Race report: Marine Corps Marathon

Oh yes, the wordy race report. You were warned.

Since I lined up close to the front, we passed the start line only about 15 to 20 seconds after the gun sounded. Any thoughts of a conservative start was out the door. I stationed myself about 20 feet behind the 3:10 pacer. I kinda let him drift away as I found my pace. I wanted to be comfortable. It was a very cool morning, about 8C and I had just shed my long sleeved shirt. It was a good idea to wear my singlet as it would get warmer. I had these light polypro gloves and was holding one water bottle.

The fuel I bought with me: five gels, shotbloks and a bottle with 8 ounces of Gatorade that would take me past the first water stop.

Within the first mile, we were already headed up a hill and for some stupid reason, I had forgotten how steep it actually was. So we attacked the first of many hills we'd hit over the first eight or so miles. It's sorta hard so hold yourself back at the start of the marathon and it's not a good feeling chugging up your first hills within minutes of starting. The chuffing of heavy breathing is not a good sensation.

I started to take in my surroundings, enjoying some of the crowd of supporters gathered there. I also took note of some of the runners around me since the 3:10 pacer was pretty far ahead. As it turns out, I'd never attempt to give chase or catch up to him. There was a blind runner and his guide going at around 3:10, a guy with a Canadian army shirt, a few female runners. There basically was not much room to maneuvre for the first 8 miles. Not congested, but a big block of fast moving runners.

The turns were pretty tight and we always had to watch for wheelchair atheltes, which is bad for me cause I love to run on the right side of the road. Like last year, we constantly had to shout out when one was coming down at us during a flat or a downhill.

We hit the 5K split and I was keeping up the pace. It was uphill and I felt okay. I started to heat up and I shed my gloves around this point.

5K split: 00:22:29 (NET) @ 5K Pace 7:13 , Predicted 03:09:12.00.

I was pretty surprised I hit the 5K mark on target. My legs were holding but they were starting to feel it on the hills. In my last few days before the marathon, I'd feel tightness in my calves. That, added with the sore right knee, the recovering right hamstring didn't give me too much confidence in my legs for long-distance racing. Middle distance, maybe.

We descended after the 5K mark into the first big downhill. My quads still are in pain now as I walk down stairs. We crossed the bridge into Georgetown and I started taking water and Powerade at the stops. I tried to take at least two cups per stop. I enjoyed the bridge to DC and Georgetown.

I did a few sub 7 minute miles (6:59) going into the downhills but for the most part, I was keeping pace. Hit the 10K just as we were hitting the next series of hills. Oh, they would be painful.

10K split: 00:45:11 (NET) @ 10K Pace 7:16 , Predicted 03:10:31.00.

Was quite surprised to hit the 10K right on pace for 3:10, surprising because we were well behind the pacer. We ran up a slow incline and we were all just grinding out our steps. Quite frankly, the only think I remember is trying to stay comfortable then having to move to the middle of the course to go around the wheelchair athletes. We hit the Reservoir Rd turn and one runner said 'You gotta be kidding me.' Ahead of us was yet another a major hill. So we trudged on. We were running so high that the fog was obscuring the sun but some rays were peeking through. It was really pretty except for the fact that we were in pain!

As we were reaching the top of mile 8, some officers and marines were saying 'almost there' or 'go Marines!'. I liked the almost there as in we were almost at the top of the hill, but it's the wrong thing to say to a marathoner powering up a major incline 8 miles into a race! The 'go Marines', that was pretty cool. I guess for one day, we're one of them, huh?

Even with the ascent, I did the 7th mile in 7:27. Maybe we were going too fast for our pace? The next three miles, on our way back to Georgetown, was pretty much a big downhill. Clocked in a 7:03, 7:04 and 7:07 for miles 8 to 10.

Eight and nine brought us through Georgetown and down Wisconsin, and there was really good fan support as we were running on the opposite lane as other marathoners going through mile 5. Yes, we were already 3 miles ahead of the mass marathon and it was humbling to be moving at such a pace. Through M street, I heard a 'Go Canada' in reference to my little red Maple Leaf on my hat. I pumped up my fist.

15K split: 01:07:33 (NET) @ 15K Pace 7:14 , Predicted 03:09:39.00.

Nice to run the same marathon more than once, you sorta know what to expect. We passed the Kennedy Centre and I picked up an orange slice they were handing out then after I chomped into it, I was picturing the pulp being stuck on my teeth. Funny, the things you think about. I also thought about whether I needed to go to the bathroom because a few weeks ago during the Army 10-miler, it was there where I really had to go. Turns out, didn't need to the entire race.

The new route takes us through to Hains Point in East Potomac Park, so we took a different route than last year. I knew R was going to wait for me at the 10 mile mark, and I was looking out for her, but I couldn't spot her. I like running on the right side of the road so I was looking for her but no dice. As it turns out, she was on the left side on the road, had seen me, and was yelling my name.

We entered the park and the weather was perfect. The park could be brutal when it's windy but it was such a nice day. I was pacing behind a group of runners and we hit a good pace. Mile 11 in 7:08, 12 in 7:12, 13 in 7:20. We hit the 20K mark in 1:30 and slowed a wee bit to hit the half marathon mark at perfect pace for 3:10

Half marathon split: 01:35:07 (NET) @ Half Pace 7:15 , Predicted 03:10:05.00.

On our way back to the Mall, I had the first doubts of the marathon. I was feeling pretty spent. I remembered how fresh I felt at the half way mark in Toronto a month ago, as it should be. Clearly, the 3:10 pace was taking more out of me than I wanted. The weather was good yet I was already thinking 'wow, I have a long way to go'. So the miles out of the park and back into the Mall felt really long.

Back into the Mall we went and I was dying for a water stop. It finally arrived and I grabbed two cups. I almost felt like I wanted more. I was taking the gels but again, it never quite synched up with the aid stations. I really have to research the courses and actually plan when to take my gels.

25K split: 01:52:58 (NET) @ 25K Pace 7:16 , Predicted 03:10:31.00

Unlike last year, we entered a much less crowded Mall. I think that the spectators were on the other side waiting for people who were at the 10 mile mark. As a result, the fan support for us was kinda sparse. I was really hoping for an energy rush but there was not much of one. I remember running by, seeing a sign about the White House and realizing that to my left, there it actually was. Hilarious how during the race one phases things out. (I love this picture by the way because it looks like I'm ahead of a whack of people!)

I think I knew by mile 16 that it just wasn't there. We had passed two runners who was walking and I heard an official ask him 'are you okay' to which he said 'no, not really'. It hit home that the uncomfortable feeling I had was telling me something similar. I wasn't okay to be running at this pace. At the next water station, I slowed to a walk to take in more fluid. I drank two cups. Mile 18 was done in 7:44 and the mile before it in 7:25. This is well off the 7:15. As I hit the 30K split (18.7 miles) you can see that my pace had dropped dramatically.

30K split: 02:16:38 (NET) @ 30K Pace 7:29 , Predicted 03:16:12.00

We were still on the Mall at this point and I remembering seeing the Smithsonian building in the distance. I was hoping that there would be another water station near there so I could 1) take water 2) walk. Such a weird feeling to be wishing for a water stop in order to take a break. I knew that if I just started walking right there, still on the Mall, I would not have a good day. As it turns out the next water break was well after I had wanted it. I took two cups and we were headed toward that infamous and hated bridge, ready to hit the concrete.

Here's how my marathon went from run to walk.
Mile 19: 7:20
Mile 20: 8:04
Mile 21: 7:36

The stretch from mile 20 to 23 is a pretty brutal 3 miles. It's all on highway with no near end in sight. There's also no aid stations for that three miles. I just tried to tell myself while on mile 21 that I just had to make it past the bridge and I'd be okay. Other runners were starting to walk. I passed mile 21 and suddenly I just gave into it. I felt so tired. I was being hit by small cramps. I was really thirsty. So I walked. A woman went up to me with a bottle and said 'do you need water'? I gratefully accepted the bottle with thanks and took a swig. It felt great. I walked some more and started to run again, but by walking for a bit gave an opportunities for cramps to set in.

This is when the desire to compete faded and the desire to complete with everything intact emerged. I didn't feel bad, I just felt it called an end to the day. I looked at my watch and saw I was still in the two hour plus range, closing on three hours. I thought, 'Hey, I could walk and jog this thing and still have a respectable time' And so I took it easy. I walked, enjoyed the fact that I wasn't dizzy, wasn't hitting a wall, just resigned to let my heart rate settle, and let the cramps die down. I stretched. This was the longest mile of the entire race at 13:08.

35K split: 2:46:13 (NET) @ 35K Pace 7:38 , Predicted 03:20:08.00.

At some point after that, I decided to bring in jogs into the routine. I mean, I could still run, so I did. Everytime I got into a jog, I'd either feel the urge to take it easy, or a slight leg cramp (calve, knee, you name it) set in and I'd start on a walk, just hobbling a bit. We hit a water station (I jogged to it) and I walked, taking a few cups and refilling my handy little water bottle with it.

I saw R across the street and I jogged a little, beckoning her to follow me (she had running shoes on) but she didn't get the drift. I ran a bit more and saw a guy with a big ass Canadian flag on his back and that motivated me to actually run a bit more. We turned around and a few minutes later I was jogging towards R. I stopped right in front of her (and a runner behind me almost smashed into me -- opps, but in my defence, I wasn't exactly running). And I chatted with R. a bit.

R: Hi K!
I give her a kiss
R: How's it going
K: I have leg cramps. I'm going to walk most of the rest of this with a smile on my face.
She asked me to pose for a picture which I did, then I jogged my merry way.
Mile 23 in 11:54.

I then started to attempt running again to the finish. I would run for a few minutes, take a break and a swig from my bottle, then run again. It actually wasn't that bad. I did the next two miles in 9:58 and 9:25. I was passing other runners only to have them pass me when I took a break, then I'd pass them again. We hit the 40K mark and I remember that it was 3:19. I knew that I it would take two 5 minute kilometres and change to get a 3:30. That's a very respectable time and I decided to go for it.

40K split: 03:18:55 (NET) @ 40K Pace 8:00 , Predicted 03:29:45.00

At that moment, the 3:30 pace group (a group I probably should have been running with from the start) was creeping behind me and it was the part of the race when the pacer says '.. we got 30 seconds in the bank, and if you liked what we did, email the marathon so they'll bring us back.' 'For sure,' said a runner.

I smiled at this because that's what I heard my pacer say back in May in Cincy when he guided us to a sub 3:20 finish (3:18 and change, actually). The pace balloon he was carrying was making that familiar sound -- the only sound you hear when you're running that late with a pacer, a big group whittled to a merry band of survivors.

They got away from me when I took a little breather, but then I decided to up my pace. I felt that I could do a few strong kilometres to finish at 3:30.

The last few miles of last year's MCM was brutal for me. I hit the wall and really tried to keep on moving. Today, I basically rested for four miles plus, then ran again in the last mile. I ran mile 26 in 8:26 (yeah, that's hilarious) and the last 600 metres, which included the big hill, in 8:05 pace. I really enjoyed the last kilometre. Sure, I was fighting off a cramp that could all of a sudden get worse, but I was soaking in the crowds. I looked up at the big hill and it didn't seem that bad. The announcer was reeling in the 3:30 group, congratulating them on a job well done, and I saw that my watch read 3:29 and change. I had a minute to scale that hill and I fought it. No walk breaks any more. Just take that hill.

I crossed the finish line of my fifth marathon with my hands held up high. My heart rate was normal, my breathing fine, my legs were not great but I was walking straight (never got a Charley Horse!) and was well enough to smile and thank all the Marines stationed at the end.

03:30:28 (NET) @ Finish Pace 8:01

I ended up the marathon running a 8:01 mile or 5 minute kilometres, a much more conservative pace than the 7:15 miles or 4:30 kilometre that I ran the first 25 kilometres in. Do I regret doing that? No, I don't think so. I think there are not many opportunities to run long distances at your marathon pace so why not try it if you have the chance. Sure, I could have tried for a negative split but it didn't feel like the type of race that you find your own pace. Too crowded a race to find room, I think.

I think I've come to terms that I'll run my next marathon with water bottles. I think it's important to have your own supply, even to take your gels at the right moments. I have to hydrate better, especially given that I was able to down that bottle of water that the woman gave me. I, like other runners, get too ansy that i'll have to go to the washroom. I have to find a balance on that note.

Most of all, I think that 3:10 to 3:15 is really within my reach. I think properly trained I can make it. I came oh so close to it in Toronto and I've learned a lot from that race. This one, I've learned it's not exactly smart to go for your peak performance so close to another attempt and with injury.

Anyways, most of all, I love this distance. No race is easy but no race is like the marathon. Other races test guts, speed and training. The marathon asks a lot more of you. What that stuff is, well, you only know when it's asked of you during those final miles. I'll strive for that next spring when I run my next one.

Chip time: 3:30:28
Race details

Race report: Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

The night before the marathon, I was pretty relaxed. I had spent the day in low-key mode. I had gone for a 2K run to test out the shoes. I did a load of laundry. I laid out the running gear and pinned on the bib and I carboloaded on pasta and other such food. I tried to be in bed by 9 p.m. because I was going to get up at 3:45ish to get in my breakfast. Phoned R and was actually in bed well before 10. I actually slept well, if not waking up every once in a while to check the time.

I got up, ate two waffles and a banana and went back to bed for another hour. By 5, I was getting ready. I looked out my window and saw the race crew putting up the 19K flag just to the east of my condo. I phoned R, she wished me well, and after taking washroom breaks, it was time to leave. I started the walk to City Hall, about 2.5K away. It was a nice walk. I could feel the warmth in the air and I knew it wasn't quite the perfect weather for racing.

Arrived at the race site with one hour to spare, so hit the porta potty, sat down for a bit, then hit the portapotty one more time. Bumped into a few friends and in the final 25 minutes, lined up into the corral, where I saw Peter, an former colleague of mine and also a many time marathoner. We chatted a bit -- he was running the half with a goal of hitting 1:35. I started looking out for the 3:10 pacer but they were no where to be found. I just saw the 3:30 but that was it.

So as the clock counted down to 7:30, it was an odd feeling. I was about to run a marathon in my home city, the biggest race of my life on home turf, without the aide of a pacer. 'Oh well, here goes nothing' I thought as I crossed the line and started the Garmin

0 to 10K: Running with the pack
We sped down Bay Street, which is on a decline so we gathered speed. The corral system works quite well since most of the runners were going at a decent enough speed. Too many runs in Toronto you have to seed yourself up at the front for fear of veering off course to stay on your pace. I tried to contain my speed as we rounded the first major corner on to Wellington and I looked ahead at the horizon for the rising sun. It's a nice view and I enjoyed the scenery.

We passed the first kilometre mark in a too-quick 4:18. I found myself running right behind Peter and we ran a bit together. Lee came running by at this point and said hello around the time we clicked past the second kilometre at 4:22 and I knew we were running too fast. Lee, who was gunning for a sub 1:30 half, sped off and wished me luck (His blistering half was 1:27 and change). Peter advise that I slow down and "run your own race." I knew too well that was perfect advice so I slowed down. We ran on the Lakeshore for a bit and I skipped the first two water stops, taking drinks from my bottle that I was carrying with me. The next few kilometres clicked thorough and I hit the 5K mark in about 22 minutes, which was about 30 seconds faster than pace. I decided to slow it down a bit and settle into a consistent run. It's really difficult to run in a race that's predominatly run by half marathoners because they can give more effort while a marathoner has to be conservative.

I took my first gel at 8K and I was enjoying running on the road that had a nice downward slope to it since most of the course is flat. During this and so many of my kilometres, I got into a nice smooth groove.

Example:
8K in 4:30
9K in 4:30
10K in 4:29.

I hit the 10K split in around 45 minutes flat.

Splits: 10K split: 45:08 12.2K: 54:32

12.2K to 21.1K: Pack running, then the split
From the turnaround at 12.2K, we headed back east for a long trek to the city's east end. At the turnaround, you could see who was behind you, so I took a look for this supposed 3:10 pacer. I didn't spot any and I was perplexed. Luckily, there seemed to be a marathoner who was about 10 metres ahead of me who was running at the same clip as I was. I guessed that he was going for a 4:30 pace so I gave him his room and just used him as a marker. As it turns out he was going at around that pace, which was perfect for me. I kept to my plan. I took a Clif Shot Blok a few kilometres after taking the gel, then I'd take the next gel at the 15K mark. It's a pattern that I repeated for the rest of the marathon.

It was important at this point that I maintained 4:30 pace because quite a few of the half marathoners had gone out too fast and were slowing. This began the pattern that would happen for most of the rest of the race. I was running a steady pace and just passing people based on that pace.

We hit the half/full marathon split off before the 18K mark and I knew that's when the real race begun. If I was passing anyone ahead of me at this point, they had to be fading because it was my goal to run even splits.

Here are some splits

13K: 4:28
14K: 4:24
15K: 4:29
16K: 4:23
17K: 4:28
18K: 4:29
19K: 4:20
20K: 4:25
21K: 4:25
These are splits from my Garmin and I think some of them are off (as in recording the splits as too fast). From looking at my watch throughout the run, I was only 30 seconds faster than pace.

I remember running with four guys and I asked an older runner 'has anyone seen the 3:10 pacer?' Silence. Then he said, I'm going for 3:15. He asked the guy beside him (right behind me, how fast he was going. No answer. Then it turned out noone in that group knew what time they were going for. I just told them 'We're on 3:10 pace' to which the older runner said '3:15, lets go!'.

I left them about 100 metres later.

Running on Queens Quay was a dream. This is my neighbourhood and I was so happy to see real crowds gathered there. I know a lot of people cheering on friends and family were here to see marathoners before going to the end of the course, so I knew these people were actually out there to see us. Quite a few people were saying my name from my bib which was nice to hear. I was running alone, feeling strong, in a groove.

Hit the half marathon mark in 1:34:36 and as I write this, this is pretty amazing. Two years ago my fastest half marathon was 1:34:41 (My current PB is 1:31:34) yet during this marathon, I was cruising into the same time with plenty of gas left in the tank. This just shows where my training and experience has gotten me. (Reminder to self to race a half marathon in the next half year to see what I'm capable of).

21.1K to 30K. In and out of the Spit.
Shortly after the half, I saw a surprise cheering section that included a friend of mine (she's R's best friend who ran the 5K). That was a nice boost. I gave them a thumbs up and powered my way into the next section. I knew that the halfway mark to 20 miles would be an exercise in restraint. To try not to waste too much energy and emotion -- that's what the last 6.2 miles are for. The sun was fully out at this point and I was getting a little worried about the lack of shade on this course. We ran on Commissioners, which is an ugly industrial area, but it's also my home training ground. At about the turn into the Leslie Spit, an out and back into a park/reclaimed land/landfill dumping ground, we spotted the lead marathoners coming back. They were about to hit the 37K mark and looking strong.

I had still remembered to take my gels but I was increasingly consuming them well before I hit water stations. I was so intent to get my fuel in me that come hell or high water I'd put them in my mouth and just wait for the next water stop to take the water to wash them down.

Here are some of my splits

23K: 4:28
24K: 4:27
25K: 4:29
26K: 4:24
27K: 4:26
28K: 4:26
29K: 4:28
30K: 4:29

As you can see, I was within one to 4 seconds my marathon pace. At around the 27K mark, the guy who i'd been using as my semi pacer suddenly stopped at an aid station. At this point, I was truely alone in reaching my goal of a 3:10. Quite frankly, there was no one else around me who seemed to be going for that pace. I just bared down and decided to keep the pace up. I would not let the pace of those ahead of me dictate my running turnover. I hit the 30K mark in 2:14:35, which was 25 seconds faster than planned. I was very happy with this pacing job. In my head, that gave me about a 1:30 bank to meet 3:10:59.

30K: 2:14:35. Target pace 2:15

30K to 39K: The homestretch

The next bit had me run farther east, into the Beaches then up to Queen. It was a lonely road. There were only a few runners ahead of me and by keeping up my pace, I was starting to over take people. I continued to take the water, the gels, the bloks and I felt pretty good, pretty good for going more than 20 miles alone. I hit the last chip check mark at 33.7K, which I clocked in at 2:30:10. At the turnaround, I could see the CN Tower and I just told myself, it's only 9K home. I started to think of the distance in miles and it really didn't seem that far. At around the 35K mark, I felt a slight twinge in my right calf but I thought I could shake it out. I wished that I'd change my stride a bit and make kick it out a bit. I wish I had a group leader to talk us through the inevitable rough patches. Instead, I was alone with my thoughts. It was freeing, but also daunting.

Before the race, I decided that I would dedicate miles 23 to 26 to my mom. She's been through so much but is fighting and I thought that at the very least, some 20 odd minutes of suffering on my part was nothing. I hit the 37K mark and I couldn't believe where I was. I was a little more than 5K away from my goal and it was just within reach. But while it was close, 23 plus minutes felt so far away.

The splits below tell the story. I was simply on a tear. Not too fast, just pounding out those kilometres.

31K: 4:27
32K: 4:30
33K: 4:27
34K: 4:29
35K: 4:29
36K: 4:24
37K: 4:29
38K: 4:31

39K to the finish: The struggle home
Then it happened. The cramps just hit. First a twinge, then it hit with full force. That's it. After more than 38 kilometres, I was forced to slow to a walk. When I think back, I don't know what forced it. It was maybe by this point that despite hitting all my splits my breathing pattern and gone to the red line stage? I was running in the sun and I felt over heated. The cramps caused my first walk break. I remember a few moments before that. I felt that I was staggering a bit. I remember a course volunteer biking by me asking if I was okay. I remember another volunteer asked me if I wanted to sit down, if I wanted to just take it easy.

There was no way I wanted to. My Boston goal was still well within reach so I forced myself to start running. My watch says I did 39th kilometre in 4:50, which is still a decent pace. In fact, if I was able to keep up that pace, I could have very well met my goal.

The next kilometre was not as kind as the cramping continued. I may have been in a panic at this point, just dismayed that with every second of rest, I was throwing away all my training. Every second of rest felt good, a respite from the pain and three hours of running at a hard intensity. But every second worked against me.

Again, I summoned more and ran toward Bay street, turning the corner, taking frequent walk breaks. My Garmin goes wonky at this point due to satellite coverage, but I know that in the last kilometre or two, I did fit in bouts of running. If I were smarter, I would have reverted to a recovery run. Instead, I decided to beat the cramps by running strong and I was able to do this for a bit. I must of ran up to a kilometre at real pace but then it became too much. I was out of breath.

If you've ever seen a runner stagger near the end of a marathon, stagger like a drunk tries to walk a straight line, then you may have a good idea of what I looked like when I took a walk break around 600 metres from the end. I heard people cheering my name, but the only thing I could see was how far away the finish line seemed. In other races, I can visualize 800 metres as two times around the track and it'll give me an impetus to finish the race. But at the end of a marathon, the last thing I wanted to picture was any lap around any track. Trackwork, I guess, I associate with hard running!

I walked slowly and was losing control of my cramping legs. My friend Peter, who emerged out of the crowd, grabbed me by the arm and helped walk me a few metres. A race official also went out and asked me if I wanted to stop. Peter urged me on. He steadied me when I took one step back then a step to the side. He then convinced me and the official that I could totally finish the race. He grabbed a bottle of Gatorade and told me to take a few sips, which I did, then he yelled something like, 'it's only 500 metres to go, you can do this'!

We exchanged emails later Sunday and he told me that someone almost pulled me off the course!

And he shared a little more of the carnage he witnessed.

I saw a guy about 10 minutes ahead of you who was having an even tougher time - he was weaving right across Bay Street. There were others - after I left you there was a guy on the ground around Richmond. And an ambulance a little later on in the same area. I figured the sun, the heat coupled with the humidity in the morning would really take a toll on a lot of people.

Ain't no way you weren't gonna finish that race.

Thanks Peter.

And off I went. This was the toughest end. I was checking my watch as my A and B goals went down the drain. I knew then that I just had to finish it for myself. I fought through panic of a summer dedicated to training for one race. I fought through the pains in my legs, my head and in my very lungs. I fought because the crowd was urging me on, cheering my name. I staggered to the finish and it was over.

(Chip time: 3:19:39.)

After I hit the finish line, I guess I was staggering, because a race official came up to me, while another came with a wheel chair. I was spent but alert. I was wheeled into the medical tent. They took my pulse, they took my name and address and lifted my legs on top of a case of Gatorade. It was an odd feeling. My legs were done, the muscles were throbbing and I had a Charley Horse or two while there. I drank a few cups of Gatorade that they advised me to sip. I had to ask for another few cups before I felt good enough to sit up on my bed/stretcher. I looked around and saw other marathoners, guys and gals like me who had finished around my time. There were at least 10 of us in there. Wow, I thought, this race that done in a lot of people. After about 15 minutes, I got up, thanked them, checked out and lined up to grab my medal. (I remember sitting on the bed thinking 'hey, am I gonna get a medal or not?!')

I hobbled around the corner, grabbed a foil blanket and hobbled all the way home, down Bay Street. As I walked, my legs were recovering. Blood was moving into my legs and as I watched marathoners go by, the 4 hours, 4:15, 4:30, I saw the same faces as mine. I saw smiles, I saw determination, I saw courage, I saw young, old, male, female. They were all headed up the same road that I had toiled on earlier. I felt proud to be among them. They were my kind of people. Marathoners.

Which brings me back to a funny moment after I staggered past the finish line, a mess of a runner with jelly like legs. A volunteer who was guiding me toward the wheelchair asked me if this was my first marathon. I just held out my hands, put up my four fingers and smiled. 'Four,' I said. 'This is my fourth.' I'm sure she'd think I was crazy if I told her I'm running my fifth in 28 days.

Chip time: 3:19:39
Overall: 180/2532 (92.8 percentile)
Age group: 34/219 (85.8 percentile)
Gender: 156/1577 (90 percentile)

Run details on Garmin Connect. Note that it records it as 3:16 and change. I think I hit my stop button really early.

Next: Reflection on my training, on goals and what's next for the Marine Corps Marathon.

Pre-race report: Flying Pig Marathon

I remember writing about the aches and pains that manifest during the taper. Little did I know that one of those aches would cause a major worry right until the starting gun.

I ran in Toronto last Wednesday, a double run in the morning, the first a pacer, the second a recovery run. I took the day off work Thursday because I was into my 10th day in a row at work as a result of an unexpected weekend duties at my job. Thursday was a godsend. I caught up with sleep, started to pack and finally think about this race. I've been trying not to think about because other things have been on my mind.

With extra sleep in the bank, I started to notice that my left foot was starting to ache. It was a dull pain that registered every time in my toe when I took a step. It was not in the bone, and I could stretch my toes, but every time I landed on the ground, I almost had to wince. I thought nothing of it and just thought It'd go away.

On Friday, I was the first from the convoy to arrive in Cincinnati, arriving just after 1 p.m. I cabbed it into the hotel and found the expo was right next door from the Millennium where I was staying. So after getting into my (very nice) room, I went to the expo. There was a steady stream of people and within an hour, I had grabbed my chip, shirt and bib and also raided the Asics area for a hat, a hilarious T-shirt ('I'll run a marathon when pigs fly') and an Asics pullover fleece. Also hit the drug store for Gatorade (fuel), breadstick mix (fuel) and muffins (fuel).

I walked around downtown, had lunch at Potbellys at the Fountain Square. JellyP, who drove down with CMan since Thursday night, texted me to tell me she was too bagged to get dinner so I waited for R. to arrive from DC for late noshing. We went out to an overpriced Italian joint that had pretty good pasta (penne with bolognese and a few refills of bread). We went back to the hotel and settled in. During the night, I told R. how my toe was really starting to bug me. When I was carrying my dufflebag, I could feel myself actually limping. The rest of my legs were compensating for the pain. Walking was like this: Step (ow), step, step (ow), step, step (ow).. you get the picture.

I got up early on Saturday to see how dark it was at 6:30 (it's dark) and went out to grab a small bag of fuel at the bagel store. The wind was howling, it was cool and it was pouring! had a breakfast (egg, sausage and cheese on sesame) and watched the beginning of the 10K. I was so surprised they had a good showing considering the racers had to wait in the rain for the race to begin. JellyP and family pulled into the hotel next door and we did a quick drive through the course. We toured the hills and we had a major freakout driving through miles 5 through 8. Part of it was because we (in retrospect) took a wrong turn and encountered some deadly hills, but we also previewed the right ones and knew it'd be a massive challenge.

They did the expo thing after and we had a very late lunch (3 p.m.) at Rock Bottom Brewery, where the girls did the beer sampler while the boys didn't touch any alcohol. I was the only boy racing, by the way. I guess the girls thought were fine since they were doing the half. I had a club sandwich with slaw but had a few of R.'s nachos.


Photo: The half marathoners (JellyP and family) and me.

We finished, parted ways, made it back to the hotel while JellyP and family went to her sister's inlaws in Kentucky to watch the Kentucky Derby and drink Mint Juleps. We watched the derby, was happy and sad about the outcome (one glorious victory, one untimely death) and R. nicely went down to get me some linguini and chicken from the hotel resto. It was, well, store-bought quality but I was happy to carb up.

I guess I should back up and reintroduce the toe problem. We hit the expo earlier in the morning. My foot was still hurting and I was starting to really get worried. The toe area bears a lot of weight in each step. If I was experiencing pain for every walk, could I 1) sustain a run 2) sustain a pace run for 26.2 miles? I picked up some Motrin (ibuprofen) and took one in the morning. The pain dulled a tiny bit but it was still there. I could go on my tippy toes, but when /i walked it hurt and when I put pressure on the fleshy part between the big toe and the second one, it really hurt.

At the expo, I saw a booth had for sale a product called IB-RELIEF. It was a ibuprofen cream for muscles and joints that also reduced inflammation and helps increase mobility. I'm not a type of guy who jumps at taking such medication but I took a few glances at R.

Me: Should I get it?
R: Sure, why not?
Me: I dunno, you think it works?
R. Couldn't hurt
Me: You know what, It couldn't hurt
R.: It's $20, that's kinda expensive
Me. If it works, it's the best $20 i'll spend this weekend

I thought it was hilarious that there was a sampler there. I mean, you put it on and wait for a few hours? I followed two other racers who were having similar discussions that R. and I had. Before lunch, I put on some around the toe. In a few hours, the pain definately was reduced but was still there. I read the back of the package, it said 'May take 48 to 72 hours to become effective' and I prayed that this 'may' thing was applicable to me.

After dinner, R. and I walked down to the starting line by the football stadium. It was so quiet and dead. It reminds me of what the SkyDome area of Toronto looked like 10 years ago before they put up 20 condos in its vincinity. We plotted out where she'd camp out the next morning. I went back to the hotel, put on more cream, was happy that it was starting to work, and went to bed after 9 p.m. My bedtime reading was a printout of the race strategy from the Pig website.

I slept very well given the circumstances. At 2:15, I woke up, ate a bagel with some Gatorade, did a washroom break, went back to bed. At 4 a.m. I got up and started to dress, had a banana. I was shocked that my toe didn't really hurt when I walked, just a little hint of previous trouble. I applied more cream and then put in a Motrin pill with my gear, just in case I needed it during the race. The night before, I had done the bib, the chip, so it was just a matter of putting on the clothes, and getting ready. I hit the washroom a few times and was out the door at 5:25.

The lobby was buzzing and I went outside. It was dark, so I had abag with my shades for later, a jacket for after the race, a phone to call R. with to coordinate after the race. I made it to the race site and there was a nice crowd. I checked my bag, took my fuel and hand warmer (cool call on my part) and headed to the starting area. The corral for sub 3:30 was prety empty, but I got there before 6 a.m. and started to stretch. Over the next half hour the pacer Chris arrived, and more racers were in the area. I did a pee break about 6:10 and got back to the crowd. We were settling in sardine-mode when they announced that the race would be delayed 15 minutes and that there was a three-alarm fire on the race course. They said they needed extra time to divert the course and that by the time the first marathoners were there, it'd be all taken care of. We heard the announcement and that got us buzzing but the time went by. Nerves I guess.

The countdown came out of nowhere ('50 seconds!'), we all got our game faces on, I was within spitting distance of the pacer and the gun and we were off.

Race report: Marine Corps Marathon

It's long, it's painful, but here it is. My race report for marathon No. 2.

The start: Mile 1 to 5 through Rosslyn and into Georgetown

By the time we got under way, we were lined up really close to the front. I think we crossed the starting line about 30 seconds after 8 a.m. As a result, we quickly got into pace and did not have a lot of runners to dodge or weave ourselves around. There were surprisingly a lot of people watching the start near the Arlington Cemetery. I knew that R. was making her way near the start so I kept an eye on her while trying to maintain close contact with the pacer. In this, as all races, the first part is just a mass start, big crowds of varying paces. You get a hard time figuring out if you're going out too fast or if some are just pushing you too fast.

At the very end of the first mile, in Rossyln, Virginia, we encountered a hill. Not a small one but a fairly steep incline. It was the first of several. Just as I nearing, I saw a girl with a fluorescent jacket. It was R. and I waved at her and saw her try to take a picture. I was happy to have seen her and was hoping I'd see her at a few other spots we'd preplanned.

I hit the first mile in 7:19, faster than the 7:37 pace we should have been doing for a 3:20 marathon. We ran the second in 7:22 (incline followed by a decline) and the next on pace. I quite enjoyed this part of the run as it was through very nice neighbourhoods and hilly areas that were kinda fun to run through. It's always a good test to throw hills at runners, but to throw it at the beginning of a mostly flat marathon was really odd. The fourth mile had a fantastic downhill in which we all coasted. Jack, our pacer, who we later nicknamed "Captain Jack", told us to take care of our quads and did some mentions of Boston hills. By this time, we had hit the first water station which I did not hit because I had my 10 ounce Gatorade bottle with me. I drank from it throughout the first two miles.

I was feeling good. The running was smooth. This was easy and time to get into relaxed running, which I was managing despite the altering terrain.

5 mile split: 37:45 (3:20 pace was 38:08.43)

5 mile to 10 miles: From Georgetown to the District.

The end of the 5 miles saw us climb a hill and cross a bridge into Georgetown, where we had massive crowds of college kids and other supporters yelling their brains out. It was so much fun at this and other points during the race. This area had lots of hills again, but I was killing time keeping up with the pacers. I was starting to familiarize myself with the runners who were keeping up with him. It turns out there were about 12 of us consistently following him, so our little group of 3:20 pacers formed a tight little pack among the bigger group of runners we were passing or being passed. I was keeping to the right of the group because I like to keep to the right and I also told R. I'd be on the right hand so she could spot me.

We hit mile 6 at 7:38, on pace, and mile 7 at 7:07, really fast but assisted by the hills. Mile 8 was done in 7:21 and I already knew that this pacer was going to push it throughout the race. No one in my group really asked him why he was going fast, only that we were doing different pacing because of the hills. This is my one complaint about pacers. They are runners who pace runs that are slower than their personal bests so obviously they have better LTs. We, on the other hand, have a narrower band. And so while they push the pace by 10 or 15 seconds, we don't have that type of fitness.

I knew this but also knew that I had created a buffer for myself. That my fitness and my races told me I should be able to handle a 3:20 or even faster. Plus, I knew the benefits of running with groups and I'll tell you that's one major area of anxiety that I'd like to do away with during a race.

By mile 9, we were on the way back to complete Georgetown and head toward the Kennedy Center and the Mall. We were now running alongside marathoners who were 3 miles behind us and it was a massive crowd. We saw the other pace groups and it felt good to be with the 3:20 group -- we were running strong. There were no pretenders in our group. We were running hard, smooth and with purpose (which meant little conversation).

I had by this time ditched my bottled and had made sure to grab Powerade at all the stops. I'd grab cups, pinch, take a good sip, and keep on running until I drained most of it. It was something I did smartly until the end. The water stations at these big marathons are chaos. Runners didn't really take the water then sway into the middle.. Instead, we were like drunkened dancers, bouncing and weaving out of each others' way, no partners, just trying to avoid each other. Meanwhile, our pacer stayed in the middle, grabbed a drink and powered on. We always managed to catch up to Captain Jack but it took a little effort.

10 mile split: 1:14:56 (3:20 pace was 1:16:16)

10 miles to 15 miles: And into the Mall we go

Oranges. I think I read about it in another blog last year that they have oranges. I was happy to see them so I grabbed two slices and stuffed one into my mouth. I thought about chewing them to get the juice, then spitting them, but I decided that food is good to get into the system. I had taken a gel at the hour mark and I had two more in store. I also had some beans, and six shot blox that I was saving for the end.

I saw R. soon after on a curve near the Lincoln memorial. We traded a nice high-five and I caught up to the group. I would have to say that miles 11 to 13 were the most fun of the marathon. The crowd was loud and having fun and I was soaking it up. I didn't do any high fives but I was enjoying the moment. And it was nice to hear the "go 3:20 pace group!" cheers throughout the race. We did mile 11 in 7:21, mile 12 in 7:17 and mile 13 in 7:24. Clearly, our pacer had no intention of slowing down to pace even in these flat miles. I wasn't complaining but I also wasn't heartened by people who said "we just did a 7:30 mile". Yikes. So much for 7:37s.

We hit the half marathon mark in 1:38:02 which was almost two minutes faster than the planned 1:40. Time in the bank, the pacer would say later. Time that I would pay for later, I thought at one point.

Mile 13 and 14 were still in the Mall and heading toward the Tidal Basin. I was expecting R. at some point and I finally spotted her a lot farther into the race than I'd expected.


We said hi, I smiled, and she snapped the only picture she was able to get of me. It also turned to to be the last time I saw her until after the race. Mile 15 was done in a fast 7:21 (and they followed miles of 7:24 and 7:31). We were simply putting a lot of banked time away. This would be the pace I'd go for if I were aiming for a 3:15 but our pacer showed no intention of wanting to hit his splits. I'd hear him say from time to time "we've got two minutes in the bank!"

15 miles: 1:52:17 (1:54:25.30)

15 miles to 18 miles: The Park and back

I really wasn't looking forward to miles 16 to 19 as they were to be run in the East Potomac Park. I had been there twice, the first time accompanying R. to the swimming pool on a super hot day in July. The second time on my last 20 miler three weeks ago. It was a super humid and warm day (the day before the Chicago marathon's heat wave). But this time, it was sunny, it was cool and I had a group to run with so it went smooth. Our group had thinned at this point and there were fewer runners in general within sight. In fact, our group was now running like a pack, devouring people in our sights. It was quite the experience to be part of a strong formation of runners. We were tightly together in the windy bits and although we spread out during the water breaks, we stayed together.

18 miles: 2:14:43 (3:20 pace: 02:17:18)

18 miles to 22 miles: The Wall, the Bridge and a Crystal City

We hit the 18 mile mark with almost 2 minutes, 30 seconds of banked time. On the way back out of Haines point at mile 18, Captain Jack relayed some funny story that I really didn't catch. Others did and they laughed. I just concentrated on the other runners' forms. We got some jelly beans and continued to chug along.

I remember the bridge leading towards the final six miles. People were starting to walk. We'd run as a pack and start really passing people. I really made an effort to keep with the group. We reached the 20 mile mark and I didn't feel like I hit the wall yet. Jack said "It's just a 50 minute 10K to go, a nice lazy Sunday run". We laughed but we all knew it was the farthest thing from a lazy weekend run. It was about to get tough.

There were no water stations for the bridge so I started to chew on the Clif shot blox. I had one set out per mile and I chewed and let it sit in my mouth while I sucked on the sugar. I think I should have just ingested it. I had also taken my second gel at the 17 mile mark. As it turns out, I "forgot" to take the third. Not a good idea, I don't think.

Still, the miles were going well: I did 18 in 7:27, 19 in 7:29, 20 in 7:25, 21 in 7:21 and 22 in 7:26. I was now two miles past the unofficial start of The Wall and I had not hit it yet. It was a good sign but I also felt myself really tiring and losing a bit of concentration.

I hate out and backs because it really makes you feel like you have a long distance to go. At the Crystal City out and back (miles 21 to 23) I could see the sub 3 hour marathoners and the 3:10s running. It wasn't a massive group. The wind started to really pick up and it was a chilly one. I grabbed a sponge they were handing out and it only managed to make my hand a bit colder.

22 miles: 2:44:54 (3:20 pace 2:47:49)

22 miles to 26.2 miles: The long trek home

We hit the 22 mile mark a full three minutes ahead of schedule. This was good to have banked time but I had run the majority of this race faster than planned pace. When I look back at the first 22 miles, only one was at pace and one was 1 second slower. All 20 others were faster, some by 10 to 20 seconds faster.

Mile 23 was another decent one at 7:28. At this point, I was just trying to picture another 5K run but the wind and cold temperatures were (again, like last year) getting to me. Mile 24 saw two things happen. First, I lost my pace group. They were just going a little bit faster and I didn't make the effort to catch up and match their pace. I didn't totally slow down, but it wasn't looking good. I did mile 24 in about 7:48, which isn't totally bad as it was only the second mile slower than planned pace.

Then it happened. I hit a wall. Not a massive one at first, but I was hitting it. Mile 25 saw me run by the Pentagon and it's a very lonely stretch. It's also the area of the start of the race so it's kinda disheartening to see it while you are cold, tired and all alone. I took my first walk break of the entire marathon at mile 25. Just like in the last marathon, a walk break broke me, but not entirely. My Garmin is kinda off for the total distance, but it shows mile 25 at 8:47, which is a minute off my pace. It's actually not a bad pace at all but given I was training for a consistent 7:37 mile pace, it felt very slow.

The last mile was tough tough tough. I had to walk once in a while. I felt what I felt a year ago: my heart seemed to be racing, my legs were cramping (a lot of it due to my taking walk breaks) and I was a little dizzy and even a bit disorientated at one point or the other. My mind told my body to go. My head said, "you've run 770 miles in this training, you can go one mile more" but my body could only give me a slow run followed by a few steps of walking. I hit the turnaround in the last bit and I accidentally hit the curb and found myself staggering a step to the left. I must have looked like I was drunk. A Marine asked if I needed assistance. I said I was okay, just a little bit thirsty.

I was checking my watch throughout the last mile. I saw the time ticking away and my biggest fear was totally blitzing my time. I really wanted to improve from last year's time. I had to. I was reassured that I could make a strong showing but my mind wasn't really doing good math for me so I had no real clue of what to expect for a final time.

Runners going past me were very encouraging, running strong while telling me I could do it, that I can pick it up. Trust me, it helps, every last encouragement. I did a slow jog and tried my hardest not to walk. The final hill is a test of strength of any runner in the middle of a race. At the end of a marathon, it's a cruel cruel thing. But you see the finish arches and by god, any runner worth his or her salt would find nothing but speed. So after one 5 second walk break, and getting the encouragement from the sidelines, I ran and picked it up.

It was not the shuffle of a humiliating end to a strong strong marathon, but one of a proud runner who had worked as hard as he could, trained as hard as he could and as I neared the finish, I put up both arms. I had deserved this moment and I was going to cherish it.

Post marathon march
I got my medal and was a little unsteady because of my legs and was dehydrated and weak. A Marine kindly walked with me for about 50 metres. Another two or three asked me ("Sir," they said) if I was okay. I nodded them and thanked them. They did a truely fantastic job in organizing this and I was grateful. They handed me a bag, I filled it up with goodies, I slow walked up a hill, cramped one leg, then walked slowly to the UPS truck to grab my bag. A Marine saw my hat and said "where are you from?!" I said "Toronto". He said, "I'm from North Bay, and I'm going home soon" All I could say was "It's good to see you."

At this point, I was close to tears. It all hit home. I had trained for so long and I didn't have my emotional moment until 15 minutes after the finish. I collected my finisher's coin, walked a little more and decided to plop myself down and phoned R. to come get me. I also phone blogged some thoughts. You can hear the pain/joy/exhaustion in my voice.

After reflecting, today, I picked up the Washington Post and saw two pages, one for top men, the other for top women. I was surprised to see that they printed first first thousand or so for both genders, which meant I got to see my name in print.



You have no idea what little spark of joy that it caused in me and it brought me to this. I'm no elite athlete, nor am I the fastest runner. But I worked hard and through that training, I've achieved far more than I ever thought I ever could. I set a personal best yesterday of more than 10 minutes (last year's 3:35:15 v. Sunday's 3:24:23). Nothing to be disappointed with. I'm very happy with the result.

I've learned so much this marathon and the training cycle. It showed me that the proper training can get you very far. Being prepared for the unprepared takes a tough outlook and I've yet to steel my nerves and head for this distance. Last year, the Wall hit me at mile 20. This year, I smashed through 20 but it got me at mile 25. Next time, perhaps, I be prepared to scale it, and keep on running. Yes, there will be a next time. I'm in this marathoning business for good.

Chip time: 3:24:23
Place overall: 895/20667 (96.5 percentile)
Place gender: 787/12610 (93.7 percentile)
Place division: 137/1900 (92.7 percentile)
Pace: 7:47 miles

Next, more analysis and post race thoughts

Race report: Chicago Marathon

Here's the Chicago Marathon course map if you're wondering all the streets i'm mentioning.

The first 5K
We were off, and we started that little jog as all runners do in big races, when we probably could just speed walk. But then we hit the starting line, a minute after the opening siren. The first three miles were euphoric. I was just soaking it in. I couldn't believe my eyes.


There were spectators everywhere. Cameras everywhere. Funny signs and screaming fans. I have never experienced a feeling like this and I guess now I know what it's like to be a rock star. (This pic of the elites was by R.)

But focus was the order of the day, and I was struggling to find my way to the 3:20 pacers. It was an odd feeling, being so excited, yet so aware that it was time to go to work right away. Unlike other races, this was the first time I had anyone to pace me, and it kept me honest.

As I hit the 5K point and the first chip stop, I distinctly remembering three thoughts. 1) This is amazing, I can't believe i'm here 2) Wow, i'm on pace, but I gots a long way to go and 3) Um, I have to pee. I guess all you runners know what it's like to be in a race and thinking nothing more than, 'damn, what am I going to do.'
5K mark: 23:28


5K-10K

My next 5K (3.1 miles) were pretty uneventful. I was still trying to conserve energy. I felt okay, not too cold. We were running up LaSalle, and I was at this point catching up to one of the pacers. With that taken care of, I shifted my attention to the crowd and found myself running on the right-hand side of the course, something I would stick to for most of the race. The water stations were not that bad for me, and I was taking water so I was skipping the Gatorade guys at the front. Another advantage of the Preferred I start is that you don't have crowded stations. We turned into the park area where we joined Stockton, and then the funniest thing happened: runners starting jumping off course, headed directly for the portapotties. At this point, I was desperate. Damned my pace, I had to go to the washroom or I would have a mid race accident. I joined the guys running out, found a big tree, faced the park, and ... I finished up, sprinted up the grassy hill and rejoined the runners. For some reason, at this point, there were a lot of 3:20s and I found that I was slightly ahead of the pace bunnies. I fell into line, took my gel, took water, and then we were off.
10K: 47:09:

10K-15K
When we hit the six mile mark, I looked at my watch and thought 'okay, about a quarter done, not even an hour is out of the way.' We ran alongside the water but my focus was on the pace runner. I was admiring the fact that they could keep the pace while holding the sign. I had no trouble at all keeping up the pace. A woman in her 40s ran alongside me and asked 'are we at pace', and I answered 'I think so, i'm just following him'. We smiled and continued to pound it out.

Then we turned into Wrigleyville. At this point, I was just enjoying the crowds. I had this flamboyant runner who'd gesture to the crowd to get them going and they would cheer even louder than usual. I hit the 15K mark and it was starting to get a little drizzly. I could see the downtown area so my mind was going forward to the halfway mark.
15K: 1:10:52

15K to 21.1K
Around the 10 mile mark, a few runners beside me were commenting that it was 10 down, 16 to go. I wasn't thinking much about how much to go. I was just focusing on not losing the pacer and keeping attention to the people who were around me. They helped me focus... I remember a turn and I think the Elvis impersonator was finishing up My Way, which is a song I love.. I got to hear all 5 seconds of it.As the downtown neared, I had this funny thought. It was something like this. "Hey, my hotel is nearby, wouldn't it be nice to stop right now" I have no idea why this was the case.

At this point, running down Franklin toward the halfway mark, we were in the city and the crowd was again very loud. I was running in the right side hoping to pick out R. Suddenly, I hear "Kenny!" and I look back to my left (the other side) and I see R. waving. I would have loved to gone to her but I couldn't, so I waved, said 'Hi"! and smiled. I was very happy to see her and it turns out that I wouldn't see her again until after the race. (Note: the picture here is one she took right before she saw me. You can see the 3:20 pacer) We hit the half marathon mark at 1:39:37, which is a full 5 minutes slower than my half marathon racing time. This was perfect, I thought, I'm going at a slower pace and I can hold it for a lot longer
20K: 1:34:28
half: 1:39:37

21.1K to 25K
This was not a favourite part of the course. We were not sheltered and the wind was hitting me. I felt like I needed more liquids and I couldn't decide on when I needed to take the gel. Worse part, was the crowd thinned. I was still able to go on. I was very happy to hit the turnaround and head back on Jackson. At this point, my hands were overheating, so I took off my gloves and tucked them into my shorts. But within minutes, my hands were getting cold. The weather was really starting to get to me, but I was holding my pace.
25K: 1:58:33

25K to 30K
This was my last 'strong' 3 miles. We turned into Little Italy and I was feeling it. I was getting tired and my legs were starting to get sore. I took my first real walk break, just to catch my breath. I was able to power through, and I knew my splits were off. A crucial thing happened here. I lost track of the 3:20 pace leaders. At this point, I had slowed to 8 minute miles or a 3:30 pace.
30K: 2:23:31

30K to 35K
Yep, we made it past the 20 mile mark and the wall appraoched. I was starting to feel a bit weaker and was losing focus. At this point, I could feel two muscles getting tight and uncomfortable. My left lower hamstring and my right calf. Every time I tried to pick it up, I could feel them seizing up. This was worrying me. By the end of the 35K, I think the lack of experience of racing at this distance caught up to me. You can read as much you can about the marathon distance, you can run slow-paced long runs of 22 miles, but until you pick a challenging running pace, I don't think you are ready to face the mental toughness to stick it out. I don't want to blame the weather, but the cold was really really getting to me. The next 5K were so tough.
35K 2:51:24

35K to 40K
At this point, when every big gust of wind, I could feel the cold bone chilling wind go right through you. And because I was taking a walk break here and there, I was not generating as much heat. I was putting my hand to my chest for fear that something would go wrong. I actually felt dehydrated at this point, and as it turns out, I also forgot to take a gel. Bad idea. Past the 23 mile mark, I could feel it almost over. It was just a 5K run after that point. 5K, I said to myself, that's a freaking walk in the park. But at that same point, the 3:30 pacer came running by. I was getting passed big time. I tried to pick it up, but my muscles were not cooperating. In the last three miles, I decided that my ambitious time goals were out the door and there were two major things to accomplish 1) just get this marathon done and 2) try to do it running, not limping.
40K: 3:21:17

The sweet finish
I knew that even at a fresh state, I could not chase 2.2K in less than 9 minutes, so I resigned myself to running it the best I could. Other people were walking too. The crowds were getting bigger and that helped. When I hit the mile remaining, I got a bit of a burst of energy, and started to run a bit harder. The last hill was tough that I slowed to a jog at some points. But final sign were there. I decided to enjoy this last bit of hte race. The last 10K were so difficult, but I would go into the last stretch happy, content that all my training had brought me to this moment. So I ran, smiled, lifted my arms at the cameras and crossed...

As I grabbed a space blanket and proceeded to get my chip taken off and the greatest moment, that medal, I bumped into the woman who asked me if we were on pace. She finished about a minute ahead of me. "It was too hard to keep up with him," she said of the pacer. I nodded and agreed.

Well, that's my first marathon. I've learned a lot of lessons but I'll leave that for another day. Chicago is an amazing city and its citizens should be blessed for coming out on a cold race day like Sunday to come out and cheer us. They were loud, they were proud and I was happy to run in their company. I still can't believe how amazing the fan support was.

As I was doing last-minute shopping on Michigan Ave. on Monday morning, I was smiling all the time when I spotted the marathoners with their distinctive limp. I joined them, my limp diminished by a smart ice bath, but there nonetheless. I limped up the street, into the book store, up the escalator and purchased a book. A running book, for my next marathon.

Finish 3:35:15
Overall: 5248/33629
Gender: 4346/18909
Division: 754/3102

Training mileage update
Marathon training: 1,125.5K (700 miles)
Year to date: 2,219.5K (1,379 miles)