Marine Corps Marathon - RunMarathon

The pace group plan was to run 2 minutes/walk 1 minute. Pace group leader had paced for Galloway groups before. It seemed like an ok plan to me because I was planning on doing a run/walk interval for the race anyway.

It took about 20 minutes to get to the actual starting line because of all the people. The first couple of miles were really exciting with all the people all along the sides. They were pretty uneventful. The two minutes was a little short to me. It felt like I had just enough time to really get into running and then we were stopping, so that was a little annoying. I tried to find Tony (dalessit) after mile 2 in his orange jumpsuit, but I never did see him. :( I figured out one of the other problems with the pace group at the first water stop. We had just finished walking as we got there and ended up running through it. Not fun. So I grabbed a cup of water and ran with it until we walked again. I can't run and drink. I just end up choking. The running was fine. It was a little hilly, which I don't really like and I was towards the back of the group going up the hills, but caught them going down.

Coming across the first bridge was pretty cool. It was another neighborhood with lots of people. There was a high school band with bagpipes! How cool is that! After the second water stop (around mile 5), I started having bad stomach cramps. At first I thought they were just side stitches, so I concentrated on breathing out as my left foot came down to try to relieve it. It got hilly again around mile 6, and I couldn't keep up with the pace group, so I started walking while they were running. My plan was to start running once it got flat and then catch up to them (I could still see them at this point). But, the stomach cramps kept getting worse. Eventually, I knew it was one of those "I need a porta-potty NOW" situations. But, there was none in sight. I had a feeling that the next water stop was the one we had gone past around mile 5, which would put it about a mile away. At one point, I considered asking one of the spectators if I could use the bathroom in their house. Somehow I made it to the water stop and the porta-potty. I was not feeling well at all and knew I was going to have to stop again later.

At this point, I couldn't see my pace group anymore, so I started doing 5/1 run/walk intervals. It was working better for me. The stomach cramps were really bad. We ran through Georgetown. I've gone there to shop before but I didn't recognize it at all because there was no one there and no traffic. Kinda funny. All the stores were closed, so I guess that's no surprise. Next, we ran through the first food stop. I didn't take any, since I'd been eating a few Sharkies every mile since mile 5. I was working on my own nutrition plan rather than using the food on the course.

After Georgetown, we turned down to the river and ran in the area that I did for the tri and into Haines point. I stopped at a porta-potty again. I had to walk for awhile just to try to get the cramps to go away. There were not a lot of people going in my direction anymore - mostly the other way. That was a little disheartening and annoying. Haines point was really empty of spectators. There were some Marines around, but not a lot of people. I started walking with a girl from TNT - Caroline. She was really sweet and giving me lots of pep talks as to why I should keep going. Had a lot of good quotes too. My favorite was "Side stitches and car alarms are the same - you ignore both until they go away". That made me laugh and was pretty helpful. Finally crossed the halfway point in 3:16:24. I knew I was going to have to pick it up a little if I wanted to beat the bridge, but I was still not feeling very good. At this point, I started to switch to Powerade at the aid stations because I was so dehydrated. I could feel myself getting a little dizzy. That went away a few stops after starting the Powerade.

I started doing some short (2/1) run/walk again around mile 16 and that felt ok. I was still frustrated and down on myself for not doing better, but then "Sesh says HTFU" popped into my head and I started thinking about everyone here and how I didn't want to have to come back and say that I didn't finish. So, I kept going as best as I could. I knew that I was getting really close to the bridge and running out of time. I kept thinking in my head that I had until 1:45, which was about an hour. One of the TNT coaches told me that I only had until 1:15, which was a half an hour away and I still had a bit to go. I pushed as hard as I could even though it was really hurting my stomach. I finally got around the National Mall loop - which was so cool to get to run around! - and saw the bridge. At that point, I knew I was going to make it and I started crying. I couldn't help it. I was so excited and happy that I totally lost it.

The bridge over the river was the longest, most horrible part of the entire race. We were told that there would be water on the other side of the river. Turns out, they meant once we got to Crystal City. It was so hot and windy on the bridge and I needed a porta potty (again). I stopped to re-tie my shoes because my feet were swelling so much and went as best as I could. One of the medical guys on a bike noticed me holding my stomach and asked if I wanted them to check me out. No, I knew what was wrong, I just had to keep moving.

There was finally a porta-potty and water stop when we made it into Crystal City. Stopped again, then started running as much as I could continuously. The section through Crystal City was a little annoying since it was basically an out-and-back loop. Oh well. I made it through there and then turned to go under the highway. I was walking here and another woman came up to me and said, "Let's both run to the 24 mile marker". I didn't think I could do it, but she pushed me and I made it. Now we were near the Pentagon parking lot where we had started in the morning. It was really hot and sunny. At this point, we were just running on highway 27 again to get to Arlington Cemetery. At this point, I was just shuffling along trying to finish. I had a huge blister on the bottom of my left foot that I could feel with every step and my left knee was cramping up. I was talking to a lot of people here. It was helpful.

We finally turned off the highway and then had to run up a hill to the finish line. Not too bad, just kind of mean. I made it up the hill and then ran as much as I could to the finish line. I made it!! I had finished the race! I was so ready to just lay down and take a nap, but I couldn't. I got my space blanket, walked through to get a medal and a bag of food and then hobbled off to go meet my husband.

Not get so nervous, try to figure out why I got sick and help prevent side stitches. Training more probably would have helped too.

Walked to the bag pickup area. I was supposed to meet my husband at the truck, but he wasn't there. So, walked back to Verizon to call him (no answer of course). Sent a text message instead. We finally met up and then walked over to the finish area festival. I put on a pair of scrub pants (I was cold). Got our picture taken.

My husband kept trying to tell me he'd carry my medal, but I refused to take it off. Got in the huge line for the Rosslyn metro station. Finally got in and got through the gates, only to find that the elevator down to our train was broken! Mean!! Had to wait about 10 minutes for a train because the first one left as we were walking down the escalator. Took the train back to our friend's house. I got to shower. Then we headed home. I think I slept most of the way home.


Being sick. I can't believe how much time I spent in the bathroom during the race. That was at least 15 minutes of my time, but there was really no way around it.


Very good race with lots of crowd support. My only complaints were that there was not enough food along the way and that it is very crowded at the Rosslyn metro station at the end. I don't think there's any way around the Metro being crowded, though.