Yesterday, I, Sophie Ballo, completed my first marathon.
I am nothing but happy about that accomplishment.
I would like to break this event down into two separate blogs. The first, this one, is a pre, during, post race breakdown, just to capture events while they're still fresh in my mind (my legs are so sore, how could I possibly forget?). The second will be what I've learned about myself, marathons, and where I want to go from here.
4:50 am - Wake up at the Red Roof Inn, immediately start eating the Apple Cinnamon Cheerios left next to my bed. Look at my race clothes all laid out, waiting for me, including the ultra awesome number/gel band that I purchased the day before. I was stocked with 4 Gus in my holster, plus one in my shorts and one in my water bottle pouch. I had my armbands. I was looking fierce (pics will be posted when available).
5:15 am - depart for NettApp, the parking lot where all the racers caught buses to the baseball field/race start.
5:30 am - listen to people who were friends behind me on the bus rehash past marathon stories. Favorite moment: "Maybe this time we won't be in pain tomorrow." "We're always in pain." "Yeah....but maybe this time we won't be."
6:15 am - meander around baseball stadium, stretch, eat a foodbar, say hello to my friend Laura and her lovely dog Gracey (btw, Laura finished in 3:23 - 8th place overall female), check my bag at the table to pick up afterwards, use the port-a-john, and find my pace group (4:30. I'm shooting for the stars.)
7:00 am - We're off!!!!
Change of format -
Miles 1-9: I felt like a total rock star. I knew that a ten minute mile pace was faster than I trained, and faster than we normally run on trails, but I also knew that there wasn't going to be major hills or rocks or roots. I talked to a guy named Jason who had only run 10 miles on his longest training run, but who had done a few half marathons last year. I said that if I was feeling good on mile 21 I may pull away from the group.
Miles 10 - 13: I stopped to go to the ladies room in the woods, and then sprinted to catch back up to the group. When I arrived, my left quad and hamstring started complaining. What? My quads NEVER complain. Mind job #1.
Miles 14 - 15: Argh. Pavement. Also, Jason, while a lovely guy, started to constantly comment on mileage. How far we've gone, how far to go, how he was doing, how was I doing, etc. I felt like a total bitch, but I told him to please stop. Especially since my quad and hamstring still complained, and for some reason, my pace leader seemed to be going faster... We talked about school and jobs instead.
Miles 16-18: My left leg really didn't like what was going on. Neither did my digestive system. And the 4:30 pacer seemed increasingly difficult to keep pace with. My once easy ten minute mile slipped away....
Mile 19 - Change of plan. Bathroom break, no chance to catching back up, kissed my 4:30 marathon goodbye. Said so long to Jason (who finished like a champ with the pacegroup, btw). Walked through the aid station, filled my water bottle, grabbed a Gu, and mentally steeled myself to go it alone the rest of the way.
Miles 20-23.5 - Dark days. Crawling pace. People were passing me, so even though my form still felt ok, I knew that I must be going slowly. Amazingly slowly. This is where the mental game came into play. I was still running, so I don't think it was a wall. Then again, my pace decreased dramatically. So maybe it was a wall. Silver lining? I never walked except for water stations. Mile 22, veered off the trail and onto a horrible, open, paved road wasteland. Since I was so far back in the pack, desolation is the word that comes to mind. Thank god for the port-a-johns and water stations spaced every mile through this section.
Miles 23.5 - 26 - I am once again a rockstar. I am making a comeback. I rallied, got it together, and powered on. Eagle eyed slow person coming through.
Miles 26 - 26.2 - Elation. Joy. I finished under 5 hours. I finished period.
I RAN A MARATHON.
11:50am - 12:00pm - wander around in a haze. Stuff some cin raisin bread with butter down my throat. Wander around some more. Try to feel my legs. Where did my legs go? They were there a minute ago...
12:01pm - oh, there they are, they are in pain. Large amounts of pain.
12:02pm - realize that I have to drive home. Panic as to how in the hell I am going to work the stick.
12:05 - ladies room break, stretch, change into my sweats (thank god I brought my sweats), eat a powerbar. It's yummy, suddenly not hungry, so glad I got it down.
12:10 - 12:30 - call friends and family. Yayayay!! Huzzah! Worry mom with my mention of an icebath (what if I fall asleep in the icebath and get hypothermia?). Assure mom that I will not fall asleep in the icebath and get hypothermia. It's pretty much an impossibility. The amount of willpower needed to not jump out of the icebath after only three minutes is a marathon in and of itself.
12:30 - 1:00 - relive the marathon, the goods and the bads, on the bus that takes us back to the parking lot. Sit across from the 3rd place overall finisher. He is not only amazingly nice, but also looks like he is in amazingly good shape. Well, I mean, of course he's in amazingly good shape, but I'm talking about good shape as in not like me; he doesn't have a hitch in his giddiyup.
1:10pm - realize in horror that I need to manually press my left foot down on the clutch; my left quad has gone on strike.
1:10pm - 2:15pm - I made it! I'm home!
2:15 - 2:35pm - ice bath. O glorious ice bath. O wondrous glorious ice bath. Thank you for freezing my muscles and joints into submission.
2:36pm - call mom to let her know that I did not fall asleep in the ice bath and get hypothermia.
2:45 - sort of hungry again, scarf down half a granola bar in preparation for my amazing frufru brunch.
3:15 5:15 - meet my friend Abran (who comes bearing non negotiable cupcakes from Dewey's) at Green Valley Grill. Regail him with copious play by plays of my marathon. Pick his brain (he's an ultrarunner) about recovery, when I can start to run again, whether or not my next marathon will be any easier (it won't), what ultras are like (friendlier, happier, competitive in a good natured way). Eat. I eat a goat cheese and caramelized onion frittata with hash browns and romesco sauce, he eats a fancy version of eggs benedicts, and we split the french toast with marscapone walnut cheese sauce and nutella drizzle. I try to eat a cupcake afterwards, but just couldn't get any more down. All in all, I am extremely pleased.
6:00 - 9:30 - wallow in a dozed stupor under the pretense of going to bed. Don't really sleep, but enjoy my time in bed nonetheless.
9:30 - 10:00 - wake up, eat a granola bar, go for a little 15 minute walk, text my roommate Elbie to please pick up some Icy Hot (which she does, I love her, it really is both Ice and Hot!), stretch, drink water, and go to bed for real.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is a break down of March 21st, 2010.
The day I completed the Tobacco Road Marathon.
Place Bib# Age 13.1 Pace Chiptime Pace Guntime
| 86 | 49 | 28 | 2:13:54 | 10:14 | 4:49:17 | 11:03 | 4:50:51.4 |
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