Where do I start. This was my first marathon! Went in thinking 3:15 or so as a super-stretch goal with 3:17 or 3:18 (really anything sub 3:20) as my realistic goal.

Started the race and took it really easy for the first mile. Partly because of traffic and party to not go way too fast the first mile. Ended up going quite a bit slower than I wanted to so I picked it up a bit for the second. Hit that one a tad faster than I wanted, nailed the next one, and then went fast again for the next. Well, fast felt good and confortable so I embraced it.

Rocked on through the 10k and then hit the half at just over 3:10 pace and feeling fantastic. Teamed up with a guy at about this point and we went at it together. Kept picking them up and laying them down at sub 7 pace through mile 16 and was still feeling really good at 20. Made it to 21 still feeling excellent and then 22 is where I started to get really tired. Fell back to high 7 pace for mile 23, and then was basically spent. Gutted through 24, and 25, 26 all in the 8:1xs. Finished feeling like I couldn't have run another step in 3:12.52 and was ecstatic at how well I did.

Ended up just missing the Boston qualifying time for my age (sub 3:11) but don't really care because I wasn't even going after it. Next time, when I go sub 3:00 :)

All in all, I was very surprised at how well it went. No surprised along the way. The only thing I had to deal with was getting tired at the end. Couldn't have asked for more. Time even passed quite quickly until mile 22. And even then, I've hurt worse before in a race (granted it was a HIM).

8:15.30
7:24.12
7:42.27
7:18.07
6:58.93
7:24.28
7:06.52
7:08.55
7:04.70
7:15.04
7:00.41
6:53.13
7:03.00
7:17.28
7:24.31
6:40.03
7:00.54
6:56.59
7:00.37
6:52.98
7:08.34
7:34.87
7:56.63
8:13.80
8:12.30
8:18.50
1:41.53

I think I'd not have underestimated my fitness level and actually went out expecting to run around what I did and pacing accordingly. Probably could have hit 3:10 if I would have been running 7:17s the whole way instead of the sub 7s that I was after a few miles above that pace.

Walked around a bunch and walked a mile plus back to the hotel. Got a leg massage as well.


Experience.


This is a fantastic event. The course is very flat and there are lots of aid stations. It's quite beautiful in many spots as well. You really get to see a lot of Cleveland through the race. I'd highly recommend it as a first marathon.

It's also a bit "weak" as far as really fast times go, so if you are fast it's a good marathon to place well in.