first three hour marathon attempt (34mpw)

Training

I averaged 34mpw over a 16-week training period coming off an injury. I plateaued at 44mpw for a 6-week period. I very rarely ran on back-to-back days. My HM PR is 1:27:57 from February. I did a 1:28:48 in October on a hot and humid day. I think I was in 1:26:30 shape. I feel like I have improved somewhat since then.

Pre-race

Sleep from 9pm-11pm. Lie in bed awake from 11pm-3am. Get ready 3am-4am. Drive to race 4am-6am. Sit around 6am-7am. Gu at 10 minutes prior. Meet up with my new friend from same town who is also going for his first sub-3:00 about 60 seconds before the race. Plan is EVEN SPLITS (6:50/mi). Little did we know that this course is definitely LONG. My GPS was 26.52, and I'm decent at tangents. My HMs are usually 13.14-13.17. His marathon PR is 3:02; mine is 3:19.

Mile 1

Fight the temptation to go out like a bat out of hell! Friend keeps hitting the gas but I hold back. I keep suggesting he play it cool and he eventually does. 6:49.

Mile 2

But we've already lost five seconds on course! So we decide to notch it up just a bit from there, and we run into a 46yo female who is going for the state record in her age category (3:06). 6:42.

Miles 3-12

The three of us are chatting it up, making jokes, staying relaxed. I'm breathing much easier than them, so I take this as a good sign. I throw off my hoodie at mile 3 (it's 24 degrees by the way), take a Gu at mile 5 and another at mile 11. 6:43 / 6:42 / 6:35 / 6:34 / 6:39 / 6:43 / 6:41 / 6:34 / 6:40 / 6:41.

Mile 13

My friend gets froggy again and takes a ten second lead. He beat me by four minutes in the HM eight weeks ago, so I just figure he's is good shape. She and I let him go. 6:33.

Miles 14-15

We cross the halfway point at 1:28:27. Crap. I did not want to go out this fast. I knew I was pushing too hard, but the reality just now sets in. Plus, my GPS says I have done 13.26. Steady on. 6:43 / 6:47.

Mile 16

This is a tough mile with a slight climb into the Space and Rocket Center entrance. More undulations and poor surface. The female starts to fade, so I silently pick up the tempo when I see myself flirting with my first 7:00 mile. Take Gu #3. 6:54.

Mile 17

Friend was steadily 10 seconds ahead but comes back to me in about one minute. He's hurting I think. I offer him a drink because he dropped his, he refuses, I continue on. 6:44.

Mile 18

Toughest mile on the course. Path becomes undulating and gravel at some points. Legs are starting to feel weak. I just have to keep on. Refuse to accept 7:00. 6:58.

Miles 19-22

Reality has set in on a number of runners. I pass about four, one of whom has stopped to walk. My legs are trembling and have nothing left. I know what is coming. 6:45 / 6:47 / 6:48 / 6:46.

Mile 23

Dreaded mile 23. My GPS tells me I should have three minutes in the bank. This ridiculous course tells me I have no more than ninety seconds. Even though it's net downhill, I fold to a 6:59 and give back ten of those seconds.

Mile 24

My legs are weak. I know I should have done more than 34mpw. Now I am paying for it. The smart decision is to take the foot off the pedal. Naturally, I ditch the loser talk and lift the fucking tempo. This is what you fucking do when you're tired. Find what does not exist and USE it. I see a guy about fifteen seconds ahead with Sweden on his shirt, catch him, and tell him, "We're going to get a sub-three, Sweden." He says, "It will be close." I say, "No, it won't" and I lift the fucking tempo again because I fucking can. 6:39.

Mile 25

Two miles to go. I come to a straightaway and see not a single runner. No more carrots. No worries. Pour out that fucking cup of whatever is left. Once the cup is empty, I notice that I'm slowing down again, so naturally, when my watch buzzes... 6:48.

Mile 26

...I must LIFT THE FUCKING TEMPO. Oh the fucking humanity! I'm supposed to be 1.2 away, but it's 1.5. I demand whatever is left. SHUT UP LEGS! I'm leaving nothing to chance. Give me everything. Give me what is not there. 6:40.

Mile (0.52)

Yep, 0.52. Not 0.2, or the customary 0.35. 0.52. But you know what? Destroy this course. Legs are gone, but I get quicker. I am clearing violating causality by borrowing power from the future. Newton's Laws of Thermodynamics have been overthrown. Coming in with a 6:13/mi pace, I turn the corner, enter the stadium, and give a deafening shout as I cross the line at 2:58:18. The small crowd responds with a huge approval of my battle cry. Bucket list complete. Foes vanquished.

Looking Back

"Sweden" comes in around forty seconds later and tells me that my talk lifted him. And holy hell, the 46yo female goes sub-2:59 right beside him to break the state record by over seven minutes. She was behind me the entire time! She thanks me and tells me what an accomplishment I have. What the hell? I'm just another young guy running a sub-three. She just made local history. I politely point out the absurdity. My friend comes in around 3:04. He had stop a couple of times. He was disappointed but happy for me. Terrific guy.