This Weekend I was able to finish the San Diego Rock n’ Roll marathon. Above is a still shot of the finish line video at www.NBCsandiego.com. It was a memorable experience.
Saturday – I started the trip on an airport shuttle at 5:00 am in Petaluma and got into my hotel room at 11 am Friday. Went to the Pre race Expo, and got my race number and took a look at all the vendors. I think I was the only runner there over 200 pounds! Got to here Dean Karnazes speak. Earlier that week he had run to San Diego, FROM SAN FRANCISCO! it took him 11 days, and he followed the 22 Missions down from Sonoma It was a neat story.
That night we had a pasta dinner and had John Bingham as a speaker. He was funny and inspirational as always. He thinks like me on running, but with a lot more experience! Found out that night that Team in Training had raised $12.5 million for Leukemia and Lymphoma Research at the San Diego event alone.
Sunday – We got on the bus at 4:30 am to get to the starting line. We arrived at the start line at 5:30 and waited in Porta potty lines nearly until the final call to the corrals. *(really!) I was in Corral 12 with the 4:30 pace runners. It took us almost 10 minutes just to get to the starting line when the gun went off. I stayed with the 4:30 pace group until about mile 12 when I started to fade. That was when it started to get tough.
My hips and back started hurting, and I found my breath getting harder to catch. Slowing my running pace didn’t help unless I broke down and walked. I started seeing more and more runners off on the side of the course on the ground, heads hanging or being attended to by medical personnel. I was determined not to be one of them. Eventually I lost sight of the 4:30 pace group. Then the 4:45 pace group caught me and went on ahead. When I wasn’t able to keep pace with the 5:00 pace group, I was pretty disappointed and I slipped into a real mental funk. I decided I wasn’t going to worry about my time much more. My motto was from this point on “DON’T STOP!” I was worried if I stopped I couldn’t go again. I alternated running and walking, focusing on good form to keep my mind off of the pain.
By mile 20 I was passing some folks even when I was walking, I visualized my hike out last elk season and told myself that his last 6.2 miles was just like that hike back to camp. I continued to alternate running and walking. I was able to run the last 1/2 mile into the finish line. Apparently I had such an intense look on my face that my coach who was going to run me into the finish, thought better of it and left me alone.
I crossed the finish line with a time of 5:14:45. 8 minutes slower than my hilly Alaska marathon. But I tried not to dwell on that. In looking at my training this season I had trouble in all my long runs over 14 miles. Perhaps the 3 weeks shorter prep time had something to do with it. In reviewing my splits, the 7.9 mile stretch between 13.1 and 21 miles, I dropped to a 15:30 per mile pace, from a 10:36 per mile pace. The last 5.2 miles I picked it up more to a 13:24 per mile pace.
Temps were 68 deg with 78% humidity.
That evening though, I recovered better than I ever have after a long run. I think it was due in part to an Ice bath and quick massage. By 5:30 pm we were at the Victory party and dancing the night away as only Marathon finishers can (It ain’t pretty folks).
Some of my training partners
I’m glad I was able to do another marathon. The crowds were incredible and the energy was outstanding. I would never do a large event like this without the logistics supprt of a group like Team in Training. Travel and getting around to the start, from the finish were all taken care of, and I felt sorry for the marathoners who still had to walk a mile to the shuttle to get them to their car.
Now I need to schedule my next event….I think a little 10 K trail run this July might fit the bill…anyone wanna join me?
