Jay Silvio

After more than a year of training focused on the Frederick Marathon the race is over and it is time for a little reflection. I am still somewhat in shock that I finished second overall with a time of 2:41:46 and was actually leading for much of the run. In fact, at the 13.1 mile mark I had a 1:27 lead on the rest of the field and was 1:41 ahead of the half-marathon winner's finish. That's right, I didn't just finish second in the marathon I also ran faster than the entire half-marathon field! There is no question that this was my greatest athletic accomplishment to date. While I didn't run a smart race it was certainly a learning experience and I exceeded all of my greatest expectations. I am already looking forward to seeing what I can do at the Baltimore Marathon on October 11.



Here is the tale of the clock:
Mile 1 - missed the marker
Mile 2 - 11:27
Mile 3 - 17:12 (5:45)
Mile 4 - 23:00 (5:48)
Mile 5 - 28:40 (5:40)
Mile 6 - 34:21 (5:41)
Mile 7 - 39:55 (5:35)
Mile 8 - 45:41 (5:45)
Mile 9 - 51:29 (5:49)
Mile 10 - 57:20 (5:50) *10 mile PR at 5:44 pace
Mile 11 - 1:03:08 (5:49)
Mile 12 - 1:09:02 (5:55)
Mile 13.1 - 1:15:39 *half-marathon PR at 5:46 pace
Mile 14 - 1:21:05
Mile 15 - 1:27:03 (5:57)
Mile 16 - 1:32:57 (5:55)
Mile 17 - 1:39:16 (6:18)
Mile 18 - 1:45:12 (5:56)
Mile 19 - 1:51:57 (6:46)
Mile 20 - 1:58:26 (6:29)
Mile 21 - 2:04:51 (6:24)
Mile 22 - 2:11:23 (6:32)
Mile 23 - 2:18:11 (6:48)
Mile 24 - 2:24:54 (6:44)
Mile 25 - 2:32:08 (7:14)
Mile 26 - 2:39:42 (7:34)
Mile 26.2 - 2:41:46 *marathon PR

Overall pace - 6:10 (first half pace of 5:46 and second half pace of 6:34)
Weather was sunny and 51 degrees at the start.
Course description: Essentially a figure-eight with the start and finish (for both the full and half marathon) at the Frederick Fairgrounds. The first loop goes through downtown Frederick and is flat and fast. The second loop heads out east of the city and there are significant hills from miles 16-20. To see a course map (with video) go to:
http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/special_sections/marathon/images/FREDERICK_MARATHOMAP.pdf

The story of the day: After going to bed at 8:00 Saturday night, I wake up at 3:15 in order to make sure I give myself time to let my body stretch out and to get breakfast early enough to digest the meal. I have a bagel with peanut butter and sliced banana and pad around downstairs for about an hour going through my gear bags and drinking fluids before I head out. Once I arrive at the Fairgrounds, I do a bit of stretching and walking/jogging along with some very light strides. I head over to the starting line at 6:25 and place myself in the middle of the 6 minute pace area (my goal was to run 2:50-2:55 with hopes of cracking into the 2:40s; that would be a 6:30-6:40 pace) . The small group of us that are in the 6 minute area notice that there is no 5 minute group so we move up to the starting line for the national anthem. When the gun goes off a small group sprints out for the "photo op" but after the first 400 meters I am in second place behind Adam John Sierakowski, the eventual half marathon winner. I settle into what I believe to be a relaxed pace and head into downtown Frederick. The course winds around downtown and the park area of Frederick for the first 8 miles or so and it's great to hear the cheers from the local community. I miss the first mile mark and when I hit the second one I get the first check of how fast I'm actually going. I feel completely comfortable running sub-6s, so I just keep going. At the first water station I grab some Gatorade and I'm able to put it down fairly smoothly. After a few miles I notice that Adam is about 30 meters ahead of me and that this gap is staying stable. I decide that it would help both of us if we run together, so I start trying to catch up in order to not have to continue running in space. I eventually catch up to Adam around the 10K mark and ask him if he wants to run with me since it's clear he's going to win the half-marathon uncontested. He tells me that he doesn't want to hold back because he's going for time. I'm feeling good since I'm no longer pressing to catch up and we run together for a couple miles and actually speed up our pace.

Adam eventually falls back and I'm on my own after mile 8. The next few miles move north of town and I'm on my own with almost no crowds other than a very cheerful group in a Wal-Mart parking lot. I'm feeling great, but I try not to push too hard as I know I'm not even at the half-way point. I try and take Gatorade or water whenever it's offered (every couple of miles) although I turn down a Power Bar as I feel it's too early in the race. I hit the 10 mile mark and realize I've just knocked over a minute-and-a-half off my PR for that distance. It appears that I have tapered perfectly for this event. The course then winds back to the Fairgrounds for the finish of the half-marathon and I have a lead of over 1:25 on eventual winner Brian Baillie at the 13.1 mark (and I'm 1:40 in front of the winning time for the half). The course heads back into town and does a nice out-and-back on opposite sides of the creek where I get to see the lead I've built just before the 14 mile mark. I hit a water station and I take some water and a bag of pretzels. Then we head out to the east and the hills. The course moves out of town and onto a major road so there are no spectators, just me and the hills. I check my watch at mile 16 and do a quick calculation to find that I'm going to run a great time even if I fall apart for the last ten miles. I'm able to do a passable job on the first hill, but the second one kills me.

My quads start to burn and when I get caught around mile 18, it's a major psychological blow. I go from thinking about how amazing it would be to win to wondering how many more runners are going to pass me. While I can't keep up Brian's pace, I do my best just to keep him in sight. The next hill is fairly steep and it just wrecks me, but I do my best to recover on the downhill and flats. We move onto the side streets of a neighborhood and it's nice to have spectators again. I'm able to hold it together for a few more miles and am occasionally able to catch glimpses of the leader. I start taking only water at this point because I know I don't have enough time left in the race to digest the calories in food or Gatorade. We start to head back towards the city and I get to see crowds of other runners who are heading out. My quads are starting to hurt pretty badly and I'm just running on fumes at this point. It is a harsh welcome to the "wall". For some reason I decide to take Gatorade at the next water stop (probably because my body is craving sugars) and it destroys my stomach. At mile 24 there is another out-and-back section where I get to see the leader looking strong and am able to check that I have a 1:30 lead on the next runner behind me who's red bib indicates he's part of a relay team. I see no other runners for some time and no other blue full marathon bibs and I realize I'm going to take second place. With no pressure to run fast and my legs feeling like gelatin, I pretty much pack it in for the last few miles. The anchor of the first relay team (DC Road Runners) catches me by mile 25 and he asks me if I want to draft. I gratefully say, "Yes!" and he tells me it's no problem and he's been where I am now. It's a relief to have someone to run with even though we don't say much. At this point I just try and block out the pain, keep my legs moving, and savor the experience. Finally, I can see the Fairgrounds again and I make it to the track in front of the grandstands. I hear the loudspeaker announcing that the second place marathon finisher is coming in and calls out my name and that I'm from Frederick. The cheering from the crowd in the stands rises up at this news and I'm practically pulled towards the finish on emotion. I cross the finish line and look up to see members of my running club (Frederick Steeplechasers) who are working the finish coming over to congratulate me and hand me my finisher's medal. My wife and daughters come running over from the stands with huge smiles on their faces and I just stand there for a moment getting hugs and trying to absorb what I have just accomplished. Once I am able to move, I turn in my chip and grab some food. I try and keep moving and do my best to at least stay standing. I find out that I've won $400 for finishing second overall and I receive a plaque for that as well as a trophy for being the first finisher from Frederick County. Friends from my neighborhood, church, and running club all offer their congratulations. Reporters from the Washington Post, Frederick Gazette, and Frederick News-Post interview me. I buy myself a cool T-shirt and a fleece from the vendors before I head home. I take an ice bath, shower, and head out with my family to a Steeplechasers post-marathon fiesta. I keep expecting to wake up from a dream at any moment and in the morning I have to double check the race results just to be sure.

Newspaper articles:
The Frederick Gazette: http://gazette.net/stories/050808/fredspo180128_32355.shtml

The Washington Post: http://www.marathonguide.com/news/newsviewer.cfm?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ewashingtonpost%2Ecom%2Fwp%2Ddyn%2Fcontent%2Farticle%2F2008%2F05%2F04%2FAR2008050401641%2Ehtml

The Frederick News-Post: http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/reporters_notebooks_display.htm?StoryID=74887