Providence Marathon Race Report

The short report: The official time was 3:22:38. On the up side, that's a 4 minute PR. On the downside, I think I'm in better shape.

Now, the slightly longer version...

Pre-race week:
My right arch was killing me. From the symptoms, it seemed like plantar fasciitis, but I'm positive running isn't what started the issue. It must have been a bad pair of shoes I wore to work. While running didn't cause the issue, it definitely exacerbated it. I ran an 8 mile tempo at half marathon pace about a week out. Before the tempo there was a twinge, but it wasn't much worse when I finished. The next day I ran easy, and after that it was full blown pain. It hurt to walk even. I took the four days leading up to the race off and actively did the whole RICE thing. Friday before the race my arch finally stopped hurting while walking. I stepped up to the line pain free and well rested...though I was wondering at what point (during the race) my arch would start to hurt.

The race start:
My race plan was loose. Based on my training, I figured somewhere  between 7:20 and 7:40 pace was reasonable, but I didn't want to force any particular pace, so the plan was to go out and see how I felt. My first mile was 7:20, and it felt right, so I went with that. The first 16 miles were 7:21 pace, but...then things got complicated.

Mid-race:
The first 16 miles were good to me. There were more hills than I remember, but I was handling them. I was drinking and taking gels at my normal rate, but at around 15 miles I stopped sweating, and though I was still drinking I just stopped sweating. It's probably worth mentioning that the temperature was comfortable in the fifties, but it was 90% humidity. Maybe that's why I had an issue? I don't know, but by 16 miles my legs really started burning. It was strange because it felt like the last mile of a 5k when I'm having asthma issues, BUT my breathing was great. My breathing and heart rate were both great. But my legs were burning. At that point, I just had to hang on. Over the next four miles, my pace slowed, but I was still hanging on.

The race finish:
The last 10k was a struggle, which is pretty typical for a marathon. My breathing and heart rate were still great, but the burning in my legs was bad enough that running down hills hurt (like walking down the stairs the day after a marathon hurt).  I just kept moving forward, and slowing down. The last 10k was over 8:00 pace per mile. My official time was 3:22:38, which is 7:44 pace.

Reflections:
I guess maybe I went out too fast, but the pace felt right at the time, and I don't regret my calculated risk. Would I have run faster overall if I had gone out at 7:30 pace? Maybe. Maybe not. I do know I'm much faster over shorter distances right now. Perhaps I simply didn't have the endurance necessary to cover the distance at my initial pace. That happens to runners all the time...

The awesomeness of the race:
I felt great! (Well minus that whole leg rebellion thing during the last 10 miles.) No nausea! I wasn't crazy tired after either, but my legs hurt enough that I knew I gave all I had for the day. (I actually had trouble sleeping last night my legs are so sore.) No arch pain at all! No other pains! I remain injury free, and ready for a speedy recovery! And it was just a great day. The kids had a great morning with Nick, my parents were biking all over the course offering me water and Gatorade, and we all had an awesome lunch together afterwards! Just an overall great day for me.  (Huge thanks to Nick and my parents!)

One last item:
I ran this one for you, Connor! You are one tough little man fighting DMD!

My mom insisted we get my number in the pic...

My littlest lady has the bluest eyes ever! (Actually so does my other little lady...)

Me at the end of the day. My t-shirt says Sunnydale High School. Anyone know what that's from?

Connor's Crusaders

The folks over at Cox Rhode Races have been encouraging the runners to use their marathon training as an opportunity to raise money for a good cause. Generally, I'm much more likely to donate to a good cause than try to raise money for one. That's just my way. Recently, however, I discovered that a couple of good friends of mine from my teenage years have a son, Connor, with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Connor is Kaylee's age, and I imagine that he's a lot like Kaylee in many ways. He probably plays with Legos, plays pretend, and enjoys chaos as most pre-schoolers do. But Connor is different too. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is going to make Connor's life harder. I can't do anything about Connor's DMD, but I'd like to help. I'm dedicating my marathon to Connor's cause, and since the folks over at Cox Rhodes Races have been kind enough to give me a number, I will begin by donating the cost of a number ($100) to Connor's Crusaders. Below is a letter written by Jon and Kira, Connor's parents, explaining DMD and the Connor's Crusaders special needs trust fund. You also visit Connor's Cure, which currently has a post quoting a local paper story on Connor and his family. All donations are greatly appreciated!

Join Connor’s Crusaders . . . to help Connor with the battle of his life! Connor has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. DMD is a degenerative muscle wasting disease affecting 1 in 3,500 mainly boys. DMD will put this lively 4 ½ year old in a wheelchair between 10-12. Boys with this disease don’t usually survive into their twenties due to heart and lung issues. These muscles will weaken to the point of failure. There is no cure and it’s 100% fatal.

While Connor’s diagnosis has been difficult, we are focusing on how we can improve the quality of his life. And that means many appointments, travel, treatments and costs. Big ones are the wheelchairs, van and home modifications. Day to day items include supplements, orthotics, and steroids.

We have set up a fund to help defray the costs of his care. Our goal is to keep him walking for as long as possible until a cure is found. This is a Special Needs Trust Fund ONLY for Connor that can only be withdrawn from under very specific circumstances such as medical need.

While donations to the MDA and other Duchenne communities are greatly needed to fund research so that we can find a cure, we are focusing our efforts on improving his quality of life now and into his future. Contributions on a personal level for Connor and his specific needs are immensely needed and appreciated.

We will be holding an annual event however details are yet to be determined. If anyone has any ideas or would like to help, please let us know.

For every minute for me, it’s really four minutes for him. For every meal, it’s four. For every Birthday for me, it’s really four Birthdays for him. Let’s make every second count!

Gratefully,
Jon and Kira Mullaly

To donate to Connor's Crusaders through PayPal please click below. You don't need a PayPal account. Donations can be made via credit card. It's safe and secure, goes straight into the Connor's Crusaders fund, and it's for a great cause!