Marathon #23 was BRUTAL

Could I have done something different? Probably....what? I don't know. I had shared my concerns in my previous post about my worries with this upcoming race. It was every bit the brutal challenge I thought it would be. Brutal might be an overstatement but I certainly wasn't as prepared as I hoped. Can you ever be prepared if you are running multiple marathons like I've been doing? Maybe.....maybe if you're an elite athlete.....which I'm certainly not. I'm just a guy that participates in marathons. Not really sure I can call what I do running.

The race had its hurdles for me:

1. First time by myself

2. Faster cut off time

3. Hills of Raleigh

FIRST

I handled the "by myself" piece okay. Gathered my things up and put everything in order as I always do the evening before a race. It was just lonely without my wife there to encourage and support me. I was in Raleigh on business so it began as a long weekend. Friday drive down and meetings until late. Saturday I rested, did the expo and package pick-up and then the better part of the rest of the day working in the hotel room. Yeah, I know.....kind of boring. Sunday the race and then drove back after to Richmond.....but I'm jumping ahead. I'll get to that soon enough.

SECOND

The Rock n Roll Marathon reduced the finish time to 5:30.....which shouldn't be too much of an issue. I've finished three previous marathons this year and two of them were faster than that. But those course were flat too. This one had hills......that was going to be my issue. I certainly didn't want to get picked up!

AND THIRD

The hills......oh the hills. I know what the course is like from last year. My knees hurt after then as well. I mapped out a plan of how to best concur the hills and stay fresh until the end of the race.....if possible. The entire course is rolling hills that take their toll on you but there are 8 hills that I considered brutal and I figured I'd let them win...... I'd plan to walk up those and give my body and knees a rest.......that was the plan.

Ok everything in place for the race. Had to pack everything up and take it to the car first because I know I won't be finishing and able to walk back to the hotel before the extended check out. My normal banter with everything and everyone. Nice but lonely walk down to the start of the race from the hotel. Just missing one key ingredient from my routine.....my wife. I did get a test from her. That will work.

Started the race with pretty normal plan in place. Don't push it at first. Running around the downtown area there are some hills there too. Many people are already walking up the them. I maintain my plan. These aren't the bigger ones I need to worry about. I'll be good until about 5.5 miles before the first one I'll need to walk up.

First fear point came at my mile marker 11 right after running through a local campus. I passed (loop back) the sweepers at mile marker 10! Only a mile behind! That seems too close! I picked up my pace just a little but stuck with the plan.

Chatted with a few people along the way. Because of my routine and the hills I would pass many and then they would pass me. Mostly I'd pull away from them after several times of this back and forth game. One guy told me that he heard that a van would most certainly pick you up but that they would drop off closer to the finish line so the runners could still run across. I still think I'm on mark to finish pretty close to the right time. Knees are beginning to hurt and there are 2 or 3 more hills to wrap up.

And then it happened....the sweepers caught me with less than three miles to finish. The first time ever.....humbling.....upset.....unsettling.....out of my hands. Luckily they didn't pick me up. They saw I was making good progress and still running albeit slowly at this point. However behind me they apparently pick most all the people up. Some gave up....others were dumped off right in front of me towards the end of the Rae so they could finish in their own.....that meant I had to quickly pass them too.....again....great!

Not a great time....5:47:13, but at least I finished on my own two feet.....sore feet but I finished. 

I will have a break for a bit now before the next big race. It will be important for me to shift my training so I can get better. I need help so I'll seek a personal trainer to assist. Until then......have a fun run my friends and enjoy your day.

Eugene Thompson

RUN EUGENE RUN