Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Vermont City Marathon

I'll let my miles tell the story. It was a tough day.
1mi - 5:34 - Running with Fyffe and Ferenc. Feel great. This is awesome!
2mi - 5:29 - downhill through the city. Loving life.
3/4mi - 11:09 - missed my 3mile mark. Ferenc pulling away from me. Fyffe dropping back a little. Running solo.
5mi - 5:40
6mi - 5:47 - heading uphill on the belt way. Feel great!
7/8mi - 11:13 - on the belt way. Hi Jen! Leaders looking good. Passed by a relay guy.
9/10mi - 11:22 (56:16) Feeling good. Nate brigham caught me and we ran together.
11mi - 5:37 - back through downtown high 5 Goupil and McKnight. I'm super pumped. Feel relaxed and confident. I'm gonna run a big pr today!
12mi - 5:49 through neighborhoods. High5 some kids. Nate brigham pulls away. Not worried feeling decent.
13mi - 5:54 - Am I starting to get slower? Hmmm. This could be a bad sign.
14mi - 5:53 - wind in my face near the lake. Saw an osprey. Getting a little worried that I am running the same effort but they are not 5:40's. This could be a bad omen. Don't panic. Breathing is relaxed.
15mi - 6:04 - Wtf? I'm over 6. I start thinking bad thoughts. My legs are getting heavy and the big hill is looming in front of me.
16mi - 6:24 - big hill. Drummers are awesome. I point at them and give them the thumbs up. I wish they were higher up the hill. Legs heavy but it's a hill I'll recover on the flats like I always do. Right?
17mi - 6:15 - Are you shitting me? I'm still in the 6's? My legs are officially fatigued. I still have 9 miles to go. I expected this at 24miles not 17. I now know for sure my race is over. Nobody is passing me though. Weird. I will drop out. There is no way I can finish.
18/19mi - 12:50 - I was gonna drop at 18 then 19. Too many people cheering for me though. The neighborhoods are hell. I am hot and thirsty and my friggin hips are killing me. I can't take the ice pops because they're not at an official aid station and I don't want to get dq'd even though I'm definitely dropping at 20. I gotta be smart. My legs are killing me and I want to live to fight another day. Where is that 20mile mark?
20mi - 7:07 (1:58:13) - I start walking into this aid station. Thank god. I can finally quit. The last 3 miles have been hell. I'm death marching. People start cheering for me. "Go #6! You look great!" Shit. I can't drop here. There are too nany people. I'll slog onward to mile 21- where there will be less people and I can drop out with a little dignity. My legs are fried and feel worse than dog shit.
21mi - 7:32 - my vision is a little blurry my hamstring cramped my stomach is a little upset, but I finally made it. I can now drop out. I'm a total failure and a big pussy. What a joke. Me an invited athlete? Ha! Well at least I can dropare out and the misery right here at this mile mark with almost no people. The people. They cheer and tell me I look strong and great and amazing. Those lying assholes! I think one even said that they were proud of me. Shit. I can't drop here. I better run on to 22mi to drop. There is no way I can finish. 5 miles will destroy my body.
22mi - 8:05 - my legs cramped again. I'm here the place to finally end this suffer-fest shit show. I walk into the aid station grab 3 cups of water and pour them on my head. The volunteers go nuts. I guzzle two Gatorade cups at once. They hoot and holler. I pour more water on my head then head off for the finish.
23mi - 7:46 - on the bike path. Hurting but not going to quit.
24mi - 7:24 - I'm having fun. Smiling from ear to ear. Legs destroyed spirits lifted.
25mi - 6:50 - This is awesome. I think about Elijah and I tell him there is no quit in this mo fo!
26mi - 6:48 - Kasie Enman flies by me in this mile. I tell her great job. She's tough! Almost done.
26.2 - 1:25 (2:44:07) 21st place. Wow glad to be done. First thing I see is Ferenc being interviewed and he's smiling so i know he had a good day. Matty p won and we chatted a while. Then I waited with Jason Porter for Jen to finish. I was pumped to see her break 4 hrs. I ran slow but had a great time and I will be back!

12 comments:

  1. Add 3-4 minutes per mile and you described my Boston experience perfectly. Well, that and the part about being an invited athlete. Oh, and the part about being passed by the women's winner in the last mile. :)

    Way to tough it out Greg.

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  2. Legit cried laughing while reading this! Way be a certified baller and rocking 26.1 miles in the face. Straight thug!

    Pete

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  3. Great run man, im glad you finished wish i was out there with you guys!

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  4. way to fight through Greg. i need the stones to try a marathon one of these days.

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  5. Way to tough it out man. I'm glad you finished up and were cool with the tough race by the end.

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  6. Way to hang tough and stick it out. Wish I could have been up there.

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  7. A tough one for sure but nice job hanging in there. I loved reading the passages about "I'm going to drop out" and then not doing. Nice!!

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  8. Thanks everyone. Mike W., I read your Boston report. That sounds miserable! Good job to you!

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  9. I like the mile by mile read. I can relate those later miles that get tough but the crowd keeps you going. You finished and kept the spirit up. Rest up young Jedi. See you in Newton.

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  10. Greg. I'm a little late to the party but this is good stuff. The 25th mile statement really got me. You are tough as nails and I'm happy to know ya. Proud to have had you in the mag. I gotta get up to NH and run those Pigsah trails w/ you someday.

    And tell Jenn I said congrats on breaking 4:00.

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  11. Thanks KG and Jim.
    Come up and run any time!

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  12. Thanks KG and Jim.
    Come up and run any time!

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