The 2009 MCM was my 9^th marathon, my 7^th since March. The goal of this race was yet another training run for JFK50 (total training races: 2 marathons and 2 ultras), but after coming so close to a PR two weeks ago at the Baltimore Marathon, I knew it could be a PR day.

Saturday: Expo and Pre-Race

I got to the expo and it was enormous, crowded and overwhelming.

Only some of the really huge expo

The volunteers were exceedingly kind and helpful and I just love seeing the Marines in their uniforms. I ran into my buddy Dane and we chatted for a while.

Me and Dane. He runs a LOT!

I also went to the Semper Fi Fund table where I finally got to meet Corey, an injured Marine who was helped by The Fund and now works for them. We’ve been in touch since I raised funds with Antarctica. She was so sweet and I was so happy that I was able to help the cause; if you would like to donate to an incredible organization, you can do so here.

I also bargained a $110 jacket down to $80 (paying cash, asking for deals and male vendors all help) and got a $50 Dick’s gift card for signing up for the Pittsburgh marathon. I love deals! Next up I headed down to Ike’s where we would meet Shell to go to dinner with friends. I was relaxing on his couch, curled under a blanket when I see Shell come in… followed by Ben! Why is this notable and/or exciting? Ben is one of my very best friends and my neighbor in Pittsburgh who is supposed to be visiting his family in New Jersey this weekend. So why is he in DC?! Well, come to find out, ever since Ben met Shell and Ike at the Pittsburgh marathon, he has been scheming to come down and surprise whoever was running MCM! I love Ben! Both Shell and Ike were out with injuries so they were co-conspirators! After a lot of confusion as to why he was there, squeaking about the fact that he actually WAS there, telling him I hated him, proposing to him, and hitting him a few times so that I wouldn’t cry (and yes, I realize the diversity of that response) we headed to an awesome dinner with friends in Crystal City.

Me and Ben at dinner

The rest of the night was spent making signs, drinking pumpkin beer, eating ice cream and watching Grey’s Anatomy.

Shell making one of several awesome signs

Good times with great friends. I went to sleep feeling so excited for race day and so well-loved to have such fabulous people rallying to support me. If I’m not the luckiest girl in the world, I want to meet the girl who is.

Sunday: Race Day

Shell and I are up and going a million miles a minute and before 6:30 she had already rewritten song lyrics to reflect race day (e.g. “Shorty fire burning on the race course, whoa-o; Kat’s gonna run real fast, she’s gonna kick a lot of @ss on the race course, woa-o”), hosted a disco party in Ike’s car (courtesy of his emergency light/whistle) and slow danced with Ike while waiting for balloons.

I love, love, love, love, LOVE race morning. Getting to the start of the race was such a rush and we timed it so that I could use a porta potty, meet some old friends and make some new friends before the start. Perfect.

Me, Mike, Carl (who is also running JFK50) and Chris

Since a PR was a possibility my plan was to start out conservatively (9:45-10 min/miles) and pick it up if I felt better later; I think I tend to go out too fast in the beginning of races and I wanted to mitigate that.

MCM Start

Video of the start, and thanking Marines

Immediately after the start we pass by Arlington National Cemetery.  My step-dad’s sister was just buried at Arlington and it simultaneously shook me and inspired me. There are always inspiring stories at races, but MCM seems to have more- they are everywhere you look. But I wasn’t ready for one so early, and also not such a personal one. I turn a corner not much later to see an enormous American flag suspended over the marathon course. I’m such a giant, sappy, bleeding heart and this race is going to tug on every heart string I have.

American flags were hoisted

and carried

We run down Spout Run and turn onto Canal Road where I befriend Wayne, a Navy guy who is also running with Team Semper Fi.

Running by Georgetown University

I catch up to a runner from a DC running group that I ran with when visiting DC this summer and then I have my next tear-jerking moment. I see a singlet with a very handsome Marine who was killed in action- Bill Jacobsen. The singlet also says, “My son, my hero.” I’m compelled to say something, but what can you possibly say to a father that has lost his beautiful son? I tell him that I’m sorry for his loss and am completely overwhelmed by tears that I choked back as I ran ahead. What I said felt too superficial and I regretted it, but couldn’t figure out what else to say. I spent most of the rest of the race running right behind Bill’s sister (wearing a similar singlet) and trying not to think of my own brother who is a Marine about to deploy to Afghanistan.

We then turned into Georgetown where there are lots of great crowds and really fun personal memories. MCM was less of a trip down memory lane than the Baltimore marathon, but the house I grew up in is 11 radial miles from the White House so I’ve spent a lot of time in DC and I love so much about the city.

Georgetown spectators, Part I

Georgetown Spectators, Part II (shorter but better quality)

Before we reach the Kennedy Center I start to pass a man when I read something on his singlet that makes me realize he is Will Brown, one of the Groundpounders, a group of 4 men who have run every single MCM. All 34 of them! I know Will through the MCM message boards, but instead of treating him like a friend, I act like a total groupie and ask to take a picture of him. He humors me, but as I run on I can only hope that I didn’t annoy the Marine and ultrarunner with my obsequiousness.

As we head into Haines Point there are lots of spectators, even MY spectators!

Ben, Ike and Shell cheering for me

Lined up and ready to cheer

I also remember that last year this is where I started to fall apart and, in contrast, this year I feel great and I’m keeping my sub-10 splits as planned. I find Haines Point peaceful and I see my friend’s girlfriend who cheers for me and I stumble upon Ray, who is carrying an American flag. The theme for the day is tearjerkers and seeing a Ray immediately made me think of my friend Ray who is currently deployed in Afghanistan. I thank runner Ray and try to shift my focus to anything but worrying about “my” Ray. On one hand, as an American I am so proud to have amazing men like Ray doing good for our country; on the other hand, as a friend, it breaks my heart that someone that I care about is deployed. After dating my ex through 2 deployments, I want my heart in the US and not in Iraq or Afghanistan.

I think it is so amazing that people carry flags the entire race.

Check out this amazing tree in Haines Point!

After Haines Point we turn onto the National Mall where I see Ike before I am swarmed with spectators. I’m holding onto my pace but it’s a little more work now. I keep telling myself just to run the mile I’m in, make  it to the Sports Beans, and to get to Ben, Ike and Shell.

A high school band playing for the spectators

Pink gorilla. There were also spectators dressed as a beaver and a bumble bee

Mile 15 had an awesome band and a great view of hte Washington monument

Runners and spectators behind the Lincoln memorial

Around mile 16 I see a man who is walking on crutches who is missing some of his calf and he is being followed by men pushing a wheelchair. I have this overwhelming wave of feeling so thankful that I have two working legs and lungs and heart that are more healthy than not. A flash of an e-mail that Corey once sent me sticks out: she asked me to enjoy running because she misses it so much (she is paralyzed). I suddenly feel so thankful yet burdened by wanting to do well for all those people who can’t do what I take for granted more days than not. I keep running, trying not to cry. I can’t believe I’ve held back so many tears in one stupid race.

It was such a perfect day for a race

Capitol Building

Bagpipers played for the runners on the National Mall

A ridiculous womens drumming group that comes out every year

I see my friends at Mile 20 coming onto the bridge. I hate the bridge. It’s long, boring, there are very few spectators and it’s a hill. Plus, people start to fall apart here so it’s easy to thinking about stopping to walk with everyone else. The problem is, if you’re strong enough to keep running there are so many runners who have stopped or slowed that it becomes a contest in weaving which makes running even harder. I see my friend Tuan, who is running across the bridge with runners from his running group and I run with him for a bit before I tell him to go take care of his own. He later told me I looked “so relaxed” like I was “going to get the paper.” I don’t believe him based on how I was feeling, but I get to the end of the bridge and turn into Crystal City.

A member of Team Semper Fi

Best end of bridge spectator EVER!

I also don’t like Crystal City. There are lots of spectators but it’s an out and back and that late in the race it’s tough to mentally have a loop going in the wrong direction just to tack on mileage. I make it to mile 23 and I start to have problems breathing. Stupid asthma. I’m so angry and frustrated, it feels like I’m sucking air through a straw into lungs the size of golf balls. The rest of my body feels great and mentally I’m so in the game but it’s all I can do just to get enough air to keep moving forward. This means I also can’t cheer for spectators, encourage other runners or thank the volunteers- my favorite parts of racing. Add to this that I see a group of motorcyclists who escort the coffins of members of the armed forces who were killed in action. Tears well up as they cheer for me and I choke them down again, telling myself I can cry at the end.

The last few miles are some of the hardest I’ve run because I feel muted by my difficulty breathing. I want to interact with people around me, but don’t have the air to do it. I run in silence and as the spectators begin to thicken near the finish line so many people look me in the eye and cheer for me by name. I can’t thank them and it kills me. A thumbs up just doesn’t express how thankful I am that they are cheering for me. I see friends Brett and Steve and begin up the hill towards the finish at the Iwo Jima memorial. The hill isn’t terrible but men are walking and limping up it and I think of how hard it would be to be a wheelchair athlete. There are Marines standing near the chute and I muster all I can for a high-five as I cross the finish line at 4:26:53.

Final hill on the way to the finish line. What's it like to cross? You'll need to find out for yourself.

A Marine puts a medal around my neck and I think of Dan, who I met at the start. Dan said that he had ordered a hundred medals that he passed out to runners so that the runners could give the Marines a medal that was so deserved. Dan, thank you for sharing such a wonderful idea; I hope you don’t mind if I borrow it next year.

Salty and not cute after 26.2 miles but so honored to be getting a medal from a Marine. I tried to thank him for his service but ended up a stupid, stammering mess and shook his hand.

The medal Dan was going to give a Marine at the finish.

My race wasn’t a PR, although I think it could have been if a) my asthma wouldn’t have started to give me problems and b) I wouldn’t have run an extra (are you ready for this?) 0.8 miles! I love this race, but it’s so crowded and so many runners stop to walk in the middle of the course (please move to the side), which resulted in a lot of weaving which really compounds over 26.2 miles. My pace applied to 26.2 miles and not 27 would have been a PR by almost 2 minutes, but such is racing. At the end of the race I got to give the pink balloons that Shell and Ike carried to help me locate them to little kids! I am the biggest fan ever of random acts of kindness so this was possibly the best part of the race! Next up: JFK50!

At the end with great friends and awesome signs

Background: The 2004 Baltimore half-marathon was my first-ever distance beyond 10K. I had a miserable race and crossed the finish line proclaiming to my support crew that I would never run again. I really thought I meant it! This year’s marathon would serve as training for JFK50, with my plan being to run it as a training run (not race), take some pictures and video for this blog and encourage others along the way.

Now I should add: I love Baltimore. A lot. I spent a year living in Baltimore with my best friend, Hannah, while working at the National Institute on Drug Abuse as a post-bac fellow. It was one of the best years of my life and I love so much about the city- the cobblestone streets (created from stones that used to weight the ships that came into Baltimore harbor), the original Washington Monument, Hon culture, the farmer’s market under 83 and crabs. I loved the fries at Brewers Art, the beautiful architecture of the old mansions, gelato from Vaccaro’s and nights out in Canton Square. I am Baltimore’s #1 fan.

Pre-race: At the expo I meet up with my friend from college, Jamie.

Me and Jamie at the Expo

Jamie was one of the first people I met at Maryland and he was always floating around since he was friends with all of my roommates. We got back in touch and are going to do the Columbia triathlon together next May and I won’t let him forget that he pitched Kilimanjaro in 2011. We wandered what I thought was a very good expo and I was thrilled to see that the tech shirt was a women’s specific tech shirt! Good job, Under Armor! I’m sick of “small” race shirts that are longer than my shorts with sleeves down to my elbows. I split up with Jamie to head to my best friend Andy’s place where we spend the night drinking beer and playing the drums. Awesome way to relax pre-race.

Andy's drum room: Awesome.

Race day: I’m up early and the moment I step out the door, I am stunned by how hot (~65 at 5 am!) and humid it is. The weather stays warm and humid all day. I get to the start and try to find Jamie but instead befriend Sam, a Marine who is about to run his first marathon. I found the start to be very disorganized and there was no partition between the runners and the spectators meaning that some spectators formed a wall that prevented runners from entering the start. One bonus was that there was a confetti canon. Every marathon start should have a confetti canon.

Starting Line

We take off north and the first few miles are uphill but I keep a steady 9:45 pace. We run through the zoo and botanical gardens which I think are beautiful. I find a guy in a Steelers jersey and try to stay near him, deflecting a few comments from Raven’s fans who are not thrilled to see a Steeler on their territory.

I also find two guys decked out as Ravens- beaks, feathers, wings, the whole 9 yards.

We turn south and nostalgia sets in as we run by where my good friend Adrienne used to live, and me and Hannah’s old apartment. I see Oscar, a former co-worker, and run over to him for a quick hug before continuing forward (I have somehow had friends spectating at every marathon I’ve ever run! Even Antarctica. How lucky am I?!). I’ve passed the 4:15 pace group and I know I should slow down but I feel so strong as I head into downtown and my pace drops to around 9:15.

Lobster dog!! I saw him and asked the owners if I could take a picture. The dog was so super sweet, incredibly cute and very happy that one of the runners (me!) came to play with it!

I thought I would love Federal Hill, and while the first mile in and the last mile out were beautiful and had incredible spectator support, there was a three-mile loop that was no-man’s land; it also starts to rain.

The Star Spangled Banner was written after Francis Scott Key witnessed bombings in Baltimore's Fort Henry (wiki)

On the left is the Visionary Art Museum. It's facade is a mirror mosaic.

We come back through downtown and head over to Fells Point where I remember playing credit card roulette, drinking bellinis at a gorgeous waterfront bar, and even a very romantic first kiss on the water.

The Harbor from Federal Hill

It gets better as we run by the bakery that fills the air with the smell of fresh bread- one of my favorite things of this part of Baltimore (me and Han used to roll our windows down every time we went by). Right as I am reminiscing about me and Adrienne playing hooky on the first spring day to get our nails done and drink beer on a patio, the 4:15 pace group passes me. Let the mental games begin. We turn towards Canton Square and once we head towards Patterson Park I start to fall apart. This is compounded by the fact that this is where:

• The second half of the hills begin
• The half marathon joins the marathon (the slower marathons were joining with us, so a lot were walking and some lacked the etiquette to move to the side which created lots of people to run around)
• We again head into an area almost devoid of spectators

THIS is where I bonked! Ugh!

I find a gu to snack on, start thinking mantras (“Who’s a runner? Kat’s a runner!” “Thankful. Focused. Calm.” “Breath”) and do anything I can to keep my head in the game, but I start to walk the hills. I check out. It turns from a good run to “just” a training run. My pace get closer to 11 minute miles. Then I get to mile 20 where there is a clock: 3:22. What?!?! I wasn’t watching time, just my pace, and I realize if I have a strong 10K I can PR. What?! I snap into action and just when I think I’m thirsty and could see another gu I see that both are available from Terp volunteers! Awesome! As we leave Lake Montebello one of the more passionate spectators had stopped cheering. “Hey!” I yell at him, “You stopped cheering!” He starts cheering so ferociously that about 5 runners around me start to laugh. I tell them my favorite running secret: If you cheer for spectators, they cheer for you!

I have this insane burst of energy from miles 22-24. Some runners have their names on their backs and as I pass a girl named Julia, I tell her she’s doing great. “OMG! THANK YOU!” she screams loud enough to startle me, “You have no idea how much I needed that!” Yay! I was a race angel! I see an older man standing watching the runners and I wave to him and yell good morning. He perks right up and tells me, “You look great, sweetheart!” I love when people call me sweetheart. As we go up yet another hill, I turn to a guy who seems to be having a tough time. I’m hamming it up and ask “Do the hills ever go down in this city?!” He is too tired to appreciate my humor and sadly shakes his head. I feel bad and immediately shout, “Yes! They go down! Really!!!” A few seconds later a relay runner passes me, saying “You are the friendliest runner I’ve ever seen!” Yay! That’s the best thing someone could ever say to me. The race could stop here and it would be a good one. But the race doesn’t end here, in fact here is the gummy bear station! One group of volunteers bough and distributed 400 POUNDS of gummy bears! I read this in a pre-race e-mail last week while at work and I frantically turned to my office mate: “OMG, Brian!” I pause to see if Brian is working or looking at sports scores. Just sports scores, so I continue: “Brian! There’s going to be a gummy bear man with 400 pounds of gummy bears at my race this weekend! That’s me, you, and Brooke (our boss), in gummy bears!!!!” Brian just shook his head.

Awesome spectators!!

This person was there 5 years ago! I never forgot them! So psyched I captured it this time!

We run through sections with amazing spectators and around mile 24 drivers stuck in traffic have gotten out of their cars to cheer for the runners. The final stretch is downhill and we pass my old apartment again, as well as my brother’s old apartment. I come upon a guy I’d been leapfrogging with the whole race. I told him he’d better beat me and he conceded that I could finish first as he dropped back…. Only to sprint ahead a few seconds later! I cheer for him and head to the finish line myself.

The girls on the left were holding hands as they ran towards the finish line.

Finish time: 4:23:47. I missed my PR by 47 seconds. In some ways that hurts- so close! But in other ways, it’s amazing. I ran 30 miles last weekend and an ultra three weekends ago meaning that my legs are anything but fresh and rested. This was a hilly course, I wasn’t going out to race, and I even stopped several times to take pictures and video. And I finished having fun unlike my 4:23:00 PR where the last 6 miles were miserable and I was gutting it out. It may not be reflected in the time, but this race shows me that my fitness is improving, which is great.

Post-Race: This race was only one very small part of a big weekend. I left the race to head to the Chesapeake Bay to surprise my best friend for her birthday. She was surely surprised (“OMG, Kitty! I can’t believe you’re here! I want to keep touching you to make sure you’re real!”) and we spent the rest of the weekend gabbing like only best friends can and eating incredible food courtesy of her wonderful husband. We even went to the beach across the street from the new (five bedroom!) house they’re building.

"Small" nachos. We also had steak, brown rice with almonds, asparagus and onion, and ravioli with sauteed baby eggplant. The man is also a rocket scientist. Seriously.

Breakfast!Sweet potato hash, turkey bacon, eggs and waffles.

Morning walk on the beach

This weekend had it all: I saw old co-workers, my family, two of my best friends, toured one of my favorite cities and running the marathon was the keystone that brought it all together.

Impossible2Possible

I’ve talked a lot about this group because I’m so excited to be working with them. Ray invited me to join him and Bob Cox for a camp in Canada in October. The problem is that October has 5 weekends:

• 2 I’m running marathons (Baltimore and MCM)
  
• 1 I’m at an all-day mindfulness meditation retreat
• 1 I’m vacationing in a cabin in upstate NY with some of my very best friends
• 1 I’m working (I work with kids so I work one weekend a month)

I was bummed that I’d need to sacrifice something in order to participate until Ray called me and told me that the camp would be November 14^th and 15^th (to mimic the arctic conditions they faced in Baffin Island!).  Not only does it not conflict with races, school or personal obligations, but it’s the week before JFK50 meaning I won’t need to worry about running 30 miles at 3 am in Canada before working with 40 teenagers (although I bet between Ray and Bob I’d be able to find a running partner!). I’m amazed it all worked out and couldn’t be more excited. I’ll surely post more as this unfolds.

Ironman and Internship

Ahhhhhh. I said them. I said the “I” words. Ironman. Breath. Internship. Whoa!

I’m not sure which is scarier. I assume athletes read this blog so you know that an Ironman is a triathlon with a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 mile run. For the non-psychologists, internship is a year-long placement necessary for me to get my Ph.D. I will be matched (think med school residency match) somewhere (anywhere!) in the US for a year which is both scary and exciting- just like the thought of an Ironman.

I was thinking about an Ironman in 2010, but I can’t get my biking where it needs to be in time. That makes 2011 the next possibility. The problem is, I’m eligible to apply for internship next Fall (2010). I’ve gotten good at juggling, but applying for internship next Fall would mean that I would be training for an Ironman while:

• Traveling the US interviewing for internship placements
• Trying to wrap up my dissertation for defense
• Moving my life somewhere between Pittsburgh and Seattle and
• Starting a new job

That is a bad idea. I’m good, but I’m human and I can’t swing all of that. I spoke with my advisor about my plan for the next few years and, without knowing about my Ironman concerns, she suggested that I take an extra year and apply for internship in 2011 (not 2010). This means that I can do it all- apply for a competitive research grant from NIH (an NRSA in case an academic reads this), work on my dissertation, apply for internship and train for an Ironman. How did that all work out?!

As I begin to compete more and my races become more extreme and require more preparation, I know that I’ll need to make tough decisions and begin to sacrifice, but right now it feels really good to have everything that is important to me falling into place. I sort of feel unstoppable which I hope is a feeling I can hold onto for JFK and IM2011