I ran a 3:38:25 at Coastal Delaware, PRing by almost three minutes and finally capturing that unicorn. I rode that high for a while but knew that a BQ minus 1 minute 35 seconds might not be enough for Boston 2018. the good thing about running an early spring race is that I had plenty of time to train for an early fall marathon. kim oldham, deputy state's attorney, future state's attorney, and ultramarathoner extraordinaire suggested Erie Marathon, a flat, fast course in (surprise!) Erie Pennsylvania. we convinced jen ritter to join us, because who doesn't love training for a marathon in Maryland in August?
my training went really, really well. June was 187 miles, July, 223 miles, and August, 241 miles. I hit paces I truly didn't think possible. James McKirdy, my coach, had me doing some some crazy hard workouts ---
- 5 x 1 mile at a 7 mm (7:03/ 7:03/ 7:01/ 6:58/ 6:57)
- 17 miles with periods at threshold pace and slightly slower than mp
- 40 minutes at threshold
- 18 miles (12 at MP) in crazy humid weather
- 6 x 800 (3:28/ 3:28/ 3:26/ 3:27/ 3:27/ 3:27)
Some of the workouts on my calendar ... I didn't think I could do them. I was nervous about quite a few of those, but facing them - and then DOING THEM - gave me so much self confidence !
I was regularly hitting 50+ mile weeks and lifting twice a week. I worked really, really hard. I felt strong and ready to go and the only thing that could hold me back was my brain.
[oh crap]
the weather looked *perfect.* I started checking it 15 days out because of course I did. the forecast said high 40s at the start and warming into the high 50s/ low 60s at the finish. PERFECT. like what you would order if someone gave you a menu of marathon weather.
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this will come as a huge surprise to everyone I know but I am A Planner. I'm prettttty sure that kim was making fun of me, but she started pressing me for The Weekend Race Guide. I'm
my BRF colleen treated us to chocolates and sweet cards
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kim picked me up (TWO MINUTES EARLIER THAN SCHEDULED) (jen met us in erie later than evening) and we started to drive north. REALLY north. erie is just south of canada, aka it's really far away. [okay it was seven hours]. we stopped in pittsburgh for lunch (noodles in the cutest neighborhood -- Squirrel Hill). we arrived at packet pickup (on schedule, woohoo, and yes I am fun at parties). you had to provide your id to get you bib and they took a photo of you with your bib to cut down on cheating, which I really appreciated.
packet pickup was at the race location-- presque isle (we were calling it nolle prosequi isle but that's not right) --- which was absolutely gorgeous.
we checked in at our hotel (which was on the water and beautiful), had an oddly romantic and surprisingly sort of expensive dinner, got chocolates from a local chocolatier, watched Sex and the City movie, and -- after setting five alarm clocks (including a wake-up call.. when I asked for a 4:30 wake up, the clerk said, "ouch") we went to bed. jen got in safely around 9:30.
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I had been thinking about a mantra for several months, and it was a podcast interview with Kara Goucher when it finally clicked:
believe.
Believe in my training. Believe in my ability. Believe in the race plan. Believe in myself. and I wrote it on my hand so when I looked down at my watch I'd be reminded.
we woke up at 4:30 and planned to leave by 5:15 (race start was 7). the race was a ten minute drive from the hotel, and we had to park at a lot about a half mile away and take a shuttle to the race start. it was chilly but I knew it would be perfect once we got running.
the RD gave us little flashlights at packet pickup and they really came in handy race morning -- it was totally dark at 5:30 am and the park didn't have many lights. after huddling together for warmth --
and using the port o potties, we ditched our cold weather clothes, checked our bags and headed to the race start.
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I lined up near the 3:40 group and figured I'd hang with them for a while and then take off. my goal was to better my BQ time by 90 seconds to two minutes. I figured that if I could go under 3:37 I'd be in a good place for Boston.
Coach James told me to go out nice and easy -- at an 8:20 - 8:25 pace --- for the first four or five miles, and then start easing into marathon pace. the 3:40 group (which is an 8:24 pace) took. off. they were running much faster than an 8:24 and it was hard, mentally, to be behind them. I kept thinking, "they're 3:40 -- they're ahead of me -- therefore I am going slower than 8:40." I knew that I was planning to run a smart race but it was still tough. I made some friends (including a woman who recgonized from my IG #flatrunner!) -- it's nice to chat with people (in the early miles!) and the first half flew by:
mile 1 - 8:22
mile 2 - 8:22
mile 3 - 8:19
mile 4 - 8:30
mile 5 - 8:16
mile 6 - 8:13
mile 7 - 8:16
mile 8 - 8:10
mile 9 - 8:12
mile 10 - 8:13
mile 11 - 8:07
mile 12 - 8:13
mile 13 - 8:13
first half: 1:47:26
The course is two loops around Presque Isle --- (you go through the finisher's chute at mile 13)
the race was small (1500 finishers) but the support was awesome. at one aid station a volunteer actually ran alongside me to give me my water !
I felt really strong at the halfway point, and the pain and fatigue didn't set in until mile 16 or 17. even then, it was manageable. I never felt awful. even though I was getting tired and sore, I wasn't slowing down... I was actually speeding up (!!!!!!)
I did what I always do when I get to mile 18 of a marathon -- I take it mile by mile. "I can get to mile 19, I can run one more mile, I can get to 19" and then, when I get to 19 "I can get to 20...". and repeat. there is a feeling of panic that sets in at mile 18 if I think "I have eight miles to go." eight feels like a lot, especially since I've just run 18. and so: just one at a time.
mile 14 - 8:10
mile 15 - 8:06
mile 16 - 8:08
mile 17 - 8:07
mile 18 - 8:08
mile 19 - 8:02
mile 20 - 8:07
mile 21 - 8:06
mile 22 - 8:12
mile 23 - 8:04
mile 24 - 8:17
mile 25 - 8:08
mile 26 - 8:03
second half: 1:45:38 ---a TWO MINUTE negative split !
I passed a lot of people, and - not going to lie - it felt good. starting out slowly is the way to go. it's no fluke the world records are set with negative splits. it's the best way to run a race and while it's scary at the beginning -- when you feel like you are going too slowly and will never "make up" the time -- it pays off.
I didn't realize that I could break 3:36 (I'm not awesome at math, and I'm really not awesome at math at mile 24) but I looked down in the finisher's chute and saw 3:35:xx and knew I could do it. It wasn't a pretty sprint but it got it done.
time: 3:35:56
pace: 8:12
AG: 32/ 105
overall: 643/ 1527
and a BQ minus four minutes and four seconds !
kim BQ'd (by almost the same amount!) and jen ran a 13 minute PR! we had an awesome post race brunch at Perkins, showered, and made the long drive back home.
and today is sunday, september 24 and I registered for Boston last Monday. I am feeling good about my BQ cushion but I -- and everyone else who qualified with less than a five minute cushion, aka "the squeakers" -- is still waiting for acceptance. Boston will likely announce the cut off this Wednesday and time is going by so slowly !
it's hard for me to believe that I'm a 3:35 marathoner. my first marathon was a 4:45! I've never been "naturally fast" but I am a hard worker. now COME ON WEDNESDAY !!
