New Jersey Marathon - 2006

I supposed I didn’t do many things right leading up to today’s NJM. My taper was unconventional to say the least. Going into the race, I didn’t know what to expect of myself, so I was ready for any sort of finish. If I got my “A” goal of 3:20 (Boston Qualifier), that would be great and if I did my “B” goal of 3:30, I would be very happy.

During the 7 days prior to the race, I ran 38 miles and did a 31 mile bike ride on Friday. All of the workouts were very comfortable and gave me some measure of comfort leading into today. I decided not to do any formal training on Saturday, in order to give myself some rest. However, I did become soccer coach dad for the day. I figured this would be enough running around on the eve of a marathon. I did learn one valuable lesson while on the soccer fields - Playing goalie while a bunch of 9 year old girls pounded soccer balls into your shins is a bad idea the day before a marathon. I also need to remember to pack some food and lots of water if I am going to spend 3+ ours on a sun baked soccer field. By the time I got off it, I was very thirsty and starving. Just the opposite of how I should have been feeling. When we got home I quickly ate some leftover pizza and some water.

The dearth of food was made up that evening as I ate a huge bowl of pasta with grilled chicken and shrimp, thanks to my wife’s aunt whose house we were staying the night before the race. I chased every last bit of hunger away, played with my kids some and then went to bed.

While I was trying to fall asleep, my children started to color some “Go Dad” signs to cheer me on at the finish. At one point, my son came into my room with his younger cousin (who happened to be over at the time), to show me the great signs he made. He had 3 signs made, one of me on fire, one crossing the finish line and a more elaborate Go Dad sign. I loved seeing them and how proud he was of his work. However, the part that warmed my heart the most, was when he started to leave the room and said to his cousin “come on Zachary, my Dad needs to get to bed early and he needs his sleep. He is doing a big race tomorrow”. I didn’t stay up much longer, as I soon drifted off in an Ambien induced sleep.

I woke up this morning around 5:30am and ate two Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches on white bread. As far as I am concerned, this is the breakfast of champions for a pre race meal. After eating, I laid in bed for around another hour, before finally starting to get ready to leave. My (wife’s) aunt drove me to the start and we arrived around 7:30am. Since it was so close to the 8am start time, I stripped to my race clothes in the car and didn’t even bother checking in a bag.

As I walked to the starting line, Jon - an athlete who I know by way of email that I was connected with through my coach, spotted me and came over to say hello. I was hoping to meet him, as we’ve exchanged emails several times over the past couple of months. He recognized me from my Hammer Nutrition outfit. I am 99.9 percent certain I was the only one dressed in such fancy duds.

Jon and I ran together for the first couple of miles. I was shooting for a faster time than him, but the slower pace was just what I needed during the first few miles. I was also grateful to him for giving me his gloves, as at this point my hands were cold as ice. We said our goodbyes after the 4 mile mark, whereupon I started to run my 10 seconds slower than race pace for the first 10 miles plan.

I stuck to that plan through mile 13. I should have increased it starting with mile 11, but I was afraid my current pace should have been my goal pace. I thought perhaps that I would soon start to slow down as I had in previous marathons and that pushing it faster sooner would have meant much slower later.

When I reached the 13 mile mark, I was still feeling good and showing no signs of slowing legs. I decided to kick it up a gear and go for the 10 seconds faster than goal pace. That meant running 7:28’s in hope of capturing a 3:20 marathon. After passing mile 18, I began to wonder when I would start slowing down. However, it was also at mile 18 that I realized that a 3:20 marathon was in reach. I surprised myself by not only increasing my pace, but being able to hold it as well.

Just after mile 23 I felt a streak of fear run through me. A race clock was flashing 2:56:23 and I realized had only 24 minutes to capture a 3:20. The next 3.1 miles were some of the most painful in my life mentally and physically. It would absolutely kill me if I missed qualifying for Boston by a mere minute. I also knew that my cousin who missed out on a Boston qualifier by only a minute or two would give me shit. I absolutely couldn’t let it happen to me. It was going to be very close.

I ran the last 3.1 miles in 7:20, 7:35, 7:20 and 1:30. When I started down the finishers shoot, I saw the clock tick past 3:20 and tried to remember if running 3:20 and change would work, or if it had to be under 3:20. I crossed the finish line at 3:20:11 by my watch and got the BQ.

Looking back on the race, I saw the two opportunities where I could have bought those 11 seconds. The first was when I stopped to pick up a dropped gel packet, and the second was when a guy at the water station seemed to like to tease runners by pulling in the cup of water slightly as you reached for it. I would have skipped this stop, but I just sucked a packet of gel and needed to wash it down. I had to go myself to a water table to get a cup. In the end it doesn’t matter as the 11 seconds didn’t cost me the BQ. They give you the seconds on the 3:20 minute.

Somehow my wife and kids missed me crossing the line. I found them walking back to the finishers shoot on the spectator side. I was happy to see them though. We walked to a grassy area where my son promptly plopped himself into my lap. We hung out there for a few minute and I kept my eye out for Jon. Eventually he found me and we had the opportunity to take a picture.

After a mile walk to our car and a ride to my aunt’s house, I took an ice bath and half a vicodin. The combination helped me to feel absolutely no pain. After I toweled off and dressed, I realized I was surprising not sore. I was even able to play "Cave Monster" with my kids in the backyard. This consists of chasing them around and making them hide under a large droopy pine tree. I spent the rest of this perfect day chasing them around and having a good time with them.


May 1, 2006 NJM Post Script -

I saw after I posted my blog entry the official results of the NJM. It appears for the record that I was 99th overall out of 1419 finishers, my chip time was 3:20:07, 3:20:20 official time, 16/157 M40-44 and 90/938 Gender. Perhaps most importantly, I was first in the category of Brooklyn Men AG 40-44 and 6th overall from Brooklyn.

I did suffer two small injuries; small blisters on both big toes, both popped and covered with Spongebob Band-Aids.