Ready to Go
It was a bit cool in the early morning hours, but the forecast called for things to warm up, so Dave and I were anticipating a great day of running. We hoped to finish in about 4:20 (about 10:00/mile pace), which would be a personal best for Dave. The start of the race was great, featuring a fly-by and folks parachuting right by the race site. The staging area, which was right by the Air Force Museum was full of planes (both old and new), which added to the excitement.
Warp Speed
We went out a bit fast, covering the first mile in 9:24. I didn't want to press Dave at all, so I stayed a bit behind him, letting him dictate the pace. The next two miles were the hilliest of the entire course, with a significant climb in mile two and a significant descent in mile three. Dave zoomed down the hill faster than I expected, but I kept him within sight as I negotiated the descent. Gravity helped us to clock the third mile in about 8:30, which was by far our fastest mile of the day.
Flyin' Along
The course took us around the base, close to Wright State University. We entered and exited the base a few times, and I always waved to the guards as we passed by. We continued to zoom along at a pretty good pace for the first ten miles. We were closer to 4-hour pace than 4:20. It was starting to get a bit hot, but nothing like Twin Cities two years ago. My black San Antonio Marathon cap was doing its job. There were plenty of aid stations along the course, and there was more than enough water, Gatorade, and GU energy gel for everyone. Kudos to the race organizers for this.
Smile
I managed to carry both my cell phone and my digital camera with me the entire race. I used the cell phone camera to send pictures to my brother and his wife, who were posting them online for me. I used the digital camera to take video along the course and to get some additional photos. Now that I have all this great footage, I just need to get to work on the race video.
Oh, oh! We're halfway there!
As we neared the halfway point, I started wondering if I would be able to stay with Dave for the duration of the race. Though my personal best is 3:43, I'm not quite in prime marathon shape. We finished the first half in just over 2:01.
Run Way
The course took us around the base's main runway until, for a moment at mile 16, we actually ran on it! I know it sounds really neat to be on the runway, but that feeling quickly dissipated as we felt the total lack of shade, combined with the sunlight reflecting off the concrete. I was thrilled to get to a wooded area at mile 19, as it helped us cool off a bit.
I'm Not Leaving My Wingman
The second half was a struggle. Dave started to feel it right around the time we reached the runway, and our mile splits were at or above 11:00. I still felt great, but I stuck to my original plan of staying with Dave until I was certain he would finish. We took some additional walk breaks, as we still had a ways to go. We might not have been flying, but we were slowly and steadily progressing toward the goal.
Grabbing the GU
After the last gel stop at mile 21, I noticed quite a few unused packages of GU energy gel on the ground. These run about $1 a piece online (more if you get them at a retail store), and clean-up folks would probably just throw them away, so I decided to pick some up. You'll notice in the finishing photos that one hand has my digital camera, and the other has about five gels in it. Yum.
To The Finish
We conserved our energy for the last few miles, until the point when we had less than three quarters of a mile to go. Dave looked great, so I knew he would be able to make it. I zoomed ahead and finished about a minute or two ahead of Dave. I waved to Dave's parents, who were waiting for us just before the finish, and I let them know that Dave would be coming shortly. I had enough time to cross the line, rest for just a moment, and then set up for a video of Dave crossing the line. YEAH! We did it!
Post-Race Fun
We were each presented a finisher's medal by Air Force officers. I don't know exactly what their ranks were, but their uniforms were well-decorated. This small gesture made the event a lot more meaningful to me. After getting an aluminum blanket and a custom-designed towel, Dave and I made our way to the food and drink area.
Chow Down
Usually, it takes me an hour or so before I feel like eating after a marathon. This time, I was hungry right away -- probably because I wasn't pushing myself in the second half. Luck was with me, as there was all the cheese pizza I could eat from a local chain called La Rosa. I had at least three slices, but I can't remember exactly how many. There was also Nestle Quik chocolate milk, which I think is a great item to guzzle after a race.
Heading Home
We met up with Dave's parents after exiting the post-race area, and we were back at his house in no time. A big thank-you to Dave and family for their gracious hospitality.
Race statistics:
| Miles 1-5 | 9:24 | 9:36 | 8:28 | 9:06 | 9:12 |
| Miles 6-10 | 9:04 | 9:25 | 9:11 | 9:09 | 9:06 |
| Miles 11-15 | 9:19 | 9:23 | 9:52 | 10:05 | 10:25 |
| Miles 16-20 | 11:05 | 11:19 | 11:40 | 12:14 | 12:28 |
| Miles 21-25 | 13:52 | 17:09 | 12:01 | 12:29 | 11:16 |
| Miles 26-End | 12:00 | 2:14 |
- Finishing Time: 4:40:32
- Average Pace: 10:42/mile
- First Half: 2:01:14 Second Half: 2:39:18
- Fastest Mile: #3 (8:28) Slowest Mile: #22 (17:09)
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