There Are No Guarantees

In my post of last Wednesday, I wrote of how I was going into Grandma's Marathon with a different mindset... one of that I expected to qualify for Boston, not just hope to. I wrote of how my training had been so good and how all signs pointed toward me running a 3 hour and 15 minute marathon or better. Well, as this past weekend proved to me yet again, there are no guarantees in life. It's always good to go into a race with confidence, but marathons, being the cruel mistress' that they are, can at any given time take you down a notch or two and humble you in a heartbeat. Don't get me wrong... I ran a good race this past Saturday but it wasn't the outcome I had expected. The morning of the race started out with a bus ride out to the start in Two Harbors, MN. It was a nice bus ride out there but I was definitely getting antsy thinking about the race. The weather at the start of the race was pretty decent. It was sunny and clear (and too sunny for my taste) and the temp was about 59 degrees. There were just a ton of runners (close to 9,000) at the start so it was a pretty weird feeling being packed in there with so many people. The last time I had dealt with a throng like that was 2005 when I was at the starting gate with 20,000 other runners. When the gun sounded to start the race, there was a bit of a wait to get moving, but not soon after I was able to get my first few steps under me. The good thing about starting with 9,000 other runners is that you run a very controlled first mile... you really have no choice in the matter. The pace is pretty much dictated by the runners in front of you. That was ok with me, though. Too many times runners start off a race sprinting like their hair is on fire. To me that is not the smartest of strategies... especially when you've got 26 miles to run. My first mile clocked in at 7:24 and I was very happy with that. It felt very controlled, comfortable and relaxed. From there I just put the body on cruise control and enjoyed the beginning of the race. At about the 10 mile mark, I ran by a fairly famous spectator cheering on the runners... Al Franken, the former Saturday Night Live cast member, was out there hootin' and hollerin' and encouraging the runners as they went by. Al was out there trying to curry the favor of all the Minnesota runners since he running for a state senate seat. First Jesse Ventura, now Al Franken... pretty funny. Gotta give him credit, though. At least he was out there cheering everyone on. I went through the halfway point well on pace to qualify for Boston. I hit the 13.1 mile mark at 1:35:02, well below the 3 hour and 15 minute mark I needed. I was actually on 3:10 pace and feeling pretty strong. Miles 13 through 18 were a challenge for me though. My pace really didn't diminish, but mentally I was a little worn out because the open roads I was running on had very little to offer as far shaded relief went. It wasn't super hot out, but when the sun is beating down on the pavement of an open road, it can really take your toll on you. When I hit mile 18, the race got into more of a residential area so there was a bit of a respite for me but by that time I was starting to feel a tad worn out, especially with the head wind that had kicked up and slowed me down a bit. I was able to hold on to my pace though and went through the 20 mile mark at 2:25:17, still on pace to run a 3:10 marathon. I should have been feeling good knowing that I had 50 minute cushion to run the last 10k, but I wasn't. At the 20 mile mark, I heard the porta-potties longingly beckoning my name and I had to stop and have chat with them... a nice two minute chat... and it couldn't have waited until after the race. I felt much better my little talk with the portable toilet, but by that time, I couldn't get my legs back under me and my original pace back. The next three miles were pretty grueling. I more felt like I was walking than running and at one point, had to stop and walk for 45 seconds to get my bearings again. After that, I felt a bit rejuvinated. I don't know if it was the crowd, the finish line in sight, or it being a touch cooler, but I was able to run the final three miles with a little more pep and vigor, which is a rare thing when you had previously been feeling crappy. Despite my late surge, I could not make up the time from my two minute bathroom break and my 45 seconds of walking just past the 22 mile mark. I hit the 26 mile mark at around 3:15:40, Boston qualifying pace, but with .2 miles to go I knew my goal had gone up in smoke. I crossed the finish line at 3:17:19, one minute and twenty seconds short of reaching the time I had been expecting to run. I did finish the race in the top 4%, though. I was 317th out of 6,876 runners. Despite the high placement, I was still very disappointed... again. In March, I narrowly missed qualifying out in Napa Valley by running that marathon in 3:17:45. On Saturday In Duluth, I was 25 seconds faster, but still on the short end of the stick. As I said at the beginning, marathons are a cruel mistress and they will humble you. Despite being being humbled a bit, I remain steadfast and resilient in my quest to run under 3:15 again. I will go on with my training with even more fervor, and the next time I stand at the starting line of my next marathon, I will stand there like I did this past Saturday... not hoping, but expecting to accomplish my goal.

I want to say a special congratulations to my good friend David Dexheimer. Dave went up to Duluth with me to run Grandma's as well. This was Dave's 21st or 22nd marathon and by far his most challenging. Leading up to Grandma's, Dave was hampered with a hamstring problem and wasn't even sure on the eve of the race if he was going to run. He got on the bus the next morning, though, started the race AND finished it. Even though it was his slowest of all the marathons he has done, he said it was the most satisfying... That is the mark of a great runner.

Saturday's race: 26.2 miles > 3:17:19 > 7:30 pace

Miles last week: 40.9