Race Result

Racer:	Kevin Shaw
Race:	Shamrock Marathon
Date:	Sunday, March 19, 2006
Location:	Virginia Beach, VA
Race Type:	Run - Marathon
Age Group:	Male 45 - 49
Time:	3:53:59
Overall Place:	551 / 1760
Age Group Place:	54 / 154
Comment:	First Marathon

Race Report:

Conditions for the Shamrock Marathon in VA Beach were chilly (around 40F) with a strong wind from the NNW at 15 with gusts to around 20. I had my normal pre race breakfast of Clif Bar, Banana, apple, half cup of coffee and some water. The race began right outside of our hotel so it was very hard to not be on time. I talked to a couple of the pace group leaders about their strategies and decided to run with the 3:50:00 crowd. An even pace should have been 8;46. Since the first 6 miles were mostly with our winds at our backs the pacers plan was to run a bit faster to bank up some time for the headwind part of the race which was approximately miles 6-16. First mile was a bit slow as we warmed up 8:55. The pace then picked up to 8:44 then 8:23, At around 2.75 miles the course made a little loop and we got our first taste of the wind for about a tenth of a mile, which we pushed through nicely. Then it was up and over the Rudee Bridge, which we again handled easily and our pace evened out around 8:30. We were all in good spirits trading stories about our families and how many marathons and other races we had run. It was a fun group to be with and I really enjoyed the company.

The southern turn around point was just after mile 6 and we headed into the wind. Anticipating a water stop ahead I took a gel, but misjudged the distance to the water stop and had to eat the gel without water for another .25 miles. We maintained our 8:30 ish pace and headed into Camp Pendleton. The crowd support there was great has there were a few army platoons there to cheer us on and high five us on our way, very nice support!

Just out of Pendleton was the 10 mile point and we were back to the Rudee Bridge, cresting the bridge we got a nice wind gust, mile we fought the wind on the boardwalk from about miles 11 at an 8:42 pace and 12 was 8:47. Mile 13 was off the boardwalk and we picked it up to 8:20. This is where my Dear Wife caught a glimpse of me and took my picture, she thought I was looking good at that point. I took another gel in anticipation of a water stop that was not there, so again I had no water to was it down.

Now cam the long trip up to Ft. Story, miles 14-16 were again around 8:30 pace, we turned a bit to the west on Shore drive and were into the wooded section that was, for me very boring. The race organizers put up some fun signs to read on the way. My left hamstring started to tighten up at this point and my pace fell off to 8:40's as I struggled to keep up with the pace group. The water stop at mile 17.5 was managed by a local scout troop and I lost time here, but it was my fault, all of the volunteers did an excellent job cheerfully getting us the hydration and nutrition we needed. I executed this stop poorly.

Mile 19 brought us into the gate at Ft. Story and my pace picked up to 8:25 and I rejoined my pace group. I stuck with them but our overall pace fell off to 8:46. Mile 21 was now with the wind at our back and we picked up the pace to 8:36.

I passed another runner who was grunting as he tried to get back running after the water stop at the 21 mile mark. I was thinking that that would not be a good situation to get into, but he was smiling and did get back going. I started to get warm and decided to shed a layer which I was able to do pretty smoothly. Our pace backed off again to 8:56 at mile 22.

Since my training runs cap out at 22.2, I was now into uncharted territory, My legs were starting to fatigue and as I was thinking about the guy who was struggling to get started after walking through water stops, I decide to walk the water stops, so at the water stop just before mile 23, I walked, I was a bit worried that I would not be able to get restarted but it was not much of a problem and I hit mile 23 with a 9:26 pace, but I was starting to really hurt.

Nausea began to set in at this point and may pace fell back to 9:34 at the 24 mile mark and I was now seeing the back of the last person in my pace group for the first time. Even with the nausea and my now painful hamstrings, I new that every step I took was a new distance PR for me, so I kept on keeping on.

Mile 25 was the toughest and my pace dropped to 10:45, I knew at that point that It was about as bad as it was going to get and I thought I was going to loose my banana and any gels I had taken. I really didn't want to do that since, I had no water, and I didn't want to waste the time and risk that I couldn't restart the run, so I sucked it up and kept running through. I still was pretty sure I'd finish in less than 4 hours and I was ok with that. Just before mile 25 I started to think that this was too hard and I might never do another one of these again, I was so looking forward to just walking again, or sitting, or laying down, actually anything but running, but the nausea seem to subside.

At the water stop at about mile 25.75, I only walked half of the stop and had three cups of water, I didn't think I'd be able to keep Gatorade down.. The course then turned back to the start line and I saw our car. I thought to myself, "If I had the keys, I'd would seriously think about driving to the finish!" 25.8 miles brought us back to the boardwalk for the finish and I was able to pick up the pace to 9:20 for the final bit and actually finished fairly strong in 3:53:58.3. I thought I was going to loose my banana, but yet again I managed to keep all nutrition inside my body. I did feel pretty sick to my stomach and could not go into the beer tent for fear of loosing said banana. Someone during the race said that finishing a marathon is somewhat like giving birth, as you are doing it you can't imagine doing it again, bur after a bit of time passes you start thinking about the next one... Marine Corp Marathon here I come!