Pittsburgh Marathon - RunMarathon


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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
United States
75F / 24C
Precipitation
 		Total Time = 5h 25m 44s
Overall Rank = 3653/4033
Age Group = 25-29F
Age Group Rank = 324/
Pre-race routine:

To save you all the suspense...this isn't going to end well for me. The night before, Pat (who was running the relay) and I did everything right. Cut down the caffeine, ate a full meal. Relaxed. Went to bed early, and had been for the days before. And then our neighbors across the parking lot came home. Great. This of course entailed the kicking down of a door and our local PD spending a great amount of time in our parking lot and keeping us awake. And then our neighbors down the hall were having a drunken night and kept going out on to the back stairwell to smoke/yell/talk about who was doing what with who. All of which we could hear. Did I mention that I want to move, badly?

Event warmup:

Got up at 5am, had oatmeal and coffee and got ready. Met Pat's friends at his work and walked over to the start of the race. It was super crowded, and already very warm and humid. I was worried. I crammed into my spot in the corral and waited for everything to start. Did some warming up but it was so packed that it was hard to get some personal space.
Run
  • 5h 25m 44s
  • 26.2 miles
  • 12m 26s  min/mile
Comments:

Things started out OK. The first two miles or so were great, I was feeling loose and happy. It was really warm, really humid. Our first turn into Lawrencville, the skies opened up. It actually felt good because we were all so close, but I was worried about what wet shoes/socks would do to my feet. Crossed over into the North Side and I still felt good. I was feeling like it was a little hard to breathe, and then it hit me....holy carp I forgot my inhaler! OK, ok, don't panic, just take it easy. Crossed over 8th and 7th st bridges and decided to take a bathroom break at the Casino. Crossed over the West End bridge where I saw my parents cheering me on, which was so so so good for me. I put my headphones in at the bottom of the bridge because it was getting a bit dire. It was still raining. Got down into South Side, and the half marathoners split off from the marathoners, and it got really lonely. Came across the Birmingham bridge, about mile 12 now, and it was getting hard to breathe (heat+humidity+exercise). I also thought my diabetes was going to go. On the climb up into Oakland, the 5 hr marathon pacer passed me.

That's it. My race for a PR is gone. Way gone. I stopped at the med tent to check my blood and it was fine. Shuffled my way through Oakland and felt ok still, but my feet were getting painful. Mile 15 was tough, my stomach began to rebel against sweets and water. Mile 16-18 were tougher, my feet were beginning to blister, badly. It was both the toes and the balls of my feet. I still couldn't breathe. And then my hip flexor began to tense up and hurt, so I had to keep stopping and stretching. I resigned and had to shuffle and walk, shuffle and walk.

Not finishing was not an option. I was going to slog it out no matter what. I spent a year in physical therapy to get to this point. I was not going to give in. I finally ran into the finish line, very happy to stop. Got my medal, had the docs take a look at my feet...you know it's bad when a sports doc goes "EEEEWWWW' when you show him your feet.
What would you do differently?:

-train in the rain more
-HTFU
Post race
Warm down:

Saw the sports doc for my feet. Had some bagels and cookies and banana (none of which agreed with me). Stretched a bit. Walked back to Pat's office to get the car.


What limited your ability to perform faster:

-Rain, definitely. The blisters made my feet hurt so bad, it was like stepping on glass every time.
-Heat.
- Forgetting my inhaler. Dumbass.

Event comments:

I love this race. I'm so glad it is back. Even though I had a crap time, that's my own bloody fault. The volunteers were awesome, there were plenty of aid stations, the medics were great, our shirts and medals are bad ass. It's a very hilly and challenging urban course, but very scenic.

I'm so disappointed in my time, over an hour slower than my first race, that yesterday I signed up for the Columbus Marathon to try again, and I think Pat will be joining me for his first marathon!


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Last updated: 2010-04-20 12:00 AM
Running
05:25:44 | 26.2 miles | 12m 26s  min/mile
Age Group: 324/
Overall: 3653/4033
Performance: Bad
Avg HR 161, Max 181
Course: START LINE Near 14th Street heading east on Smallman Street Right onto 36th Street Right onto Butler Street Proceed onto Penn Avenue Follow Penn Avenue to 16th Street Right onto 16th Street NORTH SIDE/ WEST END BRIDGE Cross 16th Street Bridge Left onto East Ohio Street Follow East Ohio to East Commons Right onto East Commons Left onto North Commons Left onto West Commons Right onto Ridge Avenue Proceed onto West Ohio Street using west bound lanes only until after bridge Follow West Ohio Street to Brighton Road Left onto Brighton Road Left onto Ridge Avenue using east bound lanes only after bridge Right onto West Commons Left onto South Commons Right onto Sandusky Street to 7th Street Bridge Cross 7th Street Bridge to Fort Duquesne Boulevard Right onto Fort Duquesne Boulevard Right onto 6Th Street Cross 6th Street Bridge (Roberto Clemente Bridge) Proceed onto Federal Street Left onto West General Robinson Street Left onto Mazeroski Way Right onto North Shore Drive Left onto Casino Drive Left onto ramp to West End Bridge SOUTH SIDE Proceed over West End Bridge Left onto ramp to Carson Street Follow Carson Street to Birmingham Bridge Left onto Birmingham Bridge using east lane Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon Course Directions Draft #3 as of January 25, 2010 OAKLAND Right onto Forbes Avenue Left onto S. Craig Street Right onto Fifth Avenue SHADYSIDE Left onto S. Aiken Avenue Right onto Walnut Street Right onto S. Highland Avenue Left onto Fifth Avenue SOUTH POINT BREEZE Right onto Penn Avenue Left onto N. Braddock Avenue HOMEWOOD BRUSHTON Left onto Frankstown Avenue EAST LIBERTY Right onto E. Liberty Boulevard Right onto N. Highland Avenue HIGHLAND PARK Left onto Bryant Street Left onto N. Negley Avenue SHADYSIDE Right onto Baum Boulevard BLOOMFIELD Right onto Liberty Avenue STRIP DISTRICT Right onto 30th Street Left onto Penn Avenue Follow Penn Avenue to 16th Street Left onto 16th Street Right onto Liberty Avenue Right onto 11th Street FINISH LINE 11th Street - just after Smallman Street entrance
Keeping cool Average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Below average
Mental exertion [1-5] 2
Physical exertion [1-5] 2
Good race? Ok
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4