The first couple miles ticked away without anything exciting. It was a slower pace as there was a crowd but I started passing people. Skipped aide station 1 but stopped at #2 for some Gatorade and water. This is also when my 305 decided to tell me the battery was low but it lasted the whole race…whew! I started running with a guy around maybe mile 4 and we both thought we knew each other but it happens we didn’t. He was prepping for IM Moo 2012 and wanting to go 3:45-4:00 today but was pacing me at a 7:30-7:45 pace early on. Right around mile 6 was my only race bathroom break in under 30seconds.
The next miles ticked away and I met a couple people (Juan and Jen) who were trying to go 3:30 as well. Jen was having issues already and Juan seemed like he would stay with her, I pressed on. They were passing out clif shots around mile 7 and I grabbed one just in case while I thought, mile 7 already? I was carrying a gel flask with 4 clif shots (mocha) and taking some in every 4-5miles so the extra was for the late run!
Through the German Village area I was feeling good and taking in fluids. I might have started the water on my head here to give me a little wake up as well as some Gatorade and water as needed. Mile 11.70 was when my stomach felt bad. I had not felt it in training before and my nutrition was going off as planned. I felt like I needed to puke so a new plan started which may have been a bad idea but it was, drink until you puke. Luckily I never did and it calmed down after the 13.1 mile split for the half people finishing.
I finally caught up to the 3:25 pace group and it felt oddly slow. People were chatting but some people seemed to fall off. After about a mile I decided to forge on and do it myself and this was at about the OSU campus area (mile 15). Once we passed Ohio Stadium is when the race started to take its toll about mile 17.
I remember going under a bridge right before mile 18 and the course DJ was playing some dubstep music which gave me some energy. I forged on to the mile 18 aide station where a younger kid asked if he could splash me with water so I let him.
Once we hit mile 20 the legs were feeling rough but it was only a 10k left, right? Well somehow mile 21 came and went which felt like forever. I kept pressing on passing people as I went who were in worse shape than myself. The hardest part was with about 1.75 miles left. My legs were gone but I pushed on. Mile 26 was myself at 8+ and with the down chute left my legs cramped majorly. I ran like Forrest Gump in leg braces while the fans cheered me on.
Once I passed the finish line I collapsed in a medical guys arms and was taken to the medical building (Nationwide Arena) to get stretched out. It was painful but I was done!


I do not think it could have been executed better for my first marathon. My peak week may have been a little over 50miles but I had 3 twenty mile runs each getting faster in training. I think I will up weekly distance if I want to try to BQ but by the time I get in that shape I may be in another AG with a slower time :)

Afterward I just wanted to get home after the medical stretching. I laid down in the backseat while my mom and aunt drove me home. Post race food was some vegan burritos and roasted sweet potatoes. It was the only thing that sounded good other than double leg amputation.