Wake-up Call: 5:30 AM
This was a self-wake up call as the cellphone greeted me with its obnoxious song (this is part of why it's always on vibrate). I didn't have to be down tot he lobby for a half hour so I took my time, drank part of a bottle of water, ate a few triscuits (I had zero appetite but I at least ate -something-), and slowly changed to my running clothes and attached my bib. I pocked everything up and brought it out to my car, then checked out of the hotel right at 6. I met with RK and his wife shortly after and we drove to the start line, stopping briefly at my car to pick up my watch which I had almost forgotten (like I did in 2008).
6:30 AM: T-30 Minutes
It was a chilly spring morning in the deep western Maine woods but the gigantic pine trees kept all the wind at bay. I jogged lightly to warm me up, stopping whenever I passed by a peek of sunshine between the trees. There's a bit of irony to this because I knew that in a couple of hours, that sun would not be so welcoming.
The crowd this year was definitely much bigger - about 350 runners alone, and the spectators/volunteers/officers drove the numbers up much higher. I begin to wonder how the logistics will be pulled off once that number pushes past 500..
Start Time - (roughly) 7AM
My watch just passed the 6:58AM mark when the cannon went off. I didn't expect it that early but I at least had everything ready and was lined up before then. (Coincidentally this is why I try not to get any last-second warm-ups within 5 minutes of the projected start time.) My hands were still a bit numb but I knew that wouldn't last long.
First 5 Miles: The Flat Stretch
Mile splits: 7:15, 7:03, 7:15, 6:51, 7:15
5-mile split/time so far: 35:39 (7:07.8/mile)
The first mile - as it has been for the last several races - was spent weaving my way through knots of people. Knowing that this was a marathon, I was less concerned about being further back. This was an opportunity for me to ease myself into the pace I wanted. After the first two miles went by I kept myself at what I figured was an even pace in spite of what the time was telling me - it felt like the mile markers were slightly off in a couple of places. Even with the slightly broken-up road due to construction on mile 4, the flat stretch through Stratton village felt fine.
Miles 6-10: The Ascent
Mile Splits: 6:48, 6:49, 7:01, 7:49, 6:55
5-mile split: 35:22 (7:04.4/mile)
Time so far: 1:11:01 (7:06.1/mile)
The hills started to roll on 6 and 7 but there was still a lot of ease in this run. It was 8 and 9 that would really push down on me. 8 had some bigger inclines followed by some small plateaus to recover on, but 9 really felt like I was going up the side of a mountain. My legs felt like fire and for the first time in a while, I was getting short of breath in a Marathon run. For about a half mile, it was a 500-600 foot rise which seemed like it would never stop. (Ironically, I passed 3 people up this hill, one of them being RK.) When it did, though, and I passed mile 10 at 1 hour, 11 minutes, I took a deep breath. Things would finally start to level out and what goes up would come down.
Miles 11-15: The Drop
Mile Splits: 6:54, 6:41, 6:57, 7:03, 7:09
5-mile split: 34:44 (6:56.8/mile)
Time so far: 1:45:45 (7:03/mile)
Even before the big downhill after the 11-mile marker I had quickly built momentum and adrenaline and aimed to bank some time. I followed fellow runner Judson Cake's advice (something he suggested to a running group a few years back) and took the dirt shoulder down that descent all the way, passing another 3 or 4 runners as I went. I went back to the pavement as soon as it leveled out and cruised through mile 12 with my best mile split so far. I eased up to put myself back into that more comfortable pace and let momentum increase or decrease as needed for the rest of this stretch. I was a bit surprised to see how much time I had made up by the end of 15 - that stretch was run below 7 minutes per mile.
Miles 16-20: Steady Momentum
Mile splits: 6:59, 6:38, 7:03, 7:11, 7:25
5-mile split: 35:16 (7:03.2/mile)
Time so far: 2:21:01 (7:03.1/mile)
After 15, my calves started to tighten up and ache a bit. Part of me was a little worried that I had gone out too fast and that the marathon pain was catching up to me quicker than I could prepare myself for. I remained steady and rode the momentum down the hills like before, backing time where I could. The next two miles surprised me because I was indeed going faster. After 17, my watch read 1:59:22, which is the first time ever that I had finished 17 miles under 2 hours. Though it was my fastest mile in the entire race, it would be the last time I got under 7 minutes in a mile. The calves were complaining a bit more and I knew there were 9+ long miles left. My momentum was slowing but I was determined to hold on. The achievement at mile 17 was encouraging, and what I got after 20 was even more so. At 2:21:01, my 20-mile split was the fastest I had ever run over that stretch by well over five minutes.
Miles 21-26.2: Going All Out
Mile splits: 7:24, 7:27, 7:36, 7:41, 8:28, 7:36, 1:09
10K split: 47:20 (7:34.2/mile)
Final time: 3:08:21 (7:11/mile)
That 20-mile split was what I needed to get me to push this last stretch. I knew that all I needed to do was at least match what I did last year - I fell apart at 22 and lumbered my way to the finish with a 50-minute 10K split. There were places where I was worried because of the condition of my legs. I didn't have a lot of room for error.
21 and 22 were still downhill which were greatly to my benefit. I ran them much like 20 which allowed me to bank some time early in this stretch. Once the iron bridge passed near the 22-mile marker I saw the hill that I knew threw me for a loop last year. I fought it hard this year and realized by the time I got to the top that there was an equal downhill that would allow me to get back some of that time. 24 was just like 23 which was more of a relief than anything. With 2 1/4 miles to go, my watch was at 2:51:09. Still not a lot of room for error with the legs begging me to stop but I wasn't going to let up.
I was too close to what I wanted. I worked too damn hard to let go now.
25 was tough. It was a gradual incline and with the sun evaporating what moisture I put on myself at the last water stop, it was a rough segment. It was here that I recorded my first mile over 8 minutes and would be my worst mile of the race. Now the time was 2:59:30 with 1 1/4 miles to go. I had less than 11 1/2 minutes to get to the finish. I wasn't going to lose any ground; I wanted this too much and I knew that somehow, somewhere, I had energy reserves left in my body and I was going to use them.
I was taking my running to the next level.
There were still some small but tough hills in the first part of 26 but I put myself in the soft dirt shoulder and pumped my dying legs harder. There was a guy I had been drafting since roughly mile 3 or 4 (he had gotten out of view for a couple of stretches) that I was going to use to slingshot myself to the finish with. On the final turn that revealed the 26 mile mark and the finish line area, I pushed past him and churned out everything I possibly had. I briefly glanced at my watch crossing 26 - 3:07:12 - and I knew I was home free. I finished that last stretch at around a 7:30 pace, something I did not expect myself to so at this stage of the race. When I got the the finish sign, my hand went up in the air in victory. I qualified by 2 minutes, 34 seconds.
Aftermath
All the familiar pains rushed up to meet me after I stopped but I had such a euphoric high that I didn't care too much. I had a small calf massage and then spent the next 15-20 minutes laying in the shade next to RK's car with a small smile on my face. I had finally done it - another big stage in the running world has now opened to me. 2011 and 2012 Boston Marathons, here I come.
