I’ll try to catch up on everyone’s week tomorrow evening, but here is my Chicago race report for now…
Goal Race: Chicago Marathon
Goal Time: 2:29:59
Actual time: 2:33:15 (6 second pr)
1: 5:43 – Immediately had some stomach cramping (I tried to ignore it because this has happened in my first 3 marathons as well. It has probably always been nerves) Right on pace: but plan was to go out comfortable for the first 2 in 5:50-5:55 and ease into it like I did in Jacksonville last year
2: 5:47 – adjusted my race plan to take first 3 slightly easy after that first mile.
3: 5:50 – a training partner also shooting for sub 2:30 caught up for me. It was good to have familiar company. Stomach cramps went away.
4: 5:44 –
5: 5:40 – started noticing the wind. Decided to trade pace each mile with friend (He is 6 inches taller than me so I definitely got the better deal out of this). I had this mile.
6: 5:48 -- he paced this one. I was starting to worry about the slow pace
7: 5:38 – feeling fine/pleased about the pace
8: 5:42 – wind was really noticeable still, but we were getting into a groove
9: 5:35 - oops my mile…and first mile without a strong headwind. Probably dropped it too much
10: 5:44 -
11: 5:41 – focused on a pack/group up ahead that clearly was a group of guys shooting sub 2:30. We had been gaining on them gradually since mile 7. I commented that we needed to catch that group if we want sub 2:30.
12: 5:38
13: 5:41
half marathon on watch: 74:50-55ish/official gun split 75:01- I wanted to give myself more of a cushion, but I was feeling pretty good and confident about a negative split
14: 5:37 – still gaining on the pack – really yearning to catch them
15: 5:40 – my friend dropped me on this mile. He opted to go right after the pack with a 5:30. I was still gaining on them and was hesitant to drop it that much.
16: 5:40 – still gaining on them, but I was all alone now. My friend hit another 5:30 and caught the pack. I was hoping to be there in another few miles.
17: 5:40 – staying consistent, but all alone aside from guys randomly falling off the pack and fading hard. Still gaining on the main pack, and I am about 10-15 seconds back at this point.
18: 5:48 – starting to feel it, and I lost some ground on the pack.
19: 5:42 – I realized it was now or never and I needed the pack if I was going to do it. I rallied a bit and gained ground again.
20: 5:50 – This was the end of it for me. I was still on sub 2:30 pace at mile 20, but I knew it was probably out of reach. I kept trying to rally/surge like I did for mile 19, but I couldn’t maintain anything.
21: 5:58 – All alone – passed an elite pacer walking who dropped out this mile. Part of me wanted to yell at him to push me to catch that pack.
22: 6:08 – started getting caught/passed by people for the first time since the first 3 miles
23: 6:11 – doing the math in my head sub 2:31- probably not, sub 2:32 – maybe, sub 2:33 – I hope so
24: 6:21 – started running into a headwind again and almost certain I can still pr
25: 6:27 – grinding/getting passed/but still passing others
26.2: 7:44 (~6:13/mi) – I had a nice kick all alone on the final straight to keep my pr
Official time: 2:33:15/official place: 91st overall out of 38,535
I’m feeling pretty disappointed about the result, but I know it is a pr and no complaining about prs. Also, I was ecstatic last year for running a 2:33:21, so why should it feel so different this year? However, my training was just on a whole other level this year. The mileage I put in was much heavier, and my paces on the same workouts were considerably quicker. I also was feeling amazing throughout my taper. A few things reflections I have on this race are that perhaps I am better suited for low key races (I felt somewhat overwhelmed by the magnitude of the race even with the elite development treatment I received and that may have contributed to my early race nerves), I probably need to address some sleep issues that I have (I wake up at least once every night typically, and during my taper, it transforms into full blown insomnia, waking up 5 or so times a night in the week leading up to my marathons… which again may be my nerves), and in races where I may have a good pack to work with, I may be better suited to go out on pace with the pack instead of sticking to my race plan of going out slow and easing into the pace. I am left wondering if things would have been different if I had that pack of sub 2:30 guys to work with the entire race, and was not stuck trying to run them down between miles 11-20. I ultimately also accept that I am going to have good days and bad days with all the marathons I do. Last Sunday, probably just wasn’t my day, but hopefully, I can get it right next time.
I also made a few amateur mistakes out there: I nearly forgot to take my inhaler and had to rush it when we were being called the line (another thing that probably added to my nerves), and I caused myself to develop these 2 works of art:
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/523715_656948493118_1899344193_n.jpg
by 1. Tying right shoe too tight causing too much pressure on my heel and 2. Making the mistake I joked about and pulling a meb k by leaving my back-up breath-rite stripe in my left shoe for the race (I store gels and other supplies in my shoes so I don’t forget them before the race/but I might rethink that strategy now).
Despite my disappointment, there are definitely a few positives I can take from this race related to my club team. We finished 3rd in the men’s open category in most competitive division in the Team competition. We also were 5 for 6 with prs, and the friend I traded the pace with for the first 15, reached the sub 2:30 promiseland with a 2:29:20 and beat every person in the pack we were chasing down.
Going forward, I know I am a better marathoner than my result, and I know I am capable of a sub 2:30. I have followed a 1 marathon a year schedule for my first 4, but I can’t see myself waiting until next fall for another shot at it. I’m hoping to find a fast late winter or spring marathon that fits my schedule and budget.
Thank you all again for the kind words last week and for all the support each week leading up to the race!