2005 Freescale Marathon
Where the hell did that weather come from?
Yesterday was wonderful. Cool and cloudy. Today was nothing like that. Before the race started we had rain - heck, we had a thunderstorm. It cleared off about 20 minutes before the start, and we had wet streets, 95% humidity, and about 60 degrees. By the end of the race it was over 70 degrees, and as I’m typing this its in the 80s. WTF?
Anyway, did I mention the wet streets? I ran with the 3:45 pace group, and was doing … alright. Not great. We hit the halfway point at right on target, 1:52 something, and I felt worse running in the heat than I did after finishing my 1:45 half at 3M. By mile 14 it felt like I had something in my shoe, and by mile 15 I realized that I was getting some serious blisters, almost certainly because my shoes were wet (and yes, I was wearing technical socks and I’d used bodyglide before putting them on - I shudder to think what it would have been like without that). I stopped at the 16 mile point and had medical aid smear my right foot with vaseline - the time was painful to lose but its the only thing that saved me - and picked back up with the 3:50 group.
Unfortunately I had to let them go around mile 17. My right foot had a nice blister right on the ball, and it was getting harder to run well. I concentrated on not letting my form suffer too much, but I did slow down a bit. By mile 18 I was hurting, and I started to walk a little every half mile for some relief. It just got harder after that.
At mile 22 I had them take care of my left foot, which had become quite painful itself. I was cramping a little from the heat and the walking, and couldn’t even undo my own shoe - kudos to the medical volunteers, seriously. That’s when the 4:00 pace group passed me and I started just thinking about finishing. Things just kept going downhill. By 23 I had started running the downhills and some of the flats, but walking anything uphill because it was killing my feet. Even on the flats I could only go so far before I just had to stop and walk on my heels.
The walking was giving me some cramp issues - the heat wasn’t helping, but I stayed hydrated - and I had to take more breaks by mile 25. I did grab a beer at the beer stop, I figured what the hell. Even with all of that, I made it to the finish line in 4:11:56, a wonderful 1:13:07 better than my time last year. It wasn’t what I was hoping for, but this was a remarkably hard day.
Am I happy with my time under the circumstances? Yes. I’m also a little relieved that everyone I talked to (with two exceptions) had a really lousy race as well. Its a great learning experience, and I’m glad that I did it; I’m damn glad that its over as well. Now I need to stretch, rest, eat, and party.
There are so many things I want to say, people I want to thank; I’ll do a more complete write-up later on. For now though, this will have to do.
UPDATE: I have found additional blisters between my middle toes on both feet, on my big toe on my right foot, and a the one on the bottom right is really nasty. None popped, thankfully.
Popularity: 3%
Feb 13th 2005
3:16 PM
Congralations on the big PR! I saw you briefly during the part where you can see both sides of the course but my brain didn’t function to process that it was you until you’d gone by. The weather was pretty wack, and I also came away with 4 blisters. Look forward to reading your full report - take care of those blisters!
Feb 13th 2005
3:30 PM
You ran the race that you were given…and you kicked butt!! When I think about everything you’ve been through in the last 8 months, I cannot help but be tremendously impressed with your results! And you’ve been such an inspiration to so many of us! Great job Richard!
Feb 13th 2005
3:58 PM
Wow, sounds like a tough day. I thought about you this morning when I was getting ready for my walk. At 4:30 am it was 63 degrees! But you gutted it out and got a great time. What an incredible improvement over last year! Phenomenal! It shows what hard work, determination and smart training can do. Congratulations! Maybe you should plan your next marathone someplace more consistently cold!
Feb 13th 2005
4:08 PM
Congrats Richard, on gutting out strange weather conditions for Austin. It was great to meet you!
Meghan
Feb 13th 2005
4:38 PM
What a grueling race, Richard. The heat, rain and humidity is a dreadful combination. You did fantastic for such an aweful race. I’m taking notes on what you encountered with wet feet. I’m not sure what I would do if I came into the same problem.
You did damn good for hanging in there when it was painful and rough. You still came out with a damn good time too, totally blowing away last year.
Good job!
Feb 13th 2005
4:59 PM
Great job Richard! What a terrific time leap from last year - and in the face of what sounds like some extremely difficult conditions. I hope your feet heal up quickly.
Feb 13th 2005
5:12 PM
I’m PROUD of you man. GREAT job Richard. As you know, there is SO much that can go wrong at a marathon. A million things really and it really is what you make of it. You turned straw into gold today my friend.
Now go have yourself a Martini or two!
Feb 13th 2005
5:39 PM
Richard, you are such an incredible inspiration to me. You make me want to run. I’m sorry it was so challenging, but you did it - in a time most people would kill for - and that’s with weather that isn’t cooperating and the painful blistering. I hope your feet heal quickly.
- Mia
Feb 13th 2005
5:42 PM
Nice meeting you. What are the odds that I’d bump into you at the starting line?
Congratulations on the improvement over last year. Yeah, the wet shoes had me blistering in a few odd places and I only ran the half.
Feb 13th 2005
6:07 PM
Wow, nice job Richard. One I have learned is the harder the marathon, the harder the partying after!!
Feb 13th 2005
6:42 PM
Richard - I hope by the time the blisters heal you’re already paying the registration for your next race! Can you believe the weather!!?? Holy heck! You ran a very impressive race considering the conditions. I for one continue to be inspired by you. And thanks again for the advice pre-race.
Feb 13th 2005
9:09 PM
Amazing race! You beat your old time by more than an hour while running under extremely challenging conditions. More than a freakin’ hour!!! I’m inspired. Congratulations!!!
Feb 13th 2005
9:22 PM
well done richard, well done!! you improved so much over your previous time. amazing. and with wet feet and humid weather. very inspiring!
Feb 14th 2005
7:21 AM
Sounds like a tough race, but look at the bright side, you finished under less than ideal conditions. That says a lot!
Feb 14th 2005
8:53 AM
Way to hang in there, Richard! I thought about all the Austin racers as soon as the sky cleared early Sunday morning and the heat began to rise.
It’s really inspiring to me that you can improve so much in a year. Awesome.
Feb 14th 2005
11:28 AM
Richard- I read your journal and you are an inspiration. I LOVE reading about people running or participating in any athletic event- especially when the going get tough and the tough keep going. Awesome.
Feb 14th 2005
12:58 PM
Way to pull through!!!
Feb 14th 2005
2:02 PM
Huge PR! Wonderful job, Richard!
Feb 14th 2005
2:26 PM
wow,, I am so impressed,, bows before you:)
Heather
Feb 14th 2005
4:38 PM
Congratulations!!!
(and ya know, we really do have to start thinking of an event where we could get everyone together…Portland, maybe?)
Feb 15th 2005
10:19 AM
Congratulations, and you’re so fast! Man.
Feb 15th 2005
5:08 PM
Portland! Portland! Portland!
Uhhum. Richard, it was so great to meet you and your wife, and I’m sorry the race wasn’t what you wanted it to be, but it sounds like you really followed through in spite of pain and heat and humidity. You rock… I knew that before, but I’m glad to know that in person now :)
Feb 15th 2005
5:35 PM
Portland does look cool… but its less than a month before NYC, which I have an automatic entry to. Maybe 2006?
Feb 19th 2005
3:51 PM
I can’t believe I missed this.
That’s shitty weather! But you did freakin awesome! Congratulations! YAY RICHARD YAY!!!