Race Information

• Name: Santa Clarita Marathon
• Date: November 12, 2023
• Distance: 26.2 miles
• Time: 4:57:58

Goals

Goal	Description	Completed?
A	Finish w/o Injury	Yes
B	Sub 5	Yes
C	Finish w/o Walking	No
D	Sub 4.5	No

Splits

Mile	Time
1	10:05
2	9:55
3	10:09
4	10:21
5	10:35
6	10:23
7	10:46
8	10:52
9	10:36
10	11:04
11	9:55
12	10:11
13	10:32
14	10:57
15	11:13
16	11:01
17	11:21
18	11:52
19	12:13
20	12:15
21	12:16
22	12:54
23	12:25
24	12:59
25	12:02
26	12:19

Training

TLDR: Hal Hidden Novice 2 (entered around week 4). Started training in early July with no real plan. Nightly stretching.

I’ve never been much of an athlete and I was never in to fitness growing up; more the computer-nerd type. And that stuck through most of my twenties. Early in my thirties I did try to reverse course; I busted my ass in the gym — lost a ton of weight — and picked up the running bug.

Over the years I’d run off and on. Some weeks I’d run quite a bit, only to have it taper into nothing for months on ends. But with each new bout of running, there would be new thoughts and dreams of completing a marathon. Plenty of late nights lurking on reddit. Wondering. And ultimately doubting myself. I never committed.

In early July, I decided enough was enough. I either wanted this or I didn’t. Turns out - I did. I started running much more regularly. For the next few weeks, I’d run every other day — roughly 3 to 7 miles — depending on the day. My initial goal was the LA Marathon next March. But I had no real plan. Then I decided to try to run 10 miles (a goal I’ve had since I originally started running over a decade ago). Then I did it again. And on my third attempt — I just kept going. I felt like Forest Gump. I stopped when I hit 13.1.

That night, I signed up for the local marathon (and the LA Marathon). I was going all in. I started researching various marathon training plans and ultimately landed on Hal Higdon’s Novice 2. I counted backwards from November 12th, and entered the program starting in Week 5.

Training went well and I only missed 2 “short” runs during the 14 remaining weeks of the program. I completed every one of my long runs as planned (except I ran my 20 miler a day early). And I never walked once. I live in very hilly terrain so all of my training runs (stave for one 10 mile run I did while in the flatness of Illinois) had quite a bit of elevation gain (my 20 miler topped out at ~210ft gain). And I would stretch every night.

But training wasn’t always rosy. After my last 12 mile run my left knee started bothering me. Great, I thought. I finally made it this far only to be taken down by my taper. I started icing my knee every night and for the next two weeks I tried to ease off my pace a bit. But I stuck to the plan. As race day approached, my knee started feeling better and I felt my confidence grow. I was ready.

Pre-race

Not much to say other than I hardly slept (excited/anxious). I hadn’t had breakfast before any of my training runs (maybe a banana, here and there) and I didn’t want to change up my routine; so no breakfast. But no problem, I’d grab a banana before heading out. I forgot my banana. I also drank a bit more fluids pre-race than I had before many of my training runs (more on that later). And it was cold (at least for me). 47F at race start.

Race

Out of the gate I felt good. Cold, but good. My hands were pretty much icicles for the first 30 minutes. But my legs were feeling fresh and my pace was right where I wanted it to be. Slow and steady. The next six or seven miles went by without much thought. I found my rhythm and was having a good time.

By around mile 8, I realized that the course was actually much more hilly than I had anticipated. No problem, I thought — this is why I’ve been training with elevation. But man, I really had to use the bathroom. Must of been all of those fluids. So I used a portable at mile 10 and was back in action. And so it went, miles 11, 12 and 13 were great. At this point, I honestly thought I could achieve my 4.5 hour reach goal. I was feeling great.

Then mile 15 hit and I’m not sure what happened. I feel like something shifted. I was feeling fine but the gravity of 26 miles hit me. At 16 I told myself only 10 more - I got this. At 17, I walked for the first time. Only about 30 seconds. But I felt defeated. One goal was definitely a “No.”

I continued running until I was almost at the 20 mile marker, but I couldn’t quite make it. I started walking. Again. This began the next 6.2 miles of off and on walking. It was also extremely hot. 80 degrees. Direct sunlight. Hot. For the remainder of the race, I’d end up running for two minutes, walking for one — rinse and repeat. It wasn’t pretty. And each bout of walking came with the fear that I wouldn’t be able to restart running. But I did. And I made it across the finish line — collapsing before I could even be handed my medal. Like I said, not pretty and certainly not gracious, but I made it.

I did it.

Post-race

My wife helped me up and I hunted for shade. I couldn’t really walk and my legs ached. My whole body ached. Definitely the most pain I’ve ever voluntarily inflicted upon myself. But I also felt — different. I did it. I kept going when I thought I had nothing left and I accomplished my goal. And my wife and daughter were there to see it. The feeling was indescribable.

Final Thoughts

I’m not going to lie — I’m a bit bummed that I walked. But I have a plan. I’m jumping right into my next training program (probably in a week or two). I need a bigger base. I need more weekly mileage. And I’ll be ready for LA.