A Sub-5 Maiden Dream Marathon

I dreamt, goal-set, and trained. On May 22 came the time to execute and enjoy!

But in all grand dreams, things are better not left to chance. So in my final training week, I did what an artist would consider as the final brush strokes to a masterpiece: just 3 short runs, home rest the final two days, bucketsful of hydration fluids, glycogen-boosting diet, hours of extra sleep, and repetitious self-psyching that, indeed, yes I can!

Equip. On the penultimate day, the running gear had to be chosen. Complete Brooks Running regalia it would be. I had acquired the gear the year prior, during a trip to Montreal that begot demons I now wanted to face and silence for good. Finally, the Garmin GF405 had to be reprogrammed, the iPod shuffle recharged, the Fuelbelt hydration bottles filled, and the Hammer, Gu, and Accel sports gels, Sport Beans, and salt sachet neatly tucked in their designated and memorized Spibelt compartments.

When I lined up for a 2AM marathon start that eventful Saturday, I had no intention of finishing the race beyond 7AM, even if the cut-off time was 10AM or a good 8 hours later. Avoid the early morning sun's Vitamin D, I did not want.  Rather, finishing in less than 5 hours would put my performance close to the average marathon finish time in the US of 4h:41m:33s, a decent enough benchmark for a maiden marathon, I reckoned. Also, I had just become a Marathon Maniac candidate, having already signed up for two other marathons in the next two months- Kuala Lumpur and San Francisco being next in line. Injury was one thing I wanted to risk not, this first time around.

Strategize. To survive a gruelling 5-hr, 42.2 km run, I needed to strategize. Either run all the way, or follow the run/walk Jeff Galloway strategy. I opted to run at a constant pace of 7 min/km, all the way to the finish line, instead of a negative split, where the second half would be run faster than the first. The marathon pace calculator allowed me to set ETAs at specific distances. Sports gel consumption points were set at 11, 16, 25, 30, and 35K. Salt and sports beans would be ingested at the slightest sign of a cramp attack. Post marathon recovery would be hastened by drinking a Whey Protein cocktail within 30 minutes after the run. A 20-min ice bath would follow as soon as I got back to base. Then a body massage.  Body Glide would be applied to prevent chafing and blisters in friction-exposed and sensitive body parts- feet, legs, shoulders, nipples.

Execute. That Saturday morning, while the rest of our countrymen was deep into slumberland, some 250 souls, dreamers all, as varied in age and looks as they were in origin, social status, and occupations, egged on by a Dream Team composed of race conceptualizer The Bull Runner, coach Jim Lafferty, marshalls, and volunteers, with some energized by the presence of family members and friends, all gingerly crossed that starting line- a point of no return in their respective lives. The course had been studied and practiced on a few weeks before. It was to involve a 21K loop repeated once. As the chirping sounds of countless timing chip reads broke the stillness of the night, each of these souls knew that their individual dream’s execution already had begun. Their lives about to be changed.

The first 1K was a breeze. Everyone was in high spirits. Many came with headlamps. With them, it was like running under the moonlight. You could also feel the energy in the air. Of high hopes flying, tempered only by fear. Then reality struck.  A sharp pain radiated from my left heel. Goodbye marathon finish, I thought. While I had already ran 2K, there were still 40K more! Then I realized I messed with my running shoe laces the day before. Big mistake.  So at the 4K mark, I stopped, pulled the laces real tight, and ran on. I was right. At the 5K mark, the pain vanished into the night. And the dream lived on!

The 6K to 10K run was plain. Just a matter of simple execution. Each runner settled down to his/her comfort zone. What could they have been thinking? Or feeling? Running in dark, some in small groups, others alone, calibrating their strengths, making sure they lasted the entire distance. Gradually, each settled into their natural or targeted pace. Then at about 9K, we hit a trail. It was dark.  But each one had to move on.  Run 1K and make a U-turn.  At that point, while Dream Chasers beat the drums, I hydrated and took my first gel. I also checked for time. I was well on target for a sub-5 but was 2 min off for a 4:30 finish. No matter. In the pitch of darkness, I was having loads of fun!

The run from 11k to 21K, while uneventful, was great! I was hardly breaking a sweat. In fact, I saw no need to turn on that iPod. The cadence of shoes slamming concrete in the dark was music of no equal to my then very happy ears. Plak, plak, plak, plak. Plok, plok, plok, plok. What better running music could I ever want? Totally enjoying the run now, I took another gel.  Fully energized, the distance markers became a blur. At the 15K turnaround mark, the Dream Chasers greeted me good morning. One of the few times that, both literally and figuratively, I couldn't have agreed more! By this point, I had counted 24 runners ahead of me. Most everyone would flash a smile, a thumbs up, or mouth an encouragement as I encountered them. On to 21K then, still feeling great, pain-free, and in the top-30!

By 18K, I was running solo. Runners were now well spread out along the course. The Second Wind pacers, veterans all, seeing me smile as I approached their station, knew exactly what to say- great run man, great run! At 21k, families of runners and Dream Chasers cheered us some more! I checked my watch for the second time. Still 2 min off a 4:30 target. I had since been running at a constant pace then.  Just as planned.  At 22K, I took another gel and hydrated again. I decided to now empty my hydration bottles. With less than a half marathon to go, a familiar distance, and with water stations aplenty along the course, there was no need for excess baggage.  It was time to run light. At 25K, dawn began to break. By this time, I was feeling a slight pain in my right knee. When the full streaks of daylight came calling at 30K, I took another gel and hydrated once more. I had to be ready and prepared for a momentous push. This was it! The dreaded wall was near.

Endure. It was easy to surrender at the marathon wall’s waiting zone- the 30-35K distance. The legs were getting heavier, the energy source sapped. Reality also stared blankly in the face.  This was the longest distance I had ran before. Could I run some more? Could I endure? Little did I realize that The Bull Runner really set us up for a challenge. The 30-35K portion was mostly uphill. It was the toughest portion of the entire course to run. Many runners became walkers. The sun was also beginning to heat up straight in the horizon. I now had to call on my Jawbones to reduce the glare. The suspense was by now unbearable. Any time, the wall would be lowered.  Or, if I were lucky and prepared enough, breached!

I walked and run alternately, carefully gauging my remaining strength. The legs were beginning to feel like lead. But the spirit was strong! No way the wall is gonna hit me.  I had prepared for it.  Patiently.  Deliberately.  Carefully. Lo and behold, at 34K, a sign was waiting that said it all: ‘It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves’. Adrenaline pumping, I dug deep for a second wind. It came gushing in! Again, everything became a blur.  I was running strong.  As I made a U-turn at the 35K mark, with Black Eyed Pea's 'I Gotta Feeling' blaring from the race's sound system, I knew for certain that, indeed, it was going to be a good night!  The wall had broken. I had endured! I was stronger! There was no stopping now.  I had to reach that finish line!

Finish. The final 7K was the most difficult leg of all. My right knee was beginning to hurt. Several times I could feel the onset of cramps that I had to brake and walk. By 38K, several runners including training mate Mystic Waters, who had a sub-Oprah finish in mind, overtook me. I chased after them, but the cramping signs held me back. At about 39K, I thought I saw co-Happy Feet members led by Running Diva who egged me on some more as I walked uphill.  The iodized salt and Sport Beans were preventing the situation from getting worse. But not the continued extension of my desired finish time. Tough luck for salt-sweater me. Something to improve upon the next time around.  At 41K, cheerers encouraged me to move on along. You can do it, they said. Just one more K! Despite a sore knee, I was smiling now. Was there ever any doubt if I could finish? None! Was there ever any disappointment that I might miss my goal? No way! Celebration time was close.

And as I made that final turn at Solenad, and saw the finish line arch, time froze. A moment so vivid it will forever be etched in my memory. I was about to accomplish something only few people could. I was about to jot the exclamation point to a live message that, yes, if you want something badly enough to train, prepare and sacrifice for, even against all odds, you can finish! The cocktail of emotions felt at this point was beyond words. Joy, Pride, Triumph, Conquest, Surrender, Humility.  In that one magical instance, I was running free!

I finished the marathon at 6:56 AM, 4 minutes earlier than the self-declared cut-off time of 5 hours. My official time was 4:55:43, the chip time 4:55:40. This was 14 min off the average finish time in the US, but a sub-5 finish just the same, some 2 min faster than the finish time of then US Vice President Al Gore, to use another benchmark. Not that it is really necessary.  The time was already good enough to land me in 40th place out of 240 dreamers overall (top 17%), or 34th place out of 171 men dreamers in the fold (top 20%).

Dream. Goal-set. Train. Equip. Strategize. Execute. (Optional: Falter-Rise-Adjust). Endure. Finish!  The sequence of events for my maiden dream marathon, yes. But equally my key message to loved ones now running the marathon of all marathons– life!

Only, don’t forget to bring fun along!


P.S.  This post would not have been possible without The Bull Runner and her entire TBRDM team as well as TBRDM runners all.  One word to describe the race? Splendid!