You are probably reading this sometime in early November 2006. But guess what, I started this thing on October 16th, 13 days before the marathon. Why? Well, because for the last few days (that would be since October 12, or so) I've been on the Marine Corps web page looking for a way to set up runner tracking on-line. Also, for the last couple of days, I've been trying to get a *#%& readable map of the freakin' course. Needless to say I can find neither. I certainly hope someone comes to my rescue soon and tells me what I'm missing. The map is just too dang advanced for its own good. Really, I could get more useful information from Google maps. Just an element of my personality you should realize (uncooperative, inanimate objects genuinely freak me out). Thus, this Marine Corps Marathon site has me seeing pure red! More to come after marathon day.
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Now it's several days after the marathon and I've had some time to think about my experience in Washington, DC. So, here's my story in graphic detail.
It is quite amazing to weigh life in the span of a marathon race. On Sunday, October 29, 2006 a man finished the Marine Corps Marathon in just 4:09 after having completed 43 others in as many days. On this same course, on the same day a man succumbed to heart problems and died at mile 17. On one hand, you witness a remarkable event and joyous occasion of someone doing something rather incredible. On the other hand, you have the devastation of a lost life while that person was competing in an event he must have loved. This we cannot take for granted. We have all been given a great gift to have such a full life of running. Not just running but a pretty abundant life in general. OK. Enough of me going on about the brilliance of life. I just know I'm grateful to God for it.
The one thing that's so awesome about D.C. is how easy it is to get around on the mass transit system (Metro Rail). I took the metro rail practically everywhere I wanted to go. When I went to the Expo on Friday I took the Metro. It was held at the DC Armory which is right at the DC Armory/Stadium rail station. I mean, when you go to D.C. avoid the expense of a rental car. You won't need it. If you fly into Reagan Int. Airport you can take the Metro to any place in town.
OK. So, the Expo on Friday was very well organized. Of course since this is a military event all the conspicuous security was in place. Once I made it indoors there was absolutely no line to pick up my packet. The nice thing is that they did not make you wade thru a sea of exhibitors to get your packet either. I just walked in, went to the far right and worked my way down the wall. It must have taken not more than 10 minutes. Then I went thru the rest of the Expo buying everything my budget would allow - two pair of throw away gloves and one Tyvek pant – total of $10. One neat thing they offered this year is a DVD of the race with guaranteed shots of you running the event. A must for 50 bucks as long as you finish well. If it turns out to be a bad run for you, then you probably won't want anyone else to ever see it.
One more thing about the Expo...At all cost, even if you have to pay for an extra night in the hotel, don't dare venture to this thing on Saturday. Everyone who went on Saturday waited in line for at least 40 minutes just to get into the building. Some waited as long as an hour and forty minutes. Not the best way to spend Saturday before your marathon.
The Dallas contingent had dinner at Tuscana West on I (eye) Street. Pasta, of course, with some grilled chicken was my meal. Not bad, but not especially great. The service was decent. We did have a blast talking strategy and about the incredible line at the expo earlier that day.
Race day I got up and took the Metro over to runners' village behind the Pentagon. Now don't be deceived by the brevity of that sentence. Really, once we got off the Metro we had to walk about a mile just to get to the village. I was astonished, shocked and a little P.Oed. Also, don't believe for one moment that a car would have gotten you any closer - no chance. As we're walking into the staging area again we're greeted by ubiquitous Marines wanting to inspect our bags for any inappropriate devices. (This was little more than a show - it took 10 seconds for them to look me over). Did I mention that during my mile trek to the village I had to transverse a 15% sudden down grade on wet, slick grass? I was careful to be sure to avoid a slip that would end my day early.
Very well organized UPS trucks waited for our bags as we prepared for what would be an absolutely perfect day for running. Yes, there was sun, but the temperature was so comfortable that the sun gave little worry. It was quite a bit windier than ideal at times during the run which added challenge to an already challenging course. The race started in waves and the first wave got off on time at 8:25. But, me, I was in the second wave where we waited an extra 20 minutes past our scheduled start time of 8:40. Apparently, at the start line was some medical emergency that had to be dealt with.
Holy Cow, Batman! What an event! My legs were still in full recovery mode 5 days after this race. I'm not sure what happened. Maybe it was that this is the 5th marathon in 12 months for me. Perhaps it was the difficulty of the course or the sheer hoards of people surrounding my every move. Maybe the blister on my big toe I sustained at mile 10 interfered with my plans. Whatever the case, I almost threw in the towel on this race. Somewhere around mile 19 - 20 I thought to myself, "self, let's walk off this bloody course and go back to our comfortable hotel."
Your mind tells you all kinds of stories and paints endearing excuses when the pain sets in. I could go back to my room and start an ice bath and just plan to run a faster race in Tucson in December. I could always come back next year; I would really love coming back to DC since I lived here for 6 years - like returning home. What kept me from doing that? Was it my hardened character developed thru tough marathon experiences? Was it the motivation I felt every time I saw that one guy pushing his two kids thru the course in a double stroller (thought they didn't let strollers on the course)? Might it have been my knowledge that Dean Karnazes was running his 43rd marathon out here in as many days? Was it the countless spectators, men and women, shouting at me, "Go Don, We Luv You"? Gina made a neat sign with those words I pinned to the front of my shirt. By mile 19, however, I took the blasted sign off my chest and almost threw it to the wind. Why do you people love me? I asked in my anguish. I hate all of you. I want to go home; I think my mommy's calling me. The truth is friends, I didn't have any money or ID on me and I couldn't bare the notion of being taken off the course in one of those motorized carts. So, I had to press on to the finish.
I pushed on for 6.2 miles to that finish.
Oh, My Dear God! The Finish! The last 385 yards were STRAIGHT up the steepest hill I have ever seen. The push up that hill to the Iwo Jima Memorial was killer, Killer I said. The only thing that could have made it better would have been a line of Marines shouting, "GET UP THAT HILL". I would have just loved that.
Well, not a pretty one for me, 4:43. But, that's 6 down and only 44 more to go. See you in Tucson on December 10 th for number 7.
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My observations and recommendations for when you get ready to do the Marine Corps Marathon:
1. If you want to PR you need to realize you will need to start as close to front as possible or you'll have thousands of people to run through. Yeah, yeah that's standard information but this has got to be the most crowded marathon I've run yet. And some of the paths were so crowded that we were at a 14 minute pace many times during the first 7 miles or so.
2. Stay at the Hilton Garden Inn at 815 14th Street NW in DC. It is directly across the street from the McPherson Metro - which is on the same line as the Reagan Airport, the location of the Expo, and the start & finish of the race. You can't go wrong, they offer free cookies at the front desk, free (in-room) wireless Internet connection and the price was less than $110/night. You would think I stayed there, BUT NOoo, I was at the Wyndham, three blocks from the Metro, no free cookies, they wanted 10 bucks a day for the freakin' Internet, and the price was over $115/night.
3. Don't rent a car, take the Metro. It's more fun and you get to see lots of people. It's much safer than you imagine and no one is going to bother you. The Metro certainly seems to be safer than White Rock Lake has been over the last few months.
4. Be prepared for an especially long walk after you finish the race to pick up your bag. It was so horrendously crowded and quite the hodge podge of weeding through marathoners and spectators. What a real mess. 5. The course was terrifically scenic. You go through Georgetown, Rock Creak Park, and Downtown DC. We ran directly to the Capital building, turned and hit The National Mall, which was neat to see again. Many of the runners I spoke to after the race never even saw the Awakening at Haynes Point (mile 17) - I think they were asleep. It's not an especially flat or hilly course. Rather, the grade seems naturally random. That can be tough for us Dallas runners without dedicated hill training, though. I think what made the course so tough were the frequent turns and a few fairly narrow roadways. If you don't believe the course is tough, ask the Male and Female winners. Ruben Garcia finished in 2:21 while it was 3:00 before Laura Thompson finished her race.
