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| Shirt front and back with course map on the back |
Well, here it goes. I've been gearing up for this race I think since sometime early this year. I believe this past February when I heard that this year they'll be running the course through Ohio Stadium I really got excited. It has been one of my dreams to run through Ohio Stadium. As a obesssed Buckeye fan as many of you call me, as the competitive runner in me looking for a challenge, but mainly running through there even though it was just a short little time to me was a way that, "God was giving me a Second Chance" even though everybody else would be running through it also.
You see I was never able to run at Ohio Stadium when they had the track there when I was in High School. Mainly because they took it out after the 1998 State High School Track Meet to lower the stadium and put more seats in it. Which was fine to me cause going to games made it much louder and a better game day atmosphere.
Though that year as you all know, when I was at TCC, I ended up suspended from school due to constant harrassment from and I made one mistake and said the wrong thing and it got me trouble. You can read about it all from this past blog I wrote before Boston last year if you have time but many of you know what I was talking about.
http://dmoneystwocents.blogspot.com/2011/04/my-blood-sweat-and-tears-literally.html
Over the years of hard work and determination I have gotten over it but everytime something bad always happens I try to not to get overwork about it and tell myself that this is not as bad as what I went through when I was 16. Many people got tired of it and I know that but I never wanted what happen to happen to my worst enemies no matter how many I felt very angry at them and those feelings came out. Competiting to me was a way of proving to everyone I belonged out there with those really good competitors. The guys I ran against and ran with, I have beaten they have beaten me and they were really good. Everyone knew how good I've become and how much of a tough competitor I was and I have nothing to prove to them to anyone else including my family and friends. So for me this race was something I had to prove race for myself.
Coming back from a hip muscle injury last year I ran some very good 5k's, an 8k up in Chicago, and 2 half marathons under 1:11 throughout this year with some long mileage and brutal workouts leading up to last Sunday. I just spent Saturday morning with some CRC peeps in Dublin for a lite run. Had a pasta dinner with some church friends the night before.
Sunday morning came and I felt ready. Little jitterly since I was anxious to get down and run. Arrived downtown and went into the Downtown YMCA where some CRC people and C-Bus Pacers were. Talked about what to expect in the race and other funny things with them and listened to my IPod to some songs to pump me up. (In fact I should list a couple of songs to pump yourself up to before a race. But that will be for another blog post.)
After stretching and listening to some AC/DC and Metallica I got my jersey on and grabbed 2 gels. Took one beforehand and we jog/walked to the Starting Line on Broad Street right at the corner of third street in the Heart of Downtown Columbus. Did some strides and said some prayers (23rd Psalm and the Our Father) prayed again with Hamner, Krista, Mike Hanson and Mike Aldrink and it was about time. After the national anthem the Wheelchair racers were off. THUNDERSTRUCK by AC/DC came on the speakers and we were about ready. After the countdown the cannon and fireworks send us off!!!
Right at the first 400 meters of the race I saw my buddy Mike Miller and threw my gel to him for me at mile 12. After that I tried to calm myself down and try to hit what I wanted my split to be. First mile was at 5:40 little quick but I wanted to run 5:40's so far. I had a lot of people cheering for me. I guess I'm pretty popular with the running community here in Columbus. My Muskie Friend Molly made me this sign.
At mile 2 I hit 11:25. So far so good. Felt a little cold. I thought I should have at least wore some arm warmers or had some gloves but I figured looking at the forecast that morning it would easily warm up during the middle of the race. Still feel fine at mile 3 in 17:05. Little fast since it was downhill. Raced around the neighborhoods of Bexley with a couple of Second Sold jerserys one of them doing the half and the other the full. Mile 4 was at 22:44. Mile 5 I hit at 28:20. Still on 5:40 pace per mile. Really good crowd support along Bexley, Capital University area. Turned on Nelson Road after being on Main Street and headed towards the CRC Water Stop where Matt DeLeon was providing Commentary. I gave a salute to the camera as Eric gave me my first gel at Mile 6. So far so good as I hit the 10k at 35:07
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| Mile 6 Salute to the CRC Water Stop. |
After the 10k mark it was back to Broad Street but the lead runners were on the other side going back into downtown while the other runners in the back Corrals were still coming out after 2-2 1/2 miles. Plenty of people I knew running or jogging cheering for me and I was still feeling fine after miles 7 and 8. I kinda of threw my hands up at the crowd before turning on Monroe right around mile 8 just to keep yelling louder. After going south and reaching Town Street right past Grant Medical Center towards the 9 mile mark, I hit it in 51:20. Down south on third street towards German Village. 10 miles at 57:05.
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| Somewhere around mile 9. Still Foggy in the background. |
After going around Schiller Park the course headed back North on High Street back to downtown. A slight uphill but still trying to hit a decent split. Saw Mike at mile 12 with my gel already opened up (thanks Bro), he just told me to keep relaxed, stay focus on my split and feel smooth. Good advice. Though back into downtown the half marathoners turned left on Nationwide to the finish the last 0.2 of their race the Marathoners had to continue North on High for the next 2 1/2 miles towards Ohio State University. I hit the half marathon point at 1:14:43 slower than what I hit the first half in Boston but faster than what I was halfway when I PR in Cleveland with a 2:34 marathon. I was on pace to break 2:30 but as always the last half was the toughest.
From the halfway point till the 15.6 mile mark along High Street was very dead. Not a whole lot of crowd support. Little surprised. Still there were water stops and many of the bands and DJ's that played along the course there. I tried to follow a couple of guys that were 100 meters ahead of me. After the turn on Lane we started downhill and saw a few friends along there. Crossed the Lane Ave Bridge past the Schottenstein Center towards Fyfe Road. Sad to see noboby from the Vineyard Lane Ave. Campus not out there. It would have helped but the services didn't start till 10 and it was probably 9:10-9:15 at that point. Little bit of a letdown. But, I had no time to be disappointed because coming up was the mile I've been waiting for. OHIO STADIUM.
The Course turned left onto Woody Hayes Drive and we ran towards Tuttle Park Road. Rob handed me my other gel at 17. I didn't need it yet and I ran with it in my hands down Tuttle and when the course crossed through the parking lot we ran down the little road in the stadium where cars, ambulances go down that separate the south end stands from the horseshoe part of the stadium and it was right next to the red tunnel where the players entered the field usually. I ran along the South Stands where they were people there cheering. It was a pretty decent crowd but the experience was great. Hopefully someone was there to take pictures because I'm buying a pic of me running through Ohio Stadium. We exit the stadium on the little roadway on the vistors entrance side. Came out to Cannon Drive back to run on the other side of Woody Hayes Drive going west to the West Side of Campus. Took the gel at 18 but only absorbed a little bit of it. Felt heavy in my mouth. I tried to motivate myself for the toughest last miles on the backside of the course.
I entered the neighborhoods of Upper Arlington and hit Mile 20 in 1:55:56. About 45 seconds ahead when I hit 20 miles in Cleveland in 2010 where I PR. However, I could not go any faster. Tried to stay positive when I saw another runner who looked like a kenyan or some type of African only 100 meters if that ahead of me thinking I could at least try to knock a little bit of his lead he had on me bit by bit, but I couldn't go any faster. As we headed down Cambridge Ave. to King Ave. then south towards Grandview Heights. Good thing about the last of the 6.2 miles of the course mostly downhill and not much gradual. Yet, my legs felt heavier from the early miles, I was starting to feel a little bit light headed even though I took advantage of most of the water stops, and 2 blisters began to form on my left foot. I've come very far and wanted to finish even though 3 guys passed me in those last 3 miles.
The last mile I tried to pick up and little bit even though I wasn't feeling that killer instinct I usually have in my kick as I went around Goodale Park and turned on Park Street towards Nationwide and the finish.
Readers, before the last turn at Mile 26 I was very surprised to see my Mom there with maybe a couple other CRC peeps and my buddy Mike. I did not except her to be there since my Dad was going to have elbow surgery in about a week and he was given medicine beforehand. The one big race where I didn't mind if she watched or not thinking it would stress me out and she shows up. It at least gave me some motivation to finish the last 0.2 miles and finish. A little bit of me was disappointed that I didn't run the time I wanted but I was very happy that I beat the time I ran at Boston and ran my 2nd fastest Full ever. So it could have been worse.
However, I was happy not only did I finish, run a good time, I finally was able but to do something I always wanted to do since I was a freshmen in High School and that's run through Ohio Stadium. I was very glad my mom, one of my best friends, and everybody else from the CRC peeps to my church family was able to share this moment with me.
And I bled for it the last couple miles, Literally. I have some pics here so if you already ate or about to eat something I wouldn't look that much further but here is the blisters on my left pinky toe and left heel I got from my Nike Lunar Racer.
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| The red giant blister on left small toe I ran the last 1/3 of the race in that popped red blood plasma. |
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Left Heel blister!
My Nike Lunar Racer Flat. Notice the redness around the left side and the blood stain from the heel blister. |
Nice huh. I did learn a lesson. If I do a marathon again and it may be Columbus or Chicago next year it's not going to be in Nike Lunar Racers. They are good for 5k's to the Half Marathon and I;ve had some really good races in them this year but I don't think they have the cushion for the marathon especially for me. I'll probably go back to wearing the Mizuno Wave Romins.
They fit me more and I've PR in the Full Marathon and Half Marathon while in them so that's what I'll do with that.
In the end I look back and I'm very happy with what I've accomplished this weekend and where I was one year ago. I hope the lesson that I can teach everyone hear is to perservance can and does truly pay off in the end if you work hard enough.
I think that things are getting better for me physically, mentally, and hopefully in personal relationships. I still have to be humble and thankful for what I got and be able to move forward with whatever may be in the next few years. To me that is being able to get more into coaching, settling down and having a family, and still just run because. Accomplishments in races, PR's and other things will be a great bonus for where I'm at right now.
I'll be back at it soon!!!!!!!! That's my two cents!!!
