This is my first blog on this site, and I am not the writer in the family but I had a big weekend and am going to share it. Jennifer said this blog is like therapy, so have a seat on my couch...
Ran a freakin' marathon.
Wow, I was not sure what to expect but what I got was not even close to anything that crossed my mind. Let me try to put it in words, that are age appropriate, because on the course I'm sure I used a few choice words that were not so appropriate. Woke up around 4:00 A.M. to get eat a bagel and drink a bottle of water, needed to get some calories in me, then went back to bed and tried to sleep a little more as the race did not start until 8:00 A.M. Then got back up around 6:30 of course did not really sleep for the past hour and a half. Got dressed and headed for the start line. It was cold and windy in the morning so Todd and I found a hotel lobby close to the start line that we ducked in. Todd left me there soon after, as we was a pacer for the race and he had access to the VIP tent. So there I sat by myself in a hotel lobby with a bunch of other running strangers wondering what the day was going to be like. Finally 7:45 so I headed for the start line, soon learned we were delayed 15 minutes. Not what you want hear when it is so cold out. Finally we get to 8:15 and the race is about to start.
Before I get into the race let me tell you my goal, I wanted to run a 4 hour and 15 minute marathon. That is averaging 9 mins and 43 secs per mile. But I knew there was a hill from mile 16 - 19 so I wanted to bank 3-4 minutes so I could slow down going up the hill.
Started off the race 1st mile was 9:42, perfect, mile 2 - 9:02, whoa better slow down before I burn myself out, turned on the ipod and settled in. The next 10 miles went by averaging around 9:20 per mile. Perfect, no issues, no pain. Mile 12 I got to see Jennifer and the kids cheering on the side of the road. I ran over got some high-fives and headed on. At this time my sister-in-law Erica joined me as she was going to run the last 14 miles with me to give me some company. We talked for the next 4 miles and everything was still as planned, but I noticed things starting to change. Started the uphill climb at mile 16, mile 16 and 17 were moving but slowly. Mile 18 came and the 4:15 group caught me, I tried to hang but just did not have it, not sure if I went out to fast or just not strong enough. Finally mile 19 was done and I thought I was up the hill, I was leaking oil and had hit the wall, or I think it hit me smack in the face. Erica would probably have a few funny stories at this time, because she said I was not being very pleasant (not age appropriate). Everything hurt, I did not want to go anymore, I wanted to stop, this was a feeling I had never felt before. It was more than just physical. This was both physical and mental, they say it is because your body has no more food supply to take from so it switches and starts to take from muscles. Also it needs to send food to your brain and vital organs so your muscles don't get anything, this is when your legs feel like lead. I pushed through this with whatever I had, cussing most of the way. This lasted until about mile 22, then my legs started to give out, I was getting cramps in both legs. I had to stop and stretch, this was the first time I stopped or walked to this point, my other goal was to run the whole thing no matter how slow. Well there went goal number 2. By this time I cleared my foggy head and realized there is only one goal now and that is finish no matter how hard. So for the next 3 miles I labored on run for .3 maybe .5 then stop and stretch, walk a little and get the cramps out then start again, until the legs tightened up again. I was at least a little more mentally focused, somehow I pushed through the wall. I was coming up on mile 25 and there were some people passing out beer on the side of the road, Erica ran over to them and got 2 cups, gave me one, I looked at her said "Cheers" we clinked cups downed our beers and I was off again. That lasted about .3 miles then the cramps started agin. But now I was close, I had about .7 to go last water stop and down the boardwalk, at mile 26 Jennifer, Todd, and kids were waiting for me cheering me on. That was great, what a lift that gives you, I got a few more high fives a kiss from Jennifer and off for my last .2 miles by myself. I left them and was already finding myself getting emotional, but .2 is no joke after running 26 before that, I looked at my watch and I was getting really close to 4 hours and 40 minutes, so I took off with whatever I had left to cross the finish line, I finished in 4 hours 40 minutes and 59 seconds. In marathon running you get to throw out the seconds so 4hours and 40 minutes is my time. Finished finally I see Jennifer and start to break down and cry.
With all that said, many have asked if I would do another one, Jennifer thought it would be one and done, but I think I'm going to do another one. I feel like I was close to my goal but did not reach it, I had it for 22 miles and just need 4 more. A little more training and maybe I can get there. To use a golf analogy it's like if you are trying to shoot an 80, but you shoot and 85. For a golfer like me that is a good score and you are not upset at all about it but you think with a little more practice I can get below 80. That is where I am right not. Crazy, stupid, insane or just driven by something deep in me, I'm going to get back out and log some more miles. That is once this body heals, and I can move again.
Thanks to all my family and friends for their support and encouragement. Todd: what an inspiration you are. Thanks for all your advice! Thanks to my running buddy Erica who got me a beer even after I called her every name in the book!!! Special thanks to Jennifer for her love and support without her I would not have taken step 1. As Jennifer said when she watched the 3:10 and 3:30 runners, they are driven, determined and are in form, then when you get back to me and the crew around me it looks like we went through a war, hats on sideways, shirts half tucked, drooling, stumbling, but still moving forward. I'd say that's one of life's lessons learned in the midst of a 26 mile journey.
Maybe someday I will get to run with one or all of my little wonders in their first marathon. Hopefully daddy can be there to help them get over their wall (in life and in racing).
Still moving forward,
Jeff
Waiting for daddy to come by (still in our jammies!)
Lookin' good at Mile 1
Feelin' on top of the world at Mile 12
Mile 26...not sure if Erica is congratulating me or holding me up!
THE FINAL 0.2
Shirt half tucked, feet barely off the ground, but still moving forward...
