On Three On Three: June 2008

Picture Courtesy of David Lantman

Vermont City Marathon Recap, Part 1
-Marathon Website
-Results
-Course Map
-Some Pictures
-Race Video

2:29:09

Where to begin? I am not really sure. Going into this marathon I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I had read a bunch about training, talked with my dad countless hours, bounced ideas off of fellow runners, and watched so many of my peers attempt the distance, but nothing could have prepared me for what happened that Sunday. Ultimately I hope this marathon will be viewed as the start of something special, the beginning of a journey few attempt. I didn’t finish the race with a mentality of “I never want to do that again.” Instead I crossed the line, shook a few hands, gave some hugs, sat down, and thought about the next one. I know that sounds really cliché and something out of Tom Brady’s quote book, but it’s reality. Simply put, I’ll do it again, and I’ll do it better next time.

The Week Before

When I ran my 22 mile dress-rehearsal run three weeks before the marathon I was certain I pushed things a little too hard. Averaging 5:47 for the 20 mile tempo portion was a dangerous thing to do with only three weeks to recover. I should also point out that the 20 mile tempo was the longest I have ever done in my entire life. Overall this effort left me exhausted, and even in the last week before the marathon I was still feeling the effects. A confidence builder, maybe, but also a huge risk. My last long run of 13 miles (exactly a week before), broke a streak of weird-feeling runs. I finally started clicking off some good mile splits towards the end, and things looked up. This also allowed me to return to the site of my dress-rehearsal run and put to rest some lingering nerves. This happy-go-lucky attitude changed when I felt like trash the next two days, and struggled with 5 & 6 milers. However, I did not lose hope. On the Wednesday prior to the race I put together a solid tune-up run on the track; 3 miles in 16:15 (5:25, 5:37, 5:13), the last mile felt easy, but my rhythm was completely off. After the tune-up my work was done. I ran on Thursday and Friday mornings, and took Saturday off.

One of the things I tried to focus on the last few weeks was proper hydration. Now, I am not sure I executed this as well as I could have, but I did a pretty good job. The tough part was avoiding what Connie Putnam used to call “a spill situation.” At some points I was drinking way too much water and running to the bathroom every 10 minutes. During the last week I was particularly good, but hydration is not a final week, or even a final month focus; hydration is an everyday thing. Looking back I would say that I struggled with staying properly hydrated on a daily basis. When my father and I learned how important this was leading up the marathon I quickly made an effort to improve my water intake. However, would it be enough? With a few days to go I was constantly nursing Propel fitness water, Gatorade, or a glass of water. On Thursday night I threw down a Harpoon Hard Cider for good measure and crossed my fingers. The morning of the race I took a few sips from a watered-down Gatorade, and that was it. I am not sure what the magic formula is on the whole hydration thing, but I apparently I did something right. Personally, I think I am on to something here. Monitoring how much water I take in is something easy, and after a few days doesn’t take much of a reminder. Yet this small practice could be the difference between a good marathon and a great marathon. So, not to get preachy or anything, but drink more water.

Another thing I tried to pay attention to the last few days was my diet. I tried to avoid all of the things I really enjoy, specifically cookies. I ate a bunch of crap the Wednesday evening before my marathon, and even waiting for the plane on Thursday I had some “authentic” New York pizza from Michael Scott’s favorite joint. However, that was it, no more crap after that. My nutrition manager and best bud Dave Lantman helped me eat well over the next couple of days, filling me with whole wheat pasta, a superfood smoothie, and the adult taste of “cheddar beer” chips (my one luxury item and exception to the rule). The day before my marathon I had a huge turkey sandwich for lunch, and chicken parmesan with spaghetti for dinner (and I snuck in a piece of BBQ chick pizza). So, why does any of this matter? Why should you care? Well I am no saint when it comes to eating, but in the days leading up to the marathon I ate a lot, and tried to focus on carbohydrates. I didn’t want to be running out of energy during the race, so carb-loading needed to be a three day process. In hind-sight I eat ok, but still too many cookies. My pre-race breakfast was a bowl and half of Quaker Oatmeal Squares and a banana. That particular breakfast was featured before all of my long runs this winter/spring.

Now, hydration and nutrition aside I had some mental crap to work through before this race. I had no idea what to expect from body going into this race. I had trained hard, but wasn’t exactly sure of what my ceiling was. I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t want to run 2:22, or 2:24. However, I knew in my heart that I wasn’t quite ready for that kind of an effort. Heading into the last few weeks I saw running sub-2:30 as being my realistic goal, with 2:28 as a fantastic race. Finally setting this goal helped put my mind at ease. I wasn’t thinking about hitting a standard, or beating a PR, it was about me focusing and trying to stay in control. Ultimately the idea of “control” is something I am not particularly keen on, and although my recent stretch of races has indicated progress, I still like to go out too fast. So, even before the gun started I had to tell myself to cool it. A marathon is 26.2 miles, and if I didn’t play it smart I would regret running the last 15. Another thing I worked through was overall confidence in my training and ability. Too often in my college career I forgot about all of the work I put into a particular season. I toed the line at nationals each season thinking the wrong things, expecting the race to come to me. What I needed was more confidence in my ability to go and take the race. There were occasions when I did this and to put it bluntly, people just didn’t beat me on those days. So, trusting my ability and the work I had done was huge. I constantly played the 22 mile tempo run over in my mind, citing everything that was wrong with it; yet appreciating the overall performance. With a couple of days to go it would all come down to focus. Could I focus that long?

The Race

I arrived at the starting area about 45 minutes prior to the wheel chairs start (7:15). I was pretty nervous, and used the time to walk around and shake out some of the nerves. I met my dad in the park with about 25 minutes to go and got my emergency GU packet for the race. He gave me a hug and wished me luck. After that I moved closer to the starting line when I bumped into my mother and my manager/nutritional specialist/lion-king expert David Lantman. They too wished me luck and informed me of the water-bottle and GU packet they would have for me at around 9 miles. I also had six water stations that I had given elite fluid bottles to (with GU packets taped on), filled with a watered-down Gatorade (At miles: 4.9, 9.3, 13.0, 16.9, 20.9, & 24.5). With about 5-10 minutes to go I gave my stuff to David, put some Vaseline in important areas, and took a final swig of water. Before lining up I did a number of striders and chatted it up with others on the line. It was at this time that I was introduced to Michael Wardian (who would later finish 2^nd). To be brief, Wardian is a legend around Washington D.C. and is the USA National 50k and 100k champion. I had raced him a handful of time this spring, and had beaten him each time. However, the marathon is a different beast, and this was to be his eighth of the year. Also, lining up was two-time defending race winner and Olympic Trials qualifier Matt Pelletier of Rhode Island, and Hilary Lelei of Spira and “Las Cruces, New Mexico.”

At 8:05 I stepped to the line and waited for the gun. Like it felt at Eau Claire my senior year, the start seemed surreal. The day was finally there, and the gun finally sounded. I got off the line well and tucked in, determined to maintain control and run an intelligent first mile. The plan was to go out at about 5:40, and I went through the mile at 5:42. I literally said out-loud to the guy next to me, “perfect.” That guy turned out to be Erik Malmstrom, a UPenn grad from a few years back. Erik was a great guy to run with because we had similar goals, and we both wanted to stay in control. At this point I was already in 4^th/5^th, with a couple of relay teams with the leading three (Pelletier, Lelei, and Wardian). Behind Erik and I was a pack of dudes who had run this race before, some just under the 2:30 mark. Of course, I didn’t really care what was going on behind me, I was looking forward. My pace quickened immediately following the first mile. Miles two and three ended up at 5:28 and 5:29 respectively, and although there was a little bit of downhill I was already moving a little too quick. However, I was running really easy. At that point I trusted my training and taper, and stayed smooth. As I made my way through miles four and five, a pack of about 3-4 guys came up on Erik and I. A mile marker must have been off because I have a split of 5:07 for the fourth, and 5:55 for the fifth. So, average the two and you get about 5:30 for each mile which makes way more sense.

As I ran in this pack I sensed a feeling of urgency, specifically from a guy by the name of Chuck Terry. Mr. Terry began to push things as he led some of this pack away from me. At six miles in I could not afford to be running much faster, so I let him and two others (Erik and 45-year-old Mark Stickley) move away from me. My sixth mile would turn out to be 5:31, still too fast. After letting three guys go (including my new-found pace buddy Erik) I began to run alongside St. Lawrence grad Jon French. So at six to seven miles I was in eighth place. Mentally this was kind of a downer. I really wanted to be in the top six, and I really wanted to win some money. Mile seven would be a 5:36, with mile eight (slightly uphill) a 5:43. Although I was remaining calm I was pissed, because Terry’s move was a pretty arrogant thing to do so early in the race. Oh well, all I could do was hope that I would get another chance at him later.

During the first eight miles I took only cups of water at various stops, but nothing consistent. I had planned to take my first GU packet at around seven miles, but due to the pace craziness I lost focus. Instead I waited till I could get water bottle, because when you take GU you need lots of water. My ninth mile was closer to my goal pace, with a solid 5:39. However, I was already starting to feel a little less than spectacular. I grabbed my bottle from David somewhere downtown at about nine miles. At the time it was a huge lifesaver and a much needed boost. I took my GU and drank a majority of the Smart Water (endorsed by Tom Brady) David had gotten for me. I carried that sucker for about a half mile before dropping it. My good vibes started slipping away as I crossed the 10 mile mark in 55:40 (5:25 10^th mile) and felt pretty terrible. I felt so terrible that I couldn’t tell you what happened in that mile, just that Jon French was trying to ghost me, and that I couldn’t even hit the split on my watch. The same could be said for mile 12, but I managed to hit my watch on that one. My split for those two miles, 11:23, still pretty good. As French started to put a little distance on me, I felt worse and worse. I was fighting to stay with the kid, as the track-runner in me tried to keep in contact. Finally just before mile 13 I gave up a little. Instead of fighting I crossed my fingers and hoped that he would run out of gas at some point. At 13 I was 1:12:45 (5:41), and at the half marathon 1:13:20. Wow, what a start. I was pretty pleased with that split, but with the way I was feeling, I was also pretty scarred. The feeling for miles 13-14 can be summed up in this statement, “****.” Use your imagination on that one. Mile 14 was the beginning of an uphill stretch and was clocked in 5:47. Jon French had a huge lead.

Mile 15 was the major hill in this race as the course climbed up by Battery Park. Over the course of the race I acknowledged everyone that cheered for me, and I heard a variety of things. “Go Tufts, Go Jumbos, Go number 17, Go Nate, Go tall guy!” However, on the hill my Aunt Dodie was cheering for me and was less than three feet away, and I couldn’t respond. This really was a rough patch for me. As I went up the hill I knew I was struggling, and my split showed it (6:01). At the top of the hill David had a water bottle and a GU packet waiting for me. This was a) unexpected and b) huge. I dumped a majority of the water on my head and took only a portion of the strawberry flavored GU. As I moved away from the downtown area of the city I noticed that stretch in front of me appeared to be a straight-shot. At this point I could still see Jon French and now was able to catch a glimpse of Mark Stickley again. In fact, at some point Stickley was passed by French as I neared the 16 mile mark. After a slightly up-hill mile I went through the marker at 5:56. It was at this point though; things would change…….forever!

At about the 16 mile mark my body started coming alive again. I couldn’t tell you exactly when it happened, but it was around 16. Immediately I started cranking things again, and the course went from slightly uphill to like a bowling alley. I could now clearly see Stickley (45 years old, and a former 2:17 marathoner) and I knew I was going to catch him. My 17^th mile was dialed in at a 5:42, and things were looking up. My only concern was the structure of the course. At this point in the race the course goes in and out of some Burlington neighborhoods. This is kind of cool, because people are straight chillin in their driveways as you run by, but it also means a lot of tight turns. To make a long story short, these turns hurt. I likely lost a few seconds per mile in these neighborhoods, because my tall lanky frame did not respond well to said turns. As a result I did not catch Stickley until roughly 18-19 miles. My 18^th mile ended up at 5:48 as I stayed a float and drew closer to the finish. Mile 19 operated in much of the same way, as I finally caught Mark Stickley and moved into 7^th place. My split on 19 was a true gem at 5:41, and I put him away for good. My body was a wreck, but I was moving and things weren’t that bad. Was there more good fortune in store for me?

On my 20^th mile I must have lost a little focus or encountered something, because I lost a little momentum. I can’t remember too much, but I do remember moving up. My split was a little slower after the 19 mile gem, but still steady at 5:47. The thing I kept holding on to was the last 4-5 miles, which took place on a bike path. I knew that if I could get to the last part I would be fine. As I approached 21 miles I came up on a blast from the past, Chuck Terry. This was one of the guys that took off on me at 7-8 miles and performed what I call an “arrogant” move. Now Chuck Terry is probably an awesome person and a hardworking runner, but even he has to admit, his move was a bad idea. I might be unfair for placing the blame on him, but he had run this race before, he knew better. I went by him pretty quickly and immediately focused on putting him away. My 21^st mile was run in 5:44, and then in a surprising twist of events I would see two more guys right in front of me. Like magic both Jon French and Erik Malmstrom both appeared out of nowhere. I can’t remember who I passed first, but I know Erik was walking and Jon French had a pretty short stride. I seized the opportunity as I turned into the bike path with a 5:39 22^nd mile. All of a sudden I was in fourth place and moving away.

On my 23^rd mile I came back down to earth as I clocked a 5:52. I started to cramp a little in my legs, and I had trouble keeping focus. I was literally just trying to hold on at this point. At about 23.5 I got the surprise of a lifetime as I ran through Leddy Park. I could hear something as I approached, but only with them starring me straight in the face did I accept the reality. There was a live band, and they were playing “Don’t Stop Believing.” Emotionally I couldn’t handle this, as that song was featured as my cell phone ring and has been an anthem of sorts for my first year in Washington. So overcome with emotion I began clapping my hands and even pointed out to the kids at the water stop, “Hey, they’re playing Journey, it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be!” What a wack job, no surprise as to why I slowed down a little.

Mile 24 was a 5:49 as I remained steady and in survival mode. There was no one around me, it was hot, and I really wanted to stop running. Although my splits were good and I could keep running them I wanted it to be over. The 25^th mile was more of the same as I came up on a hand-crank guy and actually started racing him. I missed the 25^th marker because I was too busy trying to show him what was up. Just kidding, we had a nice chat, specifically about Journey. As I drew closer to the finish I asked everyone on the bike path how much of a lead I had on 5^th place. Most people looked at me like I was crazy. Apparently there wasn’t anyone there. This made me feel great, and took a lot of the pressure off as I headed down the stretch. I was going to enjoy my run through the park.

The 26 mile was pretty awesome as I knew that 4^th place was going to be mine, and that in all likelihood I was breaking 2:30. As I approached the 26 mile marker the course came through the Waterfront Park and through a sizeable crowd of people. I could hear the announcers talking about me, and just before making the final turn I clicked my watch. Miles 25 & 26 were awesome at a combined 11:23, and I had a chance at breaking 2:29. I tried to kick it in, but each time I pushed my legs they started to lock up. I decided to concede my late goal of breaking 2:29, and instead relished the chance to showboat like a division one basketball player. As I neared the finished I started popping my jersey, and let everyone know where I went to school, Tufts University. I always wanted to do that.

I crossed the line in 2:29:09 and in fourth place, nearly two minutes in front of fifth. I took off my chip and hugged my dad who was waiting at the line. It really was amazing, I finished my first marathon, and I finished it well. I managed to shuffle my way over to the Key Bank VIP area with my family (courtesy of my Uncle David), and finally got to sit down. Shortly after sitting down I was summoned on stage for an interview with the radio announcers. They kept telling me that I did a great job, and that if I wanted 2:19 I could get it (more on that later). I managed to drink a lot of Gatorade, sit down some more, and even chatted with race winner Matt Pelletier, runner-up Michael Wardian, and NESCAC legend Ben Peisch (you should read his Celtics blog, it’s awesome). After checking out with the race officials I learned that I had scored a $500 pay day for my efforts, more the covering my expenses for the trip.

It was great to have so much of my family at the finish, as my parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents were all there for me. Also, my main man David Lantman, a current Burlington resident and Merrimack Valley Alum was also a huge help. I have received numerous calls, e-mails, and facebook messages about the race and I appreciate everyone’s support. I only hope that I can return the favor when you all rock it out in some fashion.

I have so much more to say in terms of post-race goals and reflection, but that will have to wait. Already, this post is a six page document in Microsoft Word, and has taken a couple of weeks for me to put together. I promise there will be more incite, but until then, thank you and enjoy.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Training Update, Recovery and Such

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

I LOVE YOU CELTICS

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Don't Stop Believing or Accidental Genius 2008

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Running Smart by Accident

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