3:15:28

I was pleased with my time in the Grand Rapids Marathon today. My goal had been to run it in less than 3 hours and 20 minutes. I'm actually surprised I managed it. Having never run quite that far before, I wasn't sure what to expect. As I left the start line today I thought that 3:30 was very possible, but 3:20 might be just outside my reach. I have to thank the 3:1415926 pace team (Pi's Pacers) for keeping a steady pace I could follow to reach my goal. They not only kept the pace, but provided encouragement and some level of entertainment.

The course was beautiful and the race well-organized. It took us through parks around lakes and for many miles through the forest along the Grand River. There was plenty of water, Gatorade, Gu, and gummy bears at stops along the way. I even got a big slice of banana at one station. It's hard to run fast when your mouth is full of banana.



The morning started out cool and clear. The temperature when the race started at 8 a.m. must have been around the freezing mark, but it was sunny and no longer uncomfortably chilly by the time I reached the finish at about 11:15. My clothing selection was good: I ran in shorts and a long-sleeve synthetic tee with light gloves and my trusty Brooks "Run Happy" hat. I wore the gloves until about mile 19 but tossed them aside at an aid station sometime after that. The hat does a nice job of wicking the sweat away from my eyes, and I've worn it on nearly every run for the last few months. I won't be tossing it aside any time soon.

I was lucky enough to avoid any sort of joint pains or muscle cramps. I merely had to contend with the challenge of keeping my legs moving at a 7:28 minute per mile pace. That didn't become really difficult until somewhere around mile 15. It became extremely difficult after mile 20, and for the last couple of miles, it was too much. However, having reached mile 23 at about 2:52, I knew I could afford to let my pace slide a little and still finish within 3:20. By the time I reached the end, every step seemed a monumental effort.

Cindy, kids, and dog were waiting for me as I approached the finish. I was very glad to see them and swung by for a high five. This is what I looked like at mile 26.



After crossing the finish, someone greeted me and shook my hand. It might have been the race director. I was given a medal. I was wrapped in a mylar sheet to reduce the likelihood of hypothermia. I felt really good, but I could barely stand. My muscles lacked the energy to keep me upright, let alone carry me up a step to move from street to sidewalk. I got some cheese and a bagel. Cindy, Amos, and the kids met me a few moments later. More Gatorade. Then coffee. Amos tried to steal my post-run snacks. He nearly knocked me over.

Even now, hours later, I can barely move my legs. What a great feeling.

3:15:28

Clock Time 3:15:48
Chip Time 3:15:28
Overall Place 121 / 1555
Gender Place 113 / 920
Division Place 11 / 155
Age Grade 66%
Total Pace 7:28/M
Split 1 Rank 149
Split 1 Time 2:07:38
Split 1 Pace 7:28/M
Split 2 Rank 142
Split 2 Time 28:33
Split 2 Pace 7:08/M
Finish Rank 121
Finish Time 39:16
Finish Pace 7:42/M

Oh, and we made it back to Okemos in time for a late lunch and Quinn's football game.