9/22/2013, Rochester Marathon

9/22/2013: Rochester Marathon

0.5 miles and 26.2 miles, 53F, 84% RH, overcast at the start to partly cloudy at the finish, a west breeze that turned into a headwind.

Today was my second attempt at the Rochester Marathon. My first attempt was way back in 2008 when I posted a 4:29:37. 2008 was the year of the heat and humidity. My entire right side locked up during the latter half of that marathon. Maybe that was the reason that I have waited so long to revisit this distance and this race in particular.

Well, today dawned cool, overcast and breezy. So, the weather was on my side. I was up at 4:30 AM. I did last night's dishes and tried to wake up my darling wife, Christine, around 5:30 AM. We got ready and were out the door around 6:35 AM. Christine dropped me at the Blue Cross Arena where the race started 5 years ago. Then she headed up to the East Ave Wegmans to meet up with Bill Beyerbach. Bill was going to let her follow him to see me at various spots around the course.

All geared up and ready to go!

 Well ... the start was not at Blue Cross Arena this year! I looked around and backtracked some runners. I walked about 3 blocks north to where the race started this year. I was a bit nervous before the start. I used the Brooks Racing Team VIP Lounge (our private porta-potty) three(!) times before the race. I made my way up to the start quickly after the third time with just about 90 seconds to spare. Did I say I was nervous?

The VIP Lounge attendant and guard of the magic door

In between hitting the porta-potty up I did get out for a 0.5 mile warmup run to get my legs warm.

Garmin Connect Activity for Warmup before the Rochester Marathon

I lined up between the 3:30 and 3:45 pace group signs. I saw a guy from Newark that I knew, Chris Washburn, just before I started. He is a master of setting a pace and keeping to it. I remembered to start my RoadID eCrumb so my darling Christine could track me on her Android just before the start. We were off on time at 7:30 AM.

The start!

Miles 1-6: 8:12, 8:12, 8:10, 8:02, 8:01, 8:17

I just settled into a fast, but nice and easy pace. I moved ahead of Heather Danielson who was the 3:45 pace leader and settled into a fast groove. Out East Ave we ran. I saw Christine and Bill at the East Ave Wegmans at mile 3. I had a gel just before I saw them.

Just before the Wegmans on East Ave

East Ave became Fairport Rd. We passed Saint John Fisher College where my oldest son, Michael, went from 2002 to 2004 at mile 6. I cut in front of a woman at the Relay Exchange #1 to use one of the two portapottys. I apologized profusely when I exited and was soon back up to speed.

Miles 7-12: 8:35, 8:01, 8:20, 8:31, 8:20, 8:31

I had a gel at mile 8 just before the East Rochester High School water stop. I saw Christine and Bill around the mile 9 mark at Baird Rd.

Intersection of Fairport Rd and Baird Rd in Fairport

I entered the Erie Canal path at mile 9.5. The canal path was wet this year and better to run on than this summer when it was dry and dusty. I continued running well. The miles continued to pile up.

Miles 13-18: 8:20, 8:23, 8:31, 8:56, 9:13, 9:58

Somewhere on the Canal Path

Well ... I looked at my Garmin when I hit the 1/2 way sign. It read 1:48:25. I did some math in my head. I thought, "Wow, a BQ is possible if I run at least a 1:50:00 for the second half!" I saw Christine and Bill somewhere twice in this stretch ... miles 14 and 18 maybe? My muscles were starting to hurt but nothing specific yet at mile 14. My right hip started to hurt at mile 16. I had to resort to a run/walk for a couple of miles. I felt a little better and picked up the pace a bit.

The steady Chris Washburn in the white hat

I think Chris Washburn passed me around mile 18. Everything became a blur around this point.

Miles 19-24: 9:16, 8:44, 8:58, 10:05, 9:50, 9:47

Heather Danielson and her 3:45 pace group tried to collect me up around mile 19. I tried to stay with them for about 1/2 mile but couldn't. So ... 3:45 was out. Soon both hips started to hurt. Doing a run/walk was the only way I was going to finish. I exited the canal path at mile 22 onto the Genesee Valley Park path and then onto the U of R path.

Mile 25, 26, 0.2: 10:30, 9:53, 7:58

We finally got back onto a road, Exchange Blvd, at mile 25. I knew that 3:50 was out of reach.

I think this was taken on Plymouth Ave not far from the finish

Plymouth Ave, just before the last turn

Sprinting (as best as I could) to the finish!

I took some more run/walks as we came into Corn Hill and then just powered my way up the last 1/4 mile of Plymouth Ave and up to the finish at Frontier Field. I saw Bill and then Christine cheering me on as I made the final turn.

Ellen Brenner of Fleet Feet Sports ... the "Voice" of the Rochester Marathon!

I heard Ellen Brenner call out my name as I came to the finish but I really couldn't hear what else she said. I was concentrating on trying to break 3:52. I did and got my finisher's medal. I got knocked in the head by the woman who raised her arms in victory but I didn't fall. My chip time was 3:51:49 and my gun time was 3:51:59 ... which seemed a long time ago.

My well earned Finisher's medal!

The bling minus the tech shirt ... which I don't have two weeks after the race.

The aftermath

I was hurting. I hobbled over to the food tent and had some chocolate milk. I just hobbled around until Christine caught up with me.

Hobbling around afterward

I got a slice of pizza and sat down ... ouch! I was convinced to get a massage. The chiropractor did what he could with trigger point massage for 10 minutes. I was getting cold so Christine put a sweatshirt on top of me and went to get a blanket from the car. I changed into the sweatshirt. My fingertips turned white. I was chilled. I hobbled around some more. I went to the bathroom in Frontier Field before we left. My pee was a bit dark so I was a bit dehydrated. We went home. I hobbled up the stairs into our apartment and plopped down into the couch ... ouch! Soon I was catching up on Facebook and checking out everyone's stories. My eyes stung from salt on my face when I took my shower after I rested enough to get up from the couch ... about 3 hours later.

The stats

I did OK for the compressed training I did. I broke 4 hours like I wanted. I did set a 37 minute PR over 2008. I met my primary goal. A BQ would have been exceptional but finishing under 4 hours was great too.

Why did I slow? Maybe I needed new shoes. My Brooks Adrenaline GTS 13s had 460 miles on them. That could have affected my hips. Maybe I didn't drink enough water or have enough electrolytes. I did have 2 Endurolytes before I left this morning but that was it. Oh ... the stats. I finished 209th out of 603, link here. I finished 7th out of 30 in my M 55-59 age group, link here. Will I run the Rochester Marathon again? Most likely ... with better training, newer shoes and better electrolyte support.

Other people

I wish to thank Bill Beyerbach for letting my wife, Christine, follow him around so they could cheer me and other runners on.

Bill Beyerbach plotting his next move

I remember Charlotte on her bike yelling out my name about six times in the first 14 miles as she continually looped around on her bike. Charlotte was doing her volunteer duty looking after the runners for Fleet Feet.

Here are some news articles about the marathon, link here, and the half marathon, link here.

Other people had great days. Heather Danielson, who paced the 3:45, finished 2nd in her F35-39 age group with a 3:44:47 (talk about pacing!). Tim Dwyer won his M 50-54 age group with a 2:59:54 and Dan Giblin was third in this group with a 3:09:47. Wilt Alston ran a 3:45:34 and Chris Washburn ran a 3:47:29. Meanwhile, 1962 runners ran the Half Marathon. Wendy Abbot won her F35-39 age group with a 1:35:37. Charlie Andrews won his M 55-59 age group with a 1:21:49 and Mark Herberger placed 3rd in 1:38:33. Jeanne Herrick won her M 60-64 age group with a 1:56:42.

All in all, a long and great day!