I ran this race on a frigid windy morning in 2017, and enjoyed the experience despite the wintry conditions. I didn't expect that it would be 6 years before I returned to Columbus. When I set up the training plan with Coach Carl, he suggested racing a half-marathon as a checkpoint run at this stage, and with 7 weeks to go, this race perfectly fit the plan.
The rest of the blog post will describe what I did right, and what I did wrong. Spoiler alert: there is a lot more red ink than blue in this post! I am writing this nearly a week after the race, after having some time to reflect on the experience. The main purpose in documenting right / wrong is to learn from this unexpectedly difficult race, with the marathon date rapidly approaching. I also had a "therapy" session with Carl on Zoom on Wednesday and he was sincere and very encouraging. He suggested that I also remember all of the workouts and long runs that have gone well in this training cycle, including a decent speedwork session on the track three days after the half-marathon described in this post.
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| Friday evening pre-race dinner: Bonnie and Stephanie, support crew; runners Susie, Rebecca, Kimberly, Donna, Frank |
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| Saturday pre-race in the Marriott hotel lobby, not taking ourselves too seriously |
We arrived in Columbus Friday evening, had dinner around 7 pm with a few friends from Tucker Running Club, and went to bed early, before 10 pm. With an 8 am race start just a mile or two from our hotel, I awakened around 5 am. As typical on most mornings, my 60-year-old legs were sore, so I did some yoga stretches in the hotel room and that helped a lot. I also managed to go "number 2" at the hotel and didn't think about that any more before the race. With temperatures forecast in the mid-30's at the start but potentially rising to 50 degrees over the next two hours, I decided to wear a single-layer long-sleeved shirt (the 2017 race shirt!), tights, and a cap, to maximize comfort from start to finish. The blue shorts with the pockets held three UCAN packets. To run faster, I decided not to carry a water bottle. We met up with the other Tucker runners at their hotel at 7:15 am, and then I jogged about 2 blocks to the start. From 7:30 - 7:55 am, I hung out with other runners that I knew from Atlanta, which was nice (but I didn't introduce myself to anyone from Columbus).
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| Here are just a few among the big crew that came to Columbus from metro Atlanta |
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| Tucker Running Club + Sue Landa between Kimberly and Donna |
While the socializing was a great side-benefit from running, that meant that I didn't run one easy mile beforehand, and/or didn't run any strides to work the heart rate up and down before the race. I told Bonnie the day before that I would make a sub-2 hour attempt, and didn't think realistically about my current conditioning based on recent results. I figured that I would start with the 2:05 pacer, and then I planned to work up to a negative split to catch up with the 2:00 pacer before the finish line. I ignored the 9:33 min / mi pace on the back side of the 2:05 pacer's sign. I ignored that my comfortable starting pace was more like 10 min / mi pace, and walked past the 2:15 pacer. I was bent over making sure that my shoelaces were tightly tied, so I wasn't paying attention when the airhorn suddenly sounded for the official race start. Walking with the 2:05 pacer to the start, we then began running.
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| The airhorn has just sounded to start the race! One of these men would win the race. |
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| In the middle of the pack, but already in front of the 2:05 pacer. |
I felt good keeping up with the pacer for the first half-mile at a 9:05 min / mile pace. But I had forgotten to set the run : walk 4:30 / 0:30 intervals on my watch. About 6 minutes in, I heard the voice of Carl: "too much walking late in a race usually means that there wasn't enough walking earlier in the race" and I took a walk break. But only for about 15 seconds, then I sprinted to catch up with the pacer. Relying on my Garmin watch, the mile 1 alert sounded at 9:09 elapsed, but we actually passed the mile marker around 9:25.
I read that the race would have Water and Frost Gatorade on course at Mile 2 (water only), Mile 3.75, Mile 5, Mile 6, Mile 9, Mile 10 & Mile 11.5, so I got the ridiculous idea that I didn't want the weight of a water bottle to slow me down. The first water stop was near the Mile 2 marker, but the cup was only about 1/5 full, and I didn't stop to get another cup.
The pacer had walked through the water stop. Since I had enough time to catch up to and pass him, he had probably walked for a full minute, but he soon caught up with me. With every walk break, I was losing the pacer, so after only 15 - 20 seconds of walking, I would sprint to try to catch up with him. By the end of mile 3 (9:19), I was consistently lagging behind the pacer and that really bothered me. When we made a steeper downhill turn to get to the bluff adjacent to the river, I caught up with the pacer by running more quickly downhill. It got into my head that I would regain all of that elevation on the return trip. Then I tried out my mantra "relax and glide" and that led to another mantra "your race, your pace." Kimberly Harrell was running ahead of me, and I focused on keeping her in sight, not wanting to slip too far back. In mile 4, on the riverwalk, I enjoyed looking out at the fog rising from the Chattahoochee River. We momentarily turned away from shore, up a small hill, which I embraced with positive energy, knowing that later I would get to run downhill in the other direction. The next water station was better, I took a UCAN packet and was given half a cup of Gatorade, and drank that down while walking. Mile 4 (9:19).
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| Sunrise over the Chattahoochee River |
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| Stephanie accomplished a half-marathon of cheering and cowbell, at least two full hours of race support. |
I knew ahead of time that Bonnie and a friend from Tucker Running Club, Stephanie, would be cheering for us about 4-1/2 miles into the route, so I was looking forward to seeing them soon. Before long, I heard Stephanie banging enthusiastically on a cowbell as Kimberly passed, so I picked up the pace to get there more quickly. It was great to accept hand-slaps from Stephanie and Bonnie with a big smile as I passed without slowing down, wanting to "look good for the ladies." I was beginning to gain just a bit of ground on Kimberly, feeling more confident that I would catch up to and pass her in time. Mile 5 (9:18). Yet I knew that the pacer was well in front of me and that bothered me. Nevertheless I took a walk break through the next water station. I had planned to alternate water and Gatorade, so this time I accepted water, which was a more generous pour than a few miles ago.
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| Smiling, but surprisingly sweaty at just 4 miles in |
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| Hand-slap with Stephanie |
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| Hand-slap with Bonnie |
Despite falling behind a bit, I was mostly enjoying the run. The only concern was that my heart rate was reading high, 160 bpm as early the first half-mile. I have a new Garmin watch (thanks Bonnie!) so I didn't trust the reading. I tightened the band to improve contact with skin. Then since it was cold, I rubbed a bit of spit under the watch to improve conductance. But the Garmin was recording a heart rate reading 180 bpm by mile 5. Maybe it was because I had been excited to see Bonnie, but I still didn't trust the Garmin reading.
We were crossing a bridge in the sixth mile when I began to feel dizzy. It felt like the bridge was very gently but perceptively bouncing up and down. I rationalized that it was the other runners in cadence causing the vibration. But then I was getting nauseous from the bouncing. I've never had a problem with motion sickness, so I decided it was time to take another walk break. The bouncing continued. Then we were off of the bridge. And the bouncing continued on solid land. Uh-oh. I had not checked my heart rate when the bridge had begun bouncing, but when I finally checked, my heart rate was 188 bpm.
My 60-year-old heart should never beat that fast, unless I'm about the cross a finish line. Or on occasion with Bonnie.... But I decided that I better take a nice long walk break. Mile 6 (10:33). I was disappointed that the 2-hour finish wasn't going to happen today. But I began running again after the heart rate had dropped below 150 bpm. Unfortunately it would rise again after just a couple of minutes of running. Feeling badly about myself, I would finally give in and take another walk break. That continued for several miles: mile 7 (9:53), where I took the second UCAN packet - but I had no water! There was a turnaround at mile 7.55 at 1:12:46 elapsed (9:38 min / mile average pace), and then mile 8 (9:42). David Bloomquist had passed me immediately after the turnaround. I couldn't properly verbally acknowledge him, just waved and muttered "Go ahead".
I had started to fill some lower GI fullness. By mile 9, I began to worry that I would crap my pants at any moment. And that finally slowed me down to a reasonable pace (10:27). As each runner passed me, I was obsessed with negative thoughts. Which runner would be the 2:10 pacer? Eventually Ms. 2:10 passed me. I felt badly about myself for a moment, then let that go. It was much more important to focus mental energy on keeping the sphincter closed! I survived mile 10 (12:19) and mile 11 (12:04), taking my last UCAN packet with the mile 10 water station. Bonnie and Stephanie were waiting just past mile 11. And at the same spot, there was a large restroom facility at the "Rotary Club Park".
Should I stay or should I go? I seriously considered stepping off the course and relieving myself in the restroom. Then I began obsessing about how it would be worse if I discovered that the bathrooms were locked, or if there was no toilet paper. And what did I say earlier about looking good for the ladies? Nothing wrong with a bathroom stop, but it wasn't gonna be a quickie. There was always the possibility that I might just quit if I stopped, or that it would be very difficult to get the old legs moving again. As I slowly approached, Stephanie held out her hand for a hand-slap, but I was feeling too negatively to return the gesture (I apologized to Stephanie afterwards). I did grab Bonnie's hand but I was grabbing for support, just the opposite of a confident or joyous hand-slap.
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| One of the few times I ran - albeit slowly - in mile 12. |
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| Stephanie is encouraging me - but I'm too grouchy to hold out my hand. |
At least I was no longer dizzy. My heart rate was still recording in the 170's whenever I ran, so I was walking a lot. It was easier to keep the sphincter closed when I walked, but then I obsessed about the increased amount of time I would have to hold things together. I recognized Sue Landa after she passed me. I decided to speed up and run with her for awhile. I reminisced out loud about running for 5 - 6 miles in Brooklyn with her in the 2018 New York City Marathon. "When I saw you in mile 3, I didn't know you that well. By the time we separated in mile 8, you were a friend for life." I suppose I didn't want to leave this world without a last gasp of a kind word, that was how badly I was feeling. Now it was my GI tract instead of my heart that was my concern, so I suppose my risk was now only dying from embarrassment. I couldn't keep up with Sue, and dropped back to a walk. A few minutes later, a big group approached, with the 2:15 pacer at the front. My head was down, I felt defeated. Rebecca Ludwig was running with that pace group, and was kind enough to slow down and ask how I was doing. "Not good," I replied. But I began running again, although I was disappointed that I couldn't keep up with Rebecca either. Mile 12 (13:23), my slowest mile of the day.
When I saw the mile 12 sign, I thought: "Only 10 11 12 13 minutes to the finish!" Not so close after all. In the meantime, Alice Pate and Caroline Dunn caught up with me. I had taken a walk break, so they opened up a gap in front of me. But my lower GI tract wasn't acting too badly, so I cautiously tried to speed up. Caroline's husband Paul had already finished and was cheering all of us on. He shouted "You have one big hill to climb and then you're done!" And upon turning the corner: I saw Mt. Columbus. I said out loud "$&#f*@!" (apologies to all who heard me swear on the course) but I turned on my best possible hill sprint short stride, and it was only a short block to the top. I turned north onto a level street. Paul asked how I was doing, and I blurted out "I just @?&!$#* want to finish." Dropping the F-bomb as a cheap comedic trick elicited the desired laughs from those around me, but I apologize again, that was really not appropriate, although it did seem to spur me on. I felt badly about dashing past Caroline and Alice shortly after they had passed me while I was limping along the Riverwalk, but I desperately needed to get to a porta-potty and surely one was waiting for me on the other side of the timing mat at the finish line. Mile 13 (11:38). One last turn, there was the finish line, and I dashed ahead with one last "burst" of speed, although my final sprint pace was only 8:19.
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| "Where's the porta-potty?" |
I made it across both timing mats without slowing down, then suddenly stopped and that caused me to stumble to the side, although I caught myself well before falling. I accepted a medal from a volunteer; I think that I managed to mumbled some thanks, but I was now totally focused on the urgent business of finding a porta-potty. By the way, my finish time was 2:18:36 but I could not have cared less at that moment. The nearest porta-potty was a block away, but I perfectly walked the tangents to reach my target spot by the shortest possible route. Fortunately several stalls were open, and no one was waiting. The one that I selected was surprisingly clean even though more than 3 hours had passed since runners had first gathered for the start. Close the door, lock the door, and then...... the relief. I just sat on the can for a few minutes, regaining some mental rationality. I had totally blown off looking for Bonnie, but she texted me "Where are you?" I responded "Coming back I needed to poop for the last hour". When I got back to Bonnie and the rest of the Tucker Running Club, nearly all of whom had finished ahead of me, I saw that they were all smiling and laughing as I returned, so Bonnie had obviously shared our private communication. Fortunately I felt much better by then, so I was able to laugh with them.
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| The rest of the Tucker finishers kindly waited for me to return so that we could get this photograph! |
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| I was even able to clown around while walking to the car, mimicking the statue child catching raindrops. |
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| Lunch with Tucker Running Club. Rebecca was our first finisher - congratulations! To our surprise, Kimberly paid for us all - thanks! |
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Thanks to the Columbus Road Runners for putting on another great race, thanks to friends on the course who checked on me and cheered for me especially when I wasn't performing well, and many thanks to Coach Carl for helping me regain some confidence after the race. I really appreciate that Carl proactively reached out by e-mail after I had posted on Strava, "Rough race: perfect conditions, excellent course, not-so-great runner."
Carl wasn't sure that it was the absence of a warm-up that caused my heart rate to rise too quickly. Since I had not really tapered in the midst of marathon training, perhaps the 9-minute/mile pace for more than five miles was too much for me at that moment in the training cycle, but might not be a problem after the remaining weeks of training including a three-week taper. He speculated that the elevated heart rate could have resulted in gastrointestinal upset. I read a little about this, and what happens when the involuntary sympathetic nervous system kicks in due to stress:
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