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Philadelphia Marathon Recap: Second Half

I knew the second half of the marathon was when my mental strength would be tested. During my past two marathons, both in New York City, I’ve hit the wall on or around mile 17. I told Elizabeth, who was still by my side during the middle miles, that I wanted to use the Philadelphia Marathon course’s out and back style to my advantage.

I’m going to focus on the runners coming back my way and smile at them while watching for people I know. Hopefully this will make the miles pass quicker.

For the next 3 miles of quiet along Kelly Drive I did just that. I enjoyed the people watching while also taking in the sites of Boathouse Row. While there were very few spectators in this area, I was lucky enough to be spotted by 2 old Philadelphia friends from my time living in the city and 3 more blog readers. In the back of my head, knowing that someone I knew could see me at any point on the course definitely motivated me to run strong.

Little did I know how true this was as within the next minute we came upon the Lululemon Cheer Squad where Leslie spotted me! Seeing her huge smile and scream was exactly what I needed at this point. I knew that I’d see her again around mile 22 and was excited to have something to look forward to during this quiet part of the course. (photo courtesy of Leslie)

By mile 17, when we reached the Falls Bridge, Kristin was running her own race and it was now just me and Elizabeth. Our pace continued to click away right around 11:08 and we both couldn’t believe how strong we felt. Even going back up the hill to Falls Bridge after the short out and back on the other side of the river, around 18, our pace stayed on target and our breath came smoothly. We decided at this point that we’d do our best to start pushing the speed. We knew we’d have to start ticking off 3-4 seconds per mile if we wanted to break 4:45 still.

However, as we tried to push faster we both realized that this wasn’t the best time to do so. We could tell that the next few miles were a gradual uphill through Manayunk, where we’d reach our next crowd. Instead, we decided to keep with our 11:08 pace and our plan to run the first 20 like a long run and kick it in gear a bit for the final 10k. This area of the course was a bit more challenging than I’d expected just because the out and back seemed longer. The gradual incline never seemed to end and the crowd support came later than I expected.

At mile 20, just past the turnaround point, Elizabeth and I saw Meghan pass us looking wonderfully strong. I knew she was going to kick this marathon based on her strong training, including a 15 miler just 2 weeks previous which was such a smart decision on her part. As she passed I tried to catch up but couldn’t do it. I spent the next 2 minutes screaming for her, not realizing that she had on her headphones. I swear the amount of energy I exerted during this time felt as if I’d just dashed a mile. When I crossed the 20 mile marker I knew I didn’t have the energy left in me to keep up with her pace. Elizabeth looked at me and said she wanted to push it a bit faster and asked if I wanted to join her. Her original goal was a 4:40, faster than my goal, and therefore I feared going out too fast at this point. Who knows if I made the right decision or whether my body could have handled it. I’ll never know. I thanked her for her amazing 20 miles worth of support and told her that I’d do my best to keep her in my sights instead. She had just helped me accomplish something I never thought possible- run for 20 miles without a single stop or even water walk. That in itself was an accomplishment enough for me.

At that point, mile 20.5, I put my headphones on, took another Gu, sipped water, and promised myself that unless I felt injury, I would not walk. I’d trained for weeks and wanted to make myself proud. I wanted to cross the finish line with pride. I slowly started to focus on people ahead of me and do my best to pass them, one by one. My pace at the 21 mile mark was 11:10, according to my Garmin and my goal was to keep taking it down each mile. While I didn’t necessarily have the energy to push out 10:30 minute miles, I did negative split those next five miles. Below is just a glimpse into my thoughts during these last miles.

Mile 22: 11:00 (I can do this. If I just listen to Pit Bull’s I Cry a few more times I’ll keep from crying.)

Mile 23: 10:58 (Okay let’s keep the body relaxed and no waving as that uses energy. One foot in front of the other. Oh look at those people cheering. Act like they are your own fans and read their signs as you push past them.)

Mile 24: 10:58 (Hmm, you could see epic cheer squad at any point. Remember that Ashley has her camera ready. Look strong. Keep focused. Okay, let’s change the music to something a bit more upbeat. Hmm, Call Me Maybe?)

Mile 25: 10:49 (How is it possible that I haven’t seen the cheer squad yet? How am I not tired of listening to Call Me Maybe on repeat? Oh lord my lower back is so tight. My legs aren’t hurting but my actual feet are. Okay, let’s change it to Gangam Style and then finish out the marathon with a Reach the Beach Tribute.)

Mile 26: 10:23 (Okay, I have to keep exactly on pace to beat 4:55. I’ve worked too hard to not make that goal. Wait, let me spend this minute figuring out if there is any chance of 4:50. Oh no, these legs don’t have 7 minute miles in them. Okay, focus on running. Holy shit there is the sign. Oh my gosh Bo and Beth are screaming so loud. I love them. I love the entire cheer squad for being here and being so supportive. How amazing is Michael. I can’t believe he is still out here cheering for me. Maybe if I show them how much I love them they’ll believe me. I heart them. Oh wait, let’s finish this marathon. Just .3 mile left. Time to sprint for them.)

See below in order, thanks to Ashley’s amazing race day photography!

I

LOVE

YOU!

Mile 26-26.5: 8:22 (Oh lord. My quad hurts so badly. Come on sprint just end. I wonder if everyone else from our team is finished. Okay just cross the line, don’t look at Garmin and walk directly to the Pennies in Action tent. I really want a banana.)

Finish: Holy hell. I just ran 26.4 miles without stopping a single time. My left leg is so sore. My shoulders hurt. I’m sobbing. I can’t believe this. I have to call Gia immediately. Do I want to run another marathon again or is this a good way to go out? Wait, if I can run 4:53 here what do I have in me if I don’t have a 5 week taper? Wow, I can’t believe how steady I paced myself during that marathon. Wait if it had been 26.2 I actually would have done closer to 4:50. Shut up Ashley no marathon is exactly 26.2 miles. Just go celebrate and find your friends and Bo.

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To everyone who made this marathon possible whether through generous donations to Pennies In Action (me with the founder in the above picture) or through your positive thoughts and motivation, THANK YOU!

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Philadelphia Marathon Part 1: Saturday

I haven’t really come to terms with the marathon itself yet, so instead, I’m going to start by sharing Saturday with you all. Looking back, I really believe that Saturday was key to my performance and confidence during Sunday’s marathon.

After sleeping for 8 hours Friday night, Bo and I woke up Saturday morning in time to meet Kristin, Nadia, and Beth. Kristin was so kind to offer a ride down to Philadelphia for all of us in her car as long as we were okay squeezing and of course providing a Starbucks coffee. We spent the next 2 hours laughing, talking about the marathon, discussing our strategy, and just relaxing. This time was exactly what we all needed to relax after a long taper period. It was also great to get to know everyone better since I only met Nadia that morning and Beth and I had only hung out in larger group situations.

We may or may not have made a scenic stop in Princeton for some leaves and stretching action!IMG_5931

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After reaching Philadelphia our priority was picking up our bibs and running any errands that we needed to do so that we could be relaxing on the couch by 3pm, a personal goal of ours. Many of us have historically spent the day before a marathon exploring a city with out of town guests, on our feet all day and stressed to the max. Since it was Nadia’s first marathon, having hours to relax during the afternoon and evening was her sole request. In theory, our checklist for a succesful pre-marathon Saturday looked like this:

  • Arrive at destination before noon.
  • Hydrate and eat healthy, non stomach irritating food all day.
  • Pick up bib and any last minute supplies early in the day.
  • By 3pm be back home and have marathon gear set out so any last minute supplies aren’t forgotten.
  • Cook dinner in so we’re relaxed and not dealing with crowds or reservations.
  • Be in bed by 10pm.

As soon as we saw the finish line, while heading over to the Pennies in Action tent to pick up my bib, everything became VERY real!

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After making my final donations and hugging the ladies at Pennies in Action I finally had my bib in my hand and was excited beyond words! It was like everything I’d worked for the past few months was finally coming together! It was so nice to meet them in person and they welcomed not only me but our whole group to their tent, provided us with water, and suggested that we use the tent as a base on marathon day!

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After picking up my bib and packet, which was in the charity tent area near the start line, we headed over to the Philadelphia Convention center to check out the Philadelphia Marathon Expo and pick up everyone else’s bib. We parted ways with Bo at this point who was spending the evening with his best friend Scott. I knew that he would have more fun with Scott than with four girls who were all hyped on marathon energy.

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The walk was only about a mile from Michael’s apartment which was a perfect way to take in some sites and shake out our legs after the car ride. Since we were all just at a race expo two weeks prior we had no interest in shopping. Instead we were in and out in less than 30 minutes.

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On our way back to Michael’s apartment we ran into Meghan who was with her wonderful family heading to the expo and also Santa! We asked him to wish us speedy strong feet and good marathons. I think this thumbs up means that our wishes would be granted.

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Realizing just how hungry we all were, we stopped in Pine Street Deli, thanks to Yelp’s recommendations, and each ordered a delicious deli sandwich.

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By 3pm we were sitting on the couch eating our lunches, amazed at the simple flavors and how delicious it all tastes when you aren’t used to Kaiser rolls.

For the next 6 hours we literally did nothing other than chat, foam roll, stretch, organize our marathon gear, make dinner, and watch a mix of college football (Go UGA and Notre Dame), watch Friends episodes, and make it through 30 minutes of the worst movie ever, Magic Mike.

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Later, to relax us, Kristin even read good luck wishes to us from her students. Each student wrote her the sweetest letter wishing her good luck on her marathon!

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Around 8, I called Gia for one last word of advice and strategy session. She was thrilled to hear that our day had ended just as we’d hoped and we were each feeling relaxed and ready. We discussed the two most important things for me to do in the marathon: go out slow and fuel consistently. It was as if our discussion put me at ease because as I crawled into bed that night my whole body was relaxed. I slept for 7 glorious hours, only waking one time. My body and mind were both ready for a great marathon.

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Philadelphia Marathon Tips

I had to laugh when last week, after I announced that I was running the Philadelphia Marathon instead of New York, a few people emailed, tweeted, or left me Facebook messages asking if I’d do a tips and tricks post for the marathon in advance of November 18th. My first reaction was laughter as I knew very little about the marathon when I signed up. Sure I lived in Philadelphia for 3 years and ran the half multiple times but I don’t know the full course very well.

So what do I do when you’re confused or don’t know the answer to something? Ask for help!

I quickly reached out to a few friends and acquaintances who have run the marathon multiple times and am now able to share with you a pretty amazing Philadelphia Marathon Tips guide for both runners and spectators. If you find this helpful, please feel free to share with friends or across your social networks! If I missed anything, feel free to ask in the comments and I’ll do my best to get you an answer before Thursday!

The Course: I am inspired by my co-worker Mark on a daily basis. Not only is his 40 something body able to run a 3:17 marathon, but he is the most helpful and kind runner I know! He has sent me multiple inspirational messages during this training journey and has accompanied me on many a run. As soon as he heard I was running Philadelphia he put me in touch with his friend, a local Philadelphia runner, so I could understand the ins and outs of the course. After training for New York, a marathon that I’ve run twice before, it felt weird to sign up for a marathon whose course I don’t know very well in advance. I was amazed when his friend sent over a VERY thorough course description which included his tips. I asked him permission and he was more than happy for me to share it directly on the blog for everyone’s benefit!

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Happy to help – the course has been essentially the same for a while now.  Apologies for the length here, but I’m avoiding election coverage and welcome the distraction.  

Overall, it’s fairly flat and known for being a pretty fast course.  If you’ve been training for NYC in the city itself (including bridge work and/or the hills of central park), none of the hills that are on the course should adversely effect you. Philly used to be one of the marathons people ran to qualify for Boston. 

Start is by the Art Museum – they’ve made a lot of progress with corrals and spacing, in the past few years.  My recommendation is to be at or near the front of the corral behind the one to which you are assigned.  This way, you can help avoid getting stuck in a crowd and can find whatever pace you feel comfortable with, early on.  Also, you’re more apt to start catching runners in the group in front of you, as you go.  (Always good for the psyche.) Keep in mind, unlike NYC, you’re also running with half-marathoners.  Slightly different crowd. 

Anyway, the first 6 to 6.5 miles run through the flat streets of Philly proper: center city (which is the closest Philly comes to nyc midtown environment) and old city (which can include brief sections of cobblestone).  You’ll know you’re heading into old city when you run through Independence Mall.  Through this section of the race, you’ll find a few turns along the way, which can slow you down, depending on crowds around you.  Also, the streets get more narrow in sections.  They don’t always clear the streets of cars, so it can get like the sections of NYC you find in Brooklyn. (Think bay ridge).
Bw 6 and 7, you’ll cross a bridge into west Philadelphia.  That’s when you’ll notice some hills starting.  You’ll also get some nice energy from the greeks at Penn. (Don’t feed them.). The hill at mile 7 or so isn’t going to kill you – especially if you’ve done your bridgework.  It’s a little long and the pitch is roughly equivalent to the Williamsburg bridge. Keep your pacing honest and respect the hill here and you’ll be fine. I mention this because the worst hill on the course comes at around mile 9 or so, when you start to head to the zoo.  Before you hit that hill, you’ll notice you’ve lost the crowds.  They largely stop when you’re past Penn and Drexel. There will be select areas w some crowds as you go – but they can get kind of sparse for prolonged sections of the remainder of the race.

One more word about the hill at mile 9 – it’s a solid hill. Fairly prolonged, good steepness to it.  A lot of people run it really stupidly.  Expect to slow your pace here.  I’m always conservative with this hill, unless someone’s chasing me. Good news is, you’ll know this hill when you see it and the rest of the course is frankly pretty routine.  After the hill at 9, you’ll get a downhill return for roughly 4 miles – you’ll see "Boathouse Row" on the left and you’ll see you’ll find yourself back at the Art Museum.  This is where you’ll lose the half-marathoners. They’ll go straight to their finish, while you’ll head left out to a town called Manayunk. 

The Manayunk leg is an out and back: 6 out, tap Manayunk and run the 10k back to the finish.  Depending on who you talk to, some describe this leg as downhill out and uphill back – others describe it as a series of mini-hills.  Both descriptions are basically right.  This section is part of a very popular running route in philly: tree lined, right along the river and largely scenic.  You’ll get some crowd support in a couple of sections of this leg – depending on the weather, it can get very strong. 

I’m not a fan of "out and backs" generally, but this one is tolerable.  Just ignore the mile markers and runners in the opposite direction (ie ahead of you) when you’re heading out.  
Preparing for NYC will serve you well here, because good training can put you in position to make up some time on this section. The one thing I’ll mention on this section is to remember that, near the very end of the return (and the marathon itself) you have a gradual hill that’s roughly 1 mile long.  After 24 miles plus, it has beaten up many a runner and it’s a frequent mistake for people to forget about it.  Don’t forget it’s there – it starts at the end of Boathouse Row on your return.  Can’t miss it. Save some energy for it.  Once you’re atop the hill, with the Art Museum again on your right, it’s the last point 2 to the finish.  Empty the tank then.

I think that’s about it.  It’s a pretty well run race – the water stops are stocked and staffed well.  They’ve expanded the field to try to accommodate the abandoned NYC marathoners (adding 3k more).  So, it should be more crowded than usual.  But, it doesn’t get more crowded than the upper deck of the Verrazano.  You should be fine.

Spectating: The Philadelphia Marathon is known for amazing spectators the majority of the first 13 miles. After that, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. There are always a number of spectators at the end and in Manayunk. Therefore, I would highly suggest asking your friends and or family to spectate in one of the “dead zones” if at all possible. Since it’s an out and back course for part of the marathon, if they chose a spot along here they could not only see you at the beginning and end, but also the tough parts. Here are my suggestions based on course research and where I’ll be requesting the amazing BETH to try and spectate if possible.

  • Do not attempt to spectate in the first few miles of the marathon. Due to the start, which includes half marathon runners, it is pretty crowded at this point and will make finding people very difficult. The crowd spreads out a bit after mile 3 so this is the best place to even consider spectating during the early miles.
  • If you hang out on Kelly Drive towards the Mile 15 point, you’ll see your runners at mile 15 and 24. These are both pivotal miles as 15 is when it has truly set in that you’re running a marathon and you’ve broken off from the half marathon crowd. Mile 24 can also be a tipping point in a PR so knowing that you’re going to see someone at that point can really help push you through mile 23. The great thing about this location is that it’s only 2 miles down Kelly Drive from the finish so if you’re a runner, walker, or jogger spectating you can walk back to the finish to meet your runner.
  • Tell your spectators to wear something that will stand out to you. For example, I may have Bo where his bright red North Face jacket or a Georgia Tech baseball hat. Things like this, or an I Love Sweat T-Shirt, make finding your spectators easier!
  • Make super fun signs and come up with a few cheers. In addition, do not say the following to marathon runners UNLESS you are standing at mile 26. (pictures and suggestions on what not to say from Erica Sara’s blog)
      • You’re almost there (when they are NOT almost there)
      • This is the last hill (when it’s NOT the last hill)
      • Run faster (trust me, they are trying)

signs

I hope these tips help!

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