California International Marathon - RunMarathon

So, we start and it takes me about 20 seconds to get to the start line. The group moves fairly well and spreads out just a bit. The first mile is downhill and it feels fairly easy (although my heart rate data would show that going from no warmup to race would push me to 180). I wanted to take it fairly easy for the first couple miles and reassess how things were. Things seemed to go fine although my left shin had tightened up. (this reminded me of how my shin tightened up during my first oly and just like that run, it worked it’s way out by mile 4). The sun had just come up and it was cool to see the long snake of runners ahead and as they exhaled, the low morning sun would light up the fog of their breath.

The crowd support was very good, far better than the support I saw (or didn’t see) in the San Francisco Marathon. There would be numerous spectators, music, cheerleaders, belly dancers, and such along the course.

Although this race is a net downhill, it’s definitely not all downhill. The first half of the race is rolling hills. As I would climb a hill, there were many runners who passed me. I don’t know I this was because I was slow (I was trying to manage a somewhat even effort level, which meant I would slow on the uphill) or not. At mile 7 or so, I recall one guy huffing and puffing hard on the uphills and I wondered how he would make the distance at that exertion level. DW drove over around mile 8 or 10 or so and cheered me on and ran a couple hundred yards with me. That made me feel good to have her support like that.

The first 10 miles came and went without incident. I managed to stay comfortably ahead of the 3:30 pace group, so I was feeling okay. The biggest downhill followed by the biggest uphill stretch of the course was here. I had kept to my plan of consuming 1 gel every 30 minutes and had something to drink at most of the water stops. Weather was still nice and cool although my hands still remained cold.

I continued the run to the halfway point and DW appeared a bit afterward. She gave me info about how far ahead water and bathrooms were. I took my first bathroom break; the 3:30 pace group would pass and I would not catch up to them again. It felt good to take the 30 second break from running and my legs temporarily felt renewed, but I could feel the fatigue creeping in.

By mile 18, there was a permanent level of fatigue in my quads that made itself present at every stride. This is where I started thinking about how LSD training runs helped with endurance, but only hinted at the muscular fatigue of a race. There was still a long way to go. DW popped in again to run and cheer me on.

Time for my second bathroom break. Just after mile 20, there were banners with bricks printed on them and labeled “The Wall” which was amusing. At this point, I knew that this is where the race really began. I tried to convince myself that I was just starting a 10K race now or I was just exiting T2 in an Oly and was starting the run. It only worked somewhat. There were many times when I thought to myself “why the hell am I doing this?” and “I’ll never do another marathon again!” I felt a little discouraged as the 3:35 pace group caught up to me. I tried keeping pace with them, but they pulled just a bit ahead.

Miles 21 then 22. The countdown begins, but based on exertion level, it feels like I’m in some anomaly in the space time continuum where time is stretched out and things are moving in slow motion. I embrace the pain and in it’s own way, the pain makes me aware that I am alive. It’s not a sharp pain, but the dull pain of deep muscular fatigue from the cumulative pounding and exertion. I manage to keep the 3:35 pace group within 50 feet. DW appears again to pep me up. I tell her I have the finish in the bag, I just need to push through the pain, and I’ll see her at the finish.

At mile 23, I know I only have just over 3 miles to go. It’s only another 25 minutes or so, I tell myself. Mile 24. The finish is drawing me towards it. I want to finish strongly so I push myself a bit harder. I am passing a few people here at the end who obviously started much stronger than I did, but are finishing weaker. At about mile 24.5, the pace leader waves his followers on (as it turns out he was ahead of pace) for the finish. A young blonde woman from the 3:35 pace group and I go stride for stride for the next mile. So close now. I reach down inside just a bit more and put a little more effort into my run. I’m at 14th street and the turn in towards the finish is at 8th. I make the turn. I pass the women’s finish chute. I turn in towards the men’s finish line. I muster as much of a sprint as I can at this point and I cross the finish line.

Time - 3:32:51 (chip time), 8:08 pace
Rank: 944/3789 OA, 161/384 M35-39

Below is the pace data by mile extracted from my Garmin (BTW, this was a pain to do. There must be an easier way). My Garmin read 26.36 miles for the course, so the splits are ever so slightly high (the mileage differential represents only a 0.6% deviation).

1 0:07:31
2 0:07:44
3 0:07:43
4 0:07:44
5 0:07:58
6 0:08:05
7 0:08:01
8 0:08:00
9 0:08:05
10 0:07:41
11 0:07:32
12 0:07:53
13 0:07:56
14 0:07:57
15 0:08:34
16 0:07:56
17 0:07:59
18 0:08:12
19 0:08:14
20 0:08:43
21 0:08:13
22 0:08:05
23 0:08:04
24 0:08:12
25 0:07:49
26 0:07:53
26.36 0:02:37


I was very happy with my finish time peppered with only a mild disappointment at missing the 3:30 mark. This was a 27 minute PR for me and only my second mary. I was possibly a bit undertrained, since I only did 3 and occasionally 4 runs a week. Still, according to the McMillan race calculator, based on my most recent 10K (although it was a trail run), I was aerobically capable of running a 3:32:07. So even though that was based on a trail race, I’m in the right ballpark for making the most of my capabilities at this point.

I was also reasonably happy with my somwehat even pacing. My splits were fairly even with the exception of the two miles where I took bathroom breaks (miles 15 and 20). I do wonder how much better I might have done with more even pacing. Chalk it up to inexperience.

My time at the half was 1:44:35 (which would have been a half mary PR for me if it had been a standalone race) which places second half at 1:48:16. I was able to dig in a little bit for those last 2.2 miles and I was pleased that I finished strongly.

Finish was very crowded and I couldn’t find DW. One reason I wear my day glo yellow cap is that she can find me easily. I walk around a bit. Get a bottle of water. Still can’t find her. Head over to the clif bar booth. I get some food and drink there. I stretch a bit. I head over to the post-race food and eat half a banana, a quarter bagel. I go get my sweats. I put on warmer clothing. I stretch. I get some more food to eat. I walk around all over the place. I still can’t find her. I go back to the finish area and look around, but it’s too crowded to really find anyone. By now, nearly 30 min. have passed. I end up asking a guy if I can borrow his cell phone to call my wife. Just as her phone is ringing, we see each other. I thank the guy and DW and I are reunited.


Post Race
We went back to hotel in Folsom. Went back to the Chilis since it was convenient. I was amused to find a Ferrari parked there. I told my wife, when we get a Ferrari, we have to drive it to Chilis to go out to eat. She indulged me by saying okay knowing that we’ll never have a Ferrari.