Pittsburgh Marathon

On Sunday, I ran the Pittsburgh Marathon. Here are my split times by mile and my thoughts along the way. In 1991, Pittsburgh was where I attempted my first marathon and had to drop out at mile 16. Since then, I have now completed 9 marathons.

3 May 1998
12:22am - Amy falls out of bed, but is okay. I actually am able to get back to sleep easily.

5:11am - I wake up from a dream where I finished in 3:27; can't go back to sleep. The race doesn't start until 8:30am

8:15am - I leave my hotel room at the Westin William Penn and walk two blocks to the start line. The weather is overcast with a chance of showers—humid and 55 degrees.

8:30am - I am wearing shorts & a thin cool max t-shirt. One Access bar is pinned to my shorts. The race starts with about 2,700 runners.

Start 0:24
This is the time to cross the start line.

Mile 1 7:44
A cautious start, but I feel warm. Maybe the humidity is just making me feel this way.

Mile 2 7:30
It is warm enough to lose the t-shirt. Martha reminds me later that the shirt cost $20, but I counter that it was three years old.

Mile 3 7:21
This is a comfortable pace, but I don't want to go to fast.

Mile 4 7:21
Another quick mile.

Mile 5 7:51
I slow down some and we cross the bridge over the Alleghany to the north side.

Mile 6 7:32
Now, this is the pace I want to hold. I pace off of a female close by, #2416.Mile 7 7:30
Steady as we go. I pass Three Rivers Stadium.

Mile 8 7:31
Cross the West End Bridge. The pacer I have selected is running very consistently.

Mile 9 7:28
This is going well. And the temperature at the last bank said 58 degrees. I am comfortable.

Mile 10 7:42
I pass #2416, thinking that she is slowing down.

Mile 11 7:29
The streets are wet, but I haven't been rained on yet.

Mile 12 8:03
I cross the 24th St. Bridge and head UP into Oakland.

Mile 13 7:59
Still climbing, but the major hill is done now. I reach the halfway mark just under 1:40. On pace for my 3:20. #2416 comes back past me.

Mile 14 7:45
Okay, I need to hold back for a few more miles. I trade places with #2416 before I leave her at mile 16.

Mile 15 7:33
Running through Walnut St. picks me up along with a little downhill portion. I eat my Access bar.

Mile 16 7:50
Mostly uphill. It will be rolling hills from here on.

Mile 17 7:22
Some downhill running. I try to save myself for the last 3 or 4 miles.

Mile 18 7:38
I spot a tall man a few hundred meters ahead and wonder if he is my Engineering Electro-Magnetics professor from CMU.

Mile 19 7:42
I am gaining on the tall man, but I wish the downhill to the finish would hurry up and get here.

Mile 20 8:13
This had better be the last uphill portion!

Mile 21 7:45
The uphill is over, but where is the downhill? I pull even with the tall man, who is in fact Professor Jim Hoburg. I pass him and think about the 2 Cs he gave me in his classes.

Mile 22 7:41
I head up Liberty Ave. and know that it is downhill from here. I am now getting rained on, but it is a light rain and actually feels good.

Mile 23 7:55
Believe it or not, there is yet another small uphill someone slipped into the course.

Mile 24 7:23
Finally the downhill I was expecting, although it is sharp and short. However, as I turn onto 28th St., I spot a Marine ahead in olive dab shorts, which has to be Karl Brower.

Mile 25 7:58
I blow by Karl and don't even slow down to say hi. I think I might still be able to make a 3:20.

Mile 26 8:00
I surge back and forth with a couple of other runners. The legs are exhausted from the ups and downs, but my energy level is high thanks to the Access bars. I see the divided street right before entering Point State Park.

Mile 26.2 1:46
I finish well. My finishing time is 3:21:56--a new personal record by 58 seconds! At this rate, of improving about a minute per year, I will get my time down to 3:15 in time for my 35th birthday, and I can qualify for Boston. Until then I need a 3:10 to qualify. I am happy about my time and beating Karl Brower (he finished in 3:25). Although, he didn't use the Access bars and therefore, I might have had an unfair advantage. However, they were available to him.

Final note: If Pittsburgh is the fastest spring marathon in North America as advertised then there aren't any fast spring marathons in North America. I hear that London has a fast course in April. My next marathon will probably be the Marine Corps in October. I think I have over 20 weeks until then. The knees are doing great with Replenex, and I am definitely addicted to this activity!

NSR,
Darin