Philadelphia Marathon Race Report

So you already know the punch line of this story from my last post, but here's all the details for those of you interested.


Goals for this race:
All-the-stars-are-perfectly-aligned-ultra-reach-goal: Sub 3:30
I'd-be-ecstatic-goal: 3:30-3:34
I'd-be-happy-with-a-PR-goal: Under a 3:39:03

Pre-race:
Of course there was the standard expo, packet pick-up, and checking out the booths....nothing special to report here so I'll skip any details.

Pre Race Pacing Strategy:

Based on my training, I thought 3:30 was slightly beyond my ability. But.....I already had my BQ time from last year in Hartford and I really had nothing to lose so I decided to join with the 3:30 pace group and see how things would play out. I knew this was an aggressive and risky pacing strategy.....every marathoner knows that going out too fast can lead to a major blow up and death march at the end of the race. But......what the hell....I figured this was the time to take the risk and see what I had in me! Go big or go home, right??

Pre Race Freak Out:

Upon leaving the expo, we decided to head home along the second half of the Philly course (a 6.5 mile out and back along the Schuylkill River and into Manayunk). I'm not sure why, but I freaked out in the car....what was I thinking running with the 3:30 pace group?? That's a recipe for disaster!! Maybe I should go out at a more realistic pace....shoot for something around 3:33-3:34. Bryan calmed me down and reminded me that I had a plan and you don't change your plans 12 hours before the race! Yes, I would be taking a risk, but that was my plan so I should stick to it.

Race Morning:

It was the perfect day for running.....cool (mid 40's), sunny, and not much wind. We all got ready, hugs and high fives for good luck, and then headed to our separate corrals. Bryan gave me one last pep talk and we said our good byes. I found the 3:30 pacer, Bill, who was joking around with the group and immediately put me at ease. I decided to turn my Garmin to a screen where I couldn't see the instantaneous pace and just look at my mile splits....I can get a little caught up in my pace and I wanted to keep as mentally calm and controlled as possible.

So here we go.....

Mile 1 - 8:03 We were at the very front of our wave so we got to goal pace right at mile 1.

Mile 2 - 7:45 Fast, but surprisingly this is feeling easy

Mile 3 - 7:50 Huh, usually it takes me a couple miles to settle into my pace but not today!

Miles 4, 5+6 - 8:07, 16:11 This is why I'm glad to have the pacer doing the mental work.....I just had to run and keep my eyes on the balloons he was carrying!

Mile 7 - 7:53 First significant hill of the course. I knew a running friend was going to be around mile 7.5 so I started looking for her. This was the first race that I didn't have family on the course to cheer for me since they were all running too so it was really nice to see her cheering.....Thanks Bryn!!

Miles 8+9 - 15:51 Mile 9 brought a steep uphill so I'm kind of surprised at this split

Miles 10 and 11 - 8:09, 8:01 Still feeling good, but starting to realize that I still have along way to run!

Mile 12 - 7:50 Got a bit of a boost as we came back towards the Art Museum and the half marathon finish.

Miles 13+14 - 15:47 (13.1 split - 1:44:32) This is the second fastest half marathon I have run.....good thing I didn't realize that at the time or I might have freaked out! I also got a huge boost seeing Bryan with his medal around his neck cheering for me so I knew he had a great half marathon race! I also see Bryn around here somewhere.

Mile 15 - 7:51 Ok....here starts the out and back...its just us full marathoners from here on out.

Mile 16 - 8:07 Starting to work a little harder, but feeling good

Mile 17 - 8:05 The pacer's balloons are a little farther ahead of me at this point but I didn't let that get to me. I knew I could pick it up to catch him, but with 9 miles still to run, I decided to hold my effort where it was. I had my ipod in my pocket and decided this would be a good time for some motivational music.

Mile 18 - 8:12 Yep, the pacer is even further ahead, but surprisingly I stayed within myself and focused not on them, but on what I had control over...MY race

Mile 19 - 8:15 We head downhill into Manayunk where the crowds thicken and I am tempted by little shots of beer being handed out by the Brew Pub....no, must run!

Mile 20 - 8:24 Not freaking out, but gotta pick it up a bit

Mile 21 - 8:08 That's more like it....especially since this is going back up the Manayunk hill

Mile 22 - 8:16 My feet feel like they are on fire and not in a good way! But I am passing people which is keeping me going.

Mile 23 - 8:16 During this mile a song by my running friend and musician, Greg Coplen (more on him in a future blog) comes on my ipod.....its titled "Moving On". It reminded me to thank God for giving me the ability to run and forced myself to keep "Movin on and on and on...I keep movin on"

Mile 24 - 8:23 I know I am falling off pace some but again I surprise myself by staying positive and just keep pushing. See Bryn again here......she was so great to run all over the course to cheer for us!

Mile 25 - 8:23 There's a guy on the side of the road that has roller blades on...I wonder to myself what I would give him for those roller blades right now, my ipod and my garmin sound about right!

Mile 26 - 8:16 Are you serious....a side stitch in the last mile?!?!? I run the majority of this mile holding the right side of my abdomen. I tell myself to JUST.KEEP.RUNNING!!

Mile 0.22 - 1:38 (7:32 pace) I'm looking for my family but there are so many people cheering so I focus on the finish line. Around the Art Museum....take that Rocky....this is my race.....there's the finish line!!

So there you have it....

Chip Time - 3:31:52

Overall Place - 1332 / 7491

Gender Place - 185 / 3118

Division Place - 51 / 787

Pace - 8:05.0

10K - 0:49:39

Half - 1:44:42

30K - 2:29:08

Mom and Dad both had PRs in the half running a 2:23:51!!

Bryan also had a huge PR in the half running a 1:39:56!!!

Yummmmm.....Peanutbutter Cups and Wawa coffee!!

(Don't worry...I shared them with Bryan)

And of course there is the Philly Cheese Steak!

In my glory!

Post Race Reflections:

I knew that success in this race would come as long as I could keep my head out of the game for as long as possible.....I know that sounds backwards, but let me explain. I have a tendency to over think things during a race and the second I start doubting myself, I am done…finished. That didn’t happen this time. As I saw the pace group slipping away, I stayed positive. As I saw a couple 8:20 min/miles, I didn’t freak out, but I accepted it and kept going. I said to Bryan before the race that I need to tell myself NOT to throw in the towel if I lose the pace group because I will still have a shot at a big PR…I know that sounds obvious, but my mind isn’t always logical at mile 22 of a marathon!

Looking back, I think that this race in not only my most successful as far as my time, but also as far as my mental toughness. Having to push myself the last 10 miles without the pace group or any of my running buddies is a hard thing to do, but I did it and learned a lot about myself in the process.

This race was also special in that my whole family was running it together…sure only my mom and dad actually ran together, but it was fun knowing that the people I love were out there on the course doing the same thing as I was! And it doesn’t hurt that we all got big PRs and exceeded our goals!!

Not sure what's next, but I'm excited about sharing it with all of you!! Thanks again for your support and for following along on this crazy ride :)