PORTLAND MARATHON RACE REPORT

The start of the Portland Marathon!

Well, the long awaited day was finally upon me. I was definitely nervous the night before and wasn't able to fall asleep for probably an hour and a half after I turned the lights out. I got five hours of sleep at most. The night before I was able to get ten hours though, so overall I think I was pretty well rested. I certainly tapered enough, so all told I was ready to attack this race.

I ate a bagel and cream cheese for breakfast and then headed to Glenn's house. We all decided to meet there and then just carpool over instead of dealing with MAX. It was a good call, as we got downtown around 6:15am and were able to use the restroom at Jon's office before heading to the race. At this point I was very nervous and kind of felt like I was going to throw up. Looking back, it is almost like this part of the day was a dream. I was really in a different mental state, just a million emotions at once. Overall I kept very calm on the outside, Jon even remarked that I "didn't even seem nervous." I guess I was good at masking it!

We entered our corral with about a half hour to go. With about twenty mintues to go we decided to do our bag check since we didn't want to get stuck in a line. I was wearing sweats and a hoodie to stay warm but once I took them off I was still fine. It wasn't THAT cold (probably low 50s) and the nerves were keeping my senses numb to a degree. We got in line for the port-a-potties at 6:40am and I finally was able to pee at 6:58am. Barely made it! Glad I was able to go though because the nerves of the impending race and the amount of water I had drank the day before were making me fountain of urine.

THE START

You'd think this would be enough port-a-potties... nope.

After singing the national anthem all together the race started in waves to everyone singing "Sweet Caroline" in honor of Boston, which was really cool. The A corral started and it wasn't more than a minute later when our corral started as well. Bill Rodgers was there to do the countdown and send us off. It was a crowded start but luckily everyone was basically going the same pace. Glenn, Alejandro, and I all stuck around the 3:40 pacer. The start really showed how important being in the right corral was. The race didn't really thin out until mile 11 or so, and until then, moving up would be hard. Everyone was basically going my speed though and the traffic might have helped me reign it in those first few miles.

The weather was absolutely perfect. The race shot off around dawn and we were able to see the sun rise as we ran those first few miles. Really beautiful. It would continue to be sunny and warm up throughout the day. It got a little hot towards the end, but not too bad, probably mid 60s when I finished. Overall, I couldn't have asked for better weather!

Miles 1-6: FEELING IT! ... MAYBE A LITTLE TOO MUCH (8:23, 8:08, 8:20, 7:38, 7:41, 8:05)

The start of the race was very exciting. The electricity of the 10th largest marathon in the USA was infectious. I was yelling and hooting and hollaring at the crowd and the bands along the route. I was having a grand old time. I still felt nerves through the first few miles but they eventually faded once the race settled in.

Part of the route along Naito near the start of
the race. (portlandmarathon.org)

Through the first two miles I stuck with the 3:40 pacer along with Alejandro and Glenn. Shortly before the turnaround near mile three I moved ahead of the pace group because I was getting annoying being all bunched in and just wanted some space. I didn't have a plan to put them in the rear view mirror. Alejandro, seeing this move, was not about to be outdone. He said something along the lines of "where do you think you are going?" and then promptly pulled in front of me. He eventually faded into the distance and finished with a 3:28. I knew that guy could do it, even more than he knew apparently!

I had no intentions of pulling ahead of the pace group and certainly didn't follow Alejandro by gunning ahead. I thought I'd just settle in 20 feet ahead of the pace group and maintain. Well, it turns out when they are no longer in your sights you tend to speed up. Especially with an extended downhill portion. I rattle off two 7:40 miles without even realizing it. Checking my pace band arond mile 5 I saw that I was now about a minute up on the pace group so I had an idea I might have pulled ahead a bit. Overall though the miles felt easy and I just decided to go with it.

Good thing I banked some time because about two miles in I had to pee again. Damn my proper hydration! I ended up stopping at a port-a-potty right after the aid station at mile 5.5. This was the first time I have ever used a bathroom during a race and it kind of annoyed me to have to stop, but I knew ignoring the urge would just be uncomfortable. So I pit-stopped and took a pee, eating about 35 seconds of clock. I made sure to grab some sanitizer on the way out and felt much better with an empty bladder. I pushed it a little to make back the time I had lost, knowing that was probably stupid, but doing it anyways. I eventually caught back up to Glenn a few minutes later (we had been side by side for the most part).

The half/full split. Marathoners to the right,
halfers stay straight.

Toward the end of this portion I eventually caught up with the 3:35 pace group. I figured I would now just try to hang with them, knowing I had a ten minute cushion as compared to five. It was amazing how fast this portion of the race went. Almost like a snap of your fingers.

Miles 7-13: THE REAL RACE BEGINS (8:09, 7:53, 8:06, 8:04, 7:57, 8:14, 8:04)

At this point the "honeymoon" phase was over. I was still going a little too fast, that 7:53 mile was on total flat terrain, so I was still gunning it a tad fast. I was feeling so good I passed the 3:35 pacer. I knew a 3:30 marathon was just about 8:00/mile, and I had no delusions of catching up with them, so I thought maybe I could do a pace in the low 8s for the entire race. Glenn stuck it out with me too. Every once in a while we checked in on each other, asking how the other was doing. Eventually, around mile 10, I pulled a few steps in front of him and lost contact. I thought he might have fallen back a ways but he crossed the half marathon timing mat just a few seconds after me. Later on I'd learn he fell apart around mile 16 and had to walk/run it in. Still a respectable 4:10 finish time for someone who barely trained!

This part of the course didn't have much to look at, as I predicted. However, it was fun because the giant out and back allowed you to see the rest of the racers for nearly the entire 5 mile stretch. So at first we got to see the scattered fastholes really pushing it and making it look easy. Eventually the runners became thicker as the 3:05 and 3:15 pacing groups came roaring past. About a tenth of a mile before the turnaround I was able to see Alejandro and we were both on the edge of our lane in the middle of the street so we were able to high five. That was fun to see him doing so well! He was probably 90 seconds ahead of me at this point.

The Fit Right NW "Teaser" Arch (facebook.com/FitRightNW)

On the way back I got to look at the people running slower than me and cheered them on. The runners seemed to get thicker as the pace groups went into the four hour range. I had hopes of maybe seeing Libbie but couldn't spot her. There was a group of "pirates" at one point for entertainment and as I was running past one shot off his fake gun and it made a SUPER loud "BOOM!" sound. It sounded a lot like the bomb at Boston and scared the shit out of me. When I realized what it was I could only laugh and wasn't mad or anything, but maybe that wasn't the best choice this year!

The race split the full/half runners off right about mile 11. After turning there and wandering through NW a little there was a giant inflatable arch near the Fit Right Northwest store and for a second I thought it was the half marathon mark. A small letdown when I realized it was only mile 12. I was still feeling pretty good at this point but I was starting to feel the race in my legs a little bit. No longer were they fresh, instead I could feel them starting to ache a little. I crossed the half marathon point at 1:45:25 still feeling pretty good but acutely aware I was only halfway done.

Miles 14-17: THE HIGHWAY AND THE HILL (8:04, 8:01, 8:14, 8:34)

Up the hill to the left, and over the St. John's Bridge.

Eventually after winding through NW Portland (and a pleasant surprise downhill patch) we popped onto St. Helen's Highway and saw the St. John's Bridge far in the distance. It looked so far away! Three miles isn't that much to a marathoner, but when you visually see a bridge out in the distance three miles it really puts things in perspective.

Anyways, as planned, I just put my head down (okay, not really, just figuratively) and charged ahead. As you can see on my mile times, I was still hitting a pretty good pace. The miles were definitely starting to wear on me as I could feel my legs aching, but it was a very low level. Honestly, this stretch wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I knew it was coming, was prepared for it, and realized the reward at the end would be a trek over the most beautiful bridge in the city. It was nut up or shut up time and I nutted up.

I was excited when the hill to the bridge came. Two reasons I think... first, because the straight, boring path along the highway was over; and second, because I was excited to challenge myself. Up the hill I went. It was steep, but not too steep. A lot of people started walking here. As with most races, I passed a lot of people on this hill. I just kept up the same effort I was doing before. I was definitely moving a lot slower, but I was making steady progress. I could hear the 3:35 pacer behind me coaching his runners up the hill. Before I knew it I was at the top and while my legs felt tired, I wasn't breathing heavy or anything. All told, I felt pretty good.

No pictures of me on the bridge, but my friend Jon is in this
one with the "Prince" bib. (Mike Zacchino/The Oregonian)

Then came the highlight of the race, running over the St. John's Bridge. It was SO BEAUTIFUL. The day was nice and clear and you could see Mt. St. Helen's, Mt. Adams, and Mt. Hood all very clearly. Not to mention the river in both directions and Portland way far away in the distance. Honestly you couldn't have asked for a better day and it felt like I was floating for that half mile over the bridge. An out of towner was asking which mountain was which and I cleared that up for him. Conversation was still easy at this point and I was feeling good.

Miles 18-24: PARENTS! ARE WE THERE YET? UGH (8:09, 8:25, 8:26, 8:28, 8:17, 8:06, 8:28)

Right after the St. John's Bridge my parents and aunt were waiting to cheer me on. It was so fun to see them! I was waiting the whole race to see them and that five seconds was exciting. I was going to high five them or something, but I didn't know exactly where they were going to be and by the time I recognized them and they recognized me it was a little too late to run across the road. They were making a racket though and seeing them definitely put a pep in my step.

Hey, look, me! Near the U of P, mile 20.

After that excitement faded the race really started to get challenging. I was looking forward to see them the whole race and now I was looking forward to the finish. I was still along ways out. It became a slog at this point and I slowed down a little bit. I settled into more of a 8:25 pace as opposed to the 8:10 pace I was running. The miles were starting to build and while my legs didn't hurt too bad and my breathing wasn't too labored I was starting to fatigue and get tired. The support through this section was pretty good though.

At this point I was looking forward to the downhill on Greeley. The bluff portion of the course past the University of Portland was pretty exposed so the sun in my face didn't help. Overall, I was ready for the race to be done. Crossing the 20 marker though I did get a shot of energy. To think about my previous twenty mile training runs and how much those SUCKED compared to today was amazing. Here I was twenty miles in, running way faster than before, and feeling much, much better. I can do this! I had the same experience at mile 21. Every step was now my new longest distance and I was still feeling pretty good comparetively. I was pretty tired and wanted to be done, but overall I was hanging in there.

The downhill portion came miles 22 & 23 and I was able to run miles of 8:17 and 8:06. My 3:40 pace band, which I got at the expo, had those miles at 8:16 and 8:06 for a 3:40 marathon (they adjust each mile for the terrain). So I was now hitting times for a 3:40 marathon. I was passed by the 3:35 pacer near the top of the hill. I stuck with the pace group a while and was still within about 15 yards by the time this portion of the race was over. My brief dream of a sub 3:35 was over and I was okay with it. I was still smashing my goal and would finish under 3:40 as long as I could run it in.

Grinding hard during the last few miles.

You'd think the downhill would be a relief, and I guess it was a little, but when your legs are tired pounding down a hill isn't very comfortable. So while I did speed up, it wasn't quite the break I was hoping for. The 3:35 pacer was talking about using the hill to "charge back up" but I in no way felt that happening. My mission was to get down it without trashing my quads and in as little pain as possible, which I was able to do.

Miles 25-26.2: DESPERATION AND ELATION (8:19, 8:29, 8:02 last .22)

After a relatively flat mile we climbed up a small hill to the Broadway Bridge. At this point I was so ready to be done. Thankfully I was able to get up that hill without problem. It was a hard feeling to describe... my legs felt tired and sore, but not too bad. It was just a whole body fatigue that was dragging me down. The last few miles of my first half marathon I was basically running through pain in my legs, and that wasn't the case here. While my legs were certainly achey and sore, they really didn't hold me back. It was just a whole body tiredness that started to overtake me. Luckily I had fueled so much during the race (two packs of Shot Bloks, numerous cups of gummy bears and pretzels) otherwise I probably would have hit the wall. Instead, I was able to fight through this. I really wanted to start walking but I could keep running so I kept running.

Mile 25 finally hit right after we crossed the bridge. It was awesome to know I only had "just over a mile" to go, but I knew that would be the ten longest minutes of my life. And they were. The race course at this point was like the walking wounded. It seemed like half the people were walking, some were stopped to stretch, one or two were wretching by the side of the road. It was a sad sight, I felt like I was in a war zone. The 3:35 pace group shot off like a bat out of hell so it was just me and my thoughts. Depsite feeling so tired and run down I was able to pass a lot of people. That motivated me. Just the sheer fact that I was running this in and not breaking down like so many others was motivating to me. I wanted to keep it that way.

Airplaning it into the finish!

Eventually we wound our way back onto Naito and I could see the long stretch of runners in front of me. It seemed like FOREVER before they turned up back into the city for the finish line. This portion was slightly uphill but I just kept on fighting. I was so close. I am so proud of myself for running it in; it was a really, really hard thing to do. That last mile split might have been 8:29, but I am damn proud of that for mile 26. Those last five miles were the longest of my life. Five miles doesn't seem like that much to me anymore, but when you are fatigued and they are the final 40 minutes of a marathon, it's easy to see how they drag on.

What seemed like an eternity later I finally turned off Naito and down to the finish. The course was lined with people making a racket. It was a lot of fun and even though I was wasted I tried to enjoy it as much as possible. I scanned the crowed for my parents but there were so many people and so much noise I probably couldn't have spotted them anyways. My pace picked up a little here for sure, as I ran an 8:00/mile coming in. The crowd definitely carried me those last .22 miles.

At long last I took the final left hand turn and headed toward the finish line. I was in a pocket kind of by myself so they called my name, which was cool. It took just about every ounce of strength for me, but I did the "airplane" through the finish line. It was so awesome to cross that finish line. I held my hands in the air as soon as I finished. I had done it! I was a marathoner! HOLY CRAP! That was awesome!

No caption needed.

THE AFTERMATH

HOLY CRAP, my legs are tired! Right when I stopped running my legs gave out from under me. I didn't fall or anything, but I certainly stumbled and then limped around. A concerned volunteer came up to me and kindly asked if I was okay. Yes, I'm okay, just very tired. I then wound through the finisher's chute, limping from table to table collecting all the freebies and shoving food in my face. I was jealous of all the people walking normally and seemingly happy. Inside I was proud and relieved, but I really just wanted to sit down.

Eventually I made my way through the chaos and then there was about a block you had to walk to get out of the chute with nothing on either side. It was walking along here, much less crowded and chaotic than the chute, where I almost cried. I could feel the emotion welling up but it never really got out of me. I was okay with crying, it just didn't happen. I guess it takes a lot for me to cry, but the fact I was bleary eyed should tell you how much this meant. I was so proud and so tired all at the same time.

Me and my dad!

Finally I was able to exit and meet my parents. I spotted my mom before she saw me and then limped my way over. They were so proud and so happy to see me, it felt really nice. My mom was choking up a little and that made me almost choke up... good times. I was so glad they were there and that I could share that moment with them. They were so proud of me and it was nice to have someone at the finish with such open, encouraging arms. I quickly found my way to a curb so I could sit down and my mom massaged my legs a little, which would cramp if I moved them in the wrong way.

After about a half hour with them they headed home and I went and found Alejandro, Jon, and Glenn. All were feeling the same way, very proud, and also very sore. Jon almost PRed a week after doing another marathon (he's a machine). We went out for burgers and beer and those tasted so very good. Eventually we wound our way back to the finish line and tried to find Libbie but 20 minutes of looking and no dice. Since she could MAX back home we figured she finished, didn't see us, and went home. Turns out she had a tough race and took a little longer than we thought but toughed it out!

Overall a hell of a day. The feeling of accomplishing my goal of not only completing a marathon, but knocking my goal out of the park is amazing. I worked my ass off for six months for that moment and it was worth every minute. I am a marathoner. And nobody can take that away. My two proudest moments to date are graduating from college and completing my marathon. I don't know which is #1 at this point, but both took a lot of work and were super rewarding.

I'll have a post later this week with more pictures and reflections on the race.

Official Chip Time: 3:36:42, 8:16/mile. 656/3281 male, 113/414 M2529.