May 22nd 2011 was the 2nd running of the Whitby Marathon.
Last year I ran the inaugural race with another member of my group and it was a b!tch. The last half was through industrial park in hot humid weather. No breeze, no shade and the heat bouncing back at you from the pavement. Still managed a 3:58
This year they rearranged the course to eliminate the industrial park, and the weather forecast was better, so I was hoping for a good time.
Problems started the night before, gear was all packed, standard night before dinner, but I just couldn’t sleep. Maybe managed 3-3.5 hours. Anyway up at 4am, my normal pre-race breakfast and on my way. My usual pit-stop, part way down the highway, for a bathroom break and coffee, which I really needed. Got to the race site an hour before race time. Wearing my Team RunningFree gear so lots of greetings exchanged, as most of the marshals and pacers were provided by the local Team.
A quick run into the sports complex and pick up my race kit with no hassles. Drop it in the car and head back inside for another bathroom break. When I get out, there are the rest of my group running the race. My one buddy is pacing his niece on her first marathon attempt. His wife is also planning on running the marathon. And her daughter and a friend are running their first 5k.
After killing a bit of time we head our separate ways to finish getting ready. It’s a little cool, but I decide to go in my team singlet and shorts. One last bathroom pit-stop, a quick gel and I head to the start line to meet back up with the group. A few quick hello’s to some other runners I know and we count down the start. And I think why the hell did I leave my flask of pre-mixed gels in the car. Oh well, I have three in my pocket, I’ll make do. At least I didn’t forget the insoles of my shoes like my buddy’s wife, she’s tripled up on socks and hoping her feet hold out.
7am and we’re off, all races, 5k, 10k, half and full together. It’s not a big event, 103 in the marathon, so it doesn’t take long to get some running space. Before long we hit the turn for the 5k and they’re gone. A little bit later and the 10k turnaround and they’re gone.
Whitby likes to mix up the terrain for you too. At this point I’ve run on road and paved bicycle paths. Now we do a short stretch of gravel and dirt path. Only problem is it’s rained a lot the last week and there’s some pretty good muddy sections. I get through those easy enough, hit the road again and on to the next turn around. With all the turnarounds, I’m able to check on how my friends are doing. So far pretty good. Back to the gravel and dirt path, but his time we take a different branch and it’s even worse for mud, nearly lost my shoe in one spot.
Back the way we came until we get to what I consider the worst spot on the course. We have to run through a ditch to get from the main road to another path system. This year they’ve made a pit of a path, loose dirt and a big step up onto the path. Not much better.
So far, it’s been overcast and cool, but just past 17k the sun comes out. Around the same place as last year, where it proceeded to bake us for the rest of the race. Fortunately this year it only lasted a couple of k. We hit the turn off for the half and now the runners are fewer and farther between. At 23k it starts to lightly rain, but that lasts for less than half a k. Some more varied terrain, including boardwalks and steel suspension bridges. Also some weird loops, up one road, turn around, run a k back, turn across, do a big loop, run back, run back up the road and back through the turn with some of the slower marathoners turning and you going straight. Again lots of good chances to check on my friends progress. My buddy has been released from his pacing duties as the niece has faded and sent him on his way, he’s gaining on me and when I see the niece, she tells me she’s doing okay.
Around this time I run into one of my nemesis. I’ve been steadily gaining on him and have finally caught him. Except, he doesn’t want me to pass. I pull up beside him and he surges ahead. We’ve too far to go so I let him go. He fades, I pull up beside him and he surges again. He does this for the next 3k. He did the same thing to me in a marathon last November. And like last year I blew through a water station and left him behind (beat him by 3 min last fall).
Doing okay in the race, still passing people, when I hit the last boardwalk just past 40k. And I mean hit. Maybe being tired, I’m not lifting my feet much and just one board up a little bit more than the other , but down I go. Landed on my hands, knee and shoulder. I didn’t know you could skid that well on boardwalk. Must be all that sunblock and body glide. A quick check and no serious harm, but it takes me a little to get going again.
Got passed by a couple of runners while I recovered, but did manage to catch a couple others.
Finished in 4:02.
My buddy’s wife is waiting at the finish. She turned in at the half, due to the shoe problem and since she’s racing again next weekend she didn’t want to risk further problems with her feet, (nice thing about the small field, is they allow you to do this and give you an official finish for the half).
My nemesis comes in 2 min behind me.
My buddy finishes less than 8 min behind me
I go change shirt and shoes and head back to the finish where we cheer in the niece to the finish of her first marathon.
After a short bit, the niece and her husband head home and the rest of us head out for burgers and beer.
I also stopped in at RunningFree Ajax on the way home to check it out. Thanks to Garth and the many volunteers from Team RunningFree
This was good race, with improvements to the course from last year, although there’s still room for more.
I now officially hate boardwalk.
Don’t expect much in the way of crowd support. Most of it is at the turnoff for the half. But lots of aid stations with enthusiastic volunteers. And of course I got lots of personal cheers from the marshals and pacers from Team RunningFree.
Not exactly the results I was looking for. I strike that up to the lack of sleep and my gel routine being thrown off, with the less gels than normal. Although the gels were only a small part, but that was coupled with the fact I only took water at the aid stations. They were doing Heed and I can’t stomach it.
Still only 4 min slower than last years time, so I’ll take it.
