The race went great this morning! There were a few hiccups at the starting line for me, but after that it was smooth sailing. I am awaiting the official results to see whether or not I was fortunate enough to eclipse 64 minutes. If I didn't, I was damn close.
My night of sleep wasn't great last night. CJ and I went over to our friend Issa's to visit with his wife Marie and their new baby, Ferris. I also wanted to watch the NCAA College Basketball Final Four games, and needed a place to watch them (so goes when your house gets broken into and your TV gets taken). It was a good night, though the games were relatively terrible. In fact the KU (Rock Chalk Jayhawk Russ Rhoads!) jump on UNC was so massive that I decided to cut out at halftime and get home by a normal bedtime.
It rained pretty hard last night and we were sleeping with our window open. One of the windows has a tendency to leak and at 2am when CJ got up she noticed a huge puddle of water on the floor. We spent a bit of time cleaning that up, and I was worried I wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. Luckily, around 6:10 was the next time I looked at the clock, and when the alarm rang at 6:30am, I had fallen back asleep.
It was still raining then, so I did a very tiny bit of yoga, drank a cup of coffee and then headed out the door. I left the house around 7:10am for the 3 mile jog to the "staging area" of the race at 15th and Constitution, just in front of the Washington Monument.
The humidity from the rain caused me to sweat a bit more than I was expecting for the mid-40s temperatures which Weather.com was reporting. I figured the 3 miles from the house down there would serve as a good warm up, allowing my legs to loosen.
As I neared the White House there were a lot of other runners out on the streets headed toward the race, too. That was a positive because I was a tad worried about making to the race start on time. Because of the number of entrants in the race, the race organizers cleverly implemented a "wave" start. When you register you have to put in a previous run's time and they seed you in a wave respective to that time (if you did not have a previous race's time to report, they most likely put you in the last wave, or potentially allowed you to guess what time you would finish). I can't remember what race I used, but I half presumed that I was in the first wave.
As I arrived at the staging area I immediately hopped in a line for the port-a-potty. I wanted to pee prior to the start of the race. I could hear the announcer on the loudspeaker indicate that the field of Elite Women were shoving off, on schedule at 7:40am. That gave me, presumably, 10 minutes to take care of my business and check my bag.
I struck up a nice conversation with the woman in front of me, half hoping she had a clue which wave started when. Unfortunately, she not only didn't know it, but she was in a different wave altogether, and knew she wasn't in the first one. I didn't see too many other people with yellow bibs in the line for the bathroom, so I presumed I needed to begin the de-robing process while in line. I got my bag ready for the bag check, and shortly after exiting the toilet I sprinted across the muddy grass (the raining had subsided a bit, but the damage had been done) to where i could check my bag.
I immediately turned around and headed for the corral of people waiting to run. The loudspeakers had been strategically placed not only at the actual start/finish line, but also a bit down from the line, so those of us in the "staging" area could hear what the announcer was saying. As I moved closer and closer to the corral I could hear "20 seconds until the first wave starts." Unfortunately he wasn't indicating the wave's color (after the race CJ pointed out that an "A","B","C","D", etc wave system may have been easier for those of us who didn't pay particular attention prior to heading down), but I knew I needed to get my but moving. I hopped one of the metal retaining barriers and found myself amidst a bunch of people in organge bibs, all standing around. I began to excuse myself as I pushed through the crowd towards what I presumed was the front. Eventually I came to a mesh-fence divider that prevented me from moving further forward. On the other side of that fence were a bunch of people wearing red bibs; not my people either. I looked along the left of the corral and saw that there were colored marker flags indicating each respective wave. I couldn't see a yellow one anywhere.
I quickly thought to get out of the corral I was in, though it technically wouldn't have mattered if I stayed in with any of the other "waves" (our timing in the race is based on "chip" timing - meaning that a sensor in the chip is activated when I cross the finish line. The advantage to starting with my wave is that I would be amongst people running at a similar pace as I wanted). Therefore, I hopped the metal barrier on the opposite side from which I'd started, and tried to find the starting line. The speakers were booming and the announcer was already giving instructions for the next wave to get ready to start. I became a tad bit discombobulated and started second guessing which direction the start line was. I had to make a rash decision and though it didn't feel 100% correct, I continued towards the direction I presumed was the start line. Just then I saw a bandstand and knew that's where the announcer was. I leaped over the metal retaining barrier and dashed across the start with a few other stragglers from the first, yellow wave.
Unfortunately there was immediately something wrong with my watch. I couldn't get the stopwatch to start. I wasn't sure what was wrong, but was a bit concerned that I wasn't going to be able time myself. That worried me a lot. While there are clocks on the course, they aren't at every single mile-marker. I made that mistake while running the Outerbanks Marathon a few years ago. Luckily, there, Mick, a friend of Chris's, lent me his watch since Chris and him were going to stick together while I moved ahead. Today, however, I knew I wouldn't be so fortunate. After playing with it a bit, I realized that there was saved "Data" in the watch and that was preventing me from starting a new timer. Within a minute I had cleared that old data out and was able to start my watch.
Now that the hectic aspects of the start were over, it was time to start racing. I assumed a pretty quick pace and immediately began playing catch up. Not that I was necessarily trying to catch anyone, as I was racing against the clock, but I presumed that within each wave (and surely within the first wave) the faster runners had migrated towards the front while the slower (but by no means slow) runners were towards the back.
The course went from starting in front of the Washington Monument to rounding the tidal basin towards the Jefferson Memorial before making a quick exit to Hains Point. If you've been reading my writing about running on here, you know that this is a place that I've logged plenty of training miles. I was already passing people at this point and fortunately the first mile of the road there is flanked by a sidewalk. I was able to run on the sidewalk as the other runners remained in the streets. By the time I looked at my watch ten minutes had gone by, yet I hadn't seen the first mile marker. Because there were so many people along the course, and I was running along the left hand side, I presumed that I'd inadvertently missed it. I continued on, at what I presumed was somewhere near my intended goal pace: 6:24 per mile.
Once the sidewalk ran out the passing became a bit more precarious. I was able to slide in between a few people here and there, and on occasion move onto the grass on the left side of the road, where the sidewalk had been previously. The problem there was the cherry blossom trees along Hains Point were dropping in my face. So, I went with what seemed natural, and was able to keep my mind from focusing on running.
By the time I saw the mile marker for mile 2 I had gone 12 minutes and 31 seconds. I wasn't exactly sure how long my stop watch debacle at the start of the race left missing, but I presumed I was on a good pace. The nice thing was, I felt really good. So, I continued to pass people.
There was a series of interesting signs as we rounded the tip of Hains Point, indicating that the Awakening Sculpture was missing. It was a bit sad not to have it there. The backside of Hains wasn't as windy as it had been on some of my training runs. It wasn't completely free from wind, but it wasn't holding me back, and I wasn't having to push too hard to maintain my pace. I did think about trying to use one or two people as a shield to draft from, since it had worked so well for Chris last weekend when I allowed him to draft off of me. However, I was still moving faster than almost everyone at this point in the pack. It's not to say I was blazing by them, but every few steps along the left hand side had me passing rows and rows of runners.
By the time I hit mile 3 (6:31 mile) I was still feeling good and I began to think about my overall race strategy. At that exact moment, however, I decided to just keep up that comfortable pace. It worked quite well and I was able to snag a few cups of water just before Mile 4 (6:26), the second of which prompted comment from a fellow runner.
After taking the first one, which was barely half full, I made my way to the left, so other runners could come in behind me. However, when I took the baby sip which was in the cup, I immediately knew I wanted more water. The line of volunteers handing out the water was ending, and I had to dash diagonally from left to right in order to snag a cup from the very last person handing out the cups. Satisfied with my second cup, I kept on moving. The comment came from a guy behind me, and initially I thought he was saying I cut in front of him and took his water. However, he clarified that he was impressed with my ability to go get that last cup. It was kind of funny.
Mile 5 (6:25) had us go around the Jefferson Memorial back towards where we'd turned off to Hains Point. The wind picked up just a bit but I was moving right along. I took my gel from my pants pocket and began to strategize on when to take it. I figured that somewhere between the 5 mile marker and the 6 mile marker (the next water station) would be best. I was feeling good, and began to really think that I could maintain this pace throughout the race. I was beginning to feel the effects of running at this pace, but not so much that I thought it would slow me down.
Miles 6 and 7 were run on Ohio Drive along the Potomac River (heading towards Rock Creek Parkway). Again, I have done so many training runs there that I was able to just set my mind into cruise control. Though the wind was present, it was overwhelming. After I passed each mile marker I reminded myself to "sink into a comfortable pace." I didn't want to push it so hard that my body was going to run out of fuel before the finish line, yet I still wanted to maintain a fast pace. I concentrated on form and running economy, and I continued to pass people. Those two miles were both run at 6:23.
Mile 8 was where I really had to start making some decisions. How strong did I want to try to finish, and when should I kick in whatever I have left. I decided that since I seemed to be averaging just around the 6:24 pace, I should continue on, doing exactly what I was doing, and wait until the last mile to really see how I was feeling. We'd turned around on Rock Creek Parkway (just past the Kennedy Center) just before we passed the 7 mile marker (indicating the start of mile 8) and were now headed past the Lincoln Memorial and across the aptly named Memorial Bridge (towards Arlington Cemetary).
The bridge isn't terribly long, but still had a bit of a hill leading up to the apex in the middle. We rounded the traffic circle just beyond the edge of the bridge and then headed back towards the district. The wind in the opposite direction was much stronger, and there was an incline there, too. I leaned forward and pushed myself into the wind, reminding myself that I should maintain the same "effort" instead of the same pace (the idea there is that you don't expend yourself too much going up hills or into the wind by trying to maintain the pace you're running). Here, too, I thought about trying to draft people, but it just wasn't working. I was running a bit faster than all of them. Mile 8, reached somewhere along the bridge, was run at 6:21.
Passing people in races, especially towards the end, does wonders for your psychology. I'd been fortunate to pass people the entire race. However, as we approached mile 10 (the 9 mile marker), I knew this would be the real test. The 6:18 for Mile 9 surely indicated that I still had some gas, but I had to figure out how to keep it together as my arms and legs began to yearn for more oxygen. I took a cup from the last water station and then fell in behind a tall guy in a red shirt. Though the wind wasn't strong, I figured if he were going to set a quick enough pace I could follow him as a motivational tool. After about 20 steps, however, I realized that I was going faster than he was. As I passed him he raised his hands, fingers clasped, to the top of his head. This technique probably helped him with his breathing, but it indicated to me that my decision to move on was right. I was still going strong.
Eventually I came upon a sign which indicated there were 1200m left. I immediately thought to my times on the track, and realized that was 3 laps of a standard 400m track. On a good day of repeats that should take no longer than 4:45. It's a good feeling knowing there's only that much time left in the race. And, soon enough, I was at the 800m mark, so I hit the lap timer on my watch and knew that by the time the next 1:45 had eclipsed I would be 400m from the finish line.
When I hit that mark my body was really beginning to indicate to my mind that it was spent. Though 400m is only one full lap of a track, there have been plenty of times in track repeats that the final lap can seem as if it takes forever. The lactic acid in your legs builds and you can feel them transforming from fluid, movable limbs to solid, unbending appendages. It's almost as if your nice liquid blood is turning to molasses second after second. But that's where the mind can continue to help, and though the first 300m of the final 400m were on a slight incline, I began to push it. I had a bit of help from a fellow runner, who also thought it was time to kick it into gear.
He'd started his dash to the finish just after I took my first step past him. So, unless I made a move, he was going to be the only person on the course to pass me (not to say that I was anywhere near the leaders). I wasn't ready to acquiesce my bragging rights, and matched him stride for stride to the finish. I was simultaneously looking at the clock, hoping to ensure that I came in under 66 minutes "clock" time (presuming my "chip" time would be approximately 2 minutes slower). I'm not exactly sure which of us crossed the line first, but I felt great about my strong push at the end.
Achieving a goal on the course is always much better than not reaching one. I let out a yelp of relief and then heard the announcer indicate that Mayor Adrian Fenty had just finished the race. I looked to my left and saw him, donned in all white (including a white hat) just as he had been a week ago at the National Marathon. Though i didn't do so personally, I must commend the Mayor for finding the time to train. I know he comes from a running family, but I'm still in awe that he's able to put in the miles and the hours necessary to finish as he does.
CJ met me shortly thereafter and we made our way to the "staging" area so I could change clothes. It began raining again, but we wanted to stick around to see our friend Megha finish. We watched from the finish line with her husband Matt as she cruised to a phenomenal finish. We said our goodbyes and then battled the shivers which had set in and made our way to the Metro to get home.
Now, 6 hours after the finish, I am feeling really good. I am waiting for them to post the official chip results so I can rest assured that I achieved my goal of 64 minutes. If that's the case, then my confidence has surely been renewed towards finishing Boston right at the 3 hour mark.
Here are my watch recorded splits:
Miles 1 & 2 - 12:31:56 or 6:16/mile (there was a short delay between the start and my starting my watch)
Mile 3 - 6:31:25
Mile 4 - 6:26:25
Mile 5 - 6:25:87
Mile 6 - 6:23:38
Mile 7 - 6:23:00
Mile 8 - 6:21:50
Mile 9 - 6:18:44
Mile 10 - split between - No record of the first 400m, the next 800m (3:09:18), and the final 400m (1:32:50)
Final watch time: 1 hour 3 minutes and 36 seconds.
My night of sleep wasn't great last night. CJ and I went over to our friend Issa's to visit with his wife Marie and their new baby, Ferris. I also wanted to watch the NCAA College Basketball Final Four games, and needed a place to watch them (so goes when your house gets broken into and your TV gets taken). It was a good night, though the games were relatively terrible. In fact the KU (Rock Chalk Jayhawk Russ Rhoads!) jump on UNC was so massive that I decided to cut out at halftime and get home by a normal bedtime.
It rained pretty hard last night and we were sleeping with our window open. One of the windows has a tendency to leak and at 2am when CJ got up she noticed a huge puddle of water on the floor. We spent a bit of time cleaning that up, and I was worried I wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. Luckily, around 6:10 was the next time I looked at the clock, and when the alarm rang at 6:30am, I had fallen back asleep.
It was still raining then, so I did a very tiny bit of yoga, drank a cup of coffee and then headed out the door. I left the house around 7:10am for the 3 mile jog to the "staging area" of the race at 15th and Constitution, just in front of the Washington Monument.
The humidity from the rain caused me to sweat a bit more than I was expecting for the mid-40s temperatures which Weather.com was reporting. I figured the 3 miles from the house down there would serve as a good warm up, allowing my legs to loosen.
As I neared the White House there were a lot of other runners out on the streets headed toward the race, too. That was a positive because I was a tad worried about making to the race start on time. Because of the number of entrants in the race, the race organizers cleverly implemented a "wave" start. When you register you have to put in a previous run's time and they seed you in a wave respective to that time (if you did not have a previous race's time to report, they most likely put you in the last wave, or potentially allowed you to guess what time you would finish). I can't remember what race I used, but I half presumed that I was in the first wave.
As I arrived at the staging area I immediately hopped in a line for the port-a-potty. I wanted to pee prior to the start of the race. I could hear the announcer on the loudspeaker indicate that the field of Elite Women were shoving off, on schedule at 7:40am. That gave me, presumably, 10 minutes to take care of my business and check my bag.
I struck up a nice conversation with the woman in front of me, half hoping she had a clue which wave started when. Unfortunately, she not only didn't know it, but she was in a different wave altogether, and knew she wasn't in the first one. I didn't see too many other people with yellow bibs in the line for the bathroom, so I presumed I needed to begin the de-robing process while in line. I got my bag ready for the bag check, and shortly after exiting the toilet I sprinted across the muddy grass (the raining had subsided a bit, but the damage had been done) to where i could check my bag.
I immediately turned around and headed for the corral of people waiting to run. The loudspeakers had been strategically placed not only at the actual start/finish line, but also a bit down from the line, so those of us in the "staging" area could hear what the announcer was saying. As I moved closer and closer to the corral I could hear "20 seconds until the first wave starts." Unfortunately he wasn't indicating the wave's color (after the race CJ pointed out that an "A","B","C","D", etc wave system may have been easier for those of us who didn't pay particular attention prior to heading down), but I knew I needed to get my but moving. I hopped one of the metal retaining barriers and found myself amidst a bunch of people in organge bibs, all standing around. I began to excuse myself as I pushed through the crowd towards what I presumed was the front. Eventually I came to a mesh-fence divider that prevented me from moving further forward. On the other side of that fence were a bunch of people wearing red bibs; not my people either. I looked along the left of the corral and saw that there were colored marker flags indicating each respective wave. I couldn't see a yellow one anywhere.
I quickly thought to get out of the corral I was in, though it technically wouldn't have mattered if I stayed in with any of the other "waves" (our timing in the race is based on "chip" timing - meaning that a sensor in the chip is activated when I cross the finish line. The advantage to starting with my wave is that I would be amongst people running at a similar pace as I wanted). Therefore, I hopped the metal barrier on the opposite side from which I'd started, and tried to find the starting line. The speakers were booming and the announcer was already giving instructions for the next wave to get ready to start. I became a tad bit discombobulated and started second guessing which direction the start line was. I had to make a rash decision and though it didn't feel 100% correct, I continued towards the direction I presumed was the start line. Just then I saw a bandstand and knew that's where the announcer was. I leaped over the metal retaining barrier and dashed across the start with a few other stragglers from the first, yellow wave.
Unfortunately there was immediately something wrong with my watch. I couldn't get the stopwatch to start. I wasn't sure what was wrong, but was a bit concerned that I wasn't going to be able time myself. That worried me a lot. While there are clocks on the course, they aren't at every single mile-marker. I made that mistake while running the Outerbanks Marathon a few years ago. Luckily, there, Mick, a friend of Chris's, lent me his watch since Chris and him were going to stick together while I moved ahead. Today, however, I knew I wouldn't be so fortunate. After playing with it a bit, I realized that there was saved "Data" in the watch and that was preventing me from starting a new timer. Within a minute I had cleared that old data out and was able to start my watch.
Now that the hectic aspects of the start were over, it was time to start racing. I assumed a pretty quick pace and immediately began playing catch up. Not that I was necessarily trying to catch anyone, as I was racing against the clock, but I presumed that within each wave (and surely within the first wave) the faster runners had migrated towards the front while the slower (but by no means slow) runners were towards the back.
The course went from starting in front of the Washington Monument to rounding the tidal basin towards the Jefferson Memorial before making a quick exit to Hains Point. If you've been reading my writing about running on here, you know that this is a place that I've logged plenty of training miles. I was already passing people at this point and fortunately the first mile of the road there is flanked by a sidewalk. I was able to run on the sidewalk as the other runners remained in the streets. By the time I looked at my watch ten minutes had gone by, yet I hadn't seen the first mile marker. Because there were so many people along the course, and I was running along the left hand side, I presumed that I'd inadvertently missed it. I continued on, at what I presumed was somewhere near my intended goal pace: 6:24 per mile.
Once the sidewalk ran out the passing became a bit more precarious. I was able to slide in between a few people here and there, and on occasion move onto the grass on the left side of the road, where the sidewalk had been previously. The problem there was the cherry blossom trees along Hains Point were dropping in my face. So, I went with what seemed natural, and was able to keep my mind from focusing on running.
By the time I saw the mile marker for mile 2 I had gone 12 minutes and 31 seconds. I wasn't exactly sure how long my stop watch debacle at the start of the race left missing, but I presumed I was on a good pace. The nice thing was, I felt really good. So, I continued to pass people.
There was a series of interesting signs as we rounded the tip of Hains Point, indicating that the Awakening Sculpture was missing. It was a bit sad not to have it there. The backside of Hains wasn't as windy as it had been on some of my training runs. It wasn't completely free from wind, but it wasn't holding me back, and I wasn't having to push too hard to maintain my pace. I did think about trying to use one or two people as a shield to draft from, since it had worked so well for Chris last weekend when I allowed him to draft off of me. However, I was still moving faster than almost everyone at this point in the pack. It's not to say I was blazing by them, but every few steps along the left hand side had me passing rows and rows of runners.
By the time I hit mile 3 (6:31 mile) I was still feeling good and I began to think about my overall race strategy. At that exact moment, however, I decided to just keep up that comfortable pace. It worked quite well and I was able to snag a few cups of water just before Mile 4 (6:26), the second of which prompted comment from a fellow runner.
After taking the first one, which was barely half full, I made my way to the left, so other runners could come in behind me. However, when I took the baby sip which was in the cup, I immediately knew I wanted more water. The line of volunteers handing out the water was ending, and I had to dash diagonally from left to right in order to snag a cup from the very last person handing out the cups. Satisfied with my second cup, I kept on moving. The comment came from a guy behind me, and initially I thought he was saying I cut in front of him and took his water. However, he clarified that he was impressed with my ability to go get that last cup. It was kind of funny.
Mile 5 (6:25) had us go around the Jefferson Memorial back towards where we'd turned off to Hains Point. The wind picked up just a bit but I was moving right along. I took my gel from my pants pocket and began to strategize on when to take it. I figured that somewhere between the 5 mile marker and the 6 mile marker (the next water station) would be best. I was feeling good, and began to really think that I could maintain this pace throughout the race. I was beginning to feel the effects of running at this pace, but not so much that I thought it would slow me down.
Miles 6 and 7 were run on Ohio Drive along the Potomac River (heading towards Rock Creek Parkway). Again, I have done so many training runs there that I was able to just set my mind into cruise control. Though the wind was present, it was overwhelming. After I passed each mile marker I reminded myself to "sink into a comfortable pace." I didn't want to push it so hard that my body was going to run out of fuel before the finish line, yet I still wanted to maintain a fast pace. I concentrated on form and running economy, and I continued to pass people. Those two miles were both run at 6:23.
Mile 8 was where I really had to start making some decisions. How strong did I want to try to finish, and when should I kick in whatever I have left. I decided that since I seemed to be averaging just around the 6:24 pace, I should continue on, doing exactly what I was doing, and wait until the last mile to really see how I was feeling. We'd turned around on Rock Creek Parkway (just past the Kennedy Center) just before we passed the 7 mile marker (indicating the start of mile 8) and were now headed past the Lincoln Memorial and across the aptly named Memorial Bridge (towards Arlington Cemetary).
The bridge isn't terribly long, but still had a bit of a hill leading up to the apex in the middle. We rounded the traffic circle just beyond the edge of the bridge and then headed back towards the district. The wind in the opposite direction was much stronger, and there was an incline there, too. I leaned forward and pushed myself into the wind, reminding myself that I should maintain the same "effort" instead of the same pace (the idea there is that you don't expend yourself too much going up hills or into the wind by trying to maintain the pace you're running). Here, too, I thought about trying to draft people, but it just wasn't working. I was running a bit faster than all of them. Mile 8, reached somewhere along the bridge, was run at 6:21.
Passing people in races, especially towards the end, does wonders for your psychology. I'd been fortunate to pass people the entire race. However, as we approached mile 10 (the 9 mile marker), I knew this would be the real test. The 6:18 for Mile 9 surely indicated that I still had some gas, but I had to figure out how to keep it together as my arms and legs began to yearn for more oxygen. I took a cup from the last water station and then fell in behind a tall guy in a red shirt. Though the wind wasn't strong, I figured if he were going to set a quick enough pace I could follow him as a motivational tool. After about 20 steps, however, I realized that I was going faster than he was. As I passed him he raised his hands, fingers clasped, to the top of his head. This technique probably helped him with his breathing, but it indicated to me that my decision to move on was right. I was still going strong.
Eventually I came upon a sign which indicated there were 1200m left. I immediately thought to my times on the track, and realized that was 3 laps of a standard 400m track. On a good day of repeats that should take no longer than 4:45. It's a good feeling knowing there's only that much time left in the race. And, soon enough, I was at the 800m mark, so I hit the lap timer on my watch and knew that by the time the next 1:45 had eclipsed I would be 400m from the finish line.
When I hit that mark my body was really beginning to indicate to my mind that it was spent. Though 400m is only one full lap of a track, there have been plenty of times in track repeats that the final lap can seem as if it takes forever. The lactic acid in your legs builds and you can feel them transforming from fluid, movable limbs to solid, unbending appendages. It's almost as if your nice liquid blood is turning to molasses second after second. But that's where the mind can continue to help, and though the first 300m of the final 400m were on a slight incline, I began to push it. I had a bit of help from a fellow runner, who also thought it was time to kick it into gear.
He'd started his dash to the finish just after I took my first step past him. So, unless I made a move, he was going to be the only person on the course to pass me (not to say that I was anywhere near the leaders). I wasn't ready to acquiesce my bragging rights, and matched him stride for stride to the finish. I was simultaneously looking at the clock, hoping to ensure that I came in under 66 minutes "clock" time (presuming my "chip" time would be approximately 2 minutes slower). I'm not exactly sure which of us crossed the line first, but I felt great about my strong push at the end.
Achieving a goal on the course is always much better than not reaching one. I let out a yelp of relief and then heard the announcer indicate that Mayor Adrian Fenty had just finished the race. I looked to my left and saw him, donned in all white (including a white hat) just as he had been a week ago at the National Marathon. Though i didn't do so personally, I must commend the Mayor for finding the time to train. I know he comes from a running family, but I'm still in awe that he's able to put in the miles and the hours necessary to finish as he does.
CJ met me shortly thereafter and we made our way to the "staging" area so I could change clothes. It began raining again, but we wanted to stick around to see our friend Megha finish. We watched from the finish line with her husband Matt as she cruised to a phenomenal finish. We said our goodbyes and then battled the shivers which had set in and made our way to the Metro to get home.
Now, 6 hours after the finish, I am feeling really good. I am waiting for them to post the official chip results so I can rest assured that I achieved my goal of 64 minutes. If that's the case, then my confidence has surely been renewed towards finishing Boston right at the 3 hour mark.
Here are my watch recorded splits:
Miles 1 & 2 - 12:31:56 or 6:16/mile (there was a short delay between the start and my starting my watch)
Mile 3 - 6:31:25
Mile 4 - 6:26:25
Mile 5 - 6:25:87
Mile 6 - 6:23:38
Mile 7 - 6:23:00
Mile 8 - 6:21:50
Mile 9 - 6:18:44
Mile 10 - split between - No record of the first 400m, the next 800m (3:09:18), and the final 400m (1:32:50)
Final watch time: 1 hour 3 minutes and 36 seconds.
posted by Mike Mowery at 1:03 PM
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