Race Report: 2012 Marine Corps Marathon

After months and months of training, the big day finally came and went.  I spent most of last week doing everything that I could to prepare myself for the race.  I took off most of the week from work so that I could get some extra sleep and on Thursday I went out to the race expo.  I was shocked at how many people were there, especially since it was normal work hours and before most of the out-of-towners would arrive.  Still it was fun to check out a bunch of the booths and I even got a new bright orange running shirt.

My runs during this last week were significantly shorter, so I had plenty of time to cook up some delicious food and eat extra healthy all week.  A few favorites were the French Onion Soup I made in the hand-me-down Crock-Pot from Grandma Lois, (modified) Chocolate Pumpkin Banana Muffins, and a ton of roasted butternut squash.

Plus I got to go to a lovely Pre-Race Pasta Dinner hosted by Run For Burma, and found out that I was runner-up in fundraising totals!  Thanks to everyone who donated!  The dinner was delicious, and it was a nice chance to meet some of the other runners and talk race-day specifics.  

Saturday night I stayed with Mom and Dad.  I did my best to get to bed early and actually managed to get a decent night's sleep.  Mom took me to the metro station at 6:30 and I was at the Pentagon by 7am. There was a bit of walking and a bit of waiting in lines but I must say, the Marines really know how to organize a race.  I was able to drop off a bag with sweats for after the race with the Marines that were manning the UPS trucks and then I was off to the start line.  After a long wait at the PortaJon I found the "corral" for my expected finish time just before they started at 7:55.  

The energy at the start was something else.

I've been in other races, and before yesterday I had run one other marathon in Baltimore, but it was really amazing to run a race that I've been looking forward to for nearly a year now, through streets and neighborhoods that I'm actually familiar with.  Combine that with the huge crowds, the several bands that were playing along the way, and the volunteers - mostly Marines - that were so encouraging and you get a mix that is overwhelmingly motivating.  

At the start of the race it was a bit crowded.  They stagger the start using the "corrals" so that most of the faster runners are near the front, but it still took a while for the pack to thin out a bit.  After a mile or so I was able to settle into a steady pace, but the pace that I settled for turned out to be a bit too fast.  I was running about 8:30-8:40/mile for the first ten miles.  Way too fast for me.  My goal time required a 9:00/mile pace, so I was pretty far ahead of myself.  I felt good, and the pace felt comfortable, but it wasn't sustainable.  I knew better, but I couldn't help it.  I was having a blast.  The race opened up with a series of hills in the Spout Run/I-66 area, and at the start of the last big hill, the Marine Corps band was just starting up with "Halls of Montezuma."  It was a big hit.

Just before the 10-mile marker, I nearly blew by my support crew.

That's me in the gray top, pink sneakers.

Mom brought some big helium ballons so I could spot them,

Not obvious enough!

It was actually Mom that spotted me and hollered my name just in time.  I grabbed a pre-packed goodie bag with pretzels and my salt pill and kept moving.

GIMME!

And GONE!

I just love how happy Momma Bear looks in this picture.

For the next big chunk I found a rhythm that was still a bit fast but definitely more manageable.  I ran a steady 8:45-8:50/mile pace up until mile 17 or so when I passed my crew again.  By that point the hurt was just starting to creep in, and I could tell by the looks on Mom and particularly Dad's face that I didn't look quite as hot as I did at mile 10.

Waiting for me at mile 17...

The look on his face says "So much for that 8:40 pace..."

I feel great!  Really!

Still I brushed it off, and told myself that in 10 miles I'd be enjoying a beer at the finish festival, as long as I just kept moving.  The next three or four miles were slower, but I felt okay.  I went by the monuments, had my picture taken by the paparazzi - I mean race photographers - and passed by Mom and Becka again.  Dad missed me in his effort to get a "better" look.

Oh yeah.  I got lei'd by a random supporter somewhere around mile 18.

Becka was ready with the camera.  Mom was caught off guard and didn't really see me coming.

"Erin! Come back! I didn't get your picture!"  Seriously, Mom?  She actually said that.  

At that point I knew I only had about an hour of running to go, but I reminded myself of the saying that's used by a lot of running coaches that the first half of a marathon is 20 miles, and the second half is 6.2 miles.  Boy, was that saying true for me yesterday.

I was dog tired by mile 21.  I had slowed to about a 10:00/mile pace and was frantically checking my watch to make sure I didn't lose the gap between my actual time and my goal time.  I honestly can't remember much from the last 5 or 6 miles.  I went through just about every disassociating strategy that I know of, doing math problems to think about how much was left, thinking about the different people that had donated to my fundraising efforts, planning the feast that I would be enjoying for the rest of the afternoon, basically trying to think about anything except for the pain that was coursing through my legs.  (Luckily it really was just my legs.  My muscles were super sore, but other than that I felt great.)   I saw the hill just before the finish line and actually found some strength in forcing myself to power through it.  I picked up my pace a tiny bit on that hill and made my way through the finishers tunnel.

Almost there...

...annnnnd done.

I finished at 3:55:39.  (My goal was under four hours, or to beat Sarah Palin's time of 3:59:36.)  I saw Mom, Dad, and Becka in the crowd almost right away and the tears pricked.  By the time I had been funneled along to the gates where we were medaled by the Marines I was pretty emotional, and I was overcome by the hurt that I felt all over.  Somehow my mind was able to trick itself into believing that I was not really hurting at all until I had crossed the finish line and started walking.  And then it hit me like a ton of bricks.  I realized that I had hurt my foot pretty bad and I limped along as the Marines handed me all sorts of post-race goodies.  By the time I was past the gate that separated the crowd from the runners I had lost track of my crew and went to claim my bag so I could call them up.  

When I met up with my mom and Becka, mom was all worried because I "looked pale."  I felt like crap too, but couldn't bring myself to eat much of anything for another hour or so.  So much for that free beer.  We went to Chipotle's and I had about a bite of my burrito before I gave up and put my head down on the table.

Feeling great.  Looking great.

"Erin! Could you at least try to smile?!"

Then I asked if we could wait outside (while dad got the car) because I was worried I might get sick.  I didn't.

It was pretty windy by that point so I found a corner to cuddle up with my burrito.

Once we were home, mom did what she does best.  She babied me all afternoon.  She drew me a bath, gave me some clean, dry sweats to change into and fed me and fed me and fed me until I couldn't eat any more.  (Still I insisted that Becka and I stop at a Burger King on the way home.  Give me a break, I earned it!)  

In the end I couldn't be happier with how things turned out.  I met my mark.  I didn't sustain any (serious) injuries.  I ate a ton of food.  I set a reminder in my phone for 2013 registration.  

I want to thank everyone (again) who contributed to Run For Burma and helped me to meet my fundraising goal.  I couldn't have run this race without your support, and it really helped me to get through some of those tough miles towards the end.  This has been a truly incredible journey in so many ways.  I'm sure it wont be my last.

New shoes!

I have good news and bad news.  The bad news is that my Brooks Pure Cadence shoes are starting to fall apart.  The heel is fraying, causing the fabric to bunch up, and it's starting to lose little pieces of the sole.  This is a bit disappointing since I've only put 293 miles on this pair (I can usually get 500-600 out of a pair of shoes) but according to the website, 250-300 is around average for this shoe.  Oh well.  I don't really have time to break in a completely new model, and I do love this shoe, so I went back to Pacers and asked for another pair.  The clerk went and got the last pair that they had in my size, and apologetically explained to me that they didn't have any left in the purple/black color scheme that I was wearing.  "Oh man,"  I thought to myself, "I hate white shoes, but I should stick with what I know works for me."  Then she opened the box:

This image does not do justice to the shade of pink.  They are blinding really. 

To say that I was thrilled is an understatement.  I love me some neon, and I love me some running gear, so any disappointment that I was feeling about buying another pair of running shoes that I knew wouldn't last too long was quickly forgotten.  

Thirteen miles later, they felt just as good as the old pair. Another perk is that my family will have an easier time picking me out in the crowd on race day.

My long run for this week was also exciting because I found a new trail near my house.

It was woodsy enough to feel secluded, but still well-maintained. 

There was a little stream to the right of the path here that opened up into a lake a bit further down the path. 

The lake, with power lines running along the opposite side.

It was a great run Tuesday, and it made me feel good about my new purchase.  This week I have my first of two 20 milers coming up, and these will be my longest runs until race day.  I'm hoping to get up early enough on Tuesday to take the metro into the district and run home from there, passing some of the landmarks that I'll see on the day of the race.

What goes with me for a long run...

When I gear up for my long runs every week it feels a bit like I'm getting ready for some kind of expedition.  When I was on vacation my family gave me a hard time for how long it took me every morning to actually get my foot out the door.  I'd get up to run at 7 (yes, even on vacation!) and I wouldn't start running until 9 or 10.  I'm not so bad about stalling when I'm at home, but at home I don't have my parents, my brothers, the beach or a cute pug to distract me.  So between all these distractions and getting my pack ready, it takes a while.  Here's what I pack before I leave:

On the left is my SpiBelt.  It's sort of a mini-fanny pack for running.  It holds some of the things I like to be able to grab quickly - My phone, Clif Bloks, Gu, and my apartment key.

In my backpack goes the rest of the stuff.  The pack is a Kelty Big Basin.  True to the amazon reviews, the reservoir that it came with leaked terribly, so I got a new one from Camelpak and now I can say that the combination meets my needs.  You might notice in the picture there I've got my handy sweat rag tied to the chest strap and the waist strap is tied up behind the pack.  It took me way too long to figure out that for me this is the only comfortable way to run with a pack.  

In the pack:

-Pepto Bismol Chewables (gotta be chewables!)

-Toilet Paper (just in case)

-Wallet

-Extra Socks

-Mini Body Glide stick

-Clif Crunch Bar

-Payday 

(I rarely eat both the crunch bar and the payday, but it makes me happy to have options to choose from when I need fuel.)

My long run at the beach was a little rocky.  I bonked at mile 12 out of 14, but I got to run through some new trails and nearly got the piss scared out of me by ... a butterfly.  Go ahead and laugh, but I had run through a few too many spiderwebs and was feeling VERY jumpy after not having seen any other humans for about an hour, and it startled me.  I shrieked like there was an axe murderer after me, and then laughed my way down the trail, relieved there was nobody around to see or hear my response to the very scary butterfly.

These are the only two pictures I took during that run.  The trail I was on opened up to a view of the beach.

Same part of the same trail, just a little closer.

Even though my long run that week was embarrassing and disappointing, the rest of the week went really well.  I managed to get all of my runs in, plus a trip to the gym to lift, and - AND! - (you may want to sit down for this part) - I beat my brother in a four mile race.  Gasp!  All three of my brothers are very athletic, and being the tomboy that I was when I was growing up, that meant losing a lot whenever we played sports together.  So this was big.  He might have beat me by one stroke the day before in mini golf, but I smoked him in our race and I couldn't have been happier about it.  Now that I think about it, we put a bet on that race.  That jerk still owes me ten dollars.

Stats from my long run at the beach:

Okay so the stats aren't working.  But I'm gonna go ahead and leave that there to show you I tried.  It's garmin's fault.  I think.  I'll repost later in the week to see if it's fixed.