Colfax Marathon RR - Boston Baby!

I started running in April 2011.  I ran my first marathon in November 2011.  Rimrock Marathon near Grand Junction, CO.  Finish time: 3:40:29

Ran the Moab Half Marathon in March 2012 (did not do nearly as well as I wanted to) 1:45

Yesterday, May 20:  COLORADO COLFAX MARATHON

My husband, and little brother were also signed up for the marathon (we did our first one together back in November too).

Got to Denver late Friday night.  Went to the expo on Saturday and picked up this:

Got a little overwhelmed and actually cried a little while shopping for gear....not cause I was sad, or scared, or worried....just cause I didn't know what else to do.  I put alot of pressure on myself when I set goals.....I really wanted to be 3:30.  (the new Boston is 3:35).  I think since I had run 26.2 before, my body was reminding me how good it does NOT feel at mile 24 and that I needed to be mentally ready to endure (which I can proudly say I did).

Up at 4:00am at the hotel.  Throw on clothes and put Sentry (my fawn Doberman running buddy to bed next to my mom).  I give him a big love and lots of pets and thanked him for all the help training.  I know he didn't understand as his head sank into my hand from being so tired but I know that he helped me through a lot of really long runs and cold runs.  I tear up a little.  It's time to go.  We head to little brother's apartment (conveniently located 1 mile from the starting line).  He had breakfast waiting.  We chow down, nerves are setting in.  We all hit the bathroom and then jog to the park. Start time in 15 minutes.

The first mile and a half was crazy with all the Half-Marathoners. I was working to take it easy (my goal pace was 8:00 and I wanted my first mile to be 8:15-8:30). Garmin says 8:14...close enough.  As we split to the right and the Halfers went left, all I could think was that we were separating the men from the children (I know that running a Half is not all much easier than running a Full but I needed to be empowered at this moment after fighting the crowd).

Just after heading out of the park there was a Will Ferrell look alike donned with a dark red curly wig, belly shirt, and a cowbell (of course) rocking out to Blue Oyster Cult with his blue honda parked next to him with a sign holding up the trunk that said "DOUBTERS CAN SUCK IT".  This would become my motto for the race.  I gave him a thumbs up.  Run through Fire Station #1 downtown Denver, run through MileHigh stadium....pretty cool, run along Cherry Creek trail, down Colfax where the cowbell guy and DOUBTERS SUCK IT sign shine again (another thumbs up from me, and turn up Perry to Sloan's Lake (around mile 8).  I see my mom and dad and my beautiful Sentry.  They cheer me on.  My pace is going great.  Miles 2-9 are all just under 8:00.  The aid stations had been awesome but I needed a restroom.  Unfortunately, I had been plagued with Aunt Flow showing up a few days late (should have been on the tail end of things but I think my nerves about the race made her delay until the night before the race....so unfortunately I was cramping and enduring Aunt Flow at her strongest moment).  A REAL bathroom shined like a beautiful sunrise....I took the opportunity to use a real toilet and appreciated the real sink to wash my hands. Thought for sure the split including the bathroom stop would be 12:00.  It was an 8:45 after all.  I must have shot out of that bathroom like a gazelle. Head around the lake and I see my folks and Sentry again.  What a boost.  Leave the lake and keep heading west. Miles 11-14 all under 8:00.  Mile 15 was an 8:08.  Mile 16 is the turning point to head back down Colfax (downhill baby).  Felt great turning that corner and knew I could hold 8:00s.  Mile 16-20 were: 7:55, 7:47, 8:00, 7:42, 7:47.  Cowbell guy again. At this point, there is not doubt left in my mind.  I'm going to rock this race.  Did I mention my time at the half was 1:45...right on pace including the bathroom stop and equal to my best half marathon time from March.   Mile 21-24 were 8:14, 8:11, 8:27, 8:06.  Cowbell guy again. It hurts.  I want to stop....it'd be SOOOO easy to stop.  It hurts everywhere.  No matter how hard someone trains, I think mile 24 is just horrid....you've come too far to quit, but you're not close enough to drive it home.  The tank feels empty.  You've come so far.  I'd come so far but there's part of my brain screaming that no one will care if I quit and it's not worth it to finish...it's just too hard.  I push through.  I start eyeing "ponytails" (my dad calls girl runners ponytails) and I work to pass as many as I can.  Beginning at mile 17 the Urban 10-Mile racers had merged with us and were crowding the course...not to mention driving me CRAZY!  They are rocking out to their headphones running 3 and 4 people wide in matching outfits blocking the path completely ignoring the fact that some of us have a job to do and we have already run 16 miles...have some respect for other racers...seriously.  So, back to the ponytails....I'm passing them but they all have orange bibs (10-mile bibs).  Finally I pass a ponytail with a green bib (a marathoner). "Yes, who's next?"  Here's the hill on 17th.  I swore to myself the day before that I would pass people on this hill and would not let them pass me after it.  I have trained hills like crazy, even on easy run days.  There she was....dark ponytail dressed in all red and black (very intimidating outfit).  I could tell she was a green bib even though I couldn't see it.  She looked like I felt...tired and driving it home.  I keep my eye on her....I drive steady up the hill and pass lots of 10-milers (ponytails and men). I also pass 3 or 4 marathoners without ponytails.  Mile 25 was 8:37...not a great split but I was passing people so it was good enough I guess.  Garmin was freaking out from the buildings quite a bit so some of those ending splits might be messed up.  Cowbell guy one more time.  Final thumbs up to him and I tell him "thank you".  I enter City Park.  Less than a mile to go.  Ponytail in black and red is still ahead.  I'm gaining on her.  I get close enough to try to drive past her.  She kicks in and forges ahead.  I try to catch her or hang....I hang but can't catch her.  I see the finish.  She drives ahead and so do I.  I pass two more marathon men and lots of 10-milers.  Finally.  Done.  I'm happy but totally spent. 3:31 and change on the clock. I see my brother.  Then my parents.  Then my husband.  I grab a gatorade and a water.  I can't open the water.  I'm about to cry. My hips hurt.  I'm done.  I'm overwhelmed. It hurts so bad. This is not the moment to remember.  I'm not going to elaborate or if I read this blog before my next one I won't really want to run another one.  I know I did my best because I felt pretty terrible.  So tight.  So tired.  My dad opens the water.  I grab a banana and more water.  No chocolate mile?  No oranges?  Such great aid stations through the entire race but I had my heart set on chocolate milk.  I'm bummed. They have Pepsi (which I don't like at all and that's SOOO not what I wanted). I stick with water.  I hit the restrooms and then head back to my brother's apartment.  The longest mile walk home ever for all 3 of us.  My husband went 3:20 (a best time by 16 minutes).  My little brother went 3:06 (missed Boston by 1 minute 6 seconds) but a best time by 17 minutes.  My official chip time was 3:30:21 even with the long bathroom stop.  Made the Boston cut free and clear with 4:39 to spare and a best time by 10 minutes. 14th place woman (out of 500).  6th in my age group (out of 174) and 130th overall (out of 1,166).  I can definitely say I am pleased.    I can definitely say I am pleased.

Today I rested.  I have a few more days to rest before running a little local 10k at the annual Riverfest this Saturday.