I'M OFFICIALLY A MARATHONER!!!

Wow... where do I start?? This has been a LONG time coming!!! I just remember this exact time last year, I ran my first half-marathon, and after it, I said "There is NO WAY I will run a full marathon". I was sore all over, I swear I had a stress fracture in my right foot, the pain lasted a few months. So now 1 year later, I'm doing the full. Why?? I dont know, maybe its to show that I can do it, maybe I had something to prove to myself or others. I am far from elite, I'm what some people call a mid-packer.

The weather was perfect. Start was about 50 degrees and finish was probably close to 60 and sunny. Of course I'm psyching myself up during the star spangled banner, b/c there was no turning back now. I felt pretty good today, not as good as my Brooksie half 2 weeks ago. The start was fairly smooth. I started with the 3:40:00 pace group. I was determined not to start too fast!! The first mile came so fast, I was like "did i just run a mile???". So we get to the Ambassador Bridge. Actually, it was not that bad, i know this was the one thing that scared me the most. The incline was doable, didnt push it too hard, just planned on making up time on the desent. Ran through downtown Ontario, Canada... they had a lot of fan support!!!! Now comes the tunnel. I swear, I thought it was the Super Bowl... people screaming and yelling (probably just to hear the echo), and the incline out of the tunnel was not that bad either. Of course I lost all GPS while there, but it kinda sorta made it up when I exited.

Coming back to the USA was amazing!!! I never seen soooo many people cheering me on calling my name!! I was running MY race, not influenced by people passing me. I got to the half around 1:45:00... perfect split!! At this time I hadn't even broke a sweat. I was soooo happy that I surpassed my longest race that I picked it up quite a bit in the moment!! I swear I could have shaved 30 seconds per mile off EASY at this point in time. For the next 3-4 miles I was cruising. Then we had to hit the island... Belle Isle. The bridge was not bad going, but once we got off the bridge... OH MAN!! It was soooo windy. I tried to draft people, but everybody was shorter than me!! LOL. I down 2 Gu's at mile 17 (chocolate and mocha... yukk!). Leaving the island (thank God) was no better. The wind was in our face for the next couple miles with a slight incline. Now all the fun and games was over! I was starting to have to work a little now. I get to mile 22... and it all starts falling apart. This was when I said I was going to let it all hang out. NO CAN DO!!

Mile 22-23 was humbling. I could not keep my pace, my right hammy and calf felt like hot knives were in them. I just couldn't run, but I didnt walk (as much as I wanted to). The last 5k I truely wanted to bring it in, but I couldnt. People talk about the WALL at mile 20, well it hit me mile 22. I couldn't understand... I was running sooo good them POW!! I Gu'd up and stayed hydrated too. I just fell apart. So now it was just hang on for dear life. I had a green bib, so that told everybody I was a rookie... I'm so glad, because they knew i was struggling but egged me on!!! I added a full minute to my pace! The finish could not have come any sooner. Stupid thing, they had a finish mat... then 5 yards later, another finishing mat, then 5 yards later, another!!! I stopped after the second, only to see the last then darted past it.

Then the hammy cramped. I had to get help to the Gatorade station. And the people were being stingy with the food, I practically had to beg for a banana!! I swear, this was one of the best feelings in the world!! Next up... the ultra!! Then the Iron Man... (yeah right!). Will I do this again?? Maybe, I'm kinda hurting now from those last 4 miles. Talk to me in a week or two. But until then, I'm officially a MARATHONER!!

Oops... 4got to add my splits
Mile 1) 8:07
Mile 2) 8:05
Mile 3) 7:55
Mile 4) 8:38 (the bridge)
Mile 5) 7:31
Mile 6) 7:50
Mile 7) 7:49
Mile 8) 6:38 (underwater for a mile... Garmin screwup)
Mile 9) 9:52 (see I told you)
Mile 10) 7:34
Mile 11) 7:53
Mile 12) 7:57
Mile 13) 7:53
Mile 14) 7:33
Mile 15) 7:56
Mile 16) 7:52
Mile 17) 8:01
Mile 18) 7:44
Mile 19) 7:57
Mile 20) 8:10
Mile 21) 8:01
Mile 22) 8:11
Mile 23) 8:27
Mile 24) 8:39
Mile 25) 9:18 (just ready for it to be over!!)
Mile 26) 8:52
Last 0.2) forgot to stop Garmin (again)

Official time: 3:34:35

My Toughest Half Marathon Ever!!

So I embark on this half marathon called the Brooksie Way, named after L. Brooks Patterson... the county commissioner or something. But anyways... if you click on the link in my last blog, you will see how the course is set up. All downhill for the first 4-5 miles, then all uphill from 5-10. This race was no joke!! My last 2 halves were likely due to not being in shape. I really wanted this race as a tuneup for my full in 2 weeks. I had no intention on PR'ing this course even if I wanted to. It was pretty cold this morning, but it warmed up at the start to about 50 degrees. To me, that is perfect running weather. We had some of the Hanson's running with us... Brian Sell, Kyle O'Brien, Patrick Rizzo, Mike Kilburg. Guess who came in #1,2,3,4??? LOL.

I felt soooo good the first 3-4 miles, but I intentionally held back because I knew what was to come. Just prior to the start, 2 deer got caught in the mahem... they got scared and took off running into the crowd, chicks screaming and running!!! Them deer was hurdling cars like olympic hurdlers!! That was a site!!! Overall, it was like 3000 runners. The race was pretty unremarkable for the first 4 miles. I drafted some short lil lady going at 7:30 pace until she started to fade. Then comes the hills...

The first hill was looooong, about a mile, then it levelled off, so I was like "whew, what goes up must come down"... not even... just 1/4 mile later, another 1/2 mile straight uphill. Turn the corner and guess what??? Another hill for about 1/2 mile. Thank God, there was a slight downhill for about 1/4 mile, then turn the corner on Dutton Road (dirt road) and guess what??? More hills!!! At this point, I was dying!! Legs burning, breathing heavy, left hammy tite... So I hit the 10 mile mark around 1:18:00'ish. A little faster than I had planned... but then I had an idea!!!!! I'm hurting ANYWAYS, so why not just pick it up?? I had been running with the same group for a while, so it was time to put on the afterburners!!! So mile 10... ITS ON!!! My mantra was "I'm not getting tired". Amazing thing happened... I was running "mad" and the rest of the hills didnt seem like much!! I started to attack the hills instead of running them... I said to myself "rest at the top of the hill".

So the last 5k, the race was on!!! I passed sooooo many people that passed me in the beginning. I think I ran the last 5k faster than any 5k part of the entire race. But then again, I wasn't "racing" in the beginning. During the last half mile, 2 guys and some short lady passed me up... I was like "aint no way i'm punking out now". So it was a race between the 4 of us. I waited until I was at mile 12.75 for my kick... because they were getting a little far ahead of me. And guess what??? It was DOWNHILL!! I swear, I put all my energy in catching them... picked them all of 1 by 1. I cant remember the last time I ran that fast... about 100 yards one guy re-caught and passed me and the lady was on my heels... to my surprise. So I darted once more, passed the guy for good and the lil lady kept with me!! AINT NO WAY I'M GON LET SHORTSTUFF BEAT ME!! It was a real photo finish, but I got her!! Funny thing... I was not tired at the end!! I could run at least another 3-5 miles at that pace, I felt. Hmmm... I finished in 1:41:24 and here are my approx splits...





Mile 1) 7:38
Mile 2) 7:39
Mile 3) 7:33
Mile 4) 7:40
Mile 5) 7:48
Mile 6) 7:52
Mile 7) 8:09
Mile 8) 7:58
Mile 9) 8:03
Mile 10) 8:13
Mile 11) 7:18
Mile 12) 7:29
Mile 13) 6:59
Last 0.1) forgot to stop Garmin...

My half-way split was 50:44!

Oh 1 last thing... I got a new Garmin, the 205 and it was accurate within 5 yards of each mile!! Detroit full marathon, here I come!! And I run on...