The Evolution of a Marathon

The morning of, hours before the start. Gotta get up! Gotta get moving! The race is in 3 hours! Gotta get dressed, gotta eat, gotta get there super early to secure parking, use the porta potty at least 3 times, figure out logistics, stand around and wait.

Ok, we’re here, just 2 hours until the start. Let’s wander. Let’s wish people luck for the 5K. Ok, now back to the starting line. Just 20 minutes to go. Where do I line up? Where I expect to be or where I hope to be? I know, somewhere in between. Oh, they’re moving forward, good luck kisses goodbye, let’s do this! Just 10 more minutes to start! Let’s stand around more and wait. Finally, the National Anthem and the wheelchair racers (amazing athletes by the way) and now it’s our turn! There’s the gun! Let’s.. walk slowly in a large pack to the starting line. Okay, hit the starting line, let’s go!!! I’ve got this!

Wow, the beginning is straight uphill. But feeling good and strong. I’ve got this. No music, just listening to the sounds around me. Hey, “Fight Song” is playing on on someone else’s music. Ariella is here! Heading toward the zoo. Maybe we’ll see some animals! Ooh, lots of downhill. This is wonderful. Didn’t see any penguins, bummer. But loved the guy in the lounge chair just chilling who gave me a thumbs-up! Hey camera man, feeling good, don’t make me look weird! Leaving the zoo, still lots of downhill.

Some boring stretches of the run but soon heading towards miles 8 and 9. A spot where David may catch me. Great crowd with lots of excitement, but no David. Oh well, I know I’ll see him at the halfway point. Nearing mile 10. Shit my foot is cramping. Prone to cramps but not usually while I’m running. My ear just popped, what the fuck?! Everything sounds like I’m under water. I hope this isn’t a sign of things to come. Not even halfway done. What a boring stretch of run but I see runners coming back this way so there must be a turn around soon. Where the fuck is that turn around? Is that it? Nope, that’s the turn around for the 5K. Still going. This road is boring and long. Oh hey, there’s the Under Armour Headquarters! That’s where I got my Covid vaccine. Ah finally, we get to turn around and I get to head back to the large crowd of supporters. Oh hey! Some cheers from friends through RaceJoy! And text messages! So cool to be able to get that support while running.

Coming down the stretch and my bright pink arm sleeves paid off because David spotted me from pretty far away and I saw him wave to me. The cheering is incredible. Feeling strong and fast! Grabbed some water and continued on. The next few miles unremarkable. Feeling some twinging in my calves, especially my right one but doing okay. Still on pace to finish under 4:00. And now my other ear popped. This has never happened when running before. My breathing sounds even worse, like Darth Vader breathing directly in my ear. Not distracting at all. Hear my name being called! It’s my ex-sister-in-law! So glad to see another friendly face. Especially during such a quiet stretch. Slowing down a bit but here comes Patterson Park and mile 16! The crowd support is incredible! Can’t slow down here!

Who the fuck knew Baltimore was so damn hilly? I’ve done this before, I must have blocked it out. Where the hell is Lake Montebello already?! I need to see that mile 20 sign. Have to keep stretching my calf. Not only is it sore but I can feel it spasming or twitching or moving like some sort of weird alien invading my body. Ah here we go, heading into Lake Montebello. But what the fuck is that hill I see after we exit the lake? I thought the last 5 miles were mostly down hill? Ok well let me make my way around the lake. What the fuck RaceJoy app! I am not at mile 21! I just passed mile 20.

Okay, made it up those hills after the lake. That’s all the uphills, right? Right? Shit, nope. Still on pace to finish at around 4:00 but I am hurting. Feet keep cramping and forcing me to change my gait. Now my quad is hurting. But I am going to make it. Maybe. Just going to walk up this hill to the traffic light. Okay, just across the intersection. Okay, after I drink some water. Shit, I’m out of water. Okay I’ll run to the next water station. Oh hey, someone handing out water. Just what I needed. Thanks to the person who said go Ariella Strong. You helped me through another block. Hearing her name was a fantastic gift. Thanks to the person who yelled go pink sleeves! Oh hey, these people are talking about a dog named Sherman! What are the odds? Evidence of both Ariella and Sherman. Hey guy in Winnie the Pooh outfit. I appreciate the distraction because I am really starting to worry here. My calves hurt, I can’t hear, and my water keeps leaking. I AM GOING TO FINISH. These kids on my back endured a hell of a lot more and they had no choice. Also I am way more than 2/3 done this King Crab Challenge and that medal is badass. I did not come this far to not get that damn medal! Ok, let’s do some walk run intervals. Still on pace to crush my PR. No sub 4:00, but hopefully sub 4:30. Ah Eye of the Tiger guy. A fixture at every Baltimore Running Festival.

Mile 25 and Gatorade. Thank you thank you thank you. A great excuse to stop running. Holy fuck my calf just complete seized up and I can’t move it. Let’s try stretching it. Thanks volunteer at the water stop but I do not want the medical tent right next door. I have 1.2 to go and I WILL make it across one way or another. I am running for those who can’t so I have to finish. These names are keeping me going. Plus people are tracking me so gotta keep going. Okay, let’s walk while I drink my Gatorade. Quick text to David to let him know where I am and that I’m hurting. Phone away and I am running to the end. Or not. Fuck you again RaceJoy! I did not finish! I am not even at mile 26 yet! Somewhere between mile 25 and 26. Quick stretch of my calf. Shit shit shit. My entire leg is one big charley horse. Fuck! Okay, easing up. Now to stretch the other. Fuck! Another one. Ah hell. Not now. Please let me just finish this thing. Thank you nice strangers who stopped with me to see if I needed help. Thank you for walking with me and then running with me. It’s the camaraderie that makes these races so special. Woo hoo! Mile 26. There is no stopping me now! Yes sir with the sign, I will make this last .2 my bitch. No one will see my pain. Hey, I hear my name again, where is it coming from? Ah over there! It’s David! And my mom! Just a few steps to the finish! And I’m done! And I’m in pain. And I’m sobbing. So glad that’s over. No thanks, I don’t need a wheelchair, probably should try to walk and keep moving. Okay, let me refuel and meet up with David and my mom. Maybe I should have taken that wheelchair. Nah, I’ll be alright. What the hell was my finish time anyway? Didn’t even notice the clock. Shit, now I have to wait until results are posted. Ah here they are, 4:20:20. Okay, not what I was hoping for but crushed my PR by 35 minutes and under 4:30. Going to enjoy this delicious beer and then relax and not think about running for a while.

Advil and the Theragun seemed to help with the calf pain and our sushi dinner hit the spot. So glad to have an excuse not to workout the next few days. Hmmm, I wonder what the best marathons are?

The next day, calves and quads are sore but not debilitating, though steps are not my friend. I wonder what kind of time I would need to qualify for Boston? Hey, I would only have to cut 30 minutes off my time. I could do that on a flat course, right? And if I can get these muscle cramps under control. Let’s look up some marathons…

But seriously, this doesn’t even capture all the emotion and and euphoria and pain I experienced throughout. When I started getting foot cramps at mile 10 I started getting a little worried. And my calf pain showed up in full force at mile 16. The names on my back, the kids still fighting, and all my supporters are what kept me going. I am so proud of my accomplishment but I am also disappointed because I had such a difficult time. It may have been my fastest time but I felt much better the last marathon I did (New York in 2006) and I was hoping for that experience again. So the journey continues…