This will be the third re write of this…as some already read the other one and now it just isn’t there. The issue is typing it up on the ipad then finishing it on the PC. The ipad, not being closed down, auto saves…so it auto saved over the old story…So here we go for the third time.
Some good some bad but it was all a fun and new experience…lets start with the bad…I’ve only been averaging about 25-30 miles per week. I was only home for one full week in February and I find it difficult to get out the door when I travel but again that is a shitty excuse.
I have no more bad excuses. I think my foot is almost 100%. I can handle long hard runs without needing a day or two to recover. This is also a great example that it takes more than just good looks to win a marathon…you actually have to train 🙂
The course was great with only a few very small hills. The aid stations had water, Gatorade, and hammer gels. This was just a really well put together event thanks to Tom Clifford and his amazing Without Limits Team.
The race started out nice and smooth with a very slow easy first mile. I ended up finding the half marathon leader and running off of his Garmin. We raced together for close to eight miles until I started to pick up the pace, at least it felt that way. Turns out I ran even and he slowed and I just happen to pull away from him.
Tom saw me and told me that the leader was only about two minutes ahead of me so I figured I would spend several miles making up that gap. You can see on my splits I start to quicken my pace a little. I didn’t want to do it too quickly in fear of blowing up.
Once I could see the leader it was really hard to stay smooth and easy. The competitive drive just takes a hold of you and starts pushing everything like a salivating dog chasing a steak. I finally caught up to him at mile 21 and told myself “you should probably sit on him for a little” aaaaand I didn’t.
I slowed up a little…about 13 seconds for that mile and still just rolled past him. My next mile, 22, still maintained that 5:45 pace…Then there was little signal sent through out my body that said “Shits about to go downhill” So you think do I slow down to conserve or speed up to get there quicker…Kind of like when you have to poo when you are out running.
Mile 23 went 5:55…at that point I didn’t really have to do much thinking about my pace as my body was in control and I was just going off of the rails on the crazy dying train.
As I knew what was happening and knew it would not end well I told myself just keep Bleeping running. My head was together and my breathing was as relaxed as if I were sitting on the couch. I could tell my pace was slowing even more as I wasn’t passing people as quickly, Mile 24 – 6:26.
2.2 miles to go. I wonder how long it will take me if I walk it in from here? Shut up…keep running…I wish I had a beer right now. I should have ran the half. Then the demoralizing instance of getting passed back and falling to 2nd place. At this point I was just crushed as I knew there was nothing left in my legs to go after him, Mile 25 – 7:01
1.2 miles to go. My ham string on my surgery leg was just screaming at me. I was now keeping pace with the runners I was lapping. Every fiber in my body was screaming at me to stop running. Each step was a battle. Now the mental game was in full effect. “Stop Running, no one will notice” “Jamie is going to be so mad I didn’t win” “So much for owning the course record” “Why didn’t you just run a few more miles per week?” “Steal that big girls fanny pack” Mile 26 – 7:34
All of a sudden I hear “What are you doing?!” as I looked over and saw Joel Thomas David the man with three first names. I told him I was done. He said “Your not even breathing hard.” I told him my legs were dead and told him to jog it in with me.
I looked at Joel and asked him if he had a beer jokingly. Then he pointed over to Cameron’s West Virginia Alumni tent that was cheering on the runners and said “They do.” I shot straight over there and grabbed a little plastic cup that was filled with a little bit of the sweet sap, too bad they weren’t red solos hehe.
I slammed my beer and we laughed as I started to round the corner towards the finish line. I thought at this point I better try to put my Reckless Running uniform back on incase someone gets a picture of me. I had to take it off several miles ago in fear of my nipples falling off, which stung every time I showered over the next few days. I finally walked over the finish line. 26.2 – 2:34.51
True to my word I went out there and broke the course record…it’s just someone else did it a little faster than me that day. As hard as I died, miles 10 – 20 were just so smooth feeling…I was holding back the whole time…which really makes me wonder why I crashed so bad. My race nutrition was good as there was no way I could eat or drink anymore as my stomach was full.
Dead Man Walking
1-6:12
2-5:55
3-5:46
4,5-11:45
6-5:46
7-5:50
8-5:43
9-5:43
10-5:43
11-5:42
12-5:43
13-5:36
14-5:39
15-5:36
16-5:43
17-5:35
18-5:33
19-5:37
20-5:33
21-5:46
22-5:45
23-5:55
24-6:26
25-7:01
26-7:34
.2-1:34
————–
2:34.51
Overal this race was a great time. The after race was also fun hanging out with a bunch of Without Limits Runners. If you are ever looking for a fun destination race this was awesome. Depending on the time line it will be a fun St. Pats time as well.
