Bret

So - this was a race about what almost happened... I had decided to approach this race a little differently than my last few marathons, where I have basically tried to run an even pace from start to finish - to hopefully go under 3 hours.  This time I decided to use a strategy where I would put some time in the bank in order to have some cushion in the event of a late fade, which has happened in the last few races. 

In the first mile, it took a minute to get past the start line, and then because of the crowds (47,000 runners this year) another good 600 meters to begin running at a normal pace, which of course is uphill on the Verrazono bridge.  So the first mile was slow at 7:52.  Having met the acquaintance of a woman trying to go sub 3 just before the race, and having never run NY before, she asked if she could try to pace off of me.  Ingrid, from South Africa, was a bit panicked at that first mile, but I told her we'd make it up on the downside of the bridge and the next couple of miles.  Indeed we ran 6:16 the next mile and gradually with some really nice miles in the low 6:30's, found ourselves at around 1:29 at the half or just slightly faster.  Although at times, I felt like the pace was really pushing the envelope for me, I had determined that this would be worth the effort if I could hold out for the full 26.

The 16th mile is a climb over the 59th street bridge and I lost some time there, and Ingrid bade me farewell.  Although my split was slow, I knew I still was ok, and that the ensuing miles would get me back to where I needed to be.  Indeed miles 17 and 18 were 6:44 and 6:48 and at the time, I thought to myself, "I feel good, I should be able to do 6:45's from here on in..no problem."  

Of course I spoke to soon, because the next mile was 7:05 and mile 20 was 7:10 and although mile 21 was 6:58, as I would later find out when I downloaded my Garmin data, my average HR was above my aerobic threshold beginning at mile 18 and I had a couple of miles where my max heart rate was exceeded.  It is probably the reason things got away from me.  I think I actually got dehydrated (I did not use the bathroom for 5 hours after the race is how I have come to that conclusion) which probably pushed up my HR.   Mile 22 was 7:20 and although I tried to get it back together by running smoothly and in control, my split at mile 23 of 7:17 pretty much sealed the deal that I was not going sub 3 on this day.  So, I decided to just try to ease my way back in, hoping to see my wife Tracy, slightly past mile 25 - which happened, and since this was only the second marathon of my 21 races that she's seen, it was really great.   

So, I ended up with a high 3:05 - and though one would think I'd be disappointed, I really was pleased with my effort of trying to execute on that strategy.  In the last 12 months I have run between 3:01 and 3:06 in 4 different races.  For that I am pleased as well. 

PS - Ingrid waited for me at the finish and ran 2:59.45. 

Day of rest/travel

PM - lunchtime - planned to walk and maybe jog a bit, but was bored within about 200 yards, and began to jog and soon found myself at a comfortable 7:40 pace for a few miles.  Stretched and used the foam roller on my legs in the gym for about 20 minutes thereafter to push out stiffness and soreness in the quads and calves.  On a scale of post marathon soreness, I would rank this as fairly light to moderate. 

PM - lunchtime - nice easy 4 mile run on a pleasant fall day.

Too busy at work to get a run in.

PM - 4 easy miles with Richie at lunchtime around the Feathersound loop on an absolutely glorious weather day - 59 degrees and 33% humidity and not a cloud in the sky.  Was temped to run quite a bit further on such a nice day - but decided to keep things in check and give my body some needed rest for a week or two.

AM - 2 miles of running around the high school regional cross country meet for my daughter Delaney's team.  They were ranked 6th in the region going into the meet and the top six advance to the state meet.  Unfortunately the number 3 runner was unable to run due to a fever a strep throat - and 3 of the other girls including my daughter had untimely poor races - (perhaps the pressure of the event) - and they ended up 8th.  Only their #1 runner will advance because she finished in the top 15 indivduals, as will the one boy from her school who individually advanced to regions.  Both of individuals finished 10th and will represent at the state meet next week.  Delaney was circumspect, though somewhat dissappointed, as last year they did not advance past districts and their goal was go get to regions.  She says they met their goal this year, and will be ready next year for the goal of getting to states, which for a group of 5 sophomores and 1 freshman, seems reasonable.

We headed up to Gainesville immediately after the meet for parents' weekend at UF for my first daughter.