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I couldn’t believe it, Marine Corps Marathon was finally here after months of anticipation from March when I signed up with Runner’s World Challenge!  I woke up Saturday morning to head down to my friend Patty’s house in Alexandria where I would be staying for the weekend.  We discussed our plan of attack for the weekend over lunch and decided it would be best that I head into DC solo and let Patty get her afternoon nap in (she’s four months pregnant) since she wouldn’t be getting one on Sunday due to spectating.  After a crash course on the DC Metro map I was off!
 
DC is easy enough to navigate and honestly, I just followed the hoards of people dressed in old race shirts and running sneakers from the Metro to the Convention Center. 
  
Entering the expo.

I probably spent more time traveling to/from the expo than I actually spent AT the expo.  I was able to head right over to the Runner’s World booth to pick up my packet and VIP wrist bands for my spectators instead of waiting in the general packet pick up line and that was awesome.  Then I headed over to the official merchandise area, but it was the afternoon of the last day of the expo so they pretty much only had things left in sizes extra small and small on the women’s side.  That was okay though, nothing really jumped out at me that I had to have anyways.
 
 
Expo!

I wandered around the expo for a little bit, spun a wheel at the Dunkin Donuts booth and won a travel coffee mug.  Then I decided I would track down the Nuun booth and replenish my supply before heading out.  I was wearing my t-shirt from the Nuunbassador virtual race, and so the guy who sold me my Watermelon and Cherry Limeade Nuun asked if I was indeed an Nuunbassador, when I said yes, he said that’s awesome, you’re getting the last MCM Nuun bottle today!  That was nice, because I was pretty sure they would all be gone by the time I got there!  After that I decided to head back to the Metro and take selfies with my bottle like a weirdo.
  
Nuunbassador Metro Selfies
 
When I got back to Patty’s house, nap time had just ended so we got ready for dinner and headed back out again.  After dinner we relaxed with some Rutgers football and then I started to lay out all of my things for the morning.  Around 10 I set my alarm for 4am and hit the hay.
 
Before I knew it my alarm was going off, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had slept rather well.  I got up, got ready, walked the dog and before I knew it I was ready to head out the door! 
   
My best 4:42am “let’s do this!” Face.

 

 Biblife

My goal was to leave by 5am and I was in my car at 4:58am so I was right on schedule, which never happens for me ha!  When I turned on the car, NSYNC was on the radio and I knew it was going to be a good day.  When I arrived at the metro, parking was easy and I was on the first train of the morning headed to the Pentagon.  I chatted with some runners on the train, and continued to chat with one on the way to the start village.  She had done Runner’s World Challenge at the WDW Marathon.  We talked about how running marathons really isn’t that fun when you think about it, and she just kept saying how she was dreading the 14th StreetBridge, hooray, something to look forward to!
 
We waited in line for about 15-20 minutes to get through security into the start village and it was really odd that they were allowing spectators and all their bags to go through.  It seemed like if they had a separate entrance for them, or didn’t allow them to go in at all that things would have been a lot quicker for the runners.  It wasn’t even crowded yet, and before 6am and the lines were already taking some time.  I wasn’t worried though because I knew I had plenty of time.  It was a little chilly though and starting to drizzle again so I just wanted to get to the Runner’s World tent!
 
I got to the Runner’s World tent just after 6am and it was nice and warm and dry and there were bagels and coffee! I was set for the next hour or so just hanging out.  They also had a private bag check for us, so I dropped off my very first checked bag at a race ever, since I knew they would transport it to the after-race reception for easy pick up.  Also, it was going to be a rainy day so I wanted to pack a change of clothes in case I needed them after the race.  After dropping my bag, I hit up the private port-a-potties and decided that the extra money I spent on the Runner’s World Challenge was well worth it.  I turned off my phone to save my battery since I knew I wouldn’t have any spectators until the second half, wrapped it up in a ziplock  bag and stowed it away and headed out into the rain to the start line.
  
Breakfast of champions.
 
I lined up between the 5:30 and 5:45pace groups.  I knew that was a bit ambitious, but not too far off my goal. I was wearing my 5:45 pace band and wanted to keep at that pace or faster for the first half, that was my goal. There seemed to be spectators lining up at the start which was odd.  I made it just in time to see the giant American flag parachute in and the Osprey’s fly over and before I knew it we were inching towards the start line. I don’t have any photos since my phone was packed away but it was awesome! Somehow our side ended up getting to the start line before the 5:30 pace group, so I was a big further up than I would have liked and knew I would end up getting sucked up into their group at some point.
 
And just like that I was off on another 26.2 mile journey, surrounded by thousands of runners who I would spend the next three miles going uphill with.  I knew we were going uphill, a lot of people were complaining about going uphill, a lot of spectators were holding signs about running uphill, but for the second week in a row, the damn hills didn’t phase me.  I didn’t realize just how uphill we were going until I looked at my elevation chart later in the day on Nike+.
 
It was crowded, and I mean, really crowded.  I was keeping all the way right, in the shoulder of the road, and people were barreling past on my right still, and being super rude, pushing and shoving people.  I wasn’t really sure why the hell this kept happening repeatedly well into mile 10, its not like I lined up with the 4 hour pace group, I was back with the 5:30 pace group.  Later I would find out it was because there were massive massive delays at the security entrance to runners village and a LOT of people started the race late. 
 
I can’t really remember much about the landmarks or what I was surrounded by, I just remember feeling really freaking great!  I wasn’t tired or winded at all.  I was chatting with other runners around me from time to time.  There were spectators everywhere.  I kept playing leap frog with a couple different groups.  Everyone seemed to be having a great time.  There were people with flags all over the place, it was just a really good time.  The rain picked up quite a bit in the early miles, but I’d say by mile 5 it was all but done.  Every time I hit a mile marker, I looked down at my 5:45 pace band and I was so on point with it.  I was running a RIDICULOUSLY consistent pace.
 
Since I can’t remember what was around me while I was running, besides lots of happy people, we’ll go ahead and recap what I ate, because, well, that’s what I was paying attention to.  I was taking a cup of water at about every other water station and nursing my bottle of Watermelon Nuun in between. Around mile six I took my first Salted Carmel Gu and downed it with some water.  At mile 9 there were ORANGES! Yes! I had two slices and then almost busted my ass on an orange peel in the road.
  
I don’t usually look this happy during races!
 
I kept on trucking and eventually we were hitting Haines Point.  I remember this part quite well because that’s where the blue mile was with the pictures of the Marines who lost their lives for our country.  I tried to read the name of each one as I passed the signs.  Shortly after this was the Cliff Shot Gel station.  I still had a Gu left, but decided to take a Cliff Shot Gel and save my Gu for later.  I had a mocha gel and it was delicious, like a cup of coffee!
 
And then BAM! I hit the half way mark! 2:51:20 was my 13.1 mile split, so much better than I ever thought possible.  I had been pacing so consistently and felt so great, while I knew I would likely lose some time in the second half, I was pretty positive I was going to come in under 6 hours which was my best case scenario goal.  At the half way point, I was even shocked that it just might be possible to hit a goal I hadn’t even set and break 5:45.
 
Since I was past the halfway mark, it was time to turn on my phone! I was pleasantly surprised to see I had received a couple good luck texts from friends so I responded to them and then sent Patty a text to let her know I was past the halfway mark.  Apparently I was moving faster than either of us had expected and she hadn’t met up with my other friend Karen yet, so she wasn’t sure if they’d catch me coming off Haines Point.  They didn’t, and that was okay.
 
The next few miles were kind of a blur, but I remember seeing a band play and running loops around the national mall.  I saw Patty and Karen around mile 17 by the Washington Monument and Patty had a fun-sized Snickers bar waiting for me… So I picked up the pace.
 
As I passed them and grabbed the Snickers I shouted NINE MILES TO GO! And shoved that candy in my face.  Patty then texted to let me know they would see me again between miles 19 and 20 just before the damn 14th Street Bridge.  I kept on running, kept on with my solid pace and at some point they were handing out Sports Beans!  I love Sports Bean! So I ate them. Yum. 
  
Haha my face.
 
Not long after the Sports Beans I saw Patty and Karen again and Patty handed me a red starburst and yelled SEE YOU AT THE FINISH!
 
It was now time for me to BEAT THE DAMN BRIDGE.  I’m not really sure what the rules are here.  Do you just have to make it TO the bridge before 1:15 or do you have to be OVER the bridge by 1:15.  Not quite sure.  I just know this is the worst bridge ever. All of a sudden I flashed back to a year ago at the Army Ten Miler.  Somehow I had blocked this bridge out of my memory but it was all flooding back now.  THIS BRIDGE SUCKS.  It goes up and down and up and down and there’s no shade (so of course this was just about the only time during the whole race that the sun decided to come out in full force) there are no spectators, there are no water stops, just two miles of bridgy hell. 
  
Yep, that bridge.
 
I had been KILLING this race.  My goal was to make it to the half on the 5:45 pace, and here i was hitting up mile 21 STILL ON THE PACE.  Seriously I was stoked, but I let the bridge get to me.  I was surrounded by people who were doing nothing but walking.  Everyone looked miserable.  I let the bridge break me.  I fell off my intervals for the first time that day.  It was too miserable, I had to bust out my headphones.  I’d need some music to get me over this thing.
 
I believe I exited the bridge just before 1, and a nice lady handed me a bite sized Snickers.
 
By the time I hit mile 23 I was a minute behind the 5:45 pace band. DAMNIT BRIDGE!  My mental game was shot.  We were entering Crystal City and surrounded by cheering spectators, I probably should have taken my headphones off and let the cheers of the crowd carry me, but i was grumpy and I was walking a lot more than I wanted.  I was starting to hurt and I was beating myself up over that, which is ridiculous.  You’re almost to mile 24 OF COURSE EVERYTHING HURTS JESSICA!  I was running as much as I could, but on no specific intervals.  I also had a bag of Swedish Fish in Crystal City.  They were good.
  
This wasn’t actually in Crystal City, but what I imagine my face to have looked like the whole time there.
 
Then a Marine handed me a cup with two chocolate glazed munchkins in it.  I ate one and chucked the other.  I think that was the last thing I ate.
 
Before I knew it I hit the 40k mat at 5:31:29.  I had fallen off the 5:45pace, but I had almost a half hour to go less than a mile and a half if I wanted to break 6 hours, I knew I had it and was so excited.  I put away my headphones.  My thighs were starting to tighten up, but I knew mile 26 was just ahead and my friends would be there.  I ran to my friends and then I walked until I hit the hill.  Once I hit the hill I ran with everything I had left in me to the finish line.  I was high fiving Marines left and right as they yelled that the finish line was just up the hill.  It was amazing.
 
As I approached the finish line, for the first time ever I heard the announcer say my name!  I looked down at my watch and couldn’t believe what I was seeing, I didn’t just break 6 hours, I CRUSHED it.  
  
A look of disbelief?
 
I threw my hands up in the air and crossed that finish line.
  
 Victory!

5:51:09, 26 minutes and 28 seconds faster than New York City. And like an hour and 20 minutes faster than WDW, but I feel like I can’t even count that. 
 
I got my medal.
  
My freakin’ AWESOME medal!
 
I got my jacket.
 
I got my food box.
 
I walked behind a puppy in a wagon because somehow spectators were all over the runner’s finishing chute and it was impossible to move.
  
Puppy wagon!
 
I finally found my friends, and we headed to the Hyatt for the Runners’ World after party.  I was feeling pretty good, and Patty was noting how much better I was walking than most of the other people with medals around their necks.
 
When we got to the Hyatt, I found my bag, and then someone asked me if I’d like to hang out in the recovery room for a bit.  I responded with, no thanks, where’s the food?  Are you sure you don’t want to stay a bit in here?  Nope, food please.  So you’re leaving the recovery area? Would you like your treat?…. Is it food?  Its a cookie.  Yes, I’ll take a treat then.
 
We ate food, and then plotted our escape from DC back to VA and I finally got a shower about 3 hours later, packed up my things and headed back to Maryland.
 
Overall it was an awesome day, and I’m so very happy with my time.  I blew my half marathon and full marathon PRs out of the water in a weeks time, how awesome is that?
 
And check out my totally awesome splits (until the damn bridge).
  
 
After the race I decided that I would not be running in the New York City Marathon this year.  After two weekends in a row of major PRs I don’t want to blow it.  I also don’t even want to think about sitting on Staten Island for six hours in the cold before the race.  AND I have to go on travel for work Monday, so its just not worth it.  I’m taking a well deserve weekend off from racing and I will be back at it on November 7th at Wine and Dine!