I started thinking about a Boston Qualifier after last March's Knoxville Marathon...so, I worked all year building up a good 50-60 per week base...once it came time for marathon specific training, things took a turn...I was still putting in the miles...and the long runs...but I was weak and slow...I thought it was a phase and decided to train through it...it never improved, but I kept going...
About the beginning of January, I started thinking that I might be anemic (a year of hard training with no supplements on a primarily vegetable based diet)...so, I started iron supplements...a couple of weeks later, my runs improved, and I started feeling better...that's the upside...the downside is that it takes about 4 months of that treatment in order to restock hemoglobin!
So, I wish I started that earlier, but fuck it...I was feeling better, at least...
By this point, my goals had gradually gone from a BQ, to a PR (currenty 3:38 a decade ago) to just have fun...beating 4 hours would be a bonus, but I didn't expect it...
So, we traveled to Tallahassee....I was dropped off at the line, at 7:00am, 41 degrees and clear...awesome!
Started slow...I was genuinely afraid of my first DNF if I fucked up....so, I hit about 9:20s for about 4 miles...I started feeling good and picked it up to about 8:45s until close to the half...I was taking a mouthful of water on the run every other station (about every 5-6 miles)...I started to drop a few minutes off pace, and started having trouble doing the math in my head, so I just started cruising...about 22 miles, I was done...but still going...I willed myself on to finish at the FSU track in 4:08...about 64 degrees now, and I was glad I was done, but recovered pretty quickly...
Good race...rough 5 miles, and overall slower than I like, but it was genuinely all I had...that was it...I left it all on the road...good, bad or ugly, it was my best, and I'm proud...
Notes: I wish I'd been able to eat before hand...my stomach was rough, and a bite or two of a cliff bar was all I could manage, so I did the race on about 50 calories...I'm making up for that today
The race was good....small...700 in the half, but only 335 in the whole...not much hoopla...stretches where I didn't see other runners at all, but the race was clearly marked, and EVERY mile was marked...that was the FIRST time I've ever seen every mile marked from Chicago or Marine Corps (30-50,000) to Chicamauga Battlefield (about 200)...
I forgot to mention that I'm sick...my wife and daughter were sick on the drive down, and I woke up 2 hours before the start with a raging sore throat and chest congestion! So, I did actually have breakfast...2 sudafed and 4 advil
I had every reason not to run that race, but I'm soooooo glad I did....good times....
