Sunburst Marathon Recap

On Our Way
On the afternoon of Friday, June 4, my dad and I made the 3+ hour drive to South Bend, Indiana. I picked up my race packet just outside the College Football Hall of Fame, which is also where the race started on Saturday morning. In what has become a pre-marathon tradition for me, I enjoyed pasta at a nearby Fazoli's for dinner.

Pre-Race Routine
As I went out for a warm-up around 4:30 a.m. on Saturday, I noticed that it was already warm (about 70 degrees). When I signed up to run a marathon in June, I knew that I probably wouldn't be setting a new personal best. Considering the temperature and the relative ease at which I was warmed up, I decided that four hours was a reasonable goal. Dad and I made it to the start area with plenty of time to spare. I ate a Clif bar, used the restroom, and stretched out a bit before joining other runners at the start. After a lone trumpeter played the national anthem, the gun went off, and I was on my way!

Here's a link to the marathon course map in PDF format.

Mile 1 - 9:25
16 seconds behind goal pace
The opening mile was set up perfectly for my dad to get two videos of me running by. I waved to him shortly after crossing the start line. The course ventured south, then west for two blocks, then north again, and I waved to Dad one more time. I settled into an easy pace. It seemed like hundreds of runners were passing me, but I figured they all had a case of mile-one adrenaline, also known as a "jackrabbit" start. I hoped to be passing most of them further along the course.

Mile 2 - 9:02 - Total 18:27
Nine seconds behind goal pace
The first aid station was at the 1.5-mile mark. I wasn't overly thirsty, but I had a cup of Gatorade anyways, trying to fight off any dehydration issues that usually arise on days this warm. I picked up the pace a bit as well, wanting to stay as close to goal pace as possible.

Mile 3 - 9:09 - Total 27:36
Eight seconds behind goal pace
Race officials set up a flag system to keep us aware of course conditions. I don't remember the exact wording of each, but here's a basic description:
GREEN = All systems go.
YELLOW = Heat is a factor. Proceed with caution.
RED = Extreme heat. Increased risk of dehydration.
BLACK = Race canceled / stopped -- timing is turned off.
I was pleased to see a green flag just past the mile marker.

Mile 4 - 9:22 - Total 36:58
21 seconds behind goal pace
As I meandered north on Riverside Drive, I was officially on the first "out" of the two out-and-backs on the marathon course. I stayed on the left side of the road and caught a glimpse of the leaders zooming by on the other side. I'm always impressed by how far ahead they are, even this early in the race. I continued to run conservatively, taking some extra walking time at an aid station to preserve my energy.

Mile 5 - 8:59 - Total 45:57
Eleven seconds behind goal pace
We looped though a quaint neighborhood north of the city. I felt pretty good and didn't have any major concerns at this point. Onward!

Mile 6 - 9:02 - Total 54:59
Mile 7 - 9:11 - Total 1:04:10
Six seconds behind goal pace
We continued north into Pinhook Park and reached the northernmost point of the course. I started my non-liquid fuel intake at this point, which consisted of Sport Beans and GU. I had one serving every 2-3 miles from this point through the end of the race. I was now on the first "back" part of the course and running at a comfortable but steady pace.

Mile 8 - 9:08 - Total 1:13:18
Mile 9 - 9:07 - Total 1:22:25
Two seconds behind goal pace
With over a third of the race complete, I was still feeling great. I was thrilled to see my dad again, who gave me a cool bottle of Accelerade and lots of positive encouragement. If you are ever a spectator at a race, do not underestimate how much you can help the participants. Words of support are more beneficial than you think!

Mile 10 - 8:37 - Total 1:31:02
Mile 11 - 9:58 - Total 1:41:00
19 seconds behind goal pace
Though mile 10 was one of my fastest of the day, I made up for it in mile 11 by making a "pit stop". Since I was slowed extensively by dehydration in my first marathon, I've always erred on the other side, especially on hot days. My personal experience is that it is more comfortable to over-hydrate and take a minute break than to under-hydrate and cramp up late in the race. In this particular situation, the wait was minimal, and I didn't mind the rest break at all.

Mile 12 - 9:24 - Total 1:50:24
34 seconds behind goal pace
As the summer sun continued to rise, I noticed a yellow flag on the course. I did my best to conserve energy before reaching the halfway point.

Mile 13 - 8:38 - Total 1:59:02
Two seconds behind goal pace
I was now entrenched in the "out" portion of the second out-and-back of the course. I wouldn't be turning around until mile 18. I grabbed a GU at the mile 13 aid station, ensuring that I'd have plenty of fuel for the second half of the race.

Mile 14 - 8:36 - Total 2:07:38
Mile 15 - 9:20 - Total 2:16:58
20 seconds ahead of goal pace
Looking at the numbers early in the second half of the race, I was going at about the same pace, on average, as the first half. However, I was now passing tired runners on a regular basis. I also saw the race leaders heading back for the finish, which still seemed so far away for me.

Mile 16 - 9:25 - Total 2:26:23
Four seconds ahead of goal pace
I saw Dad again. As usual, he was full of enthusiasm, which lifted my spirits. I traded in my empty bottle of Accelerade for a full one.
If you don't have it open already, take another look at the course map. Nearing the 16-mile mark, I could see other runners on the opposite (south) side of the river near the turnaround point.

Mile 17 - 8:44 - Total 2:35:07
29 seconds ahead of goal pace
As I continued on the north side of the river, I passed several bridges. A volunteer was stationed at each of these bridges to ensure that runners would NOT cross them and cut the course short. You can imagine how thrilled I was when I finally reached the bridge that was open for crossing.

Mile 18 - 9:24 - Total 2:44:31
15 seconds ahead of goal pace
TURNAROUND! YAY!

Mile 19 - 9:11 - Total 2:53:42
Mile 20 - 9:23 - Total 3:03:05
One measly second behind goal pace
I feared hitting the wall in the final six miles, so I took slightly longer walk breaks at aid stations. I also saw Dad one more time -- he was at the exact same spot where I saw him last time. I guess there's some advantage to laying out the course like this.
Just past where my dad was stationed, I saw a runner in distress. She was sitting on a bench, and two EMTs/paramedics were providing assistance. She was conscious, but was clearly not feeling well. As if that wasn't a serious enough reminder of the tough conditions, I saw a red flag just past the 20-mile mark.

Mile 21 - 9:03 - Total 3:12:08
Mile 22 - 9:03 - Total 3:21:11
Eleven seconds ahead of goal pace
I was getting tired, but my conservative pace in the early going was paying off. Many other runners had slowed down, but I was steadily advancing at four-hour pace. There were a few folks approaching who were still 10+ miles from being done. Hopefully, they kept up their fluid intake and made it safely to the finish.

Mile 23 - 8:56 - Total 3:30:07
Mile 24 - 9:03 - Total 3:39:10
31 seconds ahead of goal pace
I grabbed one final GU at mile 23.5. It wouldn't help during the actual race, but it would certainly benefit my post-race recovery.
I was flying past runners, many of whom were walking along. I tried to encourage folks to keep moving, with the finish just a few miles away. I could tell that it was getting even warmer. I recall wondering what motivated me to sign up for a June marathon in the first place. I guess I just wanted to check another state off my list. :)

Mile 25 - 9:13 - Total 3:48:23
Mile 26 - 9:04 - Total 3:57:27
32 seconds ahead of goal pace
I finally finished the second "out-and-back" at about mile 24.5, and I was officially on my way to the Notre Dame stadium.
Before continuing my recap, here's some background information:
The full marathon started at 6:00 a.m.
The half marathon started at 8:00 a.m.
The 5K fun walk/run started at 9:00 a.m.
All three of these events finished at the stadium.
So, you can guess what this means. There's people everywhere during the final two miles. Walkers were instructed to stay on the left half of the road, which kept them out of my way. However, on the right side were tired marathoners AND half-marathoners, so I had to weave around them. I'm sure there's a benefit to having all of the races finish at about the same time, but it didn't seem like a great idea to me at the time.

Finish - 1:45 - Total 3:59:12
I had a small digital camera that I picked up from my dad the last time I saw him. I kept it running in video mode as I entered the stadium. There was quite a crowd both on the field and in the stands. I saw Dad, who got a great video of me crossing the line (I'll get that done soon). The adrenaline of the final .22 miles allowed me to finish 48 seconds ahead of my goal time. YES! I got a pretty neat-looking finisher's medal.

Post-Race
There was a huge line to get food from a tent on the far side of the stadium, and most of the folks in line were walkers. I was pretty hungry after 26 miles 385 yards in some serious heat, so I walked right up to the tent and quickly grabbed an apple and a bagel. I didn't get a single dirty look or comment about skipping ahead in line. I guess the marathon medal has some privileges attached to it.

Heading Home
Dad and I were hoping to try a local stuffed pizza place for lunch, but it didn't open until dinner time, so we settled for a CiCi's Pizza near the hotel.
There wasn't much traffic on the way back, so we were home with plenty of time to relax and rest up for the week ahead. Thanks again, Dad, for joining me on the trip to South Bend!