Gettysburg Marathon Race Report

"I will prepare and someday my chance will come."  - Abraham Lincoln

Marathon weekend got off to an ominous start.  After packing up and bidding my family goodbye for the weekend, I set off at 12:15pm on Saturday for what was supposed to be a 2.5 hour road trip.  After 15 minutes of smooth sailing, I ended up parking on the Schuylkill Expressway for the next 45 minutes, ultimately requiring 1 hour and 45 minutes to traverse a five mile stretch of road.  Ugh.  Thankfully, it took only an additional hour and 45 minutes to traverse the remaining 120 miles, so I pulled into the hotel parking lot in Gettysburg right about 4:15pm.

I met up with Kevin and Ed (two of my running buddies who would also be competing in the marathon), collected my bib and race packet info at the expo (fortuitously located in our hotel), grabbed a quick snack and then headed back out on the road to drive the race course so I could see exactly what kind of adventure I had signed myself up for.

The online course profile does not really do the topography much justice.  This course is hilly.  Damn hilly.  Right from the get, there is a short steep climb to end the first mile, and then mile after mile of rolling hills.  Embedded in the middle of the seventh mile is a long, twisting, never-ending climb that peaks at a point that rewards you with a beautiful view of the valley.  Then comes the quad crushing monster downhill that leads to some more rolling hills before the last really serious climb shortly after mile 10.  The course remains rolling until mile 15, when it thankfully flattens out for most of the duration of the race, save for a little tester around 18 miles, and another tester around 23 miles.  I finish my drive of the course holding some serious doubts about my goal time of 2:55-3:00.  This was definitely not your flat, PR-type course.

I head back toward the hotel, first stopping at an Italian restaurant to pick-up a dinner to go.  The place is hopping, full of visitors in town for the race.  By the time I get my food (spaghetti, garlic bread, salad) and get back to the hotel room, it is approaching 7:00pm.  Where did the day go?

I shovel the food in, washing everything down with all the Gatorade I can handle, and then rest up before turning in early around 9:15pm.  I sleep fairly soundly until about 2:30am, when the race day nerves keep waking me up every 30 minutes or so.  At 4:30am, I finally give in to my nerves and force myself to eat a banana and Clifbar, starting the pre-race ritual of consuming at least 150-200g of carbs.  Around 5:00am, I doze off for another 30 minutes until Ed's alarm goes off at 5:30am.

It is officially race day!

I head down to the lobby and collect bagels and cream cheese for Kevin and Ed, and an English Muffin with peanut butter for myself.  I keep drinking Gatorade until I put away all 48oz or so, and make my last pitstop of the morning.  I put on the gear I laid out the night before, and we head out to the parking lot together to ride over to the start/finish line.  We get there about 6:45am, giving us 45 minutes to kill.

The weather is perfect.  46 degrees at the start, climbing near 60 degrees toward the finish, with relatively comfortable humidity (50-65%) and wind (0-10mph).

I do a very easy warmup jog lasting about 3/4 mile, consume my first Gu gel 15 minutes before the gun, and then shed my clothes and drop my stuff off at the bag check-in.  We head over to the line.

I make my way toward the front and start chatting with a guy who it turns out won this thing last year in 2:36.  He is hoping to improve on his time this year.  I tell him my more modest goal of setting a new PR (2:59:50), and getting as close to 2:55 as I can.  He points ahead and asks me which stop sign is the one we make the first turn, and I assure him that it is the second one since I drove the course last night.  After the singing of the national anthem, the race director sounds the horn that sends the four wheelchair racers on their way.  About five minutes later, he gives us the signal to toe the line.

Bang!

I have practiced again and again at controlling my start and not going out too aggressively, and after 100 meters or so I find myself in a small pack of runners about 15 places off the lead.  Three runners (including last years' winner) make a go at it from the beginning and surge immediately ahead.  As we approach the second stop sign, I notice that the three lead runners are following some cyclists who missed the turn, causing them to go about 100 yards off course.  Which means when we make the turn and the pack settles, I suddenly find myself LEADING a marathon about 1/2 mile into the race!  What glory!

We approach the first major climb and the lead runners have caught back up and re-taken the lead.  I try not to press and stay relaxed up the hill, knowing I will need to conserve as much energy as possible for what lies ahead.

Mile 1: 6:55.  A tad slow, but better than a tad fast.

I try to find someone to keep pace with for the opening miles, and I latch on to the lead female who is hoping to break 3:00 for the first time and her male training partner, whose stated goal is to beat her.  We laugh.  I stick behind them for the second mile, which is mostly downhill after that first climb.

Mile 2: 6:45.  Perfect, except I still feel lethargic.

I notice that my little group is slowing down, so I look ahead and see another runner about 15 seconds ahead of us.  Having counted heads at the beginning, I know he is in 5th place and the only runner in real sight.  I figure he is my only chance to stick to a 2:55 finishing time, so I set off alone to reel him in.  We pass the first fuel station and I manage to get about 3 oz of Gatorade in me and only 2 oz on me.  I call that a success.

Mile 3: 6:49

But the pace doesn't feel right.  The rolling hills are messing with my rhythm, and I keep telling myself to relax, it will get easier, even though I don't fully believe myself.  Somehow we pass another fuel station around 3.5 miles, and I consider it too early to take more Gatorade.  I figure there will be another station soon enough. 

Mile 4: 6:41

The female runner and her friend latch back onto me now, and we work together for this mile.  I welcome the company and sit behind them.  I take in my second Gu gel of the day, which goes down smoothly but in the back of mind I start doubting that there will be another fuel station soon.  I should have timed the gel a little better.

Mile 5: 6:40

My two friends fall off the pace again, and I find myself yo-yo-ing between running a more conservative pace with them, or chasing the guy who is still 15 seconds ahead of me.  BIG DECISION #1 - I throw caution to the wind and target the guy in front of me.

Mile 6: 6:48

Finally, we hit another fuel station and the Gatorade has never tasted so good!  Split over mile 6 and mile 7 is the longest climb of the race, the one that peaks at the top with a view of the valley.  I notice the guy in front of me slowing, and as I run the tangent along the winding road, I slowly pass him.  By the time we get to the top, I am 10 meters clear of him and pulling away.  What am I doing?!  I still don't feel great but I continue to forge ahead.  I don't look back.

Mile 7: 6:45

The course continues to roll.  I still don't feel great, but I am feeling better knowing that two of the major climbs are over.

Mile 8: 6:39

Huge downhill mile!  I try to control myself so as not to completely thrash my quads.  When I level off again, I notice that the increase in turnover from the downhill has kind of woken me up out of the fog I was feeling.  The pace starts to feel normal - finally.  I also get about 2 oz more of Gatorade in me, which helps the cause.

Mile 9: 6:41

One of my training partners, Colleen, and her husband, Bill, have made the trip to Gettysburg for the weekend.  They used to live in the area and still have family here, so they combined a family weekend trip with coming out to support me, Kevin, and Ed.  Seeing their faces and hearing their voices is a HUGE pick-me-up.  I feel the momemtum building, even as my legs shake off the heaviness brought on by the hills.

Mile 10: 6:46

I take in my third Gu gel, knowing that the last major climb is approaching.  I back off the pace a little, using this section to conserve energy.  With how I am feeling, my target time is now 2:57-:58.  When I get to the half and see my split, I will hone in on a real goal.

Mile 11: 6:55

Wow that hill was tough!  I get about 3oz of Gatorade as a reward for my efforts, but the rolling hills keep coming.  I try to settle down.  I know that the course levels off several miles up ahead, and I keep telling myself it will get easier (even though at the moment I don't fully believe it).

Mile 12: 6:40

The first mile of the race where goal marathon pace felt like goal marathon pace.  I wish I felt a little fresher than I did, but I am concentrating on each mile and not overthinking the race. 

Mile 13: 6:46

Damn, I missed the fuel station and didn't get anything!  I am mad at myself for just a moment, but I realize I can only control the moment and that moment has passed.  I then approach a man standing in the middle of the road and he is holding something out.  Is it a bottle of water?  No, he is holding a scanner and I realize he is standing on the 13.1 mile marker.  "Just getting your split.  You are in 5th place, great job."  I check my watch - 1:28:30.  I find out afterward that the official split is 1:28:14.  I hit exactly the halfway split I wanted: 1:28:00-1:28:30.  I just wished I felt a little fresher.

Mile 14: 6:41

A mystery fuel guy does appear after all.  A man clearly not affiliated with the race is handing out ice cold sealed bottles of water.  At this point I don't care who he is or if he poisoned them...I break the seal, pour some water on me, swish some in my mouth, and then drink a few ounces.  God that felt so good!  There is a corridor of spectators along a 1/4 mile stretch of road ringing cowbells and cheering like mad.  I high five a little kid holding his hand out.  I finally start to ENJOY the race.

Mile 15: 6:44

I cover the last section of rolling hills feeling in control.  I take my fourth Gu gel, and I feel like the energy goes straight into my bloodstream.  My strides opens up.  My arms relax and my legs lose their tension.  I start feeling the marathon magic!

Mile 16: 6:37

I see Colleen again and this time she has a FULL bottle of Gatorade for me with the twisty cap!  I am in heaven.  She runs alongside of me for about a half mile, giving me an update on Kevin and Ed.  She assures me I look really fresh and my pace seems dead on.  She tells me I will see Bill somewhere up ahead but I won't see her again until the finish line.  Kevin is hurting and she is going to run the last 10 miles with him.  She tells me to stay relaxed.  As she fades off I tell her that 2:57 is now the goal.  She says, "Go get it!"

Mile 17: 6:37

I stop looking at my watch as often as before but I know that I am picking up the pace, which scares me a little.  BIG DECISION #2 - I am going for it!  I feel great, I will stay within myself, but I know the big hills are past me and I should be able to hold this pace.

Mile 18: 6:44

One of the two last little test hills.  I realize that I am now in unknown territory this marathon cycle, as my longest training run was 17 miles.  But I am feeling BETTER now than I did five miles ago.  I am getting STRONGER.  I get 3oz of Gatorade from a small squad of volunteer girls who are holding up homemade signs that say "Go Marathoners!"  I am feeling it.

Mile 19: 6:37

I come upon one of the wheelchair participants on the side of the road and I ask him if he is okay.  He says he is just taking a rest stop.  He says, "4th place just passed and he didn't look as good as you."  I get even more energy.

Mile 20: 6:25!

I take my fifth and final Gu gel, and I spot the fading runner.  I hit a water stand and pour some on myself and drink what I can.  I don't feel like I need the fuel at this point but I want to take everything I can comfortably ingest so that I make it to finish feeling strong.  I don't remember a downhill in this section, nor do I remember running this fast.  I think the idea of catching runners just stoked the fire.  I tell myself that I won't check my watch anymore so that I don't become afraid if I run faster miles or discouraged if I run slower miles.  I treat the rest of the race like a tempo run, racing as fast as "feels right."

Mile 21: 6:34

I catch the fading runner just as we make the turn toward home.  Suddenly we are running into a steady 10mph headwind, which has a cooling effect with the rising temps, but also starts to slow the pace.  No matter, I pass the runner easily and he offers up a "Great job."  I wish him the same, knowing all too well what he must be feeling right now.  But that's not me and not today.  I have promises to keep today.

Mile 22: 6:39

I stay relaxed.  I am tired, but the pace still feels comfortable.  I can't believe I am a few miles from the finish.  I tell myself to stay in the moment, and think about one mile marker at a time.  It's going to happen!

Mile 23: 6:37

The last little tester hill on the course is a piece of cake.  I hit a fuel station and take as much Gatorade as I can direct into my mouth, which turns out to be about 1-2 oz.  About a minute and half ahead, I can spot the next runner, and about 30 seconds ahead of him, another runner.  Can I possibly place on the podium?!

Mile 24: 6:39

I meet Bill at the perfect time.  He, too, has a full bottle of Gatorade and I drink what I can.  He stays side by side with me for about a quarter mile, telling me how great I look and exactly how far I am until mile marker 25.  "You are almost there, you are looking great!"  I am tiring, but I believe him. 

Mile 25: 6:43

We run through a small neighborhood with residents out in full force holding up signs, and clanging bells, and cheering wildly.  I see the 3rd place runner about 30-40 seconds ahead of me.  I decide to go after him!

Mile 26: 6:43

I am slowly gaining ground when, at 25.5 miles, I get a brief hamstring seize.  It starts to lock up, but I don't panic.   I slow the pace a little and "talk it away"...."You ARE NOT doing this to me now!"  It goes away, and I decide not to get greedy.  I run a comfortable pace as I approach the final turn for home.

0.2 miles: 6:28

The crowds are lining the street now.  I run the last 100 yards with my fist in the air.  I haven't looked at my watch in 6 miles but I know the time is going to be good.  Just as I hit the finish line, I flex my muscles like a body builder.  The emotions get to me.  I DID IT!  I run a couple strides past the finish line and stop my watch.  I am so proud when I see the time...2:55:59.  A little over a minute after me is Sage, the female who kept me company for the first few miles.  She broke 3 hours for the first time with a big PR.  We embrace.  She says, "I was trying so hard to catch you."  I tell her she ran fantastic.  I get some food and head over to the bag check-in to change my socks and shoes and put my warmups back on so I don't get too tight.

A little while later, I see Kevin turn the corner on his way to a 3:24 - six minutes faster than the Boston Qualifier he needed.  Like me, he runs a phenomenal second half.  Colleen comes running up to me, "What was the time, what was the time?!"  I show her my watch, which initially is on the wrong setting.  "I don't see it - what was the time?!"  I finally scroll to 2:55:59.  She high fives me and pumps her fist.  She then rushes after Kevin.  Moments later Ed comes in just over 3:30.  He runs a great time also on a tough course, having already had his Boston Qualifier in his back pocket from Philly 2012. 

We celebrate and take some photos.  The official results start flashing on the screen.  My time is even slightly better.  2:55:57.

It is still surreal.  I practiced and practiced for this moment, but to have actually accomplished it - especially after starting off the race feeling so lousy - it's just unbelievable. 

Eight months ago I was still healing from stress fractures and I couldn't jog for more than 1 minute at a time.  Seven months ago I completed my first 20 minute run at 8:00/mile.  Now I just finished 26.2 miles at 6:43/mile.  On this day, my time has come.  And I'll never forget it.