Sunday, May 26, 2013
Memorial Day Marathon – Lenox, Massachusetts
39 degrees and rainy, wind from SW at 20 mph
2013 Finish Time: 4:37:46
2013 Place: 88/150
2012 Finish Time: 5:28:09
2012 Place: 107/139
After a restful night’s sleep, in the midst of REM sleep I was awoken by the chiming of the iPhone alarm at ten after six in the morning. As I hit the “snooze” I stretched and wiped the cobwebs from my eyes. Today was going to be a good d--. Ow… Oww… OWWWW! In the throes of a full pronged total war on my right calf muscle by one Charley Horse, I writhed and grabbed the pillow, trying not to wake Emmy. Oops. As I hobbled out of the bedroom, my head still in its pre-coffee fog I reassessed the situation and amended my previous, albeit brief declaration – Today was going to be a… day. In all seriousness I had never raced in these conditions for a marathon so I had limited expectations. Cold, rainy and temperatures in the upper thirties, I found my rain coat, compression socks and shorts and suited up to go to battle.
Last year I think it is safe to say that the Memorial Day Marathon beat me. That is not to say I did not put forth a gallant and valiant effort. It is just one heck of a course. After luring you into a false sense of security as you plummet down and out of Lenox towards Stockbridge, mile after mile sucking you down into the depths of Berkshire County’s bowels, there is a stark realization at about mile 14 that what most down most certainly must go back up. In a series of hamstring punishing climbs, runners are treated to no fewer than half a dozen climbs which culminate in a series of exceedingly steep ascents at miles 18, 20, 21, and 25. Really? Of all the marathons I have done, this should be referred to as “The Widowmaker”. It makes Heartbreak Hill look like a sore loser. This series of hills could be the reason why last year’s winner, Andrew Peters, ran only a 3:05 and only four runners broke 3:30. There is no messing around with the Memorial Day Marathon.
In 2012 temperatures dabbled in the low 80s with crushing humidity, scorching sun, and no prior experience with the race as I slipped on my Vibram Komodo Sports. Looking back I made a lot of rookie mistakes on this course. 1) I went out too fast, pacing off of the half marathoners before they split left at the fork at mile 6. 2) I did not adjust expectations for the course weather – I run poorly in the heat and humidity. 3) PACING - I ran the first half at just about 2 hours or 2:10 and the second half in over 3 hours. 4) I did not bring my own aid – GU, salt tabs, etc. And the one thing I have found Memorial Day Marathon to skimp on is aid station fare. They typically only offer Water until Mile 10, then Gatorade or water with two opportunities to score gels.
THE RACE:
After leaving the house at 7:34, I pulled into Tanglewood and still had 15 minutes until I realistically had to be out of the car. That’s what I love about small races. We lined up in the rain and after a poor rendition of the national anthem for the second year in a row – they keep picking singers that make up their own lyrics – the half and full marathoners got ready to embark on their own personal quests at 8:07.
My goal was to start slow and to enjoy the back of the pack. I located other Marathon Maniacs, but did not strike up conversation. For me I much rather prefer to focus on my own thoughts and the task ahead. I realize this may come across as somewhat cold and/or the opposite of how I generally come across, but it is a personal decision. I don’t even know if I would call it a decision. It is more of just a state of being. I would rather be present in the moment, able to perform diagnostic checks, than to be forced to engage in silly banter that might allow me to miss a crucial sign, forget a GU or salt tab, or make another small error that should be avoided.
I started second to last across the line and settled into a rhythm. I took a “nature’s call” break somewhere in the first mile or two, but caught back up to the group that I had settled into cadence with. After the first two miles, as I started to warm up and fight back against the cold, I started to feel pretty good. I started to do a diagnostic check. Feet – blister from 3 Days at the Fair? Check. Feeling great. Ankles – no soreness. Good to go. Calf Muscles – Left one great. Right one fair. Hoping that it will get better. Nip guards and Vaseline – did I rememb--? Yes! Phew!
In the opening miles of a marathon, I always love to people watch. I know it sounds funny, but everyone runs with their own styles, own gear, for their own purpose. Some run in remembrance – and this was especially relevant on Memorial Day. Some run for a cure – as evidenced by the presence of upstate NY and VT chapters of Team In Training that were out in numbers. Some run for the personal challenge to vindicate their inner devils. Some run out of their naivety. And finally some run because it is enjoyable. (Did I really just say that?)
Miles started to tick off. Around mile 5, as I was walking an incline, I came up to the fork where half marathoners went left and marathoners went right. My friend Michael Menard was there directing traffic, but as it was raining, I had removed my sunglasses and nearly missed the fact that it was him. I told him jokingly, that maybe I should bear to the left and make my punishment an abridged version. He told me no and to suffer on. Leave it to a fellow ultrarunner!
After the exit of the half marathoners, the pack had thinned to the point where I only could see the blurred versions of two or three runners about :30 to a minute ahead of me. Miles 6, 7, 8 started some serious downhill and my pace quickened. As we got close to mile 10 I realized that we were in effect going in the reverse direction from last year. The turnaround was now at mile 10 instead of about 14 or 15. This meant a counterclockwise travel around the little lake we loop around. At the turnaround after another bathroom break I realized I was ahead of 22 other warriors. But I still thought I could do better.
I started to pick up the pace to put distance on the chasers behind me. I passed a guy seeming to have knee trouble, and then at the mile 12 aid station, there was a guy projectile vomiting with four or five concerned runners around him. I snagged some water and pressed on. Caught a couple and weird guy talking to himself at the half marathon mark. Everything was great. I hung a left to head up out of the gorge and was met with a full in-your-face blast of cold winter wind.
I continued to take S-Caps every chance I got on the hour. I am convinced that this is a make or break thing for me. With the rate at which I sweat, it becomes paramount for me to regulate my salt and potassium during longer events. I continued to pass 1 or 2 runners a mile. I was prepared this year. Maybe it’s my physical fitness from running every day for the last five months. Maybe it’s my mental toughness gained from racing nearly two dozen races of marathon or greater distance. Maybe a combination. But I seemed to feed off of others’s weakness. I seemed to get stronger where everyone else started to fade.
The only parts of the last third of the race that I had to walk, I power walked the mile 18, 20, and 21 hills. And then one final hill at mile 25. Last year on the mountain road after the huge hill across from the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, the wheels fell off and I seemed to be unable to gather the strength to even approach a shuffle. This year I continued in the 10:00-10:30 pace with miles adjusted accordingly for water stops.
One thing was for certain. I was going to be victorious today. I was not going to be taken by anyone behind me. Two people tried to pass me and I sped up and blasted them out the back. From mile 10, no one passed me and was able to stay ahead of me. How’s that for race management?
Funniest part of the run was about mile 24, someone in a red car with NY plates came up and rolled down the window. The lady yelled, “Wait. You ran 118 miles last weekend AND you’re out here doing this? You’re crazy!” Haha! Certifiably so!
The one thing I really like about Memorial Day Marathon is that from mile 18, all of their mile markers are off by about .3 miles, but then the last mile seems short because they readjust it. Made it seem like I was running a 7 minute mile pace!
With raindrops splattering on my shoulders and the bridge of my nose, I passed a struggling lady on the last incline, right by the 26 mile marker. Did I feel bad about blasting her? Nope. I thanked the police officer for directing traffic (*something I have learned is never done enough and should be done by every runner every chance they get!), and headed for home. There was a tambourine man/lady bringing me home. John Kinnicut helped me in via the PA system and then later came up to introduce himself to me. He is the embodiment about what this sport is about. I loved the fact that I finished so strong, too strong in fact. I had told Emma to meet me at about 5 hours in if it was a good day.
Oops! She was just getting in her car in Pittsfield to come meet me! Haha! We enjoyed a frozen peanut butter and jelly in the car before heading home.
Overall, one of the best performances for the marathon distance for me. Not because I ran fast necessarily, but because I felt confident, in control, and successful. I swore I wouldn’t be back, but I came back and conquered. I think I will try it again next year. Oh, and the Charley Horse .. it feels like a million dollars. My own little Red Badge of Courage.
• Mile 1: 11:11
• Mile 2: 11:20
• Mile 3: 10:05
• Mile 4: 9:47
• Mile 5: 10:46
• Mile 6: 10:29
• Mile 7: 9:45
• Mile 8: 9:58
• Mile 9: 10:30
• Mile 10: 11:19
• Mile 11: 9:54
• Mile 12: 9:40
• Mile 13: 9:46
• Mile 14: 10:12
• Mile 15: 10:59
• Mile 16: 10:50
• Mile 17: 11:28
• Mile 18: 9:57
• Mile 19: 11:34
• Mile 20: 10:12
• Mile 21: 11:05
• Mile 22: 11:31
• Mile 23: 10:18
• Mile 24: 10:03
• Mile 25: 12:56
• Mile 26: 10:39
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