Tag: Race Report

Up to a certain moment, I was frighteningly relaxed for this race. My BQ was in my back pocket from my fall marathon, so this would be gravy. However, as I lined up at the start, it hit me:

“Damn, this is a marathon. This will be hard. I must respect the distance.”

So, as the National Anthem was playing, I coudn’t swallow. I guess my nerves finally arrived to the party.

I didn’t have a specific goal for this race but my typical goal is to go Sub 3 hours. My backup goal is to finish safely and alive. I knew I was in 2:55 to 3:00 shape, but the weather was a bit warm for me (61 degrees, 89% humidity at the start).

With that in the back of my mind, I figured I’d go out conservatively, hopefully latch on to someone at a similar pace, and take it from there. Well, I didn’t go out conservatively: Mile 1 was 6:29 (oops).

Fortunately, after I slowed a bit, another runner pulled up next to me, and asked me what my goal was (his was similar). So, we decided to stay with each other for as long as possible. His name was James, and this guy saved my race (more on that later).

As we were running, I noticed that James had a lot of fans on the course. It turns out that he used to live in Wilmington, and had people throughout the course cheering for him. However, he also seemed to know many of the race volunteers and police officers directing traffic. I jokingly asked him if he was the Mayor, and he laughed, and said no but he was a previous winner of this race.

My first reaction was: “Crap, I have no business running with this guy,” but the pace felt good, and since it was a small race (600 marathoners), I didn’t want to run alone.

James gave me great tips regarding course strategy, which brings me to the course itself:

The course: Two laps though the riverfront, parks, and neighborhoods of Wilmington. So, when you’re at Mile 7, you get a preview of what Mile 20 will look like. This is a blessing and a curse. The blessing: You know what’s coming during the 2nd half. The curse: You know what’s coming during the 2nd half.

Something that James said to me as we climbed a mile-long hill from Mile 6ish to 7ish that proved to help me later: “Once you’re finished with this hill the 2nd time —also Miles 19 to 20 — the remainder of the race is generally flat to downhill.”

So, with that in mind, we ran together and came through the 13.1 split in 1:28. So far so good. However, from Mile 15-16, I started cramping (bad stitch, perhaps from the sun exposure along the riverfront). James and another runner pulled slightly ahead of me.

This is about the time I saw my wife: “I’m feeling it” I told her. She, with her cowbell in hand, said something inspirational, and I moved along. Not sure if it was seeing her or the fact that I was entering the shaded portion of the race that helped, but I temporarily felt better (cramps subsided), and pulled even with James again.

But this was short-lived. At Mile 19, we were heading into the hilly portion for the 2nd time. James pulled away. I slowed (not awful – Mile 20 was 7:13). At this point, though, James pulled too far ahead for me to feel connected to his pace. I was now on my own at Mile 20. If you’ve ever been alone at Mile 20, you know how lonely it is.

This is the point when I almost threw in the towel (the point where I would go from goal pace to survival pace). However, something stopped me from giving up (not sure what). It might have been the earlier words of my temporary running partner that helped me hold on:

“Once you’re finished with this hill the 2nd time, the remainder of the race is generally flat to downhill.”

So, even though my pace fell off (6:55-7:10 the rest of the way), it wasn’t a bonk. I was holding on. In the shaded, residential portion of the race, the crowd support was so helpful. At Mile 23, my cumulative time was 2:37:13…there was still hope for a Sub3.

Also, another surprising thing happened: I found myself running with and passing some of the Half Marathon participants. I encouraged them as I passed, and they encouraged me. It was a win-win for all of us! We survived the portion of the race in the Little Italy section of town (where there is additional sun exposure).

Most of the last three miles was flat to downhill with the exception of a pretty lengthy bonus hill that James had initially underestimated (during the home stretch). I gutted it out with the hope that I could still do a Sub3. Once the last hill crests, you can let gravity do the rest and make your way to the riverfront for the finish.

I ended up crossing the finish line at 2:58:53 (with my hand on my heart in honor of Boston). My 2nd Half was just under 1:31…I slowed but not too badly. The heat affected me, but the shaded course saved me. James saved me too. I was fortunate enough to see him in the finish area, which is where we fist bumped and congratulated each other.

Even though this wasn’t a PR race, I feel satisfied with the results: 1) It’s a tough course, and 2) I finally didn’t bonk in a race with the temperatures above 60 degrees.

NOTES: There are also 4-person and 8-person relays and Half mixed in with the Marathon which can make the first half of the race a bit confusing and crowded; however, seeing these runners during the 2nd lap actually helped me psychologically.

This race is great for spectating. You can see the runners at least four times without having to move. You can also move throughout the course and see runners multiple times. I must have seen my wife four times during the race (and this was a HUGE help).

Some pics…

Perk: Custom Bib to avoid being called Gerald, Jared, George, or Greg!

Not feeling good here, but I have my red socks!!

My favorite race hardware ever! Chase Utley agrees!

James got me by 59 seconds.

When the bus drops you off at the start of the Steamtown Marathon in Forest City (this race is point-to-point), you immediately feel special.  A volunteer comes onto the bus, welcomes you and gives you instructions. As you exit the bus, the Forest City High School cheerleaders do a cheer for you, you are given a souvenir ribbon, and another volunteer leads you into the gym where runners can stretch and keep warm. This was comforting for those of us with pre-race jitters.

The weather cooperated for Steamtown. It was supposed to rain, but, thankfully, not one drop fell during the race.  It remained cloudy, and the temperature held around 44 degrees. Perfect conditions (for me).  I did wear “throw-away” gloves, which I ended up wearing the whole race.

The way my training had gone, my goal was 2:57 to 2:59. I resolved to focus on 6:45/mile pace because the math was easier (I don’t like to think too much during a marathon).

The first eight+ miles of Steamtown are flat to downhill.  If there is one race where it is important not to go out too fast, it is this race because of the hills that come later from Mile 23 to the Finish.  You cannot “bank” time at Steamtown. I was fortunate to pace these first several miles with two younger runners, which happened to be Navy cadets… two great kids that kept calling me “Sir”…still weird for me to hear that. Their goal was Sub3. We ran together and chatted occasionally. They kept me in check (we ran 6:44-6:52 pace during those eight miles). I didn’t go out too fast (Phew).

At Mile 8, I was in 86th place (yes, a young spectator was counting!).  This is when I broke away from my new Navy friends. Breaking away from a pack is always scary during a marathon.  Running on your own is much tougher when you’re running this distance.  I was hoping to latch on to other people running at my pace goal. I never found anyone to run with, but today would be my day (at least I told myself that).

My first half was 1:28:16, slightly fast, but I felt good, and I would find out soon enough if I went out too hard. Mile 15 was 6:29. Whoa, “OK Gerard, slow it down” I told myself.  My next few miles, which were along a beautifully scenic “Rails to Trails” path, were more consistently in the 6:40s again.

I started to think it might be my day when Miles 21 and 22 were both at 6:37. It was just beyond Mile 23 where I was brought back to earth.  I turned my ankle badly, and as I compensated to correct it, I strained my groin.  I assessed the damage, didn’t panic, and kept running; failure was not an option. I remained in “Mr. Spock” mode (I explain Mr. Spock in a previous post: SEE The Music of Running: Vol. 2), but ouch.

I slowed down at Mile 24 (7:29), both from the pain of my ankle/groin, and the steep hill in the Green Ridge section of Scranton. Mile 25 was a bit better (7:10), but in the final mile, the wheels were coming off my wagon. The final mile is a straight-away and a long, ascent up Washington Avenue.  It is not a steep hill, but it never seems to end. When I did make it to the top of this hill in downtown Scranton, I could finally see the finish line, which was still a couple hundred yards away.

If you’ve ever done a marathon, you know how the last few hundred yards feels.  It goes quiet. You feel like you’re walking.  You almost feel detached from your physical body. Your brain is telling you to go, but your body is unable to respond; however, somehow you snap out of it. You begin to hear the crowd again, and you push through to the end.

Finish time: 2:57:56 (a PR by 1:49, and a CR by 4:04)

(My 2nd half was 1:29:40, slower but not a bonk)

Place: 48th overall / 12th in my age group (the 40somethings are competitive).

# of finishers: 1,938

Most Memorable Song: “Smokin” by Boston (blasting from someone’s front porch), Runner-Up Song: “Desire” by U2

This was my third Steamtown, and it continues to be my favorite marathon for many reasons: it’s scenic, well-organized, fast, not too big (field is 2,500), and the crowd support in the small towns along the way is amazing. The people cheering you on will push you and give you hope for humankind. There are moments of quiet, but the balance of quiet and crowd support seems to match my running personality.

Oh, and GREAT post-race food!!  You can’t beat it !!

Mile 24 – Ouch

I gave blood to the Red Cross, just not in the traditional way…

A pilot will tell you that any landing you can walk away from is a good landing. As a runner, I’ll say any marathon finish you can walk away from is a good finish. This particular finish was in the Run For The Red Marathon, a race that benefits the American Red Cross. No records were broken. I was happy to survive.

I will simply focus on some highlights / low-lights:

Highlights:

• The fellow runners – It was such a rough day weather-wise, which made the runners really supportive of each other.  We were all in it together.
• Getting to run with TuTu Guy for Miles 16-18! Great guy and tough runner. He helped me delay my bonk.

Tutu Guy: Keith Straw

• The course itself: Pretty and point-to-point (I like point-to-point) in the Pocono Mountains of Eastern Pennsylvania.
• Great volunteers!  They were out there in the heat too.  The volunteers had to deal with carnage and improvising when running low on water/Gatorade at the water stops.
• Proceeds were for a good cause: the Red Cross
• Friendly EMT people (more on that coming up)

Low-lights:

• Faucet-like bloody nose at Miles 4 to 5 – I can’t explain this one (allergies?). Thank you to the EMT who checked me out and gave me the extra gauze for my run!  I was comfortably on Sub 3 hour pace up until this point.  The bloody nose broke my concentration, and temporarily took my head out of the game.  I recovered for a bit, running consistent 7 minute miles until Mile 11. Then, the weather began to take its toll on me.
• No crowd support – Lonely…it felt like it was a training run.
• Absolutely no music along the course.  Despite the name of my Blog, I won’t wear an iPod during a race. However, I usually look forward to the bands/musicians along the route that pump up the runners.  This course had nothing, not a sound.
• The hills were much worse than I thought they would be.  They made the Boston hills seem easy. Maybe it was the weather.  Which brings me to….
• The weather: Awful – A hot one – 84 degrees by the time we finished.  Not too much shade, not a cloud in the sky, and we baked on the blacktop.  I think I ran an extra mile zigzagging to find the shady side of the road. Some people are affected more than others by the heat (I am one of them).  I overheat like an ‘89 Honda Civic on such days.  It was ironic that it was warmer in the Poconos than it was in Philadelphia (this rarely happens).
• Lack of course markings and guides: About 20 runners ended up taking a wrong turn and ran an extra .65 miles, including some aspiring BQ runners and the female leader (who ended up losing her lead).  Also, automobile traffic was on parts of the course (runners felt unsafe).

After my bloody nose incident, I thought about dropping out.  Normally, it wouldn’t have scared me, but I have had a weird three weeks with my body: irregular heartbeat, stomach flu, now the bloody nose.  I ended up slowing my pace (first voluntarily, then involuntarily). There is nothing worse than knowing you are “done” at Mile 11…knowing you still have 15 miles to go; however, I finished…a finish is a finish, and I am proud of myself for gutting it out.

Time: 3:26:14 (ironically, the same time I ran in Boston ’05…it was hot that day too).

So, I gave blood to the Red Cross. Ouch…

A bloody tough run (a well-named race!)

The marathon is humbling, no matter what pace you are running.   This year, I decided to be the rabbit for my wife in the Philadelphia Marathon in her quest to qualify for Boston.   This kept me interested in training in a year I have struggled to get out of a running rut.

Jill’s goal was 3:50 (8:46 per mile pace), which would give her a 5 minute cushion (qualifying requirement for her age is 3:55).  This would increase her chances of not having to register for Boston on the “last” day of a new rolling registration process.  Her fear was that the race would be full by the time she registered.

Her previous PR was 3:55:03 (3 seconds away from the new qualifying time for her age!). So, this time around, I trained more with her (long runs, and track workouts, in particular Yasso 800s).  The more we ran together, the more I noticed her newer, tougher runner’s attitude.  We both started to believe she could do it.

She had control over her training.  The only “x factor” for a race in late November would be the weather, which was nearly perfect (borderline warm) on race day.

So, the blaring horns sounded the Olympic theme song, and we were off.   I simply wanted Jill to be patient for the first two miles, which include lots of jockeying and elbows (some treat the start as if it is a 5K).  Mile 1 was at 8:59, which was fine.

When she threw down her “throw away” gloves after Mile 2, I said to myself, she will break 3:50 today.  It was in the way she threw down the gloves (very business-like).  At that moment, it was clear to me that she was on a mission.

After the wide expanse of Columbus Boulevard, we weaved through Center City.  Around Mile 5, she got a little weepy as we made the left turn onto Chestnut Street, near Independence Hall (she is a history geek, and loves our city so much, she got caught up in the moment).   A fellow runner can never judge another’s emotions during a race.

Chestnut Street is dangerous because the crowd support is so good, you are tempted to run faster.   When you get to high five someone cheering you on dressed as a pancake, it tends to pump you up.  I had to help her put the breaks on a few times because I knew the hills of Miles 8-10 would be coming up.

I warned her not to worry if Mile 10 was closer to 9mins (and it was because of the longer hill).  Nothing to panic about.

The next danger was West River Drive.  It is a race track, especially because the race is mixed with half marathoners nearing their finish.   She had to fight the urge to go faster.  When she is running faster than 8:30 pace, I usually say: “Take it easy Paula (Radcliffe).”

At the half, she was under 1:53 (2+ minutes ahead of pace).  A bit fast, which slightly worried me, but not to the point of panic (since her Yasso 800s were at 3:47).  So, we made our way out on Kelly Drive, a more quiet, lonely part of the race.  It is also a bit intimidating because you start to see other runners coming inbound on Kelly Drive, and you realize how far you’ve still got to go.

At Mile 14, I was reminded I was running a marathon too.  I turned my ankle, and let out a brief shout.   I didn’t want to scare Jill, so I said everything was fine (lie).  Her next three miles were consistently 8:30 pace. She was officially going into “Mr. Spock” mode (I will explain that in a future post).

Jill survived the Manayunk miles by staying around 8:45 pace.  At this point, I was struggling despite the fact that this pace was much slower than I am used to running. My breathing was labored (I was fighting off a cold), and my ankle (ouch); however, I think it had more to do with the fact that Jill was simply kicking ass.  I almost told her to go on ahead of me, but I didn’t want to miss out on her amazing performance.  I was witnessing the “race of her life” as she kept forging on.

Heading back onto Kelly Drive (the eternal home stretch), it was clear to me at Mile 22 that she would shatter 3:50.  This is when I got weepy (yes I admit it).  When you are witnessing your spouse’s strength and determination, and you are overcome with pride and emotion, you will lose your cookies too.  I do not apologize for crying.  I was simply in awe.

The last two or three miles were a bit slower than 8:45 pace, but I knew it was going to happen for her.

As we neared the finish line, passing the Art Museum, I almost wanted it to slow down for Jill (even though she simply wanted to speed up to cross the line).  I just wanted her to be able to soak in the moment for “just a little longer.” I screamed out to her: “Boston baby!”

We crossed the finish line (3:47:32), a PR for her by over 7 minutes!  Jill got her high five from Mayor Nutter, and we both got shout-outs from Bart Yasso!   We hugged and there were more tears (we are criers).

(Later, we were saddened by the news of the deaths of two runners, ages 21 and 40.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to their family and friends.  Once I get my legs back, I will dedicate my next run to them).