Horse Capital Marathon 2022

Friday April 8th:

Due to last minute planning, this trip was solo. I drove to Lexington mid afternoon and retrieved my bib. I stayed in Frankfort so my daughter could drive over from Louisville to visit after she got off work. After grabbing a few things from the local Walmart and dinner from Panera (half sandwich and soup) I settled in at the hotel. Hannah arrived around 8 p.m. and we crawled in bed, hoping to get to bed early but instead ended up watching a movie until much later in the evening. Per usual on race eve, I didn't sleep great.

Saturday April 9th:

Race morning - my alarm went off at 5 a.m. and I started the morning ritual. A cup of coffee with half a bagel with some almond butter and jelly. I thought I might eat more but that seemed to be all I could handle. I mixed my UCAN for the 20 minute drive to race start. I got dressed and had to venture to the car to get a few things I needed to finish getting ready. It was cold but dry at this point. After 2 bathroom trips it was past time to leave so I said my goodbyes and headed out the door. My stomach was feeling weird again but I needed to get on the road.

The trip to the race start was uneventful until I turned off the exit and hit a long line of cars entering the event location. My stomach once again was letting me know things were off so I debated doing a u-turn to hit the closest gas station, but kept my place in line and eventually parked at the race start. Luckily parking was very close to the start line but the bathroom line was very long. At this point it's about 10 minutes to race start but I had no choice but to get in line for the porta potty. They delayed the start a few minutes due to the line but it eventually started while I was still in line. With it being chip timed it didn't matter if I started late because my time didn't start until I crossed the timing mat. So about 8 - 9 minutes later I finally start the race - solo.

It was cold and I had on my rain jacket - a decision to keep it on was one that I would regret and appreciate several times throughout the morning. Being so far behind the pack had me a little panicked and doing math in my head about the 6 hour time limit. I tried not to push it because of that but my splits may tell a different story. I passed most of the half marathon walkers in the first mile and caught the 3 hour half pacer by mile 2. The race was a series of out and backs so we stayed with the half marathon pack until around mile 9. Once again not knowing who was running what distance it was hard to know where I was in relation to other marathoners. At mile 6 the snow showed up. At first it was light snow but then it turned to very heavy and wet blowing snow (jacket goes back on). By mile 7 I'm completely wet - shoes/socks - all outer layers of my clothes - gloves - my tights were wet and cold - and I knew at this point where I stood - pretty much dead last but there were a few other guys close. I tried to catch up because I just didn't want to be out there alone. We also started to hit the big hills at this point. I pressed on - the snow continued to fall - and I knew I had to get a picture to show everyone what it was like - at mile 8.5 I snapped these photos.

Shortly after this I asked one of the guys if we were staying the course or heading to the finish - he responded staying the course and I said you may be tougher than I am. Nonetheless, I turned left and headed for the next out and back of the marathon course. And I decided to chat with him. Dale was his name and he was run/walking 30 seconds and I stayed with his pace for a while as we talked. It was a good distraction but that interval didn't work great for me. So I would run ahead, then hit a hill or rough patch and he would sweep me up - 30/30 again until I felt better. He was local, knew the course and pointed out some things that I would have otherwise missed. We were together until around mile 16 when he stopped to change into dry socks and shoes. It was the point where people that started with the pack were falling off - some limping - some walking - some just hitting that wall that comes. I chatted with a lady struggling to finish her first marathon for a bit (she finished). Another man was squatting down trying to stretch. A young girl with KT tape was staggering in the middle of the road bending down (I’m pretty sure she was picked up by on of the cars that later passed by). It’s not a great scene at this point. We ask if anyone needs help, provide some cheers of encouragement and keep moving forward.

And then there were "the sweepers" - a father/son duo that made running look entirely too easy. I just knew they were out there to bring up the back of the pack - otherwise why would these guys (that looked like they could finish a 3 hour marathon) be back here with us. They were simply enjoying the day - the run - and just doing whatever they wanted. Taking long stops at aid stations - walking - eating Fritos. We talked and joked many times throughout the morning which once again helped distract me from the struggle. I did see the actual sweep car with the last finisher - his finish line photo made me tear up, what an accomplishment that must have been for him.

As for that jacket decision, it would come on and off several times throughout the morning. It made me hot so I would remove it. Then it would start snowing (graupel) and it would go back on. Or I would hit the wind and due to being wet I would get cold and then put it back on. My gloves were the same way. They came on and off many times. Each time I would drag them out of my pocket, soaking wet, and put them on I was amazed at how they could possibly keep my hands warm. The layers of clothes were annoying and I fidgeted with them entirely too much. My phone was buried under so many layers that I wasn't able to take as many pictures of the beautiful course as I would have liked. But I did snap a few.

Aid stations were plentiful with water and sword and I appreciate the volunteers that were there during the snow to support us. Many of the stations had been abandoned in the later miles of the race but for the most part still had water for self service. I did notice a bunch of bananas at the final aid station but by this point I just wanted to get to the finish line. By mile 20 - 22 I was out of fuel - eating my last chews I felt slightly nervous about needing more. I had one last Nuun tablet that I dropped in my water at mile 24. Fuel was Honeystinger: 2 gels, 1 waffle, 1 performance chew - 1 UCAN on the go and 3 Nuun tablets for hydration.

One of the few times the sun popped out.

My splits can only be summed up as that was NOT pretty. I did not turn on my interval timer at the start. I was trying to use my watch and go by feel and that was not a great plan. At some point in the first 10 miles I did start my interval timer when I had my phone out - it was set to 5 min run/1 min walk. Again a little to aggressive and it never really worked out well with the hills. I managed to hang on until about mile 10 when I was over the snow, wet and cold and mentally about to give up. My paces took a nosedive. I did whatever for the next several miles. And finally at mile 16ish I changed my interval to 3/1. Again, it never really works out great with the hills but I decided on the hills instead of just walking the entire hill to do 30 secs run/30 secs walk until I got to the top. It didn't feel great, but I tried to stick to it.

By far the hardest hills were on the marathon course. I remember thinking the first four miles of the course were easy, with rolling hills. I just kept telling myself to get back to mile 22 and then it will be smooth sailing to the finish. Boy was I wrong. Those rolling hills didn’t feel quite as easy going back. And I once again struggled. Finally I made it back to that last right turn to head to the finish only to hit another brick wall - aka headwinds. I wanted to just sprint home but I had nothing left. I caved to the incline and wind and walked way more than I wanted to at this point. To say I was happy to finish is an understatement.

One day later as I write this recap I get an email from the race with the heading:

YOU ALL ARE WARRIORS!

Even if the day didn‘t go as planned, I finished.

Welcome to the back of the pack! It’s amazing and inspiring and you get to see the real grit and determination of so many others fighting their own battles. They are the real warriors.