SunTrust Richmond Marathon

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday 12 November

 

 

The time between your first and second or any other marathon must be the equivalent of what women experience between child births.  The months between allows your brain to forget the pain and stress of running 26.2 miles. And once you forget the pain the next thing you know...your signing up for your second marathon.  I am in no way saying I could give birth...nope not me...but running a marathon is no walk in the park.

 

I went into this race with three goals:

#1 Finish injury free (and at 41 that is a big goal)

#2 Sub 4h 13m 59s

#3 If all went right sub 4h

 

Mile 1  09:27  The start of any race is a memorable event...thousands of people lined up all waiting for the perfect start.  I found my starting corral pretty easy, the event organizer had everything marked well.  Standing there in a sea of people I settled in for a long day.  The temps for the day were just what any runner could want, low 40s, bright skies and nearly zero wind.  In front of me was the guy leading the 4 hour pace group, I figured if I could follow this guy for most of the day I would have a real shot at my ultimate goal...a sub 4 hour marathon.  Well that was until the gun went off....he was lost in a sea of humanity.  Your on your own Brian.

  

Mile 2  08:56/18:23

Mile 3  08:55/27:19

Mile 4  08:58/36:17

 

Mile 5  09:00/45:18  The first five miles clicked off without any major surprises, except one.  I was running too fast....  After two weeks of tapering my mileage my legs and lungs felt great but my pace was to fast.  My plan was to run 09:10 to 09:30 minute miles but every time I looked at my pace watch I was running faster then that plan.  I knew I had to settle down and slow up but when I thought I was running slow...I was back at a 8:50 pace.

 

Mile 6  08:52/54:18

Mile 7  08:51/1:03:01

Mile 8  0:903/1:12:05

Mile 9  09:13/1:21:18

 

Mile 10  08:35/1:29:54  At the ten mile mark I got the biggest surprise of the day...08:35   "Holly cow slow down Brian...or you are going to pay the piper later on."  AKA The wall...  Not having hit " it " the during my first marathon...I sure did not want to be introduced to " it " today.  What is "The Wall", well in running it is the point in a marathon, normally around mile 20, that the runner has reached a point the he/she lose all control of putting one foot in front of the other.  Either the body gives up or your brain just refuses to send the signals to your muscles to continue to move forward.

 

Mile 11  09:17/1:39:11

Mile 12  09:17/1:48:28

Mile 13  09:18/1:57:47

Mile 14  08:51/2:06:38

 

Mile 15  09:13/2:15:52  While running with a group of runners during this race I over heard one woman say "running a marathon is the best way to see a city" and I must agree.  Richmond marathon took us through many historic places in and around this great old city.  Running through the old streets we pasted many monument to war hero's, past a statue to Arthur Ashe and  we ran across the Robert E Lee bridge...and it was here that I had to stop (not really) and smell the roses.  What a beautiful sight us runners were treated too.  The skyline of Richmond over our right shoulder as we crossed the James River with a clear penetrating blue sky as a canvas....what a wonderful sight. 

 

Mile 16  09:08/02:25:00

 

Mile 17  09:45/2:34:46  My wall if that was what it was came during the 17 to 18 mile stretch.  My legs and lungs felt great but it was at this point that mentally I had to keep myself going.  I never considered quitting but I was struggling with "Man I have over 8 miles to go."   Mentally this is the point in marathon running that us runners have a hard time explaining to non-runners.  There comes a point during the 26.2 mile adventure that everything in your mind and body is telling you to "give up", "quit this race", and "who really cares if you finish."  The answer to all this is simple...I do!  

 

 

I'm a marathoner I do not quit!

 

Mile 18  09:36/2:44:22

Mile 19  10:10/2:54:32

 

Mile 20  10:07/3:04:40  A 20 mile warm up followed by a 6.2 mile race.  I've heard it before and here I was again...at the 6.2 mile point, but my fast pace the first 20 miles was catching up with me.  At about this point I began to feel muscle cramps in my right thigh and calve, nothing to major at first but a sign of things to come. 

 

Mile 21  10:45/3:15:26

Mile 22  10:52/3:26:18

Mile  23  10:57/3:37:16

 

Mile 24  10:48/3:48:05  During my first marathon I did not put on much of a close...I was happy with just finishing, but today I wanted to close strong...I wanted to put on a closing kick.  At mile 24 I tried to kick it home...but after about 3 strides of pushing it my right calve cramped up pretty bad.  I had to go back to my slower pace hoping I could run it out.  I tried again to pick up the pace to no avail...my legs would only response with the pace they had run over the last 3+ hours.  happy with that I planned to try them again at the 25 mile marker.  In retrospect I made a big mistake by only drinking water at the feed stops and dropping my bottle with gator aid at mile 15.  My body was needing fuel I just did not have to give.

 

Mile 25  10:33/3:58:38

 

Mile 26  09:46/4:08:25  Oh the turn for home...we turned down the final mile and were greeted to a local rock band playing some heart thumping tunes which lift my sprits and my leg turnover.  One of the draws for me to run a marathon is the crowds...I'll never throw the touchdown pass, win the Olympic medal or hit the home run that wins it all, but with the crowds cheering you on during the 26.2 mile trek to the limits of your body they are what lift you up.  It is during the runs through the crowds when an avg. Joe, middle of the pack finisher, like me feels like Lance Armstrong, Paula Radcliffe, Dena Kastor, Peyton Manning or Mark McGuire.  And the crowds today were awesome.  They helped me, lifted me up and pushed me beyond the limits of my body.

 

Mile 26.2  2:54/4:11:19  The last 2 tenths of mile were awesome, finishing a 26.2 mile race with thundering support was unreal.  I do not know where I got the extra zip but the last 2 tenths I felt like I was flying...my legs were numb, my lungs were burning and my mind was on overload..."I'm going to finish my second marathon...I did it again!

 

That is me on the right in the blue top....

 

Place and Chip times:

1610 out of 3537

Half time  02:01:12

20 mile  03:07:31

Chip time finish  04:10:39