Race #233
Marathon #17
2024 Race #12
2024 Marathon #2
Earlier this year, Houston went completely according to plan. So did CIM all the way until it didn’t. Even with that, I still had an incredible experience which left me ready for more as soon as I could get it.
One of the things that I told my coach (I got to meet her in person finally!) was that I have never felt so chill, so calm before a goal race before. Part of me kept waiting for the nerves to kick in but they never did.
On that start line, I knew I had done everything I could in training to prepare and all that was left was to go out there and execute the plan.
Race morning dawned dark and early although thanks to our bodies still being on east coast time, it did not feel early to us. We caught the bus right outside our hotel to the start and headed 20 or so miles to the start line.
The weather forecast called for nearly perfect racing temps in the upper 40s to low to mid 50s which would feel great on the run but called for a discard layer to wear on the ride to the start and while we waited. Mom ended up using my race shirt (I loved the design but have no use for a long sleeve tech t in South Carolina) and I used my 2019 Santa Hustle jacket, my default jacket for 5 years since I bought a new one at the expo. It definitely felt weird at the start to discard.
Once the bus arrived at the start, a volunteer (CIM is very well organized) gave us some instructions and let us know that we could stay on the bus if we wanted. Mom and I chose to use the portopotties and then hang out on the bus until about 20 minutes from the start. I thought I might try to get through the line again but did not have enough time.
Although the corrals were self-seeded, I learned my lesson from the TreesUpstate Turkey Day 8k and lined up near my goal pace. CIM had pace groups for each 5 minutes so I lined up as close to the 3:40 pacer as I could. Even as I stood waiting, I expected doubts and negative thoughts to enter in but they did not come close. A large part of me knew that I did not come into the race expecting to PR so that helped hold loosely to that goal, successfully preventing a drastic crash and burn.
Most of the individual miles in this section, I do not have specific memories of. Here’s what I do remember. I took gels at mile 4.5, 9, 13.5 and 18.
Remember that foreshadowing from the beginning of the recap? Here’s where it comes into play.
The plan prescribed faster miles for the last ten miles, which, according to the elevation profile are much flatter. I had also decided to switch to music at this point.
Well, mile 16 comes around and I’m not quite ready to switch to music. I try to gradually increase my pace only to have it. Stay approximately the same.
Then my legs, mainly my quads, became quite vocal, not with cramps or inability but almost as if they woke up and went “hey! what did you just do to us?” In hindsight, I am almost certain that that sensation came from the prolonged downhill portion. Yes, rollers broke it up occasionally. However, my legs got a lot more downhill miles I had ever done in training.
Rather than freak out or despair, both avenues my mind has traveled in many times before, my mind shifted into solution mode. I knew that what I was currently doing would not work for the next 8 miles so how could I best adapt to preserve what I could. I ended up choosing ot walk the start of each mile starting at mile 20. (I had also long since switched my Garmin to the watch face.) I knew that walking could release tension and help me hold a faster pace on the running portions of each mile. I also knew that it would help mentally by breaking the remaining miles into smaller, more manageable chunks.
As I started this, I knew that the 3:40 pacer would pass me and challenged myself to get as far as possible before that happened. I made it to either mile 22 or 23. Not too shabby.
Even though I did consider walking at mile 26, of course I did not do that and put as much effort as possible during the final home stretch, brining myself across the finish line nearly 3 minutes faster than Houston with a bathroom stop back at mile 4 and walking at the start of miles 20-25. I will definitely take that.
This race proves that even when things do not go according to plan, the outcome can still be a celebration.
Mom came in almost exactly an hour later, smashing her sub 5 hour goal and just missing out on qualifying for Boston!
I am so excited for what my future training and racing will bring. (Also, CIM wins for the best post-race swag.)
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