Again, not my best marathon, but not my worst. I was reminded soon in the race why I hate this course so much and with that being said, next year, I WILL NOT BE RUNNING THIS RACE again. If I start talking about it, please remind me that it totally bites and don't allow me to even entertain the thought of running it again. Arriving downtown was a breeze this year as I decided to take the Coaster. Last year sitting in traffic for hours waiting to park was a nightmare, so when this option was presented to take the Coaster and a shuttle from Old Town to the Start, I jumped on it. There would be no pacing group for me this year as they did not have someone running with my goal time. The weather this morning was ideal for running. It was in the low 60's, with cloud cover and a light breeze. Going in to this race, I did not feel like I was where I needed to be. I hadn't run a lot of long runs (only 2), I had a very short taper, and I have been dealing with a painful foot issue. Didn't sleep that great and my stomach was off this morning so when I started running, I knew that I was going to eventually have to stop to use the facilities. My left earphone wasn't working. Bummer. My first stop was at mile 1 to pee. At mile 7, I was holding on to pace but was suddenly feeling like all the wind was sucked out of my sails. My legs became heavy. Odd to feel this so early in a race. A friend of mine was running the race, and I tried to stay up with her as she and I had similar goal times. I could feel it falling apart. For me to get a BQ, everything has be perfect and it all has to come together just the right way. I am not blessed with speed, so it really is important that it all feels right. At my next potty stop before the half way point, I discovered that I had started my period which totally explained why I felt like hell. A bit of creativity with toilet paper helped keep things somewhat contained. It was going to be a very long next half. My right foot with the Morton's Neuroma had started burning around mile 8 or so. The roads are banked and slanted for a good middle portion of this race and it killed me! I had no choice but to take walk breaks to alleviate the burning. Another potty stop to move the bowels somewhere along the way. I would say mile 7-24 was my bad patch. Usually a bad patch goes away after a few miles, but mine stayed mile after mile. At mile 22, I took a shot of beer (totally hit the spot!) while I was out on the island, affectionately know as "no man's land." When you are out there, you feel like you and a few people that are running around you are the only survivors of the human race. It looks as if a massive bomb went off around you leaving nothing but a desolate landscape. While out there, you pray and hope God hears you. For the last several miles, I sea-sawed back and forth with several runners. I met a man that was using this as a training run for an upcoming Ironman. He was hurting. I talked with him for a bit and in doing that he helped me too. I finished the race strong and I have hung yet another medal along with the others that I have collected over the past several years. There is no PR, no Boston Qualifying time associated with it, but it was well earned as they all have been. I have learned however, that I essentially have one really fast marathon in me a year and my opportunity presented itself this past March in LA. I should have purchased a new running watch for that race so that I would have been able to pace myself correctly for it. That was a huge mistake in hindsight. I have decided to change gears now and focus on bigger things for the fall racing season... Ultras and a 100 mile race. Some people view a Boston Qualifying time as something that is like a right of passage and the "ultimate" accomplishment. I have qualified before, and I will again when things all come together. I used to think that I would gain more respect among those that run if I maintained that "BQ badge." I can only say at this point, that after running as many races as I have in my short running career, if I haven't earned that level of respect among my peers, then they do not really understand what it means to be a marathoner. I have run despite multiple issues whether it be pain related, bowel issues, and injury. I run when people around me don't support me, snub their nose at me because I don't run as fast as them, and question my sanity when I run several races in a month. I am a Marathoner. Happy Running! 5 Km 10 Km Half 16.8 Mi 20 Mi 25 Mi 26:43 52:02 1:57:58 2:33:08 3:05:31 3:56:14
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