May 7, 2000
Start 0:05
At Boston, it took me 1:52 to cross the start line. Here I start well, near the front. The temperature is already 68 degrees, and the humidity is 84 percent. I am already sweating. I only have on my shorts, shoes, and Access Bar pinned to my shorts. Also, I have on my Oakley sunglasses, even though they won't give me a free pair for endorsement.Mile 1 7:23
Nice and easy. This is a good first mile, but I don't think I should run this fast for the entire race with real heat coming on. My plan is to take two cups of water at every water stop.Mile 2 7:37
My legs are feeling a little sluggish as we head slightly uphill. I don't think it is anything to worry about yet, and it is a good thing to feel sluggish early so that I don't take it out too fast.Mile 3 7:31
There are a lot of people passing me, but I know that I will see them again before this day is over.Mile 4 7:32
This is a good comfortable pace, but I will probably have to slow down as the temperature goes up. The Heinz pace leader for 3:20 passes me, and I know he is going too fast because I am on a 3:16 pace at this point. However, maybe he is trying to put some minutes in the bank for when it gets hotter.Mile 5 7:29
This is too fast for such a hot day, but I got a little motivated going up and over the 16th street bridge.Mile 6 7:24
There is no breeze at this point, and I no longer feel just warm, it is hot! All I can do is keep downing two cups of water at each stop.Mile 7 7:24
My legs no longer feel sluggish, and I feel like there is pop in them when I want to pick it up. There is a slight twinge on the inside of my left knee, but nothing to worry about.Mile 8 7:30
I cross over the West End Bridge. There is no shade and no breeze. The air is thick and hot. I need to really hold back. I see a good runner who has decided that it is too hot to run a marathon and drops out.Mile 9 7:35
The crowd is excellent and highly motivating as I enter the south side into Station Square. There is shade on the right side of the road that I seek out.Mile 10 7:32
The size of the crowd is increasing, and there are some who are drinking beer. I decide to pour a cup of water over my head as I drink two. The cup of water washes the sweat off the top of my head, and it feels very warm.Mile 11 7:30
I bide my time as I wait to climb up into Oakland. I am able to maintain this 3:16 pace, but it will be hard to tell when the heat will start to take effect.Mile 12 7:17
I charge up into Oakland, just like last year (7:16). I pass a lot of runners, some of whom elect to walk up this steep hill. At this mile mark there is a counter that reads I am 235th. A bank clock says the temperature is 76 degrees, and I later find out that the humidity is 87 percent!Mile 13 7:45
The course is not as steep now, but I am still climbing. As I turn onto Craig Street, I can catch a glimpse of Carnegie Mellon. My halfway time at 13.1 miles is 1:38:28-almost the same time as last year. However, unlike last year, I don't think I will be running the second half in 1:35.Mile 14 7:45
I am still going uphill as I pass Central Catholic. I start to eat my Mocha Praline Access Bar a little early, and my mouth is pretty dry. However, I manage to get most of it down. Now, I get to see if I can keep it down.Mile 15 7:29
I head onto Walnut Street. The crowd is deep and loud. I wonder if maybe the heat isn't going to take effect on me, and I can get into a zone from here to the finish. I pass the 3:10 pace leader, who is walking! I don't think he is going to make his goal, not to mention he might not finish.Mile 16 7:50
This mile is mostly uphill, but with only 10 miles to go, my warm up is over. All I have to do is bring it home. Of course the fact that the temperature is well into the 80s might have something to say about this.Mile 17 7:41
It is really hot! People all over the place are coming out with garden hoses. I try to get soaked by each one. I realize that the only goal now is to finish decently.Mile 18 8:14
The heat is oppressive. I am definitely switching to survival mode. There is still a long way to go with temperatures this hot.Mile 19 8:25
I continue in the survival mode. I think I can maintain this pace to the finish. My legs don't feel bad, and I think they would begin cramping before I suffered too badly from the heat.Mile 20 8:26
At this point, the course makes it last turn towards the finish. There is now a breeze in my face, and I decide that I have enough water in my gut to only drink one cup at each water stop every mile. I talk to a guy in orange shorts, who also thinks he can finish in less than 3:30. To do this we only need to average around 9 minutes/mile.Mile 21 8:06
I pass the 3:20 pace leader as I pick it up. He obviously isn't going to make his goal on this hot day. The hay is in the barn (not to mention cool air), and I am going to go get it.Mile 22 7:45
I am kicking as I head up into Bloomfield. This would really be fun if it weren't so darn hot!Mile 23 8:04
Not only am I going to finish, but I might be able to look good doing it. The crowd is awesome in Bloomfield.Mile 24 7:44
This is sharply downhill, and I am still able to turn my legs over. The wind is in my face, and it is keeping me from boiling over.Mile 25 8:38
The course flattens out for the last two miles. I hope I can just keep these last two splits under 9 minutes/mile. The city seems so close, yet so far away.Mile 26 8:42
I have managed to survive the hottest marathon of my life. I see Martha as I head into Point State Park. The crowd is awesome here in Pittsburgh. I think I might have to jump in the river to cool off.Mile 26.2 1:33
This is a real strong finish. I am all alone with nobody in front of me to pass. I begin to wonder if I will feel hotter after I finish.Final 3:23:56 officially.
The temperature at the finish is close to 90 degrees!
I was 156th of 2,708 finishers. I think there were close to 4,000 entrants in the marathon. I finished 23rd of 285, males 30-34. Therefore, I passed almost 80 runners in the second half of the race, even though I slowed down by seven minutes. There were only 10 women who beat me today.
I feel weirdly okay when I finish, and the best part is that Martha has a 20 oz bottle of Coke (the Real Thing) for me. It is the best thing to drink after a long run. I catch a bus back to my hotel, shower and change, and then head over to the Westin William Penn to the Media center for my interview with JoAnne Harrop of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. She interviews me for over an hour and the story runs in the Tuesday paper. It is very cut down and in the third person, but overall I think it does my effort justice.
At this point, I am not planning on a fall marathon, but will focus solely on the JFK50 miler on the 4th of November.
Never stop running,
Darin
