Baltimore Marathon Recap

Sorry about the long delay, I was waiting for some pictures to add to the blogpost... but it has arrived!  My recap of the Baltimore Marathon!  I just want to start by saying 'I did it! AND I beat my goal time!'

For the past couple years I have been preparing to complete my first marathon.  Through good times and bad times, I pushed through.  To throw a cliche out there, the third time is the charm.  Two years ago I didn't even make it to the Cleveland Marathon starting line due to injury.  This past year I gave out at mile 23 in the Cleveland Marathon.  For the third try, after months of great training, I completed the Baltimore Marathon in 3:28:12!

This was by far the hardest thing I have ever done.  I found out that I can train all that is necessary but without the mental desire to push through to the end, I would not have completed.  The pre-race fiasco was a little over the top.  I arrived with Judy in downtown Baltimore at 7:30 for the 8:00 am race only to find that it was a mess.  All the parking lots were full, traffic, and the people directing traffic had no idea where to send people to park.  By 7:45, we parked in a random lot and rushed over to the course. 

It was a cold day but that is just my opinion, the temperature was around 45-55 all day.  For the first few miles I ran with the 3:30 pace group.  It was going well from the start and I ended up finding myself around mile 4 pulling away from the pace group.  Up until mile 17, I continued to knock out 7:20-7:30 mile times.  At the half mark I was at 1:40.  This was good and bad, the bad was that the half marathon was on a staggered start and was set to begin at 9:45... 5 minutes after I ran past the start line again (the course was in a figure 8 in a way).

 

Baltimore is a very, very, rolling hills course.  The beginning and end are nearly strait up hill.  Everyone I talked to had said to be sure to save myself for mile 19... mile 19... over and over it came up. Well... mile 19 is when it got to be really hard.  I started to fell it and slow down slightly going up all the hills.  By mile 21-22, the course loops around a lake and it is quite flat... but after that it is again up hill and then downhill for the final couple miles. 

Again at mile 22 I had to walk for a few seconds.  My body was hurting, I was tired and I didn't know if I could go on.  It wasn't 10 seconds after I walked that someone tapped me on the shoulder and said 'Lets go, you're almost there'.  I took that to heart and at least pushed the next half mile to the water stop.  This is where the race got hard, all mental.  I walked the entire mile 22ish water stop.  By the end of the stop I told myself I have to push on no matter how slow, but run.  A half mile down the road I saw my Aunt Julia waiting and cheering me on!  It was a good boost.

At mile 23, I came across someone struggling too.  I started to talk to him and he asked if this was my first marathon.  I told him I tried the Cleveland in May, but only made it to mile 23.  I had just crossed to the farthest I had been and was still pushing forward.  I tried to get him to run with me to the end, but around 100 yards later, he had to stop.  I pushed on, still running at a high 8 minute pace. 

There are few accomplishments in life that I feel truly happy about but this is one of them.  Months of training started to come back to my mind as I pushed forward in the race.  I kept saying to just get to the next mile marker: 24, then 25.  I realized I was going to make it! 

For the last mile, I had a great time.  I started to think back to when I was 285.  Back to when Ronjon and I would meet at the rec center and run in my final semester of college.  Losing 30 lbs by the end of the semester.  Continuing to run and lose weight.  Running my first race, a 5k in the middle of winter and finishing in 22:12.  Going to Israel and running on the shores of the Mediterranean at sunrise early in the morning.  Running 3 different 10k races in Israel (all some how at the same time but learning to prepare correctly).  DNF at the Cleveland Marathon... Losing 100 lbs total... and then soon to cross the finish line at the Baltimore Marathon.

The course was very lackluster.  Supposidly we ran through the zoo, but it was quick and only a couple birds were shown.  There was a few miles with different themes but I never saw them.  The people made the race great, tons of fans all throughout the course.  This was really evident at the end.  The final mile was packed full of people cheering.  I was wearing my Cleveland Marathon shirt and was pushed along by constant cheers for Cleveland! 

After mile 26, the race turns into Camden Yards.  All the cheering goes away and for just over 100 yards, you run in near silence (or maybe I just tuned everything out).  It was great as there were onyl a few people around me and I could really reflect on my accomplishment.  I crossed the finish line in 3:28:12.  Fist pumping across the line (and my arm cramped).


Too tired to smile

I want to also thank Judy for coming out!  Getting a kiss for motivation throughout different spots in the course was very helpful.  Having a fan cheering was great! I love you Judy!



I am already planning on signing up for the Cleveland Marathon in May and am hoping to train to BQ.  I think I can do it!  In addition I am trying to figure out what to train for over the winter months in a gym.  I would like to run an early race in Feb/Mar and PR.  Whether it is a 16:30 5k, 36:00 10, or 1:30 half is up to debate currently.

This past weekend, I didn't take it easy and ended up pushing my body too far post race.  I really hurt my ankle and am out of running for a few weeks at least.  I can use this time to recuperate but am already missing working out. 


Thanks for all the support everyone!

Well... all that is left...

It is a cold and blistery day in my opinion here in Cleveland.  I have completed everything I can in preparation for the Baltimore Marathon.  All that is left at this point is to get to the starting line and then to the finish line.  All week I have been very upbeat and confident about completing this marathon.  I woke up today a little groggy and have been very nervous and thinking about it all day.  This is now my third attempt at a marathon and I can't get out of my head the results of the first two.  I know I will have a great run tomorrow but getting to there will be difficult.

The Baltimore Marathon pacers make this marathon seem like a blast.  They have been very nice and helpful on facebook and have posted this video about the race:

They seem like a really great bunch and I can't wait to go running with them.

I am all packed and about to drive out to Baltimore.  I should have a lot more to say the day before the big race but I cant really bring myself to words quite yet.

Wish me luck!

Less Than A Week To Go

Oh Cleveland, this is the time of year that I am not a proud resident of this area.  It has been a cold and blistery few days and it has 'somewhat' impeded on my running.  Granted I only missed one run this week and it was a taper run, I think I will be fine.  I plan on running once on maybe Monday and once on Wednesday, both real short runs just to keep my head in the game.  For the most part, I wanted to come here and reflect a little bit on the current situation.

To start on a positive note, I am very excited for this marathon.  I believe that with the Cleveland Marathon back in May, I was just not ready for it on any level.  Heading to Oklahoma for a wedding mixed in with an injury threw off my training for four of the final six weeks.  When the marathon finally came around, I was just not physically nor mentally prepared for it.  The biggest memory I have from that day was running and even as soon as mile 8 wondering to myself 'Why am I even doing this?'

However, for the Baltimore Marathon, I feel I am heading in a completely different direction.  I completed two long runs of 21 miles in preparation and feel that in my current state I have the ability to wake up and say 'why not run 21 miles today?' and just do it.  I am excited for the marathon too.  Recently I broke the 100 lb weight mark while training for this marathon as I reached 185 lbs.  It has been quite a journey but I have reached a mile stone that I feel is the biggest motivator I have for crossing that finish line next Saturday.  I know I previously said I wanted to be 175 by race day, but that was a little ambitious.  I am at a point where weight loss is EXTREMELY difficult and maybe even unneeded.  After the marathon, I plan on spending the winter putting on some light muscle and working towards winning a 5k (made a new PR of 18:00 a couple weeks ago too!)

I am heading into this final week of 'training' however there is very little actual training to be done.  The more I think about it, the more I realize that it truly is a process to run a marathon.  Over four months previous to the actual run, training begins.  There are ups and downs, but all come together to be part of such a growing process and realization of what someone with a little determination can truly accomplish.

Regardless of how the run unfolds on Saturday, I am very happy with the progress I have made over the last couple years.  I have changed myself and my lifestyle and hope to continue heading in the right direction.  Saturday just turns into another milestone and marker down my path.  Where will I end up?  Maybe running a sub 17 minute 5k?  Maybe qualifying for Baltimore?  At this point, I feel I have the ability to push myself to accomplish anything I want to, even before running the marathon.  This is not to be an 'ego' situation, but more so that through the training and hard work there is a realization that the road to get somewhere is 99% of the battle.