One City Newport News Marathon

This last weekend I did my third marathon this year and my ninth overall in 14 months. The weather was perfect. A little cool in th morning but didn't even need a cover befor the race. That doesn't happen often! It was the inaugural race for Newport News so I wanted to run it especially that a marathon was so close to home. Those don't happen often. This was going to be a little different for me as this would end up being the first race that I began under 200 pounds! Who knows how much I weigh at the end of one of these.....I bet I drop nearly 8-10 pounds! I'm not joking!

It was a small race in comparison but very well staffed and supported for the most part. 8k, Marathon and Marathon Relay with a total of 2600 runners. Only 400 or so we're full marathon runners so I had a small group. But that's okay. After colorado's 106 runners.....elite runners.....I can handle it. The crowds along the route were very supportive. I found them very encouraging and genuinely excited about supporting the race. That makes it all worth it when you are trekking through someone's neighborhood.

I really loved that the city made the extra effort to market this race everywhere. I do feel that it can become a major race feature as it continues to grow. I'm encouraged to think that if I am able to keep up my running that this one will be the first of many more here in Newport News. Another great piece that was added were all the mile marker posts. I'm guessing that these are going to stay up all year round showing commitment from the city that they are going to continue this race tradition they started. All the other turns and twists along the route were also very well marked. That isn't always the case. Again, I really enjoyed the run.

So as far as my results.....of course I'm never as pleased as I could be. (That is always the case.) In simplest form, I set a new PR. I actually started out at a pretty fair pace and kept it up the better part of the entire first half. I started off somewhere between 11:10-15 pace but slipped a little after mile 13 ..... but not by much. I crossed the half way point at 2:33:00 +/-. The next several miles were a little struggle and I think that was just because I hadn't really run anything longer than 6.5 miles since the marathon in New Orleans eight weeks ago. I really shouldn't do that......but snow and ice and cold weather really hindered my training. Just cannot run the long distances inside on a DREADMILL!

Legs felt good but mile 20-21 were rough to push through. My time from what I could tell was comparable to Disney. Maybe slightly slower but I wasn't entirely sure in disney of my 20 mile time due to my Runkeeper dying on me down there. I was just over the four hour mark. It is just those last SIX MILES that are a huge hurdle for me right now. I get really tired and need to walk run off and on. That is where my need to improve my training or alter my pace earlier on somehow. But really my starting pace didn't feel rushed at all. I think it is just stamina.

At that point there was a little glimmer of thought that I might be able to push close to the five hour mark .....than I quickly dismissed that thought......too much. Maybe however I could handle 5:15!? That would be a push as well and another huge jump in my PR if I could make it. As the next few miles struggled along I saw that slip away too. Mile mark 23 came and the clock seemed to be running faster than I was. With 3.2 miles left.....only a 5K I told myself.....I tried to push. There just wasn't much left in the tank to push. I saw the 5:15 slip away too. My next goal was to get under 5:30..... Just three minutes under my disney PR.

Mile marker 24 came around and and I had 24 minutes to reach that goal......I tried.....just working with  so little left. Mile 25.....mile 25.5......dang my stupid legs! Run would you! Five minutes left at that point to run the POINT 5......and then don't forget the other POINT 2 tacked onto the end......that always kills you!

Nope......just couldn't. Runkeeper told me at Mile 26 that I was at 5:31:30 with that stupid POINT 2 remaining. Dang It. Push just push. I picked up the pace and pushed slowly getting up to a spint level. The handful of individual runners that seemed to be just a head of me in those final few miles I now flew past. I'm sure they thought I was crazy......SPRINT AFTER ALREADY RUNNING 26 FREAKIN MILES. I thought I was crazy too. My wife saw me coming at full speed down the street. I could see the clock ticking away. I could tell for sure but I knew I was close to a new PR. I couldn't do anymore math in my head.......just RUN EUGENE RUN!

I crossed the line and raised my hands in victory......no matter what the time ended up being I just finished my 9th marathon and was a winner as far as I was concerned. Very much out of breath but happy to be finished.......yep.....A FINISHER! That's what they call us.

I have been testing my blood sugars closely and comparing to my weight so I quickly stepped into the medical tent to have them test my glucose. I was really fine I just wanted to see where I was before I ate a banana and pizza and whatever else.....I was starving! It was 89, not bad. I had started off the morning at a 96 but had not taken my meds or insulin before the race. I knew it could really drop if I did. They kept me for a few minutes because my pulse was still racing......duh.....I just sprinted a quarter mile after running a full marathon. Lol.

We received a text a few minutes later from the official timing trekker and I had completed the race in 5:32:42......about one minute faster than Disney. Not much time knocked off......but still a PERSONAL RECORD!

All this and two days later I went to my endocrinologist and received great news. I had dropped an entire point (the big point....not the point something or other). Since early December I had gone from 8.2 A1C down to a 7.2 and I had weighed in there in their office at 213 pounds and that morning I was 202. My doctor called me her hero! Nothing makes me fell better than accomplishing that.

So recovery begins and the next race is in only a few days. SHAMROCK WHALE CHALLENGE! Yep 8K on the following Saturday followed up with the full marathon the day after.

RUN EUGENE RUN

I encourage all my friends who read this to take time to exercise. Take time to take care of yourself. If I can do it....you certainly can as well. If you have diabetes or know someone who does, please feel free to write me. I would love to help and encourage those interested in any way I can.

If possible, please help me reach my goals this year of running 14 marathons and completing 1000 miles. Everywhere I go a share my experiences and encourage others with diabetes to make things happen in their lives. But all this is expensive. Race entries, travel and expenses but I think it is important. Help me out by giving what you are able to my goal at Go Fund Me. I appreciate all your support.

RUN EUGENE RUN gofund.me/idg4vk

ET This I Believe

Eugene Thompson