Seattle Marathon

I knew I had a Quadzilla (4 marathons in 4 days) opportunity in Thanksgiving holiday, but I could not trade my family trip to Great Wolf Lodge for my marathon adventure. However, we came back home just in time for Seattle Marathon.

Seattle Marathon2010 start line

Seeing a lot of running friends who had already run 3 races in the last 3 days and came out for Quadzilla in the morning at Memorial Stadium in Seattle Center gave me enough inspiration to run fast in my “just-one” race in the weekend. It's supposed to be my 2^nd serious attempt for BQ (3:20:59 for my age group). Weather wasn’t as bad as I anticipated considering the snow storm and power outage a few days ago. Temperature was about 38~40 deg F with no rain or wind.

I started in 3:10:00 pace group (7:15/mi) and kept it up for 3~4 miles and then slightly slowed down to BQ pace (7:30/mi). I saw Tony Phillippi and Steve Walter zoomed past me. I felt I was still a little faster than I could manage for the rest of the race but I decided to push, because BQ was not supposed to be easy anyway. Still in the first half, I noticed my pace was slowing down further and felt it would be a tough day.

Mile 4.5: Running on the ramp to I-90 floating bridge

Running around Seward Park and passing half way point took 1:44:58. I should have made it inside 1:40:00 to make BQ. There was no way to run hilly second half in 1:36:01. A little bit frustrated, but if I could even-split or run slightly slower in second half, PR seemed reachable. So, I kicked my butt and kept going in 3:30:00 pace group.

At a water station just before Mile 16, I had a minor collision with another runner in the pack of pace group while reaching out for a drink. It was a short moment having to stop, drink, and then go again, but standing and seeing the pace group run ahead fast was much more demoralizing than what was actually needed to keep up with them. BONK!!!

Mile 18: Just after making a major BONK.

Next 1 mile must have been slowest lap in the race. Thinking about BQ and PR flying away, I didn’t need any time goal from that point. Then, I felt much better all of a sudden. I did hi-five with many kids on the sidewalks and cheered every single runner with Maniac shirt that I saw as I passed or got passed by them along Lake Washington Blvd. At around mile 19, I visited Ginger Gruber, one of the speedy female Marathon Maniacs, who looked also slowing down her pace. We ran together for a while and then broke off after another water station. Just before turning to the hilly section (Galer and Madison), I got passed by two fellow Maniac friends, Guy Yogi and Kurt Lauer at mile 20.

Ginger caught me up at the hill on Madison as I was enjoying a short walk break, and I thought pacing with her would keep us going since I was tired and she seemed slower than she was used to. It worked out well and finishing inside 3:45:00 seemed feasible from around mile 22.

More surprises were waiting on the course by crazy Maniacs. Robert Lopez pursuing his second Quadzilla zoomed past us at mile 23 in Washington Arboretum, and Jessica Bienvenue who confirmed her BQ time on that race also zoomed past us at mile 26.

Finish line

Oh, boy. It wasn't my day. No BQ or PR for me in Seattle Marathon 2010. However, it was great to run with thousands of like-minded people. Especially, it was my honor to get passed by several Maniacs trying Quadzilla.

Finish time 3:40:01