My marathon adventure!

I am a marathon runner!!!

The alarm went off at 4:50am.  Outside it was dark and cold, and I was all warm in my bed, but this was MCM day.  It was time to get up!  I had set everything out the day before so all I had to do is eat breakfast and get dressed, but I wanted time to digest some before leaving our house.  Once we got to the start area I would have one chance at a port-o-potty if I was lucky.

We left at 6am, and it was dark and cold out.  I had so many layers on, I felt ridiculous.  I had my running layers, my toss away layers, and a jacket I was going to give to Bennett at the last possible second.  On our way to the metro we ran in to a neighbor, who we routinely pass on our way to work, out walking his dog.  He looked directly at me and asked if I was running.  I said yes, and he said “Go on then!  Congratulations!”  Bennett and I both thought it was funny that he clearly looked at me when asking about running and not Bennett.  With all my layers on, I didn’t look much more like I was wearing running clothes than Bennett did.  It was a nice start to the day. 

Getting to the start was such a hassle.  The metro wasn’t a problem until we got to the pentagon station.  It was so crowded with runners that it took forever to get out.  Then it was so crowded it took forever to walk over to the start area.  We of course picked the slow port-o-potty line as well.  We finally forced our way through the crowds to our starting chorale and found Max and Megan.  There were runners everywhere!  It was pretty crazy!

The gun went off, and the race started!  Since we were in the middle of the pack that meant mostly slowly shuffling forward for a bit before we could start actually running and cross the start line.  Then we were running and spent the first few miles in a very closely packed crowd of runners.  Almost the entire race was crowded, but nothing like the beginning.  Many times throughout the race I was glad for Max’s strong arm and quick reflexes.  He definitely kept me from falling several times when uneven roads were paired with people cutting us off.

The first part of MCM is a lot of uphills.  This was difficult because the hills and the cold air made me wheeze and made my lungs feel icky for the rest of the race.  Megan was struggling worse than me because she was running with bronchitis.  She had to slow down up the hills, and we ended up losing her temporarily once, and then for good all to the fault of the hills and bronchitis.  So Max and I were on our own.  We were supposed to have another person from running club run with us, but we couldn’t find him at the start. 

So we ran and we ran, dodging tossed clothing and runners a lot in the beginning.  It was a struggle to stay close to our goal pace.  Every few minutes Max had to slow me down, and even then, we were going a bit faster than we had planned.  This was the case through most of the race.  I wanted to run faster than I knew I could sustain, and I had this problem up through mile 20 or so.  A marathon is definitely about discipline; discipline to slow yourself down in the beginning and discipline to keep yourself going in the last few miles.  I can never run a marathon without someone with a Garmin watch to keep me in check!

Another problem was my Cliff Shot Blocks.  I absolutely love these things and have never had a problem with them!  For some reason though, they were not sitting well in my stomach.  Maybe it was because it was cold, and they were harder to chew.  I was afraid to eat what was on the course and make my stomach worse, but it was slightly not happy for most of the race.  In fact, I said something I have never said before.  Somewhere around mile 20 people were giving out chocolate.  I looked at Max and said “if I eat that I will vomit!”

Bennett and Erinn had several places they were going to watch and cheer us on.  Sandy came out to cheer as well and she somehow managed to be at all the good watching spots that Erinn and Bennett weren’t.  It was perfect!  Hearing their voices really gave me energy when I was feeling tired.  The spectator support at MCM is really great, but having someone you love cheering for you makes a big difference.

We were doing awesome on time for a while past the half-way point.  Then we ran into some trouble.  Personally, I hit an energy and confidence low around mile 18 ish, I think.  I was telling myself I would never do this again.  I hurt and I really didn’t want to keep going.  A few minutes later I heard Sandy’s voice, and it was the best thing I’d ever heard.  Hearing her cheering for me wiped the negativity right out of my head. 

I hit another low somewhere in Chrystal city.  The roads were uneven and people kept cutting us off.  The race was never going to end.  I don’t know how I got myself out of that one, but somehow I did.

Poor Max started having severe quad cramps somewhere before or around the mid to late teens of mileage. We kept trying all sorts of things to get rid of them: various kinds of energy and electrolyte products, walking breaks, even stretching, but they kept getting worse.  We tried to keep going but he was really in pain.  We started looking for people we knew to finish with me and saw no one.  Finally, after Max had been struggling for at least 6 miles, I told him to just grab someone so he could walk.

Max started searching for people who looked like they had enough energy to give me to and feel that it was safe.  He grabbed these two guys and asked them to finish with me.  They said yes, and they were amazing!  Even though they were tired, and had never guide ran before, these two men guided amazingly well!  They were from PA and also running their first marathon.  One was a pastor and the other a deacon of the church.  I thanked them as we started running and one said, and the other agreed, “we knew there was a reason we were running this marathon besides just torturing ourselves.  Now we know why.”  So I finished the last 2+ miles with these two amazing men who I had never met before and now feel like great friends! 

Crossing the finish line was amazing!  The feeling of having a marine put the medal around my neck and wish me congratulations is indescribable.

I am so thankful to my two drafted running guides and their families.  They helped me find Bennett and gave me attention while I waited for him.  They even kept me from freezing when I started violently shivering by giving me someone’s jacket to wear until Bennett brought me mine.

So I finished in 4:31:53.  This is 1:53 past my goal time of 4:30.  With all the problems we had in the last 8 or so miles, I am still happy with this time.  I think, had we not ran into trouble, we could have gotten in the low 4:20s.  Racing is about taking what the day gives you though, and I am still happy with my first marathon.  I feel like I ran the best I could, given what the day through at me.  I can’t wait to run my next marathon and try for a 4:20!

Day before marathon thoughts…

I’m sitting here under a blanket staring out at the cold rainy day.  I’m so thankful that it is raining today and not tomorrow, but wow is it going to be significantly colder tomorrow than I’m use to running in.  My body does not adapt to sudden weather changes as well as others when it comes to exercise so I am just hoping my lungs don’t fail me and turn in to a wheezing mess tomorrow.  Last I checked it is supposed to be 37 degrees at the start and might get up to the mid-40s around mid-day/early afternoon when we will hopefully be finishing. 

I have changed my mind on what I’m wearing tomorrow several times in the past few days.  I am, even now, not totally sure how many layers of shirts I will be wearing.  I keep mentally sorting through all my running clothes trying to think what will be the most comfortable and weather appropriate.  Some people are still planning on running most of the race in shorts and a t-shirt, and I am just amazed at their ability to handle cold or conversely how much they over heat when they run.

I attempted the concept of carb loading for all of a day (and failed), and officially decided that I do not believe in carb loading.  After lots of googling I found that most of the carb loading studies that produced an increase in athletic performance used only men, and the ones that focused on women, did not produce the same successful results.  Plus, after totaling up all the carbs I could think of actually eating, I realized there was no way I was getting 4g of carbs per lb. of body weight without drinking endurance sports drinks that I hate.  So, I’m continuing to eat all the yummy carb foods I love, and know sit well in my stomach.  We had yummy dark chocolate chip pancakes this morning for breakfast!  I’m also making sure to stay well hydrated leading up to the race!

I’m trying to calm my nerves and relax for now.  I have washed all my running clothes so that anything I could possibly want to wear is clean.  Later, Bennett and I will be headed out to a runner reception for Run To Remember and then dinner with Max, Megan, Erinn, and Mike.

No matter how things go tomorrow, I at least know that I will have great people running with me!  I’m sure they will help encourage me through the cold and inevitable exhaustion.  Plus Bennett and Erinn will be at places along the way cheering us on!

MCM obsessing…

This week is going by so slowly.  My anxious anticipation for Sunday is making it seem like it will never come.  And yet, I can’t believe how close the marathon actually is; it seems surreal.  It’s comforting to read the posts on the MCM Facebook page and know that others are obsessing as much as I am. 

I want it to be Sunday, and yet I’m afraid of Sunday.  I want this marathon so bad, not just to finish, but to do well.  I know finishing is doing great for a first marathon and that I should not worry about my time, but that’s easier said than done.  Maybe since the time I want is so possible, it makes me want it more. 

I am a competitive person.  Not in the traditional sense that I have to win, but I am very competitive with myself.  I want to do the best that I can do.  I want all these hours of training to pay off in a finishing time that I know should be possible.   I know that running the best race I can, however, given whatever conditions we face on race day should be enough.

So much is out of my hands now.  I put in the training, and now all I can do is eat healthy, rest, and obsess over the weather and what to wear.  This preoccupation is making it difficult to focus on work and other things.  I definitely have a one track mind for the moment J

One week...

One week until MCM.  This time next week it will all be over…

I don’t really know what to feel right now.  Nervousness and excitement are vying for the predominant emotion at any given time.  I have thought about MCM all year.  I have trained for this marathon since June.  For months and months the marathon has had an impact on most aspects of my life.  Now all I can do is wait…  I’ve trained all I can; I’ve one all I can.  Now is the time to trust in my training and myself.

If I feel a little lost and unsure now, how am I going to feel without this goal to work towards.  After my half marathon I felt completely directionless and lost a lot of momentum.  I signed up for the Hot Chocolate 15K in December to make sure there was some sort of race all ready paid for to keep me motivated.  Hopefully that will help 

Now the problem comes.  Sitting here right now, I want to do this over again.  I want to run more marathons (although maybe I’ll take that back in a week J ), but running marathon’s, and wanting the ability to be competitive with myself, is difficult.  I have yet to convince Bennett that he wants to run a marathon, although I have made the big step in convincing him a half marathon is a fun idea.  I am so fortunate in my guide runners for MCM.  They are better, faster runners than I am, which allows me to be as competitive as I can be, without a guide holding me back.  There are so many complications in finding a well matched running guide that I still hold out hope to convince Bennett that he wants to run marathons with me.

20 miles…

This past week was the peak week in my training with a total of 40 miles, 20 of which were my long run on Saturday.  So, I ran 20 miles!  My feet and legs actually moved non-stop for 20 miles with an average pace of 10:30…not bad for a training run!

We started our run before the sun came up.  It was dark and chilly as those of us running 20 miles gathered at Roosevelt Island to head out on C&O.  I had my substitute running guide to run with me, and she did amazing! 

Standing there in the cold and dark, for a minute I thought “what is wrong with me?  Why am I out to run this early?”  Once we got started running over the bridge I started to change my mind.  It was chilly, but not cold.  It was quiet and peaceful starting our run so early.  As the sun came up it started to warm up just a bit.  It was a really confortable temperature throughout the run.  The group consisted mostly of people I hadn’t run with before so there was lots of talking to keep us all entertained throughout the hours of running. 

Running that far was such an incredible experience, especially knowing that it is my last really long run before MCM.  I felt so strong as I continued to feel good while the miles added up. We got to 16 then 17 and I still was feeling ok…tired but ok.  By 18 miles I could tell I was reaching the hard point, the point where it was new, never run territory, but I could still keep going strong.  At this point it was 3 of us women together, encouraging each other through the last few miles.  There was such a feeling of solidarity, encouraging each other to run strong and keep going.  We even had the energy to run the last mile faster!

As a side note, even when I say I felt ok or still strong, that doesn’t mean that my legs weren’t seriously tired and sore and my brain didn’t want to just give up at times.  Feeling good and strong means knowing you still have more energy left in you.  It’s knowing that you still can go for more miles in spite of sore joints and tired muscles.  It’s such an incredible feeling to master your body and mind and keep going. 

Trying to walk as a cool down after 20 miles was kind of funny.  My legs felt so awkward, like they had forgotten how to walk.  My joints and muscles didn’t want to coordinate right.  I was happy for a soak in an ice bath when I got home and a massage later that afternoon.  The combination helped my legs only feel somewhat stiff on Sunday.

So now I enter the taper period of my training.  The next 3 weeks are all about gradually decreasing my running volume to arrive at race day well rested.  And yes, race day was 3 weeks from yesterday…scary!  It’s time to trust in my training…

A cold rainy run...

It is definitely fall!  I am so happy I got new fall running clothes last weekend because yesterday I seriously needed them.  With all the rain we’ve been getting, I am used to cloudy, gloomy Saturday morning runs, but yesterday, it actually rained on us.  My new running tights and long sleeved running shirt were welcome in the low 50s temperatures.

When we set out, we were freezing…well Megan and I were at least.  The wind blew so hard running over the Key Bridge to the C&O canal trail that it blew my hat off my head.  Luckily Bennett caught it.  Slowly we warmed up some as we ran, dodging mud and puddles.  First the sky was spitting and then it was drizzling harder.  We were all just hoping that it didn’t full out start raining.  

We got a reprieve from the rain for a few miles in the middle of our run.  The sun even teased us a bit threatening to come out.  But it did not.  Towards the end of our run it started raining again.  There was also some sort of race that day on the C&O trail and the runners apparently did not realize they had to share the trail.  Someone almost ran straight into us because she was running on our side of the trail and not paying attention.  It was like running into a heard of people.  Running back across the Key Bridge the rain felt like stinging pellets of water in the cold wind.  We were so ready to be done and back in dry warmth at that point.