My puppy dog look at the start line.
Lots of people.
Waiting to funnel through the start mat.
I only got about 5 hours of sleep that night. We got up at 4 AM just to suck back some coffee, eat breakfast and sort everything out. We parked at the zoo and walked to the start line in the cool morning air. The weather was sunny and warm (eventually) but not too hot. I got to chat briefly with busy as a bee Dawn, and she took my photo at the start line too.
Dawn Henry taking time out from her busy morning to wish me luck.
I felt pretty good at the start of the race. My pace hovered somewhere between 7 and 8 minutes per km. We ran past a part of the zoo in the beginning. The sun was still low and we ran in the shade beside what I remember to be the zoo fence. From the depths of the greenery behind that fence came animal calls and other sounds. Some runners voiced aloud what I was thinking: It sounded exactly like a bunch of velociraptors from Jurassic Park hunting us.
I didn’t have any trouble with hydration since there were so many aid stations, one every 3 kilometers! Everything was going very well and my initial nervousness and anxiety faded quickly. Hmmm…things are pretty blurry in my memory after that up until kilometer 19 when I began to have doubts whether I could finish at all. My big toe was packing it in yet again, and my right knee began to threaten. Then my left knee joined in. But I ignored those and managed to somehow ward off the knee kinks. Not much I could do about my big toe though, except not push off it so much.
I managed to see Karen Cooksley who was calling out times at the half way point. She was great, all smiles and she gave me a hug. My time at the half was about 2:45:13. But I knew that pace would not last. I really began to have thoughts of not being able to make it. I was falling apart. Nevertheless in spite of slowing down a whole lot, I managed to finish anyway, walking a lot, especially after the 30 km point.
Karen Cooksley heading out to her station located at the 21 km mark.
At that point all discipline went out the window and I abandoned my run ten walk one strategy. There was this woman who was walking the marathon and we played leapfrog for a while. I remember telling her how impressed I was that she could walk faster than I could run. She was amazing. She made it look so easy, like she was strolling through the park or something. Very fast! I don’t even think she was race-walking, it looked like just a fast-paced walk to me! After I began walking she easily left me behind. I think she was Suzanne Murray from Port Alberni, BC who finished in 5:43:46 gun time.
Suzanne Murray getting ready to pick me off - well done Suzanne!
The signs said that the roads would be re-opening to traffic at 12:30 at which time the runners would have to move onto the sidewalks, but the police began opening the roads up to traffic at 11:30. I ran for a while with one man who was complaining bitterly about that and he seemed to be quite upset. I sort of slowed down a bit so he would move on and he did. I had no problem with it myself. Except for the fact that I had to wait for the traffic lights to change at 3 intersections, but even then I didn’t have to wait long. That’s what we slow folk deal with all the time, so it’s no big deal.
All of us back of the packers were in a great deal of pain by that time and no one was moving that well or fast.
Ouch! The pain begins...
Marilyn helped out a lot dealing with the car and handing me another water bottle on route. She took all the pictures.
I crossed the finish line after 6:13:30 gun time, or 6:07:44 chip time. Official rules state that gun time should be used. So you can see that it took me about 5 minutes after the gun time to get to the start line. This was slower than my last marathon by 10 minutes or so. So I was faster in the half but blew it in the second half. And – I got another shiny thing!
Crossing the finish line.
Another Shiny Thing to add to my collection!
You did it!!!
Good for you!
Great job on your race, John! Now I understand the tentative look your face had as you approached the halfway mat. You weren’t so tentative about the hug (or maybe you were) as you were about your ability to finish. You did it, though. Atta boy.
Good choice to slow down and let that grumpy guy go ahead. You didn’t need to be around his negativity.
Thanks to MM for the great hugs and pictures! It was really nice to see you both again.
I’m not discouraged by any means. I will run more marathons. The only bad thing about meeting you and Sarah at a pre-marathon meal was that we couldn’t have any wine. It was a whirlwind tour, as is usual in my case. Thanks again for your support. My next race is a wee 5Peaks race in Devon June 13th. It’s only 14 or 16 km.
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Way to go, John!
Aren’t the Calgary Girls amazing??
Hello John,
I came across your blog/pics as I was searching for any online photos of the marathon.
Yes indeed that is me from Port Alberni. I do “powerwalk” marathons and ultramarathons and I am usually able to keep up with many runners.
Even though you didn’t see me in the stands, I was at the end and was cheering you on as you crossed the finished line. Way to go.
Perhaps we’ll meet again at another marathon.
Suzanne
Hello John,
I thought this sent the first time but it doesn’t appear so, so I’ll rewrite.
I got a kick out of finding myself in your marathon blog while searching to see if there were any marathon photos online.
That is indeed me, from Port Alberni, who was walking behind you in your picture.
I do power walk marathons and ultramarathons. I usually try to find “walking” ones only, but they are few and far between. The calgary marathon said walkers welcome, however I have to agree with the guy who you were talking about in your blog, they opened the roads sooner than they had said, and I didn’t like waiting at traffic lights and I wasn’t even sure where to go. Oh well, we all finished and were successful and I guess that is what counts.
Congratulations on finishing!
Nice to hear from you Suzanne! (First-time comments are moderated and I just got to them now). We’ve been to Port Alberni a few times and once considered moving there.
I too thought I might have made a few wrong turns towards the end of the marathon because we were moved off the roads and onto the paths – and I have to tell you that as a regular back of the pack runner, it can get pretty lonely out there sometimes. I would have been mighty upset if I had missed the route and not been able to finish! I crave my shiny things, after all, LOL!
Ya, I thought you were pretty amazing. I was actually surprised when I saw you in the stands and I appreciated that you cheered me on. I did wave at you, but I guess it was lost in the shuffle. I’d love to meet you again at another marathon. Who can say if we will? That’s what I like about the future, there is so much stuff to experience, I’m quite dizzy with anticipation, ha ha!
Congratulations!
I came upon your blog via Karen. That “Shiny Thing” was not easy to come by last Sunday! Smart move on your strategy and determination! That makes you a winner! I, too, earned a “Shiny Thing” that same day.
Keep up the great work with your running!