On May 1st, I ran the Lincoln Marathon. I’ve heard good things about this race, but I’ve never run it before. I chose this race for two reasons. First, I needed another Nebraska marathon for my fourth circuit of 50 states. Second, I could drive to this one. There were other races I considered for this weekend, but they all had expensive airfares.
I got up early on
Saturday to get started on the drive. Not
counting stops, it’s a six hour drive.
Sitting in the car for that long was making my lower back uncomfortable,
so I had to stop a few times to get out of the car and walk around. I also made a brief lunch stop in Des Moines.
I encountered heavy rain
in southern Minnesota and drizzle in western Iowa and eastern Nebraska. When I got to my hotel, the rain was ending,
but it was so windy my hat blew off my head.
The marathon starts and
finishes near Memorial Stadium, on the campus of the University of Nebraska. The stadium is on the northern edge of the
downtown area. I stayed at a downtown
hotel that was about half a mile from the stadium.
By chance, my friend Eliot
was staying at the same hotel, and I randomly bumped into him and his girlfriend,
Sue. They were on their way to meet some
other friends at a bar. I was planning
to walk to the Marriot for packet pickup, but they offered me a ride. After I picked up my race packet, we all went
out for beers.
My hotel was in an area that’s
loaded with restaurants and breweries. I
had dinner at an Italian restaurant that was two blocks away. Then I had a beer flight at a brewery that’s
adjacent to the hotel.
I got to bed early and
slept about as well as I’ve ever slept the night before a race. I woke up well before my alarm was scheduled
to go off, so I had plenty of time to get ready for the race.
It was 40 degrees, but
with a strong wind that made it feel like 30.
The race had a gear check, but I didn’t want to bother with that. I dressed warm and wore a light jacket to the
start. I was planning to tie it around
my waist, but it was so cold that I kept it on for the first few miles.
When I ran the Savin Rock
Marathon five weeks ago, I felt like I was restarting my marathon training. Since then, I’ve also finished the Boston Marathon. My times in those races were 4:13 and 4:11
respectively. My goal for this race was
to improve my time. It’s only been two
weeks since Boston, so I didn’t expect to improve dramatically. I was looking for incremental
improvement. I would’ve settled for a
time that was a minute or two faster.
I didn’t know if I could
run as fast as four hours, but I saw a four hour pace group, so I lined up next
to them.
The sun was at a low
angle, and we started out running right into the sun. With the sun in my eyes, I found it hard to
see. I knew there were patches of uneven
pavement, so I started at a cautious pace.
It was all I could do to see the pavement clearly.
We ran into the sun for a
few blocks before making the first turn.
After that, I could see more clearly.
I noticed I was right behind the 3:50 pace group. The pace felt easy, but I made a point of not
passing them. I knew 3:50 would be too
fast.
After another turn, I
could tell the 3:50 pace group was accelerating. I didn’t try to keep up with them. I kept running at the same pace, and I gradually
drifted back.
When I saw the 2 mile
sign, I looked at my watch for the first time.
I was averaging less than nine minutes per mile. I questioned whether that pace was sustainable. My pace still felt relaxed, so I kept going
at the same pace. I was careful, however,
not to fall into the trap of keeping up with the runners around me. I ran my own race.
Somewhere in the third
mile, I turned a corner and found myself running into the sun again. It felt like I was running up a long gradual
hill, but it was hard to tell. I had to
look straight down, so I couldn’t actually see the hill. I just felt like the pace was suddenly
tiring.
I also felt hot for the
first time. Under my jacket, I could
feel sweat on my arms. I took off my
jacket and tied it around my waist. Before
long, I also had to take off my gloves.
The first time I reached
an aid station, I noticed the cups had lids and straws. I’m sure the people who organized the aid stations
thought they were being helpful, but it’s really tough to drink through a straw
when you’re running. I tried, but it was
too difficult. I had to take the lid off
and drink straight from the cup. I did
that at all the aid stations.
Shortly after the aid
station, I large group caught up to me.
I knew there was a 4:00 group somewhere behind me, so I assumed it was
them. I was planning to join the group,
but I found their pace difficult. I was
surprised how quickly the group was overtaking me. Then I saw the sign the pacer was holding. This was the 1:45 group for the half marathon. Their pace was much too fast for me. They evidently lined up farther back in the
start corral. I kept running my own pace
and let them go by.
At four miles, I checked
my watch again. I was still averaging
less than nine minutes per mile. I still
wasn’t sure if that was a pace I could sustain.
I decided to stop looking at my watch, so I wouldn’t get emotionally
invested in maintaining that pace.
Shortly after the 5 mile
mark, I started talking to another runner.
I had to pick up my pace a little to stay with him, but I enjoyed our
conversation. I knew I couldn’t run at his
pace for the whole race, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt me to run with him for
a mile or two.
After another mile, we
made a turn onto a bike path, and I felt a headwind for the first time. Earlier, I felt hot. Now I felt cold. I wondered if I would regret taking off my
gloves. I considered putting them on
again, but I knew I wouldn’t be running into the wind for the whole race. I decided to live with having cold hands for
now.
There were aid stations
roughly once per mile. By the time I
reached the aid station near the eight mile mark, I felt like I needed a
bathroom stop. Many of the aid stations
had port-o-potties, but this one didn’t.
Another pace group caught
up to me. Again, I initially assumed it
was the 4:00 group. It was another half
marathon pace group. This time, it was
the 1:50 group. That was still too fast
for me, so I didn’t make any effort to stay with them.
This course was mostly
flat. There were a few sections that
were slightly uphill or slightly downhill, but none of them were steep. The longest hill was somewhere near the nine
mile mark. That hill was slightly uphill
for about three blocks. After cresting
that hill, I saw a spectator holding a sign that read, “It’s a hill. Get over it.”
The runner next to me saw that sign and said, “There’s another hill?” The spectator immediately said, “No. No. It’s just the one hill. You’re past it now.”
When I first started
running marathons, I heard a nugget of wisdom from a friend. If you don’t feel fresh at the 10 mile mark,
you’re going too fast. I sometimes ask
myself at 10 miles if I still feel fresh.
I have a tendency to start at a fast pace, so the answer is usually no. I asked myself that question at 10
miles. I didn’t feel perfectly fresh,
but I felt better than I usually do.
I was around 11 miles
when I saw a row of port-o-potties and none of them were occupied. I no longer left the urgent need to make a
bathroom stop. I assumed I would probably
need to stop eventually, but I had a concern.
I knew I was ahead of the four hour group, but only by a couple
minutes. If I made a bathroom stop, I
might fall behind them. I was worried
that would be too demoralizing, especially if I couldn’t catch up to them. For that reason, I decided to press on.
I had only run a mile since
the 10 mile mark, but I was in the middle of a long stretch that was right into
the wind. Now, I clearly did not feel
fresh. Running into the wind was tiring.
After another mile, I
began to see some downtown buildings. Soon,
I recognized where I was in relation to my hotel. When I reached the street my hotel was on, I
knew how much farther it was to get back to the stadium. I started to feel strong wind gusts. I was only a few blocks from the stadium, but
it was really tiring.
The first half of the course
was a big loop. When we got back to the
stadium, the half marathoners would turn and run to the finish, while the
marathoners would run past the stadium and begin the second half.
I reached the halfway
mark in 1:57. I was three minutes ahead
of a four hour pace, but I still wasn’t confident I could do it. Three straight miles running into the wind
took a lot out of me. My average pace so
far was just under nine minutes per mile, but I was much more tired than I
should be heading into the second half.
The second half of the
course was out-and-back. As we continued
running past the stadium, we gradually turned until the wind was at our
back. After that, we had a tailwind all
the way to the turnaround point. I
needed that to regain my composure.
Just before the 14 mile
mark, we crossed a bridge and turned onto a bike path that followed Antelope
Creek. I started to wonder how long it
would be before I started to see the fastest runners coming back. I didn’t have to wait for long. Somewhere between 14 and 15, I saw the lead
runner coming back. He was escorted by
two motorcycles and two bicycles. I ran
a long way before seeing the second place runner.
After about a mile on the
bike path, I turned and crossed a bridge.
I briefly felt a headwind, but only until I got across the bridge. Then I turned and had a tailwind again.
For the next several
miles, I tried to put in enough effort to maintain a 9:00 pace. I stopped checking my watch, so I didn’t know
for sure. I was afraid that if I was
slowing down, knowing that might demoralize me.
I was running by feel. I tried to
put some effort into it, but not so much effort that it would break me.
With the wind at my back,
I started getting hot. The sun was higher
in the sky now, and the temperature was several degrees warmer than it was at
the start. I was dressed warm, but if I
wasn’t, I would’ve been freezing on the going into the wind. There was no way to dress perfectly for this
race. When I ran into the wind, I was
too cold. When it was at my back, I was
too hot. I had the wind at my back all
the way to the turnaround, but I knew I would have to run into it on the way
back.
I’m not sure exactly when
or where, but somewhere in the second half of the race, I realized I was fighting
to break four hours. It wasn’t my goal
at the start of the day, and I still didn’t know if I could hold the pace, but
I realized I would be disappointed if I didn’t do it.
For the last few miles
before the turnaround, I was really looking forward to getting there. Psychologically, the remaining distance would
seem more manageable when I was retracing my route back to Memorial Stadium and
the finish.
The last half mile before
the turnaround was alongside a lake. This
was the most scenic part of the course.
I saw the 3:50 group coming back.
I estimated they were almost a mile ahead of me. I was still ahead of the 4:00 group, but I
didn’t know how far back they were. I
wouldn’t know until I was on my way back.
When I made the turn, I
immediately felt the headwind. It was
cold, and it was tiring. I knew I’d be
running into the wind for the rest of the race.
Why was I looking forward to reaching the turn?
I looked for the 4:00
group. I didn’t see them at first, but I
wouldn’t have to wait long. My lead on
them couldn’t have been more than two minutes.
That was a little bit disappointing.
Coming back from the
turn, I had to fight the headwind, but I was determined to maintain my pace if
I could. I put more effort into it than
I did at any point earlier.
A gust of wind almost
took the hat off my head. I had it on as
snug as possible, but I had to start looking down, so the wind couldn’t catch
the brim of my hat.
With about four miles to
go, I started to feel stronger wind gusts.
When it was gusting, just running at any pace was tiring. I seriously questioned whether I could
maintain my pace. I reminded myself that
the four hour group was still somewhere behind me. If they caught up to me, I would have to
decide how badly I was willing to fight to stay with them. I hoped to put off that decision for as long
as possible.
All the way back, I was
seeing progressively slower pace groups that were still heading out. I was just past the 23 mile mark when I saw
the 5:30 pacer. Then I recognized
him. It was my friend Tom, who goes by
the nickname “pacer Tom.”
After passing Tom, I
recognized a building in the distance.
It was the dome at the top of the Nebraska State Capitol. It’s in the downtown area, so I had a much
more tangible feeling that I was getting closer.
With about two miles to
go, I returned to the bike path along the Antelope Creek. I would follow the creek for about a mile
before getting back onto the streets that would lead me back to the stadium.
For a long time, I
resisted looking at my watch. I knew the
wind was slowing me down, but I didn’t know how much. At the 25 mile mark, I finally looked. With only 1.2 miles to go, I wanted to know what
pace I needed to break four hours. I had
about 14 and a half minutes. I knew that
was plenty of time. No matter how much
the wind slowed me down, I would break four hours. I just had to keep running.
I heard someone tell
another runner the four hour pace group was within sight. Earlier I didn’t know what I would do if they
caught up to me. Now I knew. At this point, I would fight to stay with
them.
I crossed back over the
same pedestrian bridge I had crossed earlier.
Soon, I could see the top of the stadium over the other buildings. I had to go all the way around the north end
of the stadium to get back over to the west side. The good news is that I was gradually turning
out of the wind.
I checked my watch again
at 26 miles. I was pleased to see I ran
the 26th mile in 9:10, even thought I felt like I was running out of gas. Other runners were putting on a strong
finish. I couldn’t speed up like them,
but I also didn’t slow down. I finished
in 3:56:46.
I was hoping to improve
my time, but I didn’t expect to improve by 15 minutes. I also didn’t expect to get back under four
hours this soon. The best part is that
races have value as training runs. My
effort in this race will help prepare me for the next one.
The finisher medal had a
different design on each side. The 45 signifies
this being the 45th year the race was held.
After I finished, a few
different volunteers offered me water bottles.
I’ve learned to skip the water, unless I’m unusually thirsty. There’s usually a better beverage as you
continue moving through the finish area.
In this case, it was chocolate milk.
Next, I was guided into
the lower level of a parking garage, where I received my space blanket and food
bag. I like races that give you pre-assembled
bags with your post-race food. This one
was especially nice, because it was a good bag.
After walking through the
parking garage, I was met by other 50sub4 members who had already
finished. We waited for one other member
to finish. Then we assembled for a group
photo.
The finish area was fenced
off. The only exit was at the end that was
farthest to my hotel. That made the walk
back longer. As I was walking back, I
felt the wind pick up again. I was
thankful that the wind was relatively light while I was standing around in the
finish area.
After getting back to the
hotel and showering, I had lunch with some friends who I originally met years
ago at the Little Rock Marathon. The
temperature had climbed into the mid-60s, and it we were sitting in the sun. Suddenly, it felt like a nice day.
For the first time in
months, I was staying at a hotel that has an indoor pool and whirlpool. I spent part of the afternoon relaxing in the
whirlpool.
For dinner, I went to a pizzeria
that was recommended by one of the runners I had lunch with. Before this trip, I didn’t know the best
pizzeria in Lincoln. Now I do. It’s Yia Yia’s Pizza & Beer.
My lower back bothered me
on the drive to Lincoln, but it didn’t bother me as much driving home. I’m happy to say that it didn’t bother me at
all during the race. Also, this was the
first time in a year and a half that my right knee not only didn’t bother me
during the race, but also didn’t bother me walking up and down steps afterwards. It helped that this race didn’t have any
steep hills.
This was my first time
running in Lincoln, and I liked the race.
The wind was awful, and it would’ve been horrid if we also had rain. Other than that, I thought it was a good
race. I’ll eventually want to run one
more marathon in Nebraska, and I’ll consider doing this one again.
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