The Adventure on Highway 1

I think I speak for both Amy and myself when I say that I don't really like the number. I'll get it out of the way right from the start. We figured best case that it would be around 4:15. Realistically, I had gone down believing that it would at least be under 4:30. But I think that a whole host of things conspired against us for that. First, there was the course itself. The profile map certainly made it look hard, but it didn't quite do it justice. Where it indicated at least a few flat spots along the way, there was nothing but hills. Slow, steep climbs, and quad shredding descents awaited us from mile 5 pretty much right through the end. Then there was the wind. We were warned about the prevailing headwind on the course, but on our big day, it blew so hard that neither of us could keep our hats on! At one point early on, mine blew off and a guy 100 yards back had to rescue it. This was a serious, sustained, "have to lean into it" kind of wind all the way up the exposed California coast line. Finally, it would seem that we just didn't prepare enough for the descents. We focused on training for the climbs with several steep ones on our routes, but we usually then took roundabout descents that weren't nearly as steep. In the race, it was the stabilizing muscles in my legs during the several steep descents from mile 22 on that ultimately cost us a shot at that time in the 4:30's.

But to just say that we were disappointed in the number doesn't go anywhere near telling the whole story of our first marathon. While perhaps not the best choice for a first marathon, Big Sur was so spectacular that I think everyone who fancies themself a runner should try it some day. The highway that runs from Big Sur to Carmel has to be about the most beautiful 26 miles of scenery you can find, and having the opportunity to take it all in at running pace, rather than driving pace, and without worrying about driving off the cliffs, is truly a unique experience. Where else is there a marathon so breathtaking that even the fairly fast people are stopping half way through to take pictures of each other and the background?

Now, on to the run itself through my eyes - I will let Amy post about it through hers later on. We had to get up a little before 3:00 am and drive to the finish line to catch a bus to the start. We arrived down in Big Sur around 4:30 and the corral area started filling up pretty quick with the 3,500 marathoners and relayers. Oddly enough, the feeling was quite relaxed with people chilling out (literally, since it was freaking cold!) and just killing time for the 6:45 start. The start went off right on time and we were off rolling through the first 5 miles of mostly gradual downhill, working hard to keep the reigns on our pace (mostly successful on that). Since our target was going to be between around 6:10 to 6:15 per km (~10 minute miles), we were nicely on track with a mostly downhill, 58 minute opening 10 km. I was feeling strong and happy. When we left the protection of the forest in Big Sur though, we discovered the exposure of the coast where the real race begins. The wind began to hammer us and the gradual ascent for the next few miles slowed up our pace a bit. By the light station at mile 8, we had come back towards 9:25 miles, but still felt pretty strong. We got to descend again for a little bit towards the nine mile mark where Hurricane Point began. We knew this climb would be huge and it didn't disappoint. Three miles of climbing at 5% average grade and on this particular day, right into the teeth of the fierce wind. It was pretty soul-sucking, but I did at least manage to take a moment here and there on that climb to look out and remind myself how spectacular the view was! I think there were a few times when the hill and the wind got into Amy's head a bit, but she stayed super strong and we muscled our way up to the Point where it truly lived up to its name. Once you come around the point at 12 miles you get an awesome view of the Bixby Bridge and the start of a three mile descent, giving back all of the elevation we had just gained and punishing my quads. Our pace was still good and we ultimately hit the half way point just a shade under 2:15. With Hurricane Point out of the way and some downhill to recover, my mindset was still on negative splitting and bringing it in under 4:30. But the wind and the hills simply wouldn't relent. This exposed course kept us buffeted with wind all the way through the sharply rolling hills right to mile 22. And it was those hills that eventually did me in. As I alluded to above, it wasn't so much the climbs that finally got me, but the descents. They hammered your quads so much that when we hit the 20 mile mark at 3:30 (or 10:30/mile pace), the stabilizing muscles around my knees were starting to suffer. I held it together for another couple of miles, but between miles 22 and 23, the left knee really started to hurt on the descents and I had to slow to a walk several times. Over the last three miles, Amy kept encouraging me on and really made a huge difference in my will to keep it going, but my knees dragged further on our pace. What was frustrating (though also kind of encouraging for next time), was that on the few very brief flat sections in those last four miles, I checked my watch and found us still running right on our original targeted pace. In the end, Amy got me through those last few miles and the finish line was truly a sight for sore eyes! We got 'er done and I'm really proud of that accomplishment, no matter the time.

Several conclusions can be drawn from this race. First, Big Sur is really a crazy course - the winning times in Boston and London last week were both just a couple minutes over 2 hours, but the winner in Big Sur went almost 2:33! Given that, I guess I really shouldn't be too disappointed in letting our time slip. I suppose the next question is, "Do I have more marathons in my future?" Yeah, I think I do. If nothing else, I'd like to see what it's like to run one on a flat course and see what I'm capable of. "What about Ironman," like I've been planning for next year? If you asked me about five minutes after finishing, I'd have said "NO WAY!!" But after a few days to recover, I think that's the next clear step. Being completely honest, this was WAY harder than anything else I've ever done (1/2 IMs included) and I proved that I could do it. Perhaps the next challenge should be to try doing it better. But to really step up the challenge, why not see if I can do it after 180 kms on the bike? It'll certainly stretch me. Lastly, I owe a big thank you to Amy. I am so lucky to have a wife who encourages me, challenges me, and can be there every step of the way through an adventure like this. The marathon was another example of my boundaries being stretched in ways I never imagined possible and her constant support and encouragement are a huge part of that success. It really was a privilege to be able to run it side by side with the woman I love and cross that finish line with her hand in mine.