Green Bay Marathon

Another Marathon in the bag!  No where near what I wanted but will get it in the next one.  Breaking 3hr was the goal.  Aggressive?  Maybe, guess I will find out.  Race start is 7am, it was 48 degrees and pretty much no wind.  It warmed up quickly though.  I take my first bag of sport beans while heading to the start line.  Ten minutes till start and their calling for preffered corral runners to line up.  Damn it!  I just realized I forgot my sunglasses and the sun is beating down already.  Oh, well don't have enough time.  Gun goes off at 7 am on the dot.  Thoughts start rolling through your mind.  Did you put in enough miles to run this time?  I haven't run a Marathon in a year and a half.  Will this new training program I decided to do work?  Nothing that can be answered though until the later stages of  the race.  You will find out be patient and go for it!  I come across mile marker one in 7:09.  Just what I wanted stay conservative.  At mile 3, I strike conversation with a guy that is also trying to break 3 hrs.  So, I latch on.  My normal startup conversation about how many marathons each of you have done and what is your fastest.  I find out he is from Milwaukee and when I tell him I am from the Toledo area he asks:

Milw:  Are you a Browns fan. 

TJ:  Of course! 

Milw:  I actually taught Joe Thomas (Browns Offensive Tackle) in High School. 

TJ:  Sweet! 

So, we were hitting 7 flats through 5 miles.  Still being smart but mile 6 we start picking it up a bit.

TJ:  Another hill?  This damn course sure isn't flat like they claimed! 

Milw: That's for sure... 

TJ:  Their elevation chart sucks! 

Now we are hitting 6:52 (3hr pace).  The miles are starting to pass by quickly.  Clicking 6:52 or so through the halfway point.  We are 1:30:40, awesome only 40 seconds off pace and the pace is feeling pretty comfortable.  Although, I am feeling some muscle fatigue setting in.  My thoughts, not already it is way too early!  Keep it rolling, you will find out.  That answer came quicker than expected.  We roll past mile 15 still on target.  Then we come up to a bridge at 15 1/2 miles to cross over Fox River.  This was not an extremely steep bridge but it was long and gradual for more than a quarter of a mile.  Just like many of the other upgrades on this course.  This one affected me though.  I started losing my knew found running partner.  I still ran a 7:05 that mile so not off too much but my legs never recovered.  I lose 16 more seconds the next mile.  So, I decide to stop at the next water stop for a few seconds, walk, drink, go!  That gave the legs a little rejuvination.  Ok, back at it...  I was back on pace then ahhhhhh cramp in my right calf!  Crap, it's only mile 18.  We all know once that starts it is all down hill from there.  After that the goal is to get to the finish line without destroying your legs.  On and off for the next 5 miles I could run about 7:30 pace but would get the cramp back every quarter mile or sooner.  Then of course the cramps start in other muscles as well.  At about mile 23 I have this young runner come from behind and he asks. 

YR:  So, what are you trying to run? 

TJ:  That pace is long gone man...  I was trying to break 3 flat. 

YR:  He says I know what your feeling so was I. 

There are always others sharing your pain!  It is not always your day.  Later I find out though that that kid was only 14 years old and this was his second marathon.  That is pretty impressive.  I know I would have never thought about marathon's at that age.  Same rough times through the later miles but now I can hear the crowd.  I can see Lambeau Field.  I am almost there.  About a mile away.  I turn left on to Holmgren Way.  Oh man big cramp!  Turn right towards Lambeau.  Your finally going to enter the field.  Even though my muscles are wrenching down as I pass through the tunnel that the Green Bay Packers enter the field on.  I take in the significants of this field as I do my lap around and out to the finish.  Finally, the finish line.  Oh thank god, I feel like I could pass out!  All I can think is this is the least prepared I have ever been for a marathon and I paid for it.  This was not intentionally under prepared though.  I tried a new program but obviously was not righ for me.  All in all I enjoyed seeing Green Bay and sharing this trip with my lovely wife.  It is the challenge that I love so much that keeps me coming back for more!!