Philly Marathon Race Report: SUB-3!

Well, it was a tough start to the year, but it is ending with a bang. I got my sub 3 today in Philly, and instead of sleeping on this flight like I should be, I decided to get this down before I forget it all. You, the reader of course benefit!

I was a little worried I might not make it. My taper was pretty awful. I spent most of it being sick...very fatigued and a little overtrained. I was putting in some long days at school during training and after a few weeks of that something happened to me I've never experienced since I started running - the intense desire to not run.  I spent a few days pushing through that feeling and the first run of my two-week taper, I couldn't even get through a recovery run on the treadmill.  The next day I was sick as a dog, but I felt that I needed to continue to go to school, as I was worried about everything going on there, which really slowed my recovery, and I spent most of the rest of taper trying to get healthy.  So that meant hardly any running, which was really tough mentally, but my wife assured me that I had done plenty to prepare and that I couldn't do anything during taper to help the cause anyway, and she advised me to not run until I really wanted to.  Honestly, this advice probably saved me, as I finally started feeling better the Tuesday before the race, and by Friday my drive and confidence returned.

Part of the problem was that I felt like I was cramming to train for this after the 50 miler, and quite frankly came back too soon. I had a great mileage base from the ultra though, and I put together about 7 weeks of pretty hard training...consisting of mileage ranging from the mid 60s to the mid 70s per week and some absolutely hellish speed workouts. One thing is for sure though - even though it was tough keeping up with the schedule I laid out, I was definitely getting my speed back quickly. I ran some really sharp tempo runs (hitting speeds in the 6:10s) and was really sharp on my Vo2 max work. I also did a few Daniels style sessions where I would run mixed pace repeats, combining tempo, 5k and mile paces. Overall, I managed to squeeze in a pretty decent cycle before the illness hit, and I was confident I could get the job done by the time the weekend of the race rolled around.  I think it helped that I was so busy with everything else I had going on...I didn't dwell on the race very much, and when the weekend did arrive, I was excited just to get out of Chicago for a couple of days, so I liked my mindset going into the race, as I always race better when I am relaxed.

The weekend started out pretty rough though. I flew to Philly on Friday night...excited for my wife's aunt to come and pick me up. Except she forgot to come and pick me up. I tried calling her, her husband, my wife's dad, stepmom and half-sister...nobody was answering their phones. What the fuck! I started to worry about where I was sleeping that night. Fortunately, my dear friend Flo (who is an avid blogger- read her blog using the link on the right - Girl in Motion) was kind enough to let me crash there and we had a great time catching up on Friday night when I finally managed to get there...thanks to my father in law who hurriedly came to pick me up when he heard I was in need of a ride.

On Saturday morning, my phone was ringing off the hook, and it was my wife's aunt, apologizing like crazy. By that time I had slept it off and was over it....but it would not be the last strange thing to happen.

Saturday was my day to hit the expo and visit family, and I also managed to get a short run in on the river path which was wonderful. By the time that was all done, it was time to grab some dinner. I met a few folks from the sub-3 thread- GregTR, Esined and Brocknoxious...all great guys. The company was great, the food good. Then I went to Flo's and hit the sack.

Some fast folks here.  From left:  Flo, Greg, Tinell (Brock's girlfriend),
Brock, Esined, Denise (Esined's wife) and yours truly.  Greg, Brock, and
Esined have all gone sub-3, hoping to join their ranks.

I woke up Sunday morning, rested. I managed to sleep pretty well both nights I was there which was great. However I made another disturbing discovery...I left my gloves at the restaurant! Ugh. Fortunately, Flo saved the day again...letting me borrow some lovely fluffy baby blue ones that I actually kept on for the first 21 miles. The other fantastic thing was that she was literally 2 blocks from the start...so I could wait until the last minute and then mosey on over.

I met my friend Chris (RTI from the 3:20 thread) in the corral and exchanged some nervous chatter. It was plenty cold at the start...I was happy to have my throwaway, but it had to come off...as 7am rolled around and off we went!

(2 miles in, another potential calamity - I look down at my Garmin, and it is DEAD. No idea why, it had a full battery that morning. I blame Chris, he gave me a hard time about my crappy Garmin all weekend - I should have known this was a sign that it would fail miserably. More on this later...but this is why I only have the official race splits in my report.)

First 5k - We're off and Chris drops me pretty quickly in the mass of humanity. Oh well, I figured he'd be out a little faster than me. My plan was to keep the 3 hour pacer in my sights. I spotted him running at the right edge and tried to settle in. Pace feels OK at the start, not necessarily easy, but not hard. My Garmin shows that the mile 2 marker is at 2.18 miles or some shit. That's interesting. Then, it promptly shuts off. I cannot resuscitate it. Oh my god. I decide right then and there to put the fate of my race on the pacer, and keep my eye on the clocks, and try to do some quick mental math too see how I was progressing. But still, that was a tough mental blow early. Still, I think I handled it OK. I was very grateful they had a three hour pacer, otherwise it would have been a total crap shoot trying to pace myself.

5k-10k - This stretch felt kind of long. The mile 5 marker was particularly elusive. Otherwise, not much to report. Big crowd at mile 6 or so, that got me going a bit. I ate a gel. Kept the pacer in sight. That's about it.

10k-15k - 10k split is 42:40, 6:52 pace almost exactly...so far so good.  I remember not too long ago that this was my 10k PR.  A couple of hills through here and I'm starting to already feel the pace. Something else happens in this stretch though. I start thinking about telling my unborn daughter someday that daddy went sub-3. This really turns things around for me mentally. I am choked up just typing this and recalling this happening. Something just clicked in me after that and I become fiercely determined to get this done. Who knows what my running will be like next year. I may never be in this good of shape again. I have to try and take advantage of this now. No matter what I am not letting that fucking pacer balloon out of my sight.

15k-half -  I see my wife's aunt and uncle at 11 and Flo and Chris' wife Stevi at mile 12 and it gives me a huge boost. Somebody on the Runners World forums once said sub-3 is an uncomfortable blend of speed and endurance. I think that's pretty accurate. By the half split I am already a little sore and I do not feel like the race just started, like I have in other races I have done. I hit the half at 1:29:30 or so on the clock and the pacer is doing a great job. At one point I let him get about 10 seconds ahead but now I am right there again, about 30 feet back.

Half -30k - Tough stretch mentally, but physically the pace feels a little easier for some reason during this part...maybe it was a little downhill?  We have to cross a bridge at 17 for a little course correction out and back which is annoying and it was here where I spotted Chris, maybe 30 seconds ahead of me. I start to wonder if I can catch him...but my focus is still on the pacer. I also remember hitting 16 and doing some quick math after seeing 1:50 on the clock - 70 minutes roughly for 10 miles...I am still very much in the hunt.

30k-35k - 30k split is 2:07, 6:50 pace, so still right on pace for sub-3.  This was my toughest stretch. I really struggled here. When we got to the turnaround to go back towards the art museum that helped a ton, but for some reason I felt really rotten here. I forced a gel down at mile 20 and I thought I might barf it up but it held, thank God. Still have the pacer in sight, but he's a little further in front.  I am trying desperately to hold it together no matter what. A couple people here and there stopping. Managed to keep it together.

35k-finish - I chased down the pace group at mile 21 or so. I ran with them for a couple of miles and really hated it.  They surrounded me in a claustrophobic bubble of suck, and I had a hell of a time getting a drink at an aid station as a result.  One of the other runners kindly offered me what was left over in his cup which was great.  I thought if I can somehow pull it together, that I should really try to push after mile 23 to make sure I didn't leave anything to chance, as I was kind of cutting it close. I get to 23, still with the group, and I got alongside the pacer and thanked him, and told him I really hoped I wouldn't see him again. He encouraged me and told me if you have anything left, now is the time. I pushed ahead and about a half mile later, felt my right hamstring twinge. I had to alter my gait for a bit to make sure I didn't cramp up, and thank God it passed. Shortly after that, I passed Chris, who was struggling with side stitches. Felt real bad for him, but I had to keep going.

I set little mini goals here. Had to get to 25 first. I still had Flo's gloves and needed to ditch them. Found her and Stevi a little after 25...I rubbed my tummy to tell Stevi that Chris was having a tough time. Flo screamed like crazy and it gave me a huge boost. Soon after, the crowds are thickening as we run past the art museum and I hear Bart Yasso on the loudspeaker talking about sub-3...and I need to HTFU and get mine. Finally see mile 26 and turn the corner and see the clock, and it had just clicked 2:59:00 and SUB 3 IS MINE. Honestly I was never sure I had it until this moment. I was pretty sure I did once I saw the time at 25, but now it was certain. I cross at 2:59:09, arms raised, and I am SPENT. About 5 seconds later, both hamstrings completely lock up and I almost fall over. I am walking really, really funny to pick up my medal and I am kind of in shock - it's almost weird to be done now and no longer needing to chase a balloon down.  I see my friend Traci at the finish and I think about going sub 3 for my baby girl and now I am a full-on bawling wreck. This is the second race in a row where I have just emotionally completely broken down after...this one even more so than the 50-miler.  Some of the other runners pat me on the back and say good job and Traci gives me a big hug.

A little dazed, but victorious!  And no I did not pee myself.
(Thanks Traci for this photo!)

Every race has its challenges but I really think this was the toughest yet. I never really felt amazing in this race, I really felt like I had to bear down mentally and physically and I am so thrilled I was able to get it done. Thank God for that 3 hour pacer, his metronome-like pacing was a HUGE help, and looking back on the splits, I ran a very solid race, running even splits the whole way.  I ran inspired today, and I am absolutely thrilled with the result.  Now it's time for a long break to focus on my wife and family, who without them, none of this would ever be possible.

Thanks for reading! -KPH