George Washington (GW) Birthday Marathon 2009 (Race Report)

So I was talked into this by Running Sean - as part of a pact to try and qualify together for Boston, only Sean never got round to actually entering! So on Sunday morning I am by myself trying to find the start of the 48th annual GW Birthday Marathon in Greenbelt MD. Good news is it's only 20 min from the house.
Takes some finding as it is a VERY small race and hidden away.
Turns out it is a marathon that looks like it is frequented mainly by the ultra-marathon crowd. Several faces I know from other races (including Mark Zimmerman - whose article on the HAT Run website was one of the things that got me through my first ultra), I'm wearing by JFK50 shirt (more as a comfort blanket to remind me I can do this) and end up talking to several other who did the race too.
At 10:30(ish) the race gets underway with very little ceremony, just a small group (around 200) of runners huddled in a suburban street with a Race Director saying "Ready, Steady GO!" The pack, inevitably thins quickly - it was never really that thick! And by one mile marker I'm running with a guy in a Red "Boston marathon" vest and a tall young guy with a white baseball cap. First mile is ticked of in under 7 min, a bit fast but what the hell. Initially i think I will run with the guy in the Boston Vest - seems like a good pacer for a Boston qualifying time! But I strike up a conversation with the tall guy in the baseball cap and turns out he ran JFK two years ago (in sub-8, wow!) and did the Vermont 100 in 2008. We talk and run and the miles just tick away, by 6 miles we are still under 7 min/mile pace and life is good. The course is a short "out and back" leading to a loop that the runners lap three times. Not super hilly but enough up and down to keep things interesting! At mile 9 we lose the first round of relay runners and enter a feed station where Running Sean is standing with his eldest and my middle daughter - great to see the girls having fun handing out water and Gatorade at the aid station. I take Gatorade at every stop - having remembers how to drink from a cup. Mile 10 and we are still under 7 min/mile pace and the pace feels comfortable - I am waiting for the inevitable crash to happen but for now I am fine. Start the second loop and passing lapped runners who are all happy to shout encouragement "Go JFK guy!" is shouted at me at one point - CHEERS! Halfway and a time of 1 hr 31 min and change means that for a brief second I am even contemplating a sub 3 marathon (in my dreams). The guy in white baseball cap (lets call him Will, because as I find out at the end that is his name) pulls ahead and I feel my time running with him is at an end. I relax and just try and stay smooth. After a mile or so we are back together, chipping away at 7 min pace and still talking ultra running. At mile 19 things start to change - we are slowing to over 7 min/mile pace. Sub 3 hours is out the window unless a miracle occurs. At 19.5 see Sean and the girls again - he yells "come on under three is doable", but I know today probably isn't the day. 20 miles and we are 1 min over 7 min/mile pace. A guy overtakes us and we try to lift the pace. At 21 miles Will mentions that the hills seem to be getting bigger. the guy who overtook us earlier has come back to us but makes another break. Will goes with him and I try and relax - let them go! At the next hill I am back with Will and then he is behind me. I think about waiting but at 22 miles it is not time. I head on desperately trying to lengthen my stride to gain a few seconds a mile. By 23 miles it is officially hurting - I am trying to keep it smooth. A look at my watch at 24 miles and I am at 2 hrs 47 min. No chance of sub 3 but even at 7:30/mile a bash at under 3:05 is achievable. At the end of the final loop Sean and the girls have abandoned the aid station to head to the finish, just after the aid station a Marshall is guiding me and another runner to the left. I ask "when do I peel off to the finish?" Good job I ask because this is the place! "You at 25 miles?" the Marshall asks, when I nod he guides me right to a stop sign and then left towards the finish. As I head to the stop sign I sense I am alone! I resist the urge to look behind, but snatch a quick confirmatory glimpse as I head left at the stop sign. No-one within a hundred yard of me so no panic for now, just me against the clock. At 25 miles a long hill appears and my heart sinks! I can see a runner way ahead but my chances of catching him are zero! The only change can be someone passing me! I can feel the pace slow as the hill continues on and on! At the top I give in and have a look for potential pursuers. There is no one. I am tempted to relax but then decide with less than a quarter of a mile to go now is no time to give up. A Marshall guides me down a footpath (and a steep downhill) to an underpass and the 26 mile marker hoves into view. Just 385 yards to go. I try and lengthen my stride and then I hear Sean and my daughter yelling. Pin my ears back and cross the line with a goofy smile and the traditional arms raised salute. The final hills have cost me a sub 3:05 finish - final time 3:06:25 a PR by over 3 min, a Boston Qualifying time and good enough for fourth overall and first "Old Bugger". I finally have one of those plaques to hang in my downstairs toilet, taken me 41 years but it was worth it!

I can't say enough good things about this race! Fun and friendly as it gets, marvelous course, great volunteers and an ace long sleeve shirt. All for under 40 bucks!! - Welcome to the 8th oldest marathon in the US of A. An absolute gem!

Now if only my legs would start working again!

Cheers

DB