This was my first marathon. First, the numbers:
The registration was closed at 8,300 entries. Finishers: 7084 Average time: 4:19:57 Winning time:
2:12:46 Top Woman: 2:30:41 Weather: approx. 43F at start. No wind, sunny skies. Course: Mostly flat,
but for a 2-mile steady climb at miles 21-23 (more on this later). Really beautiful, mostly lakes,
river, nice residential. Organization: Phenomenal, in my estimation. Everything worked. 5,000
volunteers. Could have maybe had more port-a-potties. Spectators: Organizers' estimate: 250,000
The spectators are pretty amazing. Marching bands, yard parties along the route, people handing our
food from their front yards. Good music in places. Bad in others.
My numbers: onlineraceresults.comview race.phpOpen ↗ Bib: 5045 Chip time:
4:13:08 In division (M40-44): 453/715 Among men: 2588/4376
I used Dave Kuehls' "4 Months to a 4 Hour Marathon" to train (Thanks, Jobin!). I would like to say
my failure to get across the line in 4 hours was the author's fault. It wasn't. In all, I would have
to say the training schedule got me in really good shape. Probably good enough to have met my goal.
This was my first marathon and I am frankly still running it all through my head (about 2 dozen
times a day). I was really hoping to finish in 4 hours, though I knew there was a possibility that
wouldn't happen. Looking back on it, I think I made a strategic error having to do with calorie
consumption.
I knew there would be Clif Shots along the way, but I didn't discover until the night before that
they would only be available at mile 17. Well, that's pretty late for me, and I didn't make other
arrangements, so I was running on empty by the time mile 17 rolled around. That was unfortunate,
since miles 21 and 22 are a steady uphill climb.
I knew about that, so as the hill approached and I panicked a bit about my empty fuel tank, I began
to consume anything and everything I could: bananas, oranges, PowerAde, and 2 chocolate Cliff Shots.
Well, needless to say, this did not set all that well in the belly, and for 2-3 miles, I felt like
throwing up.
After that passed, I started feeling better, even hungry. But by then I had fallen so far off the
pace that my 4 hour goal was out of reach. I poured it on the last half-mile (downhill--it was fun).
In all a good day.
To you veterans: How goes the psychology of running a second marathon? Because right now I want to
do it again. I believe I could run the same course in less time just by making better decisions.
Will this feeling pass, or am I doomed to spend next summer the way I spent this one?
Brian Jones