Another year at my big home town race. I have organized the pace team again and am proud of the great runners I have assembled. Less confident of my own abilities, I will pace the first half at 4:30 and try to hold on, but have Todd to meet me halfway and take over if I falter. Pacer meeting the day before. Photo op with Jeff Galloway before the start. All of my pacers show up and will do their parts to perfection.
Bright sun and comfortable at the start. It is really going to warm up later in the race. Just before the start, Tammy takes a picture of me and Dan and also Tami who I am just meeting. She ran her first marathon in 4:40 and hopes to beat that today. Lets see how long she can stay with me.
Start - So glad the stress of getting everything ready is over. Got my GPS connected and it did not time out before the gun, so I will have accurate time on my wrist. 10:17/mile gets us in on time. I plan to go out a little faster than that.
One of the pleasures of this race is the sighting of so many friends whether in the race, volunteering or spectating. Bill at mile 1, Terra at mile 2, Rachel and Craig at mile 10. The second half pacer transport honking to us on their way out.
Mile 3 - Priest Point Park overpass. Picture of me and my pack of runners. Claudia is in there and sent me the picture. She will go on ahead and run well today. Tami is with us. Next to me are Vicki and Emillie who I met at the Blooms to Brews. Great to run with them again.
Mile 5 - Warming up. First splash of water on my head. Averaging 10:07/mile which has us with over a minute in the bank. No need to go any faster. Aid stations every even mile marker.
Mile 12.5 - Its been uneventful. Getting warmer. Holding a steady pace. Now I meet Todd and we run together. Great to have someone new, who has the energy to talk. Down to sea level then up the steep hill by Woodard Bay.
Mile 15 - Long straight road back to town. Feeling the heat and I am tiring. Have to work a bit to hold pace. Long stretch in the hot sun. I can feel the heat radiating off the road. Not communicating much with what is left of my pack.
Mile 18 - Still on pace but having serious doubts. No pains, just too hot to run. Did I mention how this is the first warm day all season. I am not used to the temperature. And it is mile 18. But now it is just 2+3+3 miles to the end. Hope I can hold on.
Mile 21 - Rogue aid station I grab a delightful slice of orange and Todd slips away ahead of me. I just do not feel like surging to catch up. Still we are ahead of schedule, so I keep running and the distance between us is close, just gradually getting longer.
Mile 22.5 - Up Eastside Hill. Walk breaks. Todd out of reach. So glad that he is here to complete the mission. Tami with him. I pull out my PR pin and pop my balloon in shame. Singlet comes off and I feel so much cooler with just one shirt on. The difference in comfort gives me a boost and I keep trudging up the hill.
Mile 23.5 - Top of the hill, I catch up to a guy and I say that if we push we might beat 4:30. He says that ship has sailed, it will not happen. I hit a bad patch and slow again. I know the next aid station is close, but I see spectators with a table and a water bottle and I beg water from them. A woman digs out a cup and gets me some water which is really appreciated. Keep working on my attitude and try to encourage others, despite being down with my own performance.
Mile 24.5 - The beer station, I take a very small cup as usual and like always it is so cold and refreshing.
Mile 25 - Catch up to Matt Ferrel, who paced the first half at 4:15 then slowed even more than me. Misery loves company and we "run" the last mile together.
Mile 26.2 - Finished! Not emotional and not very satisfied with my time. At about mile 20 I realized that I had not seen any runner in need of medical aid (often I do at this event) and I did not want to be the first one. So maybe I could have run faster/harder at the end, but maybe I would have gotten heat stroke and not finished at all. Today was hardly the time to push myself to my limits, so I will accept my result.
Find Jody who ran the half. Find Tami, meet her family and give her the PR pin!
So curious about my pace team. I find Angela who did great. We are talking but all I can do is admire the slice of watermelon she is holding. I almost take it from her, but decide I should go get my own post race food. Watermelon, orange slices, pizza and water. Back to the finish line to see 4:45 and 5:00 pacers come in as well as Emillie and Vicki. Then over to the beer tent for my free beer and I sit with Dan who I started the race with.
Gather up the pacer gear and call it a day. Looking forward to next year!!
4:36:14
172nd of 300
Race#417
Marathon or ultra# 154
Capital City Marathon#14
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