Shamrock Marathon 2004

Here I stand on the starting line for my one and only marathon this year. Sometimes I wonder why I keep running the marathon distance. Why don’t I just focus all of my efforts on my latest challenge—finishing a 100 miler? I guess as long as I can race this distance, it is good to see what I have to give in this race. The marathon is the distance I have raced most often, and therefore, is the best measuring stick for historical purposes. This year, I have hit all of my training marks in the past two months. Things have been going well. Now it is time to see how much “pop” is left in my 35 year old legs.

March 20, 2004

Start    0:06

This is a chip race, so technically, I get an extra 6 seconds off my race time because that is how long it takes me to cross the line. The temperature is 44 degrees, and the wind is almost still. It was cold this morning, some where in the low 30s, but now it is warming quickly and is supposed to reach into the mid to high 50s—almost perfect weather for running a marathon. I am wearing shorts, a Coolmax t-shirt, and Asics DS Trainers.

Mile 1    7:14

I start right beside Brad and Francois, who are trying for a 3:10 or better. Francois has yet to qualify for Boston, and he is still under 35. We are also right with the designated 3:10 pacer. I quit relying on pacers after one named Adam Beam from Runner’s World took us out way too fast. Anyway, I think I am running about the right speed, but Brad and Francois have taken off, and everyone else is just flowing past me. Either I am running slow today or everyone else is feeling good with the ideal weather conditions. When I hit the mile mark, I am relieved to see that I am right on pace for a 3:10. My personal best time is 3:10:44, so it would be nice to beat that time.

Mile 2    7:13

Things are going well. I feel good, and I think I am running well within myself. Now, the challenge is to be patient.

Mile 3    7:30

We round a turn and get onto the boardwalk. The ocean looks beautiful, and I just need to stay focused. This mile is a little slow, but I want to make sure that if I error that I error on the slow side early on.

Mile 4    7:22

The family and I stayed in a hotel on the boardwalk this year. So, around this mile marker, I see Martha and the kids. I am running fairly close to the 3:15 pacer, who obviously is slightly ahead of his pace.

Mile 5    7:23

I run another mile within reach of the 3:15 pacer. I am starting to really get the legs warmed up, and it will only be a matter of time until I push on ahead of them.

Mile 6    7:07

After passing the fifth mile, I begin to notice a couple of guys, who seem to be running a very smooth pace. So, I leave the 3:15 group and pick it up in order to run with these two guys.

Mile 7    7:22

I catch the two of them and fall in behind them. They are fairly young, and I find out later that they are seniors at JMU. One of them is named Matt, and he has it written on the front of his shirt. Almost every time we pass a group of spectators, they yell, “Go Matt.”

Mile 8    7:22

I always take salt tablets on ultras, but have never done it for just a marathon. However, this year, I have wrapped two salt tablets in plastic wrap and stuck them in the key pocket on my shorts. I manage to get one out and unwrapped and swallowed with some water at an aid station.

Mile 9    7:20

These two guys really have a smooth pace. They are hitting 7:20 miles like machines. Even as we begin to leave the ocean front and head uphill slightly, they maintain their pace.

Mile 10    7:21

The only reason all of my miles aren’t exactly 7:20 is because sometimes I am a little farther behind them than the previous mile. I am drafting slightly off of them as there is a slight headwind, but definitely nothing really to be concerned about. I am only trying to maintain a good pace.

Mile 11    7:12

Another guy comes up behind us and asks Matt and his friend what time they are shooting for. They say, “3:10.” This guy says something about that being the qualifying for Boston, and I mention that it is if you are under 35. Hee, hee, I get an extra five minutes now that I am 35. This mile is a little bit faster because I took the lead as we went into Fort Story.

Mile 12    7:24

Matt sticks with me, even as his friend does not pick up the pace to stay with us. We talk briefly about picking up the pace for the second half in order to get a 3:10, but we are waiting for the second half.

Mile 13    7:17

The wind is starting to pick up, and Matt and I take turns with the lead when there isn’t someone else to draft off of. The field of almost 2,000 runners is fairly spread out at this pace and place in the race.

Mile 14    7:16

My halfway split is 3:15:43. I am right where I need to be. If I can run a negative split today, then I will have a new personal best. I feel like I will really be able to take off with about 10 miles to go. I am very confident after running into the wind the last two miles and maintaining this pace. I eat my Access bar a little early, just after halfway.

Mile 15    7:13

I am still with Matt at the turn around point just past 14 miles. However, soon thereafter he pushes on ahead. It looks like he is feeling good and taking advantage of the wind at our backs right now.

Mile 16    7:12

With the wind still mostly at my back, Matt’s friend catches up to me. I will try to hang with him and see if we can catch Matt. With the wind at my back, I am starting to feel warm, while the sweat just pours out of me.

Mile 17    7:01

Matt’s friend is really moving also, and I think I will let him go. We really haven’t gained any on Matt. The wind is now starting to be in our faces again, so the warmth I felt last mile is leaving.

Mile 18    7:20

With Matt and his friend having gone on ahead, I will have to set my own pace. The bigger problem is that as I leave Fort Story, the wind has picked up and is fully in my face.

Mile 19    7:20

Each runner that comes by me or is slightly ahead of me is a possible wind blocker. I follow one woman for awhile, but she is only doing the relay and ends up passing me. Then another named Amanda comes by, and I decide that this is the person I need to race against to the finish (or as long as I can).

Mile 20    7:17

We trade the lead between us several times, and there is no intention from each of us to work together. While the marathon is a race of attrition, it is still a race, nonetheless.

Mile 21    7:20

We get back close to the ocean front, and it is becoming obvious to me that this lady isn’t going to fade anytime soon. I will just try and see if I can stay around her until the last mile or so.

Mile 22    6:50

Well, my strategy goes south when I decide that I can leave her in my dust. This mile is definitely fast, but I know I cannot maintain this due to the headwind I am facing.

Mile 23    7:53

Sure enough, I don’t maintain my pace from the last mile, and the lady catches back up to me and passes me. Then this older gentleman comes by, and I start to tuck in behind him. As I do, he swerves and tells me to go find another runner to draft off of! I have never seen such a dramatic response from someone who I was drafting off.

Mile 24    7:22

I trade “the lead” with the old man a couple of times being careful to never be accused by him again of drafting. Just as we turn back onto the boardwalk for the last time, a strong runner comes by me, and I decide that he is the one for me to draft off of along the boardwalk.

Mile 25    7:37

The wind is really blowing hard now, and it is all I can do to stay with the guy I am drafting off of. About three-quarters of the way down the boardwalk, I lose contact with the guy, and then I am left battling the wind all by myself.

Mile 26    7:37

I am not sure what my time is going to be, but I push hard to the finish. My legs are pretty well tired after the headwind, but I don’t feel too bad. Right about halfway through this mile, I hear Nathan yell at me from behind after I have passed. I also hear Amy blow her whistle thing they got yesterday at the race expo. I find out later that they were in buying me a Coke for after I finished when I ran by.

Mile 26.2    1:25

I make the final two turns and see the clock. It looks like I will be under 3:12. I take a quick look around to make sure that no one is coming up on me and then I do my 360 spin before crossing the finish line.

Final 3:11:44 officially.

I was 93rd of 1,842 runners. I finished 14th of 225, males 35-39.

I am really happy with my time, but I know that the headwind kept me from a new personal best. However, it has been 4.5 years since my personal best, so it is good to run close to that fast again.

Now my focus shifts back to the ultras. Next month, in April, I am running the Bull Run Run 50 Miler. My dad is coming down to crew for me. Then I will take May off from racing and then in June make my fourth attempt at finishing a 100 Miler.

Never stop running,
Darin