I never really dropped my mileage after the MCM. I continued running with my group and they really pushed me to keep up the mileage. Many of the other runners were training for the Rock N Roll DC Marathon that took place in March. I was essentially training for a marathon, but hadn't signed up for one. So one day after an 18 mile run, I asked my fellow running buddy Brenda if she'd be interested in signing up for a full marathon. We were training for one so I figured why not! Finding one to run in a few months notice wasn't that easy. I had already signed up for the Rock N Roll DC Half and was looking forward to running that distance.And my race schedule for April and May were pretty busy. Brenda was able to find HIS Marathon and the date worked for both of us so we registered and continued our marathon training through the rest of the cold winter and into spring.
I met Brenda at her house and we drove down to the race together with her two daughters and husband. The race was about an hour and a half away so I am forever grateful to her husband for driving us to the race!
This marathon was different from my first marathon in so many ways. In fact, I think the only similarity was that they were both 26.2 miles! Unlike my first marathon, I didn't stress about this one at all. I didn't over think my training. I hardly even thought about the race until the day before when I figured I should start getting my stuff together. This marathon ran through a beautiful state park. I had heard that it was extremely hilly. Huge hills. I figured I would do my best and be elated if I PR'd. I wanted to PR and I assumed I would because I feel like I have become a much stronger runner since running my first marathon.
Brenda dropped a bomb on me the morning of the marathon. I had no idea how big (or small) this race was going to be (again my fault for not doing my research beforehand). Turns out only 35 marathoners signed up for this race! I'm sure my mouth fell open when Brenda told me this. I assumed there would at least be a few 100. I had visions of finishing last flashing through my head. My first marathon had 23,519 finishers. This race would have 35. I tried not to panic too much. There was nothing I could do at that point. Clearly I was not going to back out after months of training!
(Photo obtained from HIS Marathon Website)
Once we arrived at the park we decided to drive the course because we arrived a little early. The marathon was two 13.1 loops through the hilly park. The hills on the first 3 miles were insane. They hurt the first time out so we knew they were going to hurt through miles 23-26.
After we drove the course we parked and head to the restrooms. It was nice that parking, restrooms and the start line were all within a few minute walk of each other. After we all used the restroom we headed back up to the car to get all geared. The race was set to start at 8am and we started down to the start line around 7:45am. At the start line, it started to become obvious that this was the first race that this group had ever put on. It seemed a little unorganized, but we ended up only starting a few minutes late. There were about 35 marathoners and 50 1/2 marathoners.
Even though the course was basically two loops around the park, it was still a little confusing at some points as to what direction we were supposed to run. There were a few side streets that we had to run down to the end and turn around and come back. Around mile 3 we ended up passing runners that we assumed were coming around the other side of the loop. However, once we made the turn around at the end of the side street, the volunteer directing traffic pointed us in the opposite direction that we had just passed the runners that were ahead of us. That left us wondering for the next few miles if we were heading in the wrong direction or if the other runners were headed in the wrong direction. Someone was off course - that much as clear! A few miles later I had several fast runners fly passed me. I thought it was odd because I knew Brenda and I had started in the back of the pack. Brenda decided to ask one of the ladies where she was coming from and she told us that they had sent some runners in the wrong direction and they had gone several miles off course. UGH! How awful is that?! We were so thankful that we had started at the back of the back and had not gone several miles off course.
(Photo obtained from HIS Marathon Website)
I knew early on that I was going to PR. We had a really great pace going and I knew that we were making up for the time that we would lose over the last 3 miles of serious hills. It was just a question of how much time I would shave off from my first marathon. We started counting down the miles when we had 9 miles left. We were in single digits we said at one point. Then we only had a 10k left. Then a 5k. Then we were down to the last two miles and the biggest hills on the course were looming ahead. We jogged up hill and let ourselves literally fly down the other side. When we came to the top of the last hill we could see the finish line at the bottom of the hill. I always get a little emotional when I see a finish line. Especially after a race like that. Brenda yelled to me to give her my hand and we crossed the finish line with our hands together raised in the air. We had a few pictures taken at the finish and we were handed a water and our medal.
The medal was glass which makes me nervous that I will break it, but I like it because it's different than any of the other medals that I have. I ended up with just over an 11 minute PR on a much tougher course. I will always be happy with a PR even if it might not end up being as big of a PR as I would have wanted. You have to learn to be proud of your accomplishments and understand that not everything is going to go exactly the way you dream it will.
MCM time was 4:43:54
This is the elevation chart that I found on the HIS Marathon Website.
The marathon website said that there would be a hot meal served after the run. I was curious to see what would be served. We dropped our stuff of at the car, used the rest room and headed to the lunch pavilion.
By the time we arrived to the lunch, we were told that the food was cold. You could tell that there were no runners involved in planning this race or ordering the food because they had lasagna, fish, meatballs, salad and bread. Where were the bananas? Chocolate milk? Bagels? I don't know. Just didn't seem like fish is something that a runner would want to eat after a marathon. I knew my stomach couldn't handle it so I had two pieces of bread and decided that would due until I made it home. We had lunch on a picnic table right outside the pavilion. It was such a gorgeous day to be outside.
I have yet to have a negative experience at a race. There are always things that I think can be done differently or things that I think the race company completely failed on. It's just hard for something to ruin my race day and that feeling you get from crossing the finish line. The food doesn't matter, the lack of spectators, the late start, the poorly run water stations. It may bother me and I might wish that these things had been gone differently, but I am not going to let that ruin my day. This was the inaugural HIS Marathon so I will cut them some slack. The race director encouraged feedback from all runners so that they can make adjustments next year.
Although, had it been me that they had sent off course, that might have been a different story. After all, the course marshals SHOULD know the course. Right? Running more than 26.2 miles or running less than 26.2 MIGHT be enough to ruin race day!
It was getting late and we knew we had a long ride ahead of us so we didn't hang around that long. I knew I wanted to get home and relax for a little bit before I had to get ready for work the next day.
This is pretty much all I did for several hours after I got home. My fiance had cleaned the house while I was gone and he made me lunch while he listened to all the details about my race. He's not a runner so I know my stories bore him -- but he always listens anyways!
Overall, I know this wasn't the most well organized race. But I will never regret running a race. This was an experience and one that I will remember forever. It was a really tough course and I am a better runner because of it.
Do any of you have interesting marathon stories to tell?
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