My First Marathon: Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey

It may be impossible to summarize the thing in words, so I will just go straight to the details.

-Prerace

Classes ended Friday, and my roommate along with most students had left town, so I was focused on the marathon. Friday night my running partner and I made caramel apples to bring for the potluck meal post race. They turned out very well, especially considering it was the first time for either of us. We melted down caramel candies, dipped the apples (organic from Trader Joe's) and then rolled them in peanuts and/or chocolate bits. Saturday I slept in until around 9:30am. Vanderbilt football played its last home game against UT at 11:30am, and we were predicted to win, but I didn't want to stand for the game or brave the cold, so I went to a friend's home to watch it on tv. That was a good choice - her family was so hospitable. It was really nice to be in a house rather than a dorm. After seeing our beloved Dores get trounced by UT, we went to packet pickup. All I have to say is, "I hate Tennessee," and even at home, the crowd looked "like a garbage truck workers convention" because of that "puke, inside a pumpkin orange, and I don't like pumpkins." (youtube Alabama Hates Tennessee) My friend and I picked up her friend and my running partner, and the 4 of us went to packet pickup. There, the RD, dressed in a fine long-sleeve tie-dye shirt, handed us our customized bibs, tee shirts, customized long-sleeve synthetic tee, and more. We also bought some custom Hatch Show Print posters he had made - sweet swag! At this point, we were stoked and headed back to the house for dinner.

Back at la casa, my friend's mother was kind enough to fix us a wonderful prerace dinner of chicken & penne, chees-stuffed zuchini, and salad - delicious. We goofed off, took some photos, and lounged by the fireplace for awhile. I taught the girls how to make a fireball using your hands and a lighter (neat trick). Then it was back to school for me to slumber.

-Race Day

Even though I didn't sleep particularly well the night before or much of that week, I woke up feeling fine at 6:30am. After eating my usual oatmeal and V8 V-fusion, I picked up my runing partner and headed to Percy Warner. It was cold. At race time the temp was high 30s. I jogged a tiny bit (over to the woods to pee) but figured I had plenty of miles to warm up. My attire consisted of shorts (w/ pockets for granola bars), a short-sleeve synthetic (from Stump Jump), gold & black argyle arm warmers from last year's Vandy Cycling Club kit, SmartWool light socks, Mizuno Inspire 4 shoes (in black & gold), some wind proof Outdoor Research gloves and a thin Pearl Izumi cap. I was a little chilly at the start but the outfit was very good for the conditions throughout the day.

The Race

-Feeling it out

My plan was to start conservative and to build. My goals were to finish and to go under 4 hrs. At the gun our group of four started out together as the leaders nearly sprinted away. Everyone was very chatty and giddy at this point. Afterall, we hadn't done any climbing yet. The first mile marker came quickly (perhaps too quickly). My watch said 6:30 for the first mile. It might have been 8:00. We cruised along, trying to warm up and get into the groove. Many people passed by. We would chat some and move on. One older gent went by with a sign that read "Old Man Passing Thru." I encountered him later. There were a lot of signs, most comical, some demoralizing, and wonderful characters at the aid stations. There was even a fully dressed gorilla riding a bicycle ringing a bell (that was actually kind of annoying). I don't remember very much from those first few miles. I felt somewhat numb due to the cold, relaxed and excited. I chatted with friends and didn't worry too much about pace. Some of the group's family members were there cheering us on. That was a great boost throughout the day. Probably around mile 6 or so, I was feeling good. A 2-time Monkey finished was running near us and he had a similar goal time as I, so I decided I would cruise along with him. That was when I left the group of four. They stayed together and separated throughout the day but all finished strongly within 5-10 minutes of one another.

-Finding my groove

For roughly miles 6-18 I ran with two guys: the one I just mentioned with a similar goal time and another gent who had run the Monkey lastyear and had completed several other marathons and Ironmans throughout the 70s and 80s. It was nice cruising along with them. At almost every aid station I grabbed either water or gatorade, even though I had a handheld. That strategy granted me the flexibility of using the handheld whenever while not having to stop and refill it anytime. I wasn't feeling absolutely stellar - some left knee soreness (reminiscent of the nagging injury a couple months ago) and a little bit of cold-induced stiffness but not too bad. Through the half marathon mark I was a 1:50:xx, putting me on pace for a 3:40 finish, 20mins ahead of my goal! That got me excited and put some fire in my belly to hold the pace.

-Getting after it

If you don't know the course and are not familiar with Percy Warner Park, it is very hilly. Those hills are greatly amplified on tired legs. When mile 18 came along, the long winding hill that usually isn't too bad was pretty bad. A female had torn by a few miles back as if she was "on a mission from God" (like Jake & Elwood) but I kept her in my sights (she had some rad armwarmers on resembling tatted up arms). It was on that last long ascent where I decided to attack. Like an old John Deere, I just kept chugging along uphill. I was worried about an upper harmstring (possibly butt) cramp but the old legs held out. I considered that hill the last big challenge of the day BEFORE the race. Again, on tired legs, every incline is amplified. The Luke Lea Loop comes right after that hill and is a short but hilly 0.6mi segment of road to an overlook. That segment might have been the best part of the race. Why, you ask? Because a kind soul offered Raisinets at the entrance. They are my favorite candy, so when he shoved that bowl my way, I nearly stopped in my tracks to grab a handful. SO tasty! I even called him over for a second handful on my return. They definitely gave me a boost -atleast mentally. Not long after the loop, I caught up to the "old man," to whom I called out, "Young whipper snapper comin' through!" We had a laugh and a chat and I moved on.

-The Pain Train

I had been feeling some fatigue for awhile. I was happy to see the 13.1 marker, and the 10mi to go mark was very encouraging. Like everyone says though, those last 6 are the toughest. Miles 22/23 were when it really hit me. The back part of the park is fairly flat with winding roads through meadows and by the historic steeplechase. It's usually a nice, relaxing portion of the run. I was very glad to have that flat portion! Unfortunately, though, there is one steep, short hill that you must overcome. Just like a stairmaster, you pump the legs like pistons in short choppy steps. It was at this point where both quads cramped. What to do? Run through it. A sign and sidewalk chalk encourage you, reading, "This is not a hill!" Thanks. Within the next mile, the cramps were gone. I was trying my best to trick myself into thinking the finish was near, but those miles didn't get any shorter. At this point I was running hard! Like Yogi said, it's "90% half mental," and I was determined to finish strong. The final turnoff to the finishing field was magnificent! I kept on cruising right into the finish with a smile! 3:35:41

-Finished

I was finally done! What an awesome feeling (on the inside). On the outside, my body was suffering. As the volunteers were tearing off my bib and hanging the medal around my neck, I nearly fell over. Abruptly stopping after running for 26 miles is no easy task. All I wanted to do was sit. I didn't though. After some high-fives and small talk, I got a massage, a change of clothes(the walk to the car was difficult) and some chow (from the pot luck meal). Then it was my turn to play cheerleader. My friends all came in around 4:16-4:25. I was so happy for all of them, especially my running partner. She had been sidelined for 3 weeks with IT trouble and was unsure how this run would turn out. After 6 months of planning and training, I really wanted to see her finish and her determination prevailed. Even through pain, she pushed through. Awesome job! Out of the four of us, she was the only one who had completed a marathon before, so finishing the Monkey was really monumental for us. It was great to share it with friends, family and a GREAT group of runners and volunteers.

I can't say running the marathon was all that fun. I mean, 26.2 miles is a LONG way, and that course is brutal. BUT it was an incredible experience. It was hands down one of the most fulfilling accomplishments and one of the most difficult things I've ever done. I have loved every bit of this running journey, and I know there will be many more miles (after the 600mi I have accumulated in the last 6 months). The next big challenge will be Mountain Mist 50k on January 24th. I'm already nervous.