Vermont City Marathon, Burlington, Vermont
May 27, 2001
Legs felt tired and dead when I woke up at 5:30am. I slept fitfully: kept waking up, but not
bad. It is raining, but is the sky lightening in south? I left the hotel (in St. Alban's at
6:25am) and drove down (1/2 hr) to Burlington. A nice drive, with no traffic until into
Burlington, then lots of people (mostly runners, I suppose). I found the YMCA and parked
there (for the shower afterwards). It was about a 12min walk to the start area, so I did it
slow and easily, getting there at about 7:10am. The rain is gently falling. I'm glad that I
prepared/dressed for rain. I have my long spandex shorts and rain hat on. If it gets
sunny/hot, I will not be comfortable.
I did my last bathroom break before the BIG lineups started, and found a dry area under a
tree to do my full stretching routine which I had developed in the last 4 weeks since the
Potsdam marathon. I ate my Gatorade energy bar, and put vaseline on toes and crotch - a
compromising/embarassing place normally, but not in the company of runners :=). I am feeling
relaxed, but know that my legs are tired, so I am planning for 10 min/mile pace. I retied my
shoes several times to get them feeling right. At 7:50am I checked my bag in and took a gel.
I put a garbage bag on, as it is raining quite hard.
The course is like a four-leafed clover as we run through the start/finish area 3 times between
the start and finish. The start is crowded, and I could do nothing about a slow start. Good
crowds at the start. I got rid of my garbage bag at the first turn, just before the 1 mile
marker. My first mile was a slow 11:30. I led a group in cheers of "Wakey! Wakay!" to
houses as we ran past! Fun! I'm trying to relax. Legs are marginally waking up. I ran on
the sidewalk for a while trying to avoid congestion of runners on the road. I note 3 TnT
runners, two girls and a guy wearing a yellow LS shirt under his purple singlet. I would keep
marking off these 3 runners for the remainder of the race. Lots of people braving the rain
to cheer us on from lawns and street corners. Very inspiring! The run up Church St
(pedestrian walkway) to the start area and the completion of the first leaf was great!
People and bands. One was playing Chariots of Fire, and I remembered that I'd forgotten to play
my "Running Songs" tape in the car on the way down. I tried not to get too excited/pumped by
all the people. The rain stops and I take off my hat. It starts getting a little humid.
Through mile 3 my split is ok, through the start/finish area, and I start out on the second
leaf of the course. There are speed bumps on the road. One girl is holding a sign "Warning!
Speedbumps!". I took the warning. I took a 2nd gel. Then, suddenly I am out of the city and
down onto the divided highway. This hill will be a toughie coming back up. As I approach
the 4 mile marker, I see the leaders coming back approaching the 8 mile marker. They are
currently going about twice as fast as I am. Wow! I see one of the guys from the elite
panel I went to yesterday, and I give him a "Go Mike" wave.
I am wearing glasses now all the time, despite them occasionally fogging up due to heat and
humidity. It is a long, straight, wide open road. Just an aid station and drummers to break
the 'monotony'. Nice drummers under the bridge. Supposedly we were passing the Ethan Allen
(founder of Vermont) homestead, but I only saw the sign for it, no evidence of it. The
course turned back at the 6 mile mark, and I took a gel at 1hr. I am running well, although my
legs still feel dead and tired. My pace is ok. Funny, lots of runners are still running (way)
off to the trees/bushes to go pee! The hill along the 8 mile marker was long, but not too
bad. I stayed steady. I can still can see yellow-LS man.
Back into the start/finish area at the end of the 2nd leaf. Lots of people are cheering. I took
a 3rd gel. My split time at the 9 mile mark is ok. The run down the pedestrian mall was
envigorating! Its a downhill section now. A long straight stretch. An industrial area.
Fewer cheerers. I am still running well, but the legs feel no better. Then along come a
couple of short, sharpish hills. It is nice to change stride and use different muscles. In
looking down past the Governor's residence (I did not know which one was his) I see people
running back. The downhill hurt abit. My legs starting to ache. I am starting to pass
people. I took my 4th gel.
I reach the 12 mile mark, and start to work hard to maintain my pace. This is gonna be
tough, especially with more than half the race still to go. My soaz muscles start to hurt,
which hasn't happened in a couple of years! Oh boy! I guess I am going to be hurting
today! I go onto the bike path. It is narrow. I am staying level with a man in orange. I
caught and passed yellow-LS man and the two ladies with him. Through the 1/2 way mark in 2:12:58,
about 1:45 off my desired 10 min/mile pace. Legs are hurting and are tightening up. I start
to dig in and work harder. The official race photographers are in the park. I did no posing,
just tried to look steady. The photo shows my effort and discomfort, though.
I am passing people now. I put my hat on for short shower, but as soon as it passes, and I tuck
the hat back into my belt. We are now off the bike path onto Battery St, and the Assault on
Battery hill is ahead of me. Taiko drummers are at the bottom to encourage us up. A group of 3
guys are running with me. I took a walk break and take my last gel. The yellow-LS man and
ladies passed me and charged up the hill. I ran up the hill steadily and controlled, with good
form. Hordes of people are cheering us on. You couldn't help but be energized! My 15 mile
split was ok, but now I am 2.5 min off desired pace. I caught the 3 men at the top of the hill.
I exulted "I'm king of the hill".
I go through Battery Park and onto North Ave and start the last (and longest - 11 miles) leaf
of the clover. I don't like this section. There is loud traffic and not alot of room for
the runners. I ran on the sidewalk for a while. I'm working hard/harder now, and I'm just
maintaining pace. My goal has changed to getting a negative split, and definitely be faster
than Potsdam. My walk breaks start feeling good. The legs are hurting and tight, but I am
maintaining pace, with increased effort. "Fire! Determination! No quit!" becomes my mantra!
I want to give all I have today, and it looks like I will get the chance to do so! I'm
gonna be hurting at the end, big time! I keep focussing on reaching each mile marker, with
mile 22 being the turn for home!
The course is fairly flat, with minor rolling hills, nothing significant, Finally, after
mile 17, we are off North Av into sidestreets and a park. Nice. People cheering from lawns
and driveways, and music blaring from houses and cars! "Red Red Robin comes a bob, bob,
bobbing along!" Hehe! At the 18 mile mark, my splits are still ok, steady, even. My legs are
hurting more. We get a short shower and I put my hat on for it. There are signs up at the next
aid station that say "9.2 miles to go" I don't think so! I took a last water botter refill.
Back onto North Ave, but traffic is much less. Nicer. I go past the last relay exchange
area, which is at a school. At the 21 mile mark, my pace still ok. Steady. I am really
working hard to maintain my pace. Effort level is high! Down a short sharp, painful, hill and
turn onto bike path. I passed yellow-LS man. He and his ladies are noticeably struggling,
with shorter stride length. I knew that this was the turn for home. A spectator said "This
is your last little hill. Its all downhill now".
I am now over 3 minutes off my desired 4:20 pace, but I'm still fighting. A negative split
is still possible if I can finish with any strength.
Pain.
"No quit!"
I get a sharper pain in calves now, from lactic acid buildup. I am approaching the
exhaustion threshold, so I am happy to be heading home now. I am still passing people, and
still holding to 10/1 run/walk schedule, but now I'm really looking forward to the next walk
break. My legs are burning, and I'm fighting hard to maintain pace. There is no wind here
in the shelter of the trees. I know that I am hot. There is not much water left in my
bottle. I take some water from an aid station.
Then it happens. Just before the 24 mile marker, short of the next walk break, I just pull
up short. "I can't go on any farther". Walk. My legs are walking stiffly and strangely.
There is alot of pain. I somehow manage to get going again, but I can't get back up to pace.
People start passing me, including yellow-LS man, and his ladies. That is so disappointing.
I so wanted to beat them. But I don't care anymore. Agony! At the 24 mile marker my
split-time is way off desired pace, and I know it, but I know pace/time is gone now. I don't
care very much. "Can I finish under 4:30?". "Can I beat Potsdam's time?" Even those
thoughts don't register much with me. My vision narrows down to just what is ahead of me. I
think only of getting to the end.
The 25 mile marker takes forever to come ("Are they getting furthur apart?"). My watch says
4:19. Can I still get under 4:30? I pull up for another walk as the course emerges from the
trees and I can see the buildings of the waterfront and can hear the crowds cheering. I saw
stars infront of my eyes! Cool! A medical person is there. I say "I see stars!". She says
"You want to stop for a minute?". I answer immediately "Nope, I'll finish". If I stop, I'll
never get going again. I reach the crowds, and think "Let them carry you to the end". I see
the Coast Guard station, and know that the turn to the finish is there. I see the finish
line off to my left, and I will the turn to come fast. I try to increase my pace, but can't
as the stabbing pain is beyond my ability to bear. Other runners are passing me like crazy.
That hurts too, but I can't do anything about it. There is lots of loud cheering. I am onto the
boardwalk, and then turn onto the grass. FINALLY! Then I'm back onto the pavement. A short
wiggle in the path, and there is the finish line. I hear the PA announcer say "Andrew
Weston, from Ontario". I raise my arms briefly. Finally, I cross the line.
And stop.
And sway.
A volunteer grabs me and guides me down the chute. I can't see very much. Emotion. My legs are
barely holding me up. I get my medal. It is the sweetest thing in the world right now! I
pour a whole water bottle over me, and take another one. A medical volunteer asks if I want
to go to the medical tent. I say "Sure". My memory is a little foggy at this point, but I think I remember two people guiding me into the tent and sitting me on a cot. Sitting down is nice.
I drank lots of water, and they brought me two big mugs of gatorade. A paramedic, Terry came
to see me, and checked my pulse and blood pressure.
My pulse is 90 - Wow! It dropped quickly - and my bp is
something/62. He says "You're fine. You look good and pink too. You just need to pee now".
That is when I realized that I was de-hydrated. After a few minutes, I was able to leave
the medical tent under my own power.
Stats:
======
1428/2017 official finishers (only under 6 hrs are given an official finish time). I think
about 3000 started
178/207 official finishers in my age category
4:32:27 official time; 4:31:05 my time
3 miles splits:
30:40 (slow first 2 miles due to crowding)
29:49
31:24 (first big uphill)
29:44 (downhill most of the way)
30:45 (Battery St hill)
30:03
30:43
31:25 (hit wall just before 24 mile marker)
26:33 (last 2 miles, 365 yards)
Goals Met:
==========
- finished
- not last
- not last in age category
- winner not twice as fast (winning time 2::17)
- gave everything i had
Goals not met:
==============
- injury-free training
- time goal (under 4:20)
- negative split
- sprint at end
Final thoughts:
My legs being dead slowed my pace right from the start, but that didn't bother me. The soaz
muscles started hurting and my legs tightened up early (12 miles), which was unusual. I made
the same mistake as in London - increasing my effort too early to try to hit pace/time. And I
was overdressed, as I was dressed for rain, and there was very little once the race started. But,
I am very happy with this race for several reasons: 1) steady pace until I hit the wall just
before 24miles; 2) excellent effort in second 1/2 of race; 3) no quit in me today until I had
no more control; 4) I ran the hills well; 5) I loved all the crowds cheering me on. I think
this is a race I'd like to do again. Burlington appears to be a nice town. Very well
organized race. I had no distressed hamstrings today (less hills and my stretching routine
probably account for this). I had no nausea. I was de-hydrated, and did not know it - VERY
BAD!