On Saturday, 17 November 2001, I competed in the JFK50 mile race near Hagerstown, Maryland. Here are some insights and thoughts about my experience. I hope you enjoy reading them.
The course begins with an uphill climb on pavement of about 3 miles. Then for the next 13 miles or so, the course follows the Appalachian Trail, which could not be rougher if someone planted the rocks in the ground.
The temperature is 40 degrees at the start, and the skies are totally clear. If I weren't running 50 miles today, this would be perfect weather. However, I fear it is going to get a little warm for the Polarbear.
4.0 miles 37:35 (9:24 avg./mile)
This is all uphill, but it is mostly on a smooth surface, and I am still fresh. Therefore, I am off to a pretty good start for this year. My right ankle is taped for the trail portion, and the tape is just starting to get broken-in.
9.5 miles 59:22 (10:48 avg./mile)
These last five miles are some of the most tedious portions of the trail. On almost every step, there is the chance to bruise a foot or twist an ankle. Furthermore, the trail is still fairly crowded and passing at this point is next to impossible.
15.7 miles 1:13:01 (11:47 avg./mile)
These 6.2 miles are just like the last 5.5, except now the pack has spread out some and there are chances to pass. Phil Young and I are rolling pretty good through this section, and I reach the cliffs six minutes ahead of last year's time. I quickly cut off the tape and change shoes from my Nandi to my Traverse.
16.7 miles 9:40
When I get down on the towpath beside the C&O Canal (or what is left of the canal), I try to go as slow as I possibly can. My goal is usually to keep these miles between 9:30 and 10 minutes.
17.7 miles 9:55
Okay, this is perfect! All I have to do is hold this exact pace for 24 more miles and then I can pick it up the last eight miles on the roads.
18.7 miles 10:38
Phil Young had been running with me, but I think I took the trail a little fast for him. In addition, the temperature is now at least 60 degrees, and he runs worse in the heat than I do.
19.7 miles 9:49
One of these years, I would love to know if these mile markers are spaced evenly or not. Every year, it seems like my miles are fast and then slow. The mind has a lot of time to wander during 50 miles.
20.7 miles 10:56
Then again, some of these miles have a little uphill portion when the canal comes to a lock. Last year this mile was slower, but then I went from an eight minute mile to a nine minute mile.
21.7 miles 9:43
I train and run eating Access bars every two hours. However, this year I forgot to pack them, and Access bars can only be mail ordered. Therefore, I have no idea what is going to happen. I am eating bagels and drinking Sustain and Powerade, but only time will tell if I crash and burn.
22.7 miles 11:35
This is pathetic! I can accept a 10-minute mile every now and then, but it is way too early in the race to start having an 11-minute mile!
23.7 miles 9:40
Okay, this is better. I am trying to get into "the zone," but I can't quite get into a good rhythm and hold it.
24.7 miles 11:39
I am almost half way through this race, and I already know that I am not going to set any personal records today. Martha and the kids are great crewing for me.
25.7 miles 10:31
The temperature is slowly rising into the mid-60s, and the humidity is really low. That means all I have to do is drink a lot of liquid, and I will have no problems.
26.7 miles 9:33
The key at this point in the race is to not think about how far you have run or how far you have yet to run.
27.7 miles 10:43
There is nothing I can do about these 10-minute miles, so I just accept them and keep moving. This is in some ways really a race and the mile times matter, and in other ways, it is purely survival.
28.7 miles 10:23
I see Martha at an aid station and she tells me I am not drinking enough since my Camelbak doesn't need to be refilled. Actually, I have to agree with her.
29.7 miles 10:04
I begin drinking more, and start thinking about how many miles I have left. Hey, it's only 20 or so!
30.7 miles 9:32
The towpath is boring, and the only thing to look forward to is the dam where you leave the tow path. Around each bend in the river, I look and listen ahead for possible sounds of the dam. I know, it's still 10 miles away, but I have to look forward to something.
31.7 miles 11:21
Even though this is my fourth time running this race, it still amazes me that no matter how easy you run early on, it still hurts after 30 miles.
32.7 miles 10:02
Look at this mile. Maybe my second wind is coming and these miles will just fly by now.
33.7 miles 11:10
So much for that idea. I guess I will just slug these miles out one at a time.
34.7 miles 12:21
I have got to speed up or I might as well start walking.
35.7 miles 10:29
This is better. Now if I can just keep these under 11 minutes per mile.
36.7 miles 10:24
Okay, two good miles in a row!
37.7 miles 11:49
So, I have to have a slow mile sooner or later. There is an aid station coming up called 38 special, but for the past couple of years, it has been close to the 39-mile mark.
38.7 miles 10:59
38 special is just around the corner. Oh, to see my support crew again.
39.7 miles 10:59
I pass through the wonderful aid station and see Martha and the kids. Unfortunately, I do not change my shoes and the next time I will get to see my crew is at mile 44.
40.7 miles 11:42
Okay, one more mile and then we can get off this towpath. I think if I average 11 minute miles from here in, I will finish at around 8:55.
41.7 miles 13:05
Wow! Talk about staggering to the finish. I am not really that excited to be off the towpath after a mile this slow.
42.2 miles 9:24 *half mile split
I know this split is probably more than a half mile, but there is an aid station where we exit off the towpath and then everybody walks up the hill to the eight miles to go sign. Oh, by the way, this race is 50.2 miles.
43.2 miles 10:53
Okay, just let these miles roll. The road we are on is nicely rolling , and I am walking some of the uphill portions. It is starting to look like I won't break 9 hours this year. I think I have to run 10 flat minute miles from here to the finish, and it doesn't look promising.
44.2 miles 12:10
This is the last stop that I will see my wonderful pit crew. Martha has the camp stool set up and my DS-Trainers waiting. I change the shoes, drop off the Camelbak, drink a cup of Coke, and head on down the road. Something clicks, and I can almost smell the hay in the barn.
45.2 miles 8:29
Click is right! I am cruising. I am passing people like they are standing still. So, what if some are actually standing still. I wonder if I can hold anything close to this until the finish.
46.2 miles 8:58
Okay, another great mile and here comes another aid station. I grab another cup of Coke and stride on down the road.
47.2 miles 8:38
It is awesome some of the compliments and comments you get from other runners. For example, looking good, nice stride, where did you find that energy?, and have you been walking until now?
48.2 miles 9:19
Well, I knew it was too good to be true. Even though, I am running a good pace at this point, another runner still comes up on me for the pass. And to make matters worse, it is a female. However, I manage to hold her off for now as we continue to pass plenty of other runners.
49.2 miles 9:19
As I am getting another cup of Coke, she passes me, and I lose contact. She is definitely into her zone. However, it is okay because there are a lot of other runners to pass, and nobody else is passing me!
50.2 miles 8:25
What a finish! I learned the drinking Coke trick from Melissa Belleman last year. Fortunately, she had a baby in September and couldn't run and smoke me again this year. It is great to finish strong because only one person wins, but everyone has a chance to look good at the finish. The Coke helped, but I think it was definitely "the shoes."
Official Finishing Time 8:54:16
134th out of 818 finishers
This is only my third best time at this race, but considering I didn't have my Access bars, and it was definitely on the warm side, I will take it. Recovery (or at least the perception) gets easier every year, although I think the Access bars would have helped. Anyway, it is time to head home and go to sleep so that I can set up our church, The Life, at 6:00am tomorrow morning. Until next time, remember to never stop running and praying while doing so.
Darin
At 4:00am on Saturday morning on the 21st of July, I found myself at the start line of the Vermont 100 Miler. This is my first attempt at running a 100, but I think that I am adequately prepared since I have done the JFK 50 Miler the last three years. Martha, the kids, and I drove up to Massachusetts on Thursday from Virginia. We stayed the night with Martha's parents and left the kids there for the weekend as Martha and I came up here to Vermont. We arrived in Woodstock, Vermont around 2:30pm and checked into our room at the Ascutney Mountain Resort. Our room was less than we expected for $96/night. Of course, there wasn't any air conditioning, but at least the room was clean, although the king-size bed was just two twins pushed together.
We left the room and went quickly to Smoke Rise Farm where the race headquarters, start, and finish is for this race. I checked in around 3pm and passed through the medical check, which consisted of weight and blood pressure. The mandatory pre-race brief that was slated to start at 3:45pm didn't get going until 4:30pm. This would be a trend for the weekend.
Saturday morning, Martha and I showed up at 3:30am in order to "check-in" before the start of the race. Unfortunately, the race director was the only person checking in the almost 300 runners. So, I waited in line until 3:50am, and there were about 100 runners behind me. Somehow, though the race managed to get started by 4:06am. It was obviously dark, but I didn't need a flashlight because 300 of my "closest friends" each had a flashlight, and there was more than enough light for me to see for the first hour.
I started the race with a cotton t-shirt, shorts, Nandi Asics trail shoes, and my Camelbak with a half strength mixture of gatorade. The temperature at the start was around 55 degrees.
18 miles 3:24 (11:20 avg./mile)
I am rolling well. Vermont seems to be set up very nice for the novice runner. It is obvious that you should walk up these hills, run going down the other side, and there are very few spots where you have to decide whether you should be running or walking--i.e., flat portions. I was thinking that I should average between 12 and 15 minutes per mile. This first segment is a little quick, but it is good to put the miles away while the temperature is still cool. I glide into the aid station meet Martha at our car. I take off the t-shirt as Martha re-loads my Camelbak, and then I down 7 ounces of Sustain. I grab a bagel, and I am out of the pit stop in less than a minute.
27.7 miles 1:45 / 5:09 (10:49 avg./mile)
Just before the 18 mile aid station, the horses had passed me. However, the horses were required to stop longer and therefore, I was back ahead of them after the aid station. So, soon after leaving the aid station, here come the horses again passing me. The horses couldn't pass quickly though because we were going uphill, and they couldn't go much faster than we could. This had the detrimental effect of making me think that I could compete with the beasts. Consequently, there I am really "hoofing it" up another trail, which happens to go straight up the side of terrain just like all of them. Anyway, this is all to explain why I covered the last 9.7 miles at a blazing 10:49 pace. Furthermore, this was no easy stretch of the course. At once point, we were wacking weeds and brush on our way to the top of one hill. Fortunately, the four legged "volunteers" (a.k.a. horses) had softened up the turf on the down side, and I flew down the other side. At this aid station, I change out of my Asics Nandis and into my Asics Trabacos because the Nandis were causing blisters on the inside of my heels. Even with the "tire change" and drinking Sustain and replenishing my load, I am still out of the pit stop in less than two minutes..
30.8 miles 0:38 / 5:48 (12:15 avg./mile)
This short, three mile stretch has a significant climb of at least a mile. I am discovering that it is the longer climbs of a mile or more that are really taxing my quads. However, I seem to do well going uphill as compared to the people around me. When I get into the aid station, Martha hands me a Sustain, and I decide not to reload my Camelbak since it has only been three miles.
44.2 miles 3:05 / 8:53 (13:48 avg./mile)
These last 13.4 miles were quite the roller coaster--both physically and mentally. Seeing as it was almost 10 o'clock in the morning when I left the 30 mile aid station, the temperature is quickly climbing into the 80s. I run out of fluid in my Camelbak before mile 38, but I am able to refill at mile 38.4. Around this point, my stomach starts to let me know that it has had enough of this running with a full stomach of food and fluids. I walk quite a bit at a couple of points and really try to take it easy when I am running. However, it is defiitely hot, and I am transitioning into survival mode. There were points during this section that I would think I better continue to walk until it cools off, but I keep moving forward and find myself more times than not running down hills. Although I have slowed some, I am still doing better than 15 minute miles, and I know that I only have to average 15 minute miles from here in order to finish under 24 hours. At this aid station is the first medical check. I tip the scales at 191 pounds, which is two pounds less than the day before. If I loose 7% of my body weight, I will be dropped. Obviously, I am not anywhere close to having to drop out for that reason. I again drink a Sustain, Martha reloads my Camelbak and gives me a couple of Access bars and hands me a bagel. I am out of the aid station in about two minutes again.
54.9 miles 2:31 / 11:25 (14:07 avg./mile)
Things continue to get uglier as I proceed. I am walking more, but I am still able to keep my average under 15 minute miles. My legs have not cramped, but they are definitely strained. Many times during this stretch I decide I am going to walk the rest of the way, but then a few minutes later, I find myself shuffling down another hill. I mean, why should I not take advantage and use the downhill to my advantage? When I finally get into this aid station, I change my socks, but keep the Trabacos. Unfortunately, my camp stool is packed in storage with my household goods as we await our house being built. Therefore, I find myself sitting on the dirt/sandy road changing my socks. Therefore, when I stand up I find that there is sand sticking to my shorts and legs because I have covered myself from knees to shoulders in vaseline. As I was changing my socks and drinking my Sustain, I am complaining to Martha about something and so I ask her if I am complaining too much. Her answer: it lets her know that I am still mentally alert. With the sock change, I leave the aid station and head up the road, which seems to be going uphill.
60 miles 1:31 / 12:56 (17:51 avg./mile)
I was not mistaken that the road was heading uphill. In fact, it headed straight up the hill for the next four miles! I learn that they actually call this four mile hill. So, for over an hour I am hiking up hill with several other friends as we all begin to hope for the last uphill, but we know that this doesn't stop until the finish. When I finally reach the top, I am not ready to run down the other side, so I walk. Unfortunately, walking this section shows me that I cannot walk and maintain 15 minute miles. Well, there is no reason to stop until I have to. Finishing, even in more than 24 hours is better than dropping out, I think.
68.2 miles 2:56 / 15:52 (21:28 avg./mile)
Shortly, after leaving mile 60, Larry comes up behind me, and he is from Mechanicsville, Virginia. He is a retired Army officer, and he has done many of these 100 milers--too many to be able to tell me straight away how many he has done. I decide to stick with him and see if I can make progess down the trail. We stay together until a food station at mile 62.8. There, I grab a couple of sandwich quarters and then start to head up the trail as Larry continues to chow. A minute later he is back beside me and when we crest the next hill he asks if I am ready to run again, and I realize that I am done. He moves on, and I find that I don't even have enough energy to walk.. It is like a switch has been turned off, and I now longer have any energy to stand up, not to mention walk quickly. However, I want to make it to the next aid station at mile 68.2 where Martha is. So, I walk very slowly, downhill towards my drop out point. Who knows, maybe the switch will get turned back on. Other runners come by me and encourage me to keep going. About two miles from the aid station, a race volunteer comes by me and asks me if I am okay, I say no, but I think I can make it to the aid station. A mile later, a couple of runners pass me and ask me the same question. I give the same answer. However, I know I am worse, and I think they are concerned. As I crest a small hill before the last quarter of a mile into the aid station, he comes the race doctor heading up the road towards me and asks me if I am okay. I am not of course, but I can now see the aid station and want to make it to my drop out point under my own power. This is the second medical check area, and I want to see how much I weigh. I tip the scales this time at 190 pounds, pretty good considering I have used probably close to 10,000 calories on todays journey. Martha when she sees me knows that I am finished and doesn't try to convince me to go any farther. I averaged less than three miles per hour over this stretch and most of it was downhill.
Unofficial Drop out Time 15:52 (13:58 avg./mile)
Any doubts on whether I should have dropped out were erased by how I felt the rest of the night. It was right around 8pm when I dropped. Martha drove me back to our room and dropped me off, while she went to McDonald's to buy me a cheeseburger and french fries. I managed to drag/pull myself up the two flights of stairs to our room and deposit my sweaty, muddy, vaseline/sun screen/bug spray covered body horizontally on the bed. This is where I was when Martha returned. I ate the french fries but didn't yet have the stomach to eat the cheeseburger. So, after about 30 minutes or so, I decide I better clean off my before mentioned body before I pass out for the night. Therefore, I stood up and made my way into the bathroom. By the time I arrived in the bathroom, I was too nauseous so I layed down in the bath tub. Now I hadn't turned on the water or anything, and 10- 15 minutes later this is the position I was in when Martha looked in on me. I told her I was fine and just needed to rest before taking a shower. Well, I finally took my shower and managed to make it back to the bed. When I got there I got under all of the covers because I was chilled even though it was at least 80 degrees in our room. Martha was concerned until a couple of hours later I rolled over and pushed back the covers a little.
It is now five days later, and my body has recovered quite well. Less than 15 hours after I dropped out, I decided that my next attempt at running a 100 miler will be next year at Mohican on June 15, 2002. Until then I will run the JFK 50 Miler in November and maybe a marathon next spring. Until next time, take care, and God bless you.
Never stop running (or at least moving forward),
Darin
On Sunday, 6 May 2001, I ran my fourth Pittsburgh Marathon in a row. This is my third marathon this year, and it has been seven weeks since my last one. My training has been hard, and my legs went "dead" about two and a half weeks ago when I ran out of my Melaleuca vitamins for a week. Not helping anything, the tree pollen has been exceptionally thick. However, I took an easier than normal taper week, and I am hoping that my legs will spring back to life.
On Thursday, Martha and I and the kids, along with five friends from The Life, headed up to Ohio. We left the kids with my parents and went on to Ginghamsburg for a church change conference for two days. The conference ended on Saturday at 5:00pm, and Martha and I made it into Pittsburgh around 10:30, Saturday night. Fortunately, my parents had already travelled to Pittsburgh earlier in the day, checked into the hotel, and put Nathan and Amy to bed. Therefore, all Martha and I had to do was fall into bed just after 11:00pm.
Start 0:17
This year's race has a few more runners than previous years. The weather is cool around 55 degrees with the high supposed to be in the low 70s. The start this year is at 7:45am, and I feel nothing great, but nothing bad either. I wonder if the excitement of the conference has tired me out any or if my legs have fully bounced back. I ate a bagel when I got up at 6am, even though I was not at all hungry. I ate my Access Bar at 7:25. I am wearing shorts, Oakleys (even though they won't sponsor me), Asics DS Trainer '00, and an old t-shirt that I will take off soon. Unfortunately, the sun screen didn't get packed, and with mostly sunny skies, my fair skin will probably be a little red before I am done.
Mile 1 7:54
Shortly after the start, I toss my t-shirt to my dad on Grant Street. I am running very conservatively as I try to figure out how my body is going to work today. About three-quarters of a mile into the race, I hear a lady telling someone else that we are on about an 8:15 pace. My thought is that there is no way I am running that slow. However, with the start delay, we hit the one mile mark right about 8:10. I know I am running easy, but the first mile is supposed to be faster than this!
Mile 2 7:29
I pick the pace up some, but I am surprised that my time is not faster. Oh well, it is still early, and my legs might be just warming up.
Mile 3 7:18
Ah, a mile somewhat close to my usual goal of 7:15/mile. My best marathon is a 3:10, and that equals about a 7:15/mile. However, it is always better to start off slower and have something left at the end. I am still surprised that my mile times aren't faster, though.
Mile 4 7:28
This mile is somewhat downhill, and the time still wants to drift closer towards 7:30. I know that this is probably not going to be a personal best time today, but I don't know better than to keep running.
Mile 5 7:28
Up and over the 16th bridge--I head over to the north side. I guess I will have to be happy with these miles, but I am still working quite hard to even get these split times. I am drinking a lot of water because I know the temperature will only increase, the humidity is low, and dehydration can occur very quickly.
Mile 6 7:26
Okay--another 7:20 something mile--I wonder if I am not exerting too much effort in my attempt to run decent mile times. I hope this race doesn't get really ugly before I am done.
Mile 7 7:18
When I really push I can manage a mile like this one, but I know I can't push that hard this early in the race. The 3:15 pace group is close with me. The leader of this pace group seems to be keeping a really consistent speed, unlike some past pacers I have observed (see Hartford 99).
Mile 8 7:29
I cross up and over the West End Bridge and into south side. This is a neat stretch because I can see back over the river to Point State Park where the finish will be. My legs feel pretty dead, and I wonder how bad things are going to be around mile 20.
Mile 9 7:16
I am not running these splits out of a conscience decision. It is more like a terminal velocity that I can maintain without exerting too much effort for a marathon. However, I continue to drink one or two cups of water at every water stop, and I don't think things will get too ugly if I stay hydrated.
Mile 10 7:25
This mile is in the heart of the south side where there is a nice strip of bars. Usually there are several patrons out in front of the bars, drinking beer, and cheering on the runners. However, I don't notice many beer drinkers out this year.
Mile 11 7:56
All of the water I have been drinking finally catches up to me, and I have to make a quick stop. I duck in between a few buildings and only waste about 30 seconds or so. It is now time to cross the bridge and tackle the steepest climb on the course.
Mile 12 7:04
Two years ago when I had my breakthrough run, bettering my personal best by eight minutes, I charged up the hill into Oakland. Last year, even in the sweltering heat, I still charged up the hill. It is now in my blood, so I cross over the Birmingham Bridge and charge up the hill towards Oakland, throwing caution to the wind. One of the reasons this mile always looks so good on my watch is that there is a nice downhill coming off of the bridge, and at the 12 mile mark, the hill into Oakland is only halfway done.
Mile 13 7:55
The second half of the hill comes in this mile, and my time shows. Next year, I will have to try and save something for this 13th mile instead of using it as a recovery after mile 12. My halfway split is 1:38:36. Ironically, this is the same time at the halfway mark I have had for the past three years. Two years ago, I ran the second half in 1:35. Last year, with the oppressive heat, I ran the second half in 1:45. I wonder which way things will go this year. With the ultra long runs I do in training, I always have hope that my legs can snap out of this dead funk they are in so that I can run a negative split (i.e., faster second half).
Mile 14 7:44
These couple of miles, 13, 14, and 15, are pretty tough because the legs are no longer fresh, and there is too far to go to really put a lot of effort into the slight uphill. I rip open my Access Bar and begin slowly eating it. My stomach is still full from all of the feasting I did in Ohio and all of the water I have been consuming during the race.
Mile 15 7:39
This is always an interesting mile because the crowd is usually deep, but not always vocal. Going up Walnut Street, there are mostly upward trendy people, who aren't the best marathon fans in the world. However, some years a runner will get them pumped up. I am having to expend too much energy focusing on keeping my legs turning over to concern myself with the crowd at all. As I take one turn onto Walnut Street I brush a spectator standing a little too close to the curb. I think he will be okay. No, I didn't knock him over or anything!
Mile 16 7:35
This mile time is right where I would want it considering the shape my legs are in as this mile has the last steep uphill on this marathon. Now, with only 10 miles to go, it is time to throw the hammer down and take this marathon home. I only wish I had the legs to really kick today.
Mile 17 7:19
Finally, another sub-7:20 mile! I don't think I am going to set any records bringing this one home today. I am running close to another former Marine who got out in '95 after his initial four years. He still wears a high and tight and is obviously motivated.
Mile 18 7:23
So much for that sub-7:20 mile. I think this is one of the neat places along the course. I am in the heart of East Liberty (the east side ghetto), but the people come out and cheer for you no matter what color your skin is. They hand you a cup of water just the same and offer encouragement. There are times like these that I forget about all of the racial tension in the country.
Mile 19 7:35
Okay, enough day dreaming, I have a race to finish. This mile is mostly flat to downhill, and I feel like I am turning over the legs pretty good, but the times still stay on the slow side.
Mile 20 7:46
Well, with another 7:30+ mile, I guess I better just try to keep all of my miles under 8:00. That is always a lofty goal that I have only achieved twice in 16 attempts.
Mile 21 7:30
Onto Negley Avenue, I can almost taste the downhill starting in Bloomfield. This really gets fun at Pittsburgh because with the course heading downhill or flat, there is little reason to let up, except of course the fact that my legs and feet hurt.
Mile 22 7:29
Wow, I don't think I could have kept these miles more consistent if I wanted. Now, let's see if I can rip a fast mile as the steep downhill is right in front of me. At some marathons (Charlotte) they decide to put the uphills at the end. Fortunately, the Pittsburgh Marathon has more sense than that.
Mile 23 7:31
I can't believe (even though my legs hurt) that I can't run downhill faster than this. At least, all of the miles are sub-8:00 so far.
Mile 24 7:27
This steep, downhill mile proves that my legs just will not turnover any faster than 7:30/mile today. Two years ago, I ripped a 6:36 going down this hill.
Mile 25 8:04
Oh no! The downhill is mostly over, and there is no crowd here because they are all down near the finish. A lonely, flat mile, and I let the time slip over 8:00.
Mile 26 7:36
However, there is still a small glimmer of life left in the dead, tired legs that are now 32 years old. My energy level is still relatively high, and I can ignore the pain from the tighs on down for a mile.
Mile 26.2 1:24
What a good finish. As more than one writer has written, only one person wins, but we all have the chance to look good at the finish. Fortunately, I can at least look good at the finish on this less than optimal day.
Finish 3:17:47
179th out of 2328, overall
36th out of 267, men 30-34
Another marathon in the books. This is actually my second fastest at Pittsburgh in four completions. Furhermore, it is my 5th fastest overall in 17 completions. For the three marathons I have run this year, my times are 3:16, 3:15, and 3:17. They look really consistent, but each race was so different. This is the slowest of the three, but the best race I ran--pacing and taking in water.
Well, now my plans (if all goes well) are to run the Vermont 100 in July and then to return to the JFK 50 Miler in November. This 100 miler in Vermont will be my first, and I think this Pittsburgh marathon has mentally toughened me for the task.
Never stop running,
Darin
Seven weeks ago, I ran the Charlotte Run for Peace Marathon in 3:16. It was a hilly course, and there was a head wind to battle most of the day. The Shamrock Marathon has a reputation of being a fast, flat course. The only thing keeping my confidence low is the stomach flu I had three and a half weeks ago. My running has yet to return to the pre-flu level. However, the course is flat, the wind is supposed to be calm, and the temperature might actually stay low enough for a personal record (PR).
March 17, 2001
Start 0:01
This marathon is the right size for me because there isn't too big of a crowd. The entries for the marathon were just under 2,000. It is a clean start, and my game plan is to run between 7:15/mile and 7:20/mile, so that hopefully I can run faster for the second half (negative split).
Mile 1 7:16
I am running on a Marine team from Quantico. There are six of us on the team, and the fastest three times count as our team's time. The other five start off faster than me, but I know what my legs are probably capable of today. I hope we have a couple of guys who have great days. This opening mile is perfect, and it feels like I am jogging.
Mile 2 7:17
This is really smooth, and the temperature is about 50 degrees and overcast. However, it is supposed to clear off and warm up soon.
Mile 3 7:20
This mile is okay. It is better to go a little slow than too fast. There is a group of us that seem to want to go the same pace, and as we turn onto the boardwalk, we form a pack of about 9 or 10.
Mile 4 7:19
The pack is tight since there is a slight head wind as we head north up the boardwalk. It is awesome that we all seem to want to run close to the same pace. There are some in the group who are trying for a 3:15 and some who want a 3:10.
Mile 5 7:13
The only problem with running in a pack is at the water stops. The pack breaks up as we come to a water stop and not everyone decides it is worth it to get back into a pack. Oh well, I only need one or two people to draft behind.
Mile 6 7:06
This mile is a little fast because one of the guys who was in the front of the pack is picking up his pace now that he is warmed up. Several of us decide to hold back a little.
Mile 7 7:17
This is good. The temptation is to pick it up and really stretch things out, but patience is definitely a virtue from this point until about mile 18 or so.
Mile 8 7:21
This mile and the next one are a little slow, but I am comfortable. I don't know if my legs will have "pop" in them for the second half or not, so I better stay conservative.
Mile 9 7:21
These couple of miles are also uphill as we head towards Fort Story. We will be coming back the same way, and I bet this hill will be great to come back down.
Mile 10 7:19
I finish the climb to Fort Story, and there are three of us running close together. However, the guy who was leading decides it is time for him to draft awhile.
Mile 11 7:25
As we turn into Fort Story, the other guy takes the lead. I stay close as there is still somewhat of a head wind. The patience is wearing thin.
Mile 12 7:08
After the last mile, I decide it is time to see if my legs are going to be here today for me. As I take the lead of this small group of three, I quickly lose the other two. I also pass my first teammate, MSgt Reece.
Mile 13 7:20
I want to feel out my legs, but I decide not to get carried away. Any faster than 7:15 feels like too much effort today. I better save my "matches" until late in the race.
Mile 14 7:05
This is the turn around to head back to the start/finish. Therefore, I get to see my other four teammates. Ron Wielsma looks great and is about eight minutes ahead of me. The other three are close together, and they probably have a couple of minutes lead on me.
Mile 15 7:28
I eat my Access Bar, and my mouth is not very dry at all. The water stops are every two to two and a half miles, and I have been drinking a full cup at each stop. Unfortunately, the water stops are not every mile during the second half like they need to be.
Mile 16 7:20
There is still a slight breeze, but it never seems to be at my back. However, now it feels good coming diagonally from the front.
Mile 17 7:08
This is the last mile on Fort Story. Now, it is time to pick up the pace and take it home. The downhill portion is right in front of me.
Mile 18 7:23
I know I am running downhill, and I am passing people, but still I am not going any faster. I was hoping to drop these close to 7:05 or better coming down this hill.
Mile 19 7:27
I spot two more of my teammates up ahead. They are a good distance in front of me, and it looks like they are still running pretty well. However, since I am not setting any speed records coming down this hill, they must be slowing down.
Mile 20 7:36
I have cut the gap between me and my two closest teammates in half. I am sure I will catch them-the only question is when. Clearly though, this is not going to be a PR day, since the big kick is not in my legs today.
Mile 21 7:37
I catch both of these two teammates-Tim Maxwell and Bill Inserra at the same time. I mention that it is time to take it home, and they both respond with something like, "I am done."
Mile 22 7:28
I pick it up to see if I have any hammer left to throw down on the accelerator. Unfortunately, right as I pass the 22nd mile mark, my calves decide to begin cramping.
Mile 23 8:08
I have to back off the pace if I want to be able to finish running the rest of the way. It is interesting at this point to continue pushing, but not too much or else my calves will "lock up." There are always various runners at this point who stop suddenly because some muscle has locked up.
Mile 24 8:21
I continue on a limited terminal velocity due to my calves. I am not passing anybody still running, but there are a few walkers/stoppers who I can get by. There are also a couple of strong finishers who go by me.
Mile 25 8:32
I turn off the boardwalk again and head for the Pavilion Convention Center. I spot yet another teammate ahead of me. I am currently in third place for the team, and if I can chase him down I will take second. This will be a good goal for the last mile.
Mile 26 8:08
Unfortunately, a quarter of a mile into this last mile, my teammate, Jeff Stansfield, stops to stretch out his calves. I am disappointed for two reasons. First, I am losing a valuable incentive for the last mile, and second he is now our third place runner, whose time is counting for the team.
Mile 26.2 1:28
I still can kick, but I am paying for it in my calves. Right about the 26th mile mark is Martha, Nathan, and Amy cheering me to the finish. I manage to pass a couple of guys in the last 300 yards, and one in the last 20.
Final 3:15:53 officially.
I was 107th of 1559 finishers. I finished 14th of 156, males 30-34. There were only six women who beat me today, but the sixth place female is only 11 years old! The team finishes second in the military division out of six. Ron Wielsma leads us with a solid 3:01 time. Jeff Stansfield is our third place time with a 3:16:46.
Size-wise and course-wise, this is a really good marathon. I still would like to see more water stops during the second half. After I finish, my calves are hurting severely, but after about 30 minutes, I am okay and walking around. Give me another hour or two, and I will be ready to dance (just kidding). This 3:15 is a nice solid time, but I still want to get one under 3:10. However, the strategy of going out conservatively is the way to go because one never knows if this will be the day that the legs are still there for the last 6-8 miles.
It is now time to quickly recover and get back in the training mode. I am planning on running the Pittsburgh Marathon on 6 May, and the Vermont 100 on July 21st and 22nd. Stay in touch and God bless you.
Never stop running,
Darin
Three years ago, I ran the Charlotte Observer Marathon, which was a "relentlessly hilly," loop course. This course for the Run for Peace Marathon is a point-to-point course running north to south. The weather forecast was calling for mostly sunny skies with a low in the morning in the 30s and a high in the mid-50s with a SW wind of 10 to 15 mph.
January 27, 2001
Start 0:02
This is a very small marathon with a third of the field being relay runners. The temperature is right around 40 degrees and the wind is stiff out of the south. I am wearing shorts, a thin Coolmax long-sleeve t-shirt, another long-sleeve t-shirt, and my brand new Oakley sunglasses that Martha and the kids gave me for my birthday, which is today. There isn't any better way to celebrate a birthday!
Mile 1 7:16
A perfect start, but the wind is definitely in our faces. In a race this small, it is more tempting to take off too quickly. The start was delayed by 10 minutes and this might upset my water management plan.
Mile 2 7:05
My goal is to run a 3:10 or better, which translates into 7:15 per mile. Due to the wind, I am trying to find other runners who I can draft behind. Unfortunately, the only runners close to me are relay runners, and they are going a little faster than I would like.
Mile 3 7:05
I maintain my draft position because it is easier running this pace behind someone than to run 20 seconds slower without a wind block. I take off the extra long-sleeve t-shirt and throw it away.
Mile 4 6:59
The problem with drafting off a relay runner is that they are only doing five miles and aren't as concerned about a nice even pace. The runner I am following begins to pick-up his pace as he nears his hand-off point.
Mile 5 7:19
I lose my wind block, and this mile is no easier than the previous three miles that were faster.
Mile 6 6:59
I catch another wind blocker for a mile, but I know I shouldn't be running this fast.
Mile 7 7:27
Since there are only ~400 marathon runners and another ~200 relay runners, there are not many runners to draft behind.
Mile 8 7:02
The legs feel great, and my body feels very good, but these miles are probably a little quick given the wind conditions.
Mile 9 7:24At this point, I link up with two other runners who are trying to run about a 3:10. However, they do not seem interested in trading off blocking the wind as we run three abreast.
Mile 10 7:17
Occasionally, I try to drift behind these two to get a little wind block, but they don't seem to be concerned about the wind.
Mile 11 7:12
The nice thing is that these guys have a pretty good sense of pace. It continues to get a little warmer, and I wonder when I should take off my shirt.
Mile 12 7:05
We get a little quick with this mile as we are passing a relay runner in front of us. The water stations have been good, but the cups are as small as Dixie cups and are half empty.
Mile 13 7:16
This is the perfect pace to run a sub-3:10, but I think the conditions (because of the wind) are not ideal. My halfway split is 1:33:48. I break out my peanut butter Access bar and eat it. I must be getting enough water because my mouth is not too dry.
Mile 14 7:44
My water management plan was dealt a set back because of the delayed start. I stop to relieve myself on the side of the road next to some woods.
Mile 15 7:22
Okay, pit stop is over, and I have eaten my Access bar. It is time to start focusing on gearing up for the end game of this marathon.
Mile 16 7:22
My legs hurt, but I don't think I have destroyed them too bad. Only ten miles to go, and I think I can keep my miles around this time. However, I need to go a little faster if I am going to get a 3:10. I am not feeling too warm, but am definitely sweating quite a bit, so I take off my Coolmax t-shirt and toss it. Just after I toss my t-shirt, my left contact lens decides to fold up and roll to the top of my eyeball. I will run the rest of the race with mono-vision.
Mile 17 7:03
The cool wind on my bare chest invigorates me, and I find that the legs can still turnover at a good clip.
Mile 18 7:20
The city of Charlotte is coming into view, but the wind is still in my face. I am wondering how many matches (bursts of energy) I have left to burn.
Mile 19 7:12
There is a slight downhill as we head towards town. Charlotte doesn't have a downtown as one has to go uphill to get to the center of town.
Mile 20 7:20
I think I can keep this pace. I think I can keep this pace. However, I know that the uphill is coming.
Mile 21 7:45
I start up the hill going towards the center of town. I pass Martha and the kids cheering loudly and wishing me happy birthday.
Mile 22 8:18
This hill is quite the obstacle, and the problem is that this isn't the last one. I am disappointed that my pace has slipped slower than 8:00.
Mile 23 7:39
This little downhill, as I head away from the center of town, is nice, and I ride it for a mile while proving to myself that my legs can still turnover.
Mile 24 8:15
The course flattens back out, and I have no matches left and very little power in my legs. I realize that it is not going to be a 3:10 day.
Mile 25 8:58
Finishing strong is the major goal now, but this is being prevented by a fairly significant hill.
Mile 26 9:20
The last hill. Whoever laid out this course must not want to see anyone finish strong. I don't mind hills late in a marathon, but on the last mile when you don't need to?
Mile 26.2 1:37
With the finish in sight, I find one last burst of energy. In a field of only 400+, I have the "stage" (finish line) to myself. I perform a 360 spin and cross the line. It only takes me about five minutes after I finish to find my contact lens in my eye and put it back in its proper position.
Final 3:16:43 officially.
I was 39th of 420 finishers. I finished 10th of 44, males 30-34. There were only three women who beat me today.
I have determined that marathon fields can be too large (greater than 5,000) and now too small (less than 1,000). There were not enough other runners to pack with or pick-off in the second half. This Charlotte course is still relentlessly hilly, and I don't know if I will be back again. However, it is a decent marathon with good support along the course.
My plans this year are to run the Shamrock Marathon at Virginia Beach in seven weeks, then maybe the Pittsburgh Marathon in May, and an attempt at 100 miles in July at Vermont. Of course, I will run the JFK50 in November.
Never stop running,
Darin
