NYCM 2011 Race Recap – VC’s Tale of Two Cities

If you missed them, here are mine and RB’s recaps. 

New York Marathon 2011 – Race Recap

NYCM 2011 – the last 10 miles by RB

Its ONLY 10 days past the 2011 NYCM and I know you miss it just like me  Here is one final recap, from VC .  Its more than a recap really, its a journeyman’s tale of marathoning.  The 2011 NYCM was his 3rd marathon.  He went into it saying that it would be his last.  However, I have a feeling we may get another 26.2 out of VC . 

A lot can happen in 26.2 miles…joy, pride, wonder, exuberance, pain, despair, sentiment, relief….I’ve run three marathons now and have felt it all.

My first marathon was in 2009, the Nashville Country Music Marathon .  It was 86 degrees and 100% humidity.  A 26 year-old marine passed away on the course.  I ran it having only trained for a half-marathon and had never ran more than 11 miles.

I had lost my running partners and ran it solo.  It was the most grueling experience I have ever felt.   A fight with myself to just finish.  I remember crowd-less sections of the course where I felt like Moses, alone, wandering the desert.  I remember having a battle in my own head, delirious from the heat and humidity.  Miraculously, I survived.  I felt just one emotion as I saw Gia at the finish line (she ran me in the last 200 yards) – RELIEF…almost to the point of tears.  I finished in 4:40.

VC and I at the finish

The following year, I signed up for the 2009 NYC Marathon through a charity.  This time, I decided to train properly.  My goal was to focus on mentally preparing for the distance.  I trained to log miles and did not worry about time.  I wanted to finish feeling strong.  You know what? it worked.

I stayed with Gia and another running partner stride for stride till the 25th mile, finishing just a minute behind them @ 3hrs 54mins.  At no point of the race did I fight myself. There were no mental battles. I kept my mind blank and just ran.  I knew the whole way that I was going to finish strong.  I had no idea of time or pace and as I crossed this time I felt one thing again – PRIDE….I had broken the 4hr mark without even planning for it and I PR’ed together with my wife.

NYCM 2009

Now the 2011 NYC Marathon.  It was a tale of two cities, two races.  The first city, Brooklyn (analogous to 2009 NYCM) and the second city, Manhattan (analogous to Nashville).

I as I look back, my training had this same duality.  I did the long runs on the weekends and logged the miles like in 2009.  However given the changes in my life (balancing work & fatherhood) I ran less short runs during the week and did almost no cross training, as in 2008.  I finished the training period weakly and during the taper did almost no exercise at all.  Plus a new mental component has entered my running game – time.  I am suddenly running for pace and time vs. just running by feel.

Mile 1-15

Sub-par training behind me, I stood at the opening of the Verrazano bridge, feeling surprisingly great.  Between the time change and no kids to wake up to I felt refreshed.     We started off HOT.  The weather was perfect and the first 13 miles were a blur.   We jetted through Brooklyn, with its exuberant crowds and flat terrain.   The run felt smooth and fast.  I watched the mile markers and splits and knew exactly how quickly we were running.   In my head, I said “This is just like 2009 … only better!!!”

VC loving life!!

THEN we hit Queens and the Queensboro Bridge and it all started to change.

Mile 15-18

My brain finally woke up – can I keep this up?  After the half mile incline on the bridge my body told me no. Finally in Manhattan, I struggled to keep up with Gia who was maintaining the pace.  Frantically, I ate some shock blocks (my usual go to) and a caffeinated PowerGel that a spectator had handed to me.   They helped, I was able to quiet my mind again, when suddenly….Gia and RB stopped.

RB’s knee (which had been an issue coming up to the race) had hit its limit.  We convinced her to run to the next water station but it was clear she couldn’t keep up with our original pace and slowly Gia started to pull away and I started to hang back.  Without saying a word I knew the game plan.  I knew that we had been on pace to PR and I also knew that Gia had been dreaming about it.  Plus, although I was able to quiet my mind, my body started to slowly breakdown.  Hints of cramping were hitting my quads (stay away from caffeine children!).  Nothing unbearable but enough to make me want to slow a bit.  Around Mile 17, RB had to stop again. “Go ahead” she said. She waved me off.  I looked at her dead in the eye and told her that we were finishing this race and that I wasn’t going anywhere without her.  We walked a bit more and then started up again. This time those hints of cramps started to feel like serious cramping.

There began Nashville 2.0.

 Miles 19-26.2

For the next 8 miles through 1st Ave, into the Bronx and back into Manhattan we ran and stopped whenever RB’s knee tweaked.  With every start and stop the cramping in my quads got worse.

Waiting for you Papa!

At mile 23 I knew I would get a chance to see my twins.  Just before that, however, the cramping had gotten so bad I had to stop and squat to stretch out my quads.  Another runner stopped by and yelled at me that I needed to keep going, that we were so close.  He meant the finish line, but what registered for me was seeing my twins.  I got up and with RB, started chugging along.  When we finally came up to them I felt so much emotion.  I kissed both of them. They gave me strength.

RB and VC as they powered on past the G's

The last two miles were a blur. Starts and stops.  Cramping and cramping (did I mention cramping).  Hearing my name being yelled over and over again.  Pushing on our running bursts.  At Columbus Circle I high-fived a friend.  We ran as fast as we could for the last 500 yds.  I grabbed RB’s hand at the finish. It was over.

For those last 9 miles or so I was watching our splits guesstimating finish time….hmm…we can still break 4hrs…okay I’ll feel great about 4:05…well, ok 4:10 ….no way we are going over 4:20….we crossed @ 4:18 (a PR for RB btw) – almost exactly in the middle of my last two marathon times.

It was a bittersweet race.  Highs. Lows. Joy. Pain. But like all marathons the feeling of accomplishment outweighs all of it and to share it with my best friend(s) tops it all off.

-VC

Also as promised  in yesterday’s On the Horizon post… here is the link to my training calendar .  I’ll post it as a page just as soon as I can figure out how to!!  A techie I am NOT!