The last few race reports have been dirty, off road, pissing on your foot adventures. This one has much more family appeal. I ran the Indianapolis Marathon on Saturday, and it will go down as one of our all time favorite races! We were lucky enough that our friends, the Wainman's allowed us to borrow their house. (One of the all time great acts of generosity) Especially considering your letting Maggie run loose in your house!
On Friday, after getting Jake out of school, going to Dick's to get our Dora and Diego costumes finalized, we headed over to the Expo to pick up my number at the YMCA. It was about 4:00 when we got to the house. The kids started to make signs, and we baked Rose's delicious Turkey Lasagna, her award winning dish! A couple scoops, then some Vanilla cupcakes from Trader Joe's and I was loaded like a champion for the race.
Tucking the kids into foreign surroundings was a little more a pain in the ass than desired, considering Jake decided to wig out because he wanted to run with me. After yelling at him did not work, we went with the reasoning approach... so now I have to find some race "online" that we can run in together. Eventually, he got to bed and I was able to settle down and watch one of my favorite pre-race movies, Saint Ralph.... If you have never seen it, I can't say I recommend it but if you are going to do a run, it is a nice little inspirational flick... Ralph is a troubled Canadian teenager, whose mother is in a coma. After trying to get a hard-on on the ropes at gym class, he falls, hits his head and has a vision that if he wins the Boston Marathon, it will be the miracle his mother needs! Like I said, inspirational stuff!
Some how I woke up on my own at 6, and got down stairs for my pre-race breakfast and other odd rituals... Pot of coffee (Starbucks; Ethiopia Sidamo), bagel with cream cheese and a banana; all the while drinking water and Gatorade. This was the first time I had my Earpod (Jake - does not think it make sense to call it an IPod) for a race, so I was able to listen to my eclectic mix of 12 year old girl music, Scott Ramalho Chevy Blazer mix, and Haddon Heights wrestling warm up songs. It was also helpful in that I really didn't listen to what the kids were saying, nice I know, but focus is key to getting ready to run 26.2 miles!
Again, I can't say enough about Polly and Paul handing over there house. It is literally on the course... I had a 1/4 mile to get to the starting line from their front door. I gave everyone a kiss and started heading out. It was a perfect day for a Marathon, high 40's through the 50's for most of the race, overcast with not too much wind. And the first few miles, showed that it was a good day to race. I was planning to use this race as my last long run before the OBX Marathon in North Carolina, but as the first few miles clicked off... 8:10, 8:23, 7:53 at the 5... I started to think that either today was a day to go after a personal best... or I would crash and burn magnificently over the last 4 miles! After seeing Rose and the kids at mile 5 we started to head our towards the army fort and through Fort Benjamin Harrison Park. At about mile 7 we were treated to seeing a special Indiana dignitary, our own Governor, Mitch Daniels... very good to see his eminence out on the course today, even if it is an election year and 4,000 registered voters are out there! But in all seriousness, it is cool to see someone like that cheering you on... celebrity spotting is my other hobby!
At mile 8 I saw my dentist... he's a good looking cat, kinda like a bald Mike Aldstodt (Purdue and Buccaneer fame). Of course, last time I was there I took Jake in , and he was like "Your Rose's husband".... nice -- we've gone there twice and he's on first name basis with my wife!!!! Anyway I was polite and yelled at him, startling him... I'll see him on Halloween, great day to get a teeth cleaning!
Back to the race... not much to really comment on physically wise from mile 5 to 12.... I mean, it takes me 5 miles to warm up... all the time thinking boy I feel like shit - though I am running at a good clip... then once you get in a groove, your ready to go... those 7 miles are so easy its not even worth commenting on... the only thing is in the State Park is where you hit some hills. They do not seem bad while you are going through, but they do start throwing crap in your legs for later in the race. One of the nice parts of this course is there are a lot of out and backs on the same roads, so you are able to see the race leaders. Being a sports junky, you get to see the race while you yourself compete, kinda like getting to follow a pro golf tournament while you play on the same course.... though you don't get to drive a cart and there are no hot dogs at the half way point.
Speaking of that halfway point we get to mile 12.5 were I meet up with Rose and the kids. I stop. Jake has my special Tiger Woods Drive Gatorade ready for me. Maggie is in the stroller looking ready for a nap. She shares some of her Graham crackers with me... Everyone looks in good spirits, which is a relief. Its not fun to have see your family having a shitty day, while your the idiot putting them there, so you can go off and shred every muscle in your legs for shits and giggles! I give everyone a kiss and tell Rose that I am a solid 10 minutes ahead of were I want to be. I am going to let it all hang out so I will either be near the finish in 3:4o or will get there anytime after in a pile of drool...
The half marathons are pretty popular out here, so 98% of the entrants run off to finish their race... the other 2% of us idiots head out for the always more fun 2nd half! We start heading past the fort golf course... I see a guy on his 2nd shot hit a nice iron about 10 feet from the pin. I yell out"nice shot, now go sink your birdie." Nothing... OK, Douche Bag! f - off I hope you 3 putt! Sorry for the expletive (but that's a current pet phrase for anyone that sucks!) Right about there a start to notice the change in mental outlook...(if you didn't notice). We aren't at mile 14 yet and it is getting harder. A short little chap starts talking to me about how many less people are now around. I shared a story from Louisville, where I was the only person making the turn to the full and how much it sucks to all of sudden have no crowds or anything, just another 13.1 miles. He goes on about something... I am really blocking him out just thinking about how much harder that mile was @ 8:22 pace. I think he realizes I am no longer responding, and I'm a foot ahead. he Say's " Well, looks like your taking off, good luck out there!" "Thanks" I say, not wanting to expend anymore energy on banal chit chat... (Shit, can you see how bitter, I am starting to get!)
Mile 15 I hit in 8:20... OK -- I can hang in there... its going to be a tough 11 miles, but I can hang I there... Break in the clouds both mentally and in the real world... the sun starts peaking out... it is a nice run along Fall Creek Road... you can see the leaders coming back again.. they are hitting mile 22 as I come up on 16. Must be nice to be fast.
Mile 17 I hit in 8:35 slowing down a little, but still in the area.. its getting harder but I keep the pace for the next three miles in under 9 minute miles. They say the marathon is 2 races; a 20 miler, then a 10K... the last 6.2 miles. The last race is the toughest race you can run. Here's were it started to come apart, I start getting the twinges in my legs.. cramping is coming on.. I am out of fuel... I had been eating my GU's, but inevitably the body only has enough energy to get anyone through about 20 miles of running... hence, why that last 6 is such a bitch! I starting gulping down the last couple I have... If you don't know what GU's are they are basically 150 Calories of a substance similar to Corn syrup, just a little more science behind it than Karo... plus they come in a bunch of flavors. I was going with chocolate today. I had been eating plain for a few years (which tastes like corn syrup) but now associate that taste with vomit. So chocolate it is! I also threw down a couple of Advil... hopefully they kick in the last 3 miles.
10:08, 10:50. 9:51 through 23... I am adjusting my stride thinking that if I run a different way it will alleviate the cramping... really this just make the other muscles start to cramp. Its really hard to remember, or simulate the pain of those last few miles... I guess that's why I have no problems getting ready to do this again in a few weeks... basically, I eeked on by this one... ran out of fuel, probably... no, definitely went out too fast and paid for it later, but I just have to remember that this was my last long "training" run. A little dumb for going too fast, but I am in relative good shape to finish training for North Carolina... the last mile I am just hoping that Rose and the kids made it... I make the last turn and see them waving... I cross over the the wrong side. With out hesitation I throw Jake next to me and grab Maggie. Jake was going to get run his race after all... We cross the line together in 3 hours 53 minutes and 49 seconds... 396th place out of 1,127.
Maggie puts on the medal and we meet up with Mommy... we take some pictures, I grab a Brat... Best post race meal ever! and walk the back the beautiful one block to the Wainman's.... nothing is better than that post race shower... especially when your nipples aren't bleeding!!!!
Maggie puts on the medal and we meet up with Mommy... we take some pictures, I grab a Brat... Best post race meal ever! and walk the back the beautiful one block to the Wainman's.... nothing is better than that post race shower... especially when your nipples aren't bleeding!!!!
See you in the Outer Banks!!
