Well Saturday morning I woke up early to meet Daisy and MT for breakfast. I had a large cup of coffee before leaving. Figured I would treat myself. I've cut way back on coffee opting for tea the past few months. Well by the time I got to Bob Evans I was on a serious jittery coffee high and getting pumped for Daisy's attempt at a BQ the next day and MT aiming for a half PR. So we head to the expo where I was just intending to pick up some freebies. And instead forked over $95 and signed up for the marathon the next day. I felt great and hey running with Daisy would be a blast! I figured Cleveland was so much flatter than Pig the pace would feel fine. Heck if I felt really good maybe we could even drop the hammer the last few miles!
So after frantically searching for my salt tabs until about 11 PM Saturday night I finally gave a desperate call to Risko and went to bed. Let me just say sleeping in your own bed the night before a marathon, priceless! It was wonderful to wake up to everything in its normal place and I slept so much better.
I got to the race early enough that the tent where I would store my goods wasn't set up yet. I wandered around until I found Daisy. It was warmer than I anticipated but I left my throw away and my gloves on anyways. Made one last pit stop before wishing BW and my FIL good luck. Daisy and I weaved our way up to the 3:30 group. Found our gals and chatted until the start.
I didn't realize until we started that MR was our pacer. He is a great ultra runner and I have known him for a few years from track workouts and the ultra scene. I was so pumped to be running with MR as our leader. I cheered loudly and assured everyone around we were in good hands. I generally just got everyone around me pumped up for the first mile.
Then we headed up the first hill. Hmmph, I thought Cleveland was flat. We were stuck in the crowd a bit back from our pacer but we just kept the balloons in our sights and pushed forward. Daisy looked great, she was running easy and chatting was no issue. I on the other hand wasn't feeling so hot. I hadn't exactly behaved as though I was racing a marathon the week leading up to it. I rode my bike to and from work Friday for the first time this year, and didn't get much sleep Friday. I could tell I was about to pay for it.
Mile one had been slow at 8:29. Two was right on 8:00. Three was fast at 7:39, I was definitely feeling this. Mile four had to be short at 6:57. Some man with longish hair made us laugh here on the lakeshore as he ran by hollering for some high five lovin from the kids on the sidelines. By mile five again right on pace at 8:00 I knew I wasn't going to last much longer at this pace. I wasn't sore but I was tired and pretty tapped. I was ticked but didn't want to say anything. I didn't want to bring anyone down with me. Just before 6 Risko came running onto the course with a pack of salt tablets for me. I was so grateful but felt bad that I would not be using them to race, only to help me get through the day. I held on for one more mile and told Daisy to go on without me, I just couldn't hold that pace so at 6 I stopped for my first chat with Trisara. I dropped my visor with her and sucked down some water, tried to help and hand out some Gatorade before moving on. I thought for sure mile 6 was my last sub 8 at 7:46.
After my chat I moved along deciding I would try to ease the pace and just have fun. Mile 7 was 9:57 and that sounded perfect to me. B caught me here so I did my best to stay with her, she was running the half but had fell back due to a bathroom stop. The pace definitely didn't feel comfortable and at 7:57 for mile 8 I urged B on and walked through the aid station. I ate some pretzels, took a salt tablet and drank some water while walking out of the aid station. Mile 9 had a hill where I stopped to encourage a runner who was having trouble breathing. She didn't want the help though so I moved on coming through 9 at 9:50. Somewhere before 11 the 3:40 group caught me so I stayed with them for a bit. Cheering on Trifolk loudly as I hit mile 10 at 8:42.
Just before mile 11 I heard JT cheering. I hadn't seen her in forever so I stopped to chat. This was where I was cheering last year so it was fun to stop and reminisce. I figured I would wiat here a bit and look for someone I knew to run with. I found a buddy in my towpath trail friend and moved on with him waving goodbye to JT, even with the stop I covered mile 11 in 11:16.
At this point I was trying to decide how slow I would have to go for certain friends to catch me. I realized it wasn't practical to just stop and stand still for 30 minutes so I decided to move ahead with friends and just keep the pace easy. I stopped to walk for a bit before 12 and ate some of my snickers bar. I heard cheers from the crowd and encouragement to get in my nutrition! We all know I am good at that! I missed mile 12 but got to run for a bit with MC before he split off to finish the half. I picked up a new friend here who was aiming to break 4. We were still ahead of the 3:50 pace group here and I was sure if he kept running like he was then he would be fine. We were having a good chat but as we came around the corner I heard good tunes and I told my friend to go on with out me I had to stop and dance! The church choir was out and they were grooving. I ran over and bounced around with them, got my photo taken by someone in the choir before turning to jog out, almost ran into the tent poles and then proceeded to almost get hit by a car. Guess the traffic cop wasn't expecting anyone to come running out from the choir tent! Oops. Thankfully I was okay and moved along. Hitting mile 13 at 18:03. I was having so much fun. The rush from the choir kept me going for a bit.
It was hot and sunny and this part of the East side was a bit barren. I traded walking and jogging and was about to walk a bit more when the 3:50 group led by my ultra buddy BH caught me. I picked up pace to chat with BH and his pace group for a while crossing 14 in 8:37. I let them go ahead and was caught by my friend T from JFK. At JFK we had leapfrogged our way through the towpath so it was nice to see him and get caught up. He had just had a great run at Bull Run and was looking good. We got a surge from a band singing "Cleveland Rocks," I swerved to the right to high five the bassist before coming to a large cheer group where I high fived everyone. What a rush! I stayed with T for a bit longer hitting mile 15 in 9:03.
My stomach started to feel iffy so I let T go ahead. We were now nearing Little Italy and the Case Western Campus. I wasn't feeling great so I just eased pace and enjoyed the views. It was nice to be running in an area I knew well. BM passed me here. He has run every single Cleveland Marathon. He looked great. Mile 16 came in 9:47. Now we were headed down MLK. I spotted a TNT cheering crew and swerved to the side to give K and big sweaty hug. Who knew she would be so grossed out :) I stayed on the sidelines and chatted and cheered for a bit to let my stomach settle. When I saw the 4:00 pace group I decided to jump back in to the race. Mile 17 was 13:26. This was starting to feel like an Ultra!
I decided to stay with the 4:00 group for a bit. I am sure the group thought I was nuts. I was smiling and just paying attention to everything, taking it all in. The pace felt okay and I located Mike in his Gomer shirt and decided to hang with him for a bit. We hit mile 18 in 9:12. I was just getting in a groove when I spotted my neighbors. They already think I am nuts so of course I stopped to chat. Found out that the previous owners of their house were also running the race and were probably just behind me. How exciting! After the brief chat I headed back out hitting mile 19 in 11:41.
We came up a short hill as we made our way off MLK and onto the bike path on Lakeshore. I spotted a lady wearing a U of M hat and shouted "Go Blue." I started to run with her and her friend and found out they had come from Detroit. I was telling them about how I ride my bike along this path to get to work when B50 caught us and I went nuts. I haven't seen B50 since JFK and it was so nice to see her out on the course. I informed everyone around that she had just run 50 miles in November at 50 years old and that she rocked. We hit mile 19 in 9:05. B50 and her friend were not feeling great and I could tell. I tried to cheer them a bit by talking but they didn't seem to be in the mood. So we ran on in silence when we came up on some photographers. I asked B50 if it was okay for us to get photographed together and she said yes. So I shouted ahead to the photographers that "Two hot ladies are coming through and we want good photos!"
Shortly after that I spotted RF cheering. He joined me as I started to walk. He told me not to slow for him and I told him I wasn't, I wanted a break! He said he had just seen Wild Bill who had snuck by me without saying hello (he was in the zone), RF pulled me through a half mile or so before we spotted GH on the sidelines where I stopped to chat, but after learning I was in the marathon and not just doing a cool down after the half he hollered at me to get back to running, LOL. Mile 20 was done in 11:06. At the next aid station I spotted my new friends from Detroit again. I started to chat with them and after realizing they both were in some sort of pain I decided to be their personal guide through the rest of the marathon. They were neighbors and had trained together for a few marathons. One was having trouble with her leg. I could tell she was in bad pain, especially when we would stop to walk through the water stops. I decided it was my duty to distract her from her pain. We made it through the next few miles as I told them about where we were on the course, where we were in comparison to my work, how I had got to Cleveland, who people were cheering on the sidelines, anything I could think of to keep their minds off the pavement. Mile 21 was 12:02, 22, 10:04, and 23: 13:05. As we rounded Browns Stadium I decided we better try to avoid walking as much as possible. My new friend literally needed a physical pull to get her leg running after the walk stops so I urged the girls up the hill on W 3rd. We were nearing my office and the finish so it was easy to keep them moving. I saw the 25 mile marker but for some reason didn't hit my watch split. Shortly after this a traffic cop stopped us and all the runners around us to let traffic through on E. 9th. I was in disbelief. For me it didn't matter but for those around me who were trying to PR or who were in pain my heart was breaking. There was no excuse for that. Shame on the Cleveland drivers for not reading the paper and finding an alternate route. That was my only disappointment in the day was the drivers impatience. I just felt it made Cleveland look like a bunch of road raged jerks.
As we neared the finish I realized I had just run over 25 miles on pavement and felt no worse than I do after a 20 miler. It was exciting to know that it is possible to run a road marathon without beating the absolute crap out of yourself. I had my wits about me and knew what block we made the turn at to head back where we came from for the finish. As we neared the finish chute I let the girls know I was going to pump up the crowd. For all those spectators standing there there sure wasn't much noise so I waved my arms and hollered at them to turn it up a few notches. What a rush! The girls must have been over the pain because with the finish in sight they picked up the pace to finish strong! Miles 25 and 26 in 21:21 and the final .2 in 1:56. Official Finish Time 4:13:09. And at the end of the day I averaged under 10 minute miles. Not too shabby!
My slowest road marathon so far, but by far the most fun. I stocked up on Popsicles and chocolate milk before finding my way to warm clothes. I found Daisy and was elated to hear she had BQ'ed. I had felt like such a jerk for not being able to run with her the whole way, but sometimes you have to check your ego at the door and just do what's best for your body and for me that day it was best to relax and enjoy the ride.
I was shivering like a maniac and finally got into the tent to change. I found out later that 9AM was the hottest time of the day. I hung out and chatted with friends from TNT before cheering my FIL to the finish. He was ahead of schedule and I just caught him as NA heard his name over the loudspeaker.
It wasn't exactly how I thought the day would go. But I wouldn't change a thing. I had a blast and respected my body, and got a cool medal to boot ;) I would highly recommend partying your way through a marathon if you get the chance. It was the perfect way to spend the day with all of my Cleveland running friends.
12 comments:
What an amaing recap! You are doing great this year...stomach issues aside!
How many people can run two marathons in a row, sign up for the second one the day before, and pull off a 4:13? You are super-human! :)
Let me just say that you are a beast! Congrats on a awesome job! See you tomorrow
What a day it turned out to be!!! I am sure you helped so many people through the race with all that positive encouragement! I cannot even imagine all the smiles you garnered with your little dancing.
It is amazing how easy you can make a marathon sound!
It was awesome to have you alongside for the first part of that marathon!!! The whole crowd around us could feel your energy!
great story! way to roll with the punches and take what the day gives you... kudos e..
I just read about your relay and I am SURE you are going to have fun. I like the day ones because they're easy, but my real favorite is the through-the-night relays. There's something about sleepless runners crammed into a van that produces unparalleled silliness and giddy behavior. You are going to have so much fun!
Okay, here I am again - I forgot to say way to go on the marathon! Your party speed is still faster than my fastest - but that's a great way to run a marathon. Did I get this right - two marathons with in three weeks? That qualifies you to be a Marathon Maniac you know! You too could be the owner of an ugly yellow singlet that draws high fives and waves at every marathon!
I'm amused that what would be an agressive pace for me if I were to try a marathon at my current fitness level turns out to be what you run when you've been sick, travelling, and riding your bike to work. You accidentally find yourself in the race, and then decide to slow down and spend your energy cheering, chatting, dancing, and generally encouraging other runners. You're so funny!
Don't worry about the shirt - it happens. I know you're good for it.
Congratulations! So true about checking your ego and doing what's best for you. Sounds like you had a blast.
Great report, Liz. You sound like you were the high point of the marathon for many friends and spectators. I'm just now getting caught up on reading blogs...so it was awesome to catch back up with you when you are in such an awesome frame of mind.
I would love to party through a marathon and end up with a 4:13!! It sounds like you had a GREAT time!!
It was great seeing you before the race. You always put a smile on my face! One of these days I'm going to run a marathon with you because of how fun you make it! First up though, is a rockin' 5K this summer! Sub-20 baby!
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