Why another marathon?
In early December 2013 my plans were to pace my 4:10 marathon group through the DRC Spring Training, maybe run a half or two and at the most, and if I was needed, pace the Big D Marathon, which at the time I thought would be the target race of the club. I didn't plan on running more than one or two full marathons in 2014. My how things change. After the Dallas Marathon cancelled, that caused most of the DFW running community to set sight on the Cowtown Marathon. I had done Cowtown in 2013, and thought of only running the half marathon, then upgraded to the full marathon, but found myself clicking on the "ultra" button when I registered. I then volunteered to pace a slot in the Big D Full Marathon which was in late April. The OKC Marathon was a thought, but I wasn't terribly interested until after I finished Cowtown and noticed that if I ran OKC that it would fall within a 90 day period. Really? This would probably be my one and only opportunity to qualify for Marathon Maniacs. I really don't see myself running this many full marathons within that span of time within the near future. But I have said never about a lot of things that I'm finding myself doing. After training for and running Cowtown, I was already in marathon shape, all I had to do was maintain. I can't say that I worked all that hard on staying maintained, but I made it through uninjured, so that was a win.
Extreme Weather?
Very conveniently, our training director Vish had hookups for hotel and transportation to the event, so this made it very easy. I had no really huge goal for this race. My personal record is STILL 4:13:15 which is my first marathon. Going in I had heard either horror stories from people who had run the race (usually speaking of the weather) or that it was one of the best race experiences ever from others. There was no "oh it was alright" from anyone. Either yea or nay. I was a little worried about the weather, as I know weather is dicey in OK in mid spring. I know they say everything is bigger in Texas, but I think they've got us on that weather-wise.
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| DRC Party Bus |
Road Trip via the DRC 'Party Bus'
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| The angels who saved our race |
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| Packet pickup/carb load dinner in Norman, OK |
Race Morning
I slept like a baby, and I didn't really think about it until my hotel roommate Mark asked me if I still get pre-race jitters, he seemed to notice that I slept well. Marathon number 8, I guess I'm done with the jitters, not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. No time for breakfast, forgot to buy my traditional pre-race meal (a Snicker's bar), but I had eaten so much the day before and the carb up meal happened so late into the evening, I figured I would be OK. I had plenty of race time fuel. I made sure to bring plenty Endurolyte pills, which have saved me from severe leg cramps ever since Cowtown. When I checked the weather radar at 5am, there was no precip to be found except in the far southwest corner of the state. On the trip from the hotel from start line, frunner Jorge showed me an updated radar with two lines of storms headed our way. Oh boy.
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| Scary looking cumulonimbus |
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| Patiently waiting for the delays to end. No complaining. That's what runners don't do. |
Miles 1 through 13
I started the race with a mild headache, was not sure where it came from as I don't really get that many headaches. I figured as I ran it would fade away. I was concerned that I was standing around all morning waiting on the start and that my legs would tire out faster. I lined up in my assigned corral, but waited right before the start line for the 4:15 pace group to appoach. My plan was to run with them for about 80 percent of the run, then if I was feeling pretty good, take off from there to get my P.R. Well... as we started, it was feeling just like Dallas Marathon 2012. So humid that you would have to take a shower to dry off. I knew I would have to hydrate like hell. My two pacers, I forget the name of one, but I know the others' name was Pascal I believe, had a plan and for the first few miles were pretty much on point with their splits. They had a little bit of time in the bank, maybe 30-40 seconds. They were very entertaining, had good jokes. Always a good thing to have when you pace a group. I was told by a few that the course was hilly, and by some that it was not that hilly. My take on marathons is that every one of them are hilly to some extent. I haven't found a flat one yet. The hills in the beginning were gradual, some long but nothing that I haven't handled before.
Miles 14 through 20
At this point I knew that if I got my P.R. it would be close. I wasn't feeling like myself, I knew it was the weather. I had to work to hard to get to mile 14 and running at a 9:35 min/mile pace, that was usually my confy pace. I probably should have dropped it even a little slower than that and built up to the 9:35 later. I wasn't terribly concerned, I knew I had just paced a 4:15 full marathon with no issues at all, but the weather was much more favorable. I decided to re-assess at around mile 18 and then make a decision from there to pick it up, or just stay with the pacers. Well, that would change. Lost pacer number one around mile 15. Pacer number two kept with the rhythm, looked strong to that point. Pacer number one eventually caught back up with us at the part of the course which contoured Lake Hefner, which is about the size of half of White Rock Lake, but has twice the wind blowing across it. The wind was so strong that it broke the pacers' pace stick. Somewhere around mile 19 we lost pacer number two. I kept my my Garmin at 9:35 and doing so pulled away from the cluster which was now running with pacer one, so obviously the pace slowed down. I was feeling so-so. Endurolytes were working just fine, no cramping, no hint of cramping. However my stomach was giving me issues. I wasn't sure if it was from all the extra Powerade I was drinking or if it was the GU packets. I'm thinking it was the Powerade as GU has never given me issues.
Miles 20 to finish
Somewhere around mile 21, my right calf started hurting like hell and hindering me. It didn't cramp but felt like it had hit a wall. Everything else on my body was doing just fine. As a matter of fact as I am typing this blog the next day, it is the only part of my body which is sore. I did notice the crowd support getting stronger. I loved the wet sponges, wet towels, people standing in their front yards spraying runners with hoses. I was way out ahead of the 4:15 pace group, not because I was running faster, but because they had fallen way off. Then came Classen Blvd. Damn you Classen Blvd! Every hill up to this point was not steep, they were just long. There was some downgrades and one long downgrade somewhere past mile 20. However... there was one hill on Classen that I swear had to be at least a mile or two long. It would not stop. That was the killer. The good thing is that there was probably 2-3 waterstops on that hill. That pretty much did me in, slowed my pace and killed any thoughts of getting a PR. But I really wasn't there for that, I was there to qualify for Marathon Maniacs. That I would not be denied unless a twister dropped out of the sky and threw me back to the start line. Slim chance of that happening as the sky was clear with a beaming sun above. I chose to have as much fun with the crowd for the last couple miles and for everyone who told me "You are almost there" I would reply back "No I'm not, but thanks!" Finally I got to the last corner, and believe me about 5 people told me that when I turn the corner, that I would see the finish line. They were correct, but it looked as if it were still a mile away. I had to put my glasses on to see it. So I did something that I meant to do at Cowtown but forgot. I pulled out my phone and videoed the last 100 or so feet of my run to the finish line. Marathon number 8 in there, Marathon Maniac accomplished.
Would I do this race again?
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| Missions accomplised, back on the bus home to Dallas. |
Video Finish
