Vancouver Marathon - RunMarathon

This could be a bit of story. Mistake #1 - I seeded myself at the front of the pack. I was pacing people that probably trained for this and many other races. I did see Leah in the first part of the race, about 30 minutes in, she was dressed all in pink and was totally having a great time. I hit the halfway mark at 1:32:18. Pretty good, except I still had a long way to go. I thought it was my quads that were getting stiff from hammering down the hills as my plan was easy up hard down and strong and steady on even ground. Overall it was working and I felt pretty good but at Mile 15 my legs felt like they started shutting down. My IT bands were tightening up pretty badly and affecting my form. While running over the Burrard St. bridge leaving the downtown area, I thought I was getting gas...then my tummy went "blublugugnhna" a couple of time and I realized that I did not have gas but DID need a porta-pottie and FAST!! Thank the race director for putting a water station at the end o fthe bridge and I apoligise to the guys who had to clean out unit #1786 but I was in there for about 18 seconds and I made a BBRRRAAAAPPPTTTTT!!! noise and was gone again. Felt MUCH better, thanks for asking. Always wondered why people thought they needed to stop during a race to go to the bathroom. Now I know. So onwards from 18 and things really started to go downhill. My pan was to walk no more than 3 times during the race, not counting taking liquids from the stations. It turned into many more times than that! I would run a mile and then slow down to a walk and then try to rest the legs for a bit. I then started running and everything was way worse. The legs started to seize up worse each time I walked. It felt like I had re-bar in my thighs, ripping into my muscles. Hurt lots. I finally made it to Mile 20 and was feeling a bit better somehow and ran for 3 miles...only 3 to go, over the bridge and then home...I had to walk up the bridge as the legs were burning and I wanted to run the last bit so badly so I figured it would be best to save then since I was so far off my expected time, I might was well have a bit of fun. Coming off the bridge I ran into some buddies I know and they started running with me, they were all cheering and yelling for me to keep going and it really boosted me, but running with them picked up my pace to much and the legs started to give out a bit...worried me that I would be struggling on the last mile. I slowed to a walk and one of the girls doing Ironman (Laura) kept on running with me keeping me company. This was the longest mile I have ever been on. She asked my if I could smell the finish. All I could smell was my sweaty hat. Yuck. Some old guy must have seen my name on my bib cause he cheered out "Go Chris, you're almost there!!" Screw the pain, I hit the gas and pured it on the last 1/2 mile. Laura peeled off and shouted out some thing encouraging I think, I couldn't hear anything. I don't mean to be dramatic, but it was like a movie with no sound. I somehow managed to be mostly alone in the finishing stretch and everyone was yelling and shouting encouragement to me. I couldn't really hear any of it. I did manage to pick out two of my neighbors that came out to see me, I gave them a quick wave and continued my sprint to the finish. Kari was up on the finish line overpass, I know this cause I called her earlier on my cell and she told me where she was going to be. As I neared the finish I spotted her and then heard her yelling and cheering, that was awesome! I hit that finish line so hard and so fast I had a hard time stopping before running into a few people. This finish was probably my favorite so far. I continued into the finishers lane to get my "blanket", medal and return my chip. Great run. Not what I wanted but I guess I am happy with it. Best ever, first, but still the best.

Next time I will know how to pace myself, where to seed myself and I will have legs that are not so damaged so I can run on them.

Ate everything insight, stretched out then off for waffles!


Quad muscles and IT bands.