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Soldiers Marathon - Run


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Columbus, Georgia
United States
39 F / 4C
Total Time = 4h 14m 38s
Overall Rank = /
Age Group = 50 - 54 m
Age Group Rank = 19/53
Pre-race routine:

This marathon has been planned for a long time. My first thought was to do my 1st marathon in my home town in February but I had heard how nice the Soldier’s Marathon was and thought the temperature should be perfect and it would be nice participating and supporting the military.
I decided to train really hard months ago and really upped my run mileage and started doing intervals and hill repeats. 5 weeks prior to the race I came down with heel issues so that curbed my running right when I was trying to peak but thought it would be better to start the race and run and figure out the race on race day, rather than not starting. I have also foolishly signed up for a 50K in December, so I did not want to be injured for that race so it will be an easy training 26.2 mile run.
I heard that we got to run in memory of a “fallen” soldier. I couldn’t wait to get the person who I would get to take the journey with me. I told my wife I would NOT race this race but run it and let the “fallen” soldier enjoy the run. My plan was to thank all soldiers I saw and all volunteers.
I was talking to the equipment repairmen at Home Depot and they said they had a guy who was killed in action. I will be running in memory of Nicholas Carnes. Shrapnel hit the artery in his leg in Afghanistan.
Days before the race I looked at the weather forecast and it is not good. It is going to be COLD. The week of tapering was not good, I was losing all confidence that I could run the distance.
Wife and I left for the race Friday morning and got to the packet pickup at Fort Benning’s army museum, wow what an experience.
We had supper that night with some of my wife’s friends and I made friends with them too.
Race Day:
Up at 3:00 to drink a bottle of water mixed with spirulina, ate some oatmeal and back to bed, wife was TICKED because for some reason I felt it was necessary to talk to her.
Back up at 4:30 for coffee, stretching, shower etc etc etc, again wife is not happy. She gets up at 5:00.
Got to the race early, it was cold, 39 degrees so we sat in the car for about an hour trying to stay warm.


Event warmup:

Just tried to stay warm
Run
  • 4h 14m 38s
  • 26.2 miles
  • 09m 43s  min/mile
Comments:

Race Start:
When the cannon went off, we started out with just a slow jog in the crowd, I thought this was fun. Between mile 2 and 3 there was a hill where drill sergeants were yelling for us to run up the hill. This was AWESOME!!!! I was running and enjoying the experience. I was telling every Army volunteer “Thank you for your services”. Since I run with only a watch I didn’t have a clue about my pace but my long runs are 10 minute miles like clock work, I figured I was ok since I was breathing so easy. About mile 3 I finally started feeling my feet and toes.
Now I felt like a dog, I could not pass up a port-a-potty, I had to mark my territory I guess. About mile 5 I ate part of a pop tart and took off my toboggan. At the 10 k mark it was an hour so I was right on pace but then thought, this is really slow.
I jogged and when camera folks were taking pics I tried to get Nicholas’s name up for the camera, it was about him and not me.
When the ½ marathon folks veered off, I got lonely but I was taking Nicholas along for the run.
I kept passing the 4:10 pacer, his name was Jack, he was great, telling folks when to take their gels, when water was coming etc etc. I kept passing because I was always stopping to pee. Finally his group was all gone so I just jogged with him and talked to him for a long way. It made the time fly by. Mile 17 was a huge feast, PB&J bagels, oranges, M&M’s, gels etc etc. I would stop and add gels to the water I was taking because gels by themselves play with my stomach. I got dropped at mile 17 by Jack as I filled my water bottle and peeing (again)! As I was leaving the feast I saw a little boy running. I asked him his age and he said 11, I looked to see and yes he had a marathon bib on. I tried to encourage him, he was faster than me and a good runner but he was fading fast.
By now we were running along the river few people were out. When I met another runner I would encourage them. I even gave some enduralytes and energy chews.
I was still doing good but starting to get a little tired and finally remembered to start butt kicking to stretch out my quads. It was warming up and Nicholas and I were running by the river and looking at the passing clouds. I started talking to him. I was sorry he had lost his life as such a young age. I appreciated his efforts. I know he wished he could be here running.
Mile 20, further than I have ever run in 1 day but thought just 6.2 more miles to go. Here the inside of my legs started tightening up and it started getting painful to run. Again, I started talking to Nicholas. I told him running was the easy part, what he did was the hard part! Guess what, Nicholas Carnes carried me to the finish line! I don’t remember a lot about mile 20 to 26.2 but Nicholas got me there. Thank you Nicholas!
Splits per the course
¼ 9:47 pace
½ 9:46 pace
¾ 9:40 pace
To finish 10:05 pace.

What would you do differently?:

I'm fairly new to running, I just need to run more miles and stay injury free.
Post race
Warm down:

When I finished, I stretched, got a drink and some pretzels and watched my wife finish and she set a PR, so proud of her.
The only bad thing of the whole race was the people eating the food and making a huge mess. They left popsicles on the granite stone to melt, dropped food, spilled drinks etc. and didn’t clean it up. I know the new recruits were having to clean it up Sunday.
I’m giving my finisher metal to the family of Nicholas Carnes, he deserves it!


What limited your ability to perform faster:

Being injured the last 5 weeks prior to the marathon but I was very happy with the results for my 1st marathon.

Event comments:

This is a small race, and runs a lot on the army base so there are few spectators but the Army does a lot to make it special and I hope to run it next year.

Thanks to all US military!




Last updated: 2014-08-05 12:00 AM
Running
04:14:38 | 26.2 miles | 09m 43s  min/mile
Age Group: 19/53
Overall: 262/
Performance: Good
Course: Pretty flat, only a few hills and not a lot os spectators but loved the ones we had! They were awesome!
Keeping cool Good Drinking Too much
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5

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2014-11-10 7:28 AM

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Expert
1439
100010010010010025
Tallahassee
Subject: Soldiers Marathon


2014-11-10 9:01 AM
in reply to: #5066438

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Extreme Veteran
1222
1000100100
Tallahassee, Florida
Subject: RE: Soldiers Marathon
I can't tell you how proud of you I am! You were down for the 5 weeks before but you put aside your ballstothewall attitude and did things smartly so you could start the race. I knew that if you got to the start line, you would finish. But I'm so proud of your finishing time! As well as your nutrution. And especially your attitude about it being about the soldiers and Nicholas. Awesome race and RR.

Now if we can keep you out of the Portas.
2014-11-11 8:34 AM
in reply to: Pink Socks

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Expert
2380
2000100100100252525
Mastic Beach, NY
Subject: RE: Soldiers Marathon
Congrats Karl I knew you'd have a great race. You just about ran a perfect race. You took care of your nutrition well and you paced yourself well. What an honor it must have been to run in the memory of Nicholas. I'm proud of you and you should be proud of yourself for not only finishing but for running in honor of Nicholas and all the soldiers. Great job and great RR, looking forward to do you doing well with the upcoming 50K.
2014-11-11 9:42 AM
in reply to: strikyr

New user
560
5002525
Key West
Subject: RE: Soldiers Marathon
Nice report and congratulations on the race. Your pacing was spot on.
2014-11-16 6:01 PM
in reply to: #5066438

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344
10010010025
Spencer, New York
Subject: RE: Soldiers Marathon
Well done, Karl. I liked the way you carried Nicholas and then he carried you. Very sad.
Great job with the pacing & nutrition. I think you know yourself pretty well.
Deb
2014-11-16 7:43 PM
in reply to: #5066438

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Royal(PITA)
14270
50005000200020001001002525
West Chester, Ohio
Subject: RE: Soldiers Marathon

Very well run and consistent splits!

Congratulations!

Lovely gesture to give the medal to the family of the fallen soldier.  



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