ONE DAY - PORTLAND MARATHON PREVIEW

My first ever marathon is tomorrow. The day I've been thinking about for almost 18 months is finally here. I don't remember exactly when I decided to do the 2013 Portland Marathon, but I believe it was around the Shamrock Run in March 2012. At that point I decided to run more than 5Ks and part of the long term goal was to eventually run a marathon. I worked my way up to 10Ks, then a half marathon, and now, some 15 months after that half marathon, the day of reckoning is nearly upon me.

The Portland Marathon has been around for a long time and is easily the largest marathon in the state of Oregon (probably 2nd or 3rd to Seattle and Vancouver BC if we are talking about the Pacific NW). I don't know exactly, but I think there will be around 8,500 marathoners. That pales in comparison to marathons like New York, Boston, or Chicago (all on the bucket list) but it is certainly sizable. Which I like. If I am going to do a marathon, I want it to be a big deal. Not a few people standing around a finish line somewhere random politely clapping... I just ran 26.2 miles, make it a fucking event. If I ever get to where a marathon is just "another race" I'm sure I'll like the smaller ones, but for now, I need hoopla!

I'll be waking up around 5am to get downtown shortly after six. I think I'm going to park at the Sunset Transit Center and take the MAX in because I don't want to deal with parking. They have a clothing check in each corral, so I'll definitely take advantage of that to stay warm while I wait for the race to start. I plan to just stretch and use the port-a-potty. I think there are about 1,000 people per corral. Glenn and Alejandro from my run group will be in my corral (corral B) so that should be fun. We are one corral away from the fasties so we should start just a minute or two after 7 o'clock.

My plan is to stick with a pacer so I don't have to think about checking my phone or setting the right pace. I hope to be able to stick with the 3:40 pacer, which is about 8:20/mile. My main goal is to finish under 3:45, so I figure that will give me some cushion should I fall off a little, need to poop, etc. So hopefully the 3:40 pacer is in my corral (I predicted a 3:45 finish time), if not though, I will just hang with the 3:45 pacer.

Miles 1-6 Preview: Fartin' Around Downtown

I'm breaking the race into chucks I can mentally picture before the race so I can concentrate on completing "mini races" during the marathon. Trying to think of the whole thing is a bit overwhelming, but having small victories by completing chunks should help.

The first six miles is just wandering around downtown, getting some miles in before they really shoot us out for the meat of the race. We'll be running up Naito to the point where it hooks into Barbur Blvd. There is a slight uphill at this point, but it'll come two miles into the race and isn't too steep, so that won't be a problem. We'll instantly get rewarded by doing a little lollipop and then heading back from whence we came. At this point the adrenaline is flowing and I should be feeling good. Back all the way along Naito under the Fremont Bridge until the next "chunk."

Miles 7-13 Preview: Big Out & Back and NW Portland

The race should start to settle at this point. There is a large out and back along Front (Naito becomes Front) that is 2.5 miles each way. So five miles where you are running with people going both ways. Normally these portions of a race are motivating for me, especially on the way back when I see everyone I have passed and just the mass of people I am racing with. This scenery at this point isn't the greatest, kind of just industrially, so it might be the first time where I start to notice my body tiring.

After the out and back, there is another mile or so through NW Portland. There will be a slight uphill at this point but again, it is nothing too bad. Way smaller than the hill at the start. The half marathoners (only about 1,500 of them) will break off at this point and it will be only the full participants from here on out.

Miles 14-17 Preview: The Mental Test and THE HILL

This is a shorter chunk of miles, but it is the part everyone bitches about. The main issue is that you are running through an ugly part of town, which is basically just a highway near the river going through an industrial area. I've driven this many times before and I agree, it is ugly. It's hard to have 26.2 miles of beautiful course though. The three mile stretch of highway will seemingly take forever and only half of it is closed to traffic. So you have traffic blowing by you on the other side of the road and basically no spectators for this entire stretch - at a point where your body is starting to really feel the effects of the race.

So this is nut up or shut up time. I look forward to being mentally strong and plowing through this section. The reward will be well worth it (running over the St. John's Bridge) but certainly this four mile stretch will feel like a long time. Luckily it is still relatively early in the race, I think having this stretch at miles 21-24 would be a much bigger issue. I should still feel good enough to get to the base of the hill up to the bridge without issue.

The St. John's Bridge at mile 17.

This is the part that makes or breaks people. When people talk about the Portland Marathon, the one part of the race that stands out to just about EVERYONE is the hill up to the St. John's Bridge. It starts about mile 16.5 and lasts almost a half mile. The official race map lies about the steepness of the gain, it tries to make it look like you gain 150 feet in the course of a mile and a half. Not true. You gain those 150 feet in a half mile at most. The highway is flat... the road up to the bridge is not. The gain does NOT start at mile 15.

Anyways, one needs to be careful on the hill. Charge up it and you'll blow your load and slog through the last 9 miles. Take it too easy and your goal time will fly out the window. Luckily, I seem to be pretty good with hills compared to others, so I'm hoping this hill won't be an issue. I am no hill expert though and it will be a long ways into the race at race pace, so you never know. If anything, I'll error on the side of caution and take it easy. There is still too much race after this to leave it on the hill.

Miles 18-23 Preview: The Bluff & Some Downhill

One you are up the hill to the St. John's Bridge you are treated to an awesome view as you run across it. Then you get to run through the St. John's neighborhood, which is notorious for their enthusiastic support of the Portland Marathon. This should also be the place where I first see my parents, as they plan to cheer me on around mile 17.5 along with my aunt. So assuming the hill doesn't kill me, I should have a pep in my step at this point. The mentally tough part of the race is over and we have just single digit miles to go!

We'll run along Willamette and past the University of Portland. This part should be pretty scenic. After a couple of miles we'll get to around where Pints to Pasta started and basically do the first three downhill miles of that race. I'll have to be careful here... I might get the urge to bomb down that hill, but I'll need to restrain myself. My legs will be very tired and trashing them at mile 22 is not a good idea. It will be nice to have a downhill here though to give us a little break as long as we use it right.

Right after crossing the Broadway Bridge.

Miles 24-26.2 Preview: The Homestretch

This is a short 2.2 mile stretch but it will feel like a long ways! After the downhill along Greeley will have a short climb up to the Broadway Bridge. Although a small gain, at this point in the race it'll probably feel pretty big. We do get a small downhill coming off it though, but then we wander back downtown and up Broadway, which will be slightly uphill. Ugh.

I know the finish line is going to take FOREVER to get there. I'll feel like I am downtown, so I should be done. However, we'll wind back to Naito before finally ducking back into the buildings and crossing the finish line. My parents should be there to cheer me on again, however it doesn't look like they'll see me cross the finish because it will be a heavily secured area. Bummer. Oh well, the crowds a few blocks before that should be bonkers and push me through the finish.

Anyways, that is a very long preview and I just got really nervous writing it. My hands are clammy and shaky. Ugh. I won't bore you with details of the finisher's area, but I'll go through that and then meet my family. Then probably really want to go out to eat. We'll see. Hopefully I can still walk. This will be such an accomplishment!

This is what all the training was for. The sense of
pride crossing this should be huge!

GOALS:
I've thought long and hard (tee hee) about these. I've finally settled on the following:

A GOAL: Under 3:45. Anything 3:44:59 or less would be gravy. That would be an awesome time for a first marathon! I think I can get this if my body holds up. This is about 8:35/mile.

B GOAL: Under 4:00. Anything starting with a 3 would be pretty sweet for my first marathon. While I would like my A goal, I'd still be very happy with this. A lot of people work years and years to go sub 4, so to get it my first time out would be nothing to sneeze at. This is just under 9:10/mile.

C GOAL: Finish. I'll be a marathoner. Stuff happens. If I bonk at mile 22 or my butt flares up on the St. John's Bridge hill, then whatever. Lots of people have crappy first marathon experiences. It doesn't mean I failed, just as long as I finish, then I have something to be very proud of. I'd like to avoid slinking across the finish line, but if I move my ass 26.2 miles then who cares about the time, I did it.

So there you go! I'll probably have a short post Sunday night with my time and a few sentences on the experience, then a full recap sometime later in the week.