I'm over a week late posting this, but today is the first day I honestly feel somewhat normal again. The 2011 Nationwide Insurance Columbus Marathon was a great event - well organized and routed through many of the idyllic neighborhoods of a great US city. In fact, the organization of the event rivals some of the "big boys," and I suspect it will only get better.
For me, I was running my fifth marathon since January 2010, my seventeenth overall race in that time frame, and the marathon put me over 2600 total miles since January 2009. There are a lot of runners that put in a lot more miles than that, but considering I really hadn't done jack-squat prior to 2007 (and had the stunning physique to show for it!), I am pretty happy with that.
However, it has taken its toll. I can't point to any specific injury or ailment, but as I was training for Columbus I found that I was feeling pretty run down. It was hard to get excited about training for another marathon, and it started to feel more like a job. That's why I'll take a break from the marathons for a year and let my body recover a bit. Instead, I'll spend my time doing other things and mixing in 5k, 10k, and maybe a half-marathon here and there.
That way, I'll be ready for the Chicago Marathon on October 7, 2012. :)
Columbus
What's not to like about Columbus? It is a great city and the size of the marathon (6000 registered) is perfect - even though you're mixed in with 11,000 half marathoners for the first 13 miles. The race starts by the state capitol and winds through some of the best neighborhoods in the US, as well as through the campus of The Ohio State University, before finishing in the Arena District next to Nationwide Arena.
It is also the only marathon I know that sends runners off with a barrage of fireworks from one of the nearby buildings, as well as the church bells tolling at the Episcopal church just past the start. The start chute was a bit cramped and the streets crowded, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. For me, it keeps me from racing off the start too fast.Everything went off without a hitch. They clothing drop off was orderly, and even though it was breezy and cool it was not unbearable. After the race started and things spread out a little bit, I was able to settle into a good rhythm that I never really altered through the first half of the marathon.
Even though there were a lot of runners with both marathoners and half marathoners together, there were only a couple times that it felt crowded. The temperature was perfect, the sun was still down, and it was overcast anyway. The first 8 miles went by pretty quickly, and I had Mom waiting for me right at Mile 9. :)
After I stopped and smooched my mommy, I moved on into German Village and through some pretty enthusiastic crowds. I made it through the neighborhood and made the turn onto High Street at Mile 11. I knew that 4 long miles going north on High Street with no turns was what was in front of me, but that I would also be able to say goodbye to all the half marathoners that were starting to die as they got close to the finish line.
The hardest part of the marathon may have been where the half marathoners turned left to finish and the rest of us continued on to do another 13.1 miles. Although I could hear all the noise and excitement of the finish, I put my hand up like a blinder and didn't even turn my head to look at the finish...not yet. I know it got to me, though. While I had been running around 7:47 minute miles to this point, I ran the thirteenth mile in 7:30. Oh, it would have been nice to turn toward finish!
The second half
The next turn came at Mile 15 and by Mile 16 I was on the Ohio State campus. It was about this point where I started to feel my legs...a little earlier than other marathons but not worrisome. The sun was still behind an overcast sky and the wind was fairly calm so I knew I wouldn't lose any energy to the sun or wind. Pushing into Upper Arlington and closer to Mile 20, I was beginning to approach the wall and just wanted to get past 20 before I started to have to fight it. Throughout the first 18 miles - with the exception of Mile 13 - I had been running better that 7:50/mile. But Mile 19 was an 8:01, and when I saw that it ticked me off. The people in the neighborhood here and on into Grandview Heights were actually pretty inspiring, but as I passed Mile 20 I was really starting to feel fatigued and knew I still had over 45 minutes left to go.
I pushed back under 7:50 per mile through Mile 23, but like each of the marathons before I made a deal with myself to walk for a bit to get my legs back and make a final push to the finish. After I passed Mile 23, I took a minute to tighten my shoelaces and walk for about 30 seconds, and then I was off.
As soon as I passed Mile 24, I knew I was going to be able to push through to the finish. The right turn onto 5th revealed a wide street going downhill back toward downtown, lined with huge trees in full fall color. There were a few folks out cheering, but at this point it was all about focusing on the finish. My legs were screaming at me because while it is nice to have the assistance of gravity on downhill stretches, it is murder on the quads. Everything leveled out as I passed Mile 25 and then made the final turns past Goodale Park and into downtown.
By this time, I could hear the crowds and the music of the finish, and when I saw the sign that said "1/2 Mile To Go," I was actually able to find a new gear. Mile 24 had been just under 8 minutes, but Mile 25 lasted only 7:33. As I cruised down Park Street toward the final turn, I noticed I was passing people left and right. (I found out later from the results page that from Mile 20 to the finish that while I was passed by 5 people, I actually passed 138.)
I covered the last stretch at a 6:37 pace with everything I had left in the tank and crossed the finish line in 3:26:12. I was under my goal time of 3:30:00 and beat my November 2010 New York Marathon time by just over a minute. However, the difference between this one and Boston, which was 8:33 faster on a harder course, showed me right away what the difference in training and conditioning can make. It was a testament to what was done to get ready for Boston (and San Diego in June 2010), as much it was proof that I had not felt as good or put in as much work this time around.
And I am just fine with that. :)
2011 Nationwide Insurance Columbus Marathon Recap from dan farkas on Vimeo.
