Buffalo Marathon Memorable - PR

Thanks to y’all, I finished the Buffalo Marathon Sunday in under 5 hours!  Curt said to think of all of you when the miles got tough and that’s exactly what I did.  My official chip time was 4:55:24, almost an hour better than my first marathon in Philadelphia in November 2007. Saturday, we drove to Buffalo and checked into the host hotel, which was overbooked with marathoners, Elks conventioneers, wedding guests and beauty pageant contestants.  Fortunately, we brought air mattresses for my boys, so they had a place to sleep when only a king room was available.

After check-in, we went to the expo to pick up our packets and I had a free foot/ankle screening by a physical therapist, who identified several bio-mechanical problems with my feet that would benefit from functional exercises.  He recommended that I tape my “problem” foot for the marathon and showed me how to apply it.  I’m sure he hasn’t read the “runners’ rulebook” that clearly explains that you don’t try anything new on race day.

Well, wouldn’t you know it - as soon as I started walking around the expo with my foot all taped up, it started to hurt.  Phantom pain? Real pain?  Who knows!  I ripped that tape off faster than you can say 5K.

Now foot loose and fancy free, we walked to St. Anthony’s Church Hall, for the free pasta dinner, where the beer flowed freely.  Although I’m not a beer drinker, my husband, Art, and my running partner, Marlee, enjoy the stuff and I was getting a little nervous for them when they had finished their fifth round.  They were clearly taking the laid back approach to their first marathon.  When they started craving chicken wings later that evening, I burned off a bit of nervous energy and walked the mile to the Anchor Bar for a bucket of original Buffalo wings.  Then I had my half a glass of wine to knock me out ‘til morning.

Sunday, the alarm went off at 5 a.m. to give me plenty of time to have my coffee, wait for nature to take its course, and eat my pre-marathon meal, which consisted of a banana and a peanut butter protein bar.  I’m normally pretty organized, but I kept misplacing everything that morning.  By the time we got to the starting line, we were 10 minutes from race time and there wasn’t an opportunity for a final trip to the loo.

Despite the last minute ru**** truly was a glorious morning with 50-degree temperatures and bright blue skies, just perfect for running.  The Buffalo Marathon is a relatively small race with only 850 entrants (710 finishers).  After the first few blocks, our numbers swelled as the 1816 half-marathon runners joined our ranks to complete the first 13.1 miles on the combined course. 

Art was going to hang out with Marlee and I until we reached the first photographer, but his engine was revving.  We set him loose in the first half mile to run his own race.  He was shooting for a finishing time between 4 and 4.5 hours, while Marlee and I hoped to finish in 5.5 hours. 

Early in the race, as we were approaching the Lake Erie waterfront, the elite runners came flying by and I welled up with pride, knowing that regardless of my time, I was here running the same event. 

The miles zoomed by and before we knew it, Marlee and I had finished the first 13 miles in about 2 hours and 15 minutes – faster than our previous half marathons.  We weren’t sure if that was good or bad.  Had we gone out too fast and now risked bonking early?  Or were the stars perfectly aligned for an amazing finish?

Since we missed the loo at the start, we had to make a quick pit stop and resumed our pace for the second half.  Somewhere around mile 16, Marlee started having stomach problems and within the next mile she was urging me to go on ahead.  I resisted, but she insisted.   I went on ahead, but slowed my pace and she caught up with me around mile 19.  About two miles later, she was sending me on my way again.

I didn’t hit the wall until mile 23.  After going up a slight incline, my hamstrings started to quiver in rebellion.  Buffalo is a pretty flat course and those muscles didn’t like the change after all those miles.  I wanted to walk, but I looked down at my Garmin and saw that I had just finished 23 miles in 4 hours and 15 minutes.  A sub-five marathon was in my grasp if I could just keep running.

So, for the next 3+ miles, I drew my strength from y’all.  I remembered Curt’s post and I started repeating your names with every step . . . Curt, Mary, Linn, Scott, Joe, Kim, Rob, Deanna, Kellee, etc. over and over.  I’m sure the folks I passed on my way to the finish thought I was nuts. Curt, Mary, Linn, Scott . . . “She’s delirious.  We’ll see her in the medical tent.”  Joe, Kim, Rob, Deanna. . . .

I can do this.  Only 2.2 miles to go.  Curt, Mary, Linn, Scott . . . Just 1.2 miles.  I can do this. 

The clock read 4:56:00 as I crossed the finish line, with a chip time of 4:55:24 (11:17 pace).  My friend wasn’t that far behind at 5:04:08.  My husband ran an amazing 4:18:01 for his first marathon.  It truly was a memorable Memorial Day weekend!  Thanks for being part of it.

Cassie