Los Angeles Marathon XXIV - RunMarathon

Training for this, I initially thought I might get to sub-3:40, but recent long runs had me convinced I was more likely to wind up around 3:45. My plan was to run around 8:34-8:35 in the early going and evaluate as I went. Took it easy at the start, but still found myself with a 7:35 first mile. I knew I couldn't sustain that, but I felt good, so I decided to stay below 3:40 target pace as long as I could.

Last year, I took in a lot of the race around me, but this year I felt really focused. I think this is partly because I was feeling great and wanted to really maintain max efficiency for absolutely as long as I could. Mile after mile, I was feeling good and my Garmin was returning splits well under 8:25/mi. By the end, I only had five miles over the 8:35 pace that was going to be my target.

If my first attempt at this was about finishing...and hitting the wall...hard...and my second was about relaxing, this was the first time I really was conscious that I was racing the marathon. There were some interesting sights here and there (I've always loved Leimert Park and the Crenshaw District and hadn't been there in years), but in general this is a very boring course visually. So I mostly stayed focused on my form.

Had some issues with my right shoe and orthotic, but worked through them. Didn't really have any serious discomfort until very late in the race.

My take on the marathon is that it typically is three phases, roughly corresponding to thirds of the distance. First, you are warming up and settling in...you try to get through, say, the first 9-10 miles with as little stress as possible. For me, this lasted until about 10.3 miles...a good sign. (That's when I started to feel it in my feet.)

The Clif Bar 3:40 pace group caught me at 15.25 and I thought about staying with them. However, miles 15-17 were probably my low point...there are a couple hills in that section and--while I handled them fine--they cost me some energy. Never lost visual contact with that pace group, but couldn't ever make up the lost ground on them.

Second part of the race--where you manage your effort--ended around mile 17.5...again, a pretty good sign. My right hip started to ache then and I knew I'd be dealing with that pain the rest of the way. Even so, I put up some sub-8:25 splits deep in the race...I still had the ability to race this thing.

I'd been doing GU gels every 40 mins or so and alternating 2-3 oz of water with the same amount of Gatorade aid station to aid station. This worked well. Decided to eat my last gel a little early and cross my fingers that there'd be the usual impromptu offerings of pretzels from spectators to give me a bit of salt late in the race. (Good gamble...got not one, but two pretzel offerings.)

Saw DoloresM2 volunteering at mile 19 and yelled out a greeting. She asked how I was doing and--without thinking about it--responded "Great!" And I was doing great.

I was determined to push through miles 20 and 21 and see where that took me. I knew there were Disney Tri Team volunteers at mile 20 (I had my Disney team tech shirt on) and that gave me a boost.

Earlier, as I was keeping a pretty steady pace, a lot of people would pass me. Now, past mile 20, I was starting to overtake some of them. People were dropping into a walk all around me and I decided to see if I still had another gear. Put up an 8:25 split for mile 22 and followed that with an 8:26 at 23. Passed a ton of people and started to feel spectator support.

Finally...inevitably...I started to hurt...this time it was at 23.5 miles. Both calves started to cramp badly. But with less than 3 miles left, I knew I could gut it out. Doing the math, though, I realized 3:40 was a longshot. Miles 24 and 25 were tough. Wanted to go for it, but when I did, the calf cramps threatened to pull me up short, so I had to back off...mile 25 was my only 8:50 split. Left arch was now inflamed from edge of orthotic, but not terribly so.

Coming into downtown, there's one last downhill...I tried to really kick there and got my pace back down sub-8:20. With this course, you have one last turn and get a clear view of the finish just over 1/2 mile ahead. I didn't know how much of a kick I really had, but now we were in the biggest mass of spectators and they were finally giving us a lot of energy. I sprinted for the finish...hoping to get across under 3:42, but finished in 3:42:14 by my Garmin. PR by over 13 minutes.

If in 2007, I finished a marathon, and in 2008, I ran a marathon (start to finish), this year, for the first time, I really felt like I raced a marathon.

Maybe pulled the trigger and laid out the big out-of-pocket cost of run-specific orthotics, rather than sticking with the less-than-perfect HMO-covered pair I got this spring. Ended up using these new prescription inserts that I was having problems running in earlier...new Adrenaline 9's turned out to be the (last minute) answer...first shoes that worked okay with these new orthotics for some reason.

Otherwise, nothing. My 1/2 mar splits were by far the closest I've managed in three attempts: 1:49:42/1:52:37 (+2:55). This was one of the most satisfying runs I've had and leaves me reasonably close to the 3:35:59 I'll need for Boston qualifying after I turn 50 in a year.

Walked through the avenue of water, Gatorade, Clif Bars, bananas, Salonpas spray, and finisher photo stations. Sat and stretched my calves. For some reason, my right wrist started hurting during the run and I had to massage that a bit.

I was getting text updates on Liz's progress and it looked like she was doing well. Knew I had almost two hours to wait for her. Went out into the finish line fair and got a free beer and a turkey hot link. Decided to walk down to a vantage point where I could cheer for Liz. Saw her coming up about 5 minutes before I expected. She heard me yell for her, but I could tell she was hurting by her expression in response. Walked briskly back to the finish line reunion area (walk was a bit painful)...stopped to buy some roses for Liz from a street vendor.

Found Liz when she came out of the finish area. She burst into tears and sobbed on my shoulder. Part was just the effort, but also--she said--from thinking of her nephew who just deployed to Afghanistan...she dedicated her race to him.


Not much. I think I'm going to be struggling with the recurrence of my post-tib tendonitis going forward...need to get some better orthotics before my IM in August, I think.


The move of the marathon from early March to Memorial Day was received like a stink bomb by the LA running community and it's a near certainty the race will move back to its traditional date soon. That said, the new ownership appears to have been very conscious of all the negative PR and tried to put on a better race. The volunteers...esp. at the finish...were all incredibly solicitous of the finishers' needs and quick with congratulations. Aid stations were very well-stocked and staffed. Course is not especially challenging and not too scenic, but does show you sides of the City of LA that a lot of folks avoid...and really shouldn't.