I have finally decided to post a blog about the marathon. I wanted to wait a while until all the aches and pains were gone, and I had some time to reflect on the entire experience. I think now I am ready to give an objective account of the race. I read a quote from an Olympic runner that really hit home (especially after the race) -- something like --- You are only ready for your next marathon when you have completely forgotten your last. I know this to be pretty accurate now.
From the day I made the decision to finish a marathon I knew I would need to focus and train hard in order to have a successful race. I was competing against the other runners -- but mostly I was competing with myself. I set a goal to finish under 4 hours, and that seemed like a good possibility in Olathe, but Fayetteville is renowned for it's difficulty. Arkansas is a very hilly place, especially at the edge of the Ozarks. I knew it was going to be tough. I thought I knew how tough...
The Night Before
I left for Fayetteville about 2pm after a pasta dinner with my wife and kids at Applebees. I wanted my last large carb load to be longer than 12 hours before the gun so I wouldn't be all full and bloated. I stole my daughter's twin mattress (off her bed) and having removed the third seat, put it in the back of the Suburban. There was plenty of room to spare. I decided that since I was going to be by myself, renting a hotel room seemed like a waste, especially since I love camping. I had found a neat RV park 10 minutes from downtown Fayetteville named "Pligrim's Rest" where I could park overnight for 12 bucks! What a deal! I arrived in Fayetteville about 4:30 and went to the Cosmopolitan Hotel and registered for the race. Seventy bucks later, I had my bib (number) and race packet. I walked around the fitness expo for a few minutes and then decided to head to the RV park and get a spot to park before getting something to eat. I found the park, about 15 minutes from town and way out in the country. This was just what I was hoping for, because I can not sleep well in a noisy town...cars, trucks, horns and alarms drive me freaking nuts. I went to the park office, to find that no one was there, but there was a number on the sign on the office door. I called and explained and they said just to drop the money in the drop box and park on the back side. After talking to the nice lady, I decided to go get something to eat first, and break a $20 so I could pay for my spot. After all, I had time to kill and I was starting to get hungry. I headed back to town and found a KFC with a buffet and pigged out mostly on mashed potatoes, gravy, macaroni -- ah who am I kidding... I just pigged out in general. Got my change and went back to Pilgrim's rest. I got back to the park and while writing a note to put with my money in the drop box, the owner/manager pulled up. I told them I was running in the Hogeye marathon and we chatted for a bit and they took my money. Very nice people. I got all set up ready to sleep but it was only 8 pm or so. I walked around the park taking some pictures of damage from the ice storm, bluffs, and a valley we overlooked. I also checked out the bathhouse which was SUPER SUPER clean and nice. After it got dark, I retired to the back of the suburban and opened my laptop to read some on my E-book and got a notice that there was an open wireless network! Sweet! The RV park even had free wifi! So I got on facebook. chatted with friends, and uploaded pics all from my cozy little "camper." The weather was perfect -- 60 degrees and very still. A storm moved through in the night and it rained just a little. But it was a sign of things to come...
Pre-Race
I woke up about 5 and got dressed in my race clothes and headed back into town. Stopped and got 2 cups of coffee at Mickey D's and made my way to the Cosmo. I ate 6 packs of instant oatmeal in the car (cold) and drank my coffee. Then, a bunch of hurry up and wait. Race starts at 7:30. At 7am it was 60 degrees and a little wind... but, conditions were deteriorating.
The Race!
After about 30 minutes or so trying to stay warm and loose, they finally fired the starting pistol. It was a herd of people all running together for the first mile or so. We ran thru downtown up and down some pretty steep hills and past Razorback stadium. The group started stretching out and runners were not so close together after about 2 miles. I felt great, as good as I ever had during a race. I was taking pics with my blackberry and texting them to people as I ran... hell it was not like I was gonna break any records where a minute or two was gonna hurt me any. We got the the half marathon turn around (everyone doubled back at this point, marathoners too) and there was a big crowd of spectators here cheering and such. It was pretty cool. I still felt great, almost too good... I was a bit afraid it was just adrenaline, and that I was destined to crash. I figured if I did I would want to be at full speed so I could at least crash and burn with style. Around mile 8 or 9, the marathoners turned off to the left as the halfers continued back to the start. We were basically out in the country at this point, running adjacent to a major highway. There was really no traffic and there were lots of cops and volunteers helping out. We headed back toward town, and eventually got on a park system jogging/walking/biking trail. It was about 10 feet wide, smooth and pretty hilly. It went under roads, over creeks, over roads and back. I was a beautiful side of the town that I am sure even some locals have never seen. There was a turn around about 13 miles where there was another large group of people cheering. They had the halfway point well marked and I felt so great, I remember thinking, "Wow, this is gonna be no problem." I ate a gel about every 6 miles and took a bit of water at each aid station (every 1-3 miles). I was really feeling good. Around mile 15-17 we got into Veterans Park and Lake Fayetteville. It got pretty hilly again, and the hills were starting to take their toll and I was getting a bit tired. We ran to what seemed to be the back of the park, and then turned around again. At about mile 19 my legs felt real achy and I was pretty tired... I guessed I was hitting the wall, but then I got a new burst and felt really good again about a mile later. Still on the trail, I took an extra gel and kept pushing on. I started slowing down, I know because I was starting to get passed by the marathon relay teams. Up to this point I hadn't really been passed or passed anyone for quite a while. About mile 23 I started move back toward downtown, and it started to get a lot more hilly. The fatigue was really starting to kick in. This was the farthest I have ever run. There were a few hills that I wasn't sure I was going to be able to get down. I said down. Not up. Strangely enough, going down got a lot harder than going up. The last 2 miles were steep up and down hills right in the heart of downtown. I didn't really notice them on the way out because I wasn't tired yet, but boy howdy I noticed them now. There were 3 hills in the last mile that I had to slow to a walk to get down because I honestly felt that if I didn't, I WAS GOING TO FALL. The last mile was absolutely brutal. Every step felt like my legs weighed a million pounds. I felt that feeling that I blogged about before... that feeling that you just CANT go any further. Not the feeling that it is uncomfortable and you don't WANT to go any further. I actually felt like my body was going to physically stop me from going any further. I told my self that my brain was in charge, not my legs. I told my myself over and over and over..."The only step that matters is the next one...the only distance that matters is what you cover with that next step." Over and over and over. I crossed the finish line. They put the finisher's medal around my neck. I felt like I just blew up the Death Star. I made it. 26.2 Miles - 40 degrees, misting rain and 25-35 mph wind. Three hours, fifty-eight minutes and eleven seconds. I beat my goal by one minute and forty-nine seconds. I did it.
Post Race
After crossing the finish, some volunteers helped me wobble to the food table where I grabbed a slice of pizza, a couple bananas and a coke. I walked around for 10 minutes or so until I felt like I was somewhat stable and then headed for the hotel. They had free massages, and I wasn't gonna pass that up. I was mostly wet from the mist and sweat and I got cold! I was shivering like crazy and could not warm up... even inside. I wanted to be done with the massage so I could go to the Suburban and change clothes and crank up the heat. It was 20 degrees colder now than when the race started and my body was having trouble creating and maintaining any kind of body heat at all. I hobbled to the 'burb (I was starting to stiffen up) and got changed in the back. Fired up the engine and the heater and headed for home. It was barely noon! What a day. I relaxed and enjoyed about a half gallon of Gatorade on the way home. I got home and told the kids my tale (they weren't really impressed) my six year old said, "That's pretty far". And my wife saw me limping and basically gave me a look that said "Don't complain to me, you did it to yourself." On the advice of a very experienced long distance runner I know, I took an ice bath. A bucket of ice added to bath water filled only from the cold nozzle. The initial shock and the first 5 minutes sucked...bad. But Sara gave me good advice, bundle up on the top half and that will help. I stayed in for 15 minutes, cause lets face it, my legs hurt enough (sore muscle pain -- not injury pain, thank god) that numbness sounded like a good idea. I got out and my legs really did feel better. I was gonna take a Motrin before bed, but decided that I earned this pain, I was gonna own it. So I went to bed, ached all night and slept like crap. Every time I rolled over it was pretty painful...not stabbing, but an achy-throbby type misery that gets old after 7-8 hours. The morning finally came, and I rolled out of bed to get ready for work. I could barely stand... all I felt was fire in both quads and calves. I have never been sore like this. I did a 20 mile run 4 weeks prior and was barely sore the next day... I was like WHAT GIVES! I guess the combination of a faster pace, the hills, and the extra 6.2 miles really took it's toll on the old stumps. From here I got a little better each day. I took the entire week off from running and walked Thursday and Friday. Eight days later I ran 3 miles that seemed to be like running about 300 yards.
Wrap
So I did this for cancer awareness and to raise some money, I am going to give the money to a local family this month, more on that later. The group I set up on facebook now has almost 600 people in it, so I will consider it a success. You don't have to run a marathon to help people. Donate blood to the Red Cross, volunteer with Habitat for Humanity or Big Brothers Big Sisters. It really feels good to do for others. Isn't that what it is all about?
So there it is... my adventure. Now the only question remains -- What's next?
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