Columbus Marathon - RunMarathon


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Columbus , Ohio
United States
Columbus Marathon
Total Time = 00m
Overall Rank = /
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

My wife Alice and I woke up at 5:30. I ate 2 pieces of toast with PB and honey. I stretched a little. We picked up 3 other runners at 2 different houses and drove to the race site.
Event warmup:

Empty the bowels at a porta john and some more light stretching.
Run
  • 00m
  • 26.2 miles
  •  min/mile
Comments:

I split up with the group I came with. Using the john took longer than I expected and I was unable to make it up to the 4:15 (that is 4 hours and 15 minuets) pace group my friend was leading. I ended up starting well behind the 4:30 pace group.
The first 3 miles I took it easy and warmed up. At mile 2 I threw off my old sweatshirt and took an endurelite tab and a Tylenol. Starting mile 4 I picked up the pace just slightly. Every three miles I’d take an endurelite and a jell. I planned on a Tylenol at the top of each hour. I was running just under 9:30 M/M. until mile 12.
The real fun began at mile 12 when my right knee started to hurt. I slowed slightly to give it a chance to work itself out. I had planned on a short walk break at mile 15. But at mile 14 my knee was really starting to throb. It slowed me to a walk. I walked for several minutes and thought it was going to be okay. I ran again for a few miles. At mile 17 I stopped again and tried to stretch my knee. Nothing I did was able to get it to loosen up. I was considering quitting right there when I saw my buddy Jeremy jogging by. He said he had bad knee pain as well. I joined him in a jog and we kept each other company past miles 18 and 19. We were going so slow I was able to joke with spectators as we hobbled by. I’d remark to them that this was the longest 5k I’d ever run. Or tell the ones with cowbells “I’ve gotta fever, and the only cure is more cowbell.” I was also watching my watch and seeing my 4:15 “secret” goal slip by. Then my 4:29 public goal was gone.
A few minutes after mile 19 I could tell I was not going to be able to make it to the finish by running. I told Jeremy to go ahead and I’d see him at the finish line. I stopped at the curb and again tried to get my knee to loosen up. No dice.
All of the sudden I heard my name. A friend’s parents spotted me and asked if I was ok. I told them about my knee pain and watched people pass. When their daughter passed and then the 4:30 pace group passed I knew I was done. I stopped my watch at 3:24:06 at mile 19.5. I ended up getting a ride to the finish line with my friend’s parents.
My wife faired only slightly better. She did make it to the finish in 5:10:09 but with bad gastro-intestinal issues. She had taken her cell phone with her and called me when she was at mile 25. She sounded like she was in great pain. I hobbled out to meet her as best I could and kept her company for a few steps toward the finish line.

What would you do differently?:

Nothing. It was just not my day.
Post race
Warm down:

None. I've done some light stretching today.


Event comments:

I've had about 30 hours to digest the fact that I did not finish. I'm really rather bummed about the whole affair. I felt like I had a good plan. My nutrition, hydration and pace were spot on. My plan was to run sub 9:30 miles and bank some time for a few short walk breaks. Before my knee really started to give out I was on pace for a 4:13 finish. After I got a ride back to the finish line I entered the finishers chute to get my timing chip removed (no, I did not cross the finish line, I had not earned that). After the volunteers removed my chip one started to put a finishers medal around me neck. I waved her off and said thanks, but I had not finished. That’s when it hit me that I hadn’t achieved one of my goals this year.
Walking the chute and seeing the finishers with their medals hurt. Some of you think finishers medals don’t mean squat. And maybe they don’t until you don’t get one.

So that’s the end of my season. 6 tri’s, 2 of which were HIM distance and one DNF marathon. So as not to end this on a sour note I’m considering redeeming myself in the spring at the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati. I’ll get that 4:15 finish there.





Last updated: 2008-05-29 12:00 AM
Running
00:00:00 | 26.2 miles |  min/mile
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Bad
Course:
Keeping cool Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5]
Physical exertion [1-5]
Good race?
Evaluation
Course challenge
Organized?
Events on-time?
Lots of volunteers?
Plenty of drinks?
Post race activities:
Race evaluation [1-5]