Finish

I did it.

I ran a full 26.2 miles, finishing with the relaxed time of 4:57:10, and 392nd out of 447 participants. And I couldn't have been happier while running.

I left for South Bend on the 1st looking for something, and I might have found it.

My comrades and I arrived in town on Friday evening. We checked into our hotel and then headed downtown to pick up my registration.

The weather was slightly overcast, and a bit chilly that evening as my friend Mike, his girl friend Eleanor, and I wandered around looking for something to eat. Not finding anything, we called Pizza Hut, and caloried up back at the hotel.

That night, I could hardly sleep. Nervous energy crackled palpably off of my skin.

The next morning was cool like the day before. But this is to be expected from a mid-west 6 a.m. jog. In the first couple miles I remember seeing my breath a bit and then exhaling hard to make steam. The cluster of runners around me giggled as the first few miles took the adrenaline edge off. As the sun rose on us, so did the temperature.

The weather couldn't have been more perfect though, race day went from a cool 50 degrees, up to about 70 by the time I finished.

The first 13 miles where quick, and were almost completed before the sun came up. I remember my time being around 2:09. The next 7 took a bit out of me, but I still was hanging on to my predicted finish time of 4 hours, crossing the 20 mark at about 3:30.

It was around this point (a couple miles before the walking set in) that I was passed by a few runners making the trek in Vibrams. Apparently my suspicions of a Fivefinger's pace were correct. I chatted a bit with a man and his wife who have run 20 and 2 marathons respectively in the footwear. My worries about the naysayers that have come out against the shoe/movement have pretty much been erased (I mean c'mon 20 marathons!).

After I hit the 20 mile marker, all bets were off. I started walking, then jogging until I couldn't, then walking again. I ran it in for the last 2 miles to the clock just before five hours had clicked off (as seen on my official finish thing here).

I can't even begin to describe the feeling. Jogging into a giant stadium, through the tunnel, hearing my name and time announced.

Euphoric is the closest word for that experience that I can think of.

Big ups to my friend Mike also, who despite not training for months, entered the half marathon, ran most of it, stopped to get cigarettes, moved the car closer to the finish line, ran backwards on the course to find me, and then not finding me, finished just after me. Dude was definitely a huge help.

I left South Bend on Sunday struggling to walk (my legs have since regained consciousness), and arrived back home and promptly took food, beer, water and a nap. This surely is the only way to recover. As of today I am still sore, but definitely able.

This post is a little bit late, but that is because I wanted to take time crafting it to capture the experience in a meaningful way. I think that I have done that. It was an amazing through and through training, writing, and then running in, on, about and around a marathon.

The only thing that remains is to find the next race and then Barefoot 1 will be a go.

Eight Hours

In South Bend. Should be asleep. Slamming water, bout to crash. Twenty six tomorrow.

Incoming/ See you on the other side

It's the last few days before the big run and I couldn't be more pumped. Everything seems to be going well, from my work situation, to my training.

I've been taking it easy for the last few weeks. Still running, just not a lot. As such, I've gained about five lbs., which I think will be nice to have come race day. More cal's for me to burn. And damn if I'm not gonna need a lot of them.

Tomorrow I set off for South Bend, and the next day I will run South Bend.

Can't Stop

Pulled six on the Joe Stengel trail yesterday, followed by a badass dinner with friends.

Life sometimes is so good.

The trail was a bit crowded (read: I saw three whole people while I was out). Which was different from the usual solitude. Two of the people I saw on the trail were runners, and one of them was actually running in bare feet. Her friend had trainers on, but the barefoot runner was the one setting the pace.

Sometimes it seems like the universe likes to come by and validate your cause.

8 more days until I head to South Bend. Can not wait.

Oh, and one more thing, if you're stopping by from reddit, thank ya much for taking a look. I know I'm not a 'real' marathon runner, but it's better than the alternative. Cheers!

Non-training

The hardest part of training is non-training. With the marathon fast approaching, my regimen has been dialed back significantly. I want to run, but my feet are a bit blistered for that. I figure that it's better to let them heal than to keep destroying them.

Two days in between runs instead of one. Three, four and maybe five miles instead of tens have been the distances.

Not to be a drag, but for the majority of this year the thing that I enjoy most has been running. I take that back, real life is just a break in between running. And real life is sub-mediocre when compared to the freedom of moving for miles and miles unhindered.

Luckily, a friends dad came through with some parts for my bike. I should have been cross training since the beginning, but, well I didn't have parts for my bike. Now I do. I think tomorrow's prescription is a long ride. See where the road takes me.

So yeah, back to subject. The hardest part of training is not training.

11 more days.

Four @ Lowell

Still on the recovery tip from the 19 mile brutality. Still got out and did a little mix up of two trail miles, and two miles on pavement. The two miles on trail is the best of course. The first mile is basically straight up (a cut through of an access road called the Hair-Pin), which is followed by two miles of pavement.

The best part is getting to cruise back down that first mile of trail. If one is not careful, warp speed can easily be achieved when going back down. Speed builds and builds and builds.

At the end I took a little detour off into the woods and found a pillar of rock that made for a great perch for an after run chill session where I sat and took in all the sounds of the forest.

Incubus has been providing a lot of the music I run to. That mix of heavy/soft with a good beat provides a nice formula to pace to. So yea, nice to know you..



17 days left until the Sunburst.Oh yes.

One Nine aka 19 mi

Went for the twenty this Thursday, but didn't get it. Came up with nineteen instead. Lost it all on the last mile. My best guess is I ran out of sodium, or calories. In short I wasn't as prepared as I needed to be. Too bad, I had a hell of a pace going.

Felt great all the way through the half marathon (13 miles). Stopped and ate a banana, should have waited a bit and noshed a granola bar too. But I was too excited, feeling too good.

That all changed at the last mile. My route, which covered the previously mentioned Joe Stengel trail with a road run extension, took me out about 8.5 miles, then back 8.5, then it was supposed to be out 1.5 and back. I made it out 1 and then shut down. I was able to walk and eventually jog back the last quarter mile, so it wasn't serious, but damn it sucked.

Here's the data:
Time: 3:09:46
Distance: 19 mi
Avg. Speed: 5.93
Avg. Pace: 10.11 min/mile
Calories: 2196.66 (!)

So the lesson learned is:

1. I can run massive distances
2. Calorie up before long runs
3. Re-up during the run
4. Pace is critical (I hammered out the first five overly quick)

At the end of it all my feet were bruised and a white rime of salt coated my arms and face. (However, I did stay perfectly hydrated, took down about 30 oz. of water from my Camel Back) My legs, and indeed my entire body was sore (still is a bit), but as usual the pain has faded to almost nothing over the last two days. Time to get back out on the road.

Overall though I'm feeling pretty good about where I'm at physically. The marathon should be no problem, what with all it's Gatorade and snacky stops along the way. I can't wait for South Bend.