Anyways...
Since we're both such great runners we decided that doing tons of running leading up to the race would just be pure poppycock and a waste of time. Plus, what's more b-a than running a marathon when your recent long run is like 10 miles (or worse)? Am I right? (ok... Jake and I both had injury problems so were in doubt to even start up until a week before).
The morning started off nicely with a 20 minute wait for a bus. Then crammed three to a school bus seat out to Byron. A quick stop off to lighten the load literally seconds from starting and we were off!
Jake had mentioned that he wanted to cool it and run with me (he runs WAY faster than me) for a few miles to make sure all systems were go. That lasted about 1.5 miles until we got to the county road that goes from Byron to Rochester. I was all for him doing his thing (so I don't feel like an anchor) and he was off. I settled into a nice comfy pace. Amazingly this meant sticking to the 4:15 pacer like a remora. Note.... other than starting... this would be categorized in my head as mistake #1 for the day. I can't run a 4:15 pace for 5 miles let alone 26.2. I should have been back in the 4:30-4:45 from the get go (knowing that it was going to turn into a crapfest with the heat later... though maybe going as fast as possible early on was smart since the weather wasn't brutal until about 9 o'clock... anyway... I digress).
Things were going swimmingly as I saw our lovely wives out on the course at miles 3 and 6 (approx). But the heat was starting to ratchet up. At about mile 8 or so I passed a medical team strapping someone onto an ATV to cart him to get some medical attention. This was the only person being carted anywhere that I saw all day. Which almost is amazing considering. Anyway... I knew that at roughly mile 10.5 we'd pass by my brother's 'hood so I'd get a little sugary treat and would check in with Carly and Claire... Confidently I said "I'm doing pretty good... I'll keep going". After leaving the happy thoughts of seeing friendly faces reality hit me. I was at mile 10.5... they were going to meet up with me at mile 20. The thought of being "alone" on the course for ten miles, in the heat, with a somewhat questionable knee started to freak me out. Stupidly though the only thing that I could think of was, "I might not make it to mile 20 by the time Jake is finishing... I don't want to take that away from Jake...".
While hating the hot weather, I generally at least know my limits and drink enough to not have to really worry about heat stroke or really being in danger. After about mile 20 I was cramping when I tried to run. So while I tried jogging off and on, it was mostly walking. No one was passing me though, so EVERYONE hanging out in my snail pace was walking. The stretch of course that went around the golf course was the WORST!!! This is what it felt like:
I kept going... grabbing ice when I could. Walking slowly through sprinklers when I could. Getting ANY shade I could even if it meant walking sideways along a concrete wall. Nothing too dramatic really happened though from mile 24 to mile 26. Walking. Mixed with crappy attempts at running which would end in me shaking my head at my crampy calves. Then... the finish:
I figured it was a rule that you had to attempt to run into the finishing chute and across the line. So I did. Until I cramped HARD! The announcer thought I had a blister or something... really? A blister? GAH! So I just sucked it up and waddled/ran/hobbled across the line. 5:39 or something. Yippee.
Ugh. At least in this heat, never again. Should have just ran the 1/2. Especially stupid when the 1/2 split from the full at mile 12. Oh well.
Jake struggled but is always faster at everything that I am (even struggling) so he clocked in a very respectable 4:37 (approx).
Jake will be running another one (is it because he had fun, or because now I have TWO of them while he only has 1???) but I may just have to hang up my full marathon shoes.
Next up? Mt. Kato (I think)
