Race Recap: The San Francisco Marathon

Hmmm... Where to start with this one.

When the idea of attempting 3:47 at the San Francisco Marathon got in my head, I trained to try and meet that goal. But magical things happen on race day, and I figured there would be a chance I could potentially do better... Or worse.

Luckily, I ended up beating my goal by a few minutes. The amazing thing? I didn't feel good about this race.

When my best running friend Rad and I signed up for SFM, we both registered to be in Wave 5 together -- the wave that hosts the 4:00-4:15 predicted-finish marathoners. We both had killer training cycles, and at the expo we decided to switch waves: She into Wave 4, and me into Wave 2.

It's about time we broke in our twin tops and temporary tattoos!
Okay, so not all of the tattoos are temporary.

The Race

After being dropped off an at ungodly ugly hour, I pushed my way into Wave 2 where I bumped into my training buddy Katie and her friend Jessica. The gun went off at 5:32 a.m. and I started running with a group of really fast people. I kind of regretted this as I found myself caught in a pack of runners pushing a pace I knew I didn't want to hold.

Jessica, Katie, & me

Mile 1 (7:55), Mile 2 (8:04), Mile 3 (8:24), Mile 4 (8:21), Mile 5 (8:19), Mile 6 (8:46)

The race starts out flat and fast along the Piers on the Embarcadero, into Fort Mason, the Marina, Crissy Field, and then up onto the Golden Gate Bridge. The sun started peeking its way out once I got to the bridge, but parts of the course were hard to see simply because there was no light. I tried to not step on anyone's feet and wanted to stay out of everyone's way, but I knew I was going too fast heading into the hills.

Look at all those really fast people shunning me for being in their corral.

Mile 7 (8:10), Mile 8 (7:55), Mile 9 (7:57), Mile 10 (8:00), Mile 11 (7:57)

Running the Golden Gate Bridge was serious fun for once. I'm scared of being on the bridge and I always inadvertently run a bit faster for this reason, but I had a good distraction this time. Because two lanes of the roadbed were closed -- the far north lane for the coming runners, and the lane parallel for the returning runners -- I was able to spot SO many people! It was great getting to see Katie, Ron, Ginny, Tonia, Karin, Aron, Kristin, AND Tony on the bridge before I got into the neighborhoods I knew all too well. I was too happy and excited looking for my friends that I just cruised along and didn't even care about my pace.

Flash photography is really attractive at this hour.

Mile 12 (8:32), Mile 13 (8:31), Mile 14 (8:17), Mile 15 (8:33)

As we ran through the Avenues into Golden Gate Park, I was now feeling the effect of going out too fast. I saw XLMIC cheering at mile 10, Cate and Mike cheering at mile 12, and Naomi cheering at mile 13 -- all of which was a surprise, and all of which was sweet relief from thinking about my legs inevitably crashing. I crossed the half marathon in 1:48 (at an 8:11 average pace, this wasn't too far off my current PR), and knew I had had a stellar first half of the race. But I still had half of the race to go.

WHAT IS UP WITH THAT PIGEON-TOED HEEL STRIKE?? That's a new look for me.

Mile 16 (8:35), Mile 17 (8:55), Mile 18 (8:26), Mile 19 (8:31)

RoadBunner, Audrey, and Layla had given us a heads up that they were going to be cheering and taking photos at mile 16 in Golden Gate Park. This gave me something else to look forward to. I tried to hold it together to look presentable for my friends, otherwise I'm sure I would have given up on the long and gradual 2-mile uphill that led us to them. Dead serious. I was doing everything in my power to go as far as I could before stopping to walk.

Looking this good was totally a fluke. ;)

I don't know how the Bay Area running community ever thrived without Layla. This girl is a rockstar both in terms of running and in supporting runners.

The best cheerleaders ever at SFM! Cate, Layla, RoadBunner, & Audrey!!

I rounded the corner before my favorite part of GGP -- Stow Lake -- but I knew my legs were slowing. Stow Lake is a series of nonstop rolling hills, and while I did a lot of my speed training there, I just didn't have it in me. I took it easier on the hills and thought about how soon I'd be getting out of the park and onto the "flat" part of the race: The Haight, Mission, and Potrero neighborhoods.

Mile 20 (8:39), Mile 21 (8:20), Mile 22 (8:30)

A great thing about this race is that it runs through so many different neighborhoods and pockets of the city, so the miles fly by. A few more friends told me they'd be cheering at mile 21, so, once again, I knew of something to look forward to. Having all the support along the course was truly a lifesaver, as I don't know how I would have held it together if I didn't know anyone out there. A smile or cheer from a stranger is nice, but when you can recognize a face on the course that is there just for you, the cheering is that much more meaningful. I was sooo tired when I saw my friends at mile 21, but I was able to pick it up a little after that adrenaline boost.

I ran with these girls for most of the second half. While I never got their names, we spent a lot of time together, silently pushing one another. I like the synchronicity of our strides in these shots. Thanks, RoadBunner's Boyfriend. :)

Mile 23 (9:17), Mile 24 (9:00), Mile 25 (9:06), Mile 26 (9:03)

At mile 23 I allowed myself to walk through the water stop, and from there on out I told myself to just keep moving without looking at my pace. The last few miles of the race were fairly desolate in terms of spectators and scenery, and the portion of the course behind AT&T Park was a death march. While I didn't see people dropping left and right like I had been warned, there was nothing interesting to look at and I got stuck in my head; the "just give up" and "why bother" thoughts started taking over. Everyone around me all looked, and probably felt, like zombies. I was trying hard to convince myself I was almost done, but I wasn't running the tangents well. I felt like the finish line kept moving farther and farther away.

Feeling pretty down & out.

Mile .46 (4:02, 8:36 pace)

I knew I had another huge PR under my belt unless I keeled over, but I couldn't help but think of what "could have happened" had I run the first miles of SFM smarter and not been so gassed for so long at the end.

Coming down the finisher's chute with an 11+ minute PR.

Chick'd

But on the bright side...

I completely conquered my A goal. I also felt I had given everything I had in me when I crossed that finish line. I saw so many of my bestestest running friends and supporters along the way.

And I can't ask for much more than that.

Marathon #4

This medal doubles as a coaster and is HUGE! Love it.

Takeaways

Overall, I am pleased with my time and what I've accomplished on this beast of a race -- never did I think I'd hit multiple sub-8 minute miles in a marathon OR break the 3:45 mark on such a challenging course! But I am a bit disappointed in knowing I didn't pace myself when the course was so conducive to negative splitting.

While I can't redo anything about this race, I did learn that the terrain doesn't affect my pace much. It's my pacing strategy and my mentality that need improvement, and that's what I'll work on next.

Long-run buddies: me, Aron, Katie, & Kristin :)

Rad & I showing off the goods and our brand new "Worth the Hurt" sweatshirts

Garmin Time: 26.46 miles, 3:44:16 -- 8:28 pace (7.1 mph)

Official Time: 26.2 miles, 3:44:14 -- an 11:02 PR!

Average Pace: 8:34 min/mile
Overall Place: 963 out of 5,920
Gender Place: 152 out of 1,976

Age/Gender Place: 47 out of 445

Air Temp: 57F

Splits:
1: 7:55
2: 8:04
3: 8:24
4: 8:21
5: 8:19
6: 8:46
7: 8:10
8: 7:55
9: 7:56
10: 8:00
11: 7:57
12: 8:32
13: 8:31 (half marathon in 1:48)
14: 8:17
15: 8:33
16: 8:35
17: 8:55
18: 8:26
19: 8:31
20: 8:39
21: 8:20
22: 8:30
23: 9:17
24: 9:00
25: 9:06
26: 9:03
.46: 4:02 (8:36 pace)

More stories/photos of this weekend coming soon... :)