MARINE CORP MARATHON Oct. 26th 2008

3:36:14 was the clock time, I am not sure what my chip time is yet, but it shouldn’t be too far off, I was close to the front of the start! 

A low down of the race.  The start was cold.  I wore tights, despite the best advise of 2 seasoned marathoners, one of which has done this particular race 7 or so time, I just know, my skin is thin from living in such a warm climate.  Well, the first 9 miles were tough, I was really cold, my legs muscles suffering the most, and my butt was numb.  It was so hard because I couldn’t get into a steady cadence, and my stride felt short.  I was aware of all this but it seemed, despite best efforts, I couldn’t fix it.  By mile 9, I started to warm up, and then, my muscles started to hurt.  I felt pings in my left buttox, quads and right knee.  I was a bit worried, but thought, I was going a good pace, and felt I could keep it up, despite the small pains.  The 3:20 pacer passed me around mile six, but the 3:30 pacers hadn’t yet, so I knew I was keeping my goal pace, I wanted to finish in 3:30.  I was loving the crown, I wrote my name on my arms and wore my Coast Guard shirt and everyone was yelling my name and go coast guard…  I was also egging them on by waving my arms up and down to get them to yell!  That was a blast!  By mile 17 I knew I had a race on my hands, I was on my target pace, but my quads were still tight and my stride still feeling short, but I knew if I kept my nose to the grindstone, pull that determination out, I could reach my goal time!  At mile 22, my right ankle cramped, like how it feels when you need to pop it, and it was still and wouldn’t bend… I tried to loosen it up on each step, but it slowed me down.  In fact, my dad was watching me online and said I was keeping my pace until mile 22.  I watched the 3:30 balloons pass me, and I couldn’t keep up.  Ther went my goal time, but the 3:40 balloons also hadn’t passed me, so I could still beat my personal best of 3:37…  just had to keep it up as best as I could.  The last part of the race is a hill.  I heald my head up high, shoulders back and attacked it… I finished at 3:36:14, clock time, so my chip time should be 3:35 sometime!  I beat my personal best!!!  Another little funny  … at the mile 17 aid station, I got a cup of powerade just as a guy reached in, he elbowed me, made me bite my tongue and pour it all over my face and shirt!  I shook my head, got another one, drank it, then got some water and poured that all over my face, oh boy!

Thanks for follwing my blog.  I will put it to rest for a bit, until I decide on my next event!

Kim