JohnK

Short story: 2:59.12 on a perfect marathon morning weather-wise. So I'm rather pleased although thinking I could have gone a minute or so faster but it's not a big deal.

I hardly slept Friday night -- maybe got 3 hours -- as I just couldn't relax and had a really bad headache for a while. But I think I was pretty well rested from the previous week so it probably didn't hurt me, just made for a long night and some really poor television viewing.

I felt good from the gun and started just a bit fast (6:40) but that wasn't as bad as a lot of folks. I was probably not even top 30 at the mile and began passing people fairly soon and finished 17th OA. (During the entire race only one person passed me!) I went 6:40, 6:45, 6:42, 6:40, 6:44 to hit 5 in 33:31. Feeling great. Next 5 were 6:40, 6:43, 6:44, 6:43, 6:53 (#10 had to be a long mile) for 1:07.14 at 10. By this time I was very gradually catching a guy in neon yellow shorts and shirt and still feeling good but had been on my own for several miles. Next 5 were 6:51, 6:47, 6:50 (13.1 in 1:28. 26),6:48, 6:50 for 1:41.20 at 15.

I caught Mr. Neon right after the half and he stayed with me for a few miles which was nice as we chatted a bit. This was his first marathon and I could tell he was laboring so wasn't surprised when he dropped off after 16. That mile (6:57) worried me but then 17 was a 6:41, so those were almost certainly marked wrong. I saw a woman up ahead and closed in on her and then we worked together a while. Next three 6:52, 6:44, 6:48 to hit 20 in 2:15.22. I had pulled away from the woman by 20 and no one was in sight up ahead, which was too bad as some company would have helped, but I was feeling okay and figured I'd hold on for sub-3:00, maybe around 2:58.

Mile 21 was 6:54 then a 7:00 and my left foot began cramping a little. This was really not what I wanted -- it never got bad enough to make me stop but I was very worried that would happen. And the last 4 miles all kinds of turns which made it feel slow, but perhaps those turns helped keep the cramp at bay. A really young guy passed me at 23 and raced off -- he ended up just under 2:56 so had a great finish. Anyway, I lost focus on pace somewhat and slowed to 7:04, 7:07, 7:05 (25 in 2:50.32) and right after finishing mile 25 crossed a busy street and was almost mowed down by a motorcycle! I came to a full stop to avoid an accident so lost several second stopping and getting started up again. Thus I didn't enjoy the final mile too much and it was slow (7:11), but I was certainly happy finishing -- never hit the wall, just felt the sort of gradual fatigue I had expected to feel if I paced it pretty well. I won the 45-49 division. My 5 mile segments were 33:31, 33:43, 34:06, 34:02, 35:10 and I'm especially pleased with miles 16-20. I think w/o the slight cramp I'd have focused on finishing as strongly as possible (rather than just holding it together and  hoping the cramp didn't get bad), so might have been :30-:60 faster but who knows.

The woman I ran with a little turned out to be Valerie Gortmaker from Nebraska who already has a qualifier (2:46 from Tallahassee last spring) but has been injured and she said she was using this race to determine whether to run the Trials. I think she was disappointed and may wait for 2012. She's 32 but didn't start running until 4-5 years ago. I talked with her prior to awards -- nice person, played rugby in college then tore her ACL and switched to cycling and running, so no early background in the sport but some real talent. (Sounds like someone I know!) I felt sorry from Georgia's Beth Old, a previous Trials participant (2:39 PR) who missed the B standard by less than a minute in third place. A Kenyan woman won in 2:37 and a Cheryl Murphy of Victoria, BC, Canada was 2nd in 2:40 -- haven't seen online results yet. Simon Sawe won men's in 2:26 and Andy Martin of Oregon was 2nd (2:27) with a Kenyan from Mobile, AL 3rd in 2:29, I think. Top master was a Canadian in 2:38, possibly the husband of the 2nd place woman. The $3000/$2000/$1000 prize money in men's and women's open brought in some pretty good talent and the race more than doubled in size from last year's inagural running (1100 in full + half, still small but not bad for Albany, GA).

That's about it. After the disappointment of Chicago's unusually hot weather last fall this was nice, running close to what I felt capable of. Not too sore this a.m. despite 4+ hours driving home but I'll not attempt running for several days and will stretch and walk a lot instead.