Marine Corps Marathon Washington, D.C. Oct 26, 2003 Where do I start with this race report? This race was as much about the groups I was with, and the fun we had together, as the race itself. The bus ride down from Ottawa to Washington, D.C. was fun: snack chick; movies; and nearly losing Liz (well, that wasn't fun, but it did turn out alright in the end). The day before race day, we went to the race expo: long lines to get registration packet; I got as many free-be's as I could (coffee mugs, water bottles, Hawaiian beads); Deena Drossin (current reigning US woman's marathoner) signed my t-shirt. I found a good cafe for lunch with some of the bus gang. After lunch we had a bus tour of Washington and part of the marathon route. We stopped to go up the Washington monument (it was a fairly nice day, so views were good); then on to the Vietnam and Korean War memorials - wow, was that ever moving, then on to the pasta dinner (LOTS of good food), and I was able to get Ed Eyestone's (US Olympian) and Miles the Mascots autograph on my t-shirt. Then we lost Susan in the Expo afterwards and returned to the hotel without her. Race day came. I decided last minute to change from my 'hot weather' shirt to the new shirt I bought at the expo. It turned out that that was not a great choice, because it was a hot day, but the shirt was still ok. The shirt had 'sub-4' stitched into it, so I was hoping that that was a good omen :-). I walked the 2 blocks over to the Iwo Jima Monument. My stomach was hurting, nerves? I got my bag checked in, did a quick leak in the bushes, ate my energy bar, and found my way to my starting coral, a long but way up the road from the start line. Bradley was there, but I moved furthur back from him to the 4hr pace bunny. I took my time doing my stretches. This was my plan for the race, broken into 5 parts: 1) miles 0-6, stick with the 4hr pace bunny and get comfortable with the pace; 2) miles 7-12, leave/ignore the 4hr pacer and get my own (hopefully faster than 4hr) pace; 3) miles 13-20, be a tourist & take photos & enjoy the Washington sites; 4) miles 21-23, hunker down and get over the 14th St. bridge; 5) miles 24-finish line, give it all I've got. Finally, 8:30am came around, we heard the gun (howitzer) go off, and we started our long walk to the start line. I took advantage of this slow time to make one more pit stop in the bushes at the side of the road. I also ate gel #1. Across the start line now. Crowds cheering. I start my watch. The 4hr pace bunny is doing 6/1's, so he runs off like he's been shot out of a cannon. I am discouraged by this, but I run to keep him in sight, and still try to keep a semblance of my 10/1's. I find the pace hard, I have to work hard to maintain it. My stomach hurting, occasional gas. It is VERY crowded & congested. I have to expend lots of energy and effort in dodging and avoiding people. This too is discourageing. This is why I don't like big races. In first couple of miles were were passing the Pentagon, I can't see much of it cuz it is a low building and there is lots of construction and other stuff infront of it. I have to fight to be in the area of the 4hr pace bunny. Sometimes he is 100-200 metres ahead, and I can barely see his flag, other times he is behind me. At the 2 mile mark, 1 minute off 4hr pace. Ok, no problem. 3 mile mark, still 1 minute off pace. Good, I've found the pace now. Lots of spectators cheering us on. I take gel #2. Part #1 of my race plan is on-track. We reach the first hill, in the Navy Annex. I focus on form and keeping a good line. Down the hill I am "Quick feet! Quick feet!" and I pass lots of people. The 4hr bunny is way ahead of me at this time. We return back to hwy 110, heavy crowds on either side, the course gets pushed even tigher, more congestion. I hate this. I am still not comfy, legs not getting into pace. Still 1min off pace. It is very hot, I take my sun glasses off as they are fogging up. I refill my water bottle w/eload and take 3rd gel at 6 miles. Right calf starts to hurt, but it gets no worse through the rest of the race. Phew. I thought before the race that that was going to be a problem for me. I was hearing lots of "Andrew" from the crowds: I had my name front and back pinned to my shirt. This was an EXCELLENT idea! Past the 7mile mark we leave Arlington Cemetary, and the big crowds of spectators, behind. Over the Key Bridge, and I remember my camera. I jump onto the barrier to take a picture of the (hazy) skyline. I am hoping that ding this will help me to relax and get comfortable. M St in Georgetown. There was a Marine warning of manhole cover sticking up. Parked cars to avoid. I have eyes for nothing except watching where I am going and avoiding the hordes of runners around me. I don't/can't look around me. Congestion. I notice that it is a different person carrying the 4hr flag after every walk break of that group. The 'green' guy who started as the bunny is no longer around. Maybe even he found the pace too much. Serves him right! Into Rock Creek Park. Nice - trees, snaking road. I now see some friends going the other way from me: Mandy yells at me (I don't actually see her); Jann from the bus; behind me Karen and Teresa, Brian Green and I slap hands. I see the 4:15 bunny ahead of me - what's up with that? I go to refill bottle and I get Ultima instead of water - I dilute it and just go with it. I take my 4th gel. The pace is still hard work, and my stomach is still hurting, but fluids and gels are going down ok. I am still 1 min off 4hr pace. Part #2 of my race plan is not working, as I can't shake the 4hr pacer, nor can I get comfortable with the pace. Mile 12. I take gel #5 and it is a bit of a struggle to go down. In checking my disposable camera, I see that the paper around it is disintegrating and it is barely staying on my belt now. Problem. I take a picture, and the paper breaks apart and the velcro is still stuck to my belt and the camera is in my hand. I am not going to carry the camera the remaining 14miles. I yell at the spectators and toss the camera to one of them. Oh well, it was worth a try. Next time I will use a plastic camera, or wrap it with plastic and duct tape. There are good crowds here, and the congestion eases as the course is now wider. I am also feeling the wind from the south-east, and the glasses are back on permanently now, as they are no longer fogging up. The wind actually now becomes more of an issue/problem for me now than the heat/humidity. There is the 13.1 mile marker, 1/2 way. I completely forget to even look left at the White House. Part #3 of my race plan, to be a tourist, is completely ignored. My eyes and attention are only down the course, to see where I am going. So much for my plan to be a tourist during this section of the race. I am focused internally, on keeping going at this pace. I have no energy, no concentration to space externally. My time is 2:01someting. Ok, I'm still onpace. The route turns into National Mall up a short incline. The road is nice and wide. I move along the edge (as is my want, to keep out of the congestion of other runners), avoiding puddles. I'm not looking around me much. When the route jogs back to Constitution Ave. infront of the National Gallery of Art, there are bad cobblestones. The legs (quads) start to hurt abit. At 15miles, I am still 1min off 4hr pace. A right turn onto 1st St. to climb Capitol Hill, and I just can't push it. I walk most of the hill, and decide to forget a 4hr time: I was having no fun, my stomach was still hurting, my legs were not comfortable with the pace so I had to always had push it, and my legs were now starting to go, so I knew 4hrs just wasn't going to happen. I smiled (for the first time in the race, I think). A marine at the top of the hill was yelling great encouragement. I take gel #6. It is tough to get down. I do my usual "quick feet! quick feet!" routine and form down Capitol Hill. It worked great, as I passed quite a few people, and there was minimal strain on my legs. At about 16.5 miles, I felt a heave from my stomach coming, so I stopped at the edge of the route (well, infact the middle of road, but the side of the marked running course), and I tried to puke, but it was only dry heaves. I ran a few more steps, felt the puke really come this time, and I sprewed a couple of yellow jets onto the road. Oh fun! I've been here before, and it wasn't good - I DNF'd that day. I didn't think much about what had happened before, but I just thought about keeping on going. I heard encouragement from runners passing me, and oddly enough, I felt much better. The stomach ache that I had had for the past 2.5 hrs was quickly gone. I walked abit, but got running again ok, but at a slower pace. Today was about finishing. I started adjusting my goals and desires for the day, and worked out that I wanted a strong finish - running hard up the Iwo Jima hill, and dannce across the finish line. I would conserve my energy and what was left in my legs (not much, as they were already hurting alot). My walk breaks were slow, stiff-legged shuffles. I was almost better running. I decided to change from 10/1's to walking every mile. The 17mile mark seemed to take a long time to arrive. My pace was ok, as long as I didn't slow down too much more, it was still possible to for me to PB (under 4:11:06). Going through gel station was an experience: there were huge crowds and lots of noise, sticky roads. I was able to get 2 gels (vanilla, my flavour) from a Marine. The 18mile mark also took forever to come to. My legs are really hurting now. They are dying. The sun is now coming out, so it gets warmer. Ther are huge of crowds. I am more relaxed, and am interacting with people who shout my name. Smiles. Noisy. Helicopters overhead. The make a lousy racket. What do we need them for? I take a gel, and it goes down ok. My stomach seems to be fine now. At 19miles, my legs are very painful and dead. I decide to walk every 1/2 mile. Walking is a even more so astiff-legged shuffle. I see a cop car just ahead, talking to spectators, and I here fellow runners talking about there being 'beer up ahead'. It turns out that it was the Hash House Harriers club handling out beer in little cups. Funny! A lady was picking up little cups as I came past. I am still keeping an idle eye on my watch, but even a PB is disappearing now. That doesn't bother me at all. It isn't that I don't care, its just that time is no longer a priority. I have decided to save myself for the finish, to have the best finish that I can. The only time-based goal I am clinging to is to avoid a PW (personal worst, which is 4:31:30). At 20 miles is the Jefferson Memorial. I don't even remember looking at it. Oh well. The course loops back on itself here, and I can see people climbing onto the reputedly evil 14th St. bridge. Now to Part #4 of my race plan - gut it out. This I did (I had no choice). The 21mile mark was around past the golf course. I refilled my bottle w/eload for the last time. My legs hurt like never before, but my energy level is good. I feel positive, happy with myself, and that I am surviving this race. I'm just concentrating on the course, where I am going, and looking for the next mile marker. Where is it, by the way? I should have reached it by now! I swear that they are getting farthur and farthur apart. And now up the ramp onto the 14th St. bridge. It is as evil as I had heard: it was wide open to the sun and wind, boring freeway, and it went on FOREVERRRRRRRRRRR. Noisy too, with cars whizzing past on an adjacent roadway, and bicycle paramedics going back and forth attending to those who were struggling, and making an AWEFUL beekping noise to warn us they were coming. The original 4hr pace bunny comes past me. He too is obviously having a bad day (I'm not surprised, because of that weird pace he set to start). I also passed a guy who had 3:30 on a Galloway sign on his back. Now there was someone who was having a BAD day! The 22mile mark came and went while I was on the F$*#^$%(@# th St. bridge. Finally, I camedown the ramp, and turned left onto streets, to the cookie station. They were handing out cookies, alot of which had mushed into the wet road. I got one stuck on the bottom of my shoe, and, not knowing it was there, I ran with it the rest of the race. I did not take a cookie to eat, as I didn't want to upset my now happy stomach. I passed the 23mile mark in 3:50, so I was quite sure that I wasn't going to PW now. That made me feel happier (although I wasn't feeling particularly sad at that point). I'm passing lots of people with 4:00 Galloway pace signs on their backs, they too are struggling. Now was the most boring, aweful stretch of course; nothing to look at (not that I was scenery watching anyways); no crowds of spectators to cheer us on. I heard one guy say that "This is where we need the crowd support!" I agreed. I find that if I run faster, the pain in my legs is less; but I can't maintain that pace, so I fall back to the slow painfull shuffle. I'm still walking every 1/2 mile (well, at the mile markers and at one, and only one point, inbetween the mile markers). Somewhere near the 24mile mark, 2 things happened. First, my watch clicked over 4:00:00 - "There goes my 4hr time goal", and Dale passed me as I was walking. "Tough day for me today - me too!" He kept running and I lost sight of him, but I must have passed him in the last mile, because he finished after me. I was into Part #5 of my race plan - give it whatever I had left. I did this, starting by conserving my legs for the 'big' finish. Approaching 25miles we were back onto Hwy 110 for the last time. Past the 25mile mark, and I was determined to run all the way in to the finish. The crowds of spectators soon started, and they cheered mightily for us. I started to run harder. The turn to go up the Iwo Jima hill soon came. The crowds were cheering so hard, it was just a tunnel of noise. I put everything into going up that hill as hard as I could. Part way up, my legs screaming in pain, I had a momentary impulse to "Stop". I nearly obeyed, but I didn't, and kept going, No hesitation now in my stride and effort. Around the Iwo Jima memorial, still going uphill, but not as steeply now. I'm passing lots of people now, some walking (it is just WRONG to walk the last bit before the finish line of a marathon), the occasional person (not many passing me. Past the 26mile marker. Now about 350meters to go. I get to the side of the course, stretching my hand out to get slapped by spectators. The noise is tremendous. Onto the grass, and there is the big red arch of the finish line. Yah! I did it! I jump and yell and rejoice! I am pumped! I cruise across the finish line, and stop "Do the dance! I'm doing the dance!" I danced inplace. A marine near me laughed. I did it! post-race --------- I made slow progress through the crowds to get food (as much as I can carry), then I go around to the baggage tent, seeing Dave and Liz on the way there. They were sitting on the ground looking preatty wasted. After a bit of searching, I found my bag. Then as I was cutting through the massage tent (too big a line for me to entertain waiting for a massage) when I saw that Tylenol 8 people were taking free poleroid photos, no line-up, so I had a fun photo taken. Then I found a piece of grass in the sun, where I changed my socks and shoes (one BIG blister on my right middle toe, and found the piece of cookie stuck to my shoe), put on my cool-down clothing, and ate more food. Then I fought my way through the crowds, avoiding a couple ofambulances, and got out of the park. It was a slow shuffle back to the hotel via the 7-11 for ice. I walked with TJ, who had just finished his 10th Marine Corps Marathon, and we chatted about marathons and how our day went. I returned to the hotel at about 1:45pm, and there was Mike Garwood waiting for the elevator. He looked like he needed a hug, so I gave him a BIGone, and seeing his medal, called him a marathoner. He was sad that he had had a tough day and hadn't made his time goal (sub 4hrs like me) - he was going great until 20miles, then fell apart. He brightened up when he learned that he had beaten me. After my ice bath and shower, during which time Doug and Heather returned to the hotel room, and we briefly shared our horror stories of the day. Then I went down to Teresa and Bradely's room to hang out with the group and exchange our stories. Everyone had had a slow, tough day. Of Mike, Bradley, me, Teresa, Karen, Christine, Doug, Heather, only Mike was faster than me. I felt a little better about my race time. To the shock of my friends, at about 3pm I decided to try to go to the Smithsonian National Postal Museum I had energy, even if my legs were stiff and sore boards of wood. There were great crowds heading into the city, and it turned out they were all heading for the metro station, same as me. The line-up was out to the street. I gave up on that idea and returned to the hotel. The NCRA bus-group party was happening in one of the rooms. We went down, and it was good. I chatted with the Bern, Rick, others. Most people had had tough days, at least one person failing to finish. Champaign was passed around. Bradley, Teresa, Mike, Christine, Karen, Doug, Heather and I decided to go to Mike and Michelle's organized dinner for the Running Room group. I managed to have the correct directions. A great dinner, catching up with everyone. Lots of photos, and good food. The waiter made it one BIG bill, and we had to go around and figure out what everyone owed (+ 25% for tax and tip). Just nuts! Back to hotel, and I watched 'Charlies Angels Full Throttle' until midnight' with the gang. bus ride home on Monday ----------------------- Watched movies, and couldn't do much reading (too many distractions, and I didn't feel like it anways). Heavy rain all the way, but that didn't seem to bother our driver as he veritably flew up the Interstate. Champagn and orange juice was passed around, as well as a 5lb choc bar. I got everyone to sign my t-shirt. I was home at 8pm. final analysis -------------- - upset/store stomach at start. why? nervouus? someting i ate? - I set out at 4hr pace, and waited for thatt pace to 'feel comfortable', but it never did feel comfortable, i never got into 'cruise' mode - at 15miles, i was still on-pace (well, 1miin off, but i'd been 1min off since the 1mile mark), but i gave up on it because i just wasn't having any fun, and i knew that i couldn't maintain that pace, that effort, any longer - splits: 3miles - 28:22, to 9miles - 54:57,, to 12miles - 27:34, to 15miles - 27:55, to 18miles - 30:02, to 21miles - 31:34, to 24miles - 37:53, finish - 25:14 - hot and humid weather; - crowded conditions for the first 12 miles,, which took alot of effort to overcome; - great crowd support over much of the coursse. having my name on the front and back of my shirt was an excellent idea as i heard lots of "Go Andrew"'s and this boosted me; - puked my guts out at 16.5 miles, and tummyy felt much better after that [:-)] ; and i was mentally much happier after that too; - walk/ran last 7 miles as my legs were gonee; my walk breaks were a stiff-legged shuffle. quite pathetic. - ran last mile HARD (up Iwo Jima Memorial hhill) and danced across the finish line; - 4:23:21 finish time, not a PW (personal woorst), and just 1 sec slower than my 2000 London, Ont marathon (my other 'comeback' marathon); - i am happy with the whole experience - i aat least TRIED to get a sub-4 hr time; i dealt with issues as they came up and kept on going to the finish line; finished well (my best marathon-finish yet) and danced across the finish line; and going down with the NCRA bus and having so many of my Running Room group there was AWESOME!!