TRaining Run and a PR We drank some coffee and waited until the last minute to bag check our stuff in order to keep our pants and jackets on the longest. After hitting the porta-cans for the last time, we separated and I went to the start around 7:15.
My first good move of the day was finding a tent just behind the start line. The tent was there for the pace team and it had a propane heater in it. So, I just invited myself in and hung out by the heater while they did the prerace ceremony. At 7:30 the wheel chair people were off. 5 mins later, the marathon started. Somewhere up there near the front was PacerChris. Me, I was milling around with the 4:00 pace group. We crossed the start line 35 seconds after the gun and were on our way.
We did the typical chit chat and introductions stuff around the group as we motored on. This was good for me since I really wanted to hold back to a 9:00 pace for the first half of the race. That mission was easily accomplished. And, the miles clicked by with little fanfare.
Around mile 11 I realized that I wasn?t going to be able to go the distance without a pit stop. Unfortunately, this was going to be more that just watering a tree. Just before the mile 12 marker, I saw 4 porta-cans. That was going to be my move as long as there wasn?t a line. So, I timed it perfect and dove in just as another guy was coming out.
After, I felt like a new man. I had been running in front of the 4:00 group and they had passed my while I was in the pits. I recognized a few guys who had fallen off the back of the group. Turns out they had done something similar. So, I started to bridge back up to the group.
I knew that I wanted to be 1:57 at the HM marker. Turns out I was about a minute behind that. Oh well. After the HM marker, I allowed myself to pick up the pace. I caught and passed the 4:00 group within 400 yards of the marker. I wished them well and set out to run down the 3:50 group.
I kept an eye out for someone that I could pace off of, but couldn?t find anyone who was moving at my right speed. By now, I had noticed that the mile markers were off from my Garmin. In the first half of the race, they were right on within .03 of a mile. I was wearing my Timex ironman on my right wrist so I could manually keep track of splits along the way.
I really felt good between 15 ? 20 and had to hold myself back from running faster. I had told myself that I could go all out from 22 to the end, based on how I felt. I also knew that there would be a large hill to climb to get up to the 23 mile marker.
My brother had run the first leg of his relay. So, I had asked him to meet me later on the course and run in with me if he wanted to. So, he met me at the last relay exchange point around the 19 mile marker. We ran the next 3 or so miles together. I was feeling so good that he just couldn?t hang with me after pounding out fast miles in the early part of the race.
So, he and I parted ways around mile 20 or 21, we were on the rolling road, just before the first of two big hills going towards mile 23.
Anyway, after we parted, and I hit the bottom of the hills, I started climbing them like a mad man. I know that I ran very low 8:00 pace going up both hills. I was just gutting it out and passing people like crazy. I thought of Voo who had to scream at people to get the EFF outa the way when he was at Flying Pig.
By now, the course had rejoined with the HM course, so there were a lot of walkers. After getting to the top of the first hill, I spotted the 3:50 group up in the distance. I dropped it down another gear and knew that I could catch them. I did catch them just before we started down the curvy hill heading toward the flat finish.
My quads felt good so I screamed down the hill. I could see the finish off in the distance. After passing the 3:50 group, I saw that there was a group of pacers running together. I overheard them discussing the mileage marker screw up. Whatever that was.
Back through the gate and onto the base, there was another aid station. Quick observational note about the aid stations. First, the people working them did a great job, lots of great themes, lots of music, lots of energy, plenty of anything you would need, they had water, Gatorade, gels, fruit, Vaseline (are there carbs in that? J ) They had people handing the stuff out on both sides of the street too. But, there were so many aid stations, I mean you couldn?t go a mile sometimes without there being another one. That?s not really a problem; I just had to plan to skip a few here and there in order to get into a good tempo.
Into the last mile and the wind is picking up. My legs are also starting to cramp up, but I know that I can hit my goal if I just keep going. I was still down in the low 8:00 pace while heading towards the line.
The finish running between all of the historic planes is cool, but the fact that you have to run a giant U to get there instead of going straight into the line is kinda cruel to the mind. You can see the finish, but you have to go away from it, and then make 2 90 degree right hand turns in order to get lined up.
Making the last right had turn for the final .2 miles, I heard a guy coming up behind me. He was breathing hard and sounded like he was moving fast, so I start to kick it out. But, that was too early, couldn?t hold that pace, so I slowed a bit on my way to the line.
All in all, I was totally pumped. I had run this race as a training run and proven that I could not fade at the end. In my first marathon, I felt like things deteriorated quickly around mile 23, and that I just held on until the end. Emotion and adrenaline was the only thing that I had to get home with in that race. Here, while I didn?t feel great, due to the cramping, I was pushing myself successfully and had a sub 8:00 split at the mile 25 marker.
I hope all of this bodes well for what I can do in 5-weeks time and with a proper taper and on a flatter course. We?ll see.
So, that?s my USAF Story.
Interesting story about my brother?s relay team (skip if you?re not interested)
Here?s a quick side story. So, my brother was on the Sheppard AFB relay team. They had scoped out the competition before the race. Last year, his team and finished 2nd or 3rd relay team overall, but 1st in the Open relay class.
This year, they were signed up in the military class and knew that last year?s winners from Laughlin would be the main team to beat. The Laughlin guy was leading Dave (leg #2 runner for the Sheppard team) by about :20 seconds when they passed me out in Fairborn.
When I met up with my brother, at mile 19, he said that he thought that they would end up 2nd OA and 2nd military. Laughlin had almost a 2:00 lead on them at the final exchange. We both said that Rob (Sheppard runner #4) would have to make up :30 per mile in order to take the lead.
But, that?s exactly what he did. He ran 5:45 mm pace while the Laughlin anchor was running approx 6:15. Rob caught and passed the Laughlin guy between miles 25 ? 26. Both runners knew that it would be an all out sprint to the finish. The Laughlin guy decided to try and recover behind Rob and see if he could get him at the finish. But, Rob held on and won by :20 seconds. Awesome?Right?
Well, I tell you all of that to tell you this. When the results were posted, there?s no Sheppard team listed, there?s not Laughlin team listed. If fact, there?s quite a large number of relay teams missing from the results page.
Well, Mark?s team knew they won, and the Laughlin team knew that they won. BTW, based on their watches and calculations, they had run a 2:39x. We figured that they would get the results sorted out, so we went out to the cars to get bags and get ready to leave. As you can imagine, these team awards are prestigious to the bases and commands who are involved. And, Mark?s team needed to stay for the awards ceremony to get the trophy and the picture for the base newspaper.
A quick check of the results 5 mins before the awards ceremony and still no Sheppard and no Laughlin listed. So, off we go to information and then to the scoring van. They had no idea what was going on. While we were standing there, relay guys were still coming across the finish line and we noticed that they timing pads were not beeping when they crossed. The relay teams used a different kind of scoring chip than the regular marathon and half marathon runners.
Here?s where it gets kinda crappy. So, Mark and another of his team mates stay to discuss the scoring while the rest of his team, me, and other guys from his base who ran solo races go to get seats at the awards ceremony.
To make a long story short I know, too late they guys running the awards ceremony didn?t know that there was a scoring snafu. So, they jus proceeded and gave the award to a team finished 21 minutes behind my brother?s team. Those guys go up there, get the big silver bowl, shake the General?s hand and pose for a picture.
We of course, watch all this. We?re curious to see if they get up and leave. Sure enough, after about :45 seconds at their table, the all stand up and start leaving. They have the award wrapped up in a towel. Dave, the team captain, goes to talk to the awards people. Meanwhile, two guys from my brother?s team follow the other team out of the tent and confront them.
Turns out that they knew there was a scoring problem and they knew that they didn?t win, but they took the award and left anyway. No one stopped them.
After all of this, it didn?t look like there was going to be a quick resolution, so I said my goodbyes and got in my car to start my journey home.
A couple of hours later, I talked to my brother and found out that they were declared as the winners. Digital photos of the finish line with the race clock visible confirmed their finish time. They did get their picture made up on the podium, but 4 hrs after the awards ceremony and of course, they didn?t get the award. Someone will now have to track it down and hopefully get it shipped to their base.
As of last night, the results showed their team in first, but other teams were still missing from the list. What a mess. The scoring people should have told the ceremony people that there was a problem. Moreover, the team that didn?t win and knew that they didn?t win should have had enough class to not accept the award.
I told my brother that it?ll make for a good story to tell over beers. His team and the Laughlin team were really good sports about the whole thing. If fact, they were just pumped up about the epic race that they had been involved in. It was totally cool to see the two teams stand around and talk like buddies after the race was over. The only thing missing was the beers.
My first good move of the day was finding a tent just behind the start line. The tent was there for the pace team and it had a propane heater in it. So, I just invited myself in and hung out by the heater while they did the prerace ceremony. At 7:30 the wheel chair people were off. 5 mins later, the marathon started. Somewhere up there near the front was PacerChris. Me, I was milling around with the 4:00 pace group. We crossed the start line 35 seconds after the gun and were on our way.
We did the typical chit chat and introductions stuff around the group as we motored on. This was good for me since I really wanted to hold back to a 9:00 pace for the first half of the race. That mission was easily accomplished. And, the miles clicked by with little fanfare.
Around mile 11 I realized that I wasn?t going to be able to go the distance without a pit stop. Unfortunately, this was going to be more that just watering a tree. Just before the mile 12 marker, I saw 4 porta-cans. That was going to be my move as long as there wasn?t a line. So, I timed it perfect and dove in just as another guy was coming out.
After, I felt like a new man. I had been running in front of the 4:00 group and they had passed my while I was in the pits. I recognized a few guys who had fallen off the back of the group. Turns out they had done something similar. So, I started to bridge back up to the group.
I knew that I wanted to be 1:57 at the HM marker. Turns out I was about a minute behind that. Oh well. After the HM marker, I allowed myself to pick up the pace. I caught and passed the 4:00 group within 400 yards of the marker. I wished them well and set out to run down the 3:50 group.
I kept an eye out for someone that I could pace off of, but couldn?t find anyone who was moving at my right speed. By now, I had noticed that the mile markers were off from my Garmin. In the first half of the race, they were right on within .03 of a mile. I was wearing my Timex ironman on my right wrist so I could manually keep track of splits along the way.
I really felt good between 15 ? 20 and had to hold myself back from running faster. I had told myself that I could go all out from 22 to the end, based on how I felt. I also knew that there would be a large hill to climb to get up to the 23 mile marker.
My brother had run the first leg of his relay. So, I had asked him to meet me later on the course and run in with me if he wanted to. So, he met me at the last relay exchange point around the 19 mile marker. We ran the next 3 or so miles together. I was feeling so good that he just couldn?t hang with me after pounding out fast miles in the early part of the race.
So, he and I parted ways around mile 20 or 21, we were on the rolling road, just before the first of two big hills going towards mile 23.
Anyway, after we parted, and I hit the bottom of the hills, I started climbing them like a mad man. I know that I ran very low 8:00 pace going up both hills. I was just gutting it out and passing people like crazy. I thought of Voo who had to scream at people to get the EFF outa the way when he was at Flying Pig.
By now, the course had rejoined with the HM course, so there were a lot of walkers. After getting to the top of the first hill, I spotted the 3:50 group up in the distance. I dropped it down another gear and knew that I could catch them. I did catch them just before we started down the curvy hill heading toward the flat finish.
My quads felt good so I screamed down the hill. I could see the finish off in the distance. After passing the 3:50 group, I saw that there was a group of pacers running together. I overheard them discussing the mileage marker screw up. Whatever that was.
Back through the gate and onto the base, there was another aid station. Quick observational note about the aid stations. First, the people working them did a great job, lots of great themes, lots of music, lots of energy, plenty of anything you would need, they had water, Gatorade, gels, fruit, Vaseline (are there carbs in that? J ) They had people handing the stuff out on both sides of the street too. But, there were so many aid stations, I mean you couldn?t go a mile sometimes without there being another one. That?s not really a problem; I just had to plan to skip a few here and there in order to get into a good tempo.
Into the last mile and the wind is picking up. My legs are also starting to cramp up, but I know that I can hit my goal if I just keep going. I was still down in the low 8:00 pace while heading towards the line.
The finish running between all of the historic planes is cool, but the fact that you have to run a giant U to get there instead of going straight into the line is kinda cruel to the mind. You can see the finish, but you have to go away from it, and then make 2 90 degree right hand turns in order to get lined up.
Making the last right had turn for the final .2 miles, I heard a guy coming up behind me. He was breathing hard and sounded like he was moving fast, so I start to kick it out. But, that was too early, couldn?t hold that pace, so I slowed a bit on my way to the line.
All in all, I was totally pumped. I had run this race as a training run and proven that I could not fade at the end. In my first marathon, I felt like things deteriorated quickly around mile 23, and that I just held on until the end. Emotion and adrenaline was the only thing that I had to get home with in that race. Here, while I didn?t feel great, due to the cramping, I was pushing myself successfully and had a sub 8:00 split at the mile 25 marker.
I hope all of this bodes well for what I can do in 5-weeks time and with a proper taper and on a flatter course. We?ll see.
So, that?s my USAF Story.
Interesting story about my brother?s relay team (skip if you?re not interested)
Here?s a quick side story. So, my brother was on the Sheppard AFB relay team. They had scoped out the competition before the race. Last year, his team and finished 2nd or 3rd relay team overall, but 1st in the Open relay class.
This year, they were signed up in the military class and knew that last year?s winners from Laughlin would be the main team to beat. The Laughlin guy was leading Dave (leg #2 runner for the Sheppard team) by about :20 seconds when they passed me out in Fairborn.
When I met up with my brother, at mile 19, he said that he thought that they would end up 2nd OA and 2nd military. Laughlin had almost a 2:00 lead on them at the final exchange. We both said that Rob (Sheppard runner #4) would have to make up :30 per mile in order to take the lead.
But, that?s exactly what he did. He ran 5:45 mm pace while the Laughlin anchor was running approx 6:15. Rob caught and passed the Laughlin guy between miles 25 ? 26. Both runners knew that it would be an all out sprint to the finish. The Laughlin guy decided to try and recover behind Rob and see if he could get him at the finish. But, Rob held on and won by :20 seconds. Awesome?Right?
Well, I tell you all of that to tell you this. When the results were posted, there?s no Sheppard team listed, there?s not Laughlin team listed. If fact, there?s quite a large number of relay teams missing from the results page.
Well, Mark?s team knew they won, and the Laughlin team knew that they won. BTW, based on their watches and calculations, they had run a 2:39x. We figured that they would get the results sorted out, so we went out to the cars to get bags and get ready to leave. As you can imagine, these team awards are prestigious to the bases and commands who are involved. And, Mark?s team needed to stay for the awards ceremony to get the trophy and the picture for the base newspaper.
A quick check of the results 5 mins before the awards ceremony and still no Sheppard and no Laughlin listed. So, off we go to information and then to the scoring van. They had no idea what was going on. While we were standing there, relay guys were still coming across the finish line and we noticed that they timing pads were not beeping when they crossed. The relay teams used a different kind of scoring chip than the regular marathon and half marathon runners.
Here?s where it gets kinda crappy. So, Mark and another of his team mates stay to discuss the scoring while the rest of his team, me, and other guys from his base who ran solo races go to get seats at the awards ceremony.
To make a long story short I know, too late they guys running the awards ceremony didn?t know that there was a scoring snafu. So, they jus proceeded and gave the award to a team finished 21 minutes behind my brother?s team. Those guys go up there, get the big silver bowl, shake the General?s hand and pose for a picture.
We of course, watch all this. We?re curious to see if they get up and leave. Sure enough, after about :45 seconds at their table, the all stand up and start leaving. They have the award wrapped up in a towel. Dave, the team captain, goes to talk to the awards people. Meanwhile, two guys from my brother?s team follow the other team out of the tent and confront them.
Turns out that they knew there was a scoring problem and they knew that they didn?t win, but they took the award and left anyway. No one stopped them.
After all of this, it didn?t look like there was going to be a quick resolution, so I said my goodbyes and got in my car to start my journey home.
A couple of hours later, I talked to my brother and found out that they were declared as the winners. Digital photos of the finish line with the race clock visible confirmed their finish time. They did get their picture made up on the podium, but 4 hrs after the awards ceremony and of course, they didn?t get the award. Someone will now have to track it down and hopefully get it shipped to their base.
As of last night, the results showed their team in first, but other teams were still missing from the list. What a mess. The scoring people should have told the ceremony people that there was a problem. Moreover, the team that didn?t win and knew that they didn?t win should have had enough class to not accept the award.
I told my brother that it?ll make for a good story to tell over beers. His team and the Laughlin team were really good sports about the whole thing. If fact, they were just pumped up about the epic race that they had been involved in. It was totally cool to see the two teams stand around and talk like buddies after the race was over. The only thing missing was the beers.
