After a standardly restless pre-marathon night, it was time to get ready and head on out. Looking out the window, despite it still being totally dark, I was able to see that it was raining quite a bit, thanks to the White Castle parking lots puddles lit up by street lights. Ugh. While the temperature was great for running (50F), I really hate standing around in the rain. Fingers were crossed that the rain would lighten up or even dissipate in advance of then.
After arriving at the starting area and dropping off my gear bag, I made my way into the corral. By that point, the rain was generally gone, at least temporarily. I sidled in with the 3:15 pace group, as that was my reach goal for the day. I know the drill and figured on what to expect (and wasn't worried about water stop strategy, since I was carrying my own), so it was really just a matter of keeping up.
We finally headed on out, and slowly but surely over the course of the first half mile, I get increasingly separated from the pacer. Pretty standard, especially with the number of people that were around me. So long as I could keep him in sight, I would have the opportunity to slowly work my way up to him.
However, with the early hill of the initial bridge that we were going over, I knew at Mile 2 (but didn't really want to acknowledge yet) that there was no way that I would hit 3:15 on the day. My legs just really didn't have it, and I had much more severe hills yet to come.
Bit by bit, I was a little slower. And over the course of the first several miles, I had the 1:40 half marathon pacer and one other full marathon pacer (3:20?) pass me. Sigh. And then I hit the biggest hill around Mile 6-8. Yeah, just pull it back and enjoy the run.
There was one point, after I was swallowed up by the 3:30 pace group around Miles 11-12 where we were descending and all of a sudden every exhale was a big cloud of steam. It was definitely an unusual sight for me, especially in the middle of a race.
During that first half of the race, the rain came back. Enough so that I never really contemplated taking my phone out to take photos along the course. Mercifully, some of the best signs were captured by other people. Especially at the Bacon Station!
Being able to have some reasonably crispy bacon a couple of times on course just past half-way... heavenly. Very much breaks up the cloying sweet of the ShotBloks that I use on-course.
Soon enough, there was more uphill to handle.
And then there were some great inspirational signs posted for about a half mile around Mile 18. Unfortunately, with the rain, I didn't take any photos of them.
As I was nearing the end of the race, I checked my watch a few times to see what I was on track for. Somehow, my watch kept showing a predicted finish time of 3:30, despite the fact that the pacer (who started behind me) had passed me a while ago. Was the watch wrong, or was the pacer just going too fast?
Turns out, it was the watch that was wrong.
In the end, I finished in 3:35:22.
I didn't yet have my challenge medal, though, so after collecting the post-race food and drink (and being expectedly disappointed with the pizza that they had as part of it) I went in search of the correct booth for getting my 4-way challenge medal and extra cheese tab. I wound up passing by it because of poor signage, but was eventually pointed back the right way. With that in hand, I went to gear check to collect my things, went into that same nearby loading bay, and once again changed into a dry shirt, donned my Boston jacket, and took out my umbrella, then making my way back up to the carousel which had a great view of the Finish Swine. I asked a couple of people up there if they would take a photo of me with my medals, and make sure to get the Finish Swine in the shot. Well, they got some of it.
By far, the cutest marathon medal I've gotten to date. (And the other medals were generally the same design.)
The day's medals:
And all of the medals for the weekend:
Back at the hotel, showered, changed, and warm, I had some of the post-race food from the past two days, especially the multiple Muscle Milks so that I could get some quick protein in my system.
After a few hours of resting and relaxing, it was finally time to go out for dinner. I had foregone figuring out a place to have a good cheeseburger because I figured my post-race meal would be the Skyline Chili 5-way. Silly me, I never bothered looking up the hours of the location I went to -- it was closed. (!) OK, what to do?
Well, turns out that only two blocks away, there was a place where I could get some chili mac.
The place is very spacious, had the Nationals-Reds game playing on a huge screen, and even had a bookcase of communal games available to play. Trying to figure out how to order on their website was just not working for me (it kept on coming up as if I was planning on picking it up to go, not order at my table), so I gave up and just ordered at the bar.
That was REALLY very good. Mac & Cheese topped with a really good Cincinnati-style chili and a heap of shredded cheddar. Om nom nom.
Around the time I was finishing up, I noticed on the big screen that it looked like it was pouring at the baseball game. That was less than 1 mile from my position. Damn! I didn't bother bringing the umbrella this time, because I thought it had finished up for the day. After delaying leaving for about 10 minutes, it was somewhat lighter rain, and I felt guilty about just hogging the table for 4 that I was at (despite the fact that there were plenty of tables available and no one was waiting for a seat). Having paid, I put my glasses in my jacket pocket and walked reasonably quickly the several blocks to my next destination, trying to hug as tightly to buildings as possible, and go underneath any overhangs I could find (which wasn't many). Finally, I arrived.
Of course I was back for more! How could I not? This time, dark chocolate brownie and flying pig tracks. Ooh, that was a great combination. As cute as some of the cakes were in the display case, there was no passing up ice cream.
My pick-up for the airport the next day wasn't until 12:45pm, so I had plenty of time to walk back to Skyline for that chili for lunch and then get back to the hotel. On the way, I came across another one of the city's pig statues.
Over at Skyline, I ordered the 5-way and, naturally, had to surround it with my 4-way with extra cheese, as one does...
Well, the chili had some meat in it this time, unlike with the cheese coney on Friday night. But the spaghetti was (not surprisingly) well past al dente, and I could really tell that there was much in the way of beans or onions. There certainly was no missing the heaping helping on cheddar. Given the fact that I had a $10 gift card from my race registration that covered almost the entire meal, I can't gripe about the cost. But if and when I come back, and especially if I have a gift card for Skyline, I'll find someone else to hand it off to and just get a good burger for my post-race meal, as per normal.
Amazingly enough, though, despite not trying at all for time during the first three races, and having not gotten anywhere near what my true goal was for the marathon (though it being a pretty darn good time on that hilly a course two weeks after completing the Boston Marathon), I managed to finish in 3rd place in my age group for the 4-way challenge with extra cheese!
If I were actually trying during the first three, and had more manageable expectations (and therefore a slower start) for the marathon, I might have actually been competitive for 2nd place in the age group.
I don't know what we'll be getting for AG awards, but as I understand it, once they finalize the placements, they will be mailing out the respective awards.
Sweet! (Or should that be "soo-weeeee-t!"?)
Now to prep for my last race of the season... the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon, next weekend. This time, I'll be pacing the 1:55 group.
Thanks for the review! I’m registered for 2026!
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