“The World is Flat” was once the official slogan of the Columbus (OH) Marathon, and this year’s theme was “Determined”, and while it isn’t Chicago flat, it is a pretty flat course and this year I was definitely determined. I picked the race after running the half last year and experiencing how well organized it was right down to the mini-details and the major apologies by the RD for a slight medal mishap. As many of you know (who read this blog or know me personally), I have been running and racing a long time, and this year I just wanted to see if I could get into good enough shape to run a sub 3:40 marathon while in my early-mid 50s. My half marathon times indicated that it was possible, but I’ve always thought of myself as a better half marathoner than marathoner, but I wanted at least one more crack at a good training cycle and time.
After a decent Spring capped off with a nice, fun run at Boston and a solid half at Toledo, I took some down time and dropped my mileage back into the mid 30s (mpw) for the rest of April and May. I then decided to get more serious and see what I could do over the summer and ultimately with hopefully good results in the fall. Coach Bob and I put together a schedule that had me slowing down my long runs considerably, adding in more MP and LT runs, adding back a mid-week sorta long run, and raising my overall mileage albeit slowly. I ended up running consecutive months of 198, 216, and 219 miles (July, August, September), running 4- 20+ milers with two over the hills in western NY, and while I didn’t race as much as I normally would (and maybe that was good), I did run a minute faster at the little, hilly race that I do at CHQ every summer, and I ran a pretty decent and consistent 5K (22:09) in cold, rainy, windy conditions. Although I felt like I was running my daily runs too slow, I was hitting my planned MP and speed work paces even during my three days of carb depletion in the last week of taper. I guessed after running an easy 3 miler on Saturday morning before the race that I was as ready as I was ever going to be. So with the forecast for cool temps (30F at the start), I figured that my time had come to trust all the training and all the books and run a marathon.
Fast forward to race morning, and yes, it was cold. I wasn’t sure how to dress exactly, but decided on my standard skirt (that I always race in), my short sleeve 2nd Sole shirt, arm warmers, longer socks, and a throw away shirt. Met up with Joe (my old training partner from Atlanta, Nick, Pete, Jenny and Nick's Mom and sister), and we headed to the start. (I also ran into my friend Gerry that runs with our group here in Cleveland at the hotel, and she walked to the start with us.) Yup, it was cold - but someone had told me the night before that it was cold at the start last year, so I figured I'd be fine once I got going. We may have waited too long to get to the start area and drop off our gear as we were still trying to walk to the B corral as they were playing the National Anthem. In fact, the gun and fireworks went off and there we were at the back of the corral – nowhere even near the 4 hour pacer, let alone the 3:45 pacer (who I thought I might start near). I didn’t let it bother me, and I even ran an made a last minute (nervous) pit stop before even crossing the start line (roughly 6 min after the gun).
Just the night before, I had talked to Coach Bob briefly about not spending too much energy bobbing and weaving around “slower” runners and I didn’t. I just bided my time and slowly worked my way down to the 8:30 pace that I wanted to run for the first half. I had settled into running 34 min 2 mile splits, and I comfortably reached 5, then 10, then 12 miles right on that goal time if not slightly ahead by half way where I ran 1:51:17. I even just took it easy when I reached the 4 hr pace group between miles 4 and 5 where it was very crowded and I had to slow some just to stay in sync and not get hung up in the crowd of runners. At that point, you are running up North High St near the Arena in what I think of as the largest, longest uphill on the course. I took as assessment of how I felt so far at this point, and I realized that I felt like I had run 5 or 6 miles not 13+. (It was also here that I tossed off my throwaway shirt onto some grass over the snow fence - as luck would have it, I picked it up on my way back to the hotel!)
I continued to press on and when I mad 15 miles in 2:08 feeling very strong, I knew it was time to go ahead and just let the body settle into the pace it wanted. We went by the stadium, crossed the river, passed through the cornfield with the “corny” jokes, (My favorite being: Why did the marathoner cross the road? Because his GPS read 26.19 miles), and the next thing I knew I was running right behind the 3:45 pace group and getting ready to pass right on through. I then remember getting in sync with a fellow runner as we passed into Grandview Heights and a nice gradual long downhill stretch. At this point, I was not paying any attention to my watch, just running by feel, and the course clocks. I knew where I had to be and actually subtracting the 6 minutes seemed like real easy math. I think a sign of feeling and being in the zone is that math is easy at mile 21 rather than a struggle. Shortly after mile 23, I caught up with Raj and Kyle who were looking strong. I had told Raj the night before that I’d find him in the morning. Well, I assumed that would be at the start, but instead it was around mile 23.
It was around mile 23 that my watch started doing crazy things – like beating that it was shutting down and restarting – I ignored it, and just kept running. Right around mile 25, I could see where I was with regards to the Arena again, and I was starting to feel those last few miles (and some where I had run low 8s and even one 7:51), and I knew that if I just hung on as best as I could, I would be well under the 3:45 (after all I had passed the pacer), and hopefully under the 3:40. On the final stretch, a few people passed me (damn those with young legs), and I pressed on only to see the final clock and realize that with a gun time of 3:44:47 – I had done it. I had run my fastest marathon since St. George in 2008 and I had run a PR in my 50s! I even got a cool little pin that they gave out to Boston qualifiers - yup, got that done too for 2017 (and I age up).
(Even my Mom was impressed as she texted me with congrats on such a fast time- woohoo. If you knew her, you would understand that is major kudos)
The negative split was actually a complete accident as it simply resulted from my patience as an old, experienced runner. I had no intention of running anything but somewhat even splits, so it came as a surprise. What did not surprise me was my ability to really just go for it and realize that I was more fit than I gave myself credit for. All those slower long runs, the backing off in the final couple of weeks with the strength training to let my body rest and properly taper, and the paying attention to my diet and my depletion and loading all came together. And it is real nice when that happens!
Michele Keane Age: 53 Residence: Bay Village, OH
Show All Results for Michele Keane
8:21 per mile (view kilometer pace)
73 percent (view time) 
821 out of 4435
181 out of 1969 Females
5 out of 115 Females in the F5054 Age Group
(See complete F5054 results)
Show All Results for Michele Keane
8:21 per mile (view kilometer pace) 73 percent (view time) 821 out of 4435 181 out of 1969 Females 5 out of 115 Females in the F5054 Age Group (See complete F5054 results)
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