Short and Sweet Story: I planned for a 4 hour marathon but some injuries reared their ugly heads and I finished with a 4:58.45.
Longer, more entertaining story:
This was it, the starting line of my first full marathon. I’m surprisingly calm considering everything that I have gone through to get to this starting line. Background: I had signed up for a Full last fall but had to injury default after suffering a hip and pelvic stress fracture last summer. I was on full rest, no exercise at all for 8 week, then allowed to slowly build up my mileage. I also developed Achilles Tendonitis within a few months of running again followed by torn cartilage in my hip in January. These injuries were healed pretty quickly but my sports doctor recommended that I not run more than three times a week to stay healthy. It took time but I built my mileage up and did a ½ in May and then started a training plan for a full. Training went exceptionally well, even considering the endless heat and humidity we had this summer. Since I was only able to run 3 times a week, the highest mileage I got in during a week was 36 miles. But since my speed work and long runs had gone so well during all my training, I had high hopes of finishing the marathon under 4:00. Then in August, I suffered the beginnings of ITBS on my left leg. I took time off to heal, did plenty of yoga and foam rolling, which for the most part, kept me either pain free or moderate pain during my runs. Two weeks before the marathon, during a 14 mile taper run, I felt what seemed like a knife stabbing me in my foot, Planters Fasciitis. I rested the entire next week, then ran an easy 6 where I had some discomfort. I pushed this aside and thought that my training and mental attitude would pull me through. I took the week prior to the marathon off again and rested. So the 2 weeks prior to my marathon, I had run a combined total of 20 miles.
My husband and I had committed to running my first marathon together so we picked the USAF Marathon in Dayton, Ohio. We heard It was a smaller marathon with lots of pageantry plus it was only 2 hours from home. Both our fathers are AF vets so we thought that would be a nice way to honor them as well. Brett’s parents (IL’s) came along with us which allowed our two children were able to experience the marathon atmosphere as well.
We started off Friday night by having dinner at PF Changs and meeting up with a RWOF friend, Maria – 13.1RunR – and enjoyed some runners fellowship and good food. IL’s had already been to the expo and picked up our packets. Our other friends were coming in later that night, they were running the HM, as was Maria. I would have liked to have been in bed earlier then we were but it just didn’t happen. I did sleep well so I was thankful for that.
Alarm when off at 5:00 and I was up and ready to go. Brett and I left at 5:45 to get to the start line. All our research said to get there early because traffic was a bear. They weren’t kidding. We took the website’s advice and used an alternate entrance but were still stuck in traffic for an hour. We get packed and hurry to the start line, which was close to a mile away. By the time we check our bags and use the bathroom, the national anthem had been sung and B-52 was flying over (VERY COOL!!). We gave up an chance of seeing IL’s and the kids before starting so we just hurried across the start line, in the very back of the pack. We pass the walkers and start to settle into a smooth pace. Another RWOF found me at this point, kakarot, so we chatted for a few minute and he sped up out of sight. There was a large, long hill from mile 1-2 but I’ve done my hill work (plus ran Hood to Coast in August so no mid-west hills were going to scare me!) so it wasn’t too bad. At mile 3, the 10K runners split off so the crowd lessened. The water stations were all very well staffed and organized, I can’t say enough about how well that was done or how much we appreciated their upbeat, encouraging attitudes. I had my Nathan Hand-held filled with Gatorade so I passed the first few stations. We were starting to get into our planned pace, 9:00, which for some reason seemed harder than it should be. I just shrugged this off as nerves since we had been so rushed to get to the start. This area of the course had some rolling hills but they weren’t challenging at all. There was an overpass that was a little rough but again, nothing too bad.
We left the base at this point and entered into a small town called Fairborn. Now, the USAF Marathon offered shuttle buses at the starting area to take supporters up to this area, mile 9-11, so people could easily see their runners. IL’s were planning on doing this so I was really looking forward to seeing the kids. We enter the town and it seemed like the whole town was on the road! Everyone was cheering, high-fiving, calling out our names and just having a great time. What a rush, I felt like a rock star! I keep looking for the kids but don’t see them. I had my iPhone because I was listening to music (don’t hate me but it was ok per the rules to have headphones) so I called MIL to see where they were. Turns out the buses filled up before they could get on one so they would just have to see us at the finish line. This really bummed me out. About mile 11, I noticed that my left shoelace came untied so I stopped to tie it. I also tore the KT Tape that I had on my foot/calf for my PF off because it was peeling off and I was afraid of developing a blister. Bad mistake, as soon as I stood up I felt a sharp pain in my foot. My heart sank. I watched the 4:00 pace group pass and Brett is encouraging me to hurry up to catch them. We pass a medical tent at this point and I ask if they have KT Tape, which they don’t. Ok, I just have to deal with this, it will probably loosen as I run.
I continue to hydrate well and take my Chomps like I always have in my training runs. Brett refills my water bottle several times so I know I’m staying hydrated as it starts to heat up. But at the ½ way point, I just feel completely defeated. My foot hurts, my stomach was upset and my mental attitude was shot. I stop to walk and Brett is shocked. I explain what was going on and get teared up. I keep saying that I’m not going to make 4 hours, please don’t be disappointed in me, run ahead if you want, I’ll be fine. He gets serious and tells me that I have to stop being emotional because that was messing with my stomach and that I needed to refocus, we’d get to the finish line together. So I do this and actually feel much better. I was concerned about not disappointing him (something that I didn’t even realized I cared about before this) that I was mentally going in the tank. Once I realized that he didn’t care what our time was, he just wanted me to do my best, then I relaxed and actually started to enjoy myself. I turned off my Iphone and started to pay attention to the other runners and the whole marathon environment. And I felt calm.
We started a new plan of walking for a 1/10th of a mile and running 9/10th ‘s. This works good for the next 5 or so miles. I just concentrate on searching for each mile marker (DH was wearing the Garmin so I didn’t have a real since of distance). I saw many, many runners stop and stretch in this area. It was getting hot, we were on a runway without any shade. But I wasn’t feeling too hot. Each medical tent that we passed had a few runners in it, we were also passed by numerous golf carts with runners in the back. I told myself that I wasn’t going to finish like that, I just needed to keep moving. We got off the runway and into some shade, which was very pleasant. We’re passed by the 4:20 group and I just shrugged at DH, like ”I’m sorry, I can’t keep up with them.” I had resolved that I was going to enjoy this race regardless of my finishing time. We pass mile 20 and I realized that every step I take is further then I’ve ever gone before. By this time, we were running ½ mile at a time and walking a 1/10th. I start to feel a little foggy about mile 22 and DH kept a good eye on my gait and face. He’s pushing for me to drink some Gatorade which I do. We’re merged with the back of the HM pack at this point (the ½ started 75 minutes after the Full did). I do remember at mile 23, a lady who had a table of cookies, candy and beer set up. She shouted out “cookies, Mike and Ikes and BEER”. Brett did a double take and shouted “Did you say beer?!?” and ran back to get a glass. The HMers were laughing at him and I just said “That’s my husband!” I also start to pass and be passed by the same few full marathoners. One man in particular was very inspiring, he was quite older and his calves were cramping so badly that he could hardly walk much less run. But he kept going and going.
The last few miles were just a blur, I was out of it and was just doing my best to put one foot in front of the other. Brett was doing great in encouraging me but also pushing me as we both wanted to finish in under 5 hours. We reach the base and know that we’re very close to the finish. I call IL’s to let them know that we were about 10 mins away. We can’t see the finish line because it was behind some large, vintage planes but we know it’s there. I’m running at this point and resolve to not walk again until I cross the finish line. I come around a corner and sudden hear someone scream my name “MARY!!”, I look over and see my dear friend, John, who surprised me by running in this marathon to support me! I instantly start crying while Brett says “Yes, John and his family are here but calm down so you can finish, we have less then 2 minutes to cross this finish line!” So I keep running and by now the crowds are heavy and we can see the finish. We spot the kids and Brett runs to them, pulling them over the fence so they can run with us. Kylie (6) runs with me while Brett carries Matthew (4). We cross the finish line as a family and I start bawling. I hug Kylie and thank her for being there and for all her support in my training. Brett and I go through the medal shoot and are awarded our medals by some Air Force officer (not sure of his ranking, I was too overwhelmed). He put my medal on me, shook my hand and told me that I did a wonderful job. I can hardly say anything but I thank him. Then he asked if I needed medical attention – guess I looked pretty bad! I said no and walked on. The mylar blanket lady asked me the same thing but I was feeling better by this point. Our best friends, who ran the ½ found us and we all celebrated/cried together. I had watched both of them and Brett cross the finish line last September in the marathon that I couldn’t run in so all of us coming together at the finish line was very emotional. 13.1RunR was also there, she got some terrific pictures of us running to the finish line. I so appreciated her sticking around for a few hours while we finished up our race. Thanks Maria, you’re the best!!!
We make our way though the food area, grab some pizza and go to find the rest of our group. I never find John again but did talk to his wife on the phone. He had planned on finding us at the start and running the whole race with us but with how late we got to the start, it just wasn’t possible. He did finish in a terrific time of 4:34, even with terrible foot injuries that reared their ugly head at mile 6. I do wish that we could have run together, we could have commiserated our injuries!
I’m not sure what caused my early issues, why I felt bad so early on. Maybe it was because I took such an easy taper while I was healing. Maybe that hurt my overall ability to run. It wasn’t a dehydration issue, I drank both Gatorade and water the entire race. I was feeling bad before the heat really kicked in. I carb-loaded plenty, starting early in the week. I can only think that I just didn’t have the weekly mileage that I needed to complete a strong marathon. I’m going to take plenty of time to rest and heal while cross training with swimming/biking/elliptical. My next race isn’t until Feb and that’s a HM. So I hopefully will be doing much better by then. I do want to do another marathon but not until I can safely add more miles into my week.
Thank you for reading this far and for all the encouragement you’ve given me through this whole year-long process. And I gotta give major thanks to Brett – he calmed me down, readjusted our pace and encouraged me every step of the last 13 miles. Honey, I love you and you really did get me across that finish line. Regardless of my finishing time, I still finished and am a MARATHONER!!
Here are our splits:
Mile 1: 9:19
Mile 2: 9:38 (huge hill)
Mile 3: 8:43 (downhill)
Mile 4: 8:52
Mile 5: 9:03
Mile 6: 9:17
Mile 7: 9:14
Mile 8: 9:18
Mile 9: 9:22
Mile 10: 9:33
Mile 11: 9:50 (tied shoe)
Mile 12: 11:06
Mile 13: 10:35
Mile 14: 14:28 (bathroom stop, talked to Brett about re-adjusting)
Mile 15: 10:24
Mile 16: 12:06
Mile 17: 11:58
Mile 18: 13:52
Mile 19: 13:15
Mile 20: 12:29
Mile 21: 12:12
Mile 22: 15:05 (longer walk break due to some dizziness)
Mile 23: 13:46
Mile 24: 13:47
Mile 25: 13:59
Mile 26: 13:23
0.2: 3:30 ish (Brett didn’t stop it as soon as we crossed)
Final Time: 4:58.44
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