After a few weeks, I thought about the race and what it took out of me. But did the course beat me? Or did old marathon experiences creep into my psych. At mile 18, the crash happened, but my conditioning got me through. Did I put to much pressure into that one race? All though the fall, I ran long distances well under 8minutes in carefree/easy fashion. Sometimes I'd laugh and joke with fellow runners as we galloped around Midtown Memphis and Germantown TN. At the end of the runs, I'd be surprised by how fast we were actually going. Why didn't this happen in Huntsville?
In early January 2016, I saw a video by Bill Rodgers (4x Boston & 4x NYC winner) talking about small marathons. He noted their importance for runners. Paraphrasing, he said that they were a great way to test yourself while not putting too much pressure. I remembered the trail marathon and half marathon loop, I completed the previous winter. Very care free while the competitors were more like running with friends than people who wanted to beat you.
I contemplated running big city races for 2016, but I thought about a very small marathon (probably 40-50 entries) in February. USATF certified courses, relatively flat, well supported and I had run the half marathon the previous year. It was also a loop marathon.
The Shelby Forest Loop Course
Loop marathons are nothing new. I had actually ran the marathon portion of my Ironman events in loop fashion, 6.55 miles out and back then do it again. The Shelby Loop was actually about 1mile out and 1 mile back. Marathon runners would have to complete the loop 13 times.
I spent every January weekend running the loop learning about every little rise, bump, hole, and slant. I even marked off trees in quarter/half mile distances. My running buddy (Scott) and I would take off every Saturday at 8:30AM sharp with my Spaniel (Rouge) in tow. We'd talk, joke, listen to my 80's music and relax through the run. We didn't go slow nor did we exert to go to fast. We just grooved the run.
The Marathon
Weather during February was very unpredictable. The previous week was hard rain. January had snow days. Pine cones were scattered about by the wind. This particular February Sunday a marathon was to be run on this course.
I got to the course early and took my usual slow stroll to the turn around point then back. I brought my Spaniel with me to make it feel like a practice Saturday. When I got back to the car, I saw Scott who would be running the 1/2 marathon about 30minutes after my start. I also met another runner new to the sport of Marathon. Her name was Brenda, she was brand new to endurance sports all together. With her mother in tow and support, she was going to break through for her first marathon today. I assured her that distance was nothing but time to enjoy the moments of living. You will feel pain and joy at the same time. But you will know that feeling is yours and that you are ALIVE.
The Start
About 35 competitors including me and Brenda lined up for the start. A man who recognized me from my Memphis Runners Track Club "RoadRunners" magazine article asked what my goal time would be. I told him I was ranging between either 7:35pace and/or sub 3:20 minutes. He said that he would stick with me. But as the gun sounded, he took off going 7's trying to chase down a 16year old Phenom (Rayder) who galloped like a deer and ran as fast . I thought not to follow that pace.
There was another man slightly ahead. He seemed a bit older than me but not as much, maybe early 50s? I caught up to him and looked at my watch . He was rolling at about 7:30 pace and breathing easy. I asked him what his goal would be. He wanted to also get under 3h20min. I asked if he wanted to run together through this. He accepted.
When other runners ask if you want them to join you on a run or race, there's no real obligation to stay with them, especially if they are going at the pace set out. So if you lag behind, you will be dropped. This is the biggest difference between a race and a practice run. The clock always moves and you CANNOT push pause.
Rolling
The man running with me was 50 named Jeff. He drove all the way from Missouri to run the marathon. He had run this marathon a two years back and mustered a +3h20min race.
We ran smooth through the course. Some people hate the monotony of loop courses. Especially courses like this where the same tree, bend or pothole comes up every mile. After practicing on the course I was well acquainted with the boredom. However, like my practice runs I had with Scott, I carried conversation with Jeff. We'd talk about our homes, careers, and share a joke, all the while we didn't really notice the speed we were going. I was looking at my watch at the end of every loop. But I wasn't bothering with the math or time calculations. I was more interested in keeping good breathing and sharing good conversation.
I'd see Brenda's 30-something frame smoothly gliding over the course. Jeff and I would be amazed at her ability to keep consistent even though this was her first marathon. We'd also see other runners start cracking such as a male 20-something college student who started solid but started to droop at his mile 15. The man who was said he was going to stick with me fell off at mile 8.
Jeff and I were at mile 22 when we realized, WE ARE AT MILE 22! My body was refreshed, I could go at this forever. At that mark, we were on pace for 3h17min. I make a remark to Jeff saying if we bumped it up just a bit maybe we could get down to a 3h15. Jeff laughingly didn't want to hear it. My remark was like telling a pitcher he was going into the 9th inning with a No-Hitter. It was essentially a jinx.
Going into mile 23, we saw the Phenom on his last stretch to the finish. I joked to Jeff, "I guess we're not winning this one." Meanwhile we were still doing fine until the start of that last lap. Jeff seemed strong, essentially, he was. Every few seconds I'd look at my watch calculating a finish time. Something else was happening, my rib cage started to implode and tighten. It was like an anaconda grabbed me and crushing my chest. I couldn't keep going with Jeff and let him go at mile 25. I calculated that I was going to finish around 17min. "Why finish in excruciating pain like Huntsville when I can cruise this speed and still have a bigger/better BQ time?" I thought. I didn't push it. I rolled in under 8min pace at my last 1/2mile.
Finish
The race coordinator yelled out my bib number and my time 3 Hours, 17minutes and 26 Seconds as I crossed and a finishers medal was placed around my neck.
I laughed as I realized that I had just PR'd by ove4 5 1/2 minutes in the smoothest marathon I'd ever run (except for that last 1/2mile). No stress, no aggravation, no big deal. Even my chest came back to form, the anaconda released its grip moments after finishing.
I met up with Jeff. It would be another 10minutes before a fellow (old) runner came in (Elliot age 48 from Chicago). Jeff and I thanked each other for the most enjoyable PR either of us has probably ever had. We took a picture with Elliot and started our way to our cars and home.
As Grace (my wife) and I started out of the park, I noticed the 20yr old college student in full pain. Behind him though, lapping him (again), was Brenda. She looked very strong. Grace and I stopped by her mother who was providing Brenda with a sports drink and power bar. We cheered her as she strode off for few more laps to her first marathon finish. I'd later find out Brenda time would be 4hrs14min (2minutes from the women's winner).
Takeaways
I cherish all my marathons. All of them, including the painful and time extensive ones (those over 5hrs). This one I'll cherish not because it was a PR, but because it was done meeting new friends literally on the run.
