Strava Marathon (Falmouth, MA)
Finish Time: 4:09
Pace: 9:31
Temp: 72
Conditions: Cloudy and humid
Run For: Miguel
Recap:
Falmouth Road Race morning! Running marathons on back to back days is not as daunting of a task as it used to be. I do refer to myself as a marathon runner but I guess the more accurate description is that I’m more of an endurance runner. I’ll run 26.2 miles all at one time, sometimes I’ll break it up into segments throughout the day and on some occasions, like this one, I’ll run a ton of miles over the course of a couple days resulting in distances well over a marathon’s 26.2 miles.
What I once thought was impossible, is now something I can do which doesn’t scare me at all. Believe it or not, I actually enjoy the challenge. Go ahead and tell me something is crazy or not possible and I’m up for it, the more difficult the better.
Running 26.2 on back to back days is something I’ve done before and I know at this point my body can handle it, as long as I’m smart. Key word here being “smart.” With runners there is a fine line between being smart and flat out stubborn. The older I’ve become the more I like to think I fall into the “smart” camp but like every runner ever, I tend to slip into the “stubborn” mindset now and then. It’s a hard habit to break. I’ve been running for over 20 years and I still struggle with it.
The plan for this marathon was to break it up into three parts, running very early in the morning and then again in the afternoon all while including the Falmouth Road Race itself sandwiched in between. Falmouth is a 7 mile, point to point, race where you basically park at the finish line and take a shuttle to the start. Over 10,000 runners navigating the very narrow winding roads of Cape Cod. So in reality it’s a lot of people with not a lot of room moving in one general direction, but it’s one awesome race with a pretty cool atmosphere. Each year I’ve done this race I have avoided the shuttle, instead opting to run the course in reverse as a prelude to the craziness to come.
Part 1 of this marathon was this “warm up” reverse course run, which I started really early in the morning. The temperature wasn’t too bad but the humidity was near 90%, it was thick. In the first couple miles I felt stiff but kept the pace slow allowing my body to loosen up, waiting for my legs to get back into the rhythm of running again. I actually felt better than I thought I would, which was a plus. It didn’t take long before the very easy pace felt comfortable. I love the cape and lived there for a few years so running this race feels like a sort of homecoming each year.
Nothing is better than being up at sunrise having the desolate and silent morning roads all to yourself. The only sound you hear is the repetitive rhythm of your foot falls timed with your breathing as the pavement seemingly glides under your feet. Tranquility is the best way to describe these feelings, especially on that stretch of road by the ocean. In my mind this is running in its purest form; a little piece of running heaven.
Part 2 of this marathon was the race itself, 7 miles from Woods Hole to Falmouth Heights. Not sure if it was all the excitement at the start, meeting and chatting with some Team Challenge friends or making my way to the front of the start corrals and seeing the elite runners warming up, but I felt great and thought, “I might just push the pace here a little.”
Remember when I mentioned being a stubborn runner sometimes? Case in point.
Well, the first mile of the race (or in reality, mile 32 within the last 24 hours) is slightly downhill almost immediately out of the gate, so things felt “easy.” Mile two was almost as quick, but it has a couple of short hills so that naturally slowed me down a little. It wasn’t until mile 3 when my legs decided they didn’t want to keep going at this fairly speedy pace. Emotionally and mentally I felt great but physically my body wasn’t on board with this plan of quickness. Deep down I knew I probably needed to slow down, not because I couldn’t push through the remaining 4 miles of the race, but because once I crossed that finish line I knew I’d only be at mile 12 for the day. There needs to be something left in the tank in order to run 26.2 total miles.
Miles 1 and 2 were faster so Mile 3 my pace was a minute slower per mile; still not slow enough. I dropped the pace another minute slower for mile 4; better but the legs still felt heavy. Another 30 seconds per mile slower for mile 5; maybe a little too slow. At this point on the course the crowds are great and remain pretty intense once you hit the turn on Robbins Rd. before turning again on Falmouth Heights Rd. making your way up to the 10k mark. I picked up the pace a little here and that seemed to be the sweet spot. Even with those remaining few hills this last mile was slightly quicker but I credit the crowds cheering which propelled me forward with more ease.
Another Falmouth Road Race completed (number 13 for me personally) and it did not disappoint. The sun stayed hidden behind the clouds and despite the high humidity I couldn’t have enjoyed this one more. See you again next year Falmouth, I’ll be back and ready to go for number 14.
Miles 13 through 26.2, the slog, came after a long drive home and some forced nutrition and hydration. It went from crazy high energy crowds for the first half of this marathon, to running isolated on the treadmill in the basement. I could feel this shift for sure as my body felt drained and mentally I was spent. No one is here cheering me on to the finish of this one so I relied on good ol’ grit and determination (stubbornness) to push through these tough miles.
The pace was slow because it needed to be.. it had to be! Also, I honestly believe that time slows down when I’m on my treadmill running. Somehow, some way the universe doesn’t exist normally or follow the traditional time/space rules in my basement, especially when there are only a few miles left to run. Anyone else find this to be true for them as well?
Finally after almost 14 laborious miles I hit that 26.2 total for the day and 52.4 for the weekend. Phew, this one was done and so was I!
Whether it was the physical toll alone, the lack of sleep, the struggle to fuel correctly or hydrate enough, my legs were officially toast at the end of this one. I don’t think I could have covered any more miles after these two back-to-back marathons. Rest and recovery are the sole focus over the remainder of the week without question. It was quite a running weekend but I wouldn’t want it any other way.
I want to thank Mike again for allowing me to run for him and in memory of his dad. It was an honor to be able to do this and I’m inspired by all the friends I have run for with 26.2 For You!
26.2 FOR YOU 