The Banana Stand

I might as well just start over, huh? This blog was never updated like I meant. It's truly unbelievable to think about everything that has changed in the past 3 years, but also everything that has stayed exactly the same. Love lost, friends moved away, family moved away, mountains ascended, same dead end job, risks avoided, peaks of exhiliration, valleys of desperation... There's really no reason to go over the past. All I can do is look to the future.

So this past Sunday I completed the 2008 Twin Cities Marathon. For me, this was a huge accomplishment. It is not hyperbole for me to say that crossing that finish line was one of the greatest feelings of my life. It surprised me that I was able to push myself so much further than I thought I could go. The whole thing still feels a little surreal. It was 6:30 AM when the alarm went off. I think I had already been up for 20 minutes. The previous night I tossed and turned and even dreamed about what the next day would hold. I really didn't know what to expect out of my mind or body come race time. I changed into my race day clothing, watched ESPN, ate a couple mini Clif Bars, and drank as much water as I could. Checking the weather online confirmed my fears that it would be cold and rainy, at least for the first hour or two. To be honest though, I prefer the cold and wet to hot and humid. The weather really ended up playing in my favor I think.

I headed down to the starting line at about 30 minutes prior to gun time. After lining up in corral 2, I had some brief conversation with a couple marathon vets. They were very encouraging to me after I told them it was my first attempt. The adrenaline was flowing. We headed off through downtown Minneapolis and I tried to hold a steady 10 minute mile pace or so. It was kind of funny running a race like this by myself. All these people around, but I really did feel like I was a lone wolf. About the time I got to Lake of the Isles, it started drizzling. About 15 minutes later, the drizzle turned into a steady rain. At some point, it was a complete downpour. I just noticed everyone on the course with umbrellas or rain jackets. At some point I remembered a quote to myself: "Embrace the misery." And I really think I did. The early miles were really no problem.

Rachel was at maybe mile 5 or so at some point on Lake Calhoun. Nick and Kerin were maybe a mile further. Seeing some familiar faces in the crowds on the course really did make a difference. I kept getting wetter and the rain just wouldn't stop. A guy next to me commented that he probably wouldn't be wetter even if he were standing in a shower. I started to worry a little bit because I know that once my shirt was soaked I would have some problems with chafing. This was an issue because it was too cold to just go shirtless, so I had to tough that out. The good news was that I had a fleece on as well, so it wasn't quite as embarrassing as it could have been.

Around mile 10 I was on Minnehaha Parkway and saw my mom and dad. It's so funny to just be cruising along and all of a sudden see somebody you recognize. I wanted to stop, but I knew I had to keep moving forward. I told them I loved them and would see them later on.

About 11 miles in I really felt great. I think when we got to Lake Nokomis was when I had my first rough patch. My knee and ankle were starting to bark at me near the halfway point. The good news was the pain was very manageable, so I just kept on going. I tried to get in at least a sip or two of Powerade and water at every other stop. Finally when I made it to near Minnehaha Falls, Girtz, Karl, and the Picchettis were there. It was just at the point when I needed a little outside boost. So they really gave me an emotional lift. I made some quick high fives and then continued on.

At Minnehaha Falls there was a bizarre sign with Paul Bunyan and the Blue Ox wearing running shoes. This stretch was one that I don't remember too well; miles 15 to 19 I believe. At some point Girtz and the Picchettis were there again, but I was just in a complete daze. When mile 17 came, I grabbed a "strawberry" GU energy gel. I waited until there was a water stop and then I tried to ingest the whole thing quickly. It was of horrible taste and texture, but I knew I just had to get the calories and carbs into my system.

A little further down we crossed the Mississippi River at Franklin Avenue. This was a stretch I was a little more familiar as it was where I watched the marathon the previous year. My mom and dad were there around mile 20 again. Mom tried to snap a picture of me while I was running and she was running. Again I just didn't want to stop. This time I said if I stopped I might never start again, and I honestly felt like it. My legs were really bothering me now and my feet were absolutely killing me. I was second-guessing not picking up a new pair of shoes the previous week. I told them I thought I was really going to make it. I had forgotten that the last 6.2 miles would be the most brutal.

About a mile later I saw Mike and Rachel. Rachel ran with me for a hundred yards or so and asked how I was doing. She gave me a packet of some energy chews and I tried to get those in my stomach. Up ahead I could see the hill winding up to Summit Avenue. I knew once we were on Summit that it was a straight shot. But that straight shot is also virtually a steady uphill crawl over the next 3 miles or so. I think it was around mile 23 or 24 that I was really really hurting. I remember thinking that there was only a 5K to go, but I felt like I could never make it. Which is pretty crazy in retrospect. I mean just 3.2 miles to go, but I was in a tough mental state at that point. Finally at mile 25, I saw a few more friendly faces. Ange, Jeremy, Court, Berndt, and Kelly were there! I ran over to them completely exhausted and started high fiving and hugging and whatever. I can barely even remember. Then as I was getting ready to finish the last 1.2 miles, Jeremy and Berndt jogged out back to the course with me. They were going to get me to the finish. As they pumped up the crowd on either side of the road, I started to feel like I was really going to make it. The 4:30 pace person was a little bit ahead with maybe a half mile to go. Jeremy urged me to get up there and catch her. They wished me luck and I proceeded to empty the tanks.

I ended up catching the 4:30 pace person and finished in about 4:25. It was a fine time I suppose especially considering my number one goal was simply to finish which apparently is the only goal most first timers should have. I then proceeded to feel like I had a horrible case of the flu. My clothes were still wet, it was still cold outside and now that my body wasn't generating as much heat I really started to get chilled. Meanwhile, I couldn't really bend my legs at all. I got a cup of chicken broth and even though I didn't really want it, I knew I had to get some in me. After a bottle of water, some chicken broth, and some potato chips I started to feel quite a bit better. It still didn't really sink in that I had actually completed it. To be honest, even today it still seems a little surreal.

Anyway, this whole week has been devoted to being lazy. I have just been icing my right knee which has gotten better each day. Picked up some new running shoes last night, and I think I might be able to give it a shot this weekend perhaps.

I think the next challenge will be trail running. I need to find a training partner. I'm sick of doing all this by myself. It was a fun little mental challenge initially just to see if I could keep myself motivated, but now I think it'd be fun to have somebody to compete with.

Already I'm thinking I will absolutely do another marathon. Next time I think the goal will be sub 4:00. Earlier in the summer I completed a half marathon in 1:56, so I think I can do it.

Current playlist has consisted of the following:
-Ryan Adams
-Whiskeytown
-The National
-Sigur Ros
-Texas is the Reason
-American Football

Until next time.