Why run a marathon? I am an ultra runner after all! But I find it to be a lot of fun to mix it up and use these marathons as hard race training efforts. As a member of the Central Mass Striders running club, the Cape Cod Marathon was an opportunity for me to score some points for the team.
After a busy packet pick-up on Saturday and adding this into a work trip with the Cape Cod baseball team, I prepared for the race on Sunday morning.
We had nice cool 50 degree temps with sunshine but lots of wind. The Cape Cod Marathon course runs the reverse of a portion of the famous Falmouth Road Race and with some hills in the beginning of the first 10k, the rest of the course was pretty flat and fast. It was fun to set-out with the other runners. I was aiming for a sub 2:40 marathon as I would be racing the Kodiak by UTMB 100k the following weekend and did not need to exhaust myself.
I set out at an aggressive pace but it felt pretty comfortable. We hit a lot of 5:50 miles which my goal was to be near 5:50 average.
After hitting some of the strong wind up and down the hills of the first 10k, we then settled into a fast pace. With some 5:38 miles in tow, soon the pace picked-up in the pack of 4 I was in as I went back to 5:50’s as 5:30’s was too aggressive for me after going through the half marathon on pace for a 2:32. So I entered no-man’s-land. The faster pace was starting to catch-up a little on me. I was in a good position. Then I caught one runner in this neighborhood section near mile 18 and we were directed to a wrong turn and after that point, the momentum was lost. I started hitting some over 6 minute miles and was caught by some of the field.
The last 10k, we hit the head winds from the Falmouth course and I just slowed big time in this. It was not worth pushing hard in 40 mph wind gusts. So I cruised into the finish wrestling with a need for a porta potty stop the last 8 miles and sprinted right to the bathroom.
My time of 2:38:02 was on goal and before slowing in the wind, put forth a nice 2:34- 2:35 marathon effort which was awesome. I placed 12 overall which in a USATF Grand Prix event was not that bad. The event was well put on and I really enjoyed the experience. Marathons are tough but the result showed me that I still have some solid fitness.
Cresting the Summit 