Trailbreaker Recap (the second time around)

I wasn't sure exactly what to expect when I toed the line in Waukesha. I felt like I was in pretty good shape, but I had two things working against me. First, there was an extended period of time during winter (when my daughter was born) during which I was not running. Secondly, the longest training run I had in the weeks before the race was only 16 miles. My preference is 20 or more. Still, I set a reasonable goal of improving on the time I ran four years ago, which was 4:14:44.

The temperature was above freezing, so I probably could have survived without tights, but I wanted to be comfortably warm. Another highlight of my race attire was a new long-sleeved green shirt that I found on clearance for $3 at Target. I really don't need more running shirts, as I get one at every race I run, but sometimes a new look means a new attitude. Either that, or I collect dri-fit shirts the same way others collect shoes.

Anyway, I felt pretty good in the early going, averaging about 9:15 for the first ten miles, which was about fifteen seconds per mile faster than my 2007 effort. Mom and Dad were following me around the course with the same expert navigational skill that has benefitted me at past races. Mom was on the ball with my goody bag full of Accelerade, GU, and sport beans. Jenelle and Eliana were getting some extra sleep and having a relaxing day at home.

I reached the Ice Age Trail portion of the course feeling pretty good. Even though I had run this exact course before, I was surprised by the difficulty. There's a lot of fairly steep hills, and it's silly to run up them. It's best to walk and conserve your energy. And of course, take your time on the steps leading up to the tower and the steps on the tower. I recorded a movie of my climb up the stairs, and Dad was waiting for me at the top to take a picture. Nice work.

After a very short break at the bottom of the tower, I made my way back toward the Glacial Drumlin Trail and the main section of the course. I was eager to be done with the Ice Age portion, but I still wanted something left for the remaining 10+ miles of the race. When I finally got back on the nice, flat, crushed gravel surface, I was still feeling it. I took it easy for miles 16-18, hoping that I could somehow regain some energy.

As I was about to accelerate and get back on track towards my goal, I passed a runner in distress. He was still moving fairly well, but I could tell he was in pain. I asked him if he was okay. I'll summarize his response by stating that he had a chafing issue. I asked if he could use some Body Glide (an anti-chafing lubricant), and he nodded.

I ran ahead of him a little bit as I pulled the cell phone out of my jacket and called my parents. At the next aid station, which wasn't too far ahead, they handed me my container of Body Glide, which I had stashed in the running bag in the trunk of the car. The distressed runner was not that far behind me, so I slowed down until he caught up to me. When I held the container up to hand it over, he seemed very surprised, exclaiming, "Are you serious?!" "Oh, yeah, don't worry about it -- it's yours now." He thanked me as I zoomed on ahead. I saw him after the race, and he said that my gift "saved his life." Wow.

That last bit of running at a relaxed pace gave me the strength I needed to fly to the finish. I completed mile 19 in 8:17 -- my fastest mile of the race. Each of the next three miles was also under nine minutes (8:58, 8:30, 8:48). There is an amazing thrill to having the energy to go fast in the latter part of a marathon. It may have something to do with the excitement of passing runners one after another, or perhaps it's just the relief of knowing that you didn't go too fast early on.

With a mile or two to go, I could tell that I was going to beat my time from four years ago. The final pleasant surprise was when the finish showed up about a quarter of a mile sooner than I thought it would -- apparently the mile 25 post wasn't quite accurate. I finished in 4:08:53. Given the challenge of the middle portion of the course, this feels just as successful as a four-hour marathon on any other course.

Miles 1-5	8:54	9:01	8:55	9:11	9:03
Miles 6-10	9:16	9:24	9:30	9:22	9:34
Miles 11-15	9:40	8:56	10:28	14:21	10:48
Miles 16-20	9:50	10:08	9:08	8:17	8:58
Miles 21-25	8:30	8:48	9:34	9:12	9:10
Miles 26-End	8:57	1:58

• Average Pace: 9:30/mile
• First half: 2:02:48 Second half: 2:06:05
• Fastest Mile: #19 (8:17) Slowest Mile: #14 (14:21)
• Race Photos