Marine Corps Marathon - RunMarathon

Wow. What an amazing experience! So hard, but SO cool! Still can't quite believe I did it.

Lane had warned me ahead of time that I'd hit every emotion in the book, and I pretty much did, with the exception of cussing myself for ever deciding to do this.

MCM has a time limit in that you have to maintain a 14 min mile to "beat the bridge" - you have to be on the 14th Street bridge by 1:45 PM, which is mile 20. Our start was delayed by 20 minutes with a medical emergency in the first wave, and the way things work in DC, I knew there was no way they could change that reopening of the bridge, and I'll admit, I didn't exactly enjoy standing there watching my 14 minute limit dwindle to 13, but I couldn't help but giggle as I thought about the "marathon time limit" thread. At the last minute, I decided to take my cell phone with me - figured it's one of those spiffy thin things, and would fit in my pocket - that worked out well later. The predicted winds of 15-25 MPH didn't really materialize, but there were some windy spots out there that were COLD.

Finally, we were off - the first 2 miles are uphill, but fairly gradual, so it wasn't bad. I stuck with my plan of walking 2 minutes at each mile marker from the get-go. No problems at any of the aid stations like I had at ATM - folks had already spread out enough even by the first one and they had more than enough people working them that I never had a wait at any of them.

Miles 2-5 are downhill, again mainly gradual, but there were a couple steeper downhills and I just decided to go ahead and let it out on those and enjoy the change in gait, knowing I'd have lots of flats ahead and my legs liked the changes. Miles 3 & 4 go through Arlington and then to Spout Run Parkway and GW Parkway - most places I've only driven before - it's still weird and fun to me to run in the middle of major roads! We went on an overpass over Rt 66 and it was so neat to look down at the cars and wave and they were honking for us as we went by.

Mile 4 is right at the Key Bridge and that was my first challenge at sticking with the race plan - there was a band and lots of folks cheering and it was HARD to force myself to walk for 2 minutes, but I did, and I'm glad I did. Once you're across the bridge, you're on M Street in Georgetown. This is basically restaurant row down there. Even though it's only 10 AM at this point, the kitchens are getting fired up for the day and OMG, the smells. All I could think about was that all of a sudden I really wanted a nice steak with peppercorn sauce! The reeses pieces & gummi bears I had in my pockets didn't seem like they'd quite do the trick.

Hit mile 5, crossed a timing mat and headed up into Rock Creek Park. I'd run this before, so I knew what to expect, which really was nice. It's a gorgeous setting for a run, but shady, and when you're already kinda sweaty and gross, it gets cold. It's an out & back section, and on the way back, I saw something I did NOT need to see coming in - sweep buses. Nononononono! I wasn't really sure how far behind us they were, so I just told myself that they were REALLY far behind. Best part of this section - BAGPIPES! I absolutely love bagpipes and hearing them when I am racing gives me such a rush.

Coming out of Rock Creek, we're down running right on the Potomac and the winds were kicking up again. I was VERY glad I'd gone with the running tights and multiple layers.

Approaching mile 9, I became "that person" on the course. I realized I'd not gotten any alert from the 5 mile mark on the phone, which also meant my brother hadn't gotten it either, and I didn't know where he was. So, I hit the mile 9 mark, moved over to the side to do my walk and called him on the cell... He answered with "Shouldn't you be running?" Told him I was sticking with my walk plan, we'd started 20 minutes late, and I'd just passed mile 9 - turns out he was up at 11, and let me know he was on the left hand side. Glad I took the cell. :)

When we went by the Kennedy Center, there was about a 6 foot wide strip of the course that was in the sunshine - and we were all crammed into it! Folks hit the shady spot and you could hear over and over as people moved, "Sun! Need the sun!!"

Hit mile 10 just shy of 2 hours, and was still feeling really good about things and looking forward to finding my brother. Found him just after I'd finished my 2 minutes and as he put it, it was "I hugged you and basically threw you back on the course" - I think he got what should be a very goofy pic of my approaching him. He let me know that Team Chippy was only about 5 minutes ahead of me. (Aaron, the Texas shorts along with the flag do make you stand out!)

Normally when I run, I don't much count miles left, but aid stations, cause there are less of them. But, I managed to totally lose track of how many I'd hit and forgot how many there were, so I was counting miles... Let me just say, it was actually a very good distraction, because I can't do math in my head to save my life. Trying to figure out miles to the bridge, miles to be over the bridge, miles to the end - I must have looked extremely strange as more often then not, I ended up having to count on my fingers, LOL.

I was starting to get a little loopy at the halfway point - I literally caught myself thinking, "OK 26.2 minus 13.1 is...dumbass, it's the halfway point, the SIGN even says halfway, it's another 13.1"

Saw my brother two more times down by the tidal basin - it was SO good to see him, and I am so happy he came out. Hit mile 15 in just over 3 hours - slowing down a little bit, but still feeling good and having a great time and totally enjoying all of it.

After mile 16, you head into Hains Point. They say this is where the voices in your head come out to play - it's quiet, there aren't many spectators, and this is what is between you and the bridge. The voices really did come out, but not for the reasons I expected. As we passed mile 17, it's 12:40 and I hear a Marine tell someone the bridge will close in 30 minutes. WTF? I yelled back, "NO! It's 1:45" I know it's 1:45, I've read it a hundred times, it HAS to be 1:45, and now I can't remember if you have to be ON the bridge or over it by 1:45, so I've got either an hour or 30 minutes to go somewhere between 3 and 5 miles. Around mile 18 (12:53), another Marine says it closes at 1:30. I'm still sticking with my race plan, I'm averaging a 12:30ish pace, which is well below the 13 minute benchmark that I'd committed to memory at the start. But - if these guys are right, I don't know if I am going to make it. I'm still so sure it's 1:45, but what a HARD mental battle. I finally told myself, "If you stick with your race plan and don't panic and beat the bridge, you can walk the rest of the way if you want."

At mile 19 there was a spectator by the side of the course that had a race map. I veered off and nearly tackled him and begged him to look at the map for a second cause I knew it had the time on it - 1:45. I asked him to read it too, just to be sure. He smiled and said, "Yep, you've still got 40 minutes and only have to get 1 mile - you're GOLDEN." I near cried with relief and took off again.

Hit mile 20 at 1:20PM. I beat the bridge. I am also completely looped at this point. There is a band right before the mile marker and I am so deliriously happy and loving the music I yell, "I'd throw my underwear at you if I was wearing any!" Hey, the bands need entertainment, too!

I'm on the bridge and remembering the promise I'd made myself on walking - while your brain may control your body, I know my body can take out some serious revenge on me, so I go to walk 2, run 3 - I was getting a little tired and it felt really good. TONS of folks were walking on the bridge, so I didn't feel bad at all. I also took a pic with my phone of the bridge when I hit it. :) I did stop once to stretch a bit - saw lots of folks doing it and thought, "Wow, I bet that would feel really good!" - and it did. Stopped next to a guy and asked how he was doing - he was doing good and asked the same of me, "I'm doing AWESOME! This is GREAT!" Yep, totally punch drunk, also evidenced by the number of Marines I smooched at the aid stations in the second half of the race. (Heard one Marine say, "We love runners like you!")

Going over the bridge I had the BIGGEST craving for a Coke. Icy cold, sweet, fizzy heaven. So much that I could hear the "pffft" of the bottle or can opening in my head. I decided if I could find Lane once I was off the bridge, I'd ask to borrow $5 and hit a street vendor once I was in Crystal City - time be damned, I wanted a Coke the way a heroin addict wants a hit.

Came off the bridge (WOOHOO!) and found Lane somewhere past mile 22. Thing is, I was so excited to see him and show him I wasn't dead that I totally forgot to ask for Coke money, and so mentally out of it (but so happy!) I didn't even notice he had one right at his feet. He let me know that Team Chippy was only about 15 minutes ahead - that surprised me to be sure, but I didn't realize til later that her ITB was rearing it's ugly head.

Kept going through Crystal City with the 2/3 walk/run. Still feeling pretty good physically, but I noticed the padding in the bottom of my shoes seemed to have disappeared. Mentally I was high as a kite.

Found the hashers!!!! Of COURSE I had to get my beer. Gave my beer guy a big hug and a smooch and he told me I was doing great. Not a half bad substitute for a Coke.

The Crystal City section is another out & back and I found Lane again around 23.5 and he did some running & a lot of walking with me. I'd hit the point where my feet just hurt when I ran, and walking felt GOOD, and you know me - I am all about the feeling good.

Looking back at my splits, my walk pace wasn't too bad, and I certainly didn't feel like I was dragging at all. Poor Lane - I was talking a mile a minute about god knows what the entire time - I don't know how his ears just didn't start bleeding. I asked later if I was even coherent at all, he said I was, and just on that high. Definitely.

He stuck with me until near 26, warned me not to stop at the top of the hill, cause you've got a short flat after it to get to the finish, then hugged me and sent me on my way. I started running again, passed the 26 mile mark and up the hill. I LOVED the hill - no doubt cause I'd had a very nice long walk break - but it's just a great hill, cause you can see the top, you know that's the top, it's steep but short, there are tons of people there and it's just AWESOME.

Hit the top and the flat part and that felt pretty darn good too - then you go around a little curve and you see the finish. It's right there - not way off in the distance so you know YOU'RE THERE. And of course, upon seeing it, the waterworks started. (You knew that was coming, didn't you?) Somehow, and I certainly do NOT know how, I managed to even speed up for the finish. Crossed the line, crying, some sweet Marine caught me and helped me stumble over to the side.

Snagged a bottle of water and was in a daze, and a Marine pointed me to a line, and I got in it. Of course, I had no idea what I was in line for, and wondered if I'd just gotten in line for a flu shot or something... Nope - finishers medals! I'm still a crying mess, hugged the Marine that gave me mine, and realized I've near blown my nose all over his uniform, and I'm apologizing for that, and he patted me on the shoulder and assured me it was OK.

Got myself a little more composed and called Dave and found out the entire kitchen and been kept up to date all morning on my progress. :) What an awesome phone call to get to make. I did it!!!!!

Not listen to folks that don't really know the beat the bridge time.

Have my brother have Cokes and cheeseburgers for me on the course. ;)

Stumbled around some more, found Lane and Team Chippy, realized I was freezing my hiney off once I'd stopped moving, and Lane, being the consummate gentleman, gave me his sweatshirt until I could get my bag.

Ended up walking a couple miles to the next metro station - the Rosslyn station had lines around the block - even after the marathon, the walking felt good and probably helped me not be so sore the next day.


I did a marathon, I beat the bridge, it really doesn't matter, does it?


I will DEFINITELY be doing this again.