On October 6th, I ran the Twin Cities Marathon. This was my first marathon, back in 1983, and
it’s the one I’ve run the most times.
I’d probably run it every year, but there are a lot of good marathons in
October, and you can’t do them all. Last
year, for example, The Twin Cities Marathon fell on the same weekend as the
Chicago Marathon, and I opted to do Chicago.
This year, there wasn’t any conflict.
Even still, I wasn’t originally planning to do this
race. I originally planned a race
schedule for September and October that had me racing every other weekend. As I gradually got into better shape and got
more confident in my health, I decided to add races on the weekends in between
if they didn’t involve travel. For this
race, I can sleep in my own bed. It’s
hard to resist doing one of your favorite races when it’s in your home town and
you’re going to be home that weekend anyway.
One of the nice things about a home town race is that you
can go to the expo a day earlier, when it’s not as crowded. I went Friday, right after lunch. The expo has held at RiverCentre in St. Paul,
as it has been for several years. I had
to pay for parking, but it gave me an excuse to have lunch at Cossetta. This is an Italian restaurant and market that
I always recommend to friends who are coming in town for the marathon.
Saturday felt weird.
It was the day before a race, but I didn’t need to travel, and I didn’t
need to pick up my race packet. I took a
day off from training, so I could have fresh legs on race day. I normally do that, but I’m usually busy
traveling somewhere. After getting up, I
organized my clothes for the race. Then
I just sat around the house relaxing and listening to music. I rarely have days when I’m not busy doing
something. The only part of the day that
felt normal (for the day before a race) was going to Italian Pie Shoppe to have
pre-race pizza.
The Twin Cities Marathon is a point-to-point race, starting
in downtown Minneapolis, and finishing in front of the State Capitol in St.
Paul. I always park near the finish and
take a bus to the start. One of the
places where you can catch a bus to the start is the Best Western Plus Capitol
Ridge. I’ve always found that
convenient, since there’s a large parking lot nearby. Besides buses to the start, runners also have
the option of taking light rail. It’s
free on race day if you’re wearing your race bib.
Buses started loading at 5:00 AM, but I didn’t need to be
there that early. The earliest buses were
for runners doing the 10 mile race, which started at 7:00. The marathon didn’t start until 8:00. I didn’t leave the house until 5:15. That got me to Best Western by 5:45 despite a
few adventures with road construction and streets that were already blocked off
for the race. As I got out of the car, I
realized I forgot to label my gear bag.
There was a sticker for that, but it was still on the back of my race
bib. I went inside the Best Western to
take off my race bib, so I could label my gear bag. While I was there, I bumped into two friends.
I didn’t get in line to board a bus until 6:15. By then, there was a long line. I finally got onto a bus around 6:30. That still gave me plenty of time. The driving distance from downtown St. Paul
to downtown Minneapolis is only about 10 miles.
We got dropped off in downtown Minneapolis around 6:45. I immediately got in line for one of the
port-o-potties. While I was walking
around in the start area, I bumped into five other friends. About 20 minutes before the start, I checked
my gear bag and found my way into the start corrals.
At the start of the race, it was 48 degrees. I knew it would warm up during the race, but
there was also a cold wind, so I opted for tights and short sleeves. I also started the race wearing gloves.
The race starts right next to US Bank Stadium. This is a relatively new football stadium,
which is home to the Minnesota Vikings.
The Super Bowl was played here in 2018.
I think the stadium was still under construction the last time I did
this race.
My goal for this race was a bit of a compromise. On one hand, this is a beautiful course, and
I wanted to carry a camera and take pictures along the route. I don’t think I’ve ever done that
before. On the other hand, I wanted to
see if I could qualify for Boston two weeks in a row. Why not do both? Last weekend, I was able to run a relatively
flat course in 3:27:14. The qualifying
standard for my age group is 3:35. This
course is also relatively flat, so I figured I could break 3:35, if I didn’t
stop too many times to take pictures.
I didn’t see a pace group for 3:35, but there was one for
3:30. I didn’t think I would run that
pace for the whole race, but it seemed reasonable to run with them until I
started taking pictures. Then I didn’t
have to pay attention to my pace.
The first mile was through downtown Minneapolis. We started on Sixth Avenue. A few blocks into the race, we ran underneath
the Hennepin County Government Center. The
building goes right over the street, so when you run under it, it feels like
you’re going through a tunnel.
The last time I did this race, we followed Sixth Avenue all
the way to Hennepin. This year, we
turned left on Marquette Avenue. As soon
as I made that turn, I felt a cold headwind.
Next we turned right on 12th Avenue and followed that to Hennepin. When we turned onto Hennepin, I again felt
the wind.
After that it was the same route as usual. When we passed St. Mary’s Basilica, all the
bells were ringing. That was a nice
sound. We turned onto Lyndale Avenue,
and I stopped to take a picture as we ran past the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.
My camera can’t focus when I’m moving. I have to make a full stop and wait for it to
focus. I thought my first picture was
too distant, so I took the time to zoom in for a better photo. By the time I started running again, I had
lost sight of the 3:30 group.
I really wanted to catch up, so I wouldn’t have to pay
attention to my pace. Lyndale is
slightly uphill, which made it difficult to pick up my pace that much. I was getting tired just trying, so I had to
give up until later.
Then we turned onto Douglas Avenue, which brought us into
the Kenwood neighborhood. As we got to
Kenwood Park, it was downhill, so I tried again to catch up. I got closer, but then the street got too
congested. The 3:30 pace group was
huge. It filled the width of the street for
about half a block. I could get close
enough to see the pace leader, but that’s it.
At the three mile mark, I checked my watch for the first
time. I was 11 seconds behind a 3:30
pace, but well under a 3:35 pace.
This race is billed as “The most beautiful urban marathon in
America.” I agree with that
assessment. Most races through large
urban areas have to run through a few unsightly industrial areas in order to
get to the more attractive areas. This
course doesn’t have any of that. From
here on out, the entire course was tree-lined parkways, mostly along lakes and
rivers.
Shortly after leaving Kenwood Park, we arrived at the “chain
of lakes.” The first lake was Lake of
the Isles.
After Lake of the Isles, we crossed Lake Street and reached
Bde Maka Ska (formerly known as Lake Calhoun).
This is a popular spot for spectators.
I always enjoy the energy of the crowd here. Near the south end of the lake, you get a
great view of downtown Minneapolis from across the lake. This view has been featured in movies that
are set in Minneapolis.
I found some room on the side of the road, and got ahead of
the 3:30 group. Instead of stopping to
take a picture and trying to catch up, I ran a little ahead of them. Now, after stopping to take a picture, I
would resume running just as they were catching up to me. I questioned the wisdom of pacing myself like
this. It felt much too tiring for this
early in the race.
Next, we followed a short parkway to the north end of Lake
Harriet. Along here, I heard someone in
the crowd yell, “raise your hand if you want a doughnut hole.” A runner near me raised her hand, and the
spectator tossed a doughnut hole to her.
Lake Harriet is a popular site for 5K and 10K races. The first 10K race I ever did was two laps
around this lake.
At about seven miles, I got caught off guard, when I was all
the way to the right hand side of the street, and I realized we were passing an
aid station that was on the left side. I
tried to cross the street to get to the aid station, but three different
runners collided with me. Each time, I
got knocked forward a little bit. By the
time I got to the left side of the road, I was past the Gatorade tables. I had to run backwards to reach them. That cost me some time, and I once again trailed
the 3:30 group. I tried to catch up, but
then we turned onto a section of the parkway that was only one lane. For the time being, I didn’t have room to
move forward in the pack.
We only ran about halfway around Lake Harriet. Then we ran through the Lynnhurst
neighborhood for a few blocks to reach Minnehaha Parkway, which follows
Minnehaha Creek. The streets here were
wider, and I was finally able to catch up to the group again.
Several local names include the prefix, “minne,” which is
the Dakota word for water. Minnehaha is
often interpreted as “laughing water,” but a more literal translation is
waterfall or rapids. Minnesota means
land of lakes. Minneapolis means city of
lakes.
The next three miles were along Minnehaha Parkway. This part of the course has a few small
hills, but none of them are long enough to make you adjust your pace. I think of it as an opportunity to use a few
different muscles. I once again got
ahead of the group. Running uphill, I
eased up enough that they would catch me.
Running downhill, I would pull away again.
We ran under two bridges.
The first went under Nicollet Avenue.
The first time I did this race, there was a small brass band under the
bridge playing the theme from “The Muppets.”
This year, there was a drum group under the bridge.
The next bridge went under I-35W. These two bridges were the only places in
Minneapolis where cars could get across the course.
I was amazed how quickly the miles were flying by. Shortly after eight, I reached nine, then
ten. Objectively, I knew each one took
eight minutes, but it seemed like four or five minutes.
I was still running ahead of the 3:30 group, but I knew they
were right behind me. I continually
heard the crowd cheering for them. Over
the years, I’ve learned there are three good ways to get strangers to cheer for
you. The first way is to have your name
written on your shirt. The second is to
wear a costume or colorful outfit. The
third way is to lead a pace group.
At the 11 mile mark, I was almost a minute ahead of a 3:30
pace, but I could still hear the group right behind me. Evidently, they were also ahead of schedule.
Just after 11 miles, we left Minnehaha Parkway to run a lap
around Lake Nokomis. This used to be the
venue for the FANS 24-hour race, which I’ve done several times. I’ve logged hundreds of miles around this
lake, so I feel at home here.
On the east side of Lake Nokomis, we reached the halfway
mark. I got there in 1:43:57, which was
about a minute ahead of a 3:30 pace. At
this point, I was right behind the 3:30 group.
Each of the aid stations was staffed by a corporate
sponsor. The one just past the halfway
mark was staffed by Park Nicollet Clinics.
In addition to water and Gatorade, they had small glasses of pickle
juice. Instead of Gatorade, I drank the
pickle juice. That actually saved me
some time. Instead of slowing down to
avoid bumping into other runners who were going for the water or Gatorade, I
was able to get in and out quickly. That
caused me to get ahead of the 3:30 group again.
After Lake Nokomis, we followed Minnehaha Parkway for about
two more miles. After running through
Minnehaha Park, we turned onto West River Parkway. The next several miles were along the
Mississippi River, although we seldom could see the river through the trees.
Here, I started to get farther ahead of the 3:30 group. I could no longer hear people cheering for
them. I was still about a minute ahead
of schedule, so I wasn’t speeding up.
They must have slowed down a bit.
At 18 miles, I saw some spectators who had set up a beer
stop. On other occasions I would
probably partake, but not today. I
wanted to see if I could hold on and finish in 3:30. I didn’t feel like I had much margin for
error. The pace was getting tiring, and
I still had several photos planned.
Just past 19 miles, we crossed the Franklin Avenue Bridge
over the Mississippi. Here, we got our first unobstructed view of the river.
After crossing the river, we followed East River
Parkway. The first mile after crossing
the river was slightly downhill. At the
20 mile mark, I saw the ALARC “wall.”
ALARC is a local running club.
They’ve staffed the 20 mile aid station for as long as I can remember.
Shortly after the 20 mile mark, we started a three mile
uphill section. The total rise over this
section is only about 150 feet, but if you’ve been running too fast for the
first 20 miles, this is where you’ll feel it.
The beginning of this section corresponds roughly to where we left
Minneapolis and entered St. Paul. I
never know exactly when the city limits are.
I don’t recall ever seeing a sign.
The only part this of uphill section that actually looks
uphill is where you turn away from the river and run up a hill to reach the
University of St. Thomas. That was just
past the 21 mile mark.
My goal going up this hill was to stay ahead of the 3:30
pace group. First the first time, I saw
someone walking. Before long, I saw a
dozen people walking. I kept
running. I may have slowed a little, but
I was still ahead of the 3:30 group.
After St. Thomas, we turned onto Summit Avenue. This is a divided parkway that goes through
an upscale neighborhood with several large homes and churches. I reached the 22 mile mark and checked my
watch. That mile took 8:10, which may
have been my slowest so far. Overall, I
was still ahead of schedule, and the toughest mile was now behind me.
Often during the race, I heard music from the crowd. It always seemed to be a song that mentioned
running. Here, I heard Jackson Browne’s “Running
on Empty.” That’s how I was starting to
feel, but I pressed on.
It was slightly uphill for one more mile, but it didn’t seem
uphill. I seemed relative flat, and I
picked up my effort. Mile 23 took
8:04. I still had a cushion.
When I passed Cities Church, I knew I was reaching the
highest elevation along Summit Avenue.
The last three miles are net downhill, although most of the descent
comes at the very end.
I saw another beer stop.
There’s always one along Summit Avenue.
I wasn’t going to stop now. I
picked up my effort as much as I could.
I crossed the bridge over Ayd Mill Road.
Excluding I-94, which we would cross just before the finish line, this
was the only place in St. Paul where cars could cross the course. After a few more blocks, I passed St. Thomas
More Catholic Church. As I passed this
church, I heard bells, but they seemed to be playing a melody. It took me a moment to recognize it. It was the theme from “Chariots of Fire.”
At 24 miles, I checked my watch. I sped up to 7:34 in that mile. There was no longer any doubt in my mind I
would break 3:30.
I was stopping much more often than I planned, but I kept
passing photogenic churches. This is the
House of Hope Presbyterian Church.
With a mile to go, I always start looking over the trees on
my left. When I could see the steeple of
St. Paul’s Cathedral, I knew I was getting close to the finish. By the time I stopped to take a picture, it
had moved behind the trees again.
The next song I heard was “Up Around the Bend” by CCR. The road was bending to the left. Around this bend, I finally pass St. Paul’s
Cathedral.
Now, looking ahead, you can begin to see the Minnesota State
Capitol.
From here’s it’s sharply downhill to the finish. Normally, I would sprint to the finish, but I
had time, so I paused two more times to take pictures of the finish line, with
the Minnesota State Capitol in the background.
I finished in 3:28:29.
During the race, I stopped 18 times to take pictures. That was twice as many as I planned. Each stop probably took at least 10
seconds. That’s more than three minutes
that I gave up, and I still ran almost as fast as my last race. To say I was pleased would be an
understatement.
This was the second consecutive weekend that I qualified for
Boston. The last time I did that was
more than five years ago.
As usual, the finisher medal featured a leaf. Autumn leaves used to be a signature of this
course. I recent years, the leaves haven’t
been turning color until later in the month.
With the leaves in color, this course is even more beautiful.
After finishing, I had to remind myself that the finish area
was organized differently this year. I’m
used to gear bag retrieval being to the right of the finish line. This year, it was farther ahead. I also had to remember to get my finisher
shirt. Those were on our left as we left
the finisher chute.
Most races give you a shirt at packet pickup. This one still does it the old-fashioned
way. The shirt says, “finisher,” and you
don’t get it until you finish.
I used to be able to get out of the finish area quickly and walk
directly to where my car was parked.
This year, they had fencing everywhere.
I had to walk a serpentine route through the finish area before I could
exit. It took much long than I expected
to get to my car.
The drive home was frustrating. I knew exactly what route I needed to take to
avoid road closures, but other drivers apparently didn’t. There were lots of traffic jams as drivers
found out they couldn’t go the way they usually do, and tried to improvise. I’ve never seen so many Minnesota drivers
making U-turns.
When I got home, I got cleaned up and changed clothes. Then I drove back into downtown St. Paul for
a post-race party. The party was for my
friend Tom, who was celebrating his recent completion of both his 500th
marathon and his 5th circuit of marathons in all 50 states.
Race Statistics
Distance: 26.2 miles
Time: 3:28:29
Average Pace: 7:57
Lifetime Marathons/Ultras:
387
Minnesota Marathons:
56
Boston qualifiers:
127
No comments:
Post a Comment