excited to finish the race with me, that while I was trying to get to him, he decided to run to me instead of waiting. This is where I got a little emotional. I collected myself, and we held hands and ran toward the finish line. Then he lost a Croc.
I slowed down for a second for him to get his shoes back on, and off to the finish line.
By now the finish line was in clear view. It was a great atmosphere. I assume at this point you get a new finisher every 30-60 seconds. It isn’t like there are huge packs of runners. So it felt like anyone cheering, was cheering for me, and me alone.
I crossed the finish line, and there stood my partner, ready to give me a high five. It was a pretty cool feeling that even though we only exchanged a few words the entire race, she fed off my energy, and me off hers.
4 hours, 55 minutes, and 51 seconds after starting, I had completed my first marathon.
I grabbed the celebratory beer, my family and I sat down on the grass, and just relaxed for a little while. Soaking in the sun and cheers of others crossing the finish line.
I didn’t write this Backblast immediately to allow all the emotions to settle. Sure, there was some expected muscle fatigue. There are some shin pains (which just now 5 days later have finally started to relent.) I received a message from someone asking if it was fun. I don’t think fun is the right word to use to describe completing a marathon, although I think it could be. To sum up the feeling I’m going with the word “accomplished.” Not just for the race, but for the process. Can I run 3, 4, or 5 days a week? Can I stay consistent with that for 12-16 weeks?
My feelings today, race day +5, are still the same as they were the night of the race. There is definitely room for improvement. I would almost describe it as an “easy” improvement. If I don’t have those cramp feelings, and run the entire 26.2 miles, I can easily reduce my time by 10-15 minutes. But, I didn’t run the race looking for a certain finish time. I just wanted to finish. So that is mission accomplished. So if or when, I get the bug to run another marathon, my goal won’t be to just to finish, it will be to show improvement.
F3 Louisville 