Marathon Recap

This is overdue, I know, but I’m back to reality now after being away from my computer for a while, I’ve also plowed through a lot of pending work.  I wanted post a better recap of my race weekend, as well as a photo of the hardware I collected (I found the image to the left in the GRM Flickr pool - an amazing shot of the finish medal by Terry Johnson)

We left Milwaukee early Saturday and had an uneventful drive, though it was a bit bittersweet to drive through downtown Chicago.  Especially through the south side where I didn’t make it three weeks prior. Once across the Indiana border into Michigan, I remembered how gorgeous Western Michigan was.  Fall colors were pretty close to peak through most of the drive.

We stayed at the brand new JW Marriott Grand Rapids. Open only a month, the Hotel was amazing - one of the nicest places I’ve stayed.  Even better was that we stayed on Marriott points even though they were at 95% capacity for Saturday night (all that travel in my MCS days is good for something now). We went to Expo at the YMCA, picked up my stuff and then I headed back to the hotel to chill out.

Knowing my time was going to be north of five hours, I decided to do the "velocity challenged" start at 7am. When I got up around 6am my phone beeped with a text message from Eliezer telling me he was awake and willing to start at 7am as well.  I sent him a quick message telling him that was my plan and got dressed.

Checking the weather the night before, I knew it was going to be cold, especially before sunrise which wasn’t until 8:15. I wore my running tights, a technical long sleeve top, and the race shirt, which was a really nice long sleeve Brooks shirt. Not only did the race end up being way better managed than the Chicago marathon, but Chicago only managed to pony up for a cheap-ass cotton t-shirt that I’ll never wear. Why is the entry fee $40 more in Chicago?

I made it to the starting area around 6:40. Still on central time it felt like 5:40. I met up with Eliezer who’d just picked up his race packet.  There was a good crowd at the early start, and at 7am, Don sent us on our way. My wife and my son made it a few minutes before hand to send us off (just enough time for a quick picture with my son). The first part of the course was still on city streets, so fairly well lit, but quickly went off road onto various trails.  The course was well marked with glow sticks on either side, but it was dark!

The only knock against the race is the course not conducive to spectators, but that didn’t stop my wife.  She again studied the course map and spent a fair amount of time on Google maps figuring how to get around.  The one benefit is the course doubles back on itself, so I’d pass by the major spectator points twice.  After the first point, she got some advice from some locals who directed her to another spot not on the map.  As Eliezer and I crested a hill, we heard some spectators ahead and found my wife, son, and a Grand Rapids Police officer who was there directing traffic around the course. I was so happy to see them I almost missed the turn.

Early on, Eliezer and I were maintaining a good 5/1 run to walk ratio.  There were a few times I felt I was running a bit faster than I might have by myself, but it was nice to have someone else to help push me a long.  Through the aid stops, the volunteers were great. They were super friendly shouting words of encouragement.  In all it was a huge difference from Chicago where most tables were three runners deep looking for anything wet to drink.

By the time the sun came up, we were a good 1:30 into the race and I looked down and saw frost on my tights.  Eliezer had frost on his hat through most the race too.  A far cry from sweltering temperatures three weeks prior.  The run was actually pretty decent up to about 15miles. We had a goal pace of 12min/mi and were handily beating that on our splits. Around the 15mile mark is when our legs started to protest a bit. We both felt it around the same time. We lengthened our walk breaks out to 2 minutes at times and pressed on.

I will say this about the course, even it were not the first marathon I finished, it would still be one of the more memorable runs I’ve had.  A large portion of the course is on wooded bike paths along the Grand River, including traversing an awesome foot bridge over the river twice. The only run that comes close is running along the Snohomish River near the Red Hook brewery at the crack of dawn out in Washington state and having a bald eagle swoop over head. The scenery is absolutely breath taking, as this photo by Katie Weller shows.

As we neared the last few miles, I was planning in my mind when I was going to sprint.  I knew I had only a little left, and I knew it wasn’t much.  Hitting mile 25, we were back in the city and spectators were on the street encouraging us on.  I knew my son wanted to run the last part with me, and once we hit mile 26, I told Eliezer I was going to go.  I found my wife and son about 100 yards from the finish.  My son has been itching all summer to run with me, and after talking to a few folks on Saturday who’d run last year, they said the finish was the perfect place for him to do it.

Let me say this, my five year old is fast.  Granted, I was running on pure adrenaline at that point, but it was an honest struggle to keep up with him.  He did great (he’d received non-stop instruction the previous 30 mins on not running into anyone) and we crossed the finish line together. 

I know I thanked a bunch of folks earlier, but I’ll thank them again.  Thanks to Tom and Amy at Runners Lounge.  Thanks to lifestudent and Nat, fellow bloggers who stopped by here often with words of encouragement.

Thanks again to my running partner and the guy who put this crazy idea in my head in the first place, Eliezer Appleton:

Eliezer and Me at the Finish

And thanks most of all to my amazing wife, Amy. She put up with three more weeks of me training, on top of the 30 or so prior to that. Without her I would not have made it through this incredible journey.