On October 27th, 2019 I finished the Marine Corps Marathon! This was a bucket list race and so much more! So much more....
Back in March I decided I needed to set some goals so I would get my fat ass out on the trails and roads running again. My grief from losing a really good friend had really taken it's toll. I needed something positive to help pull me out of the grief cycle. I don't think we ever stop grieving or missing those who have gone before us but we eventually learn to live with the grief. That's what running has helped me do, most days anyway. It helped that my friend was a big fan of my running. (My twin sister is my biggest fan, but my friend was a close second!) She teased me relentlessly about it. Ie,
"why are you running if no one is chasing you?" kind of thing. Which in her world meant that she cared about you. If Leigh wasn't giving you hell for something, then you weren't her friend. Yeah, she was weird like that. I guess that's why we got along so well! At any rate, on March 27th I found out I get a lottery spot in the Marine Corps Marathon. I was pretty excited and nervous! It has been a bucket list race for quite some time...but I was way out of shape and I knew it wasn't going to be easy training for a marathon. It would be my 3rd marathon so it's not like I didn't know what I was getting in to....
It was actually my 3rd time getting in the lottery. The first time I got in was in 2012. I ended up not running it that year because of the fire that rocked my world on Feb 23, 2012. I lost a lot that year, including my desire to run. But with the help of many family, friends and one very special kitty, I recovered from that disaster and found running again
but not in time to prepare adequately for the MCM so I sold my entry to another participant (MCM allows this within a specific window of time so this was acceptable). I was selected through the lottery again in 2015 and even raised money to help a charity focused on reducing suicide in law enforcement. The money still went to charity (thank you everyone who donated!) but unfortunately I tore my hamstring and was told in August by the physician treating me that I needed to withdrawal. I was pretty disappointed to have gained entry twice and to withdrawal twice.
In March of this year I decided to give it one more try. If I got a lottery entry I would run, if I didn't then no big deal as I hadn't told anyone I was thinking about it. I had decided that if I got an entry I was going to run in memory of my friend. She was a police officer and unfortunately she lost her battle with ptsd. A fairly new organization called #1istoomany focuses on reducing suicide in law enforcement. They added Leigh's badge number to their memory wall. I would use the badge from the memory wall to design a shirt. If the shirt helped even one person who might be struggling then it was worth the effort. Or so I hoped....
The black didn't come out too well on the shirt so I made a slight adjustment and this is how the shirt I would wear on race day came out:
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| front |
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| back |
I began running in March to build a base with the idea that I would follow a more detailed plan when I got 18 weeks out. Since I really hadn't run much at all the past year I knew I needed to slowly build the miles up before starting Hal Higdon's Novice 2 Marathon plan in June. I had used it before to complete the Chicago Marathon in 2014 so I knew it would get me to the finish line. I battled a few aches through the plan but nothing major like the hamstring tear in 2015. The heat was another story. Wow did I struggle to run in the heat, including a dismal attempt at running the Patriots Run half marathon on 9/11. Despite the aches and pains and heat, I completed most of the training plan and felt confident going in to race day. I wasn't hoping for a PR. I knew I wasn't in shape to get a PR, and I really just wanted to run to enjoy the race and all it has to offer. I was confident I would finish in a respectable time. Mother nature had other plans! Wow did she have other plans!
The weather forecast leading up to race day said rain. I actually like running in the rain and the temps were going to be mild (50s) so I was okay with this. However, as race day got closer the chance of rain went from 40% up to 100% and the temps were rising with the forecast. It was now expected to be in the 60s at start and 70s for most of us finishing later in the day. This sparked a text message from the race director to participants to hydrate and slow your pace as needed. Not exactly what you want to see leading up to race day!
I arrived in DC on Friday so I could go to packet pickup and the expo 2 days ahead of time instead of the day before the race. The expo was uneventful. Why the expo was clear in Maryland at National Harbor I have no idea. The race didn't go by National Harbor. At any rate, it was quite a little jaunt to get there. Had to walk to the metro then take the train for several stops before catching a shuttle bus to the actual location. I managed to get in, pick up my bib/race packet and then get out without spending any $. Hard to believe I didn't spend any $ as there were several vendors. Lots of people on a fb group I participate in spent a lot of $. I just didn't see anything I had to have. Plus I don't like buying finisher stuff until I actually finish. Maybe I didn't want to jinx the race? Who knows. Anyway, got back to the hotel and ordered pasta in. Wanted to rest especially after noticing I had walked 17000 steps that day. Oops! Maybe I was contemplating buying stuff after all?
Saturday afternoon, Krissi arrived. She drove so she could stop in WV to visit family. After taking forever to find a parking spot in hotel parking lot (the world series was in town!), we went to the hotel bar restaurant and had dinner while watching part of the nats-stros baseball game. I got back to my room early, set out flat Kathi for the morning and then headed to bed. I didn't sleep much but who does the night before a race!
Race day arrived and yep, it was raining. It was a dark and dreary walk to the start line! I didn't know where I was going, so I just followed the mass of people wearing rain gear and/or trash bags. I peeked at a few to see if they had the same bib as I did so I knew if I was going in the right direction! There was also a 10k and 50k going on as part of MCM weekend but they had a different starting location than the marathon. Once I was confident I was heading the right direction, I just fell in line with everyone else. I set out early because it was suggested to arrive early to get through security. Lines in the past had been long but not race day. The rain apparently motivated the marines to be quick in their searches as we went through. Don't get me wrong, I felt completely secure, was just surprised how quickly we got through the line considering the stories I heard about the need to get there early. Once inside Runners Village (about a mile walk from my hotel), there wasn't much to do. You could use one of the many port a potty's located around the area or you could head to the start (another 3/4 miles away) or you could hang out until it was time to head to the start. I found a tent and crammed in with other runners in an attempt to stay dry and get some fuel in before race start. I was hoping to find a place to sit prior to the race rather than stand
for an hour waiting for the howitzer to go off. Unfortunately the rain
made it nearly impossible to find a dry place to sit so I ended up
standing like everyone else. This turned out to be a mistake. By time
the race started, my back was hurting. Not how I wanted to start my first MCM!
I managed to make it to Runners Village in time for the 6:45 prayer service. It was led
by a young marine minister. He did his best to humor us while praying
for a safe race for participants, race officials and spectators. After
the prayer service, I headed off towards the start. As promised there
were more port a potty's on the way which allowed for one final stop
before the race began.
Due to the weather, several planned activities for the pre-race
ceremony were cancelled with exception of the presentation of colors and
the national anthem. I was in line at a port a potty when the national anthem was being sung. Oops. We all turned so we were looking towards the start and remained silent while the anthem was being sung. Even potty breaks must wait for the national anthem!
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| Presentation of colors at start |
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| Live broadcast crew trying to stay dry |
Shortly after the conclusion of the national anthem (and my quick stop in the port a potty) the howitzer was fired and off we went! I probably should have been further back as I got passed by a lot of runners. I started on the left side as I heard previously that less people start over there and sure enough, they were correct. I think because of this I ended up being farther up than I intended which is why I got passed by so many runners during the first mile. Sorry if I impeded anyone! If you were worried about making the cutoffs, it was recommended by previous participants to start on the left side for this very reason. It gave you about 5-10 minutes for your cushion since cutoffs were determined by the last runner through the start.
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| Starting corral shortly before howitzer is fired. My last picture before my phone died. Thanks mother nature! |
Here are some photos from the race. These are not my photos but rather race photos and/or photos
from others in a facebook group I participate in. They said it was okay to share so I am sharing! My phone died early on thanks
to the rain. Apparently quite a few phones died in the rain....
The rain actually let up some at the start which made the start of the race exciting and fun. Tons of marines were in the start area to shout encouragement and provide high fives.
The race starts out in front of Arlington National Cemetery and heads north to Rosslyn where a few hills greet runners. I read the reports from runners who had run MCM previously to take it easy on the hills so I did. These hills were no worse than what I trained on. I didn't know what my pace was because my phone was already acting up. I knew I wasn't pushing it though. Later found out I was about 13 min pace. I was a little surprised by that as my last few training runs were in the 10:30-11 range and I didn't feel like I was going too slow but apparently I was. I didn't have a goal time though. My only goal was to finish. As long as I didn't get swept I would be happy. There were 3 points on the course we had to make before a specific cut off time or we would be swept off the course and could continue on the sidewalks but would not be included in the official race results. I really wanted to beat these cutoffs and honestly wasn't too concerned about the times based on how my training went.
The rain really picked up as we were heading to Georgetown. I don't recall all the locations we passed and not being from DC, I wasn't familiar with all the locations. I do know that in Georgetown I saw some Red Cross volunteers. I wasn't close enough to high five them but being a RC volunteer it was cool to see Red Cross out on the course supporting runners. My back was really starting to bother me so any motivation at that point was good.
We followed Rock Creek parkway for a while on an out and back section. It was a scenic drive which I am sure would have been much prettier and enjoyable if the sky hadn't opened up again for another downpour! The stone covered bridges were pretty cool though. By this time in the race, my phone was dead. I wasn't following any sort of plan as far as walk/run was concerned since I didn't have a way to time my intervals so I ran when I felt like it and walked when I needed to. My back was really starting to bother me so I was walking more than running now.
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| It was dark and rainy during much of the first half of the race. |
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| There were so pretty amazing runners who pushed an angel with them from start to finish. Amazing! |
I want to thank all the runners for the laughs during different sections of the course. So many people running off the side of the road to pee! Some women were spotted jumping behind bushes to do their business while the guys just got far enough off course to not be arrested for indecent exposure when they whipped it out. Oy... it was a funny sight!
The Marine Corps Marathon is aptly nicknamed the “Marathon of the
Monuments.”
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| One of many monuments we passed! |
I am sure I missed a few of the monuments but I do recall going by the capital of course but also by the Kennedy Center and then by the Lincoln Memorial Bridge before heading in to West Potomac Park. The steady rain was causing some flash flooding in the park. At one point the water was half way up my lower leg! Some people were trying to move up to higher ground instead of slopping through the water but discovered the mud was harder to navigate. I just stayed on course and slogged through the water. My shoes were already drenched so I didn't see the point in trying to avoid it. And when I mean slog, that meant walk. It was nearly impossible to run through this much water. Some people even jokingly got down and pretended to swim. We were soaking wet by this point that getting in to the water to pretend to swim didn't make them any wetter!
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| Swimming anyone? |
Next up was the blue mile. I had heard about the blue mile. It's a mile on the course where fallen service members are commemorated in photographs along the roadway decorated with American Flags. Family members and friends of the fallen would often stop at the picture of their loved one and spend a moment before moving on. As I was going through this section, the rain was steady but not terrible. It was quiet with exception to feet hitting the ground until I heard 2 voices coming up from behind me. The voices I heard were 2 runners saying every name on every photograph they passed by. One would say the name and the other would repeat it. It was very emotional hearing and seeing them do this. I would be lying if I said I didn't have a tear or two fall from my eyes. Of course with the rain, nobody noticed! I also thought of my dear friend during this section. No, she wasn't military and she didn't die in the line of duty but she was a police officer and she struggled with ptsd. So many of our military also struggle and I couldn't help but think of her and all of them. Those who died by suicide weren't remembered in the blue mile but maybe they should be. So many of our service members die by their own hand at home because they don't get the support they need. Sadly this is true of our first responders too. This was an emotional mile for me, I can't imagine how emotional it was for those who knew one of the fallen remembered in the blue mile! As you finish up the blue mile you are greeted by family members and marines lined up to cheer you on. Lots of high fives were given through here. It's meant to bring you up in case you were too emotional during the blue mile (and if you haven't been through the blue mile before, trust me, you will get emotional during the blue mile!). I was so happy to see the support and high fived so many people. You would be surprised how many people were out on the course cheering despite the rain! Oh and if there was a kid holding out their hand to give a high five, I did my darndest to get over to them to high five! I can't say enough how awesome it is to have people cheering for you during a marathon!
Speaking of cheering, my sister was out along the course and managed to get a few pics of me. She ended up getting my back side around mile 3 (5k) I think. But missed me at mile 6 (10k). She was following me on the MCM app which allowed you to follow a runner. The app said I was crushing it. Ha ha, stupid app! I did manage to pick up my pace the 2nd 5k which is why she missed me at the 10k mark. Sorry! It went downhill from there though.... no more crushing it despite what the app said!
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| I'm over on the right side which is why I didn't see Krissi. She was on the other side of the road. |
The
first cutoff to beat was "the Gauntlet" at mile 17. I was already in a
walk/run pattern at this point due to my back hurting but made it
through the cut off with no problems. I had a brief visit to the medical tent around mile 15. Got some extra strength Tylenol and kept going. My back wasn't going to keep me from finishing (so I hoped!) but I needed something to take the edge off. The next cutoff was coming up and that was my focus. It was around mile 18 that I actually saw Krissi. It helped that she ran across the street right in front of me, lol! I feel bad that I didn't actually see Krissi until around mile
18. I heard someone whistling and thought that might have been her but
she said nope. Sorry sis! Thanks for being out there for me, I
appreciate it!!! Although I didn't always see you, I knew you were out
there!
I had asked Krissi prior to race start to give me m&ms and coke around mile 22 because I figured it wouldn't be too hard for her to find me in Crystal City. She found me a little early but that's okay. As luck would have it, it stopped raining a few miles earlier and was now starting to heat up. I grabbed the m&ms, took a sip of coke and headed towards the bridge. I look way too happy in this pic. Must be the drugs finally kicked in!
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| m&ms and coke! |
After the mall is "Beat the Bridge" which is essentially miles 20-21. It was hot at this point and there were no water stops on the bridge. They did provide water coolers and if you had a cup or bottle you could refill. I saw some people lean over and get drinks directly from the spicket. Eww... I had a cup with me that was intended for this very purpose. I carried it in a pocket until I needed it and was glad I had it. This was a very tough portion of the race. I knew I was well ahead of cutoff times so I wasn't worried despite my pace not going as well as hoped but it was hot and I knew I didn't do well in the heat. My nutrition was going okay (rain can be a distraction and I admittedly missed some of my times for fueling but made up for it as soon as I realized I did) and I wasn't having trouble with dehydration. My time was slow but I was doing fine. I was lucky. So many were not...
There were many people on the side of the road. Sitting, laying down, stretching, struggling... Several people needed medical attention and would not finish the race. The marines were great about helping people. If you were in distress, a marine was there by your side to help you with whatever you needed whether it was water, medical attention, assistance stretching or a just some encouragement. Many didn't finish the race, but so many more did thanks to the marines. I made a point to take my time across the bridge. I walked. I drank water. I ate some m&ms. I talked with other runners. I spent a few minutes talking with a retired marine/retired firefighter. He was doing his 29th MCM. Wow! I'm actually more impressed that he was a retired marine and a retired firefighter but running that many MCMs is pretty incredible too! I thanked him for his service and we eventually split off from each other. I would end up finishing ahead of him but only because he was reduced to walking the rest of the way. I actually found my legs and was able to run on and off for the last few miles.
After the bridge came the final cutoff called the “Crystal City Gauntlet” at mile 22. I knew where that cutoff was because it was right near the hotel I was staying in. It was great to have marines telling you it was coming up. Some actually joked that there was a surprise around the corner but they weren't going to tell us what. The high fives through here were awesome. Such a great pick me up when needed! I passed that cutoff with plenty of time to spare and never did see the struggle bus (the bus that picks up runners who don't make the cutoffs. It transports them to the finish if they choose not to continue running as an unofficial runner.) Miles 22-24 were hot, hot, hot. Crystal City tried its best to make up for it though!
I had a shot of beer just before entering Crystal City. Damn did it taste good! The cheering fans near and in Crystal City were incredible! And the treats offered were wonderful. These weren't official aid stations (there were plenty of official aid stations on the course). These were people who were very familiar with the Marine Corps Marathon and came out to cheer and support the runners. This really was the "People's Marathon". I passed on the fireball shots. Wasn't sure my stomach could handle it but did not pass on the fries. Hot salty fries may not sound good near the end of a marathon but they were wonderful! I sweat a lot. I try to replenish the salt by taking salt tablets but due to the rain I didn't take them on a regular basis like I should have. The rain fools you in to thinking you aren't as hot as you really are and that you don't need to hydrate as much. This is probably partly why so many people didn't finish the race. Those fries were so good! A life saver really. I am not sure if it was the fries or the supportive people but I started running again instead of just walking like I had through the bridge. It was a run/walk but it was better than just walking!
Did I mention how great the spectators were? The people dressed up in animal costumes cheering were awesome! They were around mile 20. At this point in any marathon you need encouragement so to hear and see the enthusiasm from this group was amazing! The giraffe is the most memorable. He was holding a sign that said "Fuck Yeah". Apparently he is part of a group in DC called November Project that goes to races dressed up in costume to cheer runners. How cool is that? Here is a pic of them from a previous race with the various signs they hold up. Not my pic, but rather a pic provided in the facebook group I participate in specifically for MCM participants (not an official MCM page).
Other memorable signs during the race:
"Worst parade ever!"
“You run better than the government.”
“Black toes nails are sexy”
"Hurry Up, I am getting bored"
"Can you hurry up already, it's raining!"
"Even humpty dumpty had a problem with the wall" - she was dressed up as a sunnyside egg.
"I trained for months to hold this sign" - this one made me laugh.
"Tap this if you want energy boost" - a guy literally cut across the street just to tap this sign. He then apologized to everyone he cut in front of because he said he really needed to tap the sign and thank the person for being out in the rain cheering. I think I chuckled more at that than most of the signs. It's the little things that sometimes get us through the tough times. Anyone who says running a marathon isn't tough, hasn't run a marathon.
“I SEE CRAZY PEOPLE!”
"Stop reading signs, this is a race!"
"The End is Far." - this was early on in the race, maybe 3 miles in.
"Today is the perfect day to pee yourself" - this had to be a runner or triathlete!
"Who FARTLEK'd?"
“Be the runner your dog thinks you are!” - Leigh would have laughed at this one!
“It’s not rain, it’s confetti from the sky!”
"You think running a marathon is tough? Try dating in DC."
"You won the wrong lottery!" - ha ha, yep that's what I was thinking when I read this one!
"Where the hell is everyone going?"
“$180 for this marathon... still $49.50 to go" - around mile 20.
“The Kenyans are already drinking the beer”
"You’re almost there... Fake News!"
“Make Chaffing great again”
"All toenails go to heaven" - two young girls were holding the sign
"Run now, wine later"
“This is a lot of effort just for a free banana” - I am pretty sure I said "no shit!"
"Your stamina is impressive... want my number"
"You look better than my last bumble date"
"Are you looking at my wiener?" - Lady dressed up on hot dog costume
"I'm very proud of you perfect stranger!" - loved this one! It was just so appropriate for the day.
"Just keep swimming!" & “Nice Job Swimmers! Keep Going” - obviously made the signs on race day as they were so appropriate!
"short cut” - this sign was pointing to the river. considering it was pouring and flooding when I passed this sign it was good timing and placement of the sign!
“Fireball shots” & "bad decisions made here" - I passed on the fireball shots but it sure was tempting!
"Smile if you’re a bad ass" and other similar signs. very true considering the conditions!
"Smile if you aren't wearing underwear"
“it’s raining, no one will know that you peed”
"Did you poop today?" but with the emoji rather than word poop. If you are a runner you know the significance of this!
Oh and this sign partly sums up the race for me:
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| Not me pictured but the sign is perfect. |
Okay back to my run. I tend to think to myself "take it one mile at a time" and that's definitely true the last 10k of a marathon. The first 20 miles are hard but it's the last 10k that determines if you will make it to the finish. Some people even think of the last 10k as the beginning of the race with the first 20 miles being the warm up. At any rate, in the MCM once you get through Crystal City it gets rough. There are only a few miles left but it's quiet. There aren't many spectators. The road is boring. You just want to be done. I was so happy to see the 24 mile sign, then the 25 mile sign.
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| Near the finish. Such a beautiful sight! |
Just like I did in Chicago, even though I didn't feel like running, I was determined to finish the race running, not walking. I was running more, walking less as I got closer to the finish. It's hard to start running again after walking so much. I had really walked a lot during the second half of the race but thankfully I wasn't cramping or having other issues like so many other runners were. Mile 25 was the moment for me when I knew I was going to cross the finish line running, not walking.
Unfortunately because of the rain, the finish sign collapsed and I wouldn't get to see it. That was a bummer as I was so looking forward to it!
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| What the finish line should have looked like! |
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| Marines tried holding up the sign but decided it wasn't safe for them or the runners. It was completely gone by time I finished. It was moved to the side which actually made finding the finish line a little difficult until you actually crossed the mat. Many people didn't realize they finished until they got in to the finisher chutes past the finish line. |
So many people were walking that it was difficult to start running again. I had to zig zag through people. But once I passed the 25 mile sign I wasn't going to stop. I knew it would be hard to start up again if I did. So I zigged and zagged until I could hear the finish area. The cheers were getting louder and I could hear the announcer saying names and congratulating finishers. This is one of the many reasons why I don't wear headphones in a race. I want to hear and experience what's around me.
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| Marines encouraging runners to the finish line. |
I knew the finish line was approaching long before I saw it. And that's a good thing because the finish is up a hill! I was cooked. The last .2 in a marathon is so hard. Who puts the finish of a marathon up a hill? Thanks MCM! The marines though, they are awesome! They line the finish and shout encouragement to get you up the hill. They want you to finish what you started! I can't explain it. Maybe it was because I knew I was going to finish, maybe it was the marines shouting encouragement or maybe it was my friend with me in spirit (I swear I felt her with me during portions of the race), but I made the turn and sprinted up the hill to the finish mat! It was incredible! As I crossed the finish mat I tapped the badge # on my chest, pointed to the sky and said "this was for you!"
I moved in to the finish chute to get my medal. Getting a medal at the MCM is like no other race. A marine salutes you then places the medal around your neck. He said congratulations and I thanked him for his service. I wish my phone hadn't died as I really would have liked to have gotten a picture of me with the marine that placed the medal around my neck as so many others did. I will always remember that moment though. Made the race so worth it!
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| I can't believe I am smiling. Such a great moment! |
I don't usually buy the official race photos but I made an exception this time. The pic above is me just after I got my medal. The marine who gave it to me is just behind my left shoulder. It's the closest I could get to having a picture of me with the marine. I ordered a plaque so I could put this picture in it for a keepsake of the race. Again, not something I usually do but then again this wasn't just another race. This was special.
After getting through the finish chute I wound my way through the festivities (you could get a beer, buy finisher merchandise, take pics in front of Iwo Jima monument, etc) to find my sister. She found me before I got to the family link up area. Pretty sure she was ready to get out of there and back to the hotel as I was!
Some photos of the finish area:
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| Iwo Jima monument. There was an area in front of it where you could get a finisher picture. |
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| My sister was kind enough to get me some watermelon before they ran out! |
Your first marathon is something you never forget and I will always
remember my 1st (Quad Cities Marathon 2011). Ironically that race was run in the rain too! Not quite as bad as MCM though. I was sick during my 2nd
marathon in Chicago. Let's just say I visited many of the porta
pottys on that course! I guess I thought I needed to do another one to
prove to myself I can complete this distance and maybe even PR. The
Marine Corps Marathon was not going to be about PRing though. Maybe I'll try again one day. This race was so much more than chasing PRs. I wish my phone didn't die so early. There were so many moments I wanted
to capture. I have the memories but the trick is to keep the memories
alive. Guess that's why I am writing this race report. To help remember
this run.
This incredible run.
It wasn't pretty and it wasn't fast, but I
completed my mission. It was fitting that the conditions were so tough. I ran this race in memory of Leigh and I am pretty sure she was with me race day and
pushed me up the final hill to the finish. Miss you friend!
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| Leigh Brooks |
