I'm a Sub 3 hour Marathoner!

Getting There

This was a long time coming.  After flying into O'Hare and going straight to the Marathon festival I was able to reflect a bit on how I got here.  It wasn't just the flight, or this summer's training cycle, but this was the product of years of running.  First discovering the sport, turning myself (both mentally and physiologically)  into a "runner", multiple marathons, speed training, and then this last season which focused more on endurance than anything else.

I was finally here, ready to run a flat World Marathon Majors course, and the weather was supposed to be perfect.

Posing at the Marathon Expo.

Finally Made It

I did it.  I ran a Marathon in under 3 hours.  I was so happy I almost cried at the finish line.  I ran with (sometimes right in front of and sometimes right behind) the 3 hour pace group.  I really never heard of a Marathon having a 3 hour pace group, so I felt extra lucky to be running a race that had one.  The aid was great, almost every 2 miles - my goal was to get a few gulps of gatorade at every other aid stations (so about every 4 miles), starting at about 8 miles in.  I ate my gu's at mile 10, 15, 18, and 22, washing each one down with a cup of water.

This was me at about mile 10.  Starting to thin out a bit,
and not many big guys around.

Results.  So proud of this page.  Almost just as proud of the
super pace times; even the whole time, with the last 2.2 km
my fastest of the race, at a 6:36 min/mile pace.
Oh, and a net time of 2:59:29 :-)

My splits turned out immaculate.  Basically, ran the whole thing even and then the last couple miles were my fastest.  These were also the most painful - my form started to really falter around the 20 mile mark but I had enough gas left in the tank to push through the old fashioned way.  I was actually surprised that I was not really ever tempted to speed up.  The pace felt fast the whole time, through all the mental checkpoints:

• Miles 1-5: I'm really here! But just getting started...
• Mile 10: I'm in it, we are getting into the meat of the race now, keep those splits even
• Half-Marathon marker: time to check your splits for real, you should be below half your goal time (1:30 for me), and remember that was only the easy half, the worst is yet to come
• 18-20 miles:  starting to get tired, form isn't perfect anymore, don't even think about giving it your all yet with so many miles left, hope you kept your hydration and eating on track
• 23-24 miles: you can actually do this, just keep pushing, keep the pace, block out the pain and bide your time.  Pray you don't bonk, cramp, or blow-up
• 25 mile mark:  this is it! you are right on the doorstep, speed it up, you can and will hit your goal!
• 1000 m left: stay steady, try to block out the pain, its almost over
• < 400m: soak it all in, you are about to finish!!

Feeling the hurt, in the final stretch.
Nevermind the "proof" watermarks, I'm
not paying $40 for this!

Chicago was a great Marathon to run, even if you aren't looking for a PR.  The course is flat, but looped, so you are still running a "true" Marathon - point-to-point races aren't always considered for official records since they can have a net downhill and there is the chance to have the wind at your back the whole time., Keep in mind though that the weather is not always a guarantee so if you are looking for a PR its best to sign up for a backup race later in the fall just in case the weather is unseasonably warm.

The amount of organization that goes into this event is staggering.  From the expo, to the set up, to the support for almost 40,000 finishers, Chicago gets my praise for putting it all together.  The corrals are strictly enforced, and the start times are staggered to try and prevent too much bottlenecks (though sometimes they are impossible to avoid).  Runners (especially fast people) come from all over the world to do this World Marathon Majors event.

Everything Comes at a Price

People see me, or rather see my splits and finishing time and give me that "you are just a natural" attitude (its usually well intentioned).  There was nothing natural about this, just the product of years of hard work and months of careful planning.  The whole race felt fast but I just trusted in my preparation and training.  The last few miles were agonizingly painful and I was constantly worried about cramping up.  Still, when it was over nothing else mattered, I broke the 3 hour barrier!

I had an injury pop up in my right lower leg during my taper too.  I'm pretty sure this was the early onset of a stress fracture in my fibula. I rested a few days before the race which helped, but I could still feel it before the race, and the whole time during the marathon.  It was worth ignoring for the finishing product, but for the next few days I was hobbling around, barely able to walk on my right leg.

I had planned on doing Marine Corps Marathon and that is out of the question now.  I still hope to run my next goal race (the JFK 50 miler in November), but even that isn't a sure thing.  I have come to the realization that road marathons are extremely taxing on the body and shouldn't be taken lightly.  Going for a PR compounds these issues.  Your legs/body were not meant for that sort of pounding.  After I completed my 50k trail race this summer, after a few days of recovery and aid, I was back out there feeling better than ever.

Trails just don't beat you up the way pavement does.

It begins!!  Here they come - the start of the 2012 Chicago Marathon
 coming through downtown.

The John Hancock tower.  We got a drink
in the lounge on the 95th floor!

Gotta get deep dish while you are in
Chi-town.At Giordanos, just off the
Magnificent Mile.

Plans Moving Forward

Now that I have picked up an injury, I decided to take 2 full weeks off of running (and any exercise , then re-evaluate.  If I no longer have any pain detectable in my legs, I hope to cross train (mostly spinning) for a week to ensure everything is healed back to normal.  Needless to say, I will not be doing Marine Corps Marathon this year.  Although this disappoints me some, its not a huge deal since it was only supposed to be "for fun".  My goal marathon is over and my focus is now on the JFK 50 miler in November.

So, 2 weeks of complete rest, and then a week (maybe 5 days) of cross-training, biking and light weights.  Then I will get back out on the roads for some light mileage runs, and try to get in a few mid distance runs on the trails.  That next weekend is the Potomac Heritage Trail 50k which I am still planning on running to ensure I am ready for the JFK 50 miler 2 weeks later.  Sure, the distance sounds crazy, but I'm just not that worried about running on trails - its the pavement that really hurts.

Happily posing with my great girlfriend in
Grant Park after it was all over.