Philadelphia Marathon - RunMarathon

Ok, so just was we are about to cross the start line, my hydration belt falls off. I put it back on and a few seconds later it falls off again. I'm starting to have a mini panic because my whole strategy centers around drinking the Infinit as I had during my training. My confidence would have been completely shot without it. My buddy Bill, who was running with me officially, grabbed it from me and told me he'd carry it for me. We kinda argued about it for a few seconds until I decided I was fine with this scenario. Who wouldn't be OK with having a personal hydration specialist carry their crap for them for half of a marathon? So, that's how we ran for 13.1 miles, Bill carrying the belt while I ran along side him holding one of the bottles. Honestly I don't know if I would have offered to do that same if the situation were reversed. Not that I wouldn't want to, I just don't think that solution would have entered my mind that quickly. I don't know if I'm that nice of a person to think of that so quickly....actually I know I'm not, but this is why you have friends that are better people than you, right!? I'm sure I'm someone's nice friend....though I wonder who?

Anyway we started out on a good pace, and we were having a great time. There were TONS and TONS of VT fans out on the streets. I was wearing a VT shirt and heard shout-outs throughout the first half. In fact at one point I heard VT calls three times in one block in Center City. It was crazy. Bill couldn't believe it. I joked that I didn't really need him for moral support cause I had my VT peps, and that I just needed him to hold my shit. HA. Felt great thru the half way mark where Bill dropped out. He took the belt with him and I held onto the remaining two bottles. I dropped them at water stations as I finished them. At about mile 18 things started to tighten up. I kept telling myself to make it thru the turnaround and out of Manayunk before I would let myself walk. Didn't make it. I just past 20 when I slowed to a walk for the first time. I looked down and realized I had 58 minutes to go 6 more miles. Tried to pick it up again and realized I didn't have enough to get in under 4:00. Decided to do some walk/runs until I got past the hills between 20 and 22. At about 22 the 4:00 pace group caught up to me and I tried to run with them, but was quickly spit out the back of the group. There went the dream!

I was fighting demons at this point, dealing with the disappointment of not meeting my goal while realizing I was still a really long way from the finish. At that point I came up on a guy I knew from high school who I learned was running his first marathon. He was struggling and I got him to run with me for a bit. We chatted and I was trying to give him some encouragement and some tips on how he could get to the finish, basically the same stuff that was running through my own mind. At mile 23 I was planning to stop running at the bridge, but decided to run to the water station just beyond. Walked thru the station and then decided I could run until the next around mile 24. Made it there and thought I could run thru to the finish. Had some trouble getting started and had to walk again at the rock bridge/tunnel. After that I realized I had about a mile left and even if I totally cramped up I was going to run thru to the finish. So I put my head down and started running. Looked up only a couple of times as I pass Boat House Row and then approached the hill just before the Art Museum. I'd run that hill a few times during training runs and knew it was going to be a bear. About half way a couple of spectators saw their friends who were running next to me. This chick just started FREAKING OUT because she was so excited for them. The runners were clearly in pain and this chick was out of her mind excited, running ahead and snapping pictures and yelling encouragement, etc. I used this to distract me from the hills but still kept my head down. Got to the crest and knew it was flat to a downhill finish. The crowd was awesome an I heard a few friends shouting my name as I ran by. Running right in front of the Art Museum on that wide street is really, really cool. I turned down the parkway and down the hill to the finish. It narrowed and of course my pace picked up. I looked down at saw that I was going to miss my re-adjusted goal of 4:10, but I didn't really care at that point since I was still going to have a huge PR and I really pushed myself the last few miles. That was a great accomplishment in my mind. Just before the finish I moved to the left side of the street and the race announcer called out my name..."Here comes Kevin from Virginia Tech" and I gave him a high 5 as I passed. That was the highlight of the day.

I think more consistent training (though this was the most consistent I've ever trained for anything), more speed work and long runs of 22-23 miles would have helped.

Saw Stacey and my Mom after I got my blanket and medal. Just stood there hugging Stacey for what seemed like 10 minutes. Held it together pretty well, but I was pretty emotional. I think I would have been a mess if my kids were there. I've become so much more emotional since becoming a Dad. I'm not sure why, but its like a switch was flipped. Stupid shit makes my well up and seeing Ronan at the finish would have been too much.


More consistent training and being a little too heavy. Not being fit enough. My avg heart rate was 172. Way too high for a marathon. It needs to be an avg of 162 next time.


Not sure the price is worth rolling the dice on the potential for bad weather. Its an expensive race if you don't make the early deadlines. I think its time to look into early races or some in warmer climates.