Ecstasy Eight post completion video

While I had intended to video the last lap on the final day, I clearly had nothing left in me to do so. Here is a little video post completion of my Ecstasy Eight!

Ecstasy Eight

The Idea

After running my first double in April/May 2011, i wanted to attempt to do the Quadzilla – four in four days. But since i was doing NYC, travelling in the same month for it did not seem plausible. So i then planned to do the Winter Triple in December end (3 in 3 days) but when i got to know that they had something like a 7 in 7 days, i couldn’t help to think about this instead.

Savage Seven Medals

Chuck Savage came up with this idea in 2010 when he was charting his plans to reach 300 marathons. Hence the name ‘Savage Seven’. Chuck went on to do his 300th marathon (as he was scheduled to complete) in West Palm Beach last month (4th December 2011).

I got in my entry during the last week of July 2011 and made all travel arrangement in advance too. 3 weeks before the event and i learn that Jim Simpson, in his attempt to finish 100 marathons in the year, has been behind the conceptualization of two “big butt” marathons. Since i was getting into Pensacola only tonight (24th), i decided to run the second of the two instead of resting it out tomorrow as initially planned for.

Day 01 – Dec 25th – Santa’s on Vacation Marathon

We started at the Pensacola Beach located in the city of Gulf Breeze, a suburb of Pensacola. The bunch of us 12 headed West on Fort Pickens Road for 3 miles straight turning around at the entrance of the Gulf Islands National Seashore to head back to the beach. The aid station at the start was also the mid point of this figure-8 course, where one could refresh and refill supplies every 10k.

Turn around at Mile 3 and again at 16.5.

With Cheryl Murdock

I told myself that i’ll take it really easy and run on feel. If i wanted to take a break, i’ll walk. At the aid stations (which we would touch thrice), i’ll catch up with Cheryl, Mama Jean & other folks and not press to take-off immediatley after refilling, and i did just that.

With Bobby Nelson and Galen Garrison

I also caught up with Traviss Wilcox (the spectacular runner from England who has just touched 114 marathons for the year to create a new World Record), Galen Garrison (another awesome runner attempting 10 Marathon Maniac Stars) and Bobby Nelson besides those quick exchanges and hi-fives with other folks on the course.

With Traviss Wilcox at around Mile 3.5

After the first out and back, we headed east on Via De Luna Drive for 3.5 miles turning around at the parking lot just before the high rise building we were told to look out for. Basically if you got past them, you were ahead of the course! This entire loop was 13.1 miles and we would repeat it all over. I started my second loop with 2:43 on the clock. The repeat loop was mostly by-myself with the rest of the runners catching their own pace and a few of them having found running-buddies of similar pace and strategy. Many a times i would just look out in the distance hoping to spot and get closer to the ‘Beach Ball Water Tower’ (which was at the start / finish / aid station)!

2 miles to the finish!

Santa's on Vacation Marathon Medal - Front & Back

(1) Big Santa is for coming 1st and (2) Small Santa is a Marathon Finisher Gift

14 minute negative pace gave me a finish time of 5:13:59 on my first of eight marathons to run. I finished first but that was merely because i was on fresh legs while the rest of them (who did the previous day too) were on somewhat-tired bodies having run yesterday too. My body was feeling good except for a tiny discomfort on the outside part of my lower quads. We waited till the last person who finished in about 7:15 and then we headed back to the hotel.

With Jim Fox before the Christmas Marathon

Jim Fox and I got something to eat. Spending a Christmas afternoon at ‘Waffle House’ I guarantee isn’t a bad idea! Evening a bunch of us met up at the Value Place hotel for spaghetti in Cheryl and Mama Jean’s room.

We got our race packets, Bib (one that we would use for all seven days) and Savage Seven T-Shirt meeting up other runners too. Everybody present shared some enjoyable & inspiring stories after a quick round of introduction. When you hear all that, the only thing i told myself was “Boy, you’re in the midst of some awesome runners and wonderful human beings”. It’s 10 p.m. now and i’m back at my hotel to hit the sack to be prepared for the start of Savage Seven tomorrow morning.

Savage Seven starters before Day 01 of 07

Day 02 – Dec 26th – Savage Seven Day 01

This is what we signed up for. 108.67 laps around a asphalt track covered with a few sheets of rubber. For a week. 28 runners would attempt to run all seven of these at the Varsity Soccer Field at the University of West Florida while the rest of the 51 signed-up runners would do one or more. 7.a.m and i started my Garmin for the second time in two days after the group photo as we started to run counter-clockwise.

Introduction, Instructions, Clicker hand-outs and briefing by Cheryl Murdock

All set to start Savage Seven

The idea today was to get used to the feel of the track for the first few miles, shake up from yesterday’s residual fatigue if any and settle into a pace. It was a treat seeing Chuck Engle as he was in a blistering pace as all of us had decided to let him have the first lane while he was attempting to set a world record by running at least 4 marathons in as many days in under 3 hours each. I was nowhere close to him as i got my groove slowly and steadily to pass the first half in 2:26.

Chuck was the only runner who had a person to count his laps. The rest of us had to use a clicker which is typically used in athletic clubs and school training (also seen in some runner movies).

Clicker

After Chuck finished, i tried to use as much of the inside line of the first lane to run on the tangent and cut as close as i could to the total intended distance. I kept the pace between 10:15 and 10:45 for a long while and the GU Gels every 6.5 miles definitely helped. After a few trials, i regularized reaching out to the aid station (located at the start) every 5 laps (1.2 miles). Towards the second half of the race, i moved this to 6 laps (1.44 miles) since the weather was pleasant and i was finding this ratio better on the pace too.

Race Director - Cheryl Murdock

It rained for about 5-6 laps during the initial parts of my second half and that helped keep things more pleasant for all of us. I picked up the pace in the last 10 miles as i finished 4th in 4:46:35. Like yesterday, my calves seem to be taking this marathon quite well as i did not feel any strain at all. I’m guessing it’s because of not pushing the pace too much while carbo-loading sufficiently coming into the run and providing the right amount (if not more) of hydration and carbohydrates. The uncomfortable soreness on the lower side of my quads was a bit more intense. I stretched good & iced up later at the hotel besides making an effort to eat well for making up on the lost reserves.

Michael Bowen - Official Race Certifier

The best part of a track race is that you get to meet the entire crowd so very often, and this makes it social, friendly and mighty enjoyable every few seconds. I had a great time with Cathie & Troy Johnson (super-awesome friendly and loving, definitely the best running couple i have ever seen!), Galen Garrison, Traviss Wilcox, Angela Waddle Tortorice, Mama Jean and so many other runners as we kept having short interaction on one-too-many occassions.

With Chuck Savage & Traviss Wilcox

With Robert Bishton a.k.a. "Cowboy Jeff"

After some Waffles & Eggs for lunch and feasting on tasty Pasta & Pizza for dinner, i hit the sack waiting to wake up the next morning to re-live the fun all over again.

Day 03 – Dec 27th – Savage Seven Day 02

The forecast was for thunderstorms on 26th and it rained all the way into the early hours. I’m glad it happened so because it was clear skies in the morning. Temperature was about 48F until 9 a.m. and the forecast was for it to go into 58-60F only around noon. This meant that it would be a beautiful day to run even though it was gonna be windy out there. Shannon Hays joined us today as she attempted to do 4 marathons in 4 days in under 4 hours each to become the first U.S. female to do so. Going by how strong she looked, i had no doubt that she can crack them all in the days to follow.

Cheryl told us that because of a little miscalculation in the distance by the official measurer, the course was corrected to stand 2 laps shorter. So now we had to only cover 106.67 laps. Yeah, only right! The best part is that we still had 106 aid stations.

We started at the usual 7 a.m. but today we would run clockwise and thus keep alternating the direction everyday to balance out the hips and other muscles. I used the first 2 miles to warm-up on this nippy morning. My body was on a roll after about 15 laps into the game and i seem to have settled into a sub-9:20 pace for the first 75 minutes. With the wind bringing extra resistance, I thought i was stepping it up too early. I got the chance to conveniently drop the pace a bit soon as i was chatting up with Galen Garrison on various topics from politics to economics to our personal lives & opinions to 2012 marathon plans for about 14 laps. I went into the 9′s again to finish my first half at 2:07. Injury had it’s first victim in Jeff Bolton who had to pull out at Mile 18. Bobby Nelson who was in deep pain even in yesterday’s marathon managed to finish by dropping the pace to a slow walk and some taping around his right foot.

With the best running couple that i've ever met - Cathie and Troy Johnson

My 14th mile was a 8:50 after which i stayed in the sub-9:15 pace for the next 4 miles along with the occassional breaks that i was now taking every 9-12 laps either for Gatorade, Sandwiches, Cookies and everything else that i felt like munching on. Clicking for every 10th lap for a re-fill of them was one kind of a motivation that seemed to help indeed! I picked up the pace for the 19th and 20th mile to stay just under 9 minutes / mile. Now i think i shouldn’t have done so because i literally invited the pain that followed on my left foot and right glutes. And when that was accompanied by the re-surfacing of the pain in the side quads that’s been troubling me all along the last 2 weeks, i nimbled to keep it low and just press my way to 106. The distance was making me raw and thus i averaged 10:22 for the last 2 miles. Finished the day once again in 4th position to clock a 4:11:51. Picked up my second Savage Seven medal and it was time to do something about the soreness.

Quarter to noon and while i was trying to catch a breath, the weather was still in the low 50′s. Along with the 10-15 mph winds, i was left one layer short trembling all over. Took me a good 30 minutes to get a grip. We headed back to the hotel and i forced myself to suck it up and get that ice bath. I’m glad i did because my lower half felt much better after. By the time my footlong Subway sandwich was digested, i was in Fazoli’s for the 2nd day in a row with a few other runners to get in an early dinner and talk in length about marathons and ultras. Hit the sack a little after 8 p.m. to get some much-needed rest for the 4th marathon in less than 12 hours!

Dinner with Chuck Savage, Barb Wnek, Jim Fox and Jeff Bolton

Day 04 – Dec 28th – Savage Seven Day 03

With Jon Turner at the Hotel Lobby before heading to the tracks

Since I got here, i have not been sleeping straight until the buzz of the alarm. Last night was no different and i just didn’t go back to bed on the third occassion at 4 a.m. It has been getting colder by the day and it was 39F outside with the temperature climbing by about 3F from 7 am until noon. I had a usual start getting about doing what seemed to be a habitual custom – hot shower, hot tea, power bar and some internet surfing – now that i was doing it for 4 days in a row. We would usually leave at 6:30 for the tracks, get back anywhere between 1 & 2:30 p.m. (depending on finish times and who i can fetch a ride back with), ice bath, lunch soon after, sight seeing a bit / relax in the hotel / both, do the day’s race notes, early dinner and back to bed. Repeat.

Minutes before the start

I could sense it from the start of the run at 7:03 a.m. that it was gonna be a good day. Clear skies, chilly morning and my body was warming up rather fast considering that it was colder than yesterday. My first mile (supposedly my warm-up) was done in under 10 minutes. And from there on, i seemed to be on a roll clipping the laps and hearing the mile split beeps on my Garmin in under 9 minutes.

This might sound absurd but then when you’re a sucker for numbers and speed, you kind of get around some crazy ideas and wishes to fulfill and i was doing just that. I wanted to finish the 4th marathon of the series in under-4 hours, if that makes any sense! And during Mile 8 i could see that if i played smart, i would have it in. Finished the half in 1:55.

Unfortunately injury started to take it’s toll. Bobby Nelson and Jeff Bolton did not start the race. Jeff intends to rest it out today and give it a go tomorrow while Bobby might take a pass because he has a 100k in January which he wants to recovery and focus on. Smart call i’d think. Shannon Hays had some issues because she pulled out a lap after she completed her half. Later on conversation she did share that she didn’t feel her body was ready for 4 sub-4′s and hence she withdrew to not risk the onset of an injury instead.

With Wayne Sherman a.k.a. The Manimal

Because i wanted to make sure i didn’t push too hard when the body would get weary during the final 10k, i was glad to have created plenty buffer to use. After managing to stay under 9 minute miles for most part (except for taking a bio break in the 14th mile where i lost about 40 seconds), i started to drop but maintain 9:10-9:40 miles for the final 4 to finish 2nd in 3:53:08 and earn my first quad (4 in 4 days).

I like how someone put it yesterday – look at it this way, you just need to finish two quads. Quite something right! With one quad in the bag, i’ll start working on my 2nd in the morning.

All of us met at the McGuire’s (an Irish Pub) for dinner and drinks. Clearly, most of our discussion were about running as you may expect! Besides having a great bowl of Pasta in rich sauce with mushroom, spinach and tomatoes, i joined the group in giving Cheryl 2 Thumbs Up for the awesome and dedicated effort she and Nelson have put together.

Day 05 – Dec 29th – Savage Seven Day 04

Chuck addressing everyone

Chuck Engle was looking better after having a terrible day at the track yesterday with GI issues though he still completed sub-3 for the third consecutive day. He addressed the crowd by telling us how he knew the guys who laid out the course and also spoke to the official who measured the course. Michael Bowen admitted that he was not aware that the right way to measure a track course was 12 inches from the inner white line of the first lane. By doing that, this track measures 400 metres just like any standard track, thereby making the marathon in 105.47 laps. The course was thus corrected (for the 2nd and final time!) to 105.5 laps. 1+ lap reduced from yesterday’s 106.67 and 2+ from the initial start. I guess in a 7 day event, you have time to re-assess and correct while in a one day marathon you wouldn’t. While such things happen sometimes, i’m glad it’s resolved sooner than later with 4 days remaining.

Though he couldn't run because of injury, Bobby came out everyday and helped out at the aid station. Great gesture!

The weather was to get warmer with 60F coming up soon after 10 a.m. While the clouds kept it hidden for brief periods, it was sunny after 8:30 a.m. for most parts. I woke up this morning with a little trace of pain on my left shins and that got me thinking more if i had pushed yesterday beyond i ought to. But by the time i was ready to press Start on the timer of my Garmin, the pain was never there to bother me for the rest of the race.

I’m not sure if it was the weather (which was about 52F at start) or if my body was raring to go because very soon my miles splits were between 8:30-8:45 thereby telling me that today might be a tad bit faster than yesterday. Even though i held the pace a bit down for the final 3 miles of the first half and (i believed to have) missed pressing the clicker for 2 laps in the first 25, i completed 13.1 miles in a few seconds below 1:54. Almost a minute and a half faster than my half-split yesterday!

Cheryl and Nelson always at the top of it!

By this point, after running marathons for a few days, the body has got to hurt in many places. Yesterday i remember, i could feel my outer section of my right quads as we were running in the counter-clockwise direction. Today, besides the fact that their is some residual pain and soreness that you carry forward, i could feel the outer section of my left quads and the inner section of my right quads being put under strain. My calves still were not sore or cramping up or hurting of any kind and that was my only solace as i kept pounding on one left after another, one lap after another, one mile after another, one marathon after another in this series. When someone asked me how i was feeling during the course, i told them of my realization of such multi-day marathon / run events – “As the days pass, the body does pain, it does get more sore and very strained. But the mind gets that much stronger.” Not just to keep pacing it out besides the body’s challenges. But it also gets stronger in handling or ignoring the pain and focussing on the task ahead. This was exactly what i think was happening to me.

Second half was great until i realized that i had just 4.5 miles to go with 3:02 hrs on the timer elapsed. I knew that if i only maintained the pace, or even dropped it to a 9 minute pace, i would have the 3:47-3:48 that i was foreseeing from the 14th mile. But my body was breaking down, little by little. My upper quads started to hurt and my energy was gradually sapping away. I resorted to a similar strategy as yesterday, to keep it under 9:30 and not lose it from here on. But it got a bit nasty and i saw the sub-3:50 drawing away as i stopped to take two short walking breaks and ran a terrible 24th slow mile (in the 11 minute range) losing about 4 minutes to finish in 3:51:04. “Mississipi Jeff”, as we call Jeff Bolton, who did not run yesterday after dropping out on the 18th mile on 27th, smoked it out there with a 3:39 and that got me 3rd position on this day.

Today was by far the toughest of the lot. I took about 5 minutes (or maybe more) to walk half a lap from the finish to my start to eat & drink up and recover from a hard one. Overall i’m quite happy to have dipped below yesterday’s time, but the price i’ve had to pay was a bit more. I pushed! Pushed more than i should have with 3 more marathons to go. Will it bite me? For now, i did not want to think about something already done and hence got back to the hotel soon to get another ice bath to reduce some of the inflammation since this was the first time in all these days that my upper quads were hurting so much for me to not sit or stand up without a lot of effort.

After freshning up and getting something to eat, i met a few of the guys and we headed out ot the Pensacola Naval Aviation Museum. Galen was a walking-talking more-than-a-guide encyclopedia and we got a 2 hour download of the U.S. Naval history from the WW II upto the recent days. It was very interesting as i got to learn some fascinating facts about how fighter plans and helicopters work. We then headed to Carrabba’s, an Italian Grill restaurant, where i had Pasta again for dinner. With a glass of Iced Tea, the 3-cheese stuffed Pasta with Pomodoro sauce topped up with my favourite add-ons (Mushrooms, Spinach and Olives) gave me all the carb-loading i needed as we chatted a little more about running and running.

Day 06 – Dec 30th – Savage Seven Day 05

The other routine i was in was the setting in of a tired body and occurrence of sore muscles. Today i went to the tracks too in the same state. While the night took care of my quads, my calves suddenly seemed quite sore when i woke up. Compression socks and keeping my legs up! By the time i met the guys at the lobby to drive down, i didn’t feel a thing.

With the 800+ marathoners - Jim Simpson and Larry Macon

After how i suffered during the final few miles yesterday and my body being so beat as a consequence, i decided to play it better today. The plan was to run a bit below 9 minute miles and either use that cushion to close just under 4, or take it up a notch if i felt better after mile 20.

About to start Day 05 of Savage Seven

By now i think it’s fair to state that the outer quads are constantly under pressure. And now and then some part starts to crave for attention too. In the first 30 minutes it was about two inches above the outside of the left ankle, then for a while the calves started to act up. But since i was trying to stay in even & comfortable splits, they had to recede soon and i saw myself getting past the half way distance in 1:57.

What that meant was that even if i now ran 9:09 splits (4 hour pace), i would still be about 2+ minutes below 4 hours. I kept feeling better even though it was not 56F & misty as it was in the start, but i didn’t get tempted. Since i have done a decent amount of running in the heat, the 70F was not causing me to crash. Though i felt good, i didn’t press and i kept holding myself back. 19th mile and i started to clip a few extra seconds to take it up to sub-8:50 miles. I decided to stay with it until i had only 8 laps / 2 miles to go and then pick it up further. Mile 25 was 8:31 and the 26th in 8:06 to land me a finish time of 3:53:19 with 2nd place, behind Chuck Engle who added another marathon to his world record of 4 marathons in 4 days under 3 hours. He is super splendid indeed!

Chuck was cheering at the finish line as we were finishing!

Today was the most consistent and sensible sub-4′s i have ran. It’s amazing how much time it took me to get here. Not to mention after running 5 marathons in so many days too! I was in less pain, wasn’t walking like a grandmother and still had a decent amount of energy to feel confident about the next 2 days. I only need to stay cautious and not get injured. Only a Weekend of Marathons (WoM) remains. Now that’ll be familiar territory!

Day 07 – Dec 31st – Savage Seven Day 06

Trying to get hold of "Mama Jean"

As the days come by, the body starts to act up from all corners. After all, it’s not used to such continuous pounding for a week. Today was one such day.

With the Two Fast Jeffs - Mississippi and Cowboy - before the start

Like all the previous days, i’m not sure whether it’s the bed i’m sleeping in or the caffeine in the gel or something in my eating habits or the dudes in the next room playing loud hip-hop music all night or the body’s toll from all these days, that is disrupting my sleep rhythms. I once again woke up every hour from 2 a.m. and finally started the day once agan at 4 a.m. The weather gods were kind on the last day of the year gifting us the clouds and cool conditions till almost 10:10-10:20 a.m. after which the sun quickly raked up the heat!

I began the morning with the same plan in mind. All i wanted to attempt was a sub-4, even if it’s by a second because i could feel the body wearing down. After the quick warm-up lap in 9:15, i was comfortable staying just under 9 minute miles. And then in my 4th mile, a huge pain struck on the upper section of my right Tibia (about 2 inches below my knee cap). It felt like someone had put a needle out there and banged it in through a hammer.

It completely caught me off guard because i did not anticipate pain so severe without any signs of fatigue in that section. It was way too early and if it got worse, the sub-4 would be into the dumps. I decided to not stop, nor to resort to any walking breaks and just stay on the border of 9 minute miles. It was tough, very tough. But after a while, the ‘ignore the pain mode’ (something i’ve been doing for a few days quite often) got me more stronger and i kept ploughing the miles on as i crossed the half in 1:56.

With the steady and moving Vicki

I knew the buffer would not be enough since with 13 miles to go, a 4 minute buffer could get eaten up way before i realize the loss of pace. I had to thus force myself to keep the pace steady. Sometimes the pain would suddenly shoot up so much that i would scream within. My prayers were answered when in the 22nd mile the pain all of a sudden stopped. I’m not sure if i got oblivious to the pain or did it actually subside; for some weird reason i thought it had hid behind to let me finish the marathon. Last 3 miles i was doing all calculations on my finish time because at some point i thought i would be just about 20 seconds under 4 hours.

I managed to keep the pace at 9 minute miles all along and finished 4th amongst the crowd in 3:57:48. This was my 4th sub-4 in 4 days! I was ecstatic about the achievement. When i started of the series, i wanted to survive eight days. Then i had an urge to get a sub-4 on the 4th day, which i managed to. And when the next day gave me another sub-4, i asked myself to stay patient, see how the forthcoming run turns out and try to see if i could gift myself 4 straight in a row. That would be like a dream-run. Something i never thought i could pull it off. All the soreness suddenly felt worth it; i happily embraced the pain!

With Galen Garrison

The best part of the day was Galen Garrison. He did a PR of around 3:55 two weeks back in Jacksonville, FL. And today, on his 8th consecutive marathons, he blazes through and gets a 9:14 PR to finish in 3:44:47. Now isn’t that inconceivable or what! I’m glad i saw the unfolding on his run. Later he told me that he hardly looked over his Garmin during the laps and just ran by feel. Cheryl was right in awarding him the “Mean Lapper” award!

Running Beast Award - Front and Back

She did give everybody such fun awards. I got the “Running Beast” Award from her after the race before which she handed me the “Run With The Big Dogs Award” when i passed her near the aid station at Lap 87.

Running Beast Award - Front and Back

The pain on my right Tibia didn’t bother me much until i got back to the hotel after which it hit me back with a bang. I was in so much pain that i didn’t care for a ice bath nor did i shower for an hour, just lying on the floor with my legs lifted & rested on the bed. I was tired, the body was in below-the-knee pain and the mind was perplexed. I’ve come really far, and with one marathon to complete, i did not want to back down.

After resting those legs!

I called Naresh Kumar to briefly ask him if he had any similar experiences and what he did about it. I told him that i was planning to ice well, nourish the body, wear compression socks and sleep well to give the mind and body time to repair. And that i was going to go to the tracks tomorrow and go into ‘completely ignore’ mode if i had to. He agreed that it was the right thing to do. After i hung up the phone, i thought to myself “Obviously he would agree. This is Naresh you are talking to. He takes 100 times more pain that you can imagine”. Maybe that’s why i called to have that conversation!

7.15 p.m. and i’m ready to call it a night. Will i be able to run? I’ll try my best. Will i finish it? I’d go on all fours if that’s the deal. Will i be in a worse state or would have gotten better by the morning? I don’t know. What i know is that the last day might just be a long haul. This should be interestingly testing!

With Michael Bowen after my 4th consecutive sub-4!

With 'Boston Marathoner' Mark Stodghill

Day 08 – Jan 01st – Savage Seven Day 07

With Bettie Wailes, RD of Savage Seven 2012-2013

Early start for the race meant that i woke up at 3:30 a.m. to get the usual rituals done with. The pain on my left was still there and it kept bothering me. I decided to run with pain. Go slow, take walking breaks, limp, crawl, whatever else i needed to do, i would. I wore my compression socks and headed out the door at 5:30 a.m.

The Guys!

With the last marathon to go, the mood in the tracks was festive and already celebratory. We took a bunch of photos, joked about where we would meet the next morning for another run, etc. 6.15 a.m. and off we were for the last marathon in the Savage Seven 2011-2012 series.

I'm trying to go low to match Mama Jean's height but she's tough!

My first mile was slow at 9:42. Not only because it was a warm-up, also because i wanted to assess how the pain was hurting and how different my stride would be. I think it was the 2nd mile when i got a bit psyched and asked myself the question “Have you broken a leg?”. Answer i heard was “No!”. And then the voice told me to “Stop complaining and go for another sub-4 then!”

I picked up the pace and started blazing the miles after that. Sunrise was earlier than i expected it to be and nor were there any clouds to cover us. By the 7th mile (around an hour into the run), the pain was gone since it probably realized that i wasn’t paying it any importance any longer. I was a good-few seconds below the 9 mile splits to cross the half distance in 1:56, the same as yesterday.

I'm hurting.

Usually you have some trace of pain or a weakness spot which botheres you in a marathon / sports event. But when you run so many marathons in a streak, the body’s many muscles and joints have their own melting points. Sometimes they do give you clues on what to expect if you push too hard. Or sometimes they simply crop up without any warning whatsoever. That happened yesterday with my right Tibia and today on my left Achilles Tendon at Mile 14. Within a mile, it became as sore and tight as one can fathom. I guess it was somewhere building up all along.

The next 12 miles were extremely painful. I had to dig very very deep. To add to it was the heat building up. This by far was the toughest second-half in a marathon. I have not had to dig so much to maintain the pace to roll it in under 4 hours. I was making calculations every mile (sometimes every 0.5 miles) to keep the goal under reach. I was contemplating if thinking of going all out and achieving the “it would be really sweet” 5th consecutive sub-4 would stab me in the back and force me to slow down as i kept chugging along. Worse was if i lose out after coming so far, it would probably haunt me for a long time after all this is done. That got me staying on pace.

Around mile 22, when i was clearly struggling, i found “Cowboy Jeff”. He was running slow. But on seeing the goal i hand and how close i was, he stayed with me for the crucial miles of 21.5-23.5 running close to a 9:20 pace. And that made all the difference in the world to my pace, confidence and momentum. It came to a point where i had 2.5 miles to go and if i maintained sub-10 minutes miles i would be home. It was still daunting tough though. Had a little in me for the final kick to finish 2nd in 3:57:51, only 3 seconds slower than yesterday. I was completely overjoyed with clinching 5 consecutive sub-4′s in as many days.

Ecstasy Eight

Runners love numbers, so here are mine during my 8 marathons in 8 days streak:
1. Individual Marathon Times
#1 – 5:13:59
#2 – 4:46:35
#3 – 4:11:51
#4 – 3:53:08
#5 – 3:51:04
#6 – 3:53:19
#7 – 3:57:48
#8 – 3:57:51
2. Savage Seven Total Time – 28:31:36, Average 4:04:31
3. Savage Seven finishers – 21
4. Overall Position – 1
5. Including the Christmas Marathon – 33:45:35, Average 4:13:12
6. Total Miles covered – 209.75
7. The deal only got that much more sweet and joyful with 5 consecutive sub-4′s

5 consecutive sub-3 Chuck "Marathon Junkie" Engle with 5 consecutive sub-4 Navin

This has been clearly one of the most fun events i have ever attended to. Well alright, i have never really been in anything more than a marathon or ran anything longer than Two Weekend of Marathons (#1 and #2). But this was incomparable. Out of this world!

With Cheryl and Nelson Murdock

Cheryl and Nelson Murdock have been more than courteous, generous and caring people all along. Christmas Marathon was supposedly un-aided, but they had a stall for us to peck on every 10k. All during our 744 laps around the tracks during the Savage Seven Marathons, they made sure we were not just well provided with fuel for the body, but they went many steps ahead in making this nothing less than a family gathering. The amount of dedication and hard work they put in – on and off the tracks – cannot be summed up in words. They are true heroes for all of us who ran this event. Without them, it would have just been running marathons. They made this week beyond just running. People like them are why the love for this sport only keeps increasing multi-fold. To me, i couldn’t have asked for anything more, leave alone starting to imagine the bundle of happiness they lovingly provided for. A bunch of us hosted the husband and wife to dinner at McGuire’s and bid adieu to the perfect holiday gift we all have been provided with!

Everyday after i ran, i was looking for the next morning. The people, the tracks, the experience, the little chats shared amongst everybody – before, during and after – on the tracks, the runs, the challenges, the love for doing what we enjoyed the most, the sharing of joy that we uneffortlessly shared with each other. I was truly high from all of this. Every day and the next. This truly was, by god’s grace and love, a journey of Eight days of Ecstasy!

Weekend of Marathons # 2 : 22 seconds separating two great runs

Reggae Marathon 2011 and West Palm Beach Marathon 2011

After having already done a Weekend of Marathons (WoM), you might wonder why would somebody want to do it again? For one, like in a marathon, every WoM is an experience by itself.

Second, i wanted to take the challenge one notch higher. Here’s how:
1. Heat – My 1st WoM was in pleasant conditions (50′s to lower 60′s). This one was in the range of 74-84F. And the humidity of the Caribbean and South Florida!
2. Travel and Travel – The fact that i was doing two marathons between two countries meant that there was driving, flying, walking around airports, etc. involved. This after the previous one where i was in the back seat of the car and the only walking i did was one level up to my room in Cincinnati and to the start of the 2nd race next morning.
3. Target Time – I wanted to finish this WoM within 7:50 hrs bringing in a PR of at least 7 minutes than my previous.

Each one of them might not sound steep, but collectively i thought they would present a fair amount of challenge. The other reason to do this particular WoM was that this was in my mind when i first drafted plans of running through a weekend.

Reggae Marathon 2011

I was keen to get this weekend started from the moment the calendar flipped into December. Headed to the airport on Thursday evening (December 1st) to pick up two friends – Rosita from Bahamas and her brother Juan from Mexico – who were also running the marathon. We had some rich Indian food for dinner and i ate without guilt until midnight blaming it on carbo-loading. We runners can’t get a bit excessive during marathon weekend i thought!

Vijay (my brother), Juan, Rosita and I

After getting in a couple of hours in office to sort out some pending work on Friday morning, the three of us headed to THE PELICAN, a Jamaican restaurant in the Hip Strip area of Montego Bay close to where i live. They tried out some Jamaican food while i played it safe and stuck with Continental. After lunch we grabbed our bags, Chai Latte and Chocolate Muffins and headed onto the highway at mid-day.

Diane with a smile and I post the race in the 2011 Reggae T Shirt

Got into Negril around 4 p.m. and headed straight to the Expo. We picked up our race packets and just when i thought last year’s Race T Shirt was good (i was wearing it all day), they got it even better this time! I headed to the Media Tent where i was to meet some friends and organizers. Diane Ellis (Director of Sponsorship), one of the back-bones of this event, asked me to return at 7 p.m. during the Media Meeting since a few folks were running late in making their way up.

Burt Carlson and I

I used the time we had before dinner to catch up with Burt Carlson. He’s been attending the Reggae for the 7th year in a row. It was a privilege to talk to him after a brief conversation last year. You just have to Google search to know more about this 300+ marathoner who in his 86th year still look fit and ready to take on a few long distances. In 2011, he took the tally up by running 3 marathons besides some half marathons, 10k and 5k thrown into the gambit.

Roy Thomas in action

Made it a point to quickly exchange pleasantries with Roy Thomas, an 84 year Jamaican who has not only run all the 11 Reggae Marathons till date, but also all the Grand Prix Series – races leading up to the annual event in Negril – over the years. I said this last year and i will repeat it again. Burt Carson and Roy Thomas – you two are very inspirational!

Charlie, Carrie and I

After spotting her around, i couldn’t miss the chance to chat with the fun and enthsiastic Carrie Tollefson, a 2004 USA Olympian who gets everybody going with her mantra to “Get After It!”. I’ve been a regular follower of her weekly video C TOLLE RUN! podcast. It was a treat to have a brief conversation with Carrie and her husband Charlie Peterson, sharing some of the moments i have enjoyed from her recent telecasts and learnng on her 2012 Olympic and future plans she had in store. The only thing missing was their adorable daughter Ruby!

While we were waiting for the Pasta Party to begin

We hung around a bit longer and then hit the world-famous Reggae Marthon Pasta Party just after witnessing the beautiful sunset that people vacationing here make it a point to not miss. With live music in front of us, it was time to head into the Pasta Party corral (how often do you hear that right?!) and get buried in the huge variety spread out by chefs from the best resorts in Negril. I chumped on one too many pasta varieties, some macaroni and cheese, garlic breads of different sizes and shapes, other dishes and some more.

(L to R) Juan, Me, Rosita, Judi, Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence, Dan

The best part about it is that you don’t feel pressed for time at all. Eat at leisure, strike conversations with almost anybody (everybody just happens to become so friendly and inclusive to each other, like one big family partying around!) and continue helping yourself for multiple servings! We met Lawrence (a friend from FL who these days is in Montego Bay) and his wife. Lawrence was to do a half the next morning; that would be a fast half indeed! I was also happy to spot Larry Savitch (and his Easy Skankin group) and we caught up on a short conversation while waiting in line during one of our numerous helpings!

Dan, I and Judi

Coincidence and delight came together when Dan Cumming, whom i was looking forward to meet later at the Media Meeting, happened to join the table with his beautiful wife Judi. The last time they had visited Jamaica was 42 years back! It was fascinating to know that they returned this year to not just re-live some of those memories from 1969, but also run this event and visit some places to see the extent of transformation the country has undergone.

Alfred 'Frano' Francis and Barclay Ewart

Dan and I left the rest of the guys at 7 p.m. to head to the Media Meeting where welcome messages and de-briefs were given by Barclay Ewart (Chairman), Alfred ‘Frano’ Francis (Race Director), Diane Ellis (Director of Sponsorship), Chris Morales (Social Media Guru) amongst a few others. The team was kind to recognize my active presence and participation in the online social media presence during the months leading upto Reggae 2011.

Bob Moore and I

I also was looking forward to meeting Bob Moore from the Washington Running Report, who i had the good fortune of meeting at the Media Meeting. Caught up later with Chris Morales for a bit before i dropped off my used running shoes (which are given to needy children who participate in the Reggae Marathon Grand Prix Road Race Series) and called it an evening.

Chris Morales and I

Rosita, Juan and I headed out and checked-into our stay at the ‘Sunset on the Beach’, the second last property on the strip. It was just what we expected it – comfortable and tidy. Got our race clothes ready and we had the lights down by quarter to 10 p.m. to catch a few hours sleep for the excitement ahead.

We headed out of the resort at 3:45 a.m. to catch the shuttle to the start area. It’s really nice to see that in such events the entire local community also comes out in full support – participation, volunteering and crowd support. While waiting for the bus i was talking to a few Peace Corps Volunteers and learnt a thing or two on their noble & selfless intentions that they had dedicated a few years of their life in serving. Wished them good luck for their 10k before we got off the bus at 4:15 a.m. at Long Bay Beach, where it all would start in 60 minutes.

Before the Start

Ran into Larry Savitch and a few others before the start. After checking in my bag, i lost Rosita and Juan at the starting section to toe the line of my 2nd Reggae Marathon in less than 5 minutes by myself. The traditions began – Sound of the Rastafarian drums, brief announcement by the Race director and moments later the crowds were let through the torch bearers. Just about when Bob Marley was Jamming right straight from JAH!, i started the timer on my Garmin for my Marathon # 14.

The course started at Long Bay Beach and ran into town turning at the round-about. These first 2.9 miles is what i call the ‘Wake Up’ section. As we run by a few properties on the right side, you would find many local residents and plenty of tourists – some whose friends / family are running the event and others who just like to give us the hoots / cowbell rings – come out in support. If the darkness keeps you slow and careful, the cheer will awaken the holiday spirit in you.

Minutes before i passed the resort i was living in, i saw Carrie looking strong and brushing past. She would go on to win the 10k Female Category defending her title from last year. Great stuff!

My race strategy was the same as last year when i attempted to break the 4 hour mark. It’s something i’ve come to believe works in humid conditions; maybe i’ll talk about it in a separate post someday. Just that i since i was doing a WoM, i treated this race as the first half and had to hence create the buffer from the word GO!

Once you turn-around the town section, you head back in the opposite side of the road. This section flew past as i was getting set into my pace and wishing a few friends that were covering their initial miles. All my Montego Bay friends were running the half marathon and hence i knew i’d probably see them once again in most cases.

You would hit 5.8 miles as you pass by Long Bay Beach for the first time after starting the race from here almost 50 min back. Being also the finish line for all the events, this is where you’ll find the cheering section in the highest numbers. 200 metres ahead and the 10k runners had to turn-around to give it their final push.

Going into the 11th year, the Reggae Marathon decided to make the course more fun and participative. Hence after having already covered almost 6 miles by travelling south into town and back, the course heads north until about 0.5 miles from the RIU Club Resort instead of stretching all the way to Green Island. This section was 3.6+ miles one way which we would double up as we head back into Long Bay Beach. The entire loop was the course for the 13.1 mile runners. Marathoners would repeat the course.

At Mile 12 - Courtesy of Dan

Having run the previous course (last year), I personally am in favour of the new route. It makes the course completely flat, eliminates those few sections of emptiness just before Green Island and gives you a chance to see more runners in the loop. I’m sure this was meant to be but i also think that now the Reggae Marathon can also be called the ‘White Sand Beach Run’. Because by running from one end of the course to the other, you cover the famously known 7-mile beach strip!

10 miles in and i was ‘staying in the plan’. The idea was to stay comfortable, keep the mile splits under 8:50′s and create the cushion. I was pleased to cross the half in 1:53 because that meant that i bagged all the buffer that i needed to finish the race within 3:51.

Karen, Larry and I after finishing Reggae

I was happy to have also seen Larry on the course who besides running a half was also doing a video about the race!). I then met Dan & Judi at Mile 12 walking towards the beach. Dan unfortunately missed the shuttle to the race start. But instead of attempting the full, the race organizers allowed him a late start for a 10k which I sensed he was having a good time when i saw him later on in the midst of.

Heading back into town, most of the cheering crowd outside the properties thinned out and i was instead spotting many 10k finishers walking back to their resorts while we still had another couple of on-the-feet hours. Exchanged a quick thumbs-up with Joel from C TOLLE RUN! who was manning the 2.9 mile time-mat (now 16 miles into the marathon) and headed north for the second time. You can make out that Negril was having a late start to thie Saturday as this section of town was filled with many kids enjoying their holiday seeing us zip past while the grown-ups were heading to work in the shuttle buses that were traversing through the centre patch of the road.

Joel, Juan and I

Mile 18 and being in my target zone suddenly seemed fast since the heat was getting the better of many runners who were slowing down. Walking breaks were now becoming a common feature. With the brightness of the day above, i could now take in the diverse views on the opposite side of the beach – Kool Runnings (a water park), the Negril Air strip, Jamaican eat-out shacks, private homes, a few lodges and local communities filled up the rest.

Around Mile 24

Reggae has a way of hooking many to it’s spirit making them regulars to the event. I was assured that there were many loyalists to the Reggae Marathon when i recognized many of the full marathoners from last year. I took the liberty to have short conversations with a few. It was nice to see that they were in the act too! I was taken by suprise when a runner told me how she enjoyed my NYC Marathon Blog. That brought a smile of gratitude to my face.

The Finish

As i was covering the last 3.5 miles heading to the finish, it was really nice to see some of the supporters outside RIU and other resorts who were there in the first round (almost 2 hrs back), still out there providing us cheers to keep marching ahead. I decided to keep the pace consistent and gave it a little kick in the last mile (doing a 8:37) to finish the Reggae Marathon in 3:50:43. It’s interesting that though i was almost 7 minutes faster than what i ran it last year in, my ranking stood the same (17th). I guess it’s natural and a positive sign to see faster (and more) runners participate as the Reggae Marathon gets more popular drawing increasing numbers to Negril.

West Palm Beach Marathon 2011

My preparation of the second run in the WoM began the moment i crossed the finish line. Did the recovery i had planned – cool down walk, protein ingestion, stretching session – and within an hour of my finish i was feeling rejuvenated already. Caught up with Larry Savitch (who stretched me really good, professional hands surely do help) and Chris Morales (who was busy clicking away all over the place) for a while. I headed to the resort to freshen up in time to return to watch Juan and Rosita finish.

Juan, Rosita and I after the Reggae Marathon 2011

Fetching a delayed shuttle meant that i got back to the finish line 30 minutes after Juan finished his 8th marathon. Everybody i knew in the event timed slower than they wanted to, and such was the case with Juan too. While waiting for Rosita to finish i had the opportunity to watch Horst Preisler, a 76 year young runner, finishing his 1758th marathon. Imagine that! Brilliant stuff. Rosita soon crossed the finish line of her 13th marathon. She swore this would be her last, i hope she changes her mind. I left them to enjoy the rest of the weekend in Negril while i started my journey to West Palm Beach.

I drove back 50 miles to head home in Montego Bay. Snacked some junk food during my drive, feasted on Pasta & Pizza on arrival and headed to the airport at to catch my evening flight to Miami. One of the external factors i feared that could have disrupted my plans – cancellation of the final AA flight for the day – didn’t happen and i was thankful for the weekend going as per plan so far. Slept right through the 75 minutes in the flight and we landed in Miami, earlier than scheduled, at 7 p.m. The crowd at Immmigration section got me standing in line for 70 min which resulted in me getting on the freeway around 9 p.m. after fetching the rental car.

Enjoyed the 80 mile drive with some good Saturday night club mixes on the radio keeping me awake and upbeat. The full-sized car was comfortable but i did feel some ache around my lower-back belt section in the final 30 minutes of my drive. Reached West Palm Beach at 11:15 p.m. after catching a quick but heavy dinner at IHOP and checked-into the Courtyard hotel. Ram Sethu, with whom i was sharing the room, was very kind in picking up my race packet earlier in the day. I sorted out my gear for Sunday morning, opened up the box for my new Asics and Garmin and hit the bed a few minutes past midnight.

4 hours of sleep and i was up again for another marathon. Ram and I headed out an hour later and didn’t find much trouble finding space at a city parking garage half a mile from the start. At the starting section, it was good to meet up a few running folks from my days in the Bahamas. Also met friends from the Marathon Maniacs (MM) and we had our customary group photo courtesy of Dave Mari. When i spoke to some of them, i was re-assured that my WoM was completely sane. I mean hey, you are bound to sound ‘normal’ when you have people like Galen Garrison doing WoM 2-3 weeks in a row besides running 10+ marathons in 2 months and counting, two 70+ young individuals in Hary Hoffman Jr & Chuck Savage attempting their 200th and 300th marathon respectively and Dave Mari who inadvertently is running every weekend in some part of the country, besides a few others doing some neat stuff.

Marathon Maniac (MM) Group Photo

6:45 a.m. and i crossed the line about a minute after the gun had gone off. The course starts along the Palm Beach looping around until 3 miles to cross the starting position and takes you further south. After running another 5 miles along the waterway, it heads into the residential neighbourhoods of Lake Worth and Lantana until the 18th mile. You wander into a little section of South Palm Beach before running on parallel streets of the neighbournoods covered thus far and head back soon into the vicinity of West Palm Beach bringing you to the finish.

Starting Section - The First Mile

Personally, i never had this on my to-do list but i ended up doing it because this was the only feasible marathon i could do to get a WoM after the Reggae Marathon on the first Saturday of December. And i vouched that i would never do this again. West Palm Beach i think is a very picturesque city (of the sections that i got to run and drive around) to conduct a marathon in. But i’m not sure they used it optimally to design the course around. Instead, the course loops around many blocks showing you houses and houses and houses. Entertainment on the course is none and crowd support is mostly minimal.

Mile 3

Besides the volunteers who i think did a great job in what they were entrusted for, i think the organization of the marathon was quite poor. No aid station till Mile 3, no Gatorade till Mile 9, i believe water (and water cups) had run out in many aid stations for the 4:30 marathoners, a couple of friends who finished around 6 hours didn’t get any medals either were some of the things i came to know about. They did get coverage on the local television channels which unfortunately ended up being negative publicity highlighting their shortcomings. The marathon management claims that they did not manage the preparation well; i think that’s quite lame to admit being knowledged about when you are hosting a marathon under humid conditions. It’s no wonder i heard ambulances in action a few times when i was still running and the mentions post-race of many runners admitted to nearby hospitals.

Specifically for me, the day didn’t go as bad as it was for others. I started the race feeling quite good and didn’t seem to carry much of the fatigue from the previous day’s 26.2 miles. I had planned to take it easy for the first 10k should i feel like i was running on dead legs. But when i felt fresh like i was doing this for the first time in the weekend, i kept the even-marathon-splits intentions alive. As i kept emphasizing to myself at Negril, the idea was to keep at 8:50′s at least for the first 20 miles and see how i feel after creating the buffer and of what’s left in the tank for the final 10k.

The first 8 Miles on Flagler Drive

The first 8 miles of the run is pleasing as the sun rises above you brightening up the shores and the historic-districts you run straight along through. I was comfortable in this stretch with the sunshine on my shoulders and my pace being on target. It didn’t even occur to me that i was using a new pair of Asics at the race. I agree to a lot of folks who felt that as long as you’re wearing a new pair of an already-tried-and-tested shoe variant, you’re good to go! I would though think that a new pair of socks would not be the best thing to do to avoid blisters.

The less-haves in the run was made up by the amount of familiar faces i keep passing through every few miles. Met Dave Mari at the cross section of Mile 3 & just before the finish, Michael Cunningham around Mile 10, Galen at around Mile 14 & 19, Randy Thurston and Ram Sethu at multiple spots in the course. And then you meet and make some new MM friends along the course too!

Moments after you get off the scenic waterfront and enter the city of Lake Worth with 8.5 miles under your feet, the marathon runners turn left letting the ones tackle the pikermi take their right and head back north. With only water offered until now, i picked up 3 sachets of Gu Gels from the aid station immediately on the turn. And then 0.5 miles in the distance we are offered Gatorade for the first time as we start to visit the neighbourhoods in this city for another hour. I crossed the half in 1:55 and couldn’t have asked for a better even-split. Ram was on an estimated 3:38 pace when i saw him on the other side. 12 minutes later when i got there, i stopped to meet Galen for a few seconds before continuing.

Common sights - Residential Neighbourhoods - for a large section of the course

Lantana gets a very small section of the course, barely 2.5 miles. As you cross the only bridge of the course, you’re on Ocean Avenue running in and out of a section of South Palm Beach. I pass Juli Goldstein – another MM friend who i was to pace for a 4 hr finish time but lost sight of her even before the start – and then quickly turn right into Lake Worth to head north into West Palm Beach. These next few miles are a bit tough. Not only are you running familiar sections – neighbourhoods on the parallel roads of what we covered to get here – but also a little elevation that i thought was present, increasing heat and sporadic runners in sight.

It was starting to get a bit overcast when i was in the 22nd mile passing the last time-mat on the course. 5 minutes later i was amazed to see Ram just in front of me. I hoped that we could run together but he asked me keep going because the heat had cramped him up and he was gonna have a slow finish on this one. I continued with my target still-in-reach as i had picked up the pace a little for the last few miles and was consistently between 8:40-8:50 in my recent mile splits. Even before i started to celebrate and thank the man upstairs for the drizzle in mile 24, it stopped in a minute.

(Almost) Mile 26. Courtesy Dave Mari.

From there on it was just about staying in pace and getting back to the waterfront Flagler Drive. MM Dave Mari found me 500 metres before i was done and wished me for a good finish. I frankly still couldn’t spot the finish until about 200 metres into this portion when i could hear the cheers, the music and the announcements. It dawned on me that i could marginally get in with a negative-split over Reggae. Gave it one final kick and came through elated to cross the finish line for the 15th time in a marathon in 3:50:21, 22 seconds faster than in Negril a day before.

2nd finish of the Weekend

I waited for Ram who finished about 5 minutes later; we caught up with some friends and finishers and headed back to the hotel to freshen up and check-out soon. Got back an hour later, parking at the same facility to walk into HOT PIE to treat ourselves to some fresh coal fired Pizza and Iced Tea. After lunch, I dropped Ram to the West Palm Beach airport and drove back to Miami to drop the rental car and catch my flight back to Jamaica.

Ram and I after the West Palm Beach Marathon

As i sat in the gate, i was smiling in appreciation to how it all went down smoothly. I got in my 2nd WoM, all the travelling went through seamless (no flight delays, traffic jams, etc.), my body didn’t bring up any un-expected challenges (read pain and injuries), my system seemed well-prepared to handle the on-course heat & off-course moving all-around and by god’s grace and love, i was gifted with my second Weekend of Marathons (WoM) experience in which 22 seconds separated two great runs.

Ram and I on our way for some Pizza post-race

Overall, i have to say that fortune has an amazing way of balancing out things. While the numbers (comparatively) are the only small factor in the Reggae Marathon, the experience is big. It’s a great destination race and a perfect event to bundle up a good vacation with. I have a self-rule that i will (given a choice) not do any race more than twice. Reggae Marathon is gonna be an exception to that rule. As long as i’m on this side of the world, i’d more than love to make this an annual tradition.

Refreshed just after Reggae

On the other hand, the West Palm Beach wasn’t that great in the external experience side of it, but i think i showed myself more strength. I felt i was getting more definitive in having an even-pacing control. The proof was that i seldom did have to look at my Garmin; but the fact that i was in a narrow range of pace all along is very rewarding and telling. Maybe it’s because i’ve just done 15 marathon, but I think there is learning everytime we undertake the distance.

After completing West Palm Beach

Magnificent NYC Marathon

Since it’s creation in 2006, the World Marathon Majors has found to be an aspiration for many marathoners. I too am in the midst of those who have this desire to run in these 5 events and after completing Chicago (being the 1st), i signed-up for the Berlin Marathon in it’s Wave 1 phase back in October 2010. Reasons being i’ve never been to Germany, it would be another country (and another first – continent) to run in, i’ll get to run the 2nd out of the 5th races in this series. And also that Boston needed a BQ (which i was nowhere close to) and i hope to cover London during one of my trips to India sometime in the future (provided i’m lucky in the lottery).

I’M IN!

I had no reason to defer the NYC Marathon. In fact, i had every reason to take a shot at it. Entry into the marathon was beyond my control because i had planned to apply through the lottery system. But I went ahead and put in my nomination in January with the idea that if i got through it, i would give-up my Berlin entry and do this instead. An added bonus was that i would get to meet my cousins in NJ after 3 years.

I met Tristan Miller – who in 2010 completed 52 marathons in 52 weeks between 47 countries – in December 2010 at Montego Bay (Jamaica) where he was en-route to Negril to attempt #49 at the Reggae Marathon in Negril. While talking to him over coffee on numerous facets of running and life beyond (is there a life beyond running for us?, anyways), i asked him to pick his favourite marathon out of all that he has done during his extravagant journey that took him around all the 7 continents in the calendar. Though he told me it’s a tough choice to make, but he didn’t take more than a few seconds to name the NYC Marathon for the sheer energy the city and it’s people brought out while 40000+ runners coursed through one of the best cities in the world.

Between then and now, i have read so many mentions of how the NYC Marathon is one of (or THE) best marathon in the world. Dean Karnazes, Jenny Hadfield, Amby Burfoot, Bart Yasso, John Bingham amonst others said it time and again on how this is one event that should be done at least once in every marathoner’s life.

This only built the eagerness in me as i awaited the results of the lottery during the last week in April. I wanted to see for myself what was about this marathon that it earned the highest of accolades from the most well-known most-respected truly-talented runners. I still remember the excitement i felt when i learned that I’M IN to run the 42nd NYC Marathon. By this time i had already read a lot about this massive event and couldn’t wait to start training for the one marathon of the year that i’d like to go for my best time.

Training

Within 2 weeks of completing my WoM, i fine-tuned the plan and started training on a 22 week training schedule from June. Using my previous training plans and race experiences, i used those learnings – using myself as the best body of experiment – to tweak a plan to (what i thought would be) the demands of a sub-3:30 marathon plan. Some folks have asked me of what i did in training and hence i’d like to share the primary changes i made to my workouts:

Week beginning – Hills

• This was to be a usual workout since NYC is a hilly course
• On alternate occassions, it would turn into a combo workout with a 3-4 mile tempo run after the hills session.

Mid week – Speed & Tempo

• Mile Repeats at 5k-10k speed session mid-week on a fortnightly basis
• Tempo Runs 1-2 times a month
• Easy runs once a month

Weekend – Long Runs

• Long runs were topped at 20 miles because i felt no benefit in going beyond this distance
• I included an extra dimension (hills, tempo, fast finish, fatigue intervals, etc.) in every run to give it that extra push

Easy Runs constituted the remaining sessions to make it a 5-6 days running week

Rest - Most importantly, though I would keep pushing, i would not (in my estimation) tread on the other side. If my body needed a day-off, i would take it and not kill myself over the un-forgivable impromptu rest decided upon.

Drop the Pressure

I was happy to have two marathons during my training months. SFO showed me that i was improving since i now seemed comfortable to run a sub-4. Country Wine was to be my last long run 3 weeks out of NYC. The idea was to simply come in under-4 hours. Apparently the boys were on fire despite being sleep deprived and finished this scenic course in 3:33:27 handing me another PR in the bargain.

What this meant was that, coming in from my previous best of 3:43:12, i was now relatively close to my goal. Having travelled more than half the distance already boosted my confidence towards a sub-3:30. I believed that with enough rest, (3 weeks of) planned tapering, not trying anything funny and by god’s grace and love, i should be able to step into the lower half of the 4th hour. I banked on my training and told my mind to drop the pressure and trust in the reasonably-well trained body.

Touchdown, Expo and Carbo-Loading

Landed into JFK at 7 p.m. ET and i couldn’t wait to get out of the flight to kick-off this much-awaited trip. The NYC Marathon fever was bound to be all over the place. My first interaction after landing was at the immigration counter where i spotted the officer was sporting the Timex Ironman GPS watch. I guess i was really excited because in a few seconds we were talking about triathlons and marathons. I wished Morales good luck on her 3rd consecutive NYC marathon to head onwards to collect my baggage.

With Venkat Rangan at JFK

The perfect start to this trip was endorsed further when i had the pleasure of meeting Venkat Rangan – a marathoner from my running group CR (Chennai Runners) in India – who was returning home after a business trip in NY. After briefly catching up with him, i made my way through 4 trains to finally reach my cousins’ at Westwood (New Jersey) at 10 p.m.

After coming in from Jamaica where it was 88F on Thursday, I headed out early on this Friday morning braving it out in the chill (42F) hopping on the NJ Transit bus into Manhattan. Arrived into the Port Authority Bus Terminal at 42nd Street and I walked my way to the Javis Centre where the expo was being held.

With Alred Francis

With Marshall Ulrich

Did the customary pickups (Bib, Goodie Bag, T Shirts) and was fortunate to have a short conversation with Marshall Ulrich (a remarkable runner holding one too many accomplishments and Author of ‘Running On Empty’) & Alfred Francis (Race Director of the Reggae Marathon in Negril, Jamaica) before being in time for a session with Bart Yasso, Josh Cox and Tim DeBoom on Nutrition and Hydration tips. Having spent almost 2 hours at the Expo, i caught the shuttle to 57th street 8th Avenue to walk my way to Lexington Avenue to meet two CR friends – Ashwin Prabhu and Ravi Chander. We ended up eating some delicious Burritos at our commonly-favourite Chipotle. My carbo-loading had already begun!

I did some on-the-foot sightseeing from 64th & 1st to 42nd & 8th passing by Times Square and doing some shopping in my path. Got back to my cousins’ from where we all headed to Granita Grille, an upscale Italian restaurant. We caught up on some good family time and enjoyed the palatable food, wine and live tunes from Ed & his guitar who seemed to be keeping the party of ladies in the front tied to his tunes.

I got in a comfortable 5k run in the morning with my cousin Naresh after which i went easy on the legs for the rest of the Saturday. To come to think of it, i was running with him after 18 years. When I was here in 1993 for an extended vacation, Naresh used to head out in the evenings for a few miles after his summer job. He got me out and in the initial days i remember lagging far behind, gasping and panting for breath while he would comfortably roll on. Fortunately i got better with time. But I never really ran much after heading back to India until a few years later. Naresh just smiled in amazement when i told him later in the day on how he actually was the first person i ran with. Rather, the first person that got me to run!

I headed out with my sister-in-law Sonali during the afternoon for some shopping & in-motion conversations to the nearby mall after which Naresh drove me to my other cousin Mahesh’s house where i had my final carbo-loading (1/2 of that Yummy Large Veggie Pizza). Finalized the cheering spots with Mahesh & Michelle after which i was off to bed at around 10 p.m.

Pre-Race

Mahesh dropped me at Meadowlands Sports Complex at 5:30 a.m. from where i was to catch the NJ Shuttle Bus into the Runners Village at Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island. I headed into the Blue Section (Wave 2) and loaded up on the usual – Coffee, Bagel, Power Bar, Tea & Gatorade – almost 3 hours before my 10:10 a.m. start.

Just like the expo, I found the runners village very well set-up. Everything seemed to function very smooth and there was plenty of assistance around. I was glad to see sufficient porta-potties where there were no more than 4-5 people at most in queue. Besides being the biggest marathon i have been a part of, the NYC marathon also has the most diverse runners from all over the world with Italy being the largest contingent.

I came in well prepared wearing 5 layers (including the race gear) and a hooded sweatshirt. This helped me conserve my energy while i rested on the grass sitting in a comfortable spot with the sunlight bringing down the warmth.

Checked in my bags at 8:45 a.m. and headed to Corral #28 which was opened at 9:15 a.m. I resumed to being horizontal till 9:50 a.m. after which the corrals were opened up for us to proceed to the start line. The 3:50 pace group was in my corral and i had to get ahead as much as i could to not get held up with runners in & around the 3:40-3:50 pace.

Tribute to Grete Waitz

I managed to make headway 10 rows from the start with the 3:30 pacers at a couple of arms-distance away. While Regina from the Armed Forces sang ‘America The Beautiful’, my eyes spanned across the stage and to the right i was amazed to what i saw. Not wearing my eye-glasses, i thought she must at best be a look-alike of Paula Radcliffe.

The NYC Marathon 2011 was a tribute to Grete Waitz who passed away in April after fighting Cancer. Besides being a 9-time NYC champion, she even set a few world records at this course and ran with Fred Lebow in 1992 before he lost his battle to Brain Cancer 2 years later. Grete is also known to have been instrumental in promoting the sport for women all over.

I wondered how fitting it would have been if it was Paula after viewing the video clip of the warm talk they had in October 2009, days before the race, which i enjoyed watching recently. Grete and Paula have more than a few similarities – physical and career features – that is quite surprising but leading to the talented women they are in the sport. I was certain that Paula would have liked to be in her presence in this warm gesture by NYRR. Later i realize through the news and some google-search that it was her. Wonderful!

New York, New York

The marathons starts in 3 Waves depending on your estimated finish time. I was in the second and as i stood there at 10:15 a.m. awaiting for race-day rituals, i couldn’t help but think about my training and build-up to the marathon while doing my own race-day rituals. This was it, the moment had finally arrived, i was actually going to attempt giving it my best in what is believed to be the best marathon in the world. I was eager to find out why it was so, and at the same time i was nervous about how i’d carry out the plan for the day.

I had three strategies in mind for three time goals:

1. First and foremost, the intention was to secure a sub-3:30 finish
2. If the day was being conducive, i would step into the next gear to grab a 3:27
3. Would conditions turn out to be more than ideal, i would gun for a 3:24

Kick-off at 10:18 a.m. and as i crossed the start line 30+ minutes behind the clock time (there is a gap of 30 minutes between the start of each wave) in pursuit of my fastest in this distance in my Marathon # 13, i could sense the excitement and anxiety within the crowd. Frank Sinatra singing one of his most-famous compositions brought us to ease.

Staten Island – Mile 1 & 2

8:20, 7:36

The start of the marathon is with a ramp-up of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. I took it easy by running this 0.8 mile incline stretch at a conservative pace. Midway in the bridge and you cross the first mile marker. From there it’s all down to cover the second half portion of this long and crowded run. I had to control my pace in this stretch because trying to cover up for the lost time would prove futile later on. I was surprised at how comfortable this stretch felt. I think all those warnings were more about not pushing too hard in the incline because it’ll get to you later in the race, more than it’s actual climb. The energy is sparkling too as everybody’s excited and settling into their own pace waving to the helicopter covering the start of Wave 2.

Brooklyn – Upto Mile 16

Mile 3 to 8 – 7:18, 7:20, 7:24, 7:26, 7:28, 7:36

You finish the 2nd mile as soon as you enter this borough. When i entered Brooklyn, I did not imagine that this 14 mile journey through the most populous borough in NYC would be the best of the lot. Your first exposure to the crowds in this race occurs after you get off the bridge. The fever hit right through me. Spectators throng on both sides and even before i could digest the mass support, i settled into the 7:20′s that keep me cruising all along the 4th avenue for the next 6 miles. I could sense that there were many Marathon Maniacs (and MM lovers) along the route too; one of them captured me around 3.5 miles when i was (one amongst the many times) measuring and analyzing all the numbers on the watch.

Around Mile 3.5 - doing the calculations!

I vividly remember how alive this stretch was. Wide roads, entertainment, people & people all over the place. I still recollect the face of a few officers from the NYPD who were at the centre, all smiles, sporting thumbs-up and cheering all of us. I crossed the 6.2 mile / 10k split in 47:00 (7:35 pace) which i thought was very good because not only did i knock off the deficit from the slow 1st mile, but i also was well above pace for target 1 & 2.

Just before the 10k split, you start to see the huge Williamsburg Savings Bank building in the distance. Being a clear day, i used it as a good landmark to run towards for the next 2 miles.

Mile 9 to 13 – 7:37, 7:28, 7:58, 7:28, 7:42

As soon as you head into Lafayette Avenue, beginning from the Brooklyn Academy of Music, you are engulfed in a huge stretch of cheer for the next 1.2 miles. The next 9 minutes were a thrill as i swifted through this thin path caved by trees and a sea of loud roars and hoots while we runners smacked by.

Bedford and Manhattan Ave took us through the next 4 miles, which for the most parts were largely flat with a few minor inclines spread out. As I passed the 10 mile marker, i saw my watch and it dawned on me that i was on a too-fast pace for my ‘more than ideal’ target of 3:24. For a moment i wondered if this was a recipe for destruction. I then altered my pace for the next few miles to save some for the inclines in the second half.

With Mahesh

My cousin Mahesh along with Michelle and the kids – Rohit and Raunuk – were to be my first-ever cheerers and i was to meet them at Mile 12, the first out of three spots along the course. The moment i crossed the 11th mile marker, i kept looking for them. One of the best moments of this day occured when Mahesh emerged from the crowd in a jiffy, half a step onto the road, and screamed my name with me just 2 yards from him. It took me by surprise, a pleasant surprise. In excitement i called out his name in return, slapped a high-five and with a new bout of energy found myself running faster. That explains the fast time at the 12th mile!

Rest of the support system

These two cousins made this trip special for me for another reason. While Naresh was the first person i ever ran with (back in 1993), Mahesh on the other hand was the first known-person that came out on a course and cheered for me. Besides the two brothers, i’d also like to thanks the ladies (Auntie / Bhabi Maya, Sonali and Michelle) for being so warm and caring. The kids who kept quiet at night and gave me un-interrupted sleep Thanks guys, all of you made my stay very comfortable and my trip memorable.

Queens

Mile 14 to 16 – 7:44, 7:55, 8:09

Borough # 3 welcomes us with a bridge and also bids adieu in similar fashion. I found the Pulaski Bridge pretty alright. It starts with a 400 metre climb of low gradient, soon after which you pass the half way mark. I estimated to hit the 13.1 at around 1:40 in the pace i was currently on, but i seem to have been about 27 seconds ahead of plan as i crossed the mat in 1:39:33.

A similar distance on the descent takes you into Queens through the second ING Cheering Zone which is i think was the essential feature in the beginning of the next 1.5 miles that i spent running through rolling hills and bends. Were they loud? Yes. But i have to admit that the decibels were not to the degree of explosion as i had witnessed in Brooklyn. Without a doubt, i was still in awe of the largest borough in the course of the NYC Marathon. I wouldn’t be surprised if years from today they come up with a seperate Marathon (or a Pikermi at least) in & around Brooklyn. NYC, are you listening??!!

Besides the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge at the beginning, we runners were to enter the only other section of the course that does not have a single spectator. Okay, i’m not counting this one guy who was dressed as a clown positioned at the center of the road who i hope runners didn’t crash into! The Queensboro Bridge turns out to be, in my opinion, the most crucial climb in this course. It comes at a point – Mile 15 – when neither you are full of energy nor are you very tired or bogged down. Hence, i decided to not push too hard through this mile-long bridge and hold back on the pace during it’s incline.

Manhattan – Take One

Mile 17 to 19 – 7:45, 7:42, 7:32

The ‘wall of sound’ greets us as soon as we head down the bridge heading left, first time around, into one of the financial hubs in the country. Moments later i see myself cutting into another left opening us into 1st Avenue, another long stretch that would keep me in good form for the next 3.5 miles. This is a wonderful path with the entire avenue dedicated, as we runners pass by in bands besides rows of supporters along the high-rise building in the surroundings. I expected the wind tunnelling through the streets, but i don’t recall facing any challenge. It indeed was a glorious morning for all of us; perfect 50′s, low winds and bright sun.

I remember tracking the streets as they passed by since i was to meet Mahesh again at 100th Street. I was also to meet Ashwin Prabhu and Ravi Chander at their aid station positioned at this juncture which would be right after i cross the 18th mile marker. Mahesh did not make it in time but i got to high-five my two friends. Ashwin immediately started running and after checking if i needed anything (gel, hand towel, etc.), he told me that he’ll buddy-run for a full mile.

Except for the 1st mile of the 1st Avenue, it otherwise is relatively flat. I couldn’t help but notice many people slowing down as Ashwin and I continued to hold the pace in the sub 7:45 region. Before we hit # 19, i asked him if he could stick around for anoter mile. Without hesitation he agreed to stay with me till Mile 20. The intention was to use him for another mile and then, if i could, i would probably have a go at it for the last 10k.

Bronx

Mile 20 – 7:58

Wills Ave Bridge brings you into the last borough un-visited in the course. This short almost-half mile bridge did not present any formidable incline nor was it gradually long to bear down on me. Within minutes, i find myself in the Bronx!

The pain on my Left Feet’s Metatarsal & Proximal Phalanges (the bone section below the index toe including the hump above the arch) from the 1st mile and the tightness in my left soleus muscle (lower calf) from the 13th mile was slowly getting to me and I used his company in trying to not pay much attention on the pace and the aforesaid fatigue that was setting in. Though Ashwin kept checking on me, i consciously did not tell him about my discomfort because i figured he might factor that in and i wanted to maintain the pace we were on.

With Ashwin Prabhu

This borough holds the shortest distance in the Marathon. After running a few twists and turns, i started to mount the final but shortest (0.25 miles) bridge to head back into Manhattan, taking us all the way to the finish.

Manhattan – Take Two

Mile 21 to 24 – 8:09, 8:21, 8:19, 8:46

The Madison Ave Bridge brought us back into Manhattan and as we headed down 5th Avenue, Ashwin told me that he would continue to buddy-run with me for another couple of miles. He stuck with me for a total of 5 miles until Mile 23. Though i was now in the sub-8:20 range and the course is flat until Mile 23, i have to state here that if it was not for Ashwin, i probably would have found myself in the sub-8:45 range having lost another 1-2 minutes from my finish time. Thanks Ashwin, you hung around during the tough ones, you’re awesome!

After 5 miles with a running buddy, i was now back to myself having to deal with the final 5k to the finish. Before i entered Central Park, there was a long incline at Mile 23. I first thought that maybe it was the stage of the marathon that made me think so; but on verification post-facto it was a 0.5 mile uphill which i am sure is significant in the final stages. What makes up for it is the crowd i promise.

Central Park

Mile 24 to 26.2 – 8:27, 8:20, 1:49

When you’re pushing for time, you’re so focussed that seldom do you get a chance to take in the course and it’s surroundings. Nor do they have a direct impact on your energy levels. But the NYC Marathon is magical in that it seeps you in. The day, the city, it’s fever, the spectators, the volunteers, the rows of people at Central Park, the massive energy during the day, the superb conduct of such a grand event, completely takes over one and all.

When you’re in Central Park, you don’t need to move. The crowd does that for you. The last 2.2 miles around this gorgeous Park – even after cutting down 1000 trees after the snow storm from the previous week – doesn’t stop in giving you the joy and force to pull on.

My body was breaking down by the minute in the last 4 miles. I can still reminisce the pain i was in after i crossed the 24th Mile when my Lower Quads and Upper Hamstring started to pull me in. They kind of were knotting up in the beginning of the last mile and i was only praying that i can stay at a moderate pace and get to the finish.

Mahesh made it at Central Park South along Columbus Circle, close to the cheering lines before the finish and once again came on the outside just-in-time to give me my final cheer. He was one of two people that gave me the flush of freshness i sorely needed. The other being Tristan who i passed by at 25.5 miles in amazement to both of us. I mean, what are the chances to meet a friend amongst the huge pack of runners?! And he started in the previous Wave too. We exchanged a huge shout-out & gave each other a strong high-five and i carried on to the final turn to bring this one in.

Approaching the finish, i'm in the center of the picture

I crossed the final 400 metres mark but i had not much to give it a final kick. Maintained the same pace i was in for the last 10k and finished my 13th marathon, by god’s grace and love, in 3:25:37; a new best time in my books. Though i was on a 3:22 pace until Mile 20, the slowing down in the final 6.2 miles costed me some time. This is not to say that i wasn’t happy about my finish time. I was completely overwhelmed and had to mighty thank the man upstairs for everything bestowed. It was more than i could have imagined and asked for. A Personal Record of 7:54 within just 3 weeks from my previous PR was splendid to me. Bart Yasso did say it right during marathon week – NYC Marathon presents the hills, but if you play it good & sensible, you could make your best time here!

Beyond the finish

Briefly after crossing the final mat my left leg was in anguish. With 4 bone pains and muscles aches, i was walking at snail’s pace and dragging my left side with every step. Received my medal, found some comfort in the mylar blanket and clicked the finish picture. I held on for a few minutes to meet Tristan after what was a painful marathon for him after his left calf pulled at the first mile. We walked together for a while picking up our post-race food & fluid bag.

Like a marathon was not enough, NYC makes you do the extra mile. Popularly called the ‘death march’, i walked from the 66th street (finish line) to 84th street because the UPS Van which carried my series (based on the BIB numbers) was all the way in the back. In reality, all that walking did help the legs recover some bit. The first thing i did was call Mahesh to check his whereabouts and change into some dry clothes because even though the mylar blanket was providing solace, the wind was slowly bringing in the chills.

I walked back to 62nd street to meet Mahesh and then we walked a few more blocks to meet Michelle and the kids. We caught the crowded Subway to 10th street where the car was parked. I caught my customary post-marathon celebration pizza slice in the city and we drove back home to Edison, NJ.

Monday was a quiet day relaxing in the morning, a little shopping in the afternoon and catching up with the entire family in the evening. Tuesday saw me have another early start as i got to the MetroPark station at about 5:30 a.m. to make my way to JFK for a 10:10 a.m. flight. During Check-in, i had a pleasant conversation with a noble man and i could tell he was a runner. Turns out that Bill Horowitz (72 years young) ran the 1st edition of the Marathon outside of the loops when it incorporated all the 5 boroughs in 1976. He went on to run this spectacular race numerous times until 1989. I was glad to have had a short but pleasing conversation with this 10-time NYC marathoner with a PR of 3:08. When he learnt of my finish time, all he said was “Good going. You need to do a lot of speedwork Navin if you need to get fast”. I think i have my work cut off for the next year indeed.

Bill and I

Having gone through the entire experience and with the pride of calling myself a NYC Marathoner, i have to state that i agree with a lot of them out there. When the city comes out in full support, puts up a tremendous show – not just during the race, but right from pre-registration, the lottery, the communications / follow-up emails, the expo, runners village during sunday morning and most definitely the race – you can’t help but get gladly lost in it’s energy. I have never seen so many people come out and cheer with so much enthusiasm showing you that they are the absolute best host joining you all day in celebration of life.

Was this my best ever marathon experience? Without a doubt!
Would i do it again? In a heartbeat.
Is it the best marathon in the world? With 13 marathons under my belt, I’ve not seen enough to tell but i’m slanting towards the belief that they would be amongst the top 3, if not ‘numero uno’.

U2 must have had the NYC Marathon in mind while they composed ‘Magnificent‘, because that’s simply what the New York City Marathon is.

Sleep Deprived I took it Head-On

Age Category Award

I was travelling to Sacramento for a good friend’s wedding during the October 14-16th weekend. It was bound to be a fun-filled week of memories, celebration and good times. Nevertheless, i had to get my last long run (LSD) before i taper for NYC. Though i stick to 20 miles these days (and try to intensify it to get the best bang for the buck), i decided to search for a marathon during this weekend in & around Sacramento. Not only will i get my LSD without running around un-known roads for 20 miles (which could turn out painful and un-assuring at times), i would also get a marathon in the bag.

The only feasible marathon i found was the Wine Country Marathon since most of the wedding functions and celebrations would be done by late Saturday night spilling over into the early hours of Sunday at the most. There were only a few issues if i had to register for this one though:
a) A distance of approximately 280 miles would have to be travelled
b) I would have to be on the road by 3 a.m. to get there in time
c) In addition to having un-planned diets (read ‘carbo loading’), i would also have only a couple of hours of sleep before heading out on Sunday
d) And to stand the risk of cancelling making it to the marathon if something was to come up for Sunday morning

I decided to take the chance and register because since i was treating it as a LSD, all i had to do bring these feet into the finish line under the sub-4 mark. I reckoned i could manage the challenges since i’d be running this marathon without the pace-strain.

Turns out that from the moment i began the trip, we had long days, unending nights, plenty of driving around, little rest to the feet, eating rich and many other tasks that kept us on the go. After my friend’s wedding reception on Saturday night, we returned to the hotel at 1:15 a.m. to draft plans for an extended night which could bring in the sunlight. In the next 30 minutes, i had to consider giving up the planned long drive which i would have to begin in less than 2 hours to Healdsburg. Not just because of being-with-the-guys, but also because of tiredness, feeling drowsy and the onset of a headache that was making me spin-around while sitting on the couch in the hotel lobby.

An hour later, the plans lost it’s formative-shape and i was also much better in the head. Got my stuff together and hit the pedal at 3 a.m. all pumped up towards the west of California. After briefly filing up the tank of the rental car and my exhausted body at a gas station, i headed into the freeway.

I was to meet Madhu at about 90+ miles down the road, outside a Starbucks in a mall at Novato and then head North to cover the next 40 odd miles in conversation. We met at 5 a.m., filled our guts with caffeine and reached the Healdsburg City Hall an hour later to collect our Bibs and race T Shirt. Madhu was registered to do her 3rd 13.1 in recent times; she’s been catching on to long distances quite quickly. Good stuff Madhu!

In conversation, i mentioned to her how this marathon is going to be an ordinary training run. I was considering dropping the target finish time from a sub-4 to a 4:15 because i had not slept for over 24 hours. As a matter of fact, i had all of 6 hours of sleep in the recent 72 hours, besides all the extra load the body was put under. The goal was to hence finish pain-free and without any discomfort that would hamper my chances of continuing my training into NYC. Oh yes, also to enjoy the beautiful course. The Wine Country Marathon starts in the town showcasing you through their residential neighbourhood showcasing some ancient buildings before touring you through miles of vineyards and wineries including the wine-producing regions of Dry Creek Valley and Alexander Valley.

But before i could have a smooth run, i had my absent-minded surprise waiting when i started to change into my race gear. I forgot my running socks. Luck had it my way when the car that we were parked ahead of had a very kind runner who spared me his additional pair. Just that they were used and were thicker-than-usual golf socks. I’ll take anything than nothing. And thus i probably for the next few hours must have given onlookers / runners that “this guys must be another weirdo ignorant fool” look. This was gonna be fun!

15 minutes to start and we got our bibs to line up at the start. Wished each other a great run and off i was to begin my 12th marathon. I remember seeing last year’s results and figured that if it was anything to (indicate and) go by, i could win my age group with a 3:55 chip time. Thus at the back of my mind i was hoping to log the 26.2 between 3:55 and 3:50, which i was now thinking of letting go since i was totally sleep deprived. Attempting a marathon without any rest in itself might qualify as suicidal!

Modified plan in my head looked something like this:
1. Use the first 5 miles to warm up and get into a rhythm.
2. Run in this ‘comfortable’ perceived level of effort till the 13.1 mark
3. Based on how the first half has gone, see how i feel and re-look at that sub-4 time to finish in the originally desired time.
4. If i’m feeling the best, stay with this pace till mile 20 and try to bring it in within 4:10-4:15.
5. If i feel like crap, find a way to crawl to the finish line!

I soon felt that the thicker-than-usual golf socks probably was a sign of good things to come much before one notices it. This is how i arrived at the realization – If this kind soul hadn’t been the very next car parked behind us, if this person hadn’t coincidentally parked at the same time to be sorting out his race day essentials while i stand confused besides a lamp post and thinking of how to run 26.2 miles without a pair of socks, i am quite sure that i would have had nobody else to bail me out. I say this because once we moved towards the bib collection area (which was adjacent to the race start), we didn’t seem to see anybody who would have an extra pair (yeah i know it’s stupid of me to hope to find one, but it’s not like i had choices!). Believe me i was scanning like i had those big X-ray masks through many a hands, drop-bags, stalls and also enquired with whoever i thought i could have a spare.

Taking this reason of thought forward, i think the game-enablers starting to play out the way it did too was a sign this might be a day to savour. One of the reasons i also wanted to do this marathon is to see how my body responds to running a marathon with the least amount of rest. And i am not referring to only a very busy weekend immersed in and around an Indian wedding. I also did not taper for the race. I maintained my training schedule because as i mentioned earlier, this too was just another long run. So in the week leading up to the race, i still did my running workouts, cross & strength trained on a couple of occassions. I thought that all this would present another sort of challenge to the body, something i was looking forward to face and find the answers to.

The day was giving me positive vibes all along. Perfect weather at start meant that i didn’t have to shiver and layer up (like like).Overcast conditions all along meant less heat & sweat. Fresh air for the lungs provided for easy breathing & lower HR. Sufficiently placed aid stations meant i could run bottle-free. I’m not sure if staying awake through the night kept the body well tuned (maybe the blood and muscles are warmed-up for hours already right!), but my body felt like it was in-the-zone, and suddenly being sleep deprived was like a house full of energy to tap into. Okay you can ignore that trash talk, i’m only gonna be (finally) getting some rest tonight.

Anyone would agree with me when i say that a marathon is a long race and hence making assumptions in the first few miles is not wise and could be a call for reversal of feel & fortune (read ‘disaster’). But i had other notions in me which got me to devise a new plan and use the original as Plan B instead, shall the need arise.

The first 3 miles did not provide any fatigue of a sleepless night and my stride was smooth as wheels on auto-cruise mode. My pace from the start seemed to hover around 8:45 per mile. I kept with this till 5 miles, and after many checks to affirm my body’s readiness to move ahead, i stepped into the sub-8:35 pace range. I spotted two guys ahead of me who seemed to be in the same pace and i acquainted with them – Caner one was a 3:04 marathoner and Geoff was attempting his first marathon – till the half way mark.

The half way turn-around arrived and i was at 1:49. An even split would give me a 3:38 finish which would be a PR by 5 minutes. I must admit that i did think of a hitting a personal record from the 7th mile and was hoping to, if i could, even if by just a second. It would be a ‘super-feel good factor’ after a tiring day and a night behind the wheels where i was struggling to keep my eyes on the road. It was honestly risky doing that drive – there were those moments when i would suddenly swirl to the left and right when my eye lids met! My eyes would open and spot an optical illusion of a plenty of black birds breaking into quick flaps and vanish into thin air – dangerous! Thanks to Madhu for bearing with my frequent calls to keep me awake & not get into a rut.

Mile 14, and this ‘at ease’ pace needed a lift. I decide to move into the 8:17-8:22 range for the next 6 miles. Though i was looking at pushing, i couldn’t help take in all of it’s beauty and enjoy the scenery ahead. I love small races, they have this charm which is fresh and family. I think one should do all kinds of races (at least try them) to get a true & diverse feel of the beautiful world of running. There is so much to offer and receive in all levels of marathon conduct. Besides enjoying the experience, one stands to appreciate their unique support systems attached.

I enjoyed this course all along while i also found myself passing many runners. When i crossed the half, i reckon i was in the 59th position. I did not ‘mark and make my case’ through each one of them ahead. I rather focussed on dealing with the numerous hills in this out & back course. The game of adjusting my effort and pace in the elevations while maintaining my mile averages was very involving and i seemed to be enjoying each mile, looking forward to the next.

Elevation Profile

When i crossed the little yellow mile marker to the side of the road showing ’18′ on it, i decided to use the next two mile markers in checking how my body and mind were to decide whether i wanted to notch up for the final 10k or stay on pace and finish in the 3:37-3:39 range. I decided to take it one gear up with the calculative risk that even if i bonk on my pace while in the final 10k, i could still drag myself to a PR with the buffer having created so far.

I ran the final 10k using everything in me to maintain a sub 8:05 pace. The hills only got tougher and my body slowly was breaking up. Mile 23 started to seem even more difficult than the the ones covered with the additional dodging between some gravel and traffic along the road stretch. The toughest was Mile 24 with it’s long repeated climbs which seemed to slowly make it’s way through my lower back and legs. But after having decided to try & run sub-8 minute miles for the final 3, i was not gonna let go of the pace. I managed to keep it together till Mile 25 when i took a wrong turn but realized within seconds and didn’t lose much as a result.

Mile 26 was tough but sweet. I picked up the pace a bit more to give it all i got. Overtook a runner for the final pass at 25.4 to land me a 20th overall position out of 211 participants (after marking her for over half a mile). Sprinted my heart out in the final 800 metres to finish the race in 3:33:27. My 2nd age category award (placed 3rd out of 13 in the Male 30-34 group) and a PR by almost 10 minutes. 9:35 to be specific. Unbelievable stuff!

3:33:27 - 20th Overall - 3rd in Age Category

I began the day completely sleep deprived, but by god’s grace and love, I took it Head-On. I’m very happy that i did not sink into the temporary comfort of sleep to keep me down and miss a wonderful marathon, but stayed patient and composed, just like we do out there in the 26.2 right. I was super glad i took it heads on. Felt like i was looked upon all day by a guiding force keeping me safe, sensible and strong. What started of as an un-eventful long slow 4-hr training run ended up turning into a fantabulous cherished marathon. Run On!

Marathon Photo Gallery

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Scenic San Francisco

Have you had an experience which was un-planned for, but turns out to be very pleasing and delivers more than you could have imagined? That’s what the SF Marathon turned out in my case. I learnt about my possibility to participate in this marathon only 4 weeks out when i got to know that i would have to travel during those days. And when i learnt that there was a Marathon in the Bay Area, i knew that this trip, though being un-foreseen, would be indeed interesting. The San Francisco Marathon is known to be very scenic all along the route. The day completely lived up to the expectations!

Bhargav & I at the Expo

I landed in the Bay Area late on Thursday and stayed with a good Chennai Runner (my running group back in India) friend Bharghav Bhikkaji who these days is in San Jose. Bharghav and Aparna were very hospitable and generous during my 4 day stay with them. Thanks guys, i could not have asked for more. Bharghav is fun in more ways that one. For instance, at the airport after claiming my baggage, i was trying to spot him for a ride. All he asked me to do is “look for a Honda CRV without a License Plate”. And this was only the beginning of my stay; the days ahead contained some good times and hearty laughs.

Expo and Pre-Race

Saturday saw us driving to the expo and we met up with other Indian Runners whom we had earlier connected with through email. Barring 2 friends that we missed to catch up with, the rest of us got a chance to get to know each other during the American Cuisine Lunch that we enjoyed around the block. Besides the variety of food we munched on, i think we also had a varied bunch of runners amongst us – 3 attempting their maiden marathons (Ramkrishna Reddy, Madhulika Goel & Eizel Mafnas), Neville Bilimoria closing in on his ’12 marathons in 12 months’ streak that he would complete in August 2011, Mala Honnatti who has been running for 20+ years having done her 1st marathon in 1994, amongst others. It all made for a afternoon of pleasant conversations and the infrequent planning of the task ahead the following morning.

(L to R) Ramkrishna Reddy, Madhulika Goel, Eizel Mafnas, Mala Honnatti, Neville Bilimoria, Bharghav and Aparna Bhikkaji, Navin Sadarangani

We headed out early on Sunday monring (around 3:30 a.m.) to avoid any traffic and parking bottlenecks that we may face, besides the 35 mile drive from San Jose to San Francisco. Fortunately we got to the corrals well in time and i met up with and joined Neville in Wave 5. The plan for us was to try and run comfortable at a sub-4 hour pace for the first 20 miles, and decide our finish time based on how we wanted to deal with the final 10k. Bart Yasso (Runners World) let us toe the line at 06:02 a.m. for Neville and I to kick-off our respective 11th marathon. Since this marathon was during my training for the NYC Marathon that i am going to be running later this year, i was keen to treat this as another weekend long training run and bring it in within 4 hours.

To A Friend

Two weeks before i made this trip, i (along with a host of other runners) was immersed in following a friend who took up the massive challenge of completing the Vol State 500k Ultra Marathon Un-supported. Besides all us well-wishers praying and wishing for him, i told myself that when i do my next marathon (which was in about a week of his finish date), i’ll run it for him.

Naresh during the Vol State 500k

Naresh, though i might have said this to you earlier already, what you did out there was absolutely extra-ordinary. I want you to know that i started this race in celebration of your splendid feat. I bow to your courage, determination, endurance, mental strength, physical prowess and above all the humility in letting us all in on something so very exciting and breathtaking. I can’t help but feel very proud of having you as a friend. The distance i did (though just 1/12th of what you killed out there) was for you brother!

Miles 1-5, Average Pace 8:44

Glow in the Dark, before the race started

Wave 01 Kick Off

Before the start

All the full marathon participants (6002 in total) and 1st half marathon participants (a similar size as the full) start at the waterfront location of the Embarcadero, to pass the imposing Ferry Building in moments heading northwest. The first 3 miles are flat and charming as you pass along the shoreline through various Piers. Fort Mason presents the first climb. It’s elevation is meagre, but serves as a warm-up for things to come. Mile 4 and 5 are flat again as you pass by the wide Presidio park, all along giving you a glimpse of the bridge on your far right. For a brief moment we passed Bharghav around Mile 4.5 who seemed at ease in conversation with a new-found runner-friend. While passing this stretch i recollect looking at my Garmin to see us way ahead of our intented pace (of 9:09) and Neville seemed like he was strolling in an easy training pace. Not wanting to play the Party Stopper, i played along and kept pace with my friend as we were enjoying the greenery on one side and getting ready to enter one of the best sections of the race.

Mile 6-10, Average Pace 8:47

Running on the Golden Gate Bridge has to be one of the highlights of this course. Besides it’s historic grandeur, it’s a fine stretch of design and architecture that you won’t be lucky to appreciate if you drive through. The 3.5 mile back-and-forth loop over the bridge lets you in on some fine sights of the city, and makes you unaware of the miniscule but relevant incline that you run twice, while passing by scores of runners on both sides. Neville was doing the hard work of over-taking as he breezed through runners in a seemingly comfortable effort; and all i had to do was follow suit. Before we knew, we were at Mile 10 and without much strain were in decent pace. I reckon that even though we were doing a moderate amount of inclines by then, the conducive weather (mid 60′s) made it possible for us to run in a steady pace and feel very easy about it.

Mile 11-15, Average Pace 8:35

You get a chance to savour some energy when you run almost a mile flat & partially downhill after coming out of the bridge, leaving the countors of the Presidio park. The scenery from here is to be enjoyed! We were gonna enjoy this course, and we certainly did, the proof being in the below two clicks along the course.

“The good thing about an uphill is that is has a downhill that follows”
The next 1+ miles takes you through rolling hills as you run across the Richmond District with the first views of traffic diversions caused by our collective crazy passion. We crossed the half way mark in 1:55 and as we enter a section of the Golden Gate Park, the 2nd Half Marathon participants (4200+) start their race in the parallel alley.

I briefly checked with Neville on his PR and learnt that it was 3:51. But i was almost certain by the 15th mile that we would not be able to have a go at it. Neville and I were in the joint intention of enjoying this 26.2 mile run. We ran the distance with a feeling of contentment without much strain in it. And to ensure that we relished it all the way, we decided to reduce the pace and enjoy the surroundings.

Mile 16-20, Average Pace 9:21

The course continues to give you a great tour of the 1017 acres park, which is supposed to be the 3rd most visited city park in the United States (after Central Park in NYC and Lincoln Park in Chicago). Runner’s World calls this the #1 race in the country as far as ‘Destination, terrain and variability’ are concerned. And i saw why they did so as we ran through this beautiful park appreciating it’s various aspects – stadium, gardens, lakes, trails, several statues and the diversity of flowers & groves along – and realizing the variety of sights witnessed since the start.

As you exit the park, you arrive at the Haight-Ashbury. This stretch shows you it’s range as you pass by houses, stores, music landmarks (remember ‘Grateful Dead’), graffitis (i spotted an admirable Bob Marley).

Hills Workout
By now, we were streaming down the roads, facing one incline after another. I told myself that since were in a manageable pace and didn’t anticipate any formidable challenge as such, let me have some fun in the elevations. Hence, whenever the road started to climb, i would sprint up the hill and ease out as i waited for Neville to catch me up on the slope. By the end of the numerous hills, i felt like i got a good workout to fire up my quads for the final 6.2 miles.

Mile 21-26.2, Average Pace 9:44

The last 10k starts of with some downhill. Being on a relaxed pace for the last hour, we were in the ‘observant mode’ to witness many residents cheering as we passed by a few communities. As we moved away from these neighbourhoods, we crossed an industrial area and from there on it was flat as a pancake to the finish line. For more than 5 miles we were in doubt of making it under the 4 hour mark due to our very-easy pace, and thereby losing time by the distance. But as we passed by Dogpatch (the final neighbourhood) and then through the walls of the AT&T Park (home of the San Francisco Giants), i was sure that we would crack another sub-4 Marathon. One mile to go and we decided to pick up the pace a bit for the home stretch as we moved over the last bridge in our path. A mild sprint in the final 200 metres as we finished at the Embarcadero, right under the Bay bridge. My finish time being 3:57:35.

Though i did run a race (the Illinois Marathon back in April 2011) with company (a group of 4) for most parts, this was the first time i actually got to run with someone from start to finish. Neville is a spirited running buddy and i absolutely enjoyed his company through-out the Marathon. The fact that our finish times were just one second part should give you an idea of how much in-sync we were through the morning. While walking-after i had a good laugh at myself when i realized that all my talking-aloud through those 26.2 miles might have sounded like a lunatic to him because though he had his headphones to his ears, the music was never turned on. “We shared some good times indeed” i thought while we moved ahead to catch up with other runners besides the beer garden.

Ram (PR - 3:3:58), Navin (3:57:35), Neville (3:57:36)

I must admit that i dreaded that the inclines would have been more fierce than they turned out to be. Or maybe they actually were so because i read / heard about how some people found the hills to be killing, and probably we didn’t push hard enough to feel it’s true challenge. I somehow thought that even though it had it’s share of elevation, the day brought much respite to the runners with almost-ideal weather conditions all along. The rain gods brought a drizzle too around the 2 hour mark. I’m sure there are many other marathons in CA which running aficionados vouch are sight-for-the-eyes. But for now, i am filled with memories of a Scenic San Francisco visited through the best possible manner – running a marathon!

The First Ten

When you cross that finish line, everything about you changes.
But the everything doesn’t stop in your within, how i don’t find that strange.
- Navin Sadarangani

I enjoy the long runs on Saturday. They seem to be the perfect curtain raiser to the weekend.  The saturday that just passed had me running 20 miles, my last long run before i attempt to run my 11th marathon in less than 2 weeks. During a long run, you have the chance to ponder about a bunch of things, empty spaces included! I ended up for a decent portion of the run thinking about my first ten marathons. Let’s take a look:

The Numbers

Countries ran in : 4 -> India, United States, Bahamas and Jamaica
Total time : 42 hr 28 min 33 sec, average time of 4:14:51 per marathon
Slowest marathon : Hyderabad (India), my first marathon, at 5:42:57
Fastest marathon : A1A Fort Lauderdale (Florida), #8 on the list, at 3:43:15
Training distance & hours spent out there : 3437 miles in 573 hours, all in 20 months 3 days

Best Moments

It’s a well-known feeling (as much a cliche as it sounds) that every marathon is close to the heart. But if i have to pick some of them out, they’d be
3rd most favourite moment : 2 marathons in 2 days
A weekend spent running marathons in Champaign (Illinois) and Cincinnati (Ohio), involved in pacing someone to BQ, running the weekend within my target time (of 8 hours), acquainted with many passionate runners, made friends with some, met a good friend in Scott Dahl (and M4M too!) are some of the reasons. What tops it all is the body and mind’s journey through those 2 days. A journey one has to experience to feel it’s growth. Your perspectives change, level of respect for the body & mind enhance and you start to think of life in different equations. If anybody thinks that we were made with limits, i have news for you!
2nd most favourite moment : My first marathon
I was very keen to not only do a marathon, but run it in my home country. And i was extremely delighted to have done it 10 days before leaving India. The day was very tough. The city of Hyderabad can get quite hot and the rolling course difficult to get by. To add to it, i think my training and preparation was much below sub-par, but i wouldn’t have changed a thing if i had to do it all over again! Coming through those tough moments was absolutely rewarding. I can vividly re-collect that morning of August 30th 2009, 342+ minutes of staying out there, and the unbelievable joy that followed. And i’m sure this memory will not fade for a long long time to come. They say that once you cross that finish line, you’re never the same; you’ve turned into a new, better and stronger person. Here’s the deal – I think it’s more than that! When you finish your first marathon, not just you, but even everything outside of you changes. If you think i sound illogical, delusional, exaggerative (or all the three), you must try your hands at it. Just the process of training for a marathon brings about a certain definition in you. And if ‘a course’ can do so much, imagine getting to ‘the destination’!
Most favourite : That sub-4 finish!
Seeing sub-4 hours at the finish line timer. By far has to be my most favourite moment till date. While running with Bob Marley (Mile # 26 is called the Bob’s mile as you run through verses from Bob’s songs along the course), i still remember fresh the joy in my face. That final stretch during the Reggae Marathon (Negril, Jamaica) was huge for me. Because in it i realized one of my closely-held desires since i started running marathons. Especially when i think of how i could have missed the goal again by having a door fall on my big toe 3 days to the marathon, barely managed to miss a bus brushing past me the day before and letting the heat get to me all over again – i missed the sub-4 the first time just 2 months back due to rapidly heat conditions in Chicago – on this humid morning. All together made this achievement even more special, and made case for a perfect end to my 2nd year of running marathons.

Worst Moments

I’m sorry but this section doesn’t find a mention here. You can’t possibly have worst moments in such a wonderful sport (and life) right. Not this time!

Learnings and Opinions

The first time - No matter how easy or tough, how pleasing or treacherous it is, your first marathon will always be special and un-forgettable. Live the experience good and hold that experience dear, those are moments to cherish. Because you know after the day’s done, you’ve just started a new chapter.
Something new - Every marathon teaches you something new. I once heard it from a person doing his 40th marathon, last year from Tristan Miller who was doing one every weekend through 2010 and have read this fact very often too. No matter how often you do it, you’ll pick up some tidbits from other runners, stumble upon useful info, learn of challenges bringing out the best in some and if you get lucky, learn a thing or two from yourself.
First cut is the deepest - Like every kiddo who encounters his first fall, every marathoner will go through his first ‘disaster marathon’. Those 26.2 miles takes a lot from you, but does not leave you empty. It on the other hand fills you up with the best teaching you can possibly ask for, to learn from, and come back with a bang. Sure you’ll go through many such instances again, but the first cut is definitely the deepest.
Chasing times - No matter how time-hungry you are, try and not plan every single marathon to be a Personal Record (PR). For one, it becomes a addictive habit, and you probably will feel like a drag when you’ll eventually lose the chance to shave minutes off your previous best. But even more, and this is what i believe, because running marathons is also about enjoying those long runs. Don’t get me wrong, i love chasing times too and have fun when i’m giving it all out there, but i would not want that to be the case at every instance. Just like how you need to mix up your workouts and have those easy runs to be yourself, you need to have some easy marathons too. After all, i accept and am happily aware of the fact that every day ain’t Sunday. So please do me a favour and enjoy the rest of the days of the week too.
No shortcuts - In those 26.2 miles, every truth in your training un-folds. If you haven’t put in the time and effort, you can’t get by, irrespective of what you do on race day. There ain’t no shortcuts. Hard work never gets wasted nor does it have a replacement!

I know this ain’t much for many of you. I know that 10 marathons can be done in less than a month for some. I know that my times aren’t to rave. But for me, they’re quite massive. I’m in it to relish each and every one of them. I’ve lived some of my purest moments in them. And i suggest you do it too, the feeling is like no other. My ride’s been great in the first ten. Here’s to the next phase. Run On!