2014 Vancouver Marathon

Vancouver Marathon 2014 race report

It was a cool wet Vancouver day, May the 4^th AKA Star Wars day.  The rain looked for a while like it was going to just be a mist but it went back to rain again shortly after the start.  We stayed with our friends Frank & Caroline who treated us like celebrities, even before they saw the news coverage of Lori…

Lori and I keep warm in the rec centre prior to the race start

Got to the start line early and had lots of time to go through  my race plan; I typically run even splits and I had planned to run today between a 4:35/K and a 4:45 which would put me finishing around a 3:20 or so.  I was not sure how long I would be able to hold the pace but that was my goal.  I knew very little about the course as it has changed dramatically since I last ran Vancouver, all I knew was there was a significant hill around 10K into the run and the rest was flat to undulating and it finished downtown near Canada Place after a run along the sea-wall.  I was not expecting the incline immediately after the start line!  Not a long or steep incline but it sure woke the legs up in a hurry, I tried to control my pace and not get swept up with the rabbits running alongside of me, my first KM was at a slower than desired 4:51 but I was good with that and felt like it was the correct pace for that KM.  Very early in the run better to go a bit slow than too quick at this point.  The next few KM I tried to control my pace but it seemed to get away from me and I found I was running in the low 4:30’s for the first 8K; the pace felt comfortable and I was not feely any fatigue or soreness from it so I accepted this as my pace for the moment and figured time in the bank…plus I was encouraged by Jim & Sandi then again by Lori & the Pataky’s.  My pace was on track, I had the support of friends and the encouragement of the spectators who had braved the rain; what could go wrong?  Oh Oh, I had to ask… for the past couple of KM I had the feeling that I had to pee, it will go away right? Wrong it did not go away and I really did have to pee and that would take time.  I got lucky and found an empty port-a-potty at the 9K water stop which was just at the bottom of the big hill; I was in and out in short time and after a few minutes back in my stride.  The hill was not as long as I had expected but it still rose up for just over a KM and lots of folks were feeling it.  I had taken some gel at the 6 KM mark and figured I would take more at 18K and again at 30 which should get me to the finish before the sugar crash, at the top of the hill I felt the rush of energy from the gel and I crested then sped my way down.   

The next 10K went well and at 18K I was on track to achieve my goal, feeling pretty good physically and mentally and I was a 3^rd through the run.  Then came a surprise hill; not a big one but I was not expecting anything hill wise after the one at 10K so anything other than a slight incline was a surprise.  I crested the hill and on the way down took another dose of gel and kept going.

The half-way point was just ahead and I was feeling good and running well.  I had not been looking at my net time just my pacing so I really had no idea where I was at time wise; I was a bit shocked when I crossed the line at 1:37:39, which was only a minute more than my Comox 
half this year! Could I maintain this pace for another 21.1K?

I was expecting Lori and the Pataky’s at the 24K point to give me a fresh water bottle which was good because the one I had was empty; they were not there!  OK, I must have miss heard the KM point Caroline told me, not to worry they’ll be just around the next corner??? There they are (thank goodness for Lori’s Boston jacket, I can spot her a mile away), toss one empty bottle on the ground and Lori hands me a full one.  With a smile from her and a grimace from me I am off and fully stocked for the last section of the race.

The next 10K are a blur for me aside from a quick stop at KM 32 to get a cup of water, I decided that I would walk briskly to get the water in me.  This plan worked well until I started to run again, what a mistake my legs had started to cramp up as if I had signaled to them the race was over.  It took about 100m before they actually believed me that there was more to do.  No more walk breaks no matter what!  I was pushing myself harder than I have in the past and was sure I could finish this in my pacing window but it was going to take every bit of mental fortitude I had to keep my legs moving.  At some point I realised I was on the Sea-Wall but I was going the wrong way? The other runners were running in the same direction so I gathered that I was going the correct direction they must have changed the route.  It seemed like a cruel joke as there was a wicked head wind and for whatever reason I was thinking one step to the left and you could fall over, hey that would be a good excuse not to finish the last 8K.  8K? Really was I only 8K from the finish?  Well I’m not sure where the last 4K went to but I can run 8K, heck I do that most mornings.  All I needed to do was run my 4:45/K and I would be done in less than 40 minutes.  I told myself this as I reached each KM marker, I was looking for someone to pace off of as I was tending to lapse mentally and slow down.  I found a few people but they too were slowing down, then I noticed a woman just ahead of me with a long distinctive ponytail and she seemed to be running strong and pretty close to the pace I was looking for.  I caught up to her and stayed just behind her right shoulder, she was running a perfect pace for me and was not looking like she was going to fade, perfect!  Then she stopped at the water table and my pacer was gone, I just inhaled and dug deep to keep my pace going 4K to go, the wind was noticeable and blew a bit harder when I turned the corner.  I heard footsteps coming from behind me, they sounded familiar, and she was back!  Great news, she got ahead of me said something to me I said something along the line of thanks for pacing me in and we ran together until the last mile when she gradually picked up the pace and pulled away from me.  I only had a mile left and anyone can run a mile, right?  I was depleted!  My legs were screaming at me and my brain was telling me all sorts of things like you were too aggressive with your pace, you should take a short walk-break… then I heard someone yell out to me “Boston Strong”, Yes I am Boston Strong I thought and sucked up as much air as I could and put my head down and just ran. 1K to go Ok I was going to kick it up for the last K?  No I’m not my legs very quickly told me I was going to maintain but not surge to the line.  The line, I should be able to see that by now shouldn’t I? what a cruel joke, they have you climb a little knoll make a left turn then a slight downhill before a right turn then with only 400m to go I could see what I hoped to be the finish line.  I was absolutely spent I tried to pick it up but could not and by this time my hand and feet were tingling and I was feeling a little light headed, then I noticed off to the left the familiar orange of a Boston jacket, it was Lori!  I was there I was at the finish line!  Just run!  I looked at the clock and saw 3:17:?? I crossed and stumbled for a moment and one of the catchers approached me, “No, I’m OK” I told them.  They looked at me as if to ask are you sure?  Yes, I was sure I had just ran my first marathon in two years, my first after starting chemo treatments and I had managed to run a personal best time to boot. 

 I was more than OK, I was elated!  John Stanton was at the finish area placing medals on finishers and I went to him for mine, some water, juice and food now the challenge of finding Lori & the Pataky’s then to their place for a well-earned soak in the tub and some real food.  Frank found me wandering around the finish area and directed me through the maze, I was done and safe now to rest and plan for my next marathon.

Me just 100m or so from the finish line!

 

Yes I am that sick I was still reeling in pain walking like a zombie and already thinking of my next marathon, this autumn in Victoria I think…