Marine Corps Marathon 2012

* The numbers (cause I'm a numbers girl):
4:53:44 – 26.48
1 – 10:48, 2 – 10:47, 3 – 10:45, 4 – 10:09, 5 – 11:13,
6 – 10:21, 7 – 11:00, 8 – 10:08, 9 – 10:06, 10 – 10:21,
11 – 10:20, 12 – 10:25, 13 – 10:13, 14 – 14:46, 15 – 10:18,
16 – 10:28, 17 – 11:22, 18 – 13:01, 19 – 10:44, 20 – 11:39,
21 – 11:30, 22 – 11:27, 23 – 11:16, 24 – 12:19, 25 – 12:03,
26 – 10:57, 0.48 - 10:56

(26.2 - official chip time - 4:53:42)

10K split - 1:06:46 (10:45 pace)
20K split - 2:11:32 (10:35 pace)
30K split - 3:25:19 (11:01 pace)
40K split - 4:38:48 (11:13 pace)
Finish - 4:53:42 (11:12 pace)

Had everything laid out and ready the night before, planned for rain - hoped for none

Osprey flyover before the start

The details:
I lined up around the 5:00 completion time knowing I was shooting for 4:45 but wanted to start a bit slower to warm up.  The legs felt heavy the first two miles and I just kept telling myself to wait until mile 3 before I made any judgments.  Of course by mile 4 they were feeling great.  My splits were faster than my pace band but I was running very relaxed so I tried not to glance at my Garmin much at all.  I was surprised that by mile 5 we were still pretty congested and I was having to weave quite a bit.  Started wishing I would have started a little further up in the corrals.

Decided to turn my music on at mile 6 and managed to drop my iPhone and shatter the back of it.  Oops.  Still worked though!  Typically music gives me a headache while I run but I was glad I had brought it.  Actually didn't turn it off the rest of the race.  Really got in a groove and the miles were flying by until mile 13 and then I started having stomach trouble.  Decided I was too early in the race to tough it out so I stopped and waited for a port a potty.  Wasted about 4 minutes with the stop (hence the 14:46 split).

Jefferson Memorial - The first picture I decided to stop and take - somewhere around mile 16 I think.  Lots of people were stopping to take it and it was a beautiful view.

Mile 13 through mile 17 were into a pretty good head wind and I started getting a bit more fatigued but still running solid.  I saw Russ & Catherine for the first time around mile 18 so I stopped and said hi and drank some water (a lot)... I started slowing a bit and trying to enjoy the race a bit more - took a few pictures, etc.  Saw Russ & Cath again sometime (don't remember where) and was starting to really hurt by that point so didn't stop too long.  By mile 22 I was really hurting and walking a lot.  I'd let myself walk a minute or longer and then I'd run until my average pace showed under 12 minutes before I would walk again.  I was trying to do the math in my head to see how slow I could go and still PR.  I knew by this point that 4:45 was out of my sights but I thought I could get a 4:55 or so.

The first time I saw Russ & Catherine.  I think it was around mile 18 - can't quite remember; still feeling good here

The Capital - Another good picture and I was getting tired so I thought that taking some pictures might add some fun to the race.

Mile 20 - also known as the halfway point of a marathon

I saw Russ and Catherine one more time at the mile 26 mile marker and got a little spurt of energy.  It didn't last long - the final hill to the finish was steep and I WANTED to run it all but had to walk it some :(

Right at mile 26 - I felt exactly like I look in this picture but I was happy to be able to see the finish area

It's supposed to be a big deal to get your medal from a Marine so I took a picture of mine before the girl behind me offered to take my picture with him.

Me at the finish line.  

After the race we walked a couple of blocks one way to meet up and then many blocks back the other way to hit a metro stop.  We were walking pretty fast and I was feeling miserable.  I seriously thought I might throw up a few times but I didn't want to be a wimp so I kept on walking.  We took the metro back to the stop by our hotel and Russ walked the couple of blocks over to the hotel to get our bags while Cath and I stayed at the metro stop.  I found a chair and sat for 10 minutes or so and started to feel better.  When Russ returned we hit the metro to Cath's house and a warm shower!!  I didn't eat much all day Sunday but felt okay energy wise, never needed a nap.

On the train back to Catherine's - My Sherpa

By Monday I was sore but not miserable and I think all of the walking really helped me in recovery.  By Tuesday I felt pretty much recovered.  It's now Friday and I don't feel like I ran a marathon at all.  I'm forcing myself a little down time after such a long, hard training period.  I've taken this whole week off and I'm going to go back in slowly next week with running only.  One more week of no weights.  I am pacing a half marathon in two weeks so I've got to get some miles in starting next weekend.  Then I'm officially in my "off season" focusing on strength and weight loss and planning out my spring season and next year's marathon.  That's right - I'm officially addicted!!