The second race this year was a race signed up for last year with the intention that Knapp and I would run it. In a reversal of the Chicago Marathon, I got in to this lottery system and deferred until this year. So here we are, in DC, running a marathon.
Trip down:
For whatever reason, I decided to go down to D.C. via train with Mama Tang on her birthday, passing the site of my last marathon, Philly. Despite spending 7 hours sitting down, it was a pretty cool view of the East Coast (8 states, 1 district, 9 total this week (MA, RI, CT,NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, VA, DC) ) and the foliage changing. Going to the race site days before, still recommended after the Miami time crunch. The people, the metro, the train station, the cleanliness...why didn't I move to DC?
After finagling and getting in to our Airbnb, we hightailed it to the new expo spot complete with a ferris wheel and boat loads of Marines. I thankfully bought GU there (even though I didn't train with it...running sin right there) and tried on my MCM shirt which apparently is deceiving; mediums always fit but this time I had to move up one size (probably from all that lifting haha).
It was definitely very cool to see all these Marines volunteering their time; they were all so young (a decade plus younger than me). All of them were super helpful and nice. After exchanging shirts, getting my MCM patch, we took the shuttle back home on the fun bus with DC's alternative radio station on. We also got to chat with a Cubbies fan, who just ran Chicago weeks before. Good luck, random runner.
Little sis came down to show support, too on Saturday as 3/4th of the fam were together. I walked a bit around DC but wisely sat out most of the tourist-y spots and went home early. (Skipping the 2 mile run because of said walking). The rest of the time was spent cursing the running gods for having a random 75+ degree day on the forecast when EVERY OTHER DAY that week was picture perfect for a long run.
Pre-Race:
Per usual, woke up around 2:30 then again 3:50 the day of. I covered the nips with US band aids, had a zip lock bag with GU (chocolate mint and tri-berry) bought at the expo,scavenged-for mustard and salt packets in case of cramps, credit card and my metro card.
We were actually 2 miles out from the starting line so we Uber-ed as close as possible (sorry driver, this was your last drop-off, and it had to be heading IN to the race). We walked the rest, around 7am, passing the Pentagon. I remember from my high school trip out that you weren't supposed to snap pics of the Pentagon and saw signs saying so to confirm my foggy memory. Of course, an Asian runner walks by and snaps pics...
While waiting at the portapotties, we chatted up an older female runner and I just love how freely runners can speak about their bowels.
Race:
Due to the weather and an e-mail stating to slow down and hydrate, I parked myself in a lower corral (4:30) to run conservatively. I stood there trying to soak it all in, the leaves changing, the already warm weather, Marines everywhere, choppers flying overhead, the Howitzer that I didn't hear or see.
I zoned out to Tame Impala's "Nangs", picturing Yellowstone Park and tried to calm myself.
7:55 and the race starts.
Then, the crawl. 8:10ish, that's when my race starts.
Per usual, the beginning is slow as molasses, sidewalk riding was my hobby throughout the race, and the highway splits in half in the beginning. I followed a yellow-shirted runner to the higher half, then we both had the same thought; is this for the same race? So we jumped a divider and ran down to the lower bridge...already making rookie mistakes haha.
Most of this race was a blur and will probably slowly come back to me, like a running black out. What I do remember early on is seeing Georgetown, water steaming and a band playing by the water. That would've been the time to snap a pic if I had my phone. Oh and ALL the memorials you see along the way. I tried to just look around whenever we would cross a bridge, it was really picturesque.
Around mile 9, there was a group of Marines playing music, and my family cheering me on. Definitely meant a lot to have seen them. The ridiculousness of running a marathon, but I had at least 2 cheerleaders.
This is advertised as a great beginner's marathon. What I had not anticipated was the amount of selfies and walls of walkers.
For the first ten miles.
I slugged through and couldn't get out of the crowd until around mile 10 and then got stuck again in a slower group because after I was done with a portapotty (2 poops at mile 6 and 13) I had to merge in to traffic which obviously was slower than when I jumped in line to wait for a portapotty.
Half way, I had run around a quarter mile extra according to my watch. I still felt pretty good up to that point. Knowing today was not a PR day but a survival day, I was content riding 10 minute pace.
When we got to mile 16-17 in the National Mall, I was feeling good and told myself, okay three more 5ks to go, not bad. There was an air of familiarity with the area since I was here last year and the crowd support was pretty great here. I also knew a couple things; the last 10k was highway and the last .2 was a hill.
On the headphones to keep me going: Justice (reminded me of destroying a sushi buffet with Fisher), Daft Punk ("One More Time" used at the wedding the week before this race), Empire of the Sun-"Walking on a Dream" and M83 "Midnight City" on repeat.
Around mile 20, the highway showed up.
Now I had run an extra 0.4 miles, my watch would buzz then I'd have to look forward to the mile marker 0.4 miles ahead.
Running uber-conservatively, I had a lot left in the last two 5ks and saw a lot of walkers at this point. I wasn't crushing it but just kept plugging away, covering more real estate. The mistakes made early on magnify here and the heat was not forgiving.
I had to just keep telling myself, I have way more in my tank than I need. At mile 19, I actually thought I was at mile 18 (the wall hits your brain, too). From mile 24 on, when we get back to the Pentagon, the time slowed down and it took forever. The good news? That hill at mile 26...was a speed bump since I took the other 26 miles easy. Oh and that gag reflex...why every time?
"ran" the whole thing,
4:21. Somewhere in between Philadelphia and Miami (har har) with my times.
Post-race:
No recovery jacket :(
Medal put on me by a Marine :) so bad ass.
Walked to the family meet up spot about a mile away from the finish line and during the walk, crafted a dad joke...I was gonna make a joke about our last name being so far away and when I get there...no family to be found. I beat my family to the meet up spot. Eventually we found each other and walked to the Arlington Cemetery stop.
Spoke to an 8-time runner and said it was such a great organized race. The camaraderie with complete strangers...not to get too kumbaya, but man, sometimes it's just sharing this common experience that brings us as humans together (end of runner's high).
How's the body holding up:
Upper right back tweak
The muscles around my knees are a bit sore (more the day after) but overall, my body feels pretty good. Working out overall definitely helped (file this under 'common sense') core, legs (no hamstring problems :knock on wood:).
What we learned:
100% solo training may not have been the best but I did it.
I want another crack at a PR. I am relieved I got through this unscathed, but yeah I want a better PR.
D.C. is beautiful.
As always, these long races are just a great metaphor for life; you train for 18 weeks, get told the scenario you trained for isn't the most opportune. You have to change your frame of mind, push through, and be grateful you got the chance to participate in another race.
Gambled on Gu (at mile 6,13,18, 23ish) and it paid off; the wall kept crawling in to my stomach slowly and the Gu held it at bay long enough.
What we saw:
Kiss n Ride sign-instead of the cell phone lot. Kinda cool, I like the little differences in the same country.
Times at every 5k
Trump and Hillary jokes (apparently I only run marathons in election years...see you in 4 years, Mary).
Marines and pictures of fallen Marines...very emotional run for sure. This wasn't meant to be the last point but I wanted to just cement it home that no matter where you stand, be grateful these men and women are here so that we can pursue such things as a marathon. Despite the craziness of this election, the location of this race, I never felt in danger.
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