Race Report #1: 2010 ING New York City Marathon

Note:  Below is the recap from my training log.  I will offer something more probing and thoughtful in a bit, including lessons learned, what’s next, etc. … right now, I’m a little tired.  Oh yeah, 3:42:34.  I am a marathoner.

I layered up heavily, so Fort Wad was not uncomfortable at all.  No issue with logistics, irrigation or corrals.  In fact, thanks to @GCass and @mpatent, I was completely prepared for race week and marathon Sunday.  Lost the 2 layers of sweat pants and heavy jacket just before crossing the start.  Went out with Kinvaras, Nike splits, CPTC singlet under thermal long-sleeve top w/ t-shirt over it, beanie and 3 layers of gloves.  V-N bridge (and most of Brooklyn) was very windy (~14mph).  Made it up and down in control 8:29 up, 7:20 down (really put on the breaks on the decline). Had my own bottle of Cytomax, so no need to stop at the stations until Mile 5 when I thru out the bottle.  Overall, hydration was never an issue – hit most of the stations alternating between G and water.  1 Gu before race, 4 during every 6 miles.  Used Nuun tabs.  Sufficiently warm, I discarded the thermal, t-shirt and heavy gloves.  10-10-10 plan was 7:45, 7:35, and then gut it out.  Felt in total control and holding back from thru Mile 7 (8:29, 7:20, 7:47, :46, :46, :47, :46).  Beginning at Mile 8 my lack of experience on the terrain started working against me.  The grade of the hill along LaFayette Ave in Brooklyn was surprising.  That and my left quad started acting up like it did at Grete’s. I tried to lock into thinking about anything else, but it was a struggle as Mile 8, 9 were 8:10, 8:12. I remember teammates saying you will alternate between feeling horrible and decent and it’s just a matter of fighting thru the episodes.  I pulled it back together on Bedford Ave into Williamsburg w/ Miles 10, 11, 12 at 7:49, :54, :48 and feeling pretty decent heading into Pulaski Bridge.  Overall, I stayed in the moment and didn’t think about the next bridge or hurdle coming up.  I’m not certain what happened at Pulaski.  Maybe it was the cumulative effect of the wind from the start that caught up to me.  Given where I started (Wave 1, corral 14) I expected more shielding from the crowd of runners, but was not so lucky.  I did too much work on my own … I guess.  I don’t remember Pulaski being horrible as I went over it, but the splits after it tell the story – Mile 13 (8:35), 14 (8:18).  I didn’t feel like I expended a ton of energy, but couldn’t get any turnover (recurring theme here).  Queensboro Bridge was rough.  All the mental tricks in the world didn’t help, so I just grinded and held on until the crown – Mile 15, 16 (9:37, 8:57 – ugh – hoped the Garmin signal was broken at this point).  Coming on to 1st Avenue was a nice pick me up.  It was here that I let go of “I’m racing” and tried to enjoy my first marathon … slapped hands with the crowd, looked around a bit and still managed to put the wheels back on (temporarily) Mile 17 (8:01).  Mentally, I was very much in the game, but the turnover slowed dramatically as we went further along in the 80s and 90s – Mile 18 (8:35), 19 (8:44).  I was clearly approaching “the Wall” but it did not feel like what I expected … never a sense of “I want to quit” or “I can’t move another step”.  Rather it was extreme frustration at not being able to generate even easy run turnover.  The Bronx did not help my mood, either.  Miserable scenery.  Sparse crowds.  I may start hating the Yankees because of it.  Bleh.  Miles 20, 21, 22 (9:07, :24, :34).  The only good coming out of the Bronx and Harlem was @robgill, @GreggLemosStein and especially @almadelcorno who chased and primal screamed at me for 50m.  At this point I started doing real mental math and knew I had a punchers chance at something 3:3x:xx.  5th Ave pretty much killed that notion entirely as I passed the Wall of Orange.  I heard everyone especially @mpatent who just said keep grinding.  I wasn’t upset as much as I was trying to will every fiber to pull out some 9:00 miles (Jesus, I just wrote 9:00 miles) to get me sub 3:40.  I felt like I couldn’t waste an eyelid of energy acknowledging anyone at Mile 23 (9:17).  I did slap hands a blow a kiss to my wife and kids at Mile 24 (9:18) and then commenced to grinding, pushing, fighting, clawing anything near 9:00.  Didn’t happen.  Mile 25 (9:03), Mile 26 (9:27 – realized the jig was up at that point).  Some how eeked out 7:51 pace for the final quarter and done.  This is not the place to go thru lessons learned, but I did not have a sense of jubilation or relief at the finish … more so a laundry list of what I will do to adjust my training and race execution.  I believe in my fitness and relative to folks I trained side-by-side who finished sub-3:30, I know my goal was rational.  I lack experience and certainly underestimated the challenge of the course.  Also, you can train all you want, but until you run 26.2 miles at any pace, there remains mystery and doubt.  That mystery and doubt weighed on me for a long time before and during the race. Still, given where I started in February 2010, I’m more than pleased with the effort.  I can take this experience into 2011 (no marathon) and focus on becoming a good overall runner.  Maybe TR let’s me run another in 2012.  Funny that the marathon started as a “bucket list” item, moved to an albatross and has now become the catalyst for me to become serious.  Thank you to all of the Orange who sent well wishes and cheered … I heard you all, but was battling.  It was a good day.  Bringing the heat on the track in December.