The weekend of April 26th, my wife and I traveled to Nashville, Tennessee, so that I could run the Country Music Marathon.
We woke up early on Friday morning and drove to Orlando Airport for what we thought was a 0755 A.M. flight. While checking our luggage in we were told our flight was 0755 P.M. It was like we had never flown and didn’t know how to read.
We had reservations that we could not use. The expo would be closed by the time we would arrive in Nashville. I could not pick up my race packet. Our alternative was going standby at either 2 P.M. or 3 P.M.. We sat/ walked and waited at Orlando Airport for seven hours for the first standby available seats. To make a long story short, I was able to pick up my packet at the race expo.
The expo was of a fair size. The race t-shirts were short sleeved. I really like long-sleeved marathon shirts. I did get a good deal on a long sleeve pullover with Country Music Marathon sewn on it. We got our picture taken with the Penguin and an autographed copy of his latest book.
My wife and I stayed with a friend about an hour outside of Nashville. We had our own pasta party at a local restaurant. I have no idea what the marathon pasta party was like.
The weather for the Saturday morning race was ideal. A hailstorm had moved through the area Friday afternoon. While driving into town Saturday morning, we passed through a shower. This did not last long. The temperature at race time was in the low 50’s, cold, damp, and windy.
We parked at the Tennessee Titan Stadium/ finish line. I caught a shuttle to the starting area and my wife went about looking for ways to meet me on the course.
I looked at my watch, while on the bus, it was 0645. When we arrived at the drop off area, it was nearly 0700. I needed to find the Port-o-Let. While in line at the john, I noticed that it was a little after 0700. I thought that the race started at 0700. I did not want to be caught in the bathroom line when the race started. I got out of line, asked people what time the race started and where the starting line was. I was told the race started at 0700 and where the starting area was. People were just milling around and no one was heading to the staging area. My clock said it was a few minutes after 7. Then I remembered!!!! My clock was still on Florida time. It was only a little after 6 in Nashville. I found another Port-o-let, then walked around the starting area until the starting corrals filled up and the race started.
I had a few goals for this marathon. One was to stay with a pacer group for the first half and then work on moving forward into another to obtain a negative split. This would help accomplish my other goal of a sub-3:50 time.
When the gun went off, I got caught up in the moment and a fast 3:45 pace group. I missed the first mile marker but caught the second because my wife, Lisa, was standing next to it. My time was 17 plus, by the clock. That was about on pace.
The course was very spectator friendly. Lisa was able to conveniently walk about town and watch me go by at miles 2,3,and 10. Lisa told me afterwards that each time I passed her I was on pace. There were also lots of cheering people of all ages to do high fives with. There were twenty some high school cheering squads and twenty some stages along the course according to pre publicity. I can really believe it. We could heart the sound from the next stage as the sound from the previous one faded. The words of the songs were changed to fit the event. I mostly remember one girl singing “Respect,” when you reach finish line.
The course was nothing but rolling hills. I was so glad that I read the article in Friday’s paper about running the Melbourne causeway. I told myself each time I started up another hill not to look at the top, but to look down where I was running. I was also glad that I had run weekly causeway repeats for about two previous months. The down hill portion of each hill did a job on my quads.
I gave Lisa my warm-up jacket about mile ten. That was a mistake. I immediately became cold.
The half marathoners split away from the marathoners shortly after mile 11. They only had 2.2 miles to go. We had 15 miles to go. Reality was harsh. The agony of the painful quads soon overcame the bone-chilling cold
My 10K-split time was 50:21, my 15K time was 1:15 and my ½ was at 1:46. This was a 3:30 pace. I was running for a good time at this point. My 8 minute per mile pace dropped to about 8:10 at mile 14, about 8:20 at 15, about 8:30 at 20, about 8:40 at 23.
Most of the second half was run to have a good time. I hurt too bad to keep up the early pace I had set. I made more water stops, interacted with the spectators more and even did a few dance steps when passing the bands.
Between miles 19 and 20, we ran past the ½ marathoners at their 12-mile mark. This again was harsh reality. We had nearly 7 miles to go they had a little over 1. That was not fair.
I remember giving two female runners encouragement during the last 6 miles. Then when I wanted to walk about mile 25 they would not let me. I am grateful to them for the encouragement. This helped me break 3:50. Something gave me an extra push at mile 26. I sprinted the last 385 yards at about a 6:30 pace and finished with a 3:49 chip time. My time was 5 minutes faster than my last 4 or 5 attempts.
I was very glad to finish, get my medal, and find my Lisa.
We did not go to the post party, since we were staying an hour or so out of town. I cannot make comment about that. Every thing else about the marathon lived up to what was advertised about it. I highly recommend this one to others.
This was my 26th marathon in 7 states. My next one will be Melbourne. I do not think I will be reporting on that one cause you will be running it with me. See you there if not sooner on the roads.