Quote Originally Posted by colby View Post
(note to self, write a race report)
So, you all know I went into this with a 4 hour goal, and you already know that I didn't make my goal, but it was an exciting and fun race nonetheless. We usually do the weekend in Seattle, even though we're not really tourists and don't really want to shop. It's just a way to get away, focus on the race, and enjoy some time alone. My husband and I headed to Seattle on Friday morning, took the train down to our hotel, and went to the race expo before going off to a movie.

I checked in, got my bib/chip, and told my husband we can't buy the finisher shirts until I actually finish (he rolls his eyes EVERY time I tell him that). I was pleasantly surprised to see they added a size XS tshirt (they are unisex, but the difference is nice). We went back into the super expo to get the Free Stuff and race shirt, which was turquoise... they knew I was coming. It's a nice asics wicking tshirt. In the expo, I realized I forgot my race belt (again) so I bought a SPI belt - way cool! It holds about 6 or 7 gels (or a flask, or other misc items like keys and cards), the elastic is pretty soft, and mine has colored polka dots on it (fast polka dots) to go with my rainbow toe socks (fast rainbow toe socks). I almost bought a polar rs800cx heart monitor, but had to go back and convince my husband (read: myself) it was a good deal and a worthy purchase (in the end he forgot and I was busy, and I will now have to pay full price rather than race expo discount ). Looked at shoes, of course none in my size/shape. Found the awesome One More Mile people I posted about and bought two shirts (about running with my dog, and passing boys, awesome) and a sticker for my friend who isn't a runner either ("In my dreams, I am a Kenyan"). Outside the expo there is a sign making station where my husband sat down with gaggles of children and made me a sign. They pre-print one sign with logos like "more cowbell" and standard race stuff and the other side you get to write on, they provide colored pens and tables. For Ironman I'm not allowed to see the sign, but since it's "just a marathon" he let me see. It said "4:00 - go colbinator!" and "more cowbell" on the other side. A girl behind him made a sign that said "GO MOM! GOOD GOB!" (she crossed off the G and made it a J later, but I think "GOOD GOB" might mean more to Mom). A little boy in front of him made a sign that said "mom is beautiful." Apparently marathons bring out the best in your children. We dropped all of that stuff off and went to decompress with dinner and a movie (Planet 51 - cute).

Last weekend we were also in Seattle and I picked something up (actually, we ALL picked something up) that I'd been fighting off ferociously, but it was lingering. I was in denial that this would affect my race. Saturday, I had lunch with a couple of friends and we had pizza for dinner (well, fancy pizza, with real ingredients and not the greasy icky stuff). I found a bagel and cream cheese for breakfast the next morning, and went to bed early. I slept amazingly well considering all the ants in my pants. Also, the race doesn't start until 8:15, which is AWESOME. I was still hopeful about my crud.

The weather on Sunday was perfect. 50, overcast. I didn't need my insulating layer, my tri shorts would be fine (though I pined for my cw-x, I didn't want to pay for another pair just to rub the seams out of them again), and more spectators were sure to show up. I ate my bagel a little more than an hour before the race, drank plenty of water, then went to line up behind the 4 hour pacer. We counted down to the start... 8:15 rolled around, "runners ready...", airhorn, we were off!!!

As the starting horn went off, we got stretched out, and I had to catch the 4 hour pacer. I chased that woman and the 4 hour pacer pack for a long long time. It felt really good. My heart rate was high up hill, normal on flats. YES, this IS possible!! I chased her down 5th avenue, I chased her onto the I-90 express lanes, I chased her across the bridge, I chased her back. I chased her up hill, I chased her down hill. On the return trip, there's a slight uphill to the end of the express lanes as we head down Lake Washington Blvd. toward Seward Park. It was then that I knew something was starting to give. My head started to feel cloudy, and pressure started to increase. I checked my heart rate, which seemed to be stuck, not decreasing like it had been. I knew I would have to back off. I let her get ahead of me, I let her get out of sight, but I kept chugging along. I started walking aid stations (which are placed every 2 miles, with a couple of GU stops) but running solidly between them. This marathon felt so much better than any other I had ran, even though I ran the first 11 or so miles at 9 minute pace.

I hit the half marathon point at around 2:05. This is faster than I've ran almost any half marathon, including those that did NOT have another half to run. I think the only mistake I may have made was to tell my husband out loud at mile 16 "I feel like crap" - I tried to undo it the MINUTE the words came out of my mouth by repeating to myself that I would still make my A goal, I would still be happy, and this race still feels awesome, and that I feel awesome. It did help. Mile 9/16 were the points where I saw my cheering crew, which I believe everyone who did the Seattle Marathon would recognize... they were the ones playing cowbells and had "don't fear the reaper" playing on their stereo. They yelled for me, they made me smile. Go support crew!!

Those middle miles of the marathon are solitary miles. Around mile 18 I saw a good friend I expected to see, but she had an awesome "Go Colby! You rock!" sign, her 2 year old son playing cowbell, and a friend I didn't expect to see also cheering. I love those guys. I'd say mile 15 to mile 20 are probably the hardest - you're not able to convince yourself you're almost there, you know that big freaking hill is still in front of you, and it's just a grind. Those are the miles you train for. I knew the 4 hour pacer was too far ahead now, but I was hoping to stretch for 4:20 and definitely make 4:30. My husband caught up to me at mile 19 or so and asked if I was okay since I was "moving slower" and I said "I'm not moving slower, I'm fine, I can still make 4:20". That helped, mentally - to have to face "what the hell am I doing? I can still bust ***!" I allowed myself to walk up big hills - and even then only for 100 steps at a time - and aid stations. And, I made it the whole freaking way doing that. I have never ran a whole marathon. There's a big hill you cross as you go over to Capitol Hill, then you go down Interlaken, a very beautiful tree-lined area that is one of the reasons I love Seattle. It's not flat, but you wouldn't know it. Saw my cheering squad at mile 22 or 23 again, they were united, and I'd see them again at the finish.

I made it to mile 23 at right around 3:58 but the guy said 4:00 and that lit a fire under me. If it really was 4:00, I ran the next mile in 8 minutes, because I was at mile 24 at 4:08. Right around mile 23 or 24 you can see the Space Needle, which is right at the finish. Mile 25 I didn't catch, and I did still walk the aid station and drink some gatorade with water (I cannot drink it straight). Mile 26 came at the end of a stupid hill on Mercer street (whose idea was it to put a hill at mile 26 of a freaking marathon?). I hauled it that last .2 miles and passed people who were so out of gas they looked like they might fall over. I did it. The clock said 4:34 or something and I didn't care. It had a 4, then a 3, and then some change, and that's all I wanted. That was my A goal. I had adjusted my goals, I had RAN my first marathon, I had succeeded. I repeated to myself in my head the sound of Mike Reilly telling me "YOU ARE AN IRONMAN."

I got my medal, my legs started to stiffen, I stretched, I got my space blanket, I felt sweaty, I took my picture with my friend (who was all energized to go running, and in fact went running after she went home - some day she WILL be there next to me in her running clothes, even if she just runs the half), I went in and ate a couple bananas, a snickers marathon bar, and drank a ton of water. I also found out I had an extra gel in my hand, which means I didn't eat soon enough at least one point in the race - probably toward the start.

My devoted husband got me some lunch from PF Chang's down the street, I iced everything, showered, relaxed, and we walked (yes, walked) to Lake Union for dinner with the family. The waitress brought me two glasses of water so she didn't have to fill them so often.

If I don't carry the camelbak, walking the aid stations gets enough water in me, but running them does not. Always remember to eat and drink, especially in the beginning of the race. Pacers are good, but they go the SAME PACE uphill and downhill. That means if you know a flat or downhill comes after an uphill, don't sweat it - you'll catch back up. Drinking gatorade in the off aid stations is fine, but make sure to dilute or chase with some water or it grosses me out. Yes, I had to pee around mile 19. It happens.

I considered a marathon in early March. I can't do one later than that with Ironman at the end of June. I just don't know if I want to do that or just shift gears and come back awesome-r next year - what I learned now allows me to turn it into focus for Ironman's marathon (which I hope to run at least 20 miles of, if not the whole thing - last year I made it to 15).

Thanks for reading, distant TE cheering squad.