San Francisco Marathon Race 7-29-2007 Race Report

SAN FRANCISCO MARATHON RACE REPORT
July 29 2007

This was easily the most important race of my entire life thus far, as I have spent the past 16 or so weeks training harder I ever imagined I could in a big push to get closer to the Boston mens qualifying standrad. My last marathon at Los Angeles in March 2007 was a disastrous 4+ hour finish, so I obviously still have quite a long road ahead of me (literally and figuratively!)

In preparation for this race, I analyzed my prior race results, which all indicated that I was really underperforming at the longer distances, which made sense given my prior specialization in 5k-10k distances for the past 10 years, and my very limited 8 months of experience in marathon distances. My prior two marathons this year were marked by dramatic "blowups" at miles 20+, during which I was forced to walk at least half the final 6 miles due to leg cramping and fatigue. To combat this problem, I started an aggressive 18 week/70 miles per week maximum training program listed in Pfitzinger's Advanced Marathoning book which was highly recommended by various experienced marathoners on marathon forum websites. My prior average miles in training was about 55, so this was quite a push for me. I will have other postings reflecting on this training, but suffice to say, it forced me to run farther, longer, and faster than I had ever imagined, but I managed to complete virtually the last 16 weeks of the program without exception.

I had originally not planned on this marathon to originally be my "A" race since it was summer and the hilly SF course is well known to not be conducive for a PR (personal record), but after the intense Pfitzinger training program, I knew 8 weeks out that I would likely set a personal record by a fairly large margin, so it raised the stakes dramatically for me. During the final 3 week taper, I was most certainly afflicted with what experienced marathoners call "taper madness," during which the substantial pullbacks in mileage cause you to feel at times both superhumanly fast, alternating with complete nonconfidence about your conditioning, let alone your ability to finish the race at all. As my weekly mileage dropped from 70 to 30 in the final 3 weeks, I noticed that all of my runs began getting much faster, which was a very promising sign. However, I had some truly scary days, including the last long run 7 days prior to the marathon, during which I set out at near goal marathon pace (7:45-50/mile) on a flat easy beach course, and was forced to walk after 11 (!) miles of 13, which certainly did not bode well for a goal race on a much more difficult course during which I was supposed to run even faster over the entire 26 miles. I racked it up to the heat (hit 80 degrees), but it was particularly distressing for me. My conservative goal time would be 3:30, for personal best by a whopping 20 minutes, and I would use any energy I had in the last half to improve on that time by whatever I could manage.


Though my girlfriend lives just oustide the San Francisco Bay area, I decided to book a hotel as near the start line as possible for convenience (she was also running the race). This was a great move, as the SF marathon starts in multiple progressive timed waves, and my wave was scheduled for 5:30AM (!). Being near the start line allowed me to relax, wake up at a reasonable 4:00AM time, and probably most importantly, avoid the pre-race bathroom crush that you encounter at all marathons. We were in the heart of downtown SF, which is a great tourism spot, and we had a great time walking around the expo, as well as at a home-style pasta dinner near our hotel.

On race day, I was up by 4AM. I had managed to somehow fall asleep by 9PM the night prior so I felt well rested for the race. I skipped breakfast since I was still full from the huge lunch and dinner I had the day prior. After taking a shower, clearing the GI system, and getting my race gear on, I headed out for the start line at 5AM. It was early enough that I was the only person on the streets near my hotel, and it was completely dark out but well lit. I jogged for a bit, then realized I was running the WRONG WAY to the start line after 5 minutes! I reversed directions, and actually got a bit stressed about getting to my wave on time. Fortunately, I made it with time to spare, and with a nice shot of adrenaline to boost.

I'm going to take a moment to ponder one of my greatest marathon challenges - the prerace calls of nature. After a monster dinner and aggressive hydration the day before, it seems that I have to go to the bathroom 2-3 times in the final hours leading up to a marathon. The first 2 times are usually manageable, since occur over an hour before the race start, but it's literally impossible to find a port-a-pottie in the final 20 minutes prior to the starting gun. I've resorted to remote trees & bushes in the past, and this time had to find a creative solution involving the SF bay ... well, you get the point. I don't know how women pull it off at all!

I seeded myself aggressively during the expo the day prior, and moved my wave up from 5 to 3, which meant that I would start in front of the half-marathon horde, and in the 3:30-3:45 marathoner group. This was a huge advantage, and one of the best aspects of the SF marathon in particular. I would estimate that there were about 500 people in front of me at the start line, which was a vast improvement over the 12,000 people I had to wade through during the LA marathon. Probably about 100 of those people were, unfortunately, enthusiastic half marathon rookies who thought they should start "as close to the start as possible", and had no idea that their 10-12 minute mile pace (wave #6-9 on their bibs) would be problematic for the rest of the crowd, but it was not really a problem in this relatively small starting pack. The race organization was perfect for the start, and it was very easy to get into starting place, which was actually not crowded at all. The weather was forecasted to be absolutely perfect for the marathoners, and in true form, it was a perfect 50 degrees and dark with clouds when the starting gun went off. Showtime!

MILES 0-4. EMBARCADERO AND THE FISHERMAN'S WHARF
FLAT, FAST, AND DARK.
The San Francisco marathon is known to be one of the most scenic marathons, and it didn't disappoint even in the early morning darkness, with a few flat and easy miles down the Embarcadero waterfront and the Fisherman's wharf, which is probably the most visited spot in San Francisco for tourists. I was surrounded by fast, capable runners, and had to do only a little weaving in the first 2 miles. Not much sightseeing for me though - I had a race to run! I knew that the key to my success in this race was to run conservatively during the much hiller first half and then put in a negative split in the net downhill second half, so I locked on to a comfortable but aggressive 7:50 per mile, which I hoped to hold for the first 13 miles. For some reason, the 3:30 CLIF bar pace group leader was missing at the race start, so I was on my own for this one. These 4 miles definitely felt comfortable, and actually easy, although I expended a lot of mental energy obsessing over my pace, and not pushing too fast. The sun came up after about 30 minutes, and was completely obscured by a dense foggy mist that limited visibility of the bay to less than half a mile. I was actually thankful - this would prove to be quite advantageous for keeping cool.

MILES 4-6 THE FIRST BIG CLIMB UP TOWARD THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE
FAST, ANXIOUS, AND STILL HAVING FUN WITH THE PACK
I had studied the elevation map in great detail prior to the race, knowing that hill management would be critical to a good race. Miles 4-6 are through some attractive and scenic parks and neighborhoods leading up to the concrete roadbed of the Golden Gate Bridge, and had a net climb, including one small but steep "micromountain." There were still a lot of competitors of various speeds at this point in the race, and I began to get anxious about getting stuck behind some of the slower ones on the Golden Gate bridge ahead, so I made it a point to not lose too much time on the climbs. It got more scenic at this point, with some spectacular views of the bay limited by the dense fog, and some runs through very cute SF neighbhorhoods. The first big hill was more difficult than I had expected, but not a problem. Nobody at all really slowed on the inclines this early on, so there were plenty of people keeping me company. Most importantly , my pace felt right, I felt strong, and was actually having a great time. The race was now officially on!

MILES 6-9 THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE
WET, COLD, UPHILL AND ZERO VISIBILITY. 100% SHEER FUN!


One of the biggest draws of the SF Marathon is the fact that you get to run the Golden Gate Bridge. You've seen postcards of it in its splendid sunny glory, and you dream about running a PR time across it. I believe that they once re-routed the SF marathon to not include the bridge once in the past, and there were howls of protest after the race. The bridge is up high, and it's somewhat intimidating in the approach to see it looming far overhead, several hundred feet overhead. However, the excitement of getting up to the bridge quickly takes over, and before you know it, you're going through the toll stop on the bridge - as a pedestrian! They close one lane of traffic and cars are still moving, but they're well segregated and not a problem. Actually, the cars provided probably the largest concentration of spectators on the entire course! I appreciated the honking and cheers that came from the drivers.

The bridge scenery itself was underwhelming, as the dense fog and cold mist/rain made for zero visibility off the bridge, and some rather slippery footing. In retrospect, these miles were definitely the most unpleasant conditions I encountered during the race, but the high spirits of everyone around you (some real speedsters prematurely kicking it up here!) and the craziness of being running on the Golden Gate Bridge at 6AM made for a great time. I was holding 8:10 per mile on the uphill and working pretty hard, but still felt completely under control. About a few minutes up on the bridge, I noticed a familiar-looking guy up ahead. Hey - it was Dean Karnazes the ultramarathon man himself, chatting it up with some fellow runners! I know now why he's a "media darling" - that's one good looking guy, and that's coming from me, a guy! He just did the 160 mile Badwater ultramarathon one week ago, so for him to be out running SF easily at about 8:00/mile was pretty incredible. I patted him on the back as I passed him and gave him a shout as I passed by, saying "Dean you rock! You're my hero!" to which he responded "no man, today you're my hero! YOU rock!" What a great, friendly guy - made my day!

The incline wasn't too bad on the bridge itself, and I was able to really pick up some speed on the decline on the way back, hitting 7:20-30/mile (you run both out across the bridge, then back) before dipping into Golden Gate park. All in all, the bridge was well worth the trouble and truly one of the highlights of the day; I had a great time seeing how happy people were to be "doing the bridge", and I loved every wet, cold and foggy second of it!

MILES 9-13 GOLDEN GATE PARK AND THE HALFWAY MARK
THE CLIMBS CONTINUE. RIGHT ON PACE AND STILL KICKING!
There was a really big drop into Golden Gate Park at this point, which felt great after all the climbing. I was starting to drop a lot of competitors at this point. The park itself was beautiful, with wide open paved running trails, tall trees and large grassy fields, and the sun actually peeked out at this point, but not enough to get hot. Unfortunately, there was a big sustained climb up through the park which would be one of the biggest uphills of the race. I was ready, and dug in. Lots of people at this point began to fade, especially the half marathoners. Nature beckoned now, and I used the opportunity to hit a portapottie. It was easily the most frenzied bathroom break I've taken in my life - felt like a crazy person causing a commotion in a stall, and it almost made me laugh out loud at how ridiculous it felt! I got back on course within less than 15 seconds, and continued the climb. I hit the half marathon point feeling mildly winded but inspired, and my time of 1:43 was better than I'd hoped for (1:45 would give me my target of a 3:30ish finish.) At this point, I knew it was going to be a good day for me, and things were really looking up. Legs were strong, lungs were good, and spirits were high.

MILES 13-17 EXITING GOLDEN GATE PARK
THE LAST OF THE BIG CLIMBS AND THE MARATHONERS TAKE THE STAGE
The first half marathon group separate off at mile 12, so the race thinned out substantially at this point, consisting of only marathoners for a good stretch. Miles 13-15 were another big downhill in the park, and I hit some really fast (scarily fast!) times trying to stay with the few people around me. I was impressed with how strong everyone around me looked - people I passed would turn around and pass me back, and I felt that I was breathing harder than everyone around me. A tall younger guy and his pacer buddy came up from behind me, chatting up a storm while doing sub 8:00/mile, and when they passed me, I waved goodbye, since I wasn't doing ANY talking at this point! I love seeing the variety of marathoners at this point; you've got young, old, girls, guys, grizzly, tattooed, rasta, technical, and more, with the common thread that they're all pretty damn good! And I was hanging with them! I really wished that I could just talk with all of them and find out what drove them to run as far and fast at they did. They're all inspiring to me, and they make me hope that I can keep up this great tradition for years to come.

According to the elevation map, the last big hill was mile 17-18. That was the peak elevation of the course, and a net downhill to the finish from there. The climb was challenging, but after some of the training I've done in the Santa Monica mountains offroad, I was ready, and continued to pass lots of people. Apparently I was on course for a negative split, as I was now hitting the biggest uphills at sub 8:00 per mile. There were a few folks who I was hoping would stay with me for some friendly co-competition, but I was looking good, and kept passing folks alone. Hitting mile 18 was a real high for me, as I felt pretty much the same as when I was at mile 13, and had all the hard work behind me. There was still a LOT of work to be done, but I was doing well, and still getting faster with each mile.

MILES 17-20 OUT OF THE PARK BACK IN TO URBAN SAN FRANCISCO
THE DOWNHILL RACE BEGINS AND THE COMPETITION FINALLY APPEARS
Anybody who looks at the elevation map of this race will think that the rest of the race should be a breeze, with a big net downhill, but it's deceptive; the downhills are quite steep, requiring some braking energy, and there are continuous rolling hills to keep you honest on the way down. My hardest moments on the course came at miles 18-20, during which I wasn't sure what to expect. I was really cruising at this moment, running faster than I ever thought I would be able to, but that was also very anxiety provoking, as my quads were taking a beating, and above all I wanted not to cramp. It was still way too early to put it all on the line, but if I didn't move fast now, I would lose some critical downhill time that I wouldn't be able to make up. I just took it one step at a time, and told myself, "just another mile. I can definitely keep this fast pace another mile, and then I'll reassess."

The scenery got less nice as we got back into the residential urban city here, passing through Haight-Ashbury. Very few spectators as expected; I think the biggest crowd I saw was a group of 8. One particularly funny moment was when I heard some really loud rock music around the corner ahead, and I looked for the expected cheering groups near the music. I turned the corner to see one single fat biker-looking dude fast asleep in a folding chair in front of a monster PA system blaring "Born to be Wild." And not a single spectator in sight! I was trying to really focus anyway, so it didn't matter to me. At this point as well, a group of 5-6 or so surprise competitors stepped up their pace, and actually passed me on a climb. Although I wasn't interested at all for my ego, I knew it would be advantageous to have some folks who I could use as "pacers" to the finish, and these guys looked really strong. Furthermore, the young guy and his pacer who had passed me previously was closer than he was before, about 600 yards ahead.
Miles 18-19 passed by without a hitch. I took my 4th GU at this moment, and even slowed to drink 4 half cups of water in preparation for the final 6 miles, which Pfitz recommends to be well-topped off for, as it would be too late then for any further hydration or carbs. Mile 20 was a landmark for me - I was still running and still acccelerating, without cramps! For once, I let myself really enjoy the moment, and a big smile opened across my face; even if I crashed out near the end, I had the PR locked.

MILES 20-24 URBAN SAN FRANCISCO
FAST, HAPPY, DOWNHILL, AND UH, NO CROWDS TO BE SEEN
I ran nervously through some really fast and steep downhills on miles 20-21, not sure whether my quads were on edge, or rearing for more. After more of "just one more mile at this pace, and then reassess", I hit mile 22. Things were going just as Pfitz had specified in his training program. According to him, miles 22-26 are the miles of fear and struggle for the less-well prepared marathoner, whereas they are a well-trained marathoner's best moments, during which he or she shines to a strong finish. I had my doubts, especially since I did no runs over 20 miles in the last 5 weeks of training, but he was right on the money for this one. I felt absolutely fantastic at mile 22! Where was the wall? Where was the doubt and fatigue? I felt nothing but joy at this point, and really let myself just enjoy the moment. I started cheering and hollering out loud for myself and high fiving some of the few spectators on the side of the course as I ripped by, and it seemed to work as I continued to accelerate. Heck - if they weren't going to cheer, someone had to, right? =) (They probably thought my brain needed more oxygen!) I was hitting some really fast paces for myself on the downhills, but hey - it didn't matter at this point, so I just went for it! The competitors around me looked like they weren't even moving. I easily passed the entire pack that had been pacing in front me for the past 3 miles in one fell swoop, and I blew past the chatty younger guy who had by now lost his pacer and looked to be struggling. I saw some guys over 600 yards ahead in the distance, and managed to catch them within half a mile. To top it off, I was still smiling and whooping it up, even posing briefly for some goofy camera shots. I heard a few shouts of "you look great! running fast!" and I was having so much fun I would shout back "I feel freaking awesome! This rocks!"

Now THIS is what the marathon is about! Fast times, fast competition, and tons of fun! Beats cramping and walking any day!

MILE 25-26.2 THE FINAL 1.2 MILES
ALL OUT SPRINT TO THE FINISH BACK ON THE EMBARCADERO
At late mile 24, I passed one of the CLIF bar pacing teams. Hey! It was the 3:20 pacer! He had dropped back to a slower pace after doing his job admirably for over 20 miles of the race. His wave had started about 4 minutes ahead of me, so I was definitely doing well now. I glanced at my watch, and it showed 3:11. This was obviously going to be a PR for me, but I suddenly had a very realistic shot at sub 3:20. The competitive fires were stoked, and I decided to go for it. The pacer gave me a suppportive shout: "the finish is only a mile up ahead - you'll make it in 3:20 if you keep up the pace you're doing now!" Showtime!

I hit the 25 mile marker with something like 3:12:30 on my watch. The terrain was dead-flat for the final 2 miles, so there would be no decline assist to the finish. I didn't know how fast I'd have to go to make it since I couldn't do the math for 1.2 miles in 7min30seconds or something like that since I was pushing so hard, but I knew it would be a staggering challenge at the least. I turned on the jets and went for it. I was more fatigued than I thought; my "jets" were more like a "little tap on the accelerator" as I couldn't go much faster than I was already going. My Garmin was reading 6:57 per mile, but it felt like an all-out sprint even early in the final 1.2 miles.

Things started to really hurt and fall apart in the prolonged sprint. My breathing became labored, and I was groaning like a dying man. My quads started to burn and quiver with the stress. Drool started hanging from my lip. I was literally flying past a string of runners now, all of whom looked composed and quiet in the final march to the finish, whereas I was clearly the outlier, staggering in a ugly, twisted, but speedy dance to the finish. And I was passing everybody in sight. Where the heck were the crowds when I needed them? As I made the final turn of the race to the last 0.5 miles, there was not a single spectator in sight, just causal disinterested tourists walking down the Embarcadero. And where the heck was the finish line? I couldn't even see the banner, I was so far out!

I dug in as people started to kick to the finish. There were a pack of guys with me as I hit 26.0 miles. I was really ugly now, and my tongue was literally hanging out of my mouth. I even recall marveling, "wow - by going 15-20 seconds per mile faster than my average pace, I reduced myself from hero to zero in one mile. Great." Still, 3:20 beckoned, and I continued the stagger. I dropped all of the guys I was with except one guy who really turned on the jets, and sprinted to the finish. I looked at my watch and saw 3:19:30 at the 26 mile mark. Go for it! The seconds ticked away...35...40...45...50....it was going to be a close one! There were actually a few hundred people in the final 0.2 miles, and they started going crazy as I did my flail to the finish. I got across not knowing how it turned out but hit any button on my Garmin watch hoping it would be the right one to mark the time. The finish crew ran over really worried, asking me "whoa - are you ok man? Do you need a medic?" as I nearly toppled over after crossing the mat. It took me a good minute to even catch my breath, and I gasped that I was ok, then limped over to the finishers corral. Only then I glanced at my watch.




3:19:53. Nice.







POST RACE WRAP-UP
Running a PR always makes for a fantastic day, so I was obviously in superb spirits after the race. While it wasn't a Boston Qualifier time for me (need at 3:10 at age 32), it was a 30 minute PR and at the upper limit of my "stretch" marathon goal time. I do have a lot of compliments for the SF Marathon, which really exceeded all my expectations. The weather is really perfect for any marathon, and given that it's a summer marathon, it's really remarkable to have such ideal conditions. The multiple-wave start is a godsend for racers, and the smaller field really makes it possible to get off to a great start. The scenery is breathtaking, even in the early morning darkness and fog, and I was never bored at any moment in the course. The sheer diversity of waterfront to bridge to park to urban and back to waterfront keeps things really fresh, and you really feel that you're hitting milestones when you break into the next section. Crowd support was low, but to be expected given that most of the race takes place before 9AM on Sunday morning. Kudos for the organizers for at least trying to keep things lively, with loud music stops and great aid stations. The medal which doubles as a coaster was super-cool, and the free technical T-shirt with vented armpits is great for training. You can register as late as the day before for the marathon (half marathon sells out for the over-the bridge first half) so there's no real pressure to register super early. It's a marathon that I'd be thrilled to do again, even if not doing PR time, since it's a worthy challenge, and a scenic course in a great city. Highly recommended.





PS - As happy as I was with my 30 minute PR, I was actually even more impressed when my girlfriend crossed the finish in 4:30, having run the entire race, hills and all, for her first marathon, and still holding strong after the race. Go girl!

Related links:
Summary Recap and SF Marathon Mile Splits

My Cheering Squad: Comments from the marathon community at Running Times