Stockholm Marathon 2009 writeup

We left Dad's house at 10am and I was feeling great. Calm, eating as planned, sipping on my water etc. I got dropped off downtown, and by 12:05pm, after a short subway ride I was sitting inside the 1912 Olympic stadium in the shade just soaking up the stadium, looking where the finishline was, what our final loop was like etc. Even took a little nap on the bleachers along with several elite women runners who liked my idea and were camping out close to me.

Eventually at 1:15 I walked over to my secret bathroom I had found while on a little personal tour of the stadium and found no line. I did my thing then stood in the safety deposit box line (wallet and iPhone) then in my bag drop and headed to the corral with about 20 minutes to spare. A little too early for my taste, but wasn't sure what the crowds would be like. Spotted the blinking thermometer on the face of the building and it read 26 celisus. (76 F) I was about 40 yards from the start line so I was happy about my 2nd corral access! I found a spot in between a German and a Fin (Finland) on the sidewalk and proceeded to enjoy the horse poop stink. Yep, there are many horseback policemen in Sweden and apparently old and dry hay on the street is horse poop, and it still smells. Turns out it wouldn't be the worst smell of the day.

42kms 195meters = 26.2 miles FYI

Gun went off with no anthems beforehand. It was pretty crowded at the start and I found myself behind the 3:15 pace group. Not good, since the course takes a hard left and end up on a 2 lane road where some cars owners had decided not to move their cars despite the friendly neon yellow posters all over the trees along the street that said: *Stockholm Marathon, Saturday blah blah, Please be so kind as to not park your cars on this road. 2 - 8 pm* This country doesn't know Towing scare tactics yet.

It was pretty hectic working my way through the massive 3:15 pace group and then slowly moved my way towards the 3hr pace group. I wasnt looking to run with them per se, but as my first KM clocked in 10 seconds slow, i knew i had to get ahead and on track. KM clocked in 6 seconds fast, so 4 seconds off after 2, i'll take it.

This narrow road continues and it's packed. I somehow get ahead of the 3 hr pacegroup leader and that was liberating. so much more room to run! At the next turn, I spot my mom where they said they'd be. She and her husband Walter(team mom) were geniuses and brought a home made flag with colored streamers and a texas flag on it, so it was simple to spot them. I would spot them 5 times on the course!

My pace felt great but i was having a hard time clicking my watch on KM markers since they kept coming up on me so fast. But as I had a pace band, when I did spot one, I knew i had locked in correct speed and was a steady 10 seconds fast through the first 10 km or so. The 3 hr pace wave would come up on my ass from time to time (because i would slow on hills), so i'd push ahead a bit to not get sucked in. the group was massive and there was much more room to run in front of their fearless leader. Saw my mom a second time around km 6, then searched for my dad and aunt(team dad) but didn't spot them where he said they'd be. (Found out later on they switched their watch spot and they saw me)

It was hot out, no doubt, but once you got under tree shade or under building cover it actually felt nice and cool. it was probably just an illusion as you'll later see, the heat was taking its toll. I drank my water bottle as planned and had it all finished by mile 5, or km 8 in this case. I was proud of myself! No boston cramps today! Kept pluggin along really enjoying the sites and the crowd. The crowd here mostly all claps in unison. CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP at a steady pace and it was pretty cool. Eventually got towards km 13 and the bridge that was the main climb of the day. we would see this bridge twice. I purposely slowed a bit on the climb but it felt fine, i knew i'd make up the time on the descent. It's a long 300 meters to run uphill, but it's not painfully steep. i'd compare it to running up congress in austin marathon. On the descent, the 3hour pacegroup swalowed me whole. I rode the crest of the wave for a good 200 meters, but the pace was just plain ridiculous. It was easily now a 6:15-6:20mile pace instead of my 6:48-50/ mile goal, so i let them swallow and get ahead. No need to bust out those kind of miles when i'm already a tad ahead of goal pace.

With about 5km to go before the half way point, I had come to the conclusion that i was having to try way too hard to keep pace. I was feeling strong still, but I also just knew in me that the legs were simply not in sub 3 shape for the whole distance. I'd discussed my reason for going for sub 3 with coach Sisson and i also told him i would scrap it if 1 of any 4 things came about. 3 of those were present: Bad Weather - Dead Legs - Mentally not there. I kept thinking about Russ and his long journey and his mantra he had offered. *Toughen Up, Buttercup* i'd written it on my paceband along with a few other motivators. I also saw the word WHY. I've found you really have to have a strong reason for doing these things, and that word has worked for me to find that inner strength to gut it out. However, this time it worked as a revelation. WHY meant this time, why am i doing this. I spent some time thinking about signing up last decemeber as a fun run, the long season i'd had. My family on the course out there to see me run, and it was so apparent to me that today was not a day to suffer. the answer to WHY was to have fun, and enjoy the stockholm marathon. This was supposed to be a destination marathon for me, and not an A race. My body was sending me the signs, the weather sent me the signs, and i've never felt more at peace than when i let that 3 hr pace group slowly drift away from me- Spotted my mom one more time just before the half way point and stopped, told her I'd changed my strategy and it was all ok.

Crossed the half at 1:31 or so, and figured I could now run a 3:30 pace which is even slower than my normal long run pace and cruise in with a fun 3:15. (Hence those 5 min kms you see in the splits in a prior post). For then next 8 or so kms I had a blast. I turned Stockholm into my own little boston. I high fived little kids. Even stopped at some of them to teach them what i wanted to do, I raised my hands to get people to get louder and cheer, i offered motivation to runners who had seemingly given up or had side stitches (side cramps) telling them to find the joy in ti and their training had been way too long to be sour, etc. I was having a grand old time! I started enjoying the water stops. I'd stop at these troughs they'd put out with ice cold running water in them and spash water on my head and back to cool off. Others had sponges, or would cup water with their caps and douse it on themselves etc. Wow! it was so refreshing! I knew my mom's next rendez-vous point was close so i took a cup of water with my to her for about a km and gave it to her and big kiss. Told her to expect me in between 3:10 and 3:20. I had missed my dad the first loop, so this time i was really scanning the crowds and got lucky and spotted them too. i stopped and had a brief chat with them too telling them all was ok, etc.

I continued my run till km 27 when things turned ugly for me. pretty quickly my stomach was not right. I used portapotties two times for what had turned into a full fledged bad stomach. I was pretty miserable, but there was no stopping. i slowed even more figuring i could easily run another 15kms, or 10 miles or so. I continued to high five little kids, and keep my spirits high by engaging the crowds but it was a pretty crappy time for me. Eventually reached the bridge and was determined to not walk it, so i cranked up it at a slow steady pace and then cruised lightly down it. ugh. i wanted to puke, go to the bathroom, drink water, cool off, and most of all, i just wanted to walk. i started running for a few lamp posts then walk one, then run more then walk one. I then came up again on the gherkin station. What is a gherkin you ask? Oh, that's no other than pickles. highschool girls handing out pickles. I like pickles but when i'm overheating, i have a fragile stomach and overall feel like complete shit, don't make me smell dill pickles in the hot sun. almost gagged.

my post to post running turned into 3 min run, 1 min walk, to 1 min run 1 min walk. I felt miserable, but a fast paced walk was doable. spotted the 35 km marker and figured i needed one last try to run. I ran for about 2 minutes but my ankles felt like they were going to cramp on me. weirdest feeling ever. not to mention the dizzy feeling and the slight tunnel vision. I was feeling pretty freaking weak and i'd been at that stage before.(AUSTIN 2007) i knew i could push it STILL, but it wasnt worth it. I decided to continue my fast paced march and was often times joined by other runners, turned walkers. One guy walked with me for a while. He was from Iran and had 'inflammed feet' so he said. Didn't offer my medical expertise so i just said i'm sorry to hear it, and offered him my pathetic stomach in exchange for his plantars. I can do plantars, infact, all this stop and go had mine awake but it's nothing new. I was also probably the only runner seeking out the sunny spots as i was freezing.

fast forward to km 41. We eventually got to 1km to go, then we turned a left and i saw the stadium. I thought to hell with this stomach, i HAVE to run this in. So i cruised up to a speed of oh, i don't know, sunday morning neighborhood jogger pace, and made my way to the stadium and then into it. As I entered, stomach issues were a distant memory, plantars was a non issue but i was still feling pretty weak. I had no reason to increase the pace, so I just soaked in the crowds and looked around as i rounded for home. I scanned the crowds for my cheer teams and about 20 yards from the finish spotted my mom's flag again frot row. i waved hello then raised my hands in the air as I crossed the finish a winner. Got my medal then told the girl that came to tell me to move away from the barricades and keep moving to bring me a wheel chair or watch me faint. she left me alone. i was done. D O N E. not an ounce of energy in me. I continued to scan the crowds but didn't spot team dad in the stadium. I hoped he'd found team mom.

The next 2 hours were spent rolling along the ground of the fake grass of the soccer field feeling ridiculously weak, huge head rushes that were too close to feeling like fainting every time i attempted to stand up. I managed to slowly eat a banana, then make my way to the portapotties one more time for yet another session. still felt pretty friggin crappy so quickly returned to the turf grass field. after lying like a dead bodyt for 10-15 minutes I miraculously did not faint on my way to the safety deposit to get my phone and wallet, and called my mom. told her to come get me at the penalty spot on the field. some creative approaches to circumventing angry security personnel got her and Walter in to the runners only field but no dad and aunt in tow. uh oh.

I eventually was able to eat an apple i had in my drop bag my mom picked up, and drank water she went and got and by 7:45 my stomach issues vanished as quickly as they arrived. Never got to meet back up with my dad, as the finish had no designated family meeting spots and i just couldn't get myself to the stadium as i had originally told them i would. big bummer.

So yeah, a rough and crappy last hour and fifteen, but i knew all the way that i'd finish, and i made the best of the moment. despite the crappy stomach i really did have a great great time, and getting to see my family on the course of a marathon i've run was something i didn't think I'd get to experience. that alone, was worth the price of admission! (but i didn't get to eat a hot dog. dammit haha)

a quick thanks to the team, and to coach Sisson, Muz, Damon and especially Ken for going above and beyond the call of duty to help me train when they didn't have to. Thanks guys! Sorry it didn't work out.