Marine Corps Marathon - RunMarathon

So, I'm lined up waiting for the start... The National Anthem has played... there are guys saying stuff on the loud speaker, I can't quite understand. I've stretched out, and am pretty much just people watching. Some people look kinda like me. Most don't. They are either the extreme runners, and you know what I'm talking about when I say that, or they look like they shouldn't be out here running. I kinda feel like the latter. But it's a little late to back out now. Then the Cannon Fires, and we're off. They've got Pump It by Black Eyed Peas playing and I'm getting really excited and ready to go. Pumped up, juices flowing, ready to take off... cue I-Pod. How Far is Heaven, by Los Lonely Boys. I do not need to be excited at the start of this. I will take off and run 3, 7 minute miles and be dead. GOTTA CHILL OUT!!!! It works. I'm back in the zone. Just out for a nice Sunday jog. The pace is comfortable, I'm feeling good, and holy crap there are a ton of people out here.
Who knows where the first and second mile markers were, I was more concerned about the people I was elbowing and those who were elbowing me in return. The first water stop is a total train wreck. Waaaay too many people. I think I managed to get one cup and that was it. So, finally I see mile marker #3. Check the watch and it says 28 mins. WHAT!!??!??! that's a 9:20 pace! Holy crap I gotta get moving. My pace tattoos had me there at 25:40 (goal pace, finish in 3:45:00) and 26:51(backup pace, finish in 3:55:00).
So, now that most of the crowd had dispersed some, and the major hills were behind us, and I had the swift kick to the junk on that time hack, I sped up. (Looking back, that was probably a mistake) Over the next 6 miles, I made up all the time and I was back on time for the Goal Pace. One thing that did help was the long down hill during mile six where I pretty much let gravity do most of the work and knocked that mile out in just over 7 minutes.
Around mile 12 or 13 my right calf and hamstring start to tighten up. They feel like they're both about to crap up. And I think that's just total BS. I try to ignore it thinking it'll go away and it doesn't. The only thing I've done differently is that I've got one of those knee straps around my right knee. Bought it at the expo because the knee has been kinda bothering me all week. So, I decide to take it off. Aparently, the return of blood flow through the leg makes everything better. I'm doing great again.
Mile 18 comes and goes, and I notice that my pace is starting to slow down a bit. Mile 19, same thing. Mile 20, only a 10k left. And it's not even 3 hours yet. But I know there is no way I'm going to be making my 3:45 goal time. That's fine, as long as I finish in under 4hrs I'll be happy.
Mile 21... hit the water stop... start to take off from that, and my legs quit on me. Everything has cramped up except the right quad. I try to stretch out the left quad and it only makes the left hamstring cramp even worse. I start walking, and things eventually start to loosen up again. The next 2 miles are at about a 9 minute pace and then I have to walk again. The remainder of the race is pure agony. I'm running each mile in 9 minutes, and then walking one minute after that. So it comes out to about a 10 minute pace. Things are looking good for my time to come in just under 4 hours, and then the last mile hits me real hard. Maybe I just wasn't mentally prepared for that kind of muscle pain, but it was tough. So, I muster up enough energy from who knows where because I'm running on empty, and I finally cross the finish line.

I should have done more long runs during training. I also would like to have done some weight work with the legs too.

I hobbled around picking up my medal, food, drink, solar blanket, and try to find the parents.


It was my first one. I should have done more long runs and leg work in the gym.


I still firmly attest that there is nothing normal about running anything longer than 10 miles. All those who do are, at a minimum, partially insane.