80 and sunny

3:48:45




That is what the clock said at the end of a 26.2 mile run. When I started I was looking for something around the 3:30 mark. After I finished, I was glad to be under 4 hours. I worked my training plan and put in the miles. All winter long I ran on a treadmill and on the frozen gravel roads of greater east Bertram. I stuck to my hydration plan and took on my nutrition at the scheduled times. I started the run with a 8 minute mile pace group and was set to see the finish line around 3:30 all the way to mile 15. Mile 15 is where my goal time met its Waterloo. I was half way up a mile long hill and my heart rate was pegged at 98% max. I was redlining my engine and I knew it. I slowed off my pace a wee bit to see if I could bring myself back into a more acceptable range. I got my heart rate back down and picked up the pace again. Same result, 98% of max. I knew I had a choice to make and I had already made the decision before the race started. I told myself that not finishing the race was not an option on the table. I was willing to crawl on my hands and knees if that is what it took to make it past the finish line. I chose to let my pace group go and finish the race as strong as I could. I saw my Wife and children around mile 17. It was a quad busting down hill after another long slow up hill. I ran to the side of the road where they were holding signs for me. I grabbed my oldest boy and gave him a big hug and thanked him for cheering me on. (He would later tell me that I had failed. I did not beat my goal time…he was right…I did not reach my goal) I gave my youngest boy a hug and he ran away because I was all sweaty. I thanked my parents for coming along for the ride. I then gave my wife a kiss and told her I would see her at the finish. That all took place in about 10 seconds, and those 10 seconds helped me run for another 90 minutes +. Along the route people dropped out left and right. There was a stretch around mile 22 that looked and felt like a war zone. Bodies of once strong humans lay to waste on the side of the street. They lined the walls of buildings as EMT’s rushed to get them fluids and nutrition. I just kept running. I ran and walked my way to the bitter end. I lost feeling in my legs at mile 26. I ran with a heel strike to the end to ensure that I wouldn’t trip and fall. I was willing to crawl at that point. I got the past the line, got my medal and some other goodies they throw at you when you have paid them money and then finished the task. I drank a bottle of water and chased it down with the complimentary cup of beer. I took an Ice bath and headed north.

I am a very goal oriented person, and my son was right, I did not meet my goal. I had failed. I am greatfull that my son has learned from me what goal setting is all about. I can talk all day about the 80 degree heat, poor water stops, pace group that ran way to fast for the first half, and the 20%+ attrition rate that the race had. It still does not change my goal. I will run a 3:30 marathon. It may not be St. Louis, but there will be a coarse that I am well prepared for. My friend told me the plus side of this is that I will run a PR the next time I run a marathon. I think the plus side of this is I may have lost the battle, but I won the War.