Race Report - 2011 SunTrust National Marathon - A race of "southern efficiency and northern charm."

Great news: My second marathon was a success! I finished. (Hooray.  Ever Important.)  I ran it all by myself, for the first time, and I finished in under the 5-hour time limit, which as it turns out, was not enforced at all.  Also, I knock 31 minutes and 45 seconds off the time from my first marathon--a new PR! All fantastic things about Saturday.

Yesterday, I lay around my house and being gluttonous--only leaving to pick up a take-out cheeseburger from my beloved Fuddruckers. And a vanilla milkshake.  Well-deserved.  My quads are still pretty sore from the race. As I hobbled up 18th street on the way to work, I saw a few empty GU wrappers scattered around. While I was a bit perturbed about the litter in the street, it was nice to see a small artifact from Saturday's event.

Unfortunately, I did not really enjoy this race as much as I was hoping I would.  Although I enjoy running by myself sometimes, I found it lonely doing the entire race by myself without anyone to meet at the finish line.  I had planned it that way, just in case I had a bad race, but it was still a lonely feeling.  Also, I had a near nuclear-meltdown in my car minutes before the start of the race.  (More on that in a moment.)

Friday night, the night before the race, I'd gotten everything prepared for the next morning, as I am not at my most energetic at 4:30 am in the morning.  I set my coffee-maker, laid out my clothes, packed my bags. (I packed a bag to check, even though I was driving.  I was still debating about checking some last-minute items.) I also packed some non-skintight sweats to wear after the race to my post-race-date. (Fancy sweatpants! LOL)

For breakfast I had two Eggo waffles, coffee and gatorade.  I usually have some leftover pasta from the night before, but my Vapiano was so delicious, I ate it all in one sitting and had none left.  I thought waffles should be relatively sustaining.  I left my house at 5:30am for the race, which started at 7am.  All runners were supposed to be in our corrals at 6:30-6:45am.  Without traffic, it usually takes me about 15 minutes to get downtown, and I was guessing it would take me an extra 15-20 to get to the Armory.   So, I thought I had plenty of time.  I easily drove into the city and over to the Capital within 15 minutes, but getting to the Armory was a much different story.  Although the roads were open, as marked on the race-day map, the two-lane Independence Avenue was NOT ample enough to accommodate the 11,000 participants of Saturday morning's race.

The metro opened "early" to "accommodate runners" (at 6:00am, as opposed to 7:00am).  But, seeing as how in DC it takes at least 10-20 minutes to travel anywhere via metrorail, the early opening was extremely inadequate, especially since most of the runners were entering the city from the suburbs of Maryland and Virginia.  I ride the metro to and from work every day and have developed quite a passionate dislike of the train because of the seemingly-constant delays, mechanical failures, crowds, inconsistent service, and increases in fares without matching increase in service.  So I could easily go on a tangential rant about the subway system of our nation’s capital, but I won't. At least not right here and now.

 But, living in Northern Virginia, and assuming—albeit incorrectly--that I would have to be at the start of the race on time, I knew that even if I got on the first train into the city, getting my bag checked, using the bathroom, then getting into my corral before 7:00am would be impossible. So, I decided to drive to the Armory and take advantage of the much-touted free parking and "thousands of spaces."  My mom and brother had both offered to drive me, but I thought I’d enjoy the luxury of parking and sitting in my warm car until I had to join my corral.

Photos while driving. Still cheerfully/foolishly assuming I'd make it to the stadium on time.

Alas, that would just be a pipe dream.  I don't ever have fears about driving in the city, and Saturday  I knew where I was going and that I was in the company of many other runners heading in the same direction.  The masses of vehicles were all filing onto Independence Avenue and slowly crawling toward RFK Stadium.  I reached Capital Hill a little before 6:00am.  By 6:30am, I had only progressed about five blocks east. As I sat in traffic, time kept ticking away.  Realizing I was going to be much later than expected, I started to get myself ready in the car.  I put my running shoes on, loaded my pockets with my camera, chapstick and ipod,  I took off my coat and put on my throw-away sweatshirt, and I opened up my handwarmers and put them in my gloves....all the while, trying unsuccessfully to keep very calm about getting to the start of the race.

At 6:40am, still sitting in the barely-moving line of cars, I started to see some runners getting out of vehicles around me and start walking down Independence toward the start line.  OMG--What do I do!?!? As we inched toward the stadium I started to get panicky and trying to think of contingency plans.  I texted my mom, the only person I knew who would respond to my texts that early on a Saturday, and told her I was stuck in traffic 13 blocks from the Stadium and I was supposed to be in my corral NOW.  She responded by saying "Maybe skipping it was meant to be..." **GASP!** NO!!--NOT HELPFUL!

I figured my best chance of getting to the stadium before 8:00am was to park somewhere—anywhere!--and get on the metro, which was now open.  Lacking a GPS, I called my mom frantically asking her to find my cross streets on a map and get me the quickest walking directions to the Eastern Market Metro station.  I also kept fishing in my enormous abyss of a work-purse for my map of DC.  I'm positive it was there, but at that moment, I was unable to find it, while driving, talking on the phone, trying to scope out [legal]  parallel parking spots, and fighting back tears.

Somehow, miraculously, the heavens shone down on a small, but perfectly legal (I hoped) parking spot about 20 feet off Independence Ave.  Oh thank the Lord!! It was a tight TIGHT squeeze, and I was far from a calm state of mind.  It took me about six or eight reverse-forward combos (and several curse words) to actually squeeze my SUV into this space sized for a Civic, but I did it.  Oh Glory be!  6:56am….four minutes until the race starts. I was still a complete wreck.

I had given up all hope of actually checking a bag, but I was planning to catch the metro, so I yanked my ATM card and the only cash I had ($8) out of my wallet and leapt from my car.  Fortunately, while I was parking, my mom had looked up directions to the metro.  She realized that I could just walk down Independence Ave and probably get to the stadium quicker than I would have if I went to find the metro, buy a ticket, and wait for the train. (Even though Eastern Market is only 1 stop away from the Stadium stop, the whole process is time-consuming, especially since I didn't have my Smarttrip Card and would have had to waste time buying a disposable farecard.)  I began to head east down Independence toward the stadium.  Luckily, I'd gotten myself ready to run in the car sitting in traffic, so I already had my gloves on and my pockets were already stuffed with the essentials.  I hadn't meant to bring my blackberry but now I had it, since I was still on the phone to my mom.  I'd also meant to detach my single car key from enormously heavy key chain, but it looked like that was coming with me as well.  I hung up the phone with my mom and started jogging down the street, passing some half marathoners on my way.  I had to pee like a racehorse and it was now after 7:00am--the official start of the race.  As I passed a few fellow runners, I tried to joke that I hadn't planned on having a mile-long warm up dash to the start before my 26.2 miles run, but no one seemed to find that too amusing.  (They were probably weeping on the phone to their moms in their cars moments before, just like me, and not in the mood to laugh about it quite yet.)

I could hear someone singing the "Star-Spangled Banner" in the distance, so I knew I was getting close, but I was still a complete nervous wreck.  I calmed down a little bit when I got to the Stadium and saw hundreds of runners still emerging from the metro--many of them with bags to check.  I felt relieved seeing them because I realized I wasn't the only one running very late, and I wasn’t going to miss the start.  (Looking back, at the time, I thought the organizers would be really strict about the 5-hour time-limit and that definitely added to my level of panic.  If I'd been running the half, even if I started late, I'd still make it in under 5 hours. But I was worried I was putting myself at a disadvantage by being late. This turned out to be a non-issue looking back.  But at 7:10am, how was I to know that!?)  I joked with some guy getting off the metro that it was typical of DC that even the Marathon doesn't start on time. And that's true! It is after all a city famous for its "southern efficiency and northern charm."

Finally, once I arrived and found my corral still waiting to start, I began to unwind a little.  I still  had to find a bathroom. Urgently. I asked the corral "bouncer" girl where to go, and she said there were some over the hill, but she didn't know how long the lines were. Great, I thought, and dashed over there.  There were only five porta-pots, but thankfully, the lines weren't that long. (I later found out that there were SEVENTY porta-pots just up the hill.  That might have been helpful for the volunteer girl to know, but c'est la vie.)
I chatted with a couple of people in line, and I was glad when this other woman said she was "near tears in her car trying to get to the parking lot."  It made me happy to know that other people experienced the same crisis-moments as I did getting to the stadium. (Reading the reviews on Active.com, it's very disturbing how many people had difficulties with getting to the race.)

Having emptied my bladder and calmed my racing heart a little bit, I wandered back to the corrals.  I called my mom to update her that I'd made it to the start and everything was fine.  (That I had time to do that is pretty amazing.)  The back corrals were progressing up to the start line and, as they passed, I searched the crowd for people I know to no avail. Eventually, I joined my corral as they passed and headed to the start.  Thankfully I remembered to set my stopwatch (and my ipod stopwatch) as I crossed the start, and I was off!...around 7:40am.

The first mile or so was up a small hill.  I always like when races start going uphill because it helps me not start out too fast.   Within the first two miles, I warmed up enough to remove my throw-away sweatshirt and my handwarmers.  The weather for the race was perfect for running.  The sun had come up, there was barely any wind, and it was in the low to mid-40s. Gorgeous.  My problem was, I was not quite in a running-mood yet.  I was still not completely wound-down from my morning parking debacle, so I tried not to think that there was 25 more miles ahead of me. I also tried not to think about how tired I had been that morning and how my 1.1 mile jog to the Stadium was probably not going to do me any favors in the later miles of the race.



United States Supreme Court Building (the back door)

 As the sun rose higher in the sky, I was able to snap some lovely photos of the Capital. (photos to come soon!)  I do love that building and how breathtaking it looks in almost every picture, no matter how amateur the photographer.  Unfortunately, we ran down Constitution Ave, past the back side of the Mall, so getting pictures of all the great museums wasn't possible.  Because I live here, I decided I didn't need pictures since I can go see the museums any time I wanted.  But, had I traveled to this race, I might have been disappointed not running down on the Mall.

New friend & I in front of the Capital



Washington Monument



Union Station (a site of a different DC-driving breakdown, several years ago.)

Before we hit mile three, I was surprised and somewhat alarmed to discover I was hungry. Really hungry.  I'd had what I considered to be a more than adequate breakfast, but nevertheless I felt ravenous.  I was concerned because I still had 23 miles to go, and hadn't brought with me any extra fuel.  At the first fuel stop, I grabbed three GUs and sucked down two immediately.  I also grabbed two cups of Powerade, figuring I could use any extra calories I could get.  I saved the other GU, as I knew there would not be another fuel station until mile 13, 10 miles away! (Doesn't that seem to be a pretty long stretch to go without a fuel stop?)

We then turned up 18th street and headed toward my office.  It was on this road, that I take when I drive into work, that I realized all of my driving debacles have occurred within the D.C. city limits. Grrrr....This morning was just another traumatic DC-traffic experience.  I also, somewhat ridiculously, snapped photos all the way up the street.  Even though I see these places almost every day, there's something special about running past them during a race.  The pictures themselves are actually pretty boring, but personally special.

Running up 18th Street

Past Vapiano--probably too early for cute bartenders though...

Connecticut & 18th. 5 days a week, kids.

We passed Dupont Circle around mile 5.5 and began our long ascent uphill into Adams Morgan then into Columbia Heights.  I really loved the enthusiasm of the spectators.  Lots of folks came out to cheer on the runners, brought fabulous signs ("Go Faster!...That's what she said!") and everyone was in great spirits.  I kept getting frustrated though because there were hardly any mile markers on the course.  I don't think I passed ANY mile-markers at all until Mile 5, when the relay split.  I don't run with a Garmin and thus I had no idea how fast I was running most of the time.   I knew, thankfully, how much time had passed, since I had my  new $20 Timex, but mileage was more difficult to determine.  Also, there was a timer only at mile 10 and mile 15.  I kept having to find strangers-with-GPS watches to tell me what mile I was on.  The inability to be able to gauge how fast I was going was really irritating.

As we ran down H Street, I knew we were almost halfway through the race.  I was worried about this because so many runners had signed up for the half marathon (I think approximately 7,000 out of 11,000 runners) and I knew losing so many companions would be mentally challenging.  To my relief, even after I passed the halfway point, I didn't ever feel too alone.  I always felt surrounded by a small but comforting crowd of runners. At mile 13's fuel station I grabbed 2 more GUs and sucked them down.  I was mildly concerned about the caffeine I was consuming.  Although I know my body is regularly accustomed to a lot of caffeine, I was worried about taking in this much while also running and increasing my heart rate.  A heart attack mid-race would not be very awesome at all.

Mile 13 wound around RFK stadium, and I remembered how much I really love the stadium.  It's an older building and has an interesting mid-century modern look that distinguishes it from newer stadiums.  It was built in 1961, as a completely circular structure with the intention of accommodating both the Washington Senators baseball team and the Redskins.  The Senators only played one season in the stadium before leaving DC for Minnesota.  And unfortunately, in attempting to house both sports in one venue, there were some significant design flaws for both sports' spectators.  It was remodeled in 2005 and is now the home of the DC United Soccer Team, although the seats are still burgundy and gold (Redskins colors)  It would be nice if it could be modernized so the Redskins could play there.  (Right now they play in Maryland, several miles east of the city in a stadium that was cheaply built and is difficult to get to and from.)

But anyway….back to the race….As the full marathoners circled up past the Armory and the finish-line party--a nasty tease, watching everyone celebrating when you still have 13 miles ahead of you--I tried to glance around for anyone I knew who had finished the half and was lingering....maybe my boss or Cassie?  But I didn't see anyone....we started off on the second lap towards the Capital.  This time around, the crowd was smaller, quieter and less invigorating.
I checked my watch and realized that I would most likely not be on time for my 1:00pm date, especially considering I started the race 30 minutes after the gun went off and parked a mile away.  I pulled my blackberry out, found my date's phone number in an email chain and left him a voicemail as I was running explaining I'd probably be later than expected....carrying my blackberry came in handy!

I was in great need of a pick-me-up around mile 16, and right on cue, a rowdy group of about six spectators appeared.  One girl was yelling and lunging forward to high five the runners as we passed, and one guy was offering cups of beer.  Most runners did not take him up on the offer, but I did.  It was probably under 6 ounces....not too much to be dehydrating, and was absolute heaven! Ahhhh….I also thought this might help balance out the all of the caffeine in the GU I'd been consuming.  Their enthusiasm and a few gulps of Miller Lite rejuvenated me, and I powered through the next few miles relatively easily. (It also helped that the next few miles were all downhill towards the waterfront and marina.)

Looking towards Hains Point

Along the water....beautiful, but pretty quiet (and I had no idea what mile I was on.)

We crossed through a tunnel and under the Anacostia River and began a long quiet stretch through Southeast DC.  The spectators and the weather were both still wonderful, and we got to run along the riverside for a while, which was pretty.  But it was a long stretch and felt very quiet.  A few times I caught myself looking behind me to make sure I wasn't the last person in the race.  I noticed a few instances when a policeman or traffic director would wave cars through an intersection, having not seen a runner come up.  Dangerous!   I know having the roads closes is a massive inconvenience, but I'm absolutely sure no runner wants to be taken out by a car during the last 10 miles of a marathon.

Nationals Stadium

Around mile 21-23, there was a turn-around along the riverside.  I always get the urge to speed up during these because I see everyone ahead of me running past in the opposite direction and I get the feeling I'm very behind!  Does this happen to anyone else?   It was so tempting to turn around early and knock a few minutes off my final time. haha....Also, I was having some recurring feelings of gastrointestinal distress, despite my normal pre-race Imodium AD.  I was hoping I wouldn't have to make a last minute pit-stop with under 10 miles to go....

struggling...

Finally, we came up on Mile 25 (there was a marker there--hooray!) and started crossing the bridge back into the city toward the stadium.  The final minutes of the marathon are all uphill toward the finish line.  Had I had more energy, I would have asked some of the spectators where the heck the finish line WAS, but I wasn't able to form words and run up the last hill at the same time...

At last I crossed the finish line! I put myself at 4:48-ish minutes on my stopwatch. Yay! I grabbed 2 ice packs at the medical tent, thinking I'd ice my knees in the car, and a banana.  I didn't want to get too many goodies because I was heading to my brunch-date soon, but I did grab several of the cute "I <3 Chocolate Milk" stickers from one table.  Fortunately, I crossed the finish line with plenty of time to stretch and text and call a few people to let them know I finished before I had to start walking to my car.  I was tempted to get a post-race massage, but the line was really long and I knew I’d be very late for brunch if I did.

The end of the race and the walk to my car was quite long and lonely.  I hadn’t invited anyone to come be at the race, because I was worried I wouldn’t finish and I’d be in a non-celebratory mood. (& then I booked a date.)  But, it was still lonely, especially once I did finish with a decent time.  As I mentioned, I don’t mind running by myself…I sometimes prefer it.  But this race, I didn’t have any social time before the race and I didn’t have much after and it was a little bit depressing.

The weather was much colder now that I wasn't running, and since I hadn’t checked a bag, I was clutching all of my belongings, including two ice packs, in my numb hands. After what felt like an eternity, I finally reached my car--not ticketed--phew!  (I hadn't but glanced at the street signs before dashing off to the race, so I wasn’t 100% sure I’d parked legally.)  Thank goodness I had to give my mom the cross streets that morning, or I surely would have forgotten to check them and would not have found my car!  It felt wonderful to sit down in my warm car. I balance the ice packs on my knees and headed off to my post-race date....

Although my goal was to finish in under 5 hours, and I knocked almost 32 minutes off my marathon time, I was still somewhat disappointed that I hadn't come in under 4:45....lol.  We can always do better. :)  It's something to strive for in the next marathon, I suppose...A good motivator.

Race Pros: Beautiful weather, fun and pretty course, great spectators.

Race Cons: Terrible and frustrating getting to the start, no mile marker signs, expensive considering how poorly organized the event was, Swag is pretty light, considering the cost and prominence of the race and its sponsors. The half & full participants got almost the exact same shirts and medals. (Shouldn’t the full get something more special, like they do in Baltimore?)

I can't wait to read about everyone else's race-day experiences!