Baltimore Marathon Race Report

I don't even know where to start with this one. I think I am still in a state of shock and denial that I actually ran a sub-3:10. I had some serious doubts going into this race about my ability to break 3:15, yet alone 3:10.   As I've said before, 2012 hasn't been my best year of running. I've run two marathons this year - one was a DNF in January and one was pretty much a personal worst steam bath/limp fest in Boston in April. So, headed into this race I wanted redemption but after two bad marathons in a row, this race scared me shitless. I know you should trust in your training, and it wasn't the endurance I was worried about...it was the speed (I did virtually zero pace runs in this training cycle) and my left leg (still battling the same leg issues from my January DNF).

I flew into Baltimore on Thursday, was greeted by my family, had a nice dinner dinner in Maryland with my brother and sister in law before heading back to Northern Virginia for the night. Friday, after a solid night's sleep, I went for an easy 4 mile shake out run in my parent's neighborhood. The run went well, albeit the same tightness in my hips that I can't seem to get rid of. It's not painful, just tight. I was a little worried how it would hold up the next day, but at this point there was no turning back. We (my parents and I) headed up to Baltimore early afternoon for packet pick-up, hotel check-in, and dinner in Little Italy. I ended up with probably 3 miles of walking around Baltimore in boots that day, but I did the same thing in Vegas and PR'd in that marathon so maybe there's something to it...after dinner I said good night to my parents and laid in my hotel bed eating Swedish Fish and watching Jersey shore until I turned out the lights at 8:45 pm.

Our hotel was about 1/2 mile from the start line (thanks to my awesome travel agent of a mom for booking this gem) so I got to sleep in until 5:45 am, still leaving myself plenty of time to get ready and down to the race start by 8 AM. At 7 AM, I bid adieu to my parents and jogged down to the start line. The weather was perfect for running - mid 40's, sunny and no wind. I did my standard 2 mile pre-race warm-up, hit the bathrooms and got lined up.

Go away camera man. I'm not interested in a pre-race photo.

Probably to the surprise of no one, I decided to line up with the 3:10 pace group. My plan was to hang on as long as possible. I didn't come this far to play it safe, so if I crashed and burned, then well, there would always be another marathon.

A 3:10 marathon requires an average pace of 7:15 per mile. I was doubtful my ability to hold this pace for 26.2 miles, and my doubt only increased as the 3:10 pacers unveiled their race plan for the day: they were going to bank some time early on to build a :30 second cushion for the hills that come later in the race - miles 15-23. So, now I would need to hold a little bit faster pace early on and then hang on for dear life when the hills hit. Color me dubious, but I was willing to give it a go.

The gun went off and off we went. There were about 15 people running with the 3:10 pace group, and two other ladies besides myself. I wish I could say I felt fabulous, but from the get go I had the tightness in my hip and left leg. That's the weirdest thing about this whole damn race - the tightness stayed with me the entire race. To be honest, I kept waiting for it to seize up and alter my stride, but it never did. It was just an annoying nag that I was aware of, but never did it become debilitating (thank you running gods).

My plan was to stay with the 3:10 pace group and try not to look at my watch. I was depending on them: whatever they run, I run and try to hang on. The first 5 miles we climb. It's early so the hills don't bother me. I put in a lot of hill training this training cycle, and I was confident in my ability to stay strong on the hills as long as my legs cooperated. The first 5 miles went by fairly quickly: 7:16, 7:06, 7:25, 7:10, 7:01.

Around Mile 6, we start to descend. Miles 6-9 were pretty much all downhill and the pacers tell us to take advantage of them. I don't look at my watch and just stay with them. 7:05, 7:01, 7:04, 7:01. Had I been looking at my watch, I probably would have freaked out and slowed down.

Entering mile 9, the course has woven its way back to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, where the crowd has swollen to incredible levels. The Baltimore Running Festival also features a Half Marathon, which starts at 9:45 AM at the halfway mark of the Marathon. The Marathon course runs past the start area, then loops back around to come back past the start area again, with the Half Marathon runners to the Marathon runner’s left. The half runners are all starting to line up. I think that race has about 9000 spots, so they create an instant crowd that whips itself into a frenzy as they are cheering the full runners as they go by. After passing by the first time, we head into the Federal Hill area of Baltimore where the residents have really embraced the race. There are people everywhere, signs along the road, chalk written encouragement on the road. It’s a fantastic atmosphere.We are heading into Locust Point, the headquarters of the marathon sponsor, Under Armour. This is where we will loop back around and head back toward the start line of the Half Marathon. The turn is at mile 11. This area is pretty flat, but I am feeling a little off and fall behind the pace group a bit. I feel like my gait is off a little and I almost trip at one point. I pray my legs get their shit together. Mile 10 and 11 were clocked at 7:17.

I get excited knowing I will see my family at the half-way point and pull a little but ahead of the 3:10 pace group. Turning back, we head back to the Inner Harbor. I can hear the announcer giving instructions to the Half Marathon participants. The fields are separated for the first 3 miles on the Half Marathon, so that we don’t get all tangled up with them. We’ll merge together later and end at the same finish line. At mile 13.5, I see my family and give them a High Five as I go by. At this point, I feel a little more tightness in the top of my left calf, but I don’t think it’s anything to be concerned about. I trudge on. We head out of the Inner Harbor as we finish up mile 14. Bolstered by the crowd and seeing my loved ones, those miles pass by in 7:00, 7:08 and 7:06.

As we approach the 15 mile mark we're still a large 3:10 pace group holding strong. No casualties yet. But we were about to approach the hills. I'm feeling fine cardio vascularly but to be honest was waiting for the ball to drop.

Around Mile 15 we hit our first hill and they just keep coming. Long rollers. Miles 15-17 were 7:12, 7:12, 7:08. I'm keeping up with the pace group for the most part, but at this point we're losing people from our group. I'm still feeling good, despite the hills, but am a little worried that I will hit the wall at Mile 20. The pacers warn us we're approaching the lake, where we will do a flat 1 mile loop, but to beware of the wind coming off the water. Mile 18 and 19 are 7:00 and 7:12. We hit the lake at mile 20 in 7:14. By now, it just me, my two pacers friends, and two other guys. At this point in the day, I've been fairly quiet but I need something to distract me from the task at hand, so I start a conversation with the pacers. They are super nice, and I learn their marathon PR's are in the 2:40's. Damn. We hit Mile 21 in 7:13, and we are still ahead of schedule to cross that finish line in 3:10. At this point, I become confident. We're passing people, including 2 women. I pick them off and will myself to remain strong.

Mile 20

After we leave the Lake at Mile 21, we've got another 2 miles of hills. By now, it's literally just me and the two pacers, and I am starting to fall a few steps behind. They coach me up the hills, encouraging me and willing me to keep running strong. Mile 22 is 7:16. I'm promised we've have only one significant hill left, and that gives me a burst of energy. Mile 23 is 7:04.

The pacers tell me at this point they have to slow down (they get scolded if they come in too far under 3:10) but that I can break 3:10 and should go ahead. They tell me the last 3 miles are pretty much all downhill, and that I should go for it. That's all I need to hear. I thank them profusely, at this point confident there is no wall in sight and that I CAN PR. Mile 24 is 6:52.

2 miles left. I just need to make it to Eutaw Street. Mile 25. That's where the crowds will be, that's where my family will be and it will be a downhill stretch into Camden Yards and to the finish line.

I'm running completely alone now. Mile 25 is has a little uphill section as we cross a bridge constructed over the Jones Falls Expressway. Slowed a bit by the rise, my mile pace rise to 7:01, but is no cause for alarm. I know we’ll soon be heading downhill and be protected by the larger structures of the downtown area. The crowd support is really starting to pick up now as both sides of the street are lined with vocal spectators, shouting encouragement as the runners go by.

At this point, I know I am going to be able to finish strong. I am feeling fantastic. I see my family at the bottom of Eutaw Street just before Mile 26 and while grinning from ear to ear, give them a fist pump. We enter Camden Yards and I hit Mile 26 in 6:40. I had no idea until I looked at my watch afterwards that I had picked up the pace that much.

Digging Deep

Only .2 left. I had resisted looking at my watch for the most part until now. I glanced down and saw that I could now only break 3:10, but break 3:09 as well. 

I am hammering at this point, feeling like a million bucks. I am dropping other runners. The crowds along the finish line are fantastic, stacked 10 deep along the barriers that funnel the runners, cheering widely. I’m buoyed by the presence of all the friends, family and fans that have come out in support of the event. I cross the line feeling like I could keep going.

I’ve done it. I ran the last .2 (.4 according to my Garmin) at 6:38 pace to finish with a chip time of 3:08:05, PR of over 2 minutes. I’m ecstatic, knowing that all the hard work over the last few months has paid huge dividends for me. I tear up, and after a quick finisher's photo, literally dash off to find my family. 

Crossing the finish line

The inscription on the medal said: "What hills don't kill you will make you stronger." How appropriate.

A big thank you to my 3:10 pacers Dan & Brian. You guys were awesome, and I feel like I owe you my first born or something to repay you for getting me in under 3:10. Looking back at my splits now, we ran a pretty tenacious race, and I am not sure I would have ran this fearlessly this on my own.

Thank you again Baltimore for a magical day of running. This is my third go-around at this race, and it never disappoints.

Congratulations to my cousins - Kelly, who also ran the full, and Lexi & Mark who smoked the 5k. And, to my uncle who PR'd in the half!

How awesome is my mom for getting a cake for us afterwards. Orange is for the O's, even though they lost :(

Thanks again to my family for spending their weekend catering to my needs and watching me run. Thank you to my husband for putting up with my moods during this up and down training cycle. Thank you to my running friends who log countless miles with me and inspire me to push harder and be the best runner I can be. Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout and believed in me.

I've got a month before Marathon #20 - San Antonio Rock & Roll Marathon. This was my back-up marathon, should I need another shot at breaking 3:10. Now, I can sit back, relax and enjoy this one (I know some of you are thinking yeah right, I know you'll race it...:)

But first a week of being lazy, eating Halloween candy and catching up on all of the Mexican food I have been missing this training cycle...